Ng sees progress, but urges more be done in healthcare, transport, labour

SINGAPORE — Significant improvements have been made in addressing housing needs and taking care of the elderly, but more could be done to address transport, healthcare and manpower issues, said Leader of the House Ng Eng Hen yesterday.

Wrapping up seven days of Committee of Supply (COS) debates and providing a “half-time” report card of the Government’s efforts since the 2011 General Election, Dr Ng recalled that Members of Parliament (MPs) had asked at that time if the Government was doing enough for disadvantaged Singaporeans.

“Then, MPs echoed residents’ dissatisfaction with housing, the transport system and healthcare affordability,” said the Defence Minister, adding that MPs were also “not pleased” with the over-reliance on foreign labour and called for the Government to slow down immigration and improve productivity.

“From this year’s speeches, it would be fair to say that there have been significant improvements in some areas as the Government rolled out measures to deal with these issues that MPs raised in previous years,” Dr Ng said.

In housing, for instance, “shorter waiting times, lower costs and greater affordability of housing pushed the Ministry of National Development off the hot seat, to the relief of Minister Khaw (Boon Wan)’s eyebags”, Dr Ng said.

Issues remain in healthcare — due to an ageing population — as well as transport and manpower. “For transport and manpower, the added attention reflected work-in-progress on areas that the Government will need to improve on over the next few years,” Dr Ng said.

The minister said crucial work lies ahead when Parliament reopens after a mid-term break. “We still have much to do. This House therefore urges all of us together — the Government, MPs and our people — to commit ourselves to the task of improving the lives of all Singaporeans in the remainder of the term,” he added.

In May, the Government will set out its agenda for the second half of its five-year term in office when Parliament starts a new session.

This year, MPs filed 452 amendments, 6 per cent less than last year, and Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob called it “a significant Budget and a good debate”.

“What I like about this Budget is that it places people at the centre of development, which is as it should be, as economic growth cannot be an end in itself but is a means to provide a better life for our people,” she said.

Overall, there was unanimous support from all members, regardless of their political affiliations, for the Budget, said Mdm Halimah. Alluding to a speech by Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin, Mdm Halimah said that from the debates, she felt there is no danger of the House being out of touch with the ground. Nevertheless, Mr Sitoh provided a useful reminder, she said.

Echoing Dr Ng’s point that much work remains to be done, Mdm Halimah said many of her residents were still unaware of the Pioneer Generation Package, even though Parliament was debating about it. “We need to ensure that the policies made in this House actually reach the people that they are meant to benefit,” she added

Even though she did not apply her guillotine on MPs, which would limit the time allowed for debate on a particular matter, Mdm Halimah noted some members had used clarification time “to make more speeches”. She also urged a “more judicious use of slides and videos”, repeating a point she made last year. “A more sparing use of them would create greater impact, as this is after all a debate,” she said.

She also urged ministries, especially those with multiple office bearers replying to amendments, to divide their time well, as some were under time pressure this year.