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Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this has traditionally been a time when we as a nation delineate our goals and aspirations for the year ahead. It is thus imperative that we renew our commitment and resolve to uplift society as Singapore continues to recover from the corollaries of the pandemic.
I am encouraged by the central theme of this year's budget. As we continue to find ways to deal with the ever-evolving nature of the pandemic, we must also set our eyes on how we can prepare Singaporeans for a post-pandemic future. Only by doing so can we “Chart Our New Way Forward Together.” My esteemed colleagues and I in the Labour Movement strongly support and welcome the slew of measures introduced to alleviate the hardship that Singaporeans have experienced as a result of the pandemic as well as improve all facets of society as we transit to a post-pandemic future. I was heartened to note that the Government will be allocating more resources to help vulnerable groups in society.
As we chart our way forward, we should remain sensitive to the challenges and concerns of our vulnerable workers, especially our lower-wage workers and migrant workers. The best way to help workers cope with cost of living is through better wages and better jobs. Speaker, allow me to elaborate.
Supporting our Lower-Wage Workers
Many of our lower-wage workers are front liners in our nation’s fight against the pandemic. Spanning from security to cleaning sectors, our workers have toiled to keep Singapore safe.
As the number of COVID-19 cases soared, our workers continued to work tirelessly to keep Singapore going. In doing so, they stepped up despite the risks to their health and took on additional precautions to limit the transmission of COVID-19 in our community. In my budget speech last year, I spoke about the ongoing efforts to support lower-wage workers.
In particular, I reiterated that the formation of the Tripartite Workgroup on Lower-Wage Workers is a testament to our commitment to ensure that the interests of our lower-wage workers are protected. Over the past years, the collective support from various stakeholder groups to uplift the incomes of our lower-wage workers have been encouraging. NTUC, alongside our tripartite partners and various other stakeholder groups, will remain committed to help workers improve their income security and quality of life, and give them confidence in navigating their careers, equipping them to participate in new growth opportunities. But how can we work towards this goal? What are some areas we can continue to look into?
Firstly, the introduction of the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme or PWCS for short, is pivotal as it will provide transitional wage support for employers to adjust to the upcoming mandatory wage increases for lower-wage workers covered by the Progressive Wage and Local Qualifying Salary requirements. It will also allow employers to voluntarily raise wages of lower-wage workers. Under this scheme, the Government will co-fund wage increases of eligible resident employees from 2022 to 2026.
The introduction of the PWCS is a step in the right direction and will go a long way in uplifting and supporting lower-wage workers. Having said that, at NTUC, we are cognisant that efforts to help lower-wage workers is a long-term strategy.
As more sectors and occupations are incorporated into the PWM, there will be a greater need to re-think the duration of transitory support new sectors will receive under the PWCS beyond 2026. Therefore, I would like to know how new sectors incorporated into the PWM between 2025 and 2026 will be supported. In particular, I would like to know if the Government will make special provisions for these industries.
On the subject of PWM expansion and as mentioned in my budget speech last year, NTUC has identified two sectors for the implementation of PWM namely, strata and facilities management, and pest management. NTUC has conducted several engagements with stakeholders in the respective sectors, and response has been very encouraging thus far. In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to call on the Government to seriously consider our proposals to implement PWM in the two sectors.
Secondly and on a related note, it is imperative that we look at parallel efforts to complement PWM. In sectors where services are outsourced, we ought to incentivise service buyers from the private sector to adopt outcome-based contracting to ensure that PWM wage increases are sustainable in the long run. Consumers and service buyers should also become more socially responsible, and reject service providers that provide services at low cost, but at the expense of the welfare of such essential service workers. Instead, service buyers should adopt an outcome-based contracting model, where contracts are awarded to companies with progressive employment practices that give due recognition to workers, rather than basing these decisions on price alone.
In 2018, NTUC launched the Smart Sourcing Initiative, that gives funding to service buyers in the security, cleaning and landscape sectors that implement outcome-based contracts and train procurement staff to be familiar with best sourcing principles. The introduction of this initiative is encouraging, but it also reminds us that there are sufficient opportunities and latitude to incentivise service buyers from the private sector to adopt outcome-based contracting. In order to do this, I call on the Government to provide funding for trade associations to engage consultants to develop an outcome-based contracts guide. Depending on the industry, the consultants would develop bespoke guides for employers in varying industries. By incentivising private sector employers to implement outcome-based contracts, due recognition can be accorded to our workers, ensure they can progress and perform higher-value roles, and our PWM wage increases will be more sustainable in the long run.
Peace of Mind for our Migrant Workers
Another vulnerable group adversely impacted by the pandemic would be our migrant workers. I will not be the first to thank our migrant workers for their hard work and contributions to the development of our nation, all while working in challenging conditions distant from their homes and loved ones.
NTUC has perennially been advocating for enhanced medical coverage for the welfare and safety of our migrant workers. We are pleased that the Government has ceded our calls for greater protection. At NTUC, we strongly believe that our migrant workers deserve to be insured against risks within and beyond the workplace. In December last year, NTUC Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) introduced its Associate Membership to offer holistic protection and benefits that are specially tailored to serve migrant workers’ lifestyle needs. In exchange for a membership fee of $24 per annum, our migrant workers would be insured up to $10,000 in term life insurance against critical illnesses, non-work-related death, as well as total and permanent disability. Collectively, I am confident that the Government’s provision of enhanced protection and NTUC MWC’s Associate Membership programme would ensure that our migrant workers are well-protected against uncertainties. To ensure that our migrant workers are insured within and beyond the workplace, I call on the Government to mandate or incentivise companies to sponsor the membership fee for their workers.
Early last year, it was reported that more than 97% of employers with foreign workers living in dormitories were paying salaries electronically, up from 76% before the requirement was introduced in April 2020. The Ministry of Manpower also claimed that the electronic payment of salaries has proven to be beneficial, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, because it ensures that foreign workers continue to receive salaries even when there are movement restrictions in place.
Once again urge the Government to consider mandating electronic payment of salary for migrant workers to protect them from exploitation.
Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay please.
Menyokong Usaha Pencarian dan Daya Kerja Masyarakat Melayu/Islam
Uplifting Employment and Employability of Malay/Muslim Community
Dalam Ucapan Belanjawan tahun ini, Pemerintah mengumumkan Pakej Bantuan Keluarga Tambahan yang menyediakan bantuan untuk keperluan harian, Pakej Jaminan GST bagi melegakan impak daripada kenaikan GST yang dirancangkan, dan peningkatan Skim Baucar GST Tetap yang memberi bantuan berterusan untuk menampung GST atas perbelanjaan keluarga Singapura berpendapatan rendah hingga sederhana, melebihi sokongan peralihan yang terkandung dalam Pakej Jaminan. Bantuan juga dihulurkan kepada mereka yang berpendapatan rendah untuk menanangi kos kehidupan yang semakin meningkat. Misalnya, skim Baucar Pengangkutan Awam 2021 akan dilanjutkan supaya keluarga-keluarga berpendapatan rendah akan dapat menampung sebarang penyesuaian pada tambang pengangkutan mereka. Skim-skim sebegini yang diumumkan oleh Pemerintah sudah pasti akan membantu menampung kos kehidupan keluarga Singapura, termasuk masyarakat Melayu/Islam.
At this year’s budget, the Government announced the Household Support Package to provide support for daily essentials, the Assurance Package for GST to cushion the impact of the planned GST increase, and enhancements to the permanent GST Voucher scheme to provide continuing help to defray the GST expenses of lower- to middle-income Singaporean households, beyond the transitional support covered by the Assurance Package. Support is also provided to lower-income households to cope with the rising cost of living. For example, the 2021 Public Transport Voucher (PTV) Exercise will be extended to support lower-income families to cope with any fare adjustments. These schemes announced by the Government would undoubtedly assist in defraying the costs of living for Singaporean households, including the Malay/Muslim community.
Dengan memperkukuhkan kontrak sosial kita, bantuan yang diberikan bukan sekadar menampung kos perbelanjaan bahkan memberi peluang kepada semua warga demi meneguhkan tonggak-tonggak sokongan sosial kita. Kita akan dapat menumpukan perhatian pada pendidikan anak-anak kita melalui peluasan skim Uplift dan Kidstart yang membantu lebih ramai kanak-kanak daripada keluarga berpendapatan rendah.
By strengthening our social compact, the assistance rendered is beyond defraying cost but also provide opportunities for all to enhance our social support pillars. We will be able to focus on our children education through the expansion of Uplift and Kidstart to support more young children from lower income families.
Belanjawan ini amat besar faedahnya kepada keluarga Melayu/Islam dalam menangani kos kehidupan sambil Singapura beralih kepada masa depan pasca pandemik. Sebahagian besar keluarga rakyat Singapura akan mendapat bantuan bernilai sekurang-kurangnya lima tahun perbelanjaan GST tambahan. Keluarga-keluarga kita patut merebut peluang ini untuk:
a. Meneruskan usaha mencari pekerjaan yang mantap demi perlindungan kita sekarang dan pada masa hadapan
b. Menggalakkan suami/isteri supaya kembali bekerja demi menyara hidup keluarga
c. Meningkatkan kebolehan dan kemahiran demi bersiap sedia untuk bekerja dalam sektor-sektor yang mengalami pertumbuhan
The budget will immensely benefit our Malay/Muslim households in coping with the cost of living as Singapore transitions to a post-pandemic future. Majority of Singaporean Households will receive at least five years’ worth of additional GST expenses. It is important for the family to take this opportunity to:
a. Continue to find a stable job that provide protection for now and in the future
b. Encourage spouse to get back to workforce and support the family income
c. Upgrade and upskill to prepare for job in the growth sectors
Kita semua dapat meneladani Saudara Ahmad Sadiq, 47 tahun, yang tidak jemu-jemu belajar sepanjang hayatnya. Demi menempa masa depan yang lebih berjaya, Saudara Ahmad Sadiq mengambil kursus untuk menaiki tangga akademik secara sambilan bermula dengan NITEC Technologi Mekanikal, kemudian Diploma Kejuruteraan Mekanikal, dan akhirnya Sarajan Muda Teknologi Mekanikal dengan Kepujian (Cemerlang).
47-year-old Brother Ahmad Sadiq’s lifelong learning journey is one we can all take a leaf from. With the resolve to achieve a better future for him and his growing family, Brother Ahmad Sadiq worked his way through the academic ladder, all on a part-time basis, starting with a NITEC in Mechanical Technology, then a diploma in Mechanical Engineering, and finally, a Bachelor in Mechanical Technology with Honours (Distinction).
Semua pendidikan ini dibiaya sendiri di samping geran pengajian daripada Kesatuan Pekerja Perbekalan Kuasa dan Gas (UPAGE), serta Kredit SkillsFuture. Sebagai Jurutera Mekanikal dan kini sebagai pemimpin kesatuan, beliau terus memperjuangkan pembelajaran sepanjang hayat dan memimpin melalui teladan. Beliau sendiri sekarang mengambil kursus Pengurus Tenaga dengan sokongan syarikatnya, dan bercadang mengikuti beberapa kursus pendek yang sejajar dengan minatnya.
All this was fully self-funded, with some support from the Union of Power and Gas Employees in terms of a study grant, as well as SkillsFuture Credits. He is currently a Mechanical Engineer and now as a union leader, he continues to champion for lifelong learning, leading by example – he is currently pursuing an energy manager course supported by his company, and has plans to purse shorter courses that are aligned to his personal interests.
Seterusnya, NTUC juga akan berganding bahu dengan masyarakat Melayu/Islam bagi menangani pelbagai keperluan dan persoalan masyarakat. Di NTUC, kami sangat yakin bahawa pendekatan yang terbaik ialah memperkasakan pekerja kita untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan yang lebih baik dengan gaji yang lebih tinggi melalui kemahiran yang lebih tinggi. Pada 24 Februari, melalui sebuah Memorandum Persefahaman, NTUC merasmikan kerjasama dengan Yayasan MENDAKI untuk kedua-dua pihak memanfaatkan jaringan dan sumber masing-masing demi menjayakan Pekerjaan dan Daya Kerja di kalangan pekerja Melayu/Islam. MOU ini adalah sebahagian daripada strategi utama “M Kuasa Tiga”, dalam Bidang Fokus Ke-Empat, untuk mengangkat taraf hidup masyarakat Melayu/Islam.
Moving forward, NTUC will also join hands with the Malay/Muslim community to the address the community’s needs and concerns. At NTUC, we firmly believe that the best approach is to empower our workers to access better jobs and earn better wages with better skills. On 24 February, NTUC formalised our collaboration with Yayasan MENDAKI via a memorandum of understanding, with both organisations committing to tap on our respective networks and resources to advance employment and employability for Malay/Muslim workers. This MOU is part of M3 Focus Area 4’s key strategy to uplift the Malay/Muslim community.
Kerjasama ini satu contoh utama yang unggul bagaimana NTUC meluaskan usaha kita untuk memperkasakan pekerja, menempa kerjasama dengan rakan kongsi di kalangan badan-badan komuniti dan bantu diri, demi memperkuatkan jangkauan kita kepada pekerja dan komuniti yang akan meraih faedah daripada sumber-sumber latihan dan penempatan pekerjaan kita di peringkat kebangsaan.
This partnership is a prime example of how NTUC enlarges our efforts in empowering our workers, forging collaborations with community-based and self-help organisation partners to enhance our reach to workers and communities that would benefit from our national-level resources in training and job placement.
Kami akan menjayakannya dengan memanfaatkan ekosistem latihan kami – merangkumi NTUC LearningHub dan e2i (Institut Pekerjaan dan Daya Kerja). Dan melalui ekosistem ini, usaha masyarakat Melayu/Islam untuk menjalani latihan dan meningkatkan kemahiran dapat dipupuk lagi dan ditingkatkan skalanya, supaya mereka dapat tetap bekerja dan berdaya saing di pasaran pekerjaan. Pemimpin kesatuan dari kalangan Melayu/Islam juga ditugaskan di bandar-bandar M3 demi mendorong tenaga kerja Melayu/Islam dan memberikan sokongan jarak penamat untuk penempatan pekerjaan.
We will do this by leveraging our training ecosystem with NTUC LearningHub and NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute). And through this ecosystem, we can augment and scale up the Malay/Muslim community’s efforts to train and upskill so that they remain employable and competitive in the job market. Malay Muslim union leaders are also deployed in the M3 towns to rally the Malay Muslim workforce and provide the last mile support for job placements.
Bak pepatah - yang bulat tidak datang menggolek, yang pipih tidak datang melayang - NTUC akan terus bekerjasama dengan syarikat-syarikat, dalam usaha untuk menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Latihan Syarikat (CTC). Seperti ditekankan oleh saudara Chee Hong Tat dan rakan-rakan Parlimen tadi, model CTC ini menghimpunkan kesatuan sekerja dan majikan demi membangunkan pelan transformasi yang padu di peringkat firma, termasuk latihan terkait yang diperlukan untuk pekerja mereka. Melalui syarikat yang menyertai CTC, kita dapat menggandakan impak kita untuk membantu lebih ramai pekerja menjalani latihan dan meningkatkan kemahiran. Dengan sokongan berterusan daripada masyarakat, usaha NTUC akan dapat menjayakan perjuangan kita untuk mengangkat taraf hidup masyarakat Melayu/Islam Singapura.
Besides helping individual jobseekers, NTUC will also partner companies to set up Company Training Committees, or CTCs. As mentioned by my colleague Chee Hong Tat as well as other Parliamentary colleagues, the CTC model brings together the unions and employers to develop concrete firm-level transformation plans, including the relevant training needed for their workers. Through the CTC companies, we can multiply our impact to help more workers train and upskill. With continued support from the community, NTUC’s efforts will go a long way in uplifting the Malay/Muslim community.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has tested our resilience as a nation. Singaporeans have remained steadfast despite the challenges they faced during the pandemic. Whilst we have come a long way, there will inevitably be many more challenges along the way. However, as a country, we have weathered similar storms and emerged stronger together. As we chart a new forward together, the Government and NTUC are committed to helping workers in every step of the way and will continue our fight for a fairer and more progressive society for all. Rest assured, NTUC will continue to champion all workers because Every Worker Matters.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget.
Thank you.
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