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Recap: Parliament affirms amended WP motion on the future of S’pore’s economy

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All 12 WP MPs recorded their dissent.

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Edited by Ng Wei Kai, Aqil Hamzah, BNB Diviyadhaarshini, Wong Man Shun

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Published: Aug 4, 2026

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\r\n","liveBlogId","2342","isLiveBlog",true,"isMultidayLiveblog","multidayLiveBlogMapping",[41,45],{"_42":35,"_43":44},"value","key","Aug 5, 2026",{"_42":46,"_43":47},"2340","Aug 4, 2026","uniqueName","live-singapore-parliament-august-2026","infiniteScroll",{"_52":53},"additionalStories",[],"advertisements",[56,64,68],{"_5":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63},"lb1","page","liveblog","slot","/5908/st/lb1/liveblog","id","dfp-ad-lb1",{"_5":65,"_58":59,"_60":66,"_62":67},"catfish","/5908/st/catfish/liveblog","dfp-ad-catfish",{"_5":69,"_58":59,"_60":70,"_62":71},"prestitial","/5908/st/prestitial/liveblog","dfp-ad-prestitial","metaData",{"_20":21,"_74":21,"_75":21,"_76":49,"_24":77,"_78":77,"_79":80,"_81":82,"_83":84,"_85":86},"ogTitle","twitterTitle","slug","All 12 WP MPs recorded their dissent. Read more at straitstimes.com.","ogDescription","jsonLd","{\"@context\":\"https:\\/\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"LiveBlogPosting\",\"@id\":\"https:\\/\\/www.straitstimes.com\\/live-singapore-parliament-august-2026\",\"headline\":\"Live: Parliament Aug 5\",\"description\":\"\",\"coverageStartTime\":\"2026-08-05T10:00:00+08:00\",\"coverageEndTime\":\"2026-08-05T23:51:00+08:00\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\/\\/www.straitstimes.com\\/assets\\/ST-logo-default-aoeSLh4S.png\",\"width\":\"1228\",\"height\":\"96\"}},\"liveBlogUpdate\":[{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Parliament ends!\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T21:52:17+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T21:56:08+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The sitting is over. After about nine hours of debate the House affirmed the WP\\u2019s motion on the future of Singapore\\u2019s economy with amendments from PAP\\u2019s Edward Chia. It agreed that, in line with the Economic Strategy Review\\u2019s recommendations:(a) in a more equal and inclusive economy, with opportunities for entrepreneurs to experiment, households and businesses to succeed, workers to thrive, and ideas and innovation to flourish; and (b) in an economy powered by dynamic local companies, global enterprises, healthy domestic and external demand, and Singaporeans and Singaporean capital venturing abroad. The WP, after dissenting to the first amendment, voted against the motion\\u2019s final version with all 12 of its MPs recording their dissent. Both parties across the debate said there was much common ground in their broad approach to how Singapore\\u2019s economy should transform. But PAP MPs and ministers throughout took issue with what they said was the WP\\u2019s proposal to \\u201cturn inward\\u201d away from the global economy and multi-national corporations. The WP said that this was not their position, calling it a strawman argument. Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim, who seconded the motion, said the party is not suggesting that greater support for local SMEs must come at the expense of existing MNCs. Here are the other highlights:Retrenchment benefits: The Government is looking at legislating retrenchment benefits in light of the ESR\\u2019s recommendation to strengthen support for workers.\\u201cWe aren't at this point wedded on whether or not it is to be legislated,\\u201d said Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash. It will consult the Singapore National Employers Federation and the unions and make a considered decision after. Circumstances have changed since the Government last considered putting these benefits into law, he said, noting that nine in 10 workers are compensated under the existing tripartite guidelines. \\u201cWhether or not we can go above 90 per cent is something that we are looking at as well,\\u201d he said. English O-Level oral exam: The authorities observed no pattern across the 432 candidates who reported discrepancies in the exam question in this year\\u2019s O-level oral examination, said Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary. Preliminary data shows that the mean score for the oral examination on July 15 \\u2013 the day the discrepancies were reported \\u2013 is comparable with that of the other four sessions in 2026. The mean score of the 432 candidates who reported the discrepancy is also comparable with the mean score of the remaining candidates who sat the exam that day, Janil said.Beverage Container Return Scheme: About 5.5 million drink containers have been returned since a new bottle and can recycling scheme rolled out in April, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary. More than 90 per cent of HDB residents are now within a five minute walk of a machine where they can deposit the eligible cans or bottles. All 1,070 machines that were planned for the initial roll-out are now operational and the ministry is on track to increase the number of return points to around 2,000 within the first year of implementation, said Janil.Parliament adjourns to a date to be determined.Thank you for reading. If you are still here, you must like politics. We\\u2019ll be Unpacking these events and their implications in our weekly newsletter. Sign up here.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Jamus Lim says WP did not suggest sidelining MNCs, Jeffrey Siow says motion\\u2019s wording led to that impression\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T19:58:21+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T21:38:12+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Jamus Lim says the WP was not suggesting, as Jeffrey Siow says, that SMEs and MNCs are \\u2018competing for the same pie\\u2019. He adds that the party is also not suggesting that greater support for local SMEs must come at the expense of existing MNCs or punish these \\u201cgolden geese\\u201d, he says. Lim says he was careful to emphasise in his speech that Singapore must not sideline MNCs and GLCs, nor shut off foreign capital. \\u201cTo the Workers' Party, I'm afraid, this is a false dichotomy that we did not draw. It\\u2019s a convenient strawman argument, perhaps to win, had we actually made it,\\u201d he adds. He also says that the WP is \\u201cnot blind\\u201d to how domestic demand alone is insufficient to drive Singapore\\u2019s economic engine, adding that his saying that the party wants healthy domestic demand is not equivalent to saying that Singapore does not need foreign demand.\\u201cWhat we want to urge is the growth of consumer demand that historically has been weaker here than in other advanced economies of our level of development,\\u201d he says. Jeffrey Siow responds, saying the Government had that impression of the WP\\u2019s position because of the language used in the motion \\u2013 where there was no mention of global enterprises and the global economy. He says Lim in his speech also said Singapore should \\u201cpivot\\u201d towards SMEs. \\u201cWhen we say pivot, I'm assuming there is an impression of a zero sum arrangement that he had in mind. \\u201cBut if I was mistaken, I'm very happy that he has clarified that the Workers' Party is certainly aligned with our economic strategy.\\u201d\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"WP will agree to three out of four amendments, says Kenneth Tiong \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T21:11:10+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T21:36:49+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Kenneth Tiong returns to wrap up the debate and says that the WP agrees to three of Edward Chia\\u2019s four amendments, objecting to the first. The WP has reservations about amendment three, which was to include the phrase global enterprises after local enterprises.Had the amendment been to \\u201can economy powered by dynamic local enterprises supported by global enterprises\\u201d, the WP would have agreed, he said. \\u201cWe are not choosing between being global and local. That is a false dichotomy. The Workers' Party believes categorically in an open economy,\\u201d he says.He says the party is not calling for an \\u201coverhaul of our GLC-heavy, MNC-led, and foreign capital reliant model\\u201d, but instead the party is asking for acknowledgement of \\u201cthe long history of how our domestic firms have not felt sufficiently supported by the state\\u201d.He adds that the WP is calling for an evolution of how dominant MNCs and GLCs have been in Singapore\\u2019s economy, and to reorient it towards younger local companies and SMEs, as they are \\u201cmore inherently rooted and can be a source of disruptive innovation\\u201d.\\u201cTo be clear, we are not pitting foreign versus local; both are necessary. Suggesting otherwise is a false binary and is a convenient straw man, but it's not an argument that we are making,\\u201d he says, but adds that they will accept the amendment.But the WP does not agree to the first amendment to delete the word \\u2018notwithstanding\\u2019, and insert the phrase \\u2018in line with\\u2019 in the line which says the suggestions in the motion are notwithstanding the recommendations of the ESR. He says the amendment means that the commitments from the motion are bound to follow from adopting the ESR, while the original motion means that the commitments from the motion are neither exhausted by the ESR or derived from it. The House hears a few more clarifications before voting on the motion and the amendments.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Elysa Chen calls for more support for parents, Indranee Rajah says workgroup will consider Chen\\u2019s suggestions\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T21:30:56+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T21:31:33+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Increasing the minimum annual leave and allowing employees to use their sick leave based on their dependents\\u2019 medical certificates will help build a family-centric society, says Elysa Chen in an adjournment motion.The Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP also calls for childcare subsidies to be the same for non-working mothers and working mothers, along with better accessibility to childcare centres and more childcare options.She says that women who have children in Singapore experience reductions in earnings and career advancement. This can be addressed by restructuring maternity leave to make business sense for employers.Chen suggests extending maternity leave to six months and making it fully Government-paid up to a salary cap. She says hiring maternity cover for 16 weeks is difficult for employers, but a 6-to-12 month window makes it viable for employers to hire contract cover.To encourage firms to hire more stay-at-home parents who are returning to the workforce, Chen suggests giving them tax deductions if they do so. She also asks for private spaces for mothers to pump breastmilk at work.Responding to Chen, Minister in the Prime Minister\\u2019s Office Indranee Rajah says the Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup will take some of her suggestions into account.She notes that other MPs have also called for more leave days, but leave alone is not enough. Workplace culture and norms affect whether parents feel they are able to use their statutory leave provisions, she adds.The workgroup has said it will produce a full report with its findings early next year, though it may make recommendations earlier.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"The House affirms the amended motion, WP MPs record dissent\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T21:12:34+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T21:13:20+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"After close to nine hours of debate, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng takes the House through a vote on each amendment.All 12 WP MPs in the chamber record their dissent to the first amendment in the motion. The rest of the amendments pass without dissent. Seah then asks the House to vote on the amended motion, which the WP MPs dissent to.The House affirms the amended motion.PHOTO: MDDI\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Govt cannot guarantee every venture will succeed, but will help every person get a fair chance: Tan See Leng \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T20:45:12+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T20:45:12+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The Government will play its part: maintaining a trusted, open economy, investing for the long term, says Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng. It will also address gaps in capability, financing, and market access, and help workers prepare for change, he says. Others have to play their parts. Businesses must transform and invest in people, workers must keep learning, and entrepreneurs must build, compete, persevere, and accept the responsibility, he says. The Government cannot guarantee that every venture will succeed, that every job will remain the same, or that transition will be painless, Tan adds. What the Government can always do is to maintain a place where every person has a fair chance, he says.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Govt studying mandatory retrenchment benefits now as \\u2018circumstances have changed\\u2019, says Dinesh Vasu Dash\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T20:05:41+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T20:05:41+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Circumstances have changed since the Government last considered legislating retrenchment benefits, says Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash.He says it is not the first time that the Government is raising issues of legislation of retrenchment benefits. \\u201cWe've considered this in the past. It wasn't very appropriate then.\\u201dDinesh is responding to NMP Mark Lee who asked if the ministry has examined the potential impact of mandatory retrenchment benefits on employers, such as unintended cost or behavioural changes in hiring.Lee raised the question after Dinesh\\u2019s earlier statement that the authorities are studying legislating mandatory retrenchment benefits further under the Tripartite Work Group reviewing the Employment Act. The Government studies the issue periodically, and now at least nine in 10 workers are compensated under the existing tripartite guidelines for retrenchment, says Dinesh.It is looking at legislation now in light of the ESR\\u2019s recommendation to strengthen support for workers.\\u201cWhether or not we can go above 90 per cent is something that we are looking at as well,\\u201d he adds. \\u201cWe aren't at this point wedded on whether or not it is to be legislated. As in all things that Government does, we will consult SNEF (the Singapore National Employers Federation). We will consult the unions and make a considered decision after our consults.\\u201d\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Govt already prices land differently based on its intended use, says Jeffrey Siow in response to Kenneth Tiong\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T19:54:02+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T19:54:02+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The minister also responds to an earlier call by WP MP Kenneth Tiong to move away from universal land pricing. Tiong had suggested a special zone around Nanyang Technological University where state land is priced at cost recovery rather than at market value.Siow says the Government already prices land differently at fair market value based on its intended use, whether it is social, commercial, industrial, educational or religious.The Government\\u2019s framework ensures responsible stewardship of Singapore\\u2019s limited land resources, he adds.Siow says: \\u201cWe can debate whether there is sufficient flexibility in the current framework, and whether there could be or should be further differentiation.\\u201cBut that is quite different from suggesting that the current framework is fundamentally flawed.\\u201d\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Choosing between MNCs and SMEs is \\u2018false choice\\u2019 that WP mischaracterises as \\u2018Faustian bargain\\u2019: Jeffrey Siow\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T19:47:19+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T19:47:19+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Singapore needs both multi-national companies (MNCs) and small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) to survive, says Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow.The WP has portrayed Singapore as a place where MNCs create wealth in \\u201csome Faustian bargain\\u201d where SMEs are held down and Singaporeans receive the benefits through redistribution, he says.He disagrees with this characterisation.The WP's view appears to be that MNCs and local firms are competing for fixed pie, says Siow, who is also Second Minister for Finance.He says WP\\u2019s Jamus Lim has suggested that the Government is not supporting its own SMEs as much as it supports MNCs, and that Singapore must pivot away from MNCs to SMEs.This is a false choice, he says.In a more difficult global environment, Singapore has to compete harder for foreign investments but it must also work harder to support local companies, Siow adds.\\u201cWe are not in a zero-sum situation. In fact, the growth of our local companies and our MNCs mutually reinforce each other. SMEs are critical to our economy,\\u201d he says.The path from local company to global enterprise seems much steeper than before, but that does not mean Singapore should turn inward, Siow says.\\u201cThe WP asserts that if external markets become more uncertain, we should retreat and rely more on domestic demand. This is unrealistic.\\u201d\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Global companies contribute more than investment and employment, says Ng Shi Xuan\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T19:29:53+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T19:29:53+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Leading global companies contribute more than investment and direct employment, says Ng Shi Xuan (Sembawang GRC).Their regional management and technical employment functions can connect local enterprises to sophisticated demand, new technologies, international standards, and global supply chains, he says. However, these connections do not arise automatically. Smaller companies may lack the information, networks or resources needed to identify suitable partners, understand overseas requirements or anticipate where an industry is heading, he adds. \\u201cThis is where industry associations and consortiums can play a much larger role,\\u201d he adds. Foreign investment and local enterprise development are not competing strategies, he says, and at their best, they reinforce each other.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Allow tech start-ups to use research labs in tertiary institutions, says Neo Kok Beng\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T19:25:36+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T19:25:36+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Research labs in tertiary education institutions should be open for tech start-ups to use, says NMP Neo Kok Beng.This suggestion takes a leaf from the partnership between MOE and MCCY, which opens up badminton halls and football fields for public use, adds Neo.\\u201cAll these research labs, they have really expensive equipment and very sophisticated equipment that all these deep tech start-ups can use,\\u201d he says.About 10 minutes into Neo\\u2019s speech, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Christopher de Souza cuts in and asks Neo to \\u201cdraw your insights and experiences to the motion or amended motion at hand\\u201d, in accordance with Parliament\\u2019s rules.Neo agrees and begins to conclude.Neo says: \\u201cI quote so much of Chew Shou Zi. My mother\\u2019s maiden name is Chew. He is my nephew.\\u201dNeo had opened his speech by quoting TikTok chief executive Chew\\u2019s speech at the recent NTU graduation ceremony.He adds that Edward Chia, who proposed the amendments to the motion, had previously attended his technology entrepreneurship class.Neo supports the amended motion.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Govt supports SMEs in transformation, scaling up and going overseas, says Low Yen Ling\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T19:10:02+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T19:10:02+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The authorities have practical assistance schemes in place to help SMEs here transform, says Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling.For example, for food and beverage businesses, these schemes do not only help them to cope with higher costs, but also to help them compete more effectively, whether they are embracing technology or finding new ways to serve their customers.\\u201cWe recognise that many SMEs do not have dedicated teams for strategy, technology or business development,\\u201d adds Low, the second political office-holder to speak in the debate.For heartland businesses, Low adds that the Government has helped businesses improve their storefronts and attract more customers. She says that these businesses define the character of neighbourhoods and contribute to Singapore\\u2019s social fabric.On heritage businesses, she says that they must evolve while remaining relevant to what makes them distinctive. The National Heritage Board supports these firms, Low adds.She says that there are also programmes in place to help local firms scale effectively and compete internationally, adding that the Government has a network of more than 35 overseas centres around the world which provide market intelligence.\\u201cWhether young or modern, every enterprise must continue building new capabilities to remain competitive, and we will continue to support our businesses in this journey. And this journey includes going beyond Singapore to the world.\\u201dShe supports the amended motion.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Graduate employment is \\u2018more resilient\\u2019 than WP suggests, says Dinesh \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T19:05:09+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T19:05:09+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The Government agrees with WP\\u2019s Andre Low on the value of expanding work-based pathways like apprenticeships, says Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash. He is the first political office-holder to speak in the debate, and is responding to MPs\\u2019 various suggestions including Low\\u2019s calls for more support for people transitioning into the workforce. But the current picture for graduate employment is more resilient than the WP has suggested, says Dinesh. In 2025, vacancies continue to outnumber job seekers, he says. \\u201cThe system has served us well, but must continue to evolve with a new generation of workers and a changing work environment,\\u201d he adds. Despite retrenchments from some companies dominating the headlines, employment expanded for the 19th straight quarter in the first quarter of this year, Dinesh adds. \\u201cThese outcomes are the result of deliberate policy choices.\\u201d The evidence does not support the conclusion that the Singaporean model is failing, he adds. \\u201cWe are navigating a structural transition, however difficult and uneven, from a position of strength. But we must and will remain adaptable to the changing world.\\u201d He adds that the Government is studying legislating mandatory retrenchment benefits further under the Tripartite Work Group reviewing the Employment Act, addressing calls from WP\\u2019s Pritam Singh and Fadli Fawzi as well as NTUC\\u2019s Patrick Tay to strengthen such protections for retrenched workers. The Tripartite Workgroup reviewing the Employment Act, Singapore's main labour law, convened in 2025, and is meant to present its findings in the second half of 2026.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Salaries for low-wage workers have grown over past decade: Wan Rizal\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T18:05:49+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T18:07:31+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Wages for low-wage workers have grown across different sectors, including cleaning, security, landscape, retail, food services and waste management, says Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah.The Jalan Besar GRC MP adds that raising the wage floors took \\u201cyears of negotiation\\u201d and that the work is still ongoing.\\u201cOver the past decade, workers at the bottom of our ladder have been climbing, but I will not pretend that our work is over,\\u201d says Wan Rizal, who is also director of the stakeholder management, career services and partnership group at NTUC\\u2019s Employment and Employability Institute.He adds that although retrenchments have increased in the first quarter of this year, they remain within the non-recessionary norms.The majority of these retrenchments came from businesses reorganising themselves and restructuring, says Wan Rizal, adding that the taskforce for responsible retrenchment and employment facilitation has provided career coaching and help for retrenched workers.He supports the amended motion.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"NTUC will continue to advocate for workers; must work with tripartite partners for better protection: Patrick Tay\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T17:43:12+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T17:58:08+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The NTUC has been working to negotiate collective agreements and unionise companies to provide protections for employees, says its assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay.There are strong existing mechanisms to help them in the event of layoffs to ensure they can receive retrenchment benefits, he adds. He says he has been lobbying for many years in the House for further strengthening of the retrenchment protection regime. The tripartite partners are also currently involved in the review of the Employment Act, which includes considering stronger measures against firms that do not comply with retrenchment guidelines, he adds. The NTUC will continue to advocate on behalf of workers, \\u201cbut more importantly, to work with our tripartite partners closely to ensure that we have regime and the mechanism\\u201d in place. The partners are \\u201cvery open\\u201d to new ways and mechanisms to ensure no worker is left behind in a retrenchment exercise, he says. Tay says he is happy that the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme was introduced in 2025 after having lobbied for unemployment insurance support over the years. The NTUC has also since called for the scheme\\u2019s income threshold to be raised to better improve protection, he adds. \\u201cTripartism is not easy. Balancing the needs of workers, businesses, and the nation is not easy, but precisely because it's hard, it forces us to bring practical solutions that endure. \\u201cThe ESR gives Singapore a comprehensive roadmap to stay competitive. Our task is to make sure that this roadmap is also worker-centric, inclusive and fair.\\u201d Tay also raises concerns that younger PMEs may be among the hardest hit if AI compresses entry-level roles and creates a \\\"broken rung\\\" at the very start of their careers.He supports the amended motion.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"diviya\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Caregivers need wage support commensurate with rising cost of living, says He Ting Ru \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T17:10:05+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T17:57:19+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Wages in the care economy must be commensurate with the rising cost of living, says WP\\u2019s Sengkang GRC MP He Ting Ru. Singapore must see caregiving as a growth segment that builds not just the economy of today, but the society of tomorrow, she adds, suggesting more support for entrepreneurs in the caregiving sector. This society must also support creatives and entrepreneurs, she adds. She also asks for more tracking and monitoring of the environmental outcomes of policy via a dashboard. \\u201cWe must ensure that our economic policies should not result in further destruction of our planet, and a transparent accounting of its environmental outcomes would be a helpful tool to keep us on our toes,\\u201d she says. Progress towards the future does not mean that Singaporeans compromise on collective well-being for the sake of gross domestic product growth, she adds. \\u201cProgress means that we, as a society, support balanced and well-rounded lifestyles,\\u201d she says.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Support young Singaporeans working in South-east Asia, says Eileen Chong\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T17:54:16+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T17:54:16+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Create a Singapore that supports young Singaporeans working in South-east Asia and supports them when they come back, says Non-Constituency MP Eileen Chong.Every major economic blueprint of the past decade has named the region as key to Singapore's future, she says, but \\u201cwho are we sending with it?\\u201dRegional languages like Thai and Vietnamese should be added to the third language options for students, says the former foreign service officer.She also suggests increasing the number of places for the Overseas Market Immersion Programme, which aims to give young Singaporeans regional work experience.The scheme should also not be dependent on employers nominating them, but be open to all graduates from tertiary institutions.While the \\u201cappetite is there\\u201d among young Singaporeans to take up internships or jobs in South-east Asia, she says that when they return, employers here must view such experiences as a premium and not a penalty.The authorities should also explore how to ensure that taking up regional postings will not complicate BTO opportunities and obligations.\\u201cWe have built a domestic architecture so finely tuned for staying home that leaving often means accepting penalties.\\u201dShe supports the original motion.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Build an economy where fair distribution is built into growth, says Kenneth Tiong; 8 WP MPs to speak on motion \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T12:34:53+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T17:16:57+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Singapore needs to build an economy where fair distribution is built into growth, rather than grow first and redistribute later, says WP\\u2019s Kenneth Tiong. Opening the motion, the Aljunied GRC MP says he will speak on innovation and fostering dynamic enterprises. Seven other WP MPs will speak, he says, outlining their points. Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) will discuss dynamic local firms, while Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) will discuss land and homes. NCMP Andre Low will discuss working life and ask how to ensure tertiary students and young workers find meaningful opportunities and good jobs in a challenging economy.Meanwhile, Gerald Giam will discuss pathways to a middle-class livelihood and Fadli Fawzi will discuss replacement and re-entry. Both are Aljunied GRC MPs. Sengkang GRC\\u2019s He Ting Ru will then discuss the \\u201clesser measured\\u201d parts of the economy in the domestically oriented sectors, while NCMP Eileen Chong will discuss venturing abroad and how to empower Singaporeans to seize opportunities in the region and beyond. This is eight out of the 12 MPs the WP has in the House.PHOTO: MDDI\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"ESR\\u2019s objective is also to ensure global companies strengthen local firms and workers, says Saktiandi Supaat \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T15:38:08+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T16:45:13+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The objective of the ESR is not simply to bring global companies here, says Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC). It is also to anchor more of their capabilities in Singapore and ensure that strengthens Singapore companies and Singaporean workers as well, he says. \\\"That should increasingly be our test of successful foreign investment,\\u201d adds Saktiandi, who chairs the PAP\\u2019s backbench committee scrutinising policy on finance, trade and industry. There is much common ground between the aspiration contained in the WP\\u2019s motion and the direction Singapore is already taking through the ESR, he says. But he says the country must be careful about the weight it places on external demand and global companies in Singapore's next phase of growth. Domestic demand supports Singapore\\u2019s economic engine and external demand should build more \\u201cSingapore champions\\u201d, he says. \\u201cBut this is not a choice between global companies and local enterprises,\\u201d he adds. When global companies choose Singapore as a regional hub, they do not simply rent office space \\u2013 they create jobs and demand for local services and capabilities, he adds. He says Singapore should strengthen the transmission mechanisms and help more firms to \\u201ccreate convergence upwards\\u201d, raising an example of how a Singapore SME supplying an advanced manufacturer may have to meet exacting global standards. In doing so, it builds capabilities that can help it enter new markets, he says.ST PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Legislate minimum retrenchment benefits, says WP chief Pritam Singh \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T16:30:40+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T16:40:43+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Make minimum retrenchment benefits mandatory, says WP chief Pritam Singh. Arguments against doing so should be \\u201ccarefully examined and weighed afresh\\u201d against the increasingly unpredictable economic landscape facing workers in the years ahead, he says. Citing how retrenchments in Singapore hit 4,500 in the second quarter of 2026 \\u2013 the highest since the Covid-19 pandemic \\u2013 the Aljunied GRC MP says worker anxiety has climbed despite Singapore\\u2019s positive employment situation. Singh says the law has \\u201cfallen behind\\u201d, and other countries have adopted such laws. Many responsible employers already provide retrenchment benefits, he says. The majority of employees already receive retrenchment benefits up to the tripartite guideline of two weeks' salary for every year of service. This can serve as the starting point for legislated retrenchment benefits, he says. \\u201cThis would largely formalise practice while ensuring that workers who fall through the gap that cannot be bridged by non-binding tripartite guidelines are protected,\\u201d he adds.Responsible employers would no longer be disadvantaged relative to those who provide the bare minimum or nothing at all, he says. As part of its implementation of the Economic Strategy Review, he urged the Government to convene employers, unions, and workers with the objective of introducing legislation. He supports the original motion.PHOTO: MDDI\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Build strategies in lifelong learning, develop workers\\u2019 skills based on aspirations: Terence Ho\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T16:38:04+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T16:38:04+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Employers should conduct regular check-ins with workers to understand their strengths and aspirations, says NMP Terence Ho.This will also help organisations better develop and deploy talent, says Ho, who is the executive director of the Institute of Adult Learning (IAL).Citing findings from the IAL's Skills and Learning Survey, Ho says that much of what people learn in formal training is often not applied at work because there is no opportunity to do so, or because the workplace is not conducive.Ho says it should be a priority for organisations to adopt skills-first practices, where skills, rather than credentials, are the key consideration for hiring, career development and advancement.He adds that SkillsFuture provides generous support for training and reskilling, and the launch of the IAL\\u2019s skills-first framework in October will set out concrete actions and behaviours for individuals, employers and training providers to adopt.He supports the amended motion.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Create more pathways for young people to get their \\u201cfair start\\u201d, says Andre Low\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T14:50:58+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T16:37:49+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"WP NCMP Andre Low says Singapore should open more ordinary entry-level jobs to capable beginners, and expand the new Skills and Workforce Development Agency\\u2019s ability to verify and assess competencies. Employers should then match this evidence with actual skills required for the job, and let applicants demonstrate these skills through structured assessments. But matching alone cannot build experience that some jobs require, and Singapore should also create more places where beginners can acquire it, he says. He calls for the Government to build paid apprenticeships. Firms need competent workers but also are incentivised for other firms to bear the cost of training, he says.Singapore already has workplace programmes for young entrants, he adds, raising the example of the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) programme. But where occupations require sustained and supervised practice over a longer period of time, there needs to be a more well-developed route with structured training. \\u201cThat is why Singapore should build a national market for proper paid apprenticeships,\\u201d he adds. The Economic Strategy Review proposes training pathways and career bridges between jobs, but \\u201cgives far less attention\\u201d to the first transition from education or national service into stable work, and to whether young people get a fair start, he says.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"People should not be penalised for experimenting, says Kenneth Goh\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T16:11:29+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T16:32:13+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Local systems are less forgiving when someone needs to change direction, says NMP Kenneth Goh. The associate professor cites examples like students who want to switch university programmes and entrepreneurs who want to return to work after ventures, as groups who should not be penalised for their move. He suggests a limited one-time course correction allowance for students who wish to switch programmes, without having to forgo subsidised tuition grants already utilised on their previous semesters. A worker who leaves their job to pursue a venture should be able to return to employment, he says. \\u201cEmployers should recognise the judgment and practical experience gained, rather than view that period as a blemish,\\u201d he says, adding that a healthy economy should allow experimentation and exit. Workers should take responsibility for adapting, while employers should use innovation not merely to reduce costs but to grow the organisation and share the resulting benefits with those who produce them, says Goh.He says the amended motion is \\u201ccloser to my position and more consistent with the points I\\u2019ve made\\u201d, and supports it.ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"diviya\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Fadli Fawzi calls for mandatory retrenchment benefits so workers have peace of mind amid disruption\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T15:52:45+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T16:31:59+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Safety nets such as mandatory retrenchment benefits will help workers pursue upskilling opportunities without anxiety and worry, says WP MP Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied GRC).Retrenchment benefits remain at the discretion of the respective employers, he says, calling for it to be built into legislation.He also says a universal redundancy insurance scheme will offer better protection to workers by providing monthly payouts upon retrenchment. Workers will have more peace of mind as compared with the Government\\u2019s SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme that requires an application process, he adds.He also asks the Government to expand the CPF education loan scheme to help workers looking to sharpen their skills.Drawing on his experience of making a mid-career switch from public service to law, Fadli says that securing an interest-free education loan from self-help group Mendaki was helpful.He says improving such measures can help Singaporean workers who wish to retrain or upskill themselves.Fadli says that the Government should publish more data to help workers assess the effectiveness of SkillsFuture programmes in relation to employment prospects.This data will force providers to compete on outcomes and workers can make better decisions before going for training.He supports Kenneth Tiong\\u2019s original motion.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"PAP\\u2019s Edward Chia proposes amendments to WP\\u2019s motion\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T13:43:27+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T16:29:08+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Edward Chia (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) is the first PAP MP to respond to the motion, and proposes four amendments. The changes are as follows: That this House, in line with (inserted) notwithstanding the suggestions in the Economic Strategy Review on the future Singapore economy, believes: (a) in a more equal and inclusive economy, with opportunities for entrepreneurs to experiment, households and businesses to succeed, workers to thrive, and ideas and innovation to flourish; and (b) in an economy powered (inserted) economic engine by dynamic local companies, global enterprises (inserted), healthy domestic and external (inserted) demand, and Singaporeans and Singaporean capital venturing abroad. Chia argues that the amendments strengthen the motion by making it clear that the aspirations of inclusion, innovation, and goods are aligned with the ESR, not pursued in spite of it. The amendments also recognise that Singapore's future economy needs both dynamic local companies and global enterprises, and that healthy domestic demand must be supported by external demand, especially for a small and open economy like Singapore.Chia, who is deputy chair of the PAP\\u2019s backbench group scrutinising policy on finance and trade and industry, says dynamic local companies matter, but local companies and global enterprises should not be framed as competing choices. \\u201cInstead, our focus should be on helping large local companies, SMEs, and startups build up one another,\\u201d he says.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Debate should focus on policy choices and trade-offs, says Saktiandi\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T15:39:17+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T15:39:17+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Saktiandi asks what policy choices and trade-offs the WP is proposing. \\u201cIf labour costs are the principal concern, are members suggesting that we significantly relax our foreign manpower policy? If rental costs are the concern, are members proposing some rent regulation or greater intervention in commercial leasing?\\u201d He says he hopes following speeches can move beyond identifying the challenges facing SMEs, on which there is considerable common ground, towards a clearer discussion of which policy choices MPs are prepared to make. Saktiandi also clarifies that the amendment proposed to replace the phrase \\u2018economic engine\\u2019 with the phrase \\u2018economy powered\\u2019 is important because there is not a single economic engine. \\u201cIt's about the whole economy, powered by multiple factors,\\u201d he says. He supports the amended motion.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"WP MPs ask for more details of investigation\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T11:02:40+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T15:31:34+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"But MPs still have questions and WP\\u2019s Jamus Lim and Kenneth Tiong ask for more details. Lim (Sengkang GRC), brings up reports of discrepancies from teachers, and asks if the SEAB is implicitly suggesting that there could have been an occasion of \\u201ccollective hallucination\\u201d on that day. He asks if the investigation has implicitly privileged computer forensic evidence over the testimony of a significant number of human witnesses. In response, Janil says investigations showed the students demonstrated significant variance in the phrases that they recalled. \\u201cSo I think his implication that we're privileging one set of information over the other is incorrect.\\u201d Tiong (Aljunied GRC) asks if a third-party investigation has been considered, and if the physical planning sheets candidates used were also looked at. Janil says GovTech was brought in for the investigation to audit the technical platforms, and came to the same conclusion as SEAB. He adds that planning sheets were looked at and in some cases, indicate that the student had misread the prompt. \\u201cIn some cases, it indicates that the student had misread the prompt, started planning on that basis, and then corrected themselves.\\u201d \",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Set up guild to ensure better pay and recognition of skilled tradespersons, says Gerald Giam\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T15:19:11+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T15:28:07+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"WP MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) suggests a new structure for the skilled trades sectors that will ensure better pay and career progression for the workers and recognise the \\u201ctrue market value\\u201d of their craft.While the Economic Strategy Review acknowledges that these workers are vital to Singapore\\u2019s economic resilience, its recommendations continue to rely on incremental tweaks within employer-led models, he says.Tradespersons in Singapore should be given more leverage and autonomy to govern their professions and command transparent commercial returns for their skills.This can be done by setting up an autonomous entity \\u2013 a Singapore Guild of Skilled Tradespersons that can define the baseline competencies workers need and advocate for fair commercial rates, says Giam.\\u201cWhen we give skilled tradespersons the autonomy to govern their own professions, command transparent commercial returns for their mastery, and build independence, we can fundamentally change how society views this form of blue-collar work,\\u201d he says.\\u201cEntering a trade will no longer be seen as a second-best option born of academic detour, but a proud, lucrative and respected pathway into entrepreneurship and master craftsmanship.\\u201dHe highlights current problems tradespersons face, such as a requirement of two years of practical experience covering the entire spectrum of work before they can get licensed.This creates a bottleneck. He proposes instead a modular pathway where certain competencies can be verified task by task.He supports Kenneth Tiong\\u2019s original motion.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Trade should remain fundamental to livelihoods here, says Azhar Othman\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T15:10:03+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T15:10:03+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"NMP Azhar Othman says the collaboration between private sectors and the government is crucial and emphasises the importance of not \\u201cbreaking what is already working\\u201d. Azhar, the executive chairman of Enercon Asia, supports the amended motion, and says trade should remain fundamental to livelihoods here. He suggests expanding the network of free trade agreements and for the Government to provide more financial support for SMEs to internationalise. On manpower and lifelong learning, he proposes that training credits be used to subscribe to AI-powered productive tools and partnership in business networks that provide continuous learning.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"diviya\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Global and local firms are mutually reinforcing, equally indispensable, says Mariam Jaafar\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T14:33:49+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T14:33:49+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Global businesses are as \\u201cequally indispensable\\u201d to Singapore\\u2019s economy as local firms are, says Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang GRC), who supports Edward Chia\\u2019s amended motion.She says that having global firms here help raise the standards of the business ecosystem by developing Singaporean talent, bringing frontier technologies and world-class management practices.\\u201cI suspect there is broad agreement across this House that we want more Singapore enterprises to succeed globally,\\u201d she notes.But MPs should be careful about thinking of local and global enterprises as dichotomous, she says, adding that they are mutually reinforcing.Having worked with local SMEs in the past, Mariam says that they are held back from scaling globally because of a lack of access to growth capital, experience running operations across borders, or technology and networks that open overseas markets.\\u201cThese are capability gaps, and they are unlikely to be closed simply by weaning ourselves off connection,\\u201d says Mariam.\\u201cThe real question is not whether local enterprises matter; it's not whether we should support them more strongly. We should. The real question is how we can build an economy where local and global enterprises reinforce one another, make the others stronger.\\u201dShe supports Edward Chia\\u2019s amended motion.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Tripartism key for S\\u2019pore to build future economy, says NMP Mark Lee, who rejects motion in current form\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T13:35:38+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T14:13:50+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The Government must build an economy that gives people and businesses equal dignity, regulations that protect workers and consumers and encourage firms to venture abroad, says NMP Mark Lee, who does not support the motion.While GDP has grown, firms in Singapore continue to wrestle with uncertain demand and high operating costs, says Lee, who is also the chairman of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF).\\u201cHeadline GDP does not feel like growth. It feels like daily firefighting,\\u201d he says.He says the Government must build the \\u201crunway\\u201d for the economy through sound regulation, infrastructure, education, fair regulation, and a strong social safety net.\\u201cBut firms, entrepreneurs, and workers are the planes that must still take off. From a business perspective, this means three imperatives: enable enterprises, expand opportunity, and embed responsibility to enable enterprises.\\u201dHe concludes by saying that businesses should actively seize opportunities while giving back to society while workers upgrade their skills.The Government should continue building a fair, open and transparent business environment.\\u201cI firmly believe that as long as the tripartite partners work together, we will be able to weather the difficulties and achieve long-term development,\\u201d he says.But the wording of the motion suggests that \\u201cthese aspirations somehow stand apart\\u201d from the Economic Strategy Review, he notes.He says he cannot support the motion in its current form.PHOTO: MDDI\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Government must stop \\u2018seeing itself as a landlord\\u2019, says Louis Chua \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T14:07:38+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T14:13:14+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Maximising revenues from land and buildings should no longer be a primary consideration of land policy, says Sengkang GRC\\u2019s Louis Chua. Land should be awarded on the quality and value of what is built, and not simply to whoever bids the most, he says. Chua argues that the ESR\\u2019s recommendations will be difficult to achieve as long as the Government continues to \\u201csee itself as a landlord\\u201d. There is a structural reason why these costs keep rising \\u2013 the land sales system is built so that prices \\u201ccan only ratchet upwards\\u201d, he adds. This is because sites are awarded to the highest bidder generally, subject to a reserve for any individual site. When the market bids above the reserve, the land is sold and a new benchmark is set, he says. He also calls for a public rental option for young and middle-income Singaporeans with 10 year security and rents set with reference to income rather than market value, and for more national investment in computing power. Chua says he supports the original motion by Tiong and Lim.PHOTO: MDDI\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Kenneth Tiong questions the need for the second amendment \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T13:53:39+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T13:53:39+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Kenneth Tiong questions the need for the second amendment to change the phrase \\u2018economic engine\\u2019 in the original motion to \\u2018economy powered\\u2019. He calls the change \\u201cotiose\\u201d, or obsolete. Chia responds, and says he does not want to debate the choice of words or semantics at this point. \\u201cI'm saying that the economy must be powered by both local companies and global enterprises,\\u201d he says, adding that the crux of the amendment is to align the spirit of the WP\\u2019s motion with the ESR.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Pivot from MNCs to SMEs as the driver of Singapore\\u2019s growth, says Jamus Lim\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T13:28:00+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T13:28:00+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Pivot away from multi-national companies (MNCs) as the driver of Singapore\\u2019s growth and promote its small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), says Sengkang GRC\\u2019s Jamus Lim, who seconded the motion. Lim raises this as the solution to what he says are problems with Singapore\\u2019s economy: lagging productivity growth, and not yet evolving to a more self-led economy. The Government\\u2019s future economic plans, released in June in a report by the committee behind its Economic Strategy Review (ESR), speaks about both MNCs and SMEs, Lim notes. But it \\u201cbetrays somewhat an implicit bias toward the former\\u201d, he says. There are already many schemes run by the Government for these companies, but more can be done to help SMEs raise productivity, he says. One focus should be on helping them with research and development, and Singapore should also tackle \\u201csky-high business costs\\u201d, he says, suggesting that rent increases could be capped at 3 per cent annually to do so. He also calls for a review of the dependency ratio ceiling \\u2013 or the maximum ratio of foreign workers to the total workforce that a company in a given sector can employ \\u2013 especially in sectors where Singaporeans continue to shun open positions even at attractive wages. \\u201cTo be clear, what I'm calling for is not a wholesale overhaul of our GLC-heavy MNC-led and foreign capital reliant model, which has, to date, served as well,\\u201d he adds. No modern economy operates without due attention to international players, but what he is calling for are policy and institutional shifts that will \\u201cusher in a changed mindset for how we should view our homegrown capital\\u201d, Lim says.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Create an experimental special zone around NTU with lower land costs, says Kenneth Tiong\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T13:03:23+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T13:03:23+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Create a special zone surrounding Nanyang Technological University where state land is priced at cost recovery rather than at market value, says Kenneth Tiong. The special zone should take its returns from the companies that grow there rather than from rent, he adds. He is raising this proposal as an experiment to test if land pricing is dragging on young people, enterprise and research and development. This experiment will span co-living, local enterprise and R&D, he says. \\u201cIt will be zoned for organic messiness, a district that is pro-worker and pro-business, built around the needs of young people and young companies.\\u201dThe WP has an ideological disagreement with the Government on the price of land, Tiong says, adding that Louis Chua will speak more on this later. He says pricing land at market rates prices out innovation and homogenises the country. \\u201cIt prices out the independent kitchen and the lab with no revenue yet, and leaves whatever can pay us the rent, chains and franchises,\\u201d he adds.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"About 5.5m drink containers collected since recycling scheme started in April\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T11:16:32+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:56:46+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"About 5.5 million drink containers have been returned since a new bottle and can recycling scheme rolled out in April, says Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary.He is responding to Mariam Jaafar\\u2019s (Sembawang GRC) question on the number of deposits collected under the Beverage Container Return Scheme launched on April 1.More than 90 per cent of HDB residents are within a five minute walk of a machine where they can deposit the eligible cans or bottles, he adds.All 1,070 machines that were planned for the initial roll-out are now operational and the ministry is on track to increase the number of return points to around 2,000 within the first year of implementation, says Janil.There have been more than one million successful transactions at the return points, he adds. Under the scheme, consumers pay an extra 10 cents for bottled and canned drinks ranging from 150ml to 3 litres, but will later receive a full refund of the deposit when they return it at a machine.It is currently in a transition period till September, where containers with and without the BCRS label can be sold.On how any surplus from the scheme is accounted for, Janil says the scheme operator, BCRS, is a not-for-profit company funded through producer fees, as well as revenue from the sale of recyclables collected.The operator is required to submit an annual report to the National Environment Agency (NEA), which includes an account of its finances, within three months after the end of each compliance year.ST PHOTO: JASEL POH\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Question time ends\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T12:03:57+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:28:02+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"We wrap with a few questions on eldercare in Malaysia and the after-work expectations of workers. We\\u2019ll bring the exchanges to you shortly.Senior Minister of State for Health Tan Kiat How says the Government recognises that Singaporeans may choose to retire or get private healthcare outside of Singapore and will respect those choices.The Government\\u2019s priority is Singaporeans who have said they want to age in place near family and friends in neighbourhoods they are familiar with, he adds.He is responding to WP MP Kenneth Tiong\\u2019s (Aljunied GRC) who had asked if the Government will engage Malaysia to establish an affordable long-stay or retirement residency pathway for Singaporeans who wish to age in Malaysia and access more affordable eldercare there.Separately, some 55 per cent of full-time resident employees reported in 2025 that their employers had policies governing after-hours communication, says Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Shawn Huang. This is up from 48 per cent in 2022. He says his ministry monitors the adoption of workplace practices related to after-hours work communication, such as not expecting responses to non-urgent messages until the next working day or providing time-off-in-lieu for after-hours work.PHOTO: MDDI\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Locally-developed healthcare AI model meant to prioritise chronic conditions, high disease burden for now, says Ong Ye Kung\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T11:04:26+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:27:27+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The Singapore Medical Foundation AI Model (SIMFONI) is meant to develop AI tools to provide clinical decision support for managing chronic conditions, prioritising conditions with high disease burden in Singapore and feasibility of development, says Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. Starting with a couple of specialty areas and settings in the public healthcare sector, the model, if successful, will be expanded to more specialities and private practitioners, he adds.Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang GRC) had asked for the rationale and cost of developing models for conditions that can be diagnosed by routine tests instead of targeting rare diseases that are harder to diagnose. The model announced in July will be trained on data from Singapore\\u2019s public healthcare system and is meant to help clinicians here better diagnose conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol and eye diseases. Non-Constituency MP Andre Low had raised privacy-related concerns over the use of local data in SIMFONI\\u2019s development. To this, Ong says SIMFONI is adapted using local patient data that is de-identified, in a secure national platform with well-established processes, expertise and safeguards. Its models are built on existing models trained using international data. The adaptation system, called TRUST, was established in 2022 for research, development and innovation efforts, he says, adding that to further ensure the integrity of this process, an independent Safety and Evaluation unit will carry out rigorous testing of SIMFONI\\u2019s models before deployment.PHOTO: ST FILE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"diviya\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"No common cause behind three recent Mercedes-Benz Citaro bus fires, LTA to enhance inspection for older buses: Murali Pillai\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T11:28:28+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:25:53+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The three fire incidents involving Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses in the first half of 2026 were caused by failures of different parts, says Senior Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai. There is no indication of a common underlying cause, he says, adding that the parts involved were also within their manufacturer-recommended useful life \\u2013 the time period they are expected to function safely and efficiently. No one was injured in the incidents, he adds. As a precaution, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) directed public bus operators to carry out additional inspections of their Citaro buses and no abnormalities were found, he adds.LTA is working with the bus operators to enhance the bus inspection regime for older buses and assess whether additional preventive measures can reduce fire risk, Murali says.Earlier in March, a Mercedes-Benz Citaro bus caught fire along the Tampines Expressway (TPE) at about 6.50am. The fire involved the engine compartment of a bus.PHOTO: HANY SOH\\/FACEBOOK\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"diviya\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Contractual action will be determined after investigation in SLA data breach: Murali Pillai \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T12:03:53+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:22:17+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Contractual action will be determined after the full facts and respective responsibilities have been established in the case of a data leak from the Singapore Land Authority, says Senior Minister of State for Law Murali Pillai. The case, which came to light in July, saw the personal details of around 70,000 people in Singapore, including NRIC numbers and addresses, compromised through systems managed by the SLA\\u2019s vendor, IBM. SLA is investigating the matter, says Murali, in response to questions on how the breach occurred and what actions will be taken from WP Non-Constituency MP Andre Low.In response to suggestions from Low that SLA strengthen processes for auditing data, Murali says Low has made pertinent points, and this is something that the Government can consider once the investigation is complete.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"WP\\u2019s Kenneth Tiong begins the debate on the future of Singapore\\u2019s economy\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T12:04:10+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:05:16+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"We expect most of today\\u2019s sitting to be occupied by a motion filed by WP MPs Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC) and Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC).They aim to set out the WP\\u2019s vision for Singapore\\u2019s economy and the opposition party\\u2019s response to the Government\\u2019s economic plans.Tiong said at a press briefing on Saturday that the majority of the party\\u2019s 12 MPs are expected to speak on it, covering themes including innovation, the cost of doing business, jobs and helping Singapore\\u2019s businesses to regionalise.We expect responses from the PAP, as well as Nominated MPs in the House.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"An average of 75 alleged animal cruelty cases involving community animals investigated annually\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T11:47:46+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T11:47:46+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"NParks received and investigated an average of 75 alleged animal cruelty cases involving community animals each year, over the past three years, says Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan. Two cases were referred for prosecution during this period. Diana Pang (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC) had asked for the number of reports of animal cruelty and if existing penalties are sufficient deterrence. The Government is currently reviewing the Animals and Birds Act which includes penalties for animal welfare offences. Tan says the review includes reviewing imprisonment terms and disqualification orders for both first-time and repeat offences.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"diviya\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Korban preparations to start 6 to 8 months before Hari Raya Haji, says Zaqy Mohamad\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T11:15:33+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T11:17:26+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will start preparations for korban earlier, following delays in the arrival of live animals this year.It will now engage mosques and korban vendors six to eight months before Hari Raya Haji to provide more time for overseas regulatory approval and operational planning, says Acting Minister-in-charge for Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad.He is responding to Hazlina Abdul Halim\\u2019s (East Coast GRC) question on recent disruptions affecting korban services in Singapore.This is among three measures the MUIS will implement to support local korban operators, says Zaqy.The other two measures include working closer with vendors to ensure that necessary overseas regulatory approvals are obtained in a timely manner and introducing clearer service standards, contingency plans, and obligations.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"emswong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"No pattern to reports of discrepancies on English O-level oral examination, no difference in average scores, says Janil \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T10:55:37+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T11:00:20+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The authorities observed no pattern across the 432 candidates who reported discrepancies in the exam question in this year\\u2019s English O-level oral examination, says Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary. Preliminary data shows that the mean score for the oral examination on July 15 \\u2013 the day the discrepancies were reported \\u2013 is comparable to that of the other four sessions in 2026, says Janil. The mean score of the 432 candidates who reported the discrepancy is also comparable to the mean score of the remaining candidates who sat the exam that day, he says. Janil also details the investigation the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board took and says exam-takers who reported a discrepancy came from 200 different oral examiner teams. There was also no particular order to the affected candidate, he says, and goes on to detail other actions the authorities have taken such as re-logging into the exam terminals with the details affected students had used. The SEAB has also found that there was no cybersecurity breach, he says.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ngweikai\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Parliament begins\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T10:31:40+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T10:31:40+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"We start with a set of questions around some alleged discrepancies that candidates faced during the GCE O-level English Language oral exam in July.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"What to look out for today\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T09:53:48+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T10:15:55+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Parliament sits at 10.30am today and will start with questions filed by MPs. Here are some to watch:O-level English oral issue: In July, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board said there was no discrepancy in the GCE O-level English Language oral exam and the question displayed on the candidates\\u2019 screens were the same as what the oral examiners saw. Some people had posted online claiming that they were shown a different question. Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) and WP Non-Constituency MP Andre Low ask if anyone has asked the ministry for assistance on this issue and if the exam board will compare the scores and responses from that session against the other sessions.Healthcare AI model: The Health Ministry has said it wants to develop its own healthcare AI model \\u2013 the Singapore Medical Foundation AI Model (SIMFONI) \\u2013 to better diagnose conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol here. Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) asks for the rationale and cost of developing models for conditions that can be diagnosed by routine tests instead of targeting rare diseases that are harder to diagnose. WP\\u2019s Low asks if the developers will do privacy testing to determine if the model can memorise or reproduce identifiable patient information.Recycling scheme: Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang GRC) asks for the amount of deposits collected under the Beverage Container Return Scheme which started on April 1. She also asks how much has been refunded to consumers who returned containers so far.In the afternoon, MPs will debate a motion filed by WP MPs Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC) and Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC).Through their motion they hope to set out their party\\u2019s vision for Singapore\\u2019s economy and its response to the Government\\u2019s economic plans. The majority of the party\\u2019s 12 MPs are expected to speak on it, covering themes including innovation, the cost of doing business, jobs and helping Singapore\\u2019s businesses to regionalise.Find out more in our weekly newsletter on Singapore politics and policy here.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Good morning \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T09:40:38+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T09:40:38+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Welcome to our Parliament live coverage. Stay tuned.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Goh Yan Han\"}}]}","keywords","Singapore Parliament, Live blog, Singapore politicians, Members of Parliament, Singapore Politics, PAP, Workers’ Party, Maju Forest, Gillman Barracks, Govtech retrenchment, layoffs, Singapore housing","robots","index, follow, max-image-preview:large, max-snippet:-1, max-video-preview:-1","image","https://static1.straitstimes.com.sg/s3fs-public/articles/2026/08/05/afparl0508.jpg?VersionId=fC0B6rLWG2E7YXvGiOdJTEgJ742bhQ.O","gaData",{"_89":90,"_91":23,"_92":23,"_20":93,"_94":95,"_96":97,"_98":99},"level2","23","chapter1","chapter2","Live:_Parliament_to_discuss_Maju_Forest_redevelopment_and_GovTech_retrenchments","title_ga","Live: Parliament to discuss Maju Forest redevelopment and GovTech retrenchments","pagination","1","contenttype","live blog","liveBlogSchemaProps","dependentPaths",[],"actionData","errors"]