Take next steps to further uplift vulnerable groups in society

I raised disability issues seven years ago during my previous term in Parliament, specifically about improving public transport and pedestrian infrastructure accessibility for the visually impaired. I am glad to see that some progress has been made since then, although some gaps still remain.

For example, most junctions with traffic lights still don't have audible pedestrian signals, and for those that do, they have the chirping sound turned off at 9pm or 10pm to avoid disturbing nearby residents. This could pose a safety risk for visually impaired pedestrians who are out at night.

I hope the Ministry of Transport will reconsider my proposal to add vibrotactile walk indications at these crossings. These are special buttons positioned at the traffic signals which vibrate when it is safe to walk...

In my conversations with persons with disabilities (PWDs), the No. 1 issue on their minds is jobs - not unlike for many other Singaporeans. They are not asking for handouts, but more equal opportunities in employment...

The Government has done well to provide schemes like the Enabling Employment Credit and the Assistive Technology Fund. These need to be complemented with better public education, for both employers and the general public, in order to clear misconceptions about PWDs in the workplace.

We also need to ensure that employers do not discriminate on the basis of disability, by introducing anti-discrimination legislation.

Another area that needs to move forward faster with the times is our approach to means testing for social assistance schemes. The process often requires too much paperwork.

We already have the capability to integrate and automate such systems... Can we now develop the same capabilities for disbursing social assistance to deserving individuals and families?

My third area of concern is helping Singaporeans cope with the burden of healthcare expenses.

Chronic diseases are imposing an increasing burden on our ageing population...

I have two suggestions for the Health Ministry to consider. First, that Medisave withdrawals be allowed for the treatment of all chronic conditions, not just those on the Chronic Disease Management Programme list. This will ensure that no one is excluded just because they suffer from a less common chronic condition. Second, the annual withdrawal limits for Medisave should be removed for patients with sufficient Medisave balances and are over the age of 60. To reduce the risk of a buffet syndrome, these two changes can be rolled out first at polyclinics and restructured hospitals....

My fourth area of concern is the welfare of migrant workers. These are some of the most disadvantaged yet invisible members of our society...

At the heart of many of the issues that migrant workers in Singapore face is their lack of bargaining power vis-a-vis other parties like employers, the Government and employment agencies...

I urge the Manpower Ministry to step up enforcement and intelligence gathering, so that errant parties will be taken to task and be made an example of.

We could also set up a jobs portal for employers to list available jobs so that workers don't have to go through intermediaries to find new companies to work for once their contracts end...

It has been said that the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.

We have come so far as a country, uplifting the standard of living of generations of our people. Let us take this progress to the next level as we further improve how we care for the vulnerable members in our society.