Parliament will sit tomorrow (April 2) and on Wednesday (April 3). PAP Members of Parliament have filed questions on government supporting Singaporeans on healthcare costs, housing, and scams.
MP for Yio Chu Kang SMC Yip Hon Weng asked how the Government will ensure that MediShield Life remains affordable and accessible to all Singaporeans and expand coverage for breakthrough treatments while keeping premiums reasonable. He also wants to know how the Government will improve public awareness of health insurance options to help Singaporeans make informed decisions. He also inquired how the Government will ensure healthcare costs do not rise disproportionately with expanded coverage of MediShield Life.
MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Gan Thiam Poh questioned affordability of specialist clinic treatment at public hospitals. He asked for the total referrals from polyclinics and general practitioners (GPs) to specialist clinics at public hospitals; if there were subsidy differences for polyclinic and GP referrals; and how many GP referrals requesting additional subsidies when hospitalised in class C wards.
Housing was another concern for MPs. MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC Joan Pereira asked if the National Development Ministry would consider offering higher Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme rental vouchers over $300 monthly for lower-income young couples in smaller flats.
Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang GRC) asked if the Ministry tracks the combined monthly incomes of young couples aged 20 to 35 applying successfully or unsuccessfully for public housing flats recently, and if the income limit would increase to allow more young couples to apply for BTO flats.
Singapore has seen an increase in residents falling victim to scams. MP for Tampines GRC Desmond Choo wants to know when the Shared Responsibility Framework for phishing scams will be released, the rate of take-up of the Money Lock feature offered by local banks broken down by customer age, and if the Monetary Authority of Singapore will soon make it mandatory for all banking institutions to participate in this initiative. He also asked about deepfake-related scams in 2023 and how Home Affairs Ministry educate seniors against such scams.
MPs called for support for workers
Mr Choo, who is also a Labour MP, inquired if the Manpower Ministry will consider introducing measures to further narrow the gender pay gap. He asked if guidelines for pay transparency will be issued and if a Gender Pay Equality Alliance for Action will be established to address this issue.
Rachel Ong (West Coast GRC) asked whether the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness would include representatives from the disability sector or SGEnable. If not, she wants to know if the ministry will ensure the voices of persons with disabilities are adequately represented to guarantee fairness in the workplace for them.
Extending ComLink+ package to benefit more
MPs expressed concern for vulnerable groups within the community. MP for Sembawang GRC Mariam Jaafar asked about the proportion and number of families receiving ComCare support in the past 24 months who do not live in public rental housing, and whether the ComLink+ package could be extended to lower income families not in public rental housing.
Rachel Ong (West Coast GRC) asked about the number of appeals made to the Monetary Authority of Singapore for each year since 2015 concerning difficulties obtaining insurance coverage for people with disabilities, individuals on the autism spectrum, and those with mental health issues.
Mr Yip asked if the government could consider engaging additional private sector clinics to join the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC). He also asked whether applicants could begin the EIPIC application process at polyclinics before a pediatrician’s formal diagnosis and what means testing would determine eligibility. He also asked if placements would be based on condition severity or a first-come, first-served basis.
Several bills are scheduled for a second reading, including the Mental Capacity Amendment Bill, the Law Enforcement and Other Matters Bill, and the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Amendment Bill. The Law Enforcement and Other Matters Bill aims to strengthen the powers of the Home Team against scams, enhance the efficacy of its operations, and facilitate and safeguard the operations of Yellow Ribbon Singapore.
