Parliament
Louis Chua raises concerns over inflationary pressures, income security, and housing market
During the parliamentary debate over President Halimah Yacob’s address at the opening of the second session of parliament, Mr Louis Chua, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Seng Kang GRC, expressed concerns over inflationary pressures, income security for workers, and the housing market.
He argued that Singapore needs a nationally defined social protection floor for workers and a law mandating retrenchment benefits, which could help displaced workers and their families meet basic living needs during periods of recession and labour market weakness.
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During the parliamentary debate over President Halimah Yacob’s address at the opening of the second session of parliament, Mr Louis Chua, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Seng Kang GRC, delivered a speech highlighting concerns over inflationary pressures, income security for workers, and the housing market.
Mr Chua, in his speech on Wednesday (19 Apr), expressed concern about the impact of global trends, such as economic nationalism and obstacles to global trade, on the Singaporean economy.
He noted that these trends are inflationary and highlighted the latest Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) data showing that core consumer prices rose by 5.5% year on year in February, with food prices up more than 8%.
Mr Chua argued that the projected rise in core consumer prices of 3.5 – 4.5% over 2023 as a whole and for headline inflation to average 5.5 – 6.5% is still elevated compared to recent history and out of the comfort range for many Singaporeans.
Mr Chua also expressed concern over the impact of the second Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike in January 2024 on working Singaporeans’ earnings power, especially given that wage growth for those employed full-time barely outpaced inflation in 2022.
He argued that the Government’s support measures should consider intergenerational equity to address younger Singaporeans’ anxieties about their future and seniors’ worries about the impact of higher living costs on their children.
Redundancy insurance and worker protections
WP has consistently been pushing for a redundancy insurance scheme since 2011, and also published a consultation paper on this back in 2016.
In his speech, Mr Chua once again raised the issue of income security for workers who may find themselves displaced if labour market conditions deteriorate, especially given the risk of a recession.
He argued that Singapore needs a nationally defined social protection floor for workers and a law mandating retrenchment benefits, which could help displaced workers and their families meet basic living needs during periods of recession and labour market weakness.
He expressed hope that the Government would study how to extend support schemes similar to the COVID‐19 Recovery Grant beyond the pandemic and adapt administrative arrangements for the grant for a wider redundancy insurance scheme.
Mr Chua argued that a redundancy insurance scheme could raise efficiency in the labour market, reduce underemployment, and provide displaced workers with immediate income security, allowing them to reskill and find a stronger job fit without being pressured into choices that could hamper their longer-term career mobility.
Housing: unanswered questions remain
Mr Chua also raised concerns about the housing market, noting that the root cause of much of the housing woes today relates to supply.
He cited President Halimah’s speech and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s assurance that the Government knows how to find enough space to build enough flats and keep homes affordable for Singaporeans.
However, he argued that manifestations of the demand-supply imbalance in the housing market continue to persist, with house prices continuing to climb.
“House prices have continued to climb, where based on flash estimates for the first
quarter of 2023, private residential prices rose 3.2% in the quarter, while HDB resale
prices rose 0.9%, with both public and private prices rising for 12 consecutive
quarters now,” noted Mr Chua and added that HDB rents shot up 27.7 per cent in February compared with a year earlier – a rate of increase not seen in 15 years.
Mr Chua also shared that Sengkang, which he represents, saw rents rise the most across HDB estates, at 40.4% over a one-year period, with median rents now at $3,200 a month compared to around $2,200 a month last year.
He expressed hope that the Government will consider intervening in the market sooner than later, rather than continue monitoring the market, in order to preserve open market rental affordability.
Mr Chua also highlighted the issue of the lease decay of HDB flats, which will eventually reach zero at the end of the 99-year lease.
He raised concerns about the trap of ever-spiralling expectations in the housing market and the impact on all stakeholders, especially older Singaporeans hoping to leave their residential property to their children.
Mr Chua referred to WP’s proposal of a universal sale and leaseback scheme that provides a floor price for HDB resale prices, where the HDB is the buyer of last resort for all lessees where each individual lessee is empowered to exercise the scheme and not be subject to a voluntary process which is out of the hands of the individual lessee.
While Mr Chua noted that Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann shared the same notion of having the Government coming in as the purchaser of last resort, he questions how the proposed Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) can pan out in practice as it is voluntary and subject to voting by residents in the precinct.
He also questioned how the PAP Government could honour its promise to all Singaporeans that their HDB flat would be both a good home for them and their family and a valuable nest egg as he “struggle(s) to see how amid all of these concerns and the eventuality of
the value of HDB flats reaching zero at the end of the 99-year lease.”
Speaking in response to President Halimah Yacob’s recent remarks that political parties can aggravate rifts rather than bringing people together, Chua stated that he and his fellow Workers’ Party colleagues will speak to advance the larger public interest and make constructive contributions to policy debates.
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Parliament
Workers’ Party to question Govt on Mobile Guardian breach and entry of extremist preacher in upcoming parliamentary sitting
In the 9 September 2024 parliamentary sitting, the Workers’ Party will raise questions on the Mobile Guardian breach, which affected 13,000 students, and the entry of extremist preacher Amir Hamza. Other key topics include housing affordability and the costs of the Founders’ Memorial.
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In the upcoming parliamentary sitting on 9 September 2024, the Workers’ Party (WP) Members of Parliament will focus on key issues such as housing affordability, cybersecurity, national security, and public expenditure.
The topics raised reflect the party’s attention to areas affecting Singaporeans’ daily lives, public safety, and the management of government resources. (read PQs here)
Housing Affordability and Policies
Housing remains a priority, with multiple WP MPs addressing questions on the topic. Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis is seeking details from the Minister for National Development regarding HDB loan-to-value ratios and HDB resale price trends over the past five years. This aims to provide insights into the challenges faced by first-time homebuyers.
Additionally, Ms Sylvia Lim will question why some Build-To-Order and Sale of Balance flat applicants are restricted from selecting flats in projects with later booking dates, seeking clarification on policies that may limit buyers’ choices.
Cybersecurity in the Education System
The recent breach of the Mobile Guardian app, which impacted 13,000 students, is another key focus. Mr Gerald Giam will question the Ministry of Education on how many students were affected, the extent of data loss, and recovery measures.
This follows a Reddit user’s claim that the vulnerability had been highlighted months before the breach. The Ministry confirmed receiving the tip-off but stated that the reported breach had been patched, although the informant refutes this in a subsequent Reddit post.
Ms He Ting Ru will also address the Ministry of Education, asking how it plans to involve parents more actively in managing their children’s devices following the security breach and the removal of the Mobile Guardian Device Management Application.
National Security and Extremism
Mr Pritam Singh is questioning the Minister for Home Affairs about the entry of Bangladeshi preacher Amir Hamza, who delivered a sermon in Singapore on 9 August 2024, asking if he is on any watchlist in the possession of Home Team security agencies.
Hamza was able to enter the country under a different name, raising concerns about the effectiveness of Singapore’s security measures.
He had publicly announced his intention to enter Singapore on his Facebook page with the date and location specified.
Transparency in Public Events
In another area, Mr Gerald Giam will question the Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth on the People’s Association’s criteria for inviting elected MPs to Resident Network-organized events, asking for details on how equal access is ensured for MPs from all parties
Costs of the Founders’ Memorial
Public expenditure will also be under scrutiny, as Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asks for information on the development and annual operating costs of the Founders’ Memorial. The S$235.6 million project has sparked public debate over the use of taxpayer funds, with critics questioning whether such a large sum is justified for a national monument.
Defense
About 580 National Servicemen disrupted annually for university studies from 2018 to 2022
In response to a parliamentary question by WP MP Gerald Giam, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen disclosed that about 580 full-time NSFs were allowed university disruptions each year, between 2018 and 2022.
Notably, about 520 opted for local institutions, while the other 60 pursued studies abroad.
SINGAPORE: Annually, from 2018 to 2022, approximately 580 full-time national servicemen (NSFs) were granted disruptions to pursue university studies, as revealed by Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen.
Among these disruptions, 520 NSFs chose to attend local universities, while 60 embarked on overseas academic pursuits, marking a distinctive trend within the sphere of National Service (NS) commitments.
Dr Ng was responding to a Parliamentary Question presented by Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song, a Member of Parliament from the Workers’ Party, on Tuesday (19 Sep).
Mr Giam sought clarification on the number of full-time NSFs who were granted disruptions for overseas studies, the proportion of Government scholarship holders among them, and the rationale behind allowing these disruptions.
In his written response, Dr Ng elaborated that the majority of disruptions, approximately 70%, pertained to NSFs who had enlisted later than their peers.
This aligns with the policy of ensuring that each cohort commences their university studies in the same academic year, necessitating disruptions for these later enlistees.
Around 27% of the disruptions were allotted to NSFs pursuing medical studies, preparing them to serve as SAF Medical Officers during their NS.
Public Service Commission (PSC) scholars make up the remaining 3% or an average of 19 NSFs. This follows a long-standing practice since 1967 to attract top talent into the public sector.
Dr Ng emphasized that all NSFs are required to complete the remainder of their full-time NS after the disruption period.
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