From The Backbench
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MP Raeesah Khan said the cost of mental health treatment and coverage should be reviewed.
PHOTO: GOV.SG
Raeesah Khan (Sengkang GRC)
More can be done for mental health
Ms Raeesah welcomed a number of recent developments to better meet Singaporeans' mental health needs, but said more could be done to destigmatise such issues.
She called for the formation of a committee involving people who have experienced mental health issues in the past, and improving the quantity and quality of mental health resources and information.
The cost of mental health treatment and coverage should also be reviewed, she said, noting that treatment for physical illnesses has a higher Medisave withdrawal limit.
Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa
Education system should build resilience
Upskilling and reskilling the workforce are not enough to prepare Singaporeans for the future, said the Non-Constituency MP from Progress Singapore Party.
Ms Poa, who owns an education company, said Singapore should focus on building resilience and a growth mindset in its young people.
The education system needs more diversity in terms of curricula, student mix and pathways to success, said Ms Poa. She suggested the Education Ministry pilot a through-train programme to allow pupils to skip the Primary School Leaving Examination.
This would give parents the option to choose an education path that may be better suited for their children's future, she said.
Shawn Huang (Jurong GRC)
Build sustainably, repurpose buildings
Given the dire impact of climate change, sustainable infrastructure is closely related to Singapore's survival, Mr Huang said.
He noted a growing interest in the "circular economy", citing a collaboration between Sport Singapore and material science company Dow to make jogging tracks and playgrounds out of used shoes.
Mr Huang said one way to build more sustainably is to construct buildings out of steel, which is more easily recycled than concrete.
Another way is to conserve and repurpose existing buildings like Golden Mile Complex instead of building new ones, he said.
Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC)
S'pore must not turn anti-cosmopolitan
The discomfort of some parts of society here with a cosmopolitan Singapore is cause for "concern and slight alarm", said Ms Pereira. Steps must be taken to ensure this does not worsen, especially along racial lines, as it could widen fault lines in society.
"All of us must understand that a Singapore that closes its doors to the outside world is bad for all of us," Ms Pereira said.
Noting that some of the discomfort stems from job competition, she said Singapore must balance its social fabric and economic competitiveness while accepting the presence of international firms and workers.
