The gist: Prepping for a ‘super-aged’ S’pore in 2026, and lessons on preserving the peace from a Hokkien song
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Work is already being done to cushion the effect of a "super-aged" population, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on April 20, 2023.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Follow topic:
SINGAPORE - Health Minister Ong Ye Kung spoke on how the country will deal with an ageing population, and debated with an opposition member on the need to balance current and future generations’ needs.
Here are the key takeaways from Thursday’s debate on the President’s Address for the opening of Parliament:
1. Preparing for a ‘super-aged’ society
The Straits Times
Ageing is the biggest social transformation in Singapore for this generation as the country looks set to attain “super-aged” status in 2026, said Mr Ong. This means that by that year, at least 21 per cent of Singapore’s population will be aged 65 years and above.
Why it matters
In order to avoid a strain on the economy and the healthcare system, various measures are needed to cushion the effects of a “super-aged” population, which include a shrinking workforce and increasing healthcare costs.
Mr Ong reassured the House that work is already being done. From urban planning to healthcare reforms, he said there has been “more than a decade of head start before the problem caught up with us”.
Some measures include the Housing Board creating aged-friendly living environments to enable seniors to age in place, and gradually raising the retirement and re-employment ages to protect older workers from discrimination in the workforce.
A preventive care strategy called Healthier SG, where individuals are encouraged to work with a general practitioner to take charge of their health, is slated to be launched in July.
Beyond Healthier SG, Mr Ong added that the next major area of priority for the Ministry of Health is to build up community care “to get us all to do what is right for our health”.
2. Be environmental stewards now for future generations
The Straits Times
In order for the Republic to fight climate change, Singapore’s social compact needs to be strengthened to ensure that the country remains sustainable for future generations, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.
It is a battle that needs to be tackled on all fronts, from individual actions to setting aside resources for the future on the national level.
She called on everyone to do their part to inculcate good habits and sustainable behaviour, such as diners clearing up after themselves at hawker centres, and moving away from the prevalent “use and throw” culture.
Meanwhile, national initiatives such as strengthening Singapore’s flood resilience, shoring up coastal protection and ensuring food security require investment now.
Why it matters
Ms Fu said Singaporeans have a shared responsibility to be caretakers and stewards of a country that will endure beyond them.
In these uncertain times, resource constraints and climate change are constant worries, but she said Singaporeans do not need to be “helpless bystanders”.
Difficult trade-offs like setting aside financial resources are to be expected, while long-term planning will be necessary. This way, Singapore can transform its challenges into strengths, she added.
If you have a few more minutes….
Lessons from a Hokkien song and the fable of a fox
Keeping things 50-50 is sometimes the best and most wise way to preserve the peace, said Mr Ong. He and Workers’ Party (WP) MP Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC) disagreed on how to strike a balance between the needs of current and future generations
Mr Ong shot down the WP’s suggestion to draw 60 per cent of the NIRC for government spending to make up for the revenue loss from the goods and services tax hike, up from half now. He called it a fundamental difference between the WP and PAP.
To illustrate his point about balancing needs, Mr Ong quoted from the Hokkien song Jit Lang Jit Pua, which describes how if there is one half for each person, relationships and peace will be preserved.
He followed with a fable about a sly fox, which was tasked to divide a piece of meat equally between two other animals. The fox ended up eating all of it, after taking multiple bites to even out the divided piece of meat.
Mr Ong said: “It is a matter of values, principles. (For) future generations that are not born, we should honour half-half. And it is in our Constitution now, we don’t want to change it too easily.”
WP MP calls for clearer definition on discrimination in upcoming legislation
WP MP He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) applauded the upcoming anti-discrimination legislation for the workplace.
However, she noted that the interim report on recommendations published earlier in 2023 by the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness does not prohibit sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination. The committee was convened in July 2021.
She called these omissions “glaring”, following 2022’s repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code.
Ms He also said it was unclear whether only direct discrimination will be covered, and cited a Milieu survey that found that indirect discrimination was the common form of discrimination. The latter refers to situations when policies, practices or procedures appear to treat everyone equally but, in practice, are less fair to certain groups of people because of a particular characteristic.
Upcoming legislation should make clear that all forms of discrimination will not be tolerated in Singapore, and prohibit all types of discrimination, she said.
