SINGAPORE: Three Workers’ Party Members of Parliament on Thursday (Sep 25) raised concerns ranging from wealth inequality to the loss of cultural spaces. Speaking during the fourth day of the debate on the President’s Address, they also proposed new measures to address these challenges.
Their proposals included increasing government support for independent arts spaces, upping the supply of public rental flats through an HDB buyback scheme, and introducing a “Junior SkillsFuture credits” scheme for some Singaporean children under 18.
The MPs were Mr Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied), who spoke on social inequalities; Mr Dennis Tan (WP-Hougang), who focused on climate action and the arts; and first-time MP Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik (WP-Sengkang), who raised concerns over housing access and education gaps.
Mr Giam said in his speech: “While our journey as a nation has been a remarkable one, the true measure of our success lies not in our peaks of wealth, but in the enduring opportunities we provide to all citizens.”
Responding to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s call to nurture a “we first” society where no one is left behind, Mr Tan said such aspirations must go beyond economic metrics.
Singaporeans should be allowed to pursue their passions and build a country that is rich in culture and spirit, he said.
“It is paramount that there are spaces for artists to thrive and for our collective spirit to flourish.”
He pointed to the recent closure of The Projector as a “stark and painful reminder” of the challenges facing some creative communities.
Mr Tan also noted that the permanent closure of The Substation - Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts centre - was partly because of changes in how it was allowed to use its premises, and that redevelopment had resulted in the theatre company The Necessary Stage being displaced from its space.
Independent arts spaces lack the long-term stability to survive the forces of economic pressure, urban redevelopment and less supportive policies, he said.
“The impact on our artists and our national soul is indelible, and with every closure of such a space, our country becomes culturally poorer,” he added.
The arts should not be seen as an indulgence but as a “pillar of who we are”, he said.
He suggested creating policies that offer long-term stability for independent arts spaces and increasing governmental support “where it is most needed”.
“We must foster a collective mindset that sees the arts as essential to our national fabric,” he said.
Stable housing is a “safe harbour” for rest, but home ownership has become out of reach for some lower-income families, said Mr Abdul Muhaimin.
He noted that open-market rental prices are high, while demand for government rental flats outstrips supply, making access difficult. More should be done to help groups disproportionately affected by the shortage, he said.
Mr Abdul Muhaimin pointed to groups such as single unwed parents and their children, as well as individuals who cannot stay with family members.
He noted that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has rejected requests because the applicant has family members who can house them.
But he said there was a lack of clarity on whether the nature of the applicant’s relationship with his or her family is considered, such as whether the relationship is strained or abusive.
“We must build a system that empowers individuals and families with equal opportunities for safety, stability and self-sufficiency through basic stable housing,” he said, adding that he intends to speak in parliament about increasing the supply of rental flats and reassessing barriers to entry.
He proposed that relationship dynamics with family be taken into account when assessing applications for rental housing and called on the HDB to “publicly commit” to upholding this approach.
19:59 Min
More needs to be done to help people who are disproportionately affected by insufficient housing supply due to rising prices and the difficulty of even securing HDB rental flats, said MP Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik. He cited two groups - single unwed parents and their children, and individuals who are unable to live with family members because of strained or abusive relationships. He called for public rental housing to be expanded, such as by introducing a universal buyback scheme for ageing HDB flats which could be rented to Singaporeans at rates between commercial and HDB public rentals. Mr Abdul Muhaimin also urged data-driven improvements to better tailor interventions for rehabilitating ex-inmates and to address the persistent education gap facing Malay students.
The public rental housing market could also be expanded through a universal buyback scheme for ageing HDB flats, he said.
These HDB-owned flats can then be rented to Singaporeans “at rates between commercial and HDB public rentals”, said the newcomer MP.
They can provide larger homes and flexible options for those who are not ready for long-term leases, Mr Abdul Muhaimin said.
WP had previously proposed a universal sale and lease-back scheme to address the issue of expiring leases of HDB flats.
In his speech, Mr Giam called for skills development credits to be given to children from lower-income families to help level the playing field.
To this end, a Junior SkillsFuture Credit scheme could be launched for Singaporean children below 18 from households in the lower 40th percentile income bracket, he said.
Currently, only Singaporean adults aged 25 and above receive S$500 (US$390) in credits.
The funds could be used for approved courses in various areas such as coding, public speaking, sports and the arts.
While income inequality may have improved, Mr Giam said wealth is also passed down in the form of social, informational and financial capital.
“These translate into a significant and enduring head start in life. They are subtle and unspoken, but they compound over time,” he said.
From overseas travel and exposure to the arts – which he said provides a foundation for sophisticated conversations in social and professional settings – to enrichment camps on artificial intelligence, coding and robotics, children with such experiences can get a boost in different ways.
They also have the option of studying overseas and may land internships or jobs through their parents’ influential networks, said Mr Giam.
“To be clear, the actions of these parents are perfectly legal – they are simply doing their best to help their children in a very competitive economy. But this creates a growing chasm between those with and without these advantages,” he said.
He acknowledged Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau’s response to a similar proposal by Mr David Hoe (PAP-Jurong East-Bukit Batok), to which she noted that schools have many extracurricular activities for students.
“These should certainly continue,” he said. “What I am asking for is a separate credit that gives parents and children the agency to choose enrichment programmes that are not available in their schools.”
Mr Giam also suggested that a fund be set up to provide financial support for international student exchanges, internships and volunteer trips, and career guidance services in schools be improved and personalised.
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Their proposals included increasing government support for independent arts spaces, upping the supply of public rental flats through an HDB buyback scheme, and introducing a “Junior SkillsFuture credits” scheme for some Singaporean children under 18.
The MPs were Mr Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied), who spoke on social inequalities; Mr Dennis Tan (WP-Hougang), who focused on climate action and the arts; and first-time MP Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik (WP-Sengkang), who raised concerns over housing access and education gaps.
Mr Giam said in his speech: “While our journey as a nation has been a remarkable one, the true measure of our success lies not in our peaks of wealth, but in the enduring opportunities we provide to all citizens.”
SPACES FOR ARTISTS TO THRIVE
Responding to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s call to nurture a “we first” society where no one is left behind, Mr Tan said such aspirations must go beyond economic metrics.
Singaporeans should be allowed to pursue their passions and build a country that is rich in culture and spirit, he said.
“It is paramount that there are spaces for artists to thrive and for our collective spirit to flourish.”
He pointed to the recent closure of The Projector as a “stark and painful reminder” of the challenges facing some creative communities.
Mr Tan also noted that the permanent closure of The Substation - Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts centre - was partly because of changes in how it was allowed to use its premises, and that redevelopment had resulted in the theatre company The Necessary Stage being displaced from its space.
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Independent arts spaces lack the long-term stability to survive the forces of economic pressure, urban redevelopment and less supportive policies, he said.
“The impact on our artists and our national soul is indelible, and with every closure of such a space, our country becomes culturally poorer,” he added.
The arts should not be seen as an indulgence but as a “pillar of who we are”, he said.
He suggested creating policies that offer long-term stability for independent arts spaces and increasing governmental support “where it is most needed”.
“We must foster a collective mindset that sees the arts as essential to our national fabric,” he said.
INCREASING SUPPLY OF RENTAL FLATS
Stable housing is a “safe harbour” for rest, but home ownership has become out of reach for some lower-income families, said Mr Abdul Muhaimin.
He noted that open-market rental prices are high, while demand for government rental flats outstrips supply, making access difficult. More should be done to help groups disproportionately affected by the shortage, he said.
Mr Abdul Muhaimin pointed to groups such as single unwed parents and their children, as well as individuals who cannot stay with family members.
He noted that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has rejected requests because the applicant has family members who can house them.
But he said there was a lack of clarity on whether the nature of the applicant’s relationship with his or her family is considered, such as whether the relationship is strained or abusive.
“We must build a system that empowers individuals and families with equal opportunities for safety, stability and self-sufficiency through basic stable housing,” he said, adding that he intends to speak in parliament about increasing the supply of rental flats and reassessing barriers to entry.
He proposed that relationship dynamics with family be taken into account when assessing applications for rental housing and called on the HDB to “publicly commit” to upholding this approach.
19:59 Min
More needs to be done to help people who are disproportionately affected by insufficient housing supply due to rising prices and the difficulty of even securing HDB rental flats, said MP Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik. He cited two groups - single unwed parents and their children, and individuals who are unable to live with family members because of strained or abusive relationships. He called for public rental housing to be expanded, such as by introducing a universal buyback scheme for ageing HDB flats which could be rented to Singaporeans at rates between commercial and HDB public rentals. Mr Abdul Muhaimin also urged data-driven improvements to better tailor interventions for rehabilitating ex-inmates and to address the persistent education gap facing Malay students.
The public rental housing market could also be expanded through a universal buyback scheme for ageing HDB flats, he said.
These HDB-owned flats can then be rented to Singaporeans “at rates between commercial and HDB public rentals”, said the newcomer MP.
They can provide larger homes and flexible options for those who are not ready for long-term leases, Mr Abdul Muhaimin said.
WP had previously proposed a universal sale and lease-back scheme to address the issue of expiring leases of HDB flats.
SKILLSFUTURE CREDITS FOR STUDENTS
In his speech, Mr Giam called for skills development credits to be given to children from lower-income families to help level the playing field.
To this end, a Junior SkillsFuture Credit scheme could be launched for Singaporean children below 18 from households in the lower 40th percentile income bracket, he said.
Currently, only Singaporean adults aged 25 and above receive S$500 (US$390) in credits.
The funds could be used for approved courses in various areas such as coding, public speaking, sports and the arts.
While income inequality may have improved, Mr Giam said wealth is also passed down in the form of social, informational and financial capital.
“These translate into a significant and enduring head start in life. They are subtle and unspoken, but they compound over time,” he said.
Related:
From overseas travel and exposure to the arts – which he said provides a foundation for sophisticated conversations in social and professional settings – to enrichment camps on artificial intelligence, coding and robotics, children with such experiences can get a boost in different ways.
They also have the option of studying overseas and may land internships or jobs through their parents’ influential networks, said Mr Giam.
“To be clear, the actions of these parents are perfectly legal – they are simply doing their best to help their children in a very competitive economy. But this creates a growing chasm between those with and without these advantages,” he said.
He acknowledged Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau’s response to a similar proposal by Mr David Hoe (PAP-Jurong East-Bukit Batok), to which she noted that schools have many extracurricular activities for students.
“These should certainly continue,” he said. “What I am asking for is a separate credit that gives parents and children the agency to choose enrichment programmes that are not available in their schools.”
Mr Giam also suggested that a fund be set up to provide financial support for international student exchanges, internships and volunteer trips, and career guidance services in schools be improved and personalised.
Continue reading...