Unemployed professionals and managers could be hired as consultants to help ministries digitalise and transform during the Covid-19 period, Mr Henry Kwek (Nee Soon GRC) suggested yesterday.
The Government can also help Singaporeans whose livelihoods are affected by proceeding with planned training programmes, workshops and conferences online to allow event organisers and trainers to maintain their business, said Nominated MP Lim Sun Sun.
They were among many MPs who spoke about jobs support during the parliamentary debate on the supplementary budget.
Mr Kwek said that while the support announced in the Resilience Budget by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on March 26 has created some temporary jobs, if the economy continues to deteriorate, more should be done to help professionals and managers who may be too qualified to take on many of those temporary roles but can contribute to government transformation projects through their private-sector experience. The scheme could be piloted with short-term contracts of six to 12 months, said Mr Kwek, adding that even a salary of $2,000 to $3,000 would help.
"I believe many Singaporeans will want to actively contribute to Singapore, rather than wait on the sidelines for the economy to recover," he said.
Professor Lim said that if the ministries proceed with their original calendar of events in the coming months, such as training programmes and outreach campaigns, "it sends a strong signal that it is business as usual, and supporting industries will also respond with creative online provisions".
She also suggested that the Government try to pay for work already done by contractors, even if work was halted halfway, or reimburse them for their expenses.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) suggested temporarily stopping contributions to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) so as to reduce employers' manpower costs and increase workers' monthly take-home pay. This includes stopping the mandatory Medisave contributions of self-employed people such as taxi drivers.
He acknowledged that one of the major concerns of stopping CPF contributions is the payment of Housing Board home loan mortgages which many people use CPF savings for, and asked if HDB mortgage repayments could be deferred for three to six months.
A resident told Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) her employer told her that CPF contributions from employers had been reduced to cut business costs. "In times like this, businesses may resort to illegal measures to cut their losses," he said, adding: "But I hope the Government will consider the soft approach and help out companies with genuine difficulties."
Nominated MP Douglas Foo called for a reciprocal commitment from workers and unions. "When Covid-19 blows over, do not forget the employer that has fought hard and made sacrifices for you to keep your job or the employer that has sent you for training to increase your knowledge and keep you updated in the evolving workforce. Stay and help your employer."
