Saving Lives and Jobs

JUNE 2020

SAVING LIVES AND JOBS

MPs continue to serve residents during Covid-19

YP outlines six areas for improvement on sustainability

PM Lee: We will leave no one behind as Singapore fights Covid-19

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INSIDE: HIGHLIGHTS OF HISTORIC BUDGETS TO HELP SINGAPOREANS AND ENTERPRISES

MAY DAY FEATURE

PUBLICITY AND PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Lawrence Wong (Chairman) Desmond Lee Chee Hong Tat Seah Kian Peng Lim Wee Kiak Baey Yam Keng Zaqy Mohamad Janil Puthucheary Chiang Heng Liang Diana Pang Dexter Chan Theodora Lai Elaine Ho Adrian Liew EDITOR Chung Sang Pok EDITORIAL AND DESIGN Focus Publishing Limited

Contents 05

COVER STORY

Staying united and resilient, in solidarity

PHOTOS Singapore Press Holdings, istockphoto.com

on the ground to help their residents cope with the pandemic and to encourage them.

The PAP Government acted swiftly and decisively in its response to Covid-19 crisis.

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Mr Amrin Amin, Senior Parliamentary ȋ ơ Ȍ PPF activists the Party will campaign with the same zeal and vigour, regardless of ƫ Ǥ

COVER STORY

Historic budgets to help Singaporeans weather virus storm together Covid-19 help measures in infographics.

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FEATURE

Long hard road to economic recovery PM Lee Hsien Loong, in his May Day address, spells out the challenges ahead as Singapore emerges from Covid-19 pandemic.

(A subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings)

PRINTER KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd

JUNE 2020

GROUNDWORK

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BRANCHING OUT

Fighting Covid-19 in the community together Our MPs and volunteers are working hard

PAP POLICY FORUM

A strong online defence

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YOUNG PAP

Young PAP proposes recommendations to tackle climate change Its Singapore: A Green Hub position paper Ƥ sustainability.

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WOMEN’S WING

More women making their mark in Singapore Women’s Wing celebrates the achievements ơ Ƥ ǡ particular those on Covid-19 frontlines.

MCI (P) 132/03/2020 Petir is published by the People’s Action Party Central Executive Committee. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the PAP or the Government. All rights reserved.

PAP Headquarters Block 57B, New Upper Changi Road, #01-1402, PCF Building, Singapore 463057 Telephone: 6244-4600 Telefax: 6243-0114 Internet: www.pap.org.sg Please send feedback, suggestions and comments to paphq@pap.org.sg.

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JUN 2020

Regular updates are given by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on the evolving Covid-19 crisis as the Government takes decisive action to save lives and livelihoods.

COVER STORY

Staying united and resilient, in solidarity An unprecedented four budgets in a year — Unity, Resilience, Solidarity and Fortitude were rolled out in quick succession as Singapore battled the global Covid-19 pandemic. The budgets cost a total $192.5 billion, of which $92.9 billion were in support measures to help Singaporeans and businesses fight the virus, and seize new opportunities. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who presented them, assured Singaporeans that everything will be done with their interests at heart. Here are some highlights from Mr Heng’s speeches in Parliament.

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COVER STORY

UNITY BUDGET

RESILIENCE BUDGET

SOLIDARITY BUDGET

FORTITUDE BUDGET

$106 billion

$48.4 billion

$5.1 billion

$33 billion

Delivered on February 18

Delivered on March 26

Delivered on April 6

(Draw up to $17 billion from past reserves) ($6.4 billion of Covid support measures)

(Draw $4 billion from past reserves)

Delivered on May 26

(Draw $31 billion from past reserves)

Unprecedented budgets

to deal with challenges brought about by Covid-19 Urgency of the four Budgets he Covid-19 pandemic is a generational crisis with no precedent, and the Government has summoned all the country’s resources and administrative capacity to help workers, businesses and families weather the storm, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. Dz Ƥ ǡ so that we can quickly channel the resources at hand to the most urgent and important needs of our people,” said Mr Heng who is also Finance Minister.

The Unity Budget, delivered on Feb 18, was soon followed by Resilience (March ͢͞Ȍǡ ȋ ͢Ȍ on May 26. The last three budgets will require a total of $52 billion to be drawn from past reserves to fund them. It is the Ƥ

reserves since 2009. Dz ǡ Ƥ resources to carry out these plans without burdening future generations with the bill. We are grateful to our founding generation for their foresight and discipline,” he added.

The key, he said, is how Singapore pulls together as a nation to implement these plans, and to adjust along the way as the situation evolves.

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Pay cut for ministers, bonus for frontline healthcare workers ƥ are directly combating the Covid-19

of special bonus. Healthcare workers at the Ministry of Health, restructured 6

JUN 2020

ƥ agencies who have been directly involved will qualify for it, in recognition of their “outstanding courage and dedication”.

In a show of solidarity, all Cabinet ƥ Ǧ take a three-month pay cut. President Halimah Yacob, the Speaker and both Deputy Speakers have also volunteered to take a similar pay cut. All MPs will take a one-month cut in their allowance.

“It is in times of crisis that the true character of a nation can be seen. We are all in this together, and we must all look after one another in these trying times," said the DPM.

Strong trust between people and Government Mr Heng said Singapore has been able ơ Covid-19 due to the “trust and solidarity” between citizens and the Government, built up painstakingly over the years.

“We do not hide bad news. We do not ƪ Ǥ

come through this together,” he said.

That is why there is a sense that Singapore is a safe country where people can carry on with their lives.

Reserves are our strategic defence

being able to tap on Singapore’s deep Ƥ ǡ the crisis without having to borrow.

“Our reserves serve as a strategic defence. It gives us the wherewithal to resolutely defend the Singapore dollar against speculative attacks. This contributes to a stable Singapore dollar, Ƥ investors and citizens,” he said.

“The reserves are our nest egg, borne of hard work and discipline. Our reserves Ƥ ǡ with no natural resources of any kind, to deal with the ups and downs in the world.”

Saving lives and jobs The Government is acting decisively now, and Singaporeans must accept the short-term pain so as to save lives and prevent the Covid-19 virus from spreading. While saving lives is the top ǡ ǡ pointed out the DPM. When people are unemployed, there will be a major cost to both the individual and society.

The Jobs Support Scheme will help enterprises retain their workers, with

“Our generation must have the fortitude to persevere, to adapt and to emerge stronger, just like our founding generation. This is why I have named this our Fortitude Budget – courage in adversity.”

- Deputy Prime Minister Heng when he delivered it on May 26, 2020.

the Government co-funding part of their Ǥ Ƥ ͝Ǥͥ local employees.

and between Singaporeans and people around the world.

Tackling climate change head-on Emerging stronger, Singapore together The Emerging Stronger Task Force – co-chaired by Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee and

ƥ Ȃ ways to help the economy bounce back from the crisis. It will report to the Future Economy Council which Mr Heng chairs.

The Singapore Together movement, led by Ministers Indranee Rajah and Desmond Lee, is tapping on the creative energies and commitment of all Singaporeans to shape a better future.

The two ministers will mobilise

country’s social fabric and partnerships between the Government and the people,

The Government is setting aside $5 billion for the new Coastal and Flood Protection Fund. It is making this heavy commitment to ensure future generations are safe from rising sea levels in decades to come, said Mr Heng.

“Climate change threatens our very ǡ ǡ Ǧ Ǥ We are meeting this challenge head-on with an ambitious plan,” he said. “We are not only securing our coasts, but also transforming our sources of food and water, and remaking our entire economy and city for a green and sustainable future.”

The success of this whole-of-society, Ǧ ơ all Singaporeans taking action, and Mr Heng is cheered that many young citizens are passionate about this cause

and want to be part of the solution.

On food security, he said: “We are strengthening our food resilience for the long term. Under our 30 by 30 vision, we aim to produce 30 per cent of our nutritional needs by 2030, up from less than 10 per cent today.”

Boosting cyber-security efforts A sum of $1 billion will be set aside

the Government’s cyber and data security capabilities. The DPM said it will safeguard Singaporeans’ data and the nation’s critical information infrastructure systems.

“We must be prepared to deal with cyber threats, as digitalisation becomes more pervasive. Data security is a vital pre-requisite and key enabler of Singapore’s Digital Economy. It is key to preserving trust in a digitally-connected world,” he said.

$33 BILLION FORTITUDE BUDGET TO SAVE AND CREATE JOBS, SUPPORT WORKERS AND FIRMS The central focus of the $33 billion Fortitude Budget is to save jobs and support our 1.9 million local workers – now and for the future, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

A key plank of this fourth Budget, which will require a further draw of $31 billion from the reserves, is the $2 billion SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package which will be launched to create over 40,000 jobs in the public and private sectors, around 25,000 traineeships and 30,000 full-time training places.

Employers will receive an incentive when they hire local workers of all ages who have completed traineeship or training schemes.

“This will support the immediate needs of our workers, and raise the skills of our people for future jobs. Together, these cater to workers with different skill levels and career aspirations, and to the needs of diverse firms across industries,” said Mr Heng on May 26, 2020.

Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, will chair a new National Jobs Council that will focus on creating jobs and building deep skills. Its work will be in tandem with the Future Economy Council on the overall upgrading of Singapore’s economy.

Speeding up digital transformation Covid-19 has accelerated the rise of digital transformation, as well as the decline in support for globalisation, and shifts in global supply chains.

Mr Heng noted that digital solutions will become more deeply embedded in everyone’s lives, as telecommuting, online food and services, and virtual events become the norm. He said businesses in Singapore must accelerate their move to go digital, with the Government allocating over $500 million to help them.

Stallholders at hawker centres and wet markets will get a $300 monthly bonus for five months if they use e-payments. A new Digital Resilience Bonus will help businesses take their next step to digitalise.

Cash flow, costs, credit To help companies as they resume operations after the Circuit Breaker, the Government will give extra support on the 3Cs – cash flow, costs and credit.

Among the many measures being rolled out is the enhanced Jobs Support Scheme which will disburse a total of $23.5 billion to firms to support wage costs for 10 months. To help

with rental costs, a $2 billion cash grant will be given to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Social support Another $800 million has been set aside for the Covid-19 Support Grant to help those who have lost their jobs or suffered salary cuts.

The Enhanced Fund-Raising Programme and Invictus Fund for social service agencies will receive top-ups of $100 million and $18 million respectively.

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COVER STORY

Historic Budgets to help Singaporeans weather virus storm together Shortly after Parliament approved the Unity Budget at the end of February 2020, the Government had to dip into Singapore’s past reserves to push out three more budgets – Resilience, Solidarity and Fortitude.

The four budgets total $192.5 billion. They are chock-full of measures to chart Singapore’s long term future with confidence. Their Big Numbers include:

5.7b 23.5b 1.2b 8.3b

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$5.7 billion Solidarity Payment, and Enhanced Care and Support Package to support Singaporean families

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$23.5 billion Jobs Support Scheme for 1.9 million local employees

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$1.2 billion to help self-employed people

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$8.3 billion to enable Transformation and Growth of the economy and enterprises over next three years

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JUN 2020

2b 6b 5b 74.3b

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$2 billion SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package to create 40,000 jobs, 25,000 traineeships and 30,000 training opportunities

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$6 billion Assurance Package for all Singaporeans when GST is raised after 2021

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$5 billion new Coastal and Flood Protection Fund to protect our low-lying coastline

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$74.3 billion in overall Budget deficit or 15.4 per cent of GDP, Singapore’s largest ever

Petir takes a closer look at the key schemes that will help all Singaporeans -families, workers, the elderly and businesses – at every stage of their lives

Households & Individuals •

Ǧ ơ ͊͢͜​͜ Payment in April. Additional $300 or $600 in June, depending on income

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Parents with one or more citizen children aged 20 and ͜͜͞͞ ͊͟͜​͜

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Cash grant of $800 a month for three months for Singaporeans who lose their jobs under Covid-19 Support Grant

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Ǧ ơ ͊͜͝​͜ with at least a Singapore citizen •

One-time cash assistance of $500 from Temporary Relief Fund to lower and middle-income Singaporeans and permanent residents who need urgent help

in 2019 will get $3,000 cash payment this year •

Self-employed will receive quarterly cash payments of $3,000 for three quarters or a total of $9,000 under SelfEmployed Person Income Relief Scheme. Includes selfemployed who earn a small income from employment, capped at $2,300 per month

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Eligible HDB households to get double their regular GST Voucher – U-Save rebate this Ǧ ơ Ǥ Ƥ people to get 2.5 times more their usual rebate

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Eligible HDB households to get rebates to cover 1.5 to 3.5 months of service and conservancy charges

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Freeze on all government fees and charges from April 1 for a year

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$400 grocery vouchers for low-income Singaporeans in 2020 and 2021

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Lower-income workers and self-employed who received Workfare payouts

Loan repayment and interest charges suspended for graduates with government loans for university or polytechnic studies, from June 1 for a year

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Suspension of late payment charges on HDB mortgage arrears for three months

Seniors •

Government will match every dollar of cash top-up to the CPF Retirement Account, capped at $600 yearly under the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme. About 435,000 Singaporeans aged 55 to 70 who have not set aside savings in the Basic Retirement Scheme will be eligible for the ǯ Ƥ Ǧ ǡ ͜͞͞͝

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Citizens aged 50 and older in 2020 will get $100 in cash

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͜͞͡ǡ͜​͜​͜ ͢͡ Ƥ from enhancements to Silver Support Scheme from Jan 1, 2021. Quarterly cash payouts will be raised from $750 to $900.

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New payout tier for Silver Support Scheme for seniors whose monthly household income per person is between $1,300 and $1,800

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COVER STORY

Companies •

Foreign worker levy waived in April and May 2020. Levy rebate of $750 given to companies in April and May for Ǥ businesses that cannot resume operations after the Circuit Breaker period

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Government to pay up to 75 per cent of wages of 1.9 million local employees under Jobs Support Scheme in April and ǡ Ƥ ͊͠ǡ͢͜​͜ ǯ Ǥ

total, companies will get wage subsidies for 10 months

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Temporary Bridging Loan Programme of up to $5 million ƪ

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Loan quantum increased to $1 million, up from $600,000 under SME Working Capital Loan to give SMEs access to Ƥ

Ƥ ͡​͡ •

Rise in CPF contribution rates for senior workers deferred by one year to Jan 2022

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ơ ơ CPF contribution rates for senior workers

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͞͡ ǡ at $15,000 per company for Year of Assessment 2020

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Employers who hire Singaporeans below 40 through reskilling programmes to get 20 per cent salary support for ǡ ͊͢ǡ͜​͜​͜ Ǣ ͜͠ ͜͠ ǡ $12,000

Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant to support enterprises that increase their Retirement and Re-employment Ages ahead of legislated changes

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Launch of GoBusiness platform, a single touchpoint for government-to-business transactions

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New Senior Worker Support package to support seniors who want to work longer. Measures include Senior ͜͞͞͝ ơ

greater adoption of digital technology

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Enterprise Development Grant will be scaled up to help more enterprises to innovate and internationalise

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JUN 2020

Helping industry sectors cope with Covid-19 TOURISM •

$90 million set aside to ensure sector rebounds from the crisis

RENTAL WAIVERS •

Five-month waiver for stalls in government hawker centres

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Restaurants, shops, hotels, serviced apartments and tourist attractions will

2020. Businesses in other non-residential properties ƥ properties to get 30 per

this year

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Four-month waiver for qualifying commercial tenants in governmentmanaged properties

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Two-month waiver for ǡ ƥ agricultural tenants of government agencies

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$2 billion cash grant to provide rental relief for SMEs

AVIATION •

$350 million to cover measures such as rebates on landing and parking fees, and rental relief for airlines and cargo industry

LAND TRANSPORT •

͊ͥ͡ Ǧ Ǧ Ǧ

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Ǧ relief of $300 per vehicle a month until end-September

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Ǧ Ǧ month waiver of parking charges at government-managed parking facilities

ARTS AND CULTURE •

$55 million to support jobs and training, such as digitalisation and retaining workers

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COVER STORY

Education & Skills •

$500 SkillsFuture Credit top-up for every Singaporean aged 25 and Ǥ Ǧ ơ ͊͜͡​͜ Ǧ for citizens aged 40 to 60

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More funding for internships under Global Ready Talent Programme

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70:70 target. 70 per cent of local graduates from Institutes of Higher Learning to gain overseas exposure, 70 per cent of that exposure to be in Asean, China or India

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More transport subsidies for all students, meal subsidies for secondary students

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Higher bursaries for students in polytechnics and autonomous universities

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Increase of up to $200 a year in cash bursary quantum for full-time ITE students

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Income ceiling for additional subsidy for pre-school and Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme raised to $12,000 a month

Annual pre-university bursary quantum raised from $900 to $1,000

Climate Change • •

$1 billion committed to research in urban solutions and sustainability New incentive for early adoption of electric vehicles from Jan 2021 for three years. Rebates of up to 45 per

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JUN 2020

cent on Additional Registration Fee, capped at $20,000 Electric vehicles and some hybrid vehicles will be taxed less, after a revision in tax methodology for cars from Jan 2021 28,000 charging points for electric vehicles at public car parks by 2030, up from current 1,600 New HDB Green Towns Programme to reduce energy use, recycle rainwater and cool the towns

What MPs say about this year’s Budgets

"Our 4G leaders are coming up and showing their leadership mettle whilst being supported by senior, more experienced leaders. Again, together, we have a better team at the helm to take us through this global crisis."

"Seniors and older workers can be hired as social workers as they have the experience and wisdom."

-- Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) on the benefits of employing seniors.

-- Seah Kian Peng, (Marine Parade GRC), on the Government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Spending our country’s reserves cannot, and must not, be taken lightly. Integrity and the ethos of stewardship in that spending process will achieve for us the objectives of unity, resilience and solidarity."

-- Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC), on tapping past reserves to fund the Supplementary Budgets.

"I believe we will eventually have a Victory Budget, where we will position ourselves for a stronger recovery and emerge stronger."

– Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) on how the Covid-19 crisis can be a catalyst for change.

"We may be a small dot on the globe, but we are heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world as a result of the urban heat island effect."

-- Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), who called on the Government to take stronger action to require buildings to be greener.

"Parents, especially, worry about the world they would be leaving their differently-abled children in, when they pass away."

-- Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong GRC), on why it is important to normalise inclusiveness in society and give better support to those with disabilities and their families.

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FEATURE

Long hard road to economic recovery

Photo credit: Ministry of Communications and Information

PM Lee is confident we will be able to tackle challenges, urges workers and employers to take longer term view as we deal with new operating environment

he Government has used Singapore’s reserves to save jobs, reduce costs for companies, and tide Singaporeans over during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his annual May Day Message.

While this has helped save the jobs of local employees, businesses still have other costs to shoulder and it is “unavoidable” that many workers will Ȃ overtime or direct wage reductions.

But Mr Lee encouraged both employers and workers to take a longer term view. In his speech on April 30 – Ƥ May Day Rally on Labour Day was cancelled because of the virus – he said workers have to accept wage cuts to keep

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businesses, and employers should do all ơǤ Dzȋ Ȍ Ƥ Ǥ ǡ workers will remember and return the kindness, serve loyally and help their businesses survive. Companies will also be in a better position to rebuild when the economy begins to recover,” he said.

Praising workers for their resilience and for having taken the pandemic in their stride, PM Lee said the tripartite partnership comprising employers, the labour movement and National ȋ Ȍ

of how we work closely together as one nation to protect our vulnerable and leave no one behind.

Restarting economy in phases The process of reopening Singapore’s economy will not be easy. The number Ǧͥ͝ Ƥ before the circuit breaker measures – in force from April 7 to June 1 – can be eased, said Mr Lee. The pace of testing and contact tracing must be increased, and things have to be done cautiously with safeguards so that infections do not ƪ Ǥ Essential services have continued during the circuit breaker, and the rest of the economy will reopen step by step. Those sectors that keep Singapore connected to the world and global supply Ƥ sooner, but other businesses – such as entertainment outlets and large-scale

“Employers, the labour movement and NTUC, and the Government work closely together, in good times and bad. We are bound by ties of loyalty and trust, the comradeship of past battles fought and won together.” sports events will have to wait longer as they typically attract crowds.

“We must keep all these industries intact, ready to resume business when conditions allow. This demands close cooperation between companies, workers and the Government,” said Mr Lee. Tourism and aviation are among those that will take much longer to recover, as international travel will remain restricted as long as Covid-19 continues to be a problem around the world, he said.

Mr Lee gave the Government’s assurance that national carrier Singapore Airlines, which is facing its biggest crisis ever, will get all the help it needs Ǥ Dz ƪ ǯ ƪ ǡ

and made us proud. We will spare no ơ ǡǯǯ Lee.

Preparing for a different world Mr Lee noted that Covid-19 would mean many changes to the global economy, such as less free movement of goods and people. Countries will look to rely less on imports of food and essential items like medicines and face masks. This, he said, will have “major implications” for global trade and investment, and for Singapore as a whole.

Some industries will face permanent disruption, and companies will need to change their business models to survive, pointed out Mr Lee. Some will simply disappear and workers will have to reskill themselves to take up jobs in new sectors.

The Government will help companies adapt to this new operating environment, and retrain workers for the new jobs.

The SkillsFuture programmes will be ramped up to train workers on a large scale while the NTUC has already set up a Job Security Council to match and train displaced workers for new jobs.

“We will not be able to save every job, but we will look after every worker,”

stressed Mr Lee, adding that while Singapore may be small and globalised, the country’s advantage is its nimbleness and ability to quickly identify and move into new growth areas.

Mr Lee also cited the strength of Singapore’s tripartite relationship that has been forged over decades, and a key reason why everyone is able to work closely together in good times and bad.

“This is why when the virus started to spread in other countries, we brought overseas Singaporeans home. We did not leave them to fend for themselves. This is why we care for our migrant workers, who have done much for us, as we care for Singaporeans. This is why we have taken unprecedented steps to draw upon our reserves, in order to forestall retrenchments and support the lowincome,” he said.

“The road to recovery will be long and hard. But we are not a people who will shrink from struggle. It took us blood, sweat and tears to get here.”

Photo credit: National Trades Union Congress

The labour movement tuned in when PM Lee’s May Day speech was simulcast on national television and streamed via social media channels, including the PM’s Facebook page and YouTube on April 30. This online May Day speech replaced the physical May Day Rally because of Covid-19. After his speech, about 420 representatives of the tripartite partnership participated in a closed-door virtual dialogue session.

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BRANCHING OUT

Fighting Covid-19 in the community together The first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Singapore on Jan 23, 2020, with the Dorscon Orange disease alert level declared on Feb 7. Since then, our MPs, grassroots leaders and residents have stepped up efforts to help residents cope with the pandemic. Petir features some of the initiatives to encourage Singaporeans to stay united and get through this health crisis together.

Baking cookies to thank frontline workers

Delivering meals to elderly residents

Yew Tee (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC)

Kampong Glam (Jalan Besar GRC)

When Dorscon Orange was declared on Feb 7, Yew Tee volunteers came up with the idea of baking cookies to thank frontline heroes, said its MP Mr Alex Yam. About 140 residents baked 11,000 cookies. In late April, Mr Yam started a live music programme "Happy Kopitiam" on his Facebook to keep in touch with his residents. Twice a week, he invites entertainers and even ministers to his programme to keep his audience informed about current issues and entertained.

When news broke in mid-March that Kampong Glam had a Covid-19 case, its MP Ms Denise Phua activated the town council to thoroughly clean the housing blocks and common areas. The residents also volunteered to clean the exercise area and playgrounds. Meanwhile, more than 100 elderly residents living in rental flats now get their meals delivered to them by volunteers instead of collecting the meals themselves.

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JUN 2020

Distribution of care packs

Care pack for cleaners

Henderson-Dawson (Tanjong Pagar GRC)

Tampines North (Tampines GRC)

“Our elderly are a vulnerable group that we must take special care of during the Covid-19 outbreak. While distributing care packs with useful items to them, we are also using this opportunity to check in on them and let them know help is available if they require it,� said MP Ms Joan Pereira. The care packs include items such as hand sanitiser, towel and soap.

Cleaners from Tampines Town Council are working extra hard to clean and disinfect facilities during this period. To show appreciation for their hard work, Tampines North MP Mr Baey Yam Keng gave them care parks which were put together by the Women's Wing and PAP Community Foundation.

DIY hand sanitiser workshop for residents Bukit Batok SMC Volunteers in Bukit Batok organised hand sanitiser Do-It-Yourself courses to teach residents how to make their own. Sanitisers have bee placed in lifts in the estate.

Cleaners have doubled up on their efforts to clean the estate. MP Mr Murali Pillai and his volunteers also conducted house visits to share Covid-19 information with residents.

Online Meet-the-People sessions Pasir Ris West (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) Online Meet-the-People sessions (MPS) have replaced regular MPS at some constituencies. For example, in Pasir Ris West, Mr Teo Chee Hean, who is also Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, has been meeting his residents via video-conferencing. Residents register online before meeting their MP. Video-conferencing has allowed Mr Teo to continue serving his residents.

Advisory note to residents Jurong Central (Jurong GRC) MP for Jurong Central Mr Ang Wei Neng has been visiting his residents almost every night since early February to check on their well-being and to assure them about the situation. After Dorscon Orange kicked in, he distributed packets of dried chrysanthemum to encourage them to drink healthily and to consume more water. He also sent an advisory note with pictures in different languages.

* Some photos in this Branching Out section were taken before social distancing was implemented.

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PAP POLICY FORUM

A strong online defence In the age of fake news and disinformation, Mr Amrin Amin says that PAP activists are a critical part of the Party’s online defence Ǧͥ͝ǡ Ƥ votes in the upcoming general election would shift more to the online space.

Mr Amrin Amin, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Home ơ ȋ Ȍǡ ǣ “Online campaigning will feature more prominently, more than our previous elections.”

social distancing necessitated by Covid-19, it would be challenging to organise traditional ground rallies. Dz ƫ ǡ ǯ zeal and vigour to win the hearts and minds of Singaporeans,” he told PAP Ƥ March 21, 2020 on the topic “Combating Propaganda and Fake News in a Digital

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Age”. Held at the PAP headquarters, PAP activists were seated one-metre apart, to comply with the social distancing measures in force at that time.

Combatting online falsehoods is an important aspect of an online campaign.

The Party is not alone in this. Many countries and organisations are battling online falsehoods with varying degrees of success.

PPF chairperson Theodora Lai shared one such instance in her presentation at the start of the session: The World Health Organisation ȋ Ȍ Ƥ the spread of false information about the coronavirus on social media, which the WHO describes as an “infodemic”.

It is working with technology companies like Facebook, Twitter, ǡ Ƥ out falsehoods and direct people to reliable news sources. For instance, Facebook has banned advertisements that promise cures for the coronavirus.

“Online or offline, it’s the same zeal and vigour to win the hearts and minds of Singaporeans.”

- Mr Amrin Amin, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Health and second advisor to PPF.

DEALING WITH FAKE NEWS In Singapore, Covid-19 has thrown up a wave of fake news that most people with social media accounts would have come across: That Singapore is moving to the Dorscon-Red level, that our supplies would run out, that the virus was engineered as a form of biological warfare.

In the case of fake messages and unfounded rumours circulating over WhatsApp and other online platforms related to Covid-19, do not share if you are unsure. Check with authoritative sources such as the Singapore government’s website www.gov.sg, the Ministry of Health’s website, www.moh.gov.sg or mainstream media.

The PAP has advised activists to stay vigilant against fake news and to report any should they encounter them.

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YOUNG PAP

BY KHUSHWANT SINGH

Young PAP proposes recommendations to tackle climate change Young PAP issues position paper that envisages a whole-ofsociety approach to climate change „‘—– Í˘Íœ ‘—Â?‰ Č‹ ČŒ ƒ…–‹˜‹•–• discussed an issue close to their heart -- ‡ƥ‡…–• ‘ˆ …Ž‹Â?ƒ–‡ …ŠƒÂ?‰‡ and how to tackle it at PAP headquarters on Feb 29, 2020. They were there to build upon an earlier discussion that was held ‘Â? ‡„ ͤǥ ƒÂ?† –‘ ’—– –Š‡ ƤÂ?‹•Š‹Â?‰ –‘—…Š‡• to a position paper – Singapore: A Green Hub. In his welcome speech at the Feb 29 event, Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang, Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC, told the activists: “When we have completed this position paper, we will submit a private member's motion to Parliament. All the talk, all your discussions will translate into action.â€?

MPs who lent their support to the

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paper included Mr Ng, Mr Seah Kian ‡Â?‰ Č‹ ƒ”‹Â?‡ ƒ”ƒ†‡ ČŒÇĄ • Š‡Â?‰ ‹ —‹ Č‹ ƒÂ?’‹Â?‡• ČŒÇĄ †Â? ƒŠƒ›— ƒŠœƒÂ? Č‹ —”‘Â?‰ ČŒ ƒÂ?† • Š‡”›Ž ŠƒÂ? Č‹ ‡Â?‰•ŠƒÂ?ČŒÇ¤ Š‡› ƤŽ‡† ƒ •‡”‹‡• ‘ˆ budget cuts and parliamentary questions relating to the issues in the paper during the Committee of Supply Debates. ƤÂ?ƒŽ‹•‡† –Š‡ ’‘•‹–‹‘Â? ’ƒ’‡” ƒˆ–‡” ƒ •‡”‹‡• ‘ˆ ‡Â?‰ƒ‰‡Â?‡Â?–• ™‹–Š ‡š’‡”–• ‹Â? climate change, activists, and environment ”‡•‡ƒ”…Š‡”•Ǥ Š‡•‡ ‰”‘—’• ‘ƥ‡”‡† ˜ƒŽ—ƒ„Ž‡ inputs and gave positive feedback about the paper. They also welcomed YP’s call for targets to be revisited and stretched ˆ—”–Š‡” •‘ ĥ –‘ ‡Â?ŠƒÂ?…‡ ‹Â?Â‰ÂƒÂ’Â‘Â”Â‡ÇŻÂ• ‡ƥ‘”–• on the mitigation of climate change and its ‡ƥ‡…–•Ǥ

Š‡ ’ƒ’‡” ‹†‡Â?–‹Ƥ‡† •‹š Â?‡› ƒ”‡ƒ• ˆ‘” improvement in sustainability, namely: 1.

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Financial incentives to support enterprises and reduce energy consumption Legislation, regulation, and sector specific reporting Driving behavioural change Multi-stakeholder cooperation on climate resilience Sustainable urban development Managing and using data responsibly

Key suggestions in the paper ranged from the introduction of stronger legislation in some areas to cut

ǡ Ƥ green schemes, as well as suggestions on how climate change can be better communicated to the public.

YP stressed that it would like to show that pursuing a sustainability agenda is compatible with economic viability, and that would be its contribution to the climate change movement. “Singapore must pursue green causes and continue to be a vibrant global city for all,” its authors added.

Young PAP activists believe Singapore is in a strong position to be a leading nation in addressing the effects of climate change.

POLICY INITIATIVES The paper called for more incentives to promote green schemes, such as the use of clean energy, and for more investments into alternative energy generation in Singapore.

“Given Singapore’s land limitations and high levels of cloud cover, more resources must be put into researching alternative energy generation in addition to solar energy.”

There were also suggestions on how to add more bite to the existing carbon tax scheme. Instead of increasing the current rate of $5 per tonne of emissions to between $10 and $15 per tonne of emissions by 2030, YP has recommended that Singapore charge $100 per tonne of emissions. It noted that Finland’s rate is US$70 (S$97.37) per tonne while Sweden charges US$127 (S$176.66) per tonne.

YP also suggested that the Government adopt the hybrid cap-and-trade system along with a carbon tax model in the long term. The cap-and-trade system promotes greater certainty around emissions reduction. It helps governments to achieve pre-determined emissions targets and to apply a falling emissions cap over time.

“When we have completed this position paper, we will submit a private member's motion to Parliament. All the talk, all your discussions will translate into action.”

- Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang, MP for Nee Soon GRC.

GREATER ENGAGEMENT The paper also recommended driving behavioural change by engaging other climate change activists such as nongovernment groups, and ordinary citizens.

This could be achieved by making climate change the seventh pillar in Singapore’s Total Defence, to signal “the Government’s recognition of climate change as a threat to the Singapore way-of-life and codifies the importance of climate change for Singaporeans. YP believes that this symbolic move would galvanise a whole-of-nation effort towards sustainability causes,” said the paper.

The authors also proposed the creation of a multi-stakeholder task force to foster greater consideration for sustainability in decision-making within government, businesses and society.

For instance, involving the Ministry of Social and Family Development could mean that the social sector could be onboard to help those vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Similarly, the Ministry of Communications and Information could help to disseminate information on pollutants and climate change into readily-accessible media to schools, print and social media, and other platforms.

At the Feb 29 discussion, YP activist Terence Lau, 37, from Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru branch, told Petir: “Climate change is extremely relevant and it is very important for us, as youths, to set the priorities. It’s going to be our world and I can’t think of anything more important.”

YP will be conducting another round of discussions with various industrial and non-profit organisations to get their views on Singapore's existing efforts on climate change.

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WOMEN'S WING

More women making their mark in Singapore The PAP Women's Wing (WW) celebrated International Women’s Day by honouring the achievements of Singapore women on the Covid-19 frontlines, in the community, and in political and business leadership part from having the passion to serve Singaporeans, new PAP candidates should ideally have

disadvantaged backgrounds or are from vulnerable segments of society.

PAP Women’s Wing Chairman Mrs

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Josephine Teo, speaking at a WW’s celebration of International Women’s Day on March 7, 2020, said: “Trying to put together a system that continually enhances social mobility and uplifts everyone is a very important part of the PAP’s goals for the future.

Women’s Wing Chairman Mrs Josephine Teo and her team present care packs comprising a thermometer, hand sanitiser, insect repellent, medicated plasters, a $30 voucher and Thank You card made by PCF Sparkletots pre-schoolers to the cleaners.

BUDGET WHICH VALUES SINGAPOREANS This year’s Unity Budget is a $106 billion budget which provides for immediate needs as well as long term future plans like environmental sustainability.

In the dialogue session with WW members, Minister in Prime Minister's Office, Ms Indranee Rajah explained the thinking behind the Unity Budget.

“Budget 2020 is about what the PAP government values. It is a budget that values Singaporeans,” said Ms Indranee, who is also the Second Minister for Finance and Education.

It includes a $6.4 billion Stabilisation and Support Package for businesses and households affected by Covid-19, and an $8.3 billion Transformation and Growth Package to help businesses and workers to restructure and upskill during this downturn, with extra assistance for those in their 40s-60s.

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After Budget 2020, the global health and economic situation worsened significantly. To help Singaporeans get through this tough period, the Government has introduced a supplementary $48 billion Resilience Budget.

The Resilience Budget is geared to: • save jobs and help those with income loss, for example, the enhanced Jobs Support Scheme and relief for the self-employed • give additional support to households • help businesses with cash flow and credit • stabilise sectors most badly hit

by Covid-19, such as aviation This was soon followed by the Solidarity and Fortitude Budgets to further enhance the help measures for Singaporeans and businesses.

“Having the right candidates to ensure that we understand the ơ of society is a very important part of our Ƥ Ǥdz Mrs Teo, who is the Minister for Manpower, revealed that a “good number” of women candidates with diverse backgrounds have already been scouted.

They have been busy working the ground and will be introduced in due course, for the general election which must be held by April 2021.

At the event, Mrs Teo also saluted ơ supporting the Party’s outreach on the ground.

“This combination of good ground activists with active and capable women MPs is one we will try to further strengthen with each GE,” she told the women activists. International Women's Day falls on March 8 every year.

In Singapore, she observed that women have made “remarkable progress”.

ȋ Ȍǡ Ƥ ͥ͝​ͥ​ͥǤ make up one-third of senior management positions in the private sector.

But she also noted that only 16 per cent of board seats in Singapore Ǧ women and that only nine per cent of Singapore businesses have a female Chief ƥ ǡ ǡ Dz done!”

Mrs Teo also acknowledged the women – and men – on the frontline battling the Covid-19 outbreak.

The WW, together with the PAP Community Foundation, gave a special International Women’s Day 2020 Care Pack to about 5,000 cleaners working in HDB towns all over Singapore. A group of 24 cleaners were at the event to receive their care packs. WW activists distributed the remaining care packs by end March.