SINGAPORE — There is a need for more diverse voices in government as it plans for Singapore’s long-term recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially those that have been disproportionately affected by it, said Workers' Party chairperson Sylvia Lim.

Speaking during the debate on the Fortitude Budget on Thursday (June 4), Ms Lim, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency, highlighted how women have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 disease outbreak, as compared with men.

Ms Lim was one of two MPs from the opposition party to speak in Parliament on the fourth set of support measures to help businesses and workers here hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, that was unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat last week.

Ms Lim said that the requirement to stay home, while necessary to curb the spread of the coronavirus, may harm some.

She cited police statistics that domestic violence cases rose by 22 per cent since the circuit breaker started on April 7.

The Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), a women’s rights organisation, reported that it received more than double the number of calls on family violence in April, compared with a year ago.

Ms Lim said that mothers appear to be spending more time with their children during the period where students were learning from home, even though their fathers were also at home.

Foreign domestic workers face overwork and inadequate rest with everyone home all day, she noted.

“While men appear more prone to succumb to the virus, it is women and girls who pay the social and economic toll,” said Ms Lim.

She said that Singapore should include diverse voices, especially those who have borne a disproportionate burden from the impact of Covid-19, as it plans for the long-term recovery.

She pointed out that the so-called Emerging Stronger task force, convened by the Government to deal with the long-term impact of the outbreak, has only two women out of 17 industry representatives.

“This may be a missed opportunity, especially when it has been noted that management of the Covid crises has been particularly successful so far in Taiwan and New Zealand, with women at the helm,” she added.

She added that there is a lack of ethnic minority representation, as there is no Malay member, as well as those of small- and medium-sized businesses.

“With inadequate balance, will the final report and recommendations risk having blind spots that will prevent us from truly emerging stronger as a nation?” asked Ms Lim.

Co-chaired by Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee and PSA International’s chief executive officer Tan Chong Meng, the Emerging Stronger task force comprises the heads of ST Engineering, DBS Bank, Changi Airport Group, CapitaLand, Olam international, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, as well as other large companies.

SELF-EMPLOYED PERSONS

Ms Lim said that there has been feedback from those who are self-employed on the purpose and fairness of the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (Sirs) which promises to give eligible applicants S$1,000 a month for nine months.

As self-employed individuals have to apply for the funds or make appeals through the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Ms Lim questioned what criteria the labour movement uses for allowing or rejecting appeals.

She also questioned why NTUC is the one administering the Sirs fund when the Ministry of Manpower is the agency that formulated the scheme.

“From a governance perspective, why was there a need to outsource the administration of Sirs appeals to NTUC in the first place... Will this set a precedent for the Government to outsource its schemes to external parties to manage? What does this mean for government accountability?” she asked.

In response, NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said that he received a request from the Ministry of Finance to administer Sirs. He added that NTUC took up the role because he believed it had the capabilities as a tripartite partner, which refers to the collaboration between employers, unions and government.

“I'm humble enough to say that NTUC could have done better in some of the Sirs things that we have done. But let us draw those lessons when the time comes, but immediately now to extend assistance to as many as possible,” he said.

Ms Lim rose again and sought further clarification on what criteria NTUC used in deciding appeals and whether it was the labour movement that came up with it.

In response, Mr Ng said that NTUC worked within the policy framework given to them by the MOM.

“For those level of policy questions, the criteria, we have certain guidelines that we work within and (Manpower) Minister Josephine Teo in the right time can answer this arrangement,” he added.

THE USE OF PAST RESERVES

Mr Faisal Manap, who is also an MP for the opposition GRC, questioned whether President Halimah Yacob was informed of the value of Singapore’s past reserves before she gave the in-principle approval for the Government to draw it down to fund the Budget support measures.

He also suggested that the authorities waive rental fees for families living in rental households and offer rebates for internet subscription fees.