Landmark laws, fiery exchanges mark second session of 12th Parliament

TODAY reports: A total of 58 Bills were passed during the second half of the 12th Parliament and there were plenty of fireworks between the PAP MPs and their opposition counterparts - particularly over the AHPETC saga.

It has been only 15 months, but should the Parliamentary sitting earlier this week turn out to be the last before the polls are called, the second half of the 12th Parliament would not have been short on style or substance.

A total of 58 Bills were passed, including several landmark legislations and there were plenty of fireworks between the People’s Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament (MPs) and their opposition counterparts — particularly over the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) saga, which saw PAP and Workers’ Party (WP) MPs cross swords several times.

Among the Bills passed, several centred on public order, such as laws to combat human trafficking and organised crime. The Liquor Control Act, aimed to regulate alcohol supply and consumption in public places and minimise disamenities arising from drinking in public, was also passed in January, more than two years after the review of liquor-control measures first started.

After Parliament reconvened in May last year, healthcare and retirement-adequacy issues took centre stage in the legislature, with the MediShield Life Scheme, aimed to provide universal healthcare coverage for Singaporeans for life, written into law in January.

A Bill on the new Silver Support Scheme, which disburses between S$300 and S$750 each quarter to needy elderly people, was among the slew of legislations passed at the two-day sitting earlier this week, as the 12th Parliament drew to a busy close. The only unfinished business - should the polls be called soon - is the review of the Town Councils Act, which has taken more than two years and counting.

Associate Professor Reuben Wong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, noted that, in particular, several “productive” debates centred on healthcare, such as on medical bills, the Central Provident Fund and whether Singaporeans should get support from the state in their old age. He added: “It is about time that we use more of our reserves and Budget to alleviate the burden on older Singaporeans and their families. So I think it makes a lot of sense, now with more aged ... Singaporeans.”

Singapore Management University (SMU) law don Eugene Tan said the past year or so saw diverse views on policy issues involving single mothers, people with special needs and victims of human trafficking, for example.

AHPETC EXCHANGES

As the WP’s management of AHPETC continues to draw rigorous debates in Parliament - right up to the most recent sitting and beyond, political observers and analysts were split over whether the AHPETC tinderbox sparked more heat than light.

Nevertheless, they agreed on one thing: The debates on the topic, which were at times acrimonious, stood out in the second half of the 12th Parliament, which began with a fiery exchange between Senior Minister of State (Education and Law) Indranee Rajah and WP chief Low Thia Khiang over what constitutes “constructive politics”. Assoc Prof Tan said: “Too often, the debates on AHPETC took on the flavour of verbal wars, where scoring political points seemed to be the order of the day.”

Assoc Prof Wong felt too much airtime had been given to the issue. “I thought that was a lot of hot air, and Parliament time could have been better spent debating issues that would affect Singaporeans’ quality of life.”

But former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng disagreed as he felt the AHPETC debates were very important. “Because MPs have two responsibilities — one is to manage the town council and the other is their performance in Parliament. So if an opposition party can’t even manage a town council properly, how can it manage a country? There are no jibes, I see those as very important questions.”

QUALITY OF DEBATE

The analysts and observers whom TODAY spoke to were also divided on whether the record number of opposition MPs had raised the quality of parliamentary debates.

Assoc Prof Tan felt the stronger presence of the Opposition had added a sharper edge to the debates. “That meant that the front bench and MPs had to come better prepared for sittings. As a consequence, the quality of debates was generally high.”

Political scientist Alan Chong of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies noted that several MPs who had made strong interventions came from the Opposition, including the WP’s Mr Low, Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Gerald Giam. “Perhaps, if the number of opposition MPs is doubled, the quality of debate will also be enhanced,” he said.

Assoc Prof Wong also singled out Mr Giam for his performance. Describing the Non-Constituency MP as the WP’s designated “transport man”, he said: “He speaks up a lot and gets air time in the papers, so the public gets to understand the alternatives proposed to alleviate public transport issues.”

However, other analysts criticised the WP MPs for not living up to its billing. Mr Cheng, for instance, felt their performance was “tame”. “I was surprised that for a party that campaigned for a First World Parliament, they did not put in a single full parliamentary motion for debate,” he said.

For the PAP, the analysts and observers were impressed by the officeholders — in particular, Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin, Ms Indranee and Minister of State (Health) Lam Pin Min. However, they felt the first-term MPs could do better. Assoc Prof Wong said: “I’m afraid I didn’t notice any of the first-term backbenchers.”

The first half of the 12th Parliament, which lasted 30 months, between October 2011 and April last year, was marked by spirited debates on the Government’s White Papers on Ministerial Salaries and Population, and scandals that forced two MPs - PAP’s Michael Palmer and WP’s Yaw Shin Leong - to vacate their seats.

A total of 89 Bills were passed before the House took a mid-term break. The laws covered a range of areas and sought to address hot-button issues such as public transport and imported labour, which came to the fore during the 2011 General Election hustings.

As Singapore gears up for the coming GE, there has been some discussion on an MP’s dual roles - looking after his or her constituents and their estate, and being a voice for them in Parliament by raising their concerns and contributing to policy debates.

Assoc Prof Tan said: “Neither should take priority over the other. While most MPs get elected or re-elected on the basis of their role in the constituencies and town councils … their contributions to the law-making and policy-making process should not be shortchanged.”

To battle a slump, property developers trot out bells and whistles

TODAY reports: Property developers in Singapore are introducing features such a boxing ring or a mobile app for their developments to win back buyers after home sales - weakened by multiple rounds of cooling measures - dropped to a six-year low last year.

 A flying fox facility for adrenaline junkies? Check. A mini velodrome for cycling enthusiasts? Check. Indoor and outdoor movie theaters for film buffs? Check.

Add to that a biometric vein scanner, a boxing ring, a swirl and splash water slide, free music, swimming and cooking lessons, and a mobile app to book facilities and services within and outside the development.

These facilities are not part of a new theme park in Singapore. They are amenities offered by property developers here seeking to win back buyers after home sales - weakened by multiple rounds of cooling measures - dropped to a six-year low last year. Long gone are the days of impressing homebuyers solely with location, view, resort-style living or the usual trappings of 50m swimming pools, Jacuzzis, tennis courts and air-conditioned gyms.

With an impending oversupply of homes hitting a lacklustre market, developers today are going all out to design and develop dwellings that provide a new way of living for buyers with a more assured sense of value and quality and very specific tastes.

BEYOND THE USUAL TRAPPINGS

Take the recently launched High Park Residences condominium at Fernvale for example. The development, which is scheduled to obtain its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) in 2019, has a carnivalesque spread of 118 facilities over 366,000 sq ft of land designed to lure even the most house-proud hermit out of his cave.

Besides the requisite pools, playgrounds and BBQ pits, the development’s array of facilities include: Indoor and outdoor movie theatres, boxing rings, a three-metre high swirl and splash water slide, a flying fox, hammock garden and a jamming room for budding musicians. And as if that were not enough, the developer is also throwing in an additional seasoning of free lifestyle classes for two years, including kick boxing, yoga, baking, swimming, tennis and violin lessons.

“We wanted to create a place where homebuyers can have a lot of activities to play around with. It was also partly due to the land we bought - two parcels side by side - which allowed us to be more creative with the space, such as creating an interconnected water slide and cascading waterfall,” said Mr Chng Chee Beow, executive director for CEL Development, the developer for High Park.

A similar story is unfolding on the executive condominiums (EC) front. Westwood Residences in Jurong launched in May this year is the first bicycle-themed development in Singapore. The development, which is expected to get its TOP in August 2018, comes complete with an outdoor mini-velodrome, a covered bicycle garage to house up to 500 bikes and even a specially designed bike maintenance area with washing, drying and repair provisions. Developers Koh Brothers and Heeton Homes are also throwing in a free bicycle with every purchase of a home, while stocks last.

“The unique bike theme and value-added biking facilities are part of the developers’ strategy to differentiate the development from other ECs,” said Mr Francis Koh, managing director and group CEO of Koh Brothers. “The current property market has softened. With the current oversupply of residential projects and the slew of cooling measures including the new resale levy, it is becoming increasingly important to depend on the projects’ unique positioning, value propositions and pricing to attract buyers to enter the market.”

In another interesting move, one company has developed a mobile app to provide homeowners with post-handover services.

Qingjian Realty’s HiLife Interactive app, launched in June, allows homeowners of properties under its portfolio to book facilities and lifestyle classes within and outside the development. It is believed to be the first developer to offer such a service.

Home maintenance and lifestyle services such as air-con servicing, dance and tuition classes may be booked through the app, as are facilities such as tennis courts, function rooms and barbecue pits. The app also links homeowners with service providers around their estate, for example beauty salons, to enable residents to make appointments for a manicure.

The app debuted in June to homeowners of the 590-unit Riversound Residence at Buangkok area. Plans are in place to roll it out to the rest of the properties under Qingjian’s portfolio, which includes Natura Loft in Bishan, Nin Residence on Pheng Geck Avenue and RiverParc Residence in Punggol.

CURBS TO STAY

The new developments come at a time when the housing market is facing a slump. Last year, annual new home sales crashed by half to 7,557 units, the lowest since the 2008 financial crisis, according to data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

This year does not look any better. Between January and June this year, developers sold a combined 3,496 units, less than half of last year’s total. This has led analysts to forecast another annual drop this year.

The weak momentum reflects the Government’s anchor on residential property curbs since 2009, including higher additional buyer stamp duties, lower loan-to-value limits and a cap on debt repayment costs at 60 per cent of a borrower’s monthly income.

Adding pressure to the market are rising interest rates. The Singapore Interbank Offered Rate, commonly used to price mortgages here, has been climbing in anticipation of a rate hike in the United States.

Despite having its intended effect on dampening sales and prices - private home prices posted a seventh consecutive quarter of decline in the second quarter, the longest losing streak in 13 years - the curbs are not likely to be removed anytime soon.

Last month, Monetary Authority of Singapore’s managing director Ravi Menon said it would be premature to remove the cooling measures as the current price correction is “not all that much” when compared with the 60 per cent increase between mid-2009 to the peak in 2013.

Earlier this month, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan also signalled in wide-ranging interview with TODAY it is still not the right time to adjust the curbs.

“Measures have to be adjusted and perhaps even lifted, when it’s the right time. The right time is when the equilibrium is a lot more certain, more sustainable. And I don’t think we are at that point yet,” he said.

FREEBIES NO LONGER ENOUGH

In the past, property market downturns have seen developers and sales agents dangle everything from discounts, lucky draws, free gifts, holidays and even country club memberships to promote their projects or clear unsold stock.

Today’s unique palette of amenity-rich offerings are, however, something else altogether, analysts said.

“Property cycles come and go depending on the macro economy, the country’s fundamentals, population policies and housing policies. The previous cycles have seen deferred payment schemes, furniture vouchers, even lucky draws to win a car. But I don’t recall any crazy ideas for promoting ECs,” said Mr Ku Swee Yong, chief executive of property firm Century 21.

In May 2012, developers of Flo Residence at Punggol said it would give away 18 Volkswagen cars in a lucky draw to buyers. A couple of months later, Far East Organization dangled a massive carrot in the form of free country club term memberships worth more than S$16,000 apiece for buyers of selected units at its Seastrand project in Pasir Ris.

More recently, in May, Singapore Land, the developer of high-end boutique condo Pollen & Bleu at Farrer Road, slashed prices by 15 per cent at its 106-unit development to attract buyers.

While discounts may help developers entice buyers in a depressed market, it can also backfire on them, analysts said. “Discounts can lead to price wars, which eventually would not benefit developers,” said Mr Nicholas Mak, executive director of research and consultancy at SLP International Property Consultants.

“Firstly, a price war would lead to smaller earnings for developers. Ultimately the branding of the developer may also be affected, as buyers would also associate the particular developer as one who is likely to give discounts, and may hesitate when purchasing as they wait around for possible discounts,” Mr Mak added.

WELCOME CHANGE FOR HOMEOWNERS

For developers of properties such as High Park and Westwood though, their efforts in differentiation seem to be working.

Homebuyer Mr Tan, in his mid-30s who came to High Park’s showflat with his family and two kids in tow said: “I’m looking to upgrade from my flat and was considering this development because of my children. The water park facilities make it easier for the kids to find things to do during the weekends. Also the free lessons can add savings for us. It is a win-win situation. We wanted a new home and the free lessons helped induce our interest in buying the home.”

Mr Xing Lei, 32, an accountant, who bought a three-room apartment at High Park for his parents said: “The purchase is near to my current flat. What attracted me to it was the whole package: the pricing, location, free lifestyle lessons and facilities.”

About 78 per cent of the 1,390-unit High Park was snapped up at a median price of S$989 psf in its first weekend of sales alone.

Over at the 638-unit The Brownstone EC in Canberra Drive, developers sold 30 per cent of the units in the first weekend of the launch last month. Brownstone, whose facilities include a skating rink, is developed by City Developments. The units were sold at an average price of S$810 psf.

Buyers also snapped up about one-quarter of the 480 units at Westwood Residences on the first day of booking in May. The units were sold at an average of S$783 psf.

“I think the market has not seen anything similar to what we have so far,” said Mr Ken Taguchi, senior marketing director for Huttons, which is marketing High Park.

“A few factors attracted the customers. The facilities are above anyone else in the market and the price band made a difference as well … We had several buyers come in looking at a three bedroom, but later upped their purchase to a four bedroom instead because of the attractive price,” Mr Taguchi added.

Despite the strong response to this new trend of developments, analysts have cautioned the need for building owners to tread carefully and be mindful of the costs.

“Creativity is good. But in many of the cases we have seen, especially those with very attractive outdoor landscaping, the long-term maintenance is my top concern. Many attractive features can be designed into condominiums, but we need to ensure that the designs cater for long-term, easy, low-cost maintenance,” said Mr Ku.

“Furthermore, some features such as flying fox may have stringent safety requirements and need regular safety checks. I am not sure if the homeowners and the management running the MCST will continue footing the bill and taking the effort to upkeep the facilities well,” said Mr Ku.

High Park’s Mr Chng said maintenance fees for the condo will be reasonable. “It should be about S$200 to S$300 per unit a month. We have a large number of units and will be able to maintain economies of scale for maintenance costs of the shared facilities.”

DOWNTURN-INSPIRED CREATIVITY TO CARRY ON

According to analysts, Singapore has added about 8,000 new private homes per year over the past 10 years. This year, more than 20,000 units are expected to be completed.

With a weak market facing a bigger supply pipeline, developers are expected to continue coming up with new ideas to stay competitive.

“Private non-landed prices might drop 30 per cent before flattening off,” said Mr Ku, adding that the downcycle can be expected to extend for another three years. “This downturn-inspired creativity could carry on for as long as developers need to compete strongly to move sales.”

Sailor Bernie claims U-17 World Championship

TODAY reports: SEA Games sailing champion Bernie Chin has finished top in the Boys’ under-17 category at the 2015 Laser Radial Youth World Championships in Canada.

Southeast Asian (SEA) Games sailing champion Bernie Chin has added another trophy to his collection, finishing top in the Boys’ under-17 category at the 2015 Laser Radial Youth World Championships in Canada.

The 16-year-old, who won the Byte CII title at last year’s Youth Olympic Games, finished eighth overall among the 142-boat fleet with a total of 65 points to clinch the U-17 World Champion title in Kingston yesterday.

American sailor Henry Marshall was second in the U-17 class with 66 points (9th overall), while Ireland’s Ewan McMahon finished third with 94 points.

Australian Conor Nicholas was first overall with 26 points, while Gianmarco Planchestainer from Italy (27) and United States’ Nic Baird (41) won the silver and bronze respectively.

Ahead of the regatta, Bernie - gold medallist in the Laser Radial (U-19) at June’s SEA Games - had only targeted to better the 39th-place finish from last year’s championships. “I didn’t expect to make it to top 10, but I guess consistency pays off,” he said in a phone interview from Canada. “I am just glad, but I think what’s most important is the lessons I learnt ... I am starting to really understand the importance of consistency.

“The main take-away from it is how I am constantly reminded that I am not good enough, and have a lot more to improve.”

The teenage sailor is also eyeing a promotion to the senior level eventually. “I am not looking to try out for the 2016 Olympics at the moment, as I am too young,” he said. “Singapore has very strong sailors like Colin (Cheng). (But) I hope to be able to represent Singapore at the Asian Games and Olympics one day.”

Ng Chee Meng, Sun Xueling join PAP’s Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC team

The former Chief of Defence Force and the Temasek Holdings investment director are new faces on the People’s Action Party’s six-member slate

The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Saturday (Aug 22) officially named its slate of candidates for the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the coming General Election (GE).

Joining the six-member GRC team are Mr Ng Chee Meng, 47, the former Chief of Defence Force, and Ms Sun Xueling, 36, who is an investment director with Temasek Holdings.

Mr Ng and Ms Sun will take over from current Member of Parliament (MP) for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Mr Gan Thiam Poh, who has been announced as part of the PAP’s slate in Ang Mo Kio GRC; and Ms Penny Low, who is retiring from politics.

The PAP team won in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in the 2011 GE, beating the challengers from the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) with 64.79 per cent of the votes.

The SDA has said it will contest the constituency again.

The six PAP candidates for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC are:

Mr Teo Chee Hean, 60, Deputy Prime Minister

Mr Teo is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security and the Minister for Home Affairs. He previously held Cabinet portfolios for Defence, Education and Environment.

A former career soldier, he became Chief of Navy in 1991 with the rank of Rear Admiral. He left the service to join politics in 1992, when he was elected as an MP for Marine Parade GRC in a by-election. He has served as MP in Pasir Ris since 1997.

Mr Teo Ser Luck, 47, Minister of State for Trade and Industry

Mr Teo is concurrently Mayor for the North East District. He was first elected as MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in 2006, and served as Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports, as well as Transport, from 2008 to 2011. He led Singapore’s successful bid to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Mr Zainal Sapari, 49, assistant secretary-general, National Trades Union Congress

Mr Zainal chairs the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council. The former Ministry of Education superintendent left a career in teaching to join politics in 2011.

Dr Janil Puthucheary, 42, senior consultant, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Dr Puthucheary is trained as a medical doctor. He was first elected into Parliament in 2011. He is also Medical Director for Faculty Development at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.

Mr Ng Chee Meng, 47, former Chief of Defence Force

Mr Ng retired from the Singapore Armed Forces on Aug 18, after nearly three decades in service and 29 months as Chief of Defence Force. If elected, he would make history as the highest-ranking career soldier to become a Member of Parliament (MP). He is married with two daughters.

Ms Sun Xueling, 36, investment director at Temasek Holdings

Ms Sun has been helping out at grassroots events since 2001 in Buona Vista and Punggol West.

Desmond Choo, Cheng Li Hui join PAP’s Tampines GRC team

Former Hougang candidate Mr Choo and first-timer Ms Cheng are the new faces in the People’s Action Party’s Tampines slate. MPs Mah Bow Tan and Irene Ng will not contest the coming polls.

The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Saturday (Aug 22) officially named its new candidates for the Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the coming General Election (GE).

Joining the five-member GRC are Ms Cheng Li Hui, a first-time candidate, and Mr Desmond Choo, who lost his bid for the single seat of Hougang in the 2011 GE to the Workers’ Party’s (WP) Yaw Shin Leong.

In a by-election held in 2012 after Mr Yaw was expelled from the WP over an extramarital affair, Mr Choo lost again, this time to WP candidate Png Eng Huat.

Mr Choo and Ms Cheng will replace current Tampines GRC Members of Parliament (MPs) Mah Bow Tan and Irene Ng, who are stepping down from politics.

Mr Mah and Ms Ng were on the team along with Mr Heng Swee Keat, Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr Masagos Zulkifli that contested Tampines GRC in 2011, beating the National Solidarity Party (NSP) with 57.22 per cent of the vote share.

That NSP team had featured Mr Goh Meng Seng and Mr Syafarin Syarif, who have since left to form the People’s Power Party. Nevertheless, the NSP has said it will contest Tampines again this year.

The five PAP candidates for Tampines GRC are:

Mr Heng Swee Keat, 54, Minister for Education

Mr Heng has been Education Minister and an elected MP for Tampines GRC since 2011. He was the Principal Private Secretary to then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew from 1997 to 2000, before becoming the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2001. From 2005 to 2011, Mr Heng worked as the managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Mr Baey Yam Keng, 44, Member of Parliament

Mr Baey served as an  MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC from 2006 to 2011 before moving to Tampines GRC for the 2011 GE. He chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Culture, Community  and Youth. He was a managing director at a large public relations firm before resigning in 2012 to focus on politics.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli, 52, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office

Mr Masagos is also the Second Minister for both Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs. He has been an MP for Tampines GRC since 2006. Mr Masagos was formerly the Senior Parliamentary Secretary and then Minister of State for Education from 2006 to 2011. Prior to entering politics, he worked for SingTel from 1988 to 2006, rising to the position of CEO of SingTel Global Offices.

Ms Cheng Li Hui, 39, deputy CEO, Hai Leck Holdings

Ms Cheng has been a Councillor in the Northwest CDC since 2004. She  is also vice-chairman of the Citizens Consultative Committee in Tampines East. 

Mr Desmond Choo, 37, director of youth development, National Trades Union Congress

Mr Choo is concurrently NTUC’s deputy director of industrial relations, a post he had previously held up to May 2013 when he left for the private sector after standing in Hougang in the 2011 GE and 2012 by-election. He rejoined the union in April this year, after serving as Senior Vice President of investments at Kestrel Capital.

Mr Choo started his career in the Singapore police force. He was appointed second adviser to Changkat grassroots organisations in February this year.

DEPARTING CANDIDATES

The two new candidates will replace Mr Mah Bow Tan, 66, and Ms Irene Ng, 51, who will not be running in the coming elections.

Mr Mah has served as MP for Tampines GRC for 27 years, since 1988. He was the Minister for National Development from 1999 to 2011, the Minister for Environment from 1993 to 1995, and the Minister for Communications from 1991 to 1999. He first entered politics at the 1984 GE, where he lost to Opposition veteran Chiam See Tong in a contest for the Potong Pasir single seat.

Ms Ng has served as MP for Tampines GRC since 2001. She is a writer-in-residence at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, and spent much of her pre-politics career as a journalist. She was also a director at the National Trades Union Congress from 2006 to 2008.

Apply early for passports to avoid last-minute rush: ICA

With the upcoming September school holidays, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) reminds Singapore citizens to apply for a new passport early, to avoid a last-minute rush.

With the upcoming school holidays in September, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Friday (Aug 21) reminded Singapore citizens to apply for a new passport early to avoid a last-minute rush. 

In a news release, ICA also said Singapore citizens whose passports expire in less than six months should apply for a new one to avoid facing any inconveniences during their travels. Many countries require a passport to be valid for at least six months as part of their entry requirements, ICA explained.

Singapore citizens can apply for their passports by using the following methods:

Online: Via the ICA website

Post: By mailing the completed application form to "ICA Building (Passport Unit), 10 Kallang Road, #08-00, Singapore 208718"

Deposit boxes: By dropping the completed application form in the deposit boxes located outside or within the ICA Building

Over the counter: By submitting the application at Level 3, ICA Building

ICA also said applications submitted through the website, post and deposit boxes will be entitled to a S$10 rebate from the S$80 passport application fee. 

Successful applicants will be notified by post to collect their new passport once it is ready. Collection can be done over the counter at the ICA Building, via iCollect - a self-service machine at ICA, or at some SingPost outlets in Singapore. 

New passports issued will be valid for five years. Passports issued for subsequent applications will be valid for five years, plus the remaining validity of the existing passport, capped at five years and nine months, ICA said. 

Further information is available at ICA's website. 

School content being cut to focus on critical learning: Heng Swee Keat

TODAY reports: Education Minister Heng Swee Keat is confident that Singapore's education system will stand young Singaporeans in good stead: “In the coming years, our students will be better able to empathise, to communicate, to imagine, and these qualities will prepare them better for the future.”

There will be greater emphasis in the education system here on students’ application of knowledge in the coming years, even in the post-secondary institutions - be it the polytechincs, the Institute of Technical Education or the universities, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat told TODAY in an interview earlier this week.

Since the introduction of the “teach less, learn more” policy in 2005, up to 20 per cent of content has been reduced from syllabuses implemented across the primary, secondary and pre-university levels. There has also been a shift away from rote learning, as policymakers respond to concerns over the amount of content being taught in the schools and the cramming that students do before examinations.

But of late, a different sort of complaints among parents has surfaced, particularly on social media: Exam or test questions are too tough, and seemingly beyond what their children has been learning in the classroom.

Acknowledging a gap in the public’s awareness and understanding of the changes in the system, Mr Heng said these questions - which are deliberately set to help students develop critical learning and go beyond rote-learning - are not simply solved by hitting the books. “Many of these questions are not intended for more studying (of content), but really, it is to encourage (students) to apply what they have learnt in an unfamiliar context”, he said.

At schools, exams have been recalibrated to include some questions that require students to apply the knowledge learnt to solve problems. Starting from this year, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board would release Primary School Leaving Examination papers from the previous three years so that parents can be more aware of the exam standards.

Mr Heng noted the “systematic reduction” in content being taught in the schools. Content which constitutes essential knowledge, skills and values that preserve the integrity of the subject and provide a firm foundation for further learning at higher level, has been retained. Concepts or skills which are not critical were removed. This included content that relies on recall or focuses on technical details not critical to students’ understanding of a topic. Content that overlaps or is dealt with in other subjects or programmes was also removed.

For example, the topic on “Simple Machine” was removed from the primary science syllabus and some of the concepts are covered in secondary school instead.

During an Institute of Policy Studies forum last month, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was asked by American journalist Fareed Zakaria on whether Singapore needs to shift away from a system of testing to encourage creativity. In response, Mr Tharman said: “The toughest question to ask ourselves ... is not what we add to the education system, but what we subtract.”

Mr Heng, who entered politics in 2011 and was appointed as Education Minister soon after, said the level of content being taught in schools is in a “reasonable position”. Under his watch, several initiatives have been rolled out to enable students to apply the knowledge acquired in classrooms. These included the Applied Learning and Learning for Life programmes.

Under the Applied Learning programme, for instance, students can apply their math and physics knowledge to robotics.

Moving away from purely using tests to gauge students’ abilities and progress, holistic assessment and discretionary admissions have also been introduced at the lower primary and tertiary levels, respectively. On whether this approach can be applied more pervasively in the education system, Mr Heng said caution has to be exercised because much resources would be required and minimum standards have to be maintained.

“There’s a lot of human judgement (involved),” he said. “It is, again, a balance in assuring parents that the criteria are fair and transparent and at the same time, the criteria allows us to encourage students develop more fully.”

While he believes that “not everything in life can tested”, Mr Heng said there is a place for testing, as well-designed tests help learning.

On the age-old debate on whether Singaporean students lack creativity, Mr Heng recounted his recent experience of meeting primary school pupils who were playing with the SG50 lego set and coming up with imaginative designs of playgrounds.

Mr Heng said: “Innovation starts first with empathy.” By thinking about what other people need would lead to the creative application of knowledge and the seeking of answers to problems, he added.

For any innovation to make an impact, it has to stand out on the regional or global stage, and in this regard, Singaporeans have be encouraged to see the world as their oyster, he said.

Mr Heng added that the multi-cultural make-up of Singapore society would give Singaporeans a headstart. “We are among few countries in the world (whose) citizens can be comfortable all over the world,” he said.

Mr Heng is confident that with the various initiatives underway, the Republic’s education system will stand young Singaporeans in good stead, as they take on the world.

“In the coming years, our students will be better able to empathise, to communicate, to imagine, and these qualities will prepare them better for the future.”