SINGAPORE: A “universal and permanent” healthcare package with “basic level of medical benefits” should be introduced instead of one-time packages like the Merdeka Package, said Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 26).

Mr Singh was responding to Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat’s Budget statement, and said that he had received feedback from some senior citizens who missed out on a few years of medical benefits because of the year they were born. 

“Similarly, senior citizens who missed out on the more substantial Pioneer Generation Package when they were between the ages of 60 to 64 in 2014 also feel that the eligibility age of 60 for the Merdeka Package is inconsistent with the Pioneer Package,” the Aljunied MP said.

READ: Merdeka Generation Package: What you need to know

Mr Singh said there was “good reason” to believe that Singapore would be able to support such a healthcare package.

Since the incorporation of Temasek Holdings into the Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) framework in 2016, the company has contributed a sizeable S$5 billion yearly.

This comes up to about S$25 billion across the five-year term, starting from the current term of Government, Mr Singh said. 

The 35-odd per cent increase in the NIRC from 2016 “goes some way” to explain the healthy accumulated surpluses accrued to this term of Government from the opening of Parliament in 2016, Mr Singh said. 

With new modes of development funding through borrowing announced by Mr Heng earlier this year, Mr Singh asked if revenue could be freed up to fund more recurrent spending.

“If it does, it would appear that funding such a universal and permanent healthcare initiative for our seniors cannot be dismissed as dishonest, unreasonable or imprudent. Instead, it can and should be viewed as the key pillar of a strong and united Singapore,” Mr Singh said. 

Such a scheme should focus on alleviating out-of-pocket expenses for primary healthcare to address the cost of living for all Singaporeans from the age of 60.

“The additional subsidies for common illnesses and chronic conditions for outpatient care and meaningful discounts off subsidised bills at polyclinics and specialist outpatient clinics should be its central features,” he added. 

“A permanent and universal senior citizen medical package would also represent a critical symbol of integration between all Singaporeans who hold the red passport and it would follow that the eligibility age into such permanent schemes should be dispensed with.”

The Workers’ Party on Tuesday also called on the Government to auto-enroll seniors into the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) when they turn 60 years old.

Currently, only lower-income Singaporeans and those who come under the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation packages get to enjoy CHAS benefits. 

WP Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Daniel Goh said that with those under the Pioneer and Merdeka Generation packages enjoying CHAS, a precedent has been created and there is now an expectation that future generations will be auto-enrolled into CHAS and receive outpatient subsidies when they reach their 60s. 

“Future governments will be hard-pressed into denying future generations of this benefit, not just because of the political cost but also the sheer logic of the justification,” Dr Goh said in Parliament. 

“If the Pioneers had worked hard to make Singapore what it is today, if the Merdekas had worked hard so that Singapore stands tall and proud today, who is going to deny that subsequent generations also worked hard to contribute to building a Singapore for future generations?” Dr Goh added.

Mr Singh said that a scheme like that can also benefit Singaporeans under 60 and give them “peace of mind”. 

“As all Singaporeans commit their best years and pay taxes like the Goods and Services Tax to the state throughout their working lives, a permanent package that helps our seniors manage their cost of living issues in their golden years will inject a powerful message of unity into Singaporeans of all ages,” he said. 

REVIEW CPF PAYOUT AGE, CONTRIBUTION RATES

To ensure retirement adequacy, Dr Goh asked if the Government would consider making tweaks to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) system by lowering the payout eligibility age from the current 65 years old to 60 years old. 

This is so that Singaporeans have the option of an additional source of supplementary income, he said.

READ: CPF Board can do better in communicating messages on payouts: Josephine Teo

“Of course, if there is no need for CPF Life payouts to act as supplementary income, seniors should have the option and be encouraged to leave their monies in their CPF account to accumulate interest and get larger payouts later,” Dr Goh said. 

Dr Goh also called for the restoration of CPF contribution for older workers to help “strengthen their socio-economic well-being and age with independence”. 

Currently, CPF contribution rates by both employers and employees start at 17 and 20 per cent respectively for those under 55, and tapers off to 5 and 7.5 per cent for those above 65. 

TAKING CARE OF THE FUTURE GENERATION

As Singapore moves into and beyond its bicentennial, Mr Singh said the challenges ahead will be “far more unique and complex than before”. The availability of good jobs for Singaporeans first will be at the heart of many conversations, he added. 

As such, the Government must be prepared to do more to support businesses as they go about redesigning jobs for older workers, offer more part-time, half-day or work from home opportunities for mothers, and help gig-economy workers. 

This can be done through tax relief or rebates so that the economic transformation many businesses are undertaking is directly dovetailed to jobs for Singaporeans, Mr Singh said. 

In his speech, Mr Singh sought to clarify whether borrowing from the market for ongoing and if upcoming infrastructure developments would impact the future generation. 

These include the expansion of Singapore’s MRT lines, regional development including the Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District, and Woodlands North Coast, the rejuvenation of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and its associated infrastructure, as well as Changi Airport Terminal 5, the Tuas Megaport and the now-postponed High-Speed Rail. 

“During the course of his speech, Minister confirmed the Government’s intention to pursue a differentiated fiscal strategy – one for major infrastructure investment and another for recurrent social and security spending. But this strategy also implies that there is a limit to how much the current generation should pay for the benefit of our children and their children too,” Mr Singh said.

READ: Budget 2019: Building a ‘strong, united Singapore’; Merdeka Generation Package, healthcare take spotlight

He asked if the borrowing is only limited to Changi’s expansion or if it is extended to other long-term infrastructure plans, and whether the differentiated approach will impact future budgeting and more specifically, revenue available for recurrent spending. 

Turning his attention to the future environmental challenges, Mr Singh asked if Mr Heng could share the estimates for the spending of infrastructure upgrades to tackle climate change and rising sea levels. This includes raising Singapore’s roads and building flood prevention dykes against climate change and rising sea levels. 

READ: Budget 2019: Excise duty on diesel doubled to S$0.20 per litre

To get drivers to shift towards cleaner sources of energy, Minister Heng announced during Budget an increase in diesel fuel tax from S$0.10 to S$0.20 per litre.

NCMP Dennis Tan said that while there were positive responses to the announcement, he is concerned with whether these costs would be passed down to commuters and  businesses. Diesel is the most common fuel for most taxis, public and private buses, delivery vans and other types of heavy vehicles. 

“My concern is that while we care about environmental resiliency, we may be doing this at the expense of economic resiliency,” Mr Tan said. 

He added that while road tax rebates may help, these are “short-term measures” and ultimately operators will face the full effect of the price increase on their businesses. 

EMPOWERING CIVIC PARTICIPATION

Mr Singh, in his speech, said that a “strong and united Singapore will not be built with some Singaporeans being made to feel that they must conform or support the Government’s narrative with little room for alternative views”. 

“This is a sure way of heralding not just a divided and insecure population, but a divisive conversation about the choices we have to make collectively,” Mr Singh added.

READ: Living costs deserve ‘closest scrutiny’; share information about Government spending: Pritam Singh

To facilitate conversation, the Government could share more information through some form of freedom of information law which is present in about 80 countries in the world, he said. 

“While such laws are no panacea or silver bullet, they are but one piece of a larger citizen-centric ecosystem which move the needle forward on civic participation,” Mr Singh said. 

“The bicentennial offers us an opportunity to imagine the richness and breadth of conversations about the Singapore we are entering into in the years to come – a Singapore that is not just economically successful, but socially and culturally confident too with Singaporeans of all stripes proud to call it home.”

SINGAPORE: A woman was taken to hospital on Sunday (Feb 24) after a glass door fell on her at Alexandra Central Mall.

CCTV footage shows the woman entering the 4th storey carpark lift lobby on Sunday evening via a double glass door entrance.

But as one side of the door, which she had just opened, swung to a close, it hit the other door and caused it to fall off its hinges and on the woman, who collapsed to the floor.

A man who had earlier entered the lobby quickly moved the door from the top of the woman with the help of a bystander as others arrived to help.

The woman was then taken to National University Hospital in an ambulance, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Tuesday.

Alexandra Central Mall’s management confirmed the incident and said it is looking into the matter. The case is also being investigated by the police, the management said.

It added it has offered assistance to the parties involved and has engaged a contractor to conduct thorough checks on all its glass doors and to take the necessary safety measures.

SINGAPORE: Temasek Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic had conducted pre-employment checks on US citizen Mikhy Farrera-Brochez before hiring him, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Low Yen Ling said in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 26). 

Brochez, who is wanted for leaking the personal data of 14,200 people from Singapore’s HIV registry, allegedly forged educational certificates to apply for jobs here. 

While the two polytechnics had verified copies of his certificates against the originals, there are “practical limits” to verifying the documents with the educational institution that issued it, said Ms Low. 

“Some overseas institutions may not provide their confirmation, citing privacy reasons,” she said. “We are also mindful of not going to extremes and risk losing out (on) valuable talent.”

“Therefore, the role of in-service performance appraisal and regular monitoring is very important in our HR practices,” she added.  

READ: HIV data leak – what we know about Mikhy Farrera Brochez

Ms Low was responding to a question from MP Intan Azura Mokhtar, who asked if the two polytechnics had carried out any due diligence to check the background and academic qualifications of Brochez.

Ms Low explained that the practice of checking his certificates against the originals is in line with standards in the public sector as well as many private sector companies. 

Furthermore, Brochez had demonstrated “a good grasp of subjects” during his interviews with the polytechnic’s management staff, including those with expertise in psychology.

“While due diligence may be conducted thoroughly, there is unfortunately no system that is able to exhaustively keep out those who are out to lie and cheat,” said Ms Low.

In her supplementary question, Dr Intan said: “If the original is already falsified, then you are just checking a false document against another false document. So I would think that there must be a more robust process in place.” 

Ms Low, in response, said that both polytechnics have since implemented more stringent checks, which include verifying educational certificates with their issuing institutions.

“In addition, since 2014, all our five polytechnics conduct reference checks by checking the applicants’ previous employers or referees indicated in application,” she added.

“MOE (Ministry of Education) will continue to work closely with our five polytechnics to continue strengthening their recruitment process.”

READ: Mikhy Brochez charged in Kentucky court for unlawful possession of identification documents

READ: HIV data leak: Singapore authorities refute ‘baseless allegations’ made by Mikhy Brochez

Ms Low also said that Brochez’s work at the polytechnics was “concentrated on delivering modules”.

He taught at Temasek Polytechnic for about two years, from February 2009 to January 2011, and was at Ngee Ann Polytechnic as an adjunct lecturer for six months.

At Temasek Polytechnic, he taught four modules in the first year and three modules in the second year, Ms Low said.

SINGAPORE: Singapore will not allow any foreign government vessels to assert authority in Singapore territorial waters, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan reiterated in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 26).

READ: Polaris-Pireas collision: How it happened

“We will not allow any foreign government vessels to assert any authority in our waters,” Dr Balakrishnan said in response to Nominated Member of Parliament Walter Theseira’s question on the collision between Malaysian vessel Polaris and Greece-registered bulk vessel MV Pireas on Feb 9.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said then that the Greek vessel was on its way from Singapore to its next port of call at Malaysia’s Tanjung Pelapas when the accident happened.

The minister clarified that the Pireas was not detained by the Malaysian authorities, as Associate Professor Theseira had stated in his parliamentary question, but as the collision was not considered very serious under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Casualty Investigation Code, the Greek vessel was allowed to proceed to Tanjung Pelapas.

The Polaris belongs to the Malaysian Marine Department and is used to mark territory or safety hazards.

Assoc Prof Theseira then asked if there is any advice for mariners looking to pass through these waters.

“For example … if they are given instructions from Malaysian government vessels, what should they do? What would our forces do if they observe attempts to give such instructions in the area?” he said.

To this, Dr Balakrishnan reiterated that these are Singapore territorial waters and are now designated Singapore port limits. All vessels passing through these waters should take instructions from the MPA, he said.

“Any foreign government vessels have no locus standi to be issuing any instructions,” the minister said.

“If there are any attempts to assert authority or take any unauthorised actions, our agencies, our vessels and our forces will take appropriate actions.”

SINGAPORE: Sir Stamford Raffles is best remembered as the founder of modern-day Singapore, but a new exhibition sheds light on less well-known exploits of a man also criticised as a disobedient adventurer and bloodthirsty imperialist.

On Feb 6, 1819, Raffles, an agent of the East India Company which drove the expansion of Britain’s empire in Asia, established a trading post in Singapore after signing a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor.

The tiny backwater at the foot of the Malay peninsular was one of many British settlements across the world, and there was little early indication it would develop into one of the world’s busiest ports.

But with a strategic location on global shipping routes, it quickly became a thriving trading hub. It has cemented this position since independence in 1965 and has also developed into a leading financial centre.

Unlike other governments in the post-colonial era, Singapore did not reject its past under foreign rule but largely embraced Raffles as a symbol of free trade – his name is everywhere, from hotels to shopping malls, and a statue of the Briton stands at the spot he is thought to have arrived in the city.

But Raffles did far more than establish colonial Singapore, as an exhibition at the city’s Asian Civilisations Museum highlights.

“Raffles played several roles in 19th century Southeast Asia,” museum director Kennie Ting told AFP. “Beyond the mythical ‘founder figure’ of Singapore, he was also a scholar and statesman”.

The exhibition, part of events to commemorate two centuries since Raffles arrived in Singapore, showcases about 240 objects including many collected by the colonialist, who also had stints on Java island and in what is now Malaysia.

Among them are exotic items such as decorated masks, wooden figurines, shadow puppets, and traditional percussion instruments, which are reminders of less well-known – and less successful – periods during Raffles’s time in the region.

Many were collected when he was stationed on Java (now part of Indonesia) as lieutenant-governor for several years from 1811.

DEBT AND DISGRACE

After seizing control of the island from the Dutch and French, Raffles sought to institute reforms such as seeking to stamp out the slave trade.

He banned the import of any more slaves but many people – including British officers – continued to use them.

There were also controversial aspects to his rule, however, notably an assault by his men on the powerful kingdom of Yogyakarta and looting of the sultan’s palace.

The East India Company became displeased as Java slipped into debt and, after it was returned to the Dutch, Raffles headed back to England out of favour with his bosses.

“He was in disgrace with the company, he was losing them a lot of money,” Victoria Glendinning, who wrote biography Raffles and The Golden Opportunity, told AFP.

She described him as “very disobedient and recalcitrant with the East India Company”, adding that he “always thought he was right”.

During his time back home, he published The History of Java, which helped cement his reputation as a scholar.

Many objects displayed at the Singapore exhibition, which runs until the end of April and is organised in collaboration with the British Museum, are mentioned in the work.

Raffles returned to Southeast Asia in 1818 as governor of Bencoolen on Sumatra island.

As in Java, he set about instituting reforms. Some say he laid the foundation for the modern, cosmopolitan city-state by establishing a free port which quickly attracted people from around the world.

Still, this seemed of little importance to the East India Company – whose primary aim was to turn a profit – and when he returned to England they refused to give him a pension and he was ordered to pay huge sums to cover losses.

He died two years later aged 44, in huge debt to the company – a far cry from his modern image as the visionary founder of Singapore.

The exhibition, “Raffles in Southeast Asia: Revisiting the Scholar and Statesman”, also displays items from outside his collection, including some originating in Javanese and Malay royal courts.

SINGAPORE: For Matt (not his real name), who had served a prison sentence for offences including cheating and forgery in 2018, being placed in the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme (MAS) was a lifeline he happily grasped with both hands.

The eldest son of his family shared during a media session on Monday (Feb 25) how he had found it hard to adapt to his parents’ demands of him, and would always search out ways to “excel in the shortest time possible – whether good or bad”.

“I hadn’t spoken to my parents for 10 years,” Matt added.

READ: ‘Doing the right thing has never been easy for me’: A serial convict’s journey

The MAS programme helped him reconcile with his parents following his time in prison. It taught him how to put across his challenges and why he fell into a life of crime to his parents in a way that they understood, he shared.

“Now, instead of demanding, (my parents) have become supportive,” he said.

In addition, the structured environment that the programme provides allowed Matt to do well in his studies. During his three-year prison term, he managed to complete a second diploma in Hospitality, and is now pursuing a double major in Hospitality Management and Marketing on top of his day job as an executive in the hotel industry.

“The MAS is a very crucial programme for inmates,” Matt said. “It helps them to walk out of the shadow they were in (from being convicted).” He added it helped “condition (the) mind” to re-adjust back into society.

The 33-year-old was one of 734 former offenders placed on the programme that year, and one of the standouts among those who are on the way to completing it. There is a 93 per cent completion rate for that cohort, said the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) ahead of the release of its annual statistics on Tuesday.

The MAS was introduced in 2014 to provide step-down, structured care for inmates with higher risks of re-offending and those who require more support after their release. The pre-release stint is used to help them address things like traits or behaviours that could increase their likelihood of re-offending. After their release, they receive at least 12 months of supervision and support from SPS officers.

More than 1,200 inmates had been placed on the MAS in the past three years, with completion rates of at least 91.6 per cent, it added.

LOWEST RATE SINCE 2010

Programmes such as the MAS have helped kept Singapore’s overall recividism rate low and stable over the past three years, according to SPS. In fact, the rate for the 2016 release cohort was 23.7 per cent – just 0.1 percentage point higher than the low mark of 23.6 per cent for 2010.

Recividism rate is defined as the percentage of local inmates detained, convicted and imprisoned again for a new offence within two years of their release.

The SPS attributed the low recividism rate to the offenders’ personal commitment to change, as well as factors such as employment, accommodation, family and community support. 

As at Dec 31, 2018, there were 12,807 offenders serving their sentences. Of these, 10,809 are in prison, while 1,998 are undergoing community corrections programmes. The majority of inmates admitted last year fell under the drug offences category (1,958), followed by property crimes (1,465) and crimes against person (1,282).

The SPS also revealed figures for Day Reporting Order (DRO) and Short Detention Order (SDO) sentences for the first time. These community-based sentencing provides the courts with alternative options for low-risk offenders that do not result in a criminal record or stigma arising from imprisonment, it said.

READ: More inmates expected at drug rehab centre; more manpower needed for programmes

Offenders sentenced to DRO will undergo risk assessment and individualised case management plans that meet their rehabilitation needs, with each DRO typically ranging from three to 12 months. There were 26 offenders meted this sentence last year, and a 100 per cent completion rate was achieved, SPS said.

As for SDOs, the agency said these are short detention sentences capped at 14 days and there were 84 offenders falling under this category over the past three years. There is a 100 per cent completion rate, it added.

SPS also works closely with the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) to match offenders with viable job opportunities even before their sentences are completed or are released into the community.

Last year, there were 5,307 employers who signed up with SCORE and 96 per cent of offenders managed to secure a job before their release, it added.

“The work of prisons does not end when an inmate is released,” said Superintendent of Prisons (SUPT) Karen Lee, deputy director of Community Corrections Command (COMC) in the press release.

“Research and experience have shown that rehabilitation is more effective in a real-world setting, as it enables the offender to face and work through his real-life stressors.”

SINGAPORE: One person died and 16 were injured after a bus collided into a railing near Tuas Checkpoint as it was travelling from Malaysia to Singapore early on Tuesday morning (Feb 26).

Two of the passengers on the bus, both women, were found at the foot of a flyover connecting to the checkpoint, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). One woman, a 35-year-old, was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was seriously injured.

The bus driver was trapped in his seat and had to be rescued using hydraulic equipment, SCDF added.

Some of the passengers on the bus work for HP, the technology company said, but declined to give specifics or provide more details. 

“Our thoughts are with those that were involved and are doing everything we can to provide assistance to affected employees. We are concurrently working with the authorities to get more information,” HP said in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia.

The heavy vehicle lane heading towards Singapore was closed for more than four hours after the accident. Buses and lorries were diverted back to Malaysia, ICA added.

SCDF said it responded to the accident at 501 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim at 4.25am. 

It initially said the 16 injured were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and National University Hospital, but later revised the number to 12, including the bus driver.

Four passengers on the bus had minor injuries and declined to be taken to hospital, SCDF said.

ICA first alerted motorists to the accident in a Facebook post at 5.20am. It said buses and lorries were unable to enter the checkpoint at arrival, and advised motorists to use Woodlands Checkpoint instead.

Police and SCDF officers were at the scene, it added.

Photos posted online by Facebook users showed barricades blocking the heavy vehicle lane.

In an update on its Facebook page just before 7am, ICA said traffic for arriving and departing cars and motorcycles had returned to normal. 

At 10am, ICA said it reopened the heavy vehicle lane for arriving buses and lorries. However, traffic heading towards Singapore was still heavy due to the morning peak period, it said.

“Travellers are advised to check One Motoring website before embarking on their journey,” it added.

Police investigations are ongoing.

SINGAPORE: A medicinal ingredient used to treat erectile dysfunction was found in two products sold online as candy, Singapore health authorities said on Tuesday (Feb 26).

“Very high levels” of tadalafil, which is used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, were found in Hickel and Solomon Island Soloco Traditional Candy, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said in a news release.

“The amount of tadalafil was up to 30 times higher than the usual prescribed daily dose,” it said. 

Members of the public should not purchase or consume both products, it added.

“Consuming such high levels of tadalafil is dangerous and would increase the risk of serious adverse effects, including heart attacks, stroke, vision and hearing loss,” HSA said.

Inappropriate use of tadalafil without medical supervision may also cause priapism, which is a painful and prolonged erection.

Tadalafil can also pose serious risks to certain patients, including those with heart-related problems. It should not be used by patients who are on heart medications such as nitrates as it can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure.

HSA said it was alerted to Hickle by a journalist, while Soloco was detected by customs officers at the Woodlands Checkpoint when a 29-year-old woman tried to bring the product into Singapore.

PRODUCTS ADVERTISED ONLINE AS “100% NATURAL”

Investigations showed that both products were sold on various e-commerce and social media platforms, including Facebook. Both products were also advertised online as “100% natural” and made with a “pure plant formula” with “no side effects”.

“They were also marketed in a manner to mislead consumers into thinking that they were candies, with exaggerated claims to improve cardiovascular and kidney health, diabetic conditions, vitality, fertility and immunity,” HSA said. 

The agency said it is working with the administrators of the online platforms to remove the product listings.

In 2017, a similar illegal product named Candy B was found to contain tadalafil.

Hickel and Soloco were promoted to be “better than Candy B”. Both products’ contents were packaged individually in attractive wrappers inside tin containers or boxes, HSA said.

READ: Sexual enhancement drugs found hidden in clothing at Tuas Checkpoint

Nutritional information and food or quality certification marks, like the UK Food Standards Agency logo and the Good Manufacturing Practice logo, were also printed on the packaging. The packaging for Soloco also included a QR verification code for authenticity checks.

“These characteristics were likely intended to mislead consumers into thinking that the products are safe and of good quality,” said HSA.

It advised consumers to stop taking both products immediately and consult a doctor if they feel unwell.

Consumers should be wary of health products that promise miraculous effects, carry exaggerated claims, HSA said, adding that such products may contain undeclared potent ingredients or prescription medicines that should be used under medical supervision.

Consumers should also exercise caution when purchasing health products online, especially from unfamiliar websites.

“Anyone can be a seller on these e-commerce platforms. You cannot be certain where and how these products were made. They may be well-packaged or appear certified to meet international standards, but in fact contain undeclared ingredients which can seriously harm your health,” HSA said.