Review social safety nets, foreign worker policy while retaining principles: PM Lee

SOCIAL safety nets and foreign workers are two areas that the government is reviewing, while staying true to principles such as pragmatism and openness, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in Parliament on Wednesday, setting out his views on the topics that have dominated both recent public discourse and the debate on the President's address.

In his speech, he also acknowledged shortcomings in the government's handling of Covid-19, but noted that "it is not possible always to make perfect decisions" when information is lacking.

Singapore has managed to stabilise its Covid-19 situation after eight months, thanks to the efforts of the public service, the direction set by the political leadership, the contributions of businesses, and the cooperation of the people, said Mr Lee.

With hindsight, the government would have done things differently, he acknowledged. For instance, if it had known that people with Covid-19 were infectious even when asymptomatic, then it would have had more extensive quarantines and testing for Singaporeans returning in March.

The government would also have recommended mask-wearing earlier - though it was working based on the scientific advice at the time - and would also have acted more aggressively and sooner in relation to migrant worker dormitories. "All this is wisdom after the fact," he summed up.

He warned that Covid-19 will not be the last public health crisis, and Singapore must learn from this experience to be prepared for future pandemics.

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Beyond Covid-19, Singapore will have consider what it needs to "rethink and re-invent", including the topics which have recently drawn much debate - social safety nets and foreign worker policies

"In times of economic uncertainty, it is natural for people to be anxious about these two issues," he said.

In the post-Covid new normal, more economic uncertainty and turbulence is expected, while long-term trends of an ageing population and rising healthcare costs continue. Singapore will need to strengthen social support, but the emergency measures introduced in the crisis cannot continue indefinitely.

"The government is not ideologically opposed to any proposed solution," he said. "Our approach has always been pragmatic and empirical."

Singapore must find solutions that make "a real and sustainable difference" and provide assurance without eroding the spirit of self-reliance, and are fiscally sustainable.

He charged that the opposition asks to see the reserves before deciding to support the government's Budget and tax plans, calling this "fundamentally the wrong approach".

"How much reserves is enough, or too much? There can be no answer to the question," he said, arguing that the reserves should not be touched in "normal times".

A second issue under review is that of foreign worker policies. Singaporeans' anxiety about job competition from foreigners is understandable, he said.

Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass numbers have come down since Covid-19, but work pass schemes must still be adjusted, he said: because there is more slack in the job market, but also because more Singaporeans are now able to take up PMET (professional, manager, executive and technician) jobs. That is why qualifying salaries are being tightened.

Beyond the overall numbers, employer fairness is taken seriously. He noted that in evaluating EP and S Pass applications, the government takes into account whether the employer has been supporting their local PMETs.

He reiterated the point that Singapore must stay open to the world. Even in this global economic depression, investment projects are still heading to Singapore as a safe harbour, he added, giving a "sneak peak" of some upcoming investments.

And beyond the economic argument, there is a more fundamental question of national ethos, he added. "We have always been a people open to the world, welcoming others who can add value to our society, and bring the best out of us."

Social safety nets and foreign worker policies are just two of the many tough issues that Singapore must tackle and debate, said Mr Lee. Ultimately, Singapore's success will depend on how well its politics work.

With a stronger opposition presence in Parliament, the People's Action Party will have to be prepared for sharper questioning and more substantive debates, he said, adding that he hoped the opposition would step up too.

For its part, the government will take an "open and constructive approach", he said. On specific policy details, the government will be open-minded. On major issues of national interest, it will have a full discussion but still "make the decision it judges best" if no consensus is reached. But if its fitness to govern is challenged, it will defend itself vigorously.

Applauding the "tone and approach" taken by Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh in his speech on Monday, Mr Lee said the government will work with him "to keep Parliament a constructive forum for debate".

While Singapore's Parliament is not as combative as other Westminster systems, there is the risk that diversity could lead to polarisation - a path that Singapore must not go down, he said. Singaporeans themselves have a responsibility to engage in public discourse and reward political parties that do the right thing.