Parliament set to debate government’s White Paper on Population

SINGAPORE: Parliament is set to debate the government’s White Paper on Population, which has drawn up roadmaps for Singapore to manage a projected population of 6.9 million by 2030.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will ask the House, which will sit at 1.30pm on Monday, to endorse two papers.

One is "Sustainable Population for a Dynamic Singapore", which is the population policy roadmap to address Singapore’s demographic challenge.

The other is "A High Quality Living Environment for all Singaporeans", which is the land use plan to support Singapore’s future population.

The sitting will start with Ms Lee Li Lian of the Workers’ Party taking her oath as Member of Parliament for Punggol East, after she won the by—election on 26 January.

Members of Parliament (MPs) have tabled 66 questions for oral reply on issues ranging from the illegal strike by SMRT bus drivers from China and medical examinations to road safety and Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums.

At least 10 questions will be tabled on the illegal strike in November 2012.

Mr Arthur Fong wants to know how the avenues to address grievances of foreign workers working in Singapore can be better managed and whether the Manpower Ministry will consider allowing foreign workers to be unionised.

Dr Chia Shi—Lu has questions on medical examinations for foreign workers.

He wants to know how such examinations are audited, as well as the processes to ensure that the system is relevant and robust, given the volume of such examinations.

Dr Lam Pin Min is asking for an update on the Health Ministry’s investigation of two clinics which allegedly provided medical examinations to foreign workers, as well as the measures to ensure that medical screenings for foreign workers are conducted properly and professionally.

There will also be questions on COEs.

Mr David Ong wants to know what measures are in place to check rising premiums, especially for small cars, as well as what can be done to ease the transport component of business costs for small and medium enterprises due to rising COE premiums.

Ms Mary Liew wants to know how many households own two or more cars, and whether the government is considering alternatives for more equitable ownership.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar will ask the Transport Ministry if it will consider creating a different COE category for first—time car buyers or for the first car bought by each household or business, so that they can pay substantially lower COE premiums.

Dr Lam Pin Min also has questions for the Transport Ministry.

These are on the number of traffic accidents along the PIE towards Tuas between the BKE and the slip road exit to Dunearn Road over the last three years, as well as the measures to make the road safer.

— CNA/de