9 November 2006
     Dr Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade):  Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President.

Globalisation and change
     Singapore has always been and is always going to be at the crossroads, be it at the crossroads of Asia, changes and evolution, and now with globalisation. As Singapore is part of a regional and global landscape, events and developments in the region and in the world will have an impact on us. The inflow of foreign capital, technology, foreign talents, music, and popular culture has all got resonance with globalisation. We have no choice but to adapt and evolve. It is a volatile world out there. Certainly, every system must evolve and must stay relevant with the times.  Because only in growth, reform and change, paradoxically, is there security to be found.
 
     Our National Day parade slogan this year, "Our Global city, Our Home", and the Singapore 2006 theme, “Global City, World of Opportunities” reflect this broad outlook that we have. In fact, in 1966 our Minister Mentor had stated: “Societies like ours can have no fat to spare. They are either lean and healthy or they die.”  Indeed, he was a visionary, thinking ahead of his times.

     Yes, we have many of the universal requirements to become a global city: the amenities, the human capital, the infrastructure and network as well as linkages in businesses, human interaction and communications. Globalisation will bring about changes and greater competition. We cannot resist these. But we have to also partake in glocalisation, ie, local responsiveness in a global framework where we incorporate global processes into our local settings and make global products suited to local needs and taste. As we globalise, we must strike a balance to preserve our culture, values and also our tradition.  A global city will be part of and be connected to the larger global community. This must bring about a sense of shared identity, ownership and stewardship for the planet. The world is becoming very small and our people will cross borders as if they are crossing roads of yesteryears.  Are we preparing them for these crossings?

Education
     As we adapt to the changes, education is the common denominator in helping society to level up. The education system will have to evolve and adapt to prepare our students to become global citizens. The Ministry of Education has been doing this gradually through implementation of policies and also curriculum change. Singapore’s model for success has an impressive emphasis on education.

     In any curriculum, there is always the formal, the informal as well as the hidden curriculum. The formal curriculum is one that is written and found on paper and is the one which students and teachers rush to cover before the examinations. The informal curriculum is one where there is indirect learning. But, importantly, there is the hidden curriculum, which has proven to be very powerful and represents all the nuances, behaviour and the non-verbal cues, etc. that are projected from teachers to students, based on the interpretation and perception of the latter. It is thus very important to make teachers realise the power they have to change and influence. The primary school teacher especially is an important and influential  adult to the school-going child. This teacher will make the crucial difference to the child’s academic, social, emotional and psychological growth and development.

     They need to have an understanding of pedagogy, which is the art and science of learning and teaching. They are the role models on impressionable youths and their  words and action can leave an indelible impression  on these young minds. Teachers are like ‘step-in parents’ for their contact time with the children at school. Besides transmission of knowledge, pupils will acquire values of compassion, responsibility, diligence, love, courtesy and determination.

    Thus, I applaud the recent move by the Ministry of Education to have more dedicated time and funding for teachers in terms of training, education and upgrade in line with the GROW programme. For some, the suggested sabbatical sessions which they will have, it is also going to serve as a period of reflection on their teaching. Programmes such as the leaders in educational programme (LEP) and Leader for Leaders’ programme (LLP) will certainly have a significant bearing on teachers' learning, self reflection, innovation and sharing. Therefore, I would like to urge the Ministry of Education to support as many teachers as possible who qualify to be enrolled in these programmes for self enhancement and development.

     Ability and value based education can help to bring about students who are not only academically inclined, but also innovative, creative and worldly in their outlook and mindset. This is in line with our Prime Minister's call to build talent which is like a whole range of mountains and not just single peaks.

     On that note, I would also like to strongly suggest the introduction of a series of non-examinable subjects which could include simple economics, Singapore politics, history, logic, ethics, and maybe simple financial management for students.  This must be done hand in hand with a review and reduction of some of the hard-core curriculum that we have in schools. Since these are non-examinable subjects, the students would have no stress of studying them to pass examinations and they can enjoy these subjects better and certainly will contribute towards their adulthood as well.  The topics covered will have to be practical, interesting and engaging; building and inculcating nationalistic spirit and altruism, conducted in a participatory and interactive fashion. Exposure at this tender age will help create understanding and strengthen the sense of identity and belonging to Singapore.

     This can also be a step in the direction towards making our students socially, economically and politically more aware and conscious, countering the many claims made recently that our youth and young people have no interest and are very low in their awareness of issues like these. Only when one takes ownership and pride in one’s community and country will one strive to make it better.

Volunteerism: The Young, the Elderly and the Community Support
     What better way to inculcate this than through volunteerism and community involvement. The only way to understand the contribution of time, effort and energy of volunteers, is by immersing oneself in these very similar activities. The involvement can help evolve youths as well as young adults to have a wider perspective, a more global view. It can help shape personalities and character as well as make them more tolerant. As it is, the post-65 generation has always been blamed for not understanding our roots and the hardships faced by our parents and grandparents.  Through volunteerism, we can feel poverty, sadness, misery, desperation, fear and hunger.  I can personally vouch for this for having done volunteer work and community service for over 20 years, including humanitarian activities overseas in countries such as  Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, and so on.    We have to learn how to empathise. We have to learn that helping others is a blessing. And we learn to also take nothing for granted, including our livelihood and security as well.  We can build up our ‘heartware”.  As we serve, it will help trigger emotions on seeing, learning and feeling the unspoken hopes of many who are disabled, disadvantaged and in need.

     How can volunteerism benefit Singapore?
     Volunteers are usually active citizens who have a role in Singapore’s future. They want to be kept informed of all developments.  They will offer ideas which are productive, and their experiences and thoughtful consideration have gone into these. Volunteers will help implement what they envision and make that positive impact on society. They will contribute towards the task of nation building.

     Mr Speaker, Sir, for serving humanity is indeed the best work of life and it dishes out the best lessons for man.  Volunteerism will galvanise our multiracial community bonding. Through expanded CIP and youth expedition programme (YEP), our youth will get to see the real world, the global village, will learn and mature. Our over 65 years population is going to increase at an alarming rate.  This rate is going to be at 372% from the year 2000 to 2030. This is going to be the fastest recorded rate of elderly growth compared to Japan (54%), Germany (63%) and China (170%). There must be more ways for youth to engage and participate in our elderly community management and care. Youth must connect and assist the elderly in society. Children must look after their parents. But that is not volunteerism.  That is duty.

     We have the potential to become the volunteer hub in Asia.  This could be another branding for us as well.  It is very often at Ground Zero, the  Singapore team gets asked to oversee and organise operations, set up hospital, etc. We carry the Singapore flag on our vest. We  have a reputation for being effective, organised and certainly well structured. We get things done. We mean action and certainly never underestimate the power of being small. That red shining dot again.
 
     Corporate volunteerism as well must be encouraged and certainly formalised. Why should we do this? Corporations operate in communities and not in a vacuum. Corporations reflect the community in which they operate. Corporate performance is also today very much tied through a triple bottom line, which is their economic, environmental as well as social contributions. Corporations have resources to share with volunteer hosting organisations to help communities. Together they can help to meet certain objectives for the community which include reduction of poverty, helping the low income, enhancing education, creation of health awareness, and so on. Participating in volunteer and community activities will improve the corporate image, generate goodwill and also build teamwork.

     We have to create awareness of volunteerism and activities and also make it easier for individuals, schools, families and organisations to adopt programmes which will enhance their character. Issues such as volunteer leave and corporate and national recognition as well as not losing one's seniority when one volunteers for an overseas mission should be implemented and enhanced.  It is not enough to have a handful of heroes. But what we want is to build a community and generations of people who are responsible and caring people.
 
     With volunteerism, awareness is created, empathy is inculcated and expectations can be better managed. And certainly with all the social safety nets and 36 self-help schemes that we have, I would still like to call for greater amount of integration, coordination, speed and also flexibility in their execution. This is in line with the call by Mr Seah Kian Peng and Ms Ellen Lee to help the underprivileged.  We, as a society, must learn to exude values of graciousness from within. We can globalise as a nation and celebrate, but it would be so much sweeter if we can put smiles on the faces of the elderly, the destitute, the low income and also the disabled. Perhaps then, even our happiness index as a society can improve because Happiness  = (Reality – Expectations) / Perception.
 
      In one of my house-to-house visits, Mr Speaker, a single lady in her 50s came up to me and said, "Can you please come into my house to check why there is smoke and steam coming out of all my piping in the kitchen and bathroom?" It was a strange request. So I went in to check and of course could not find anything wrong. I spoke to the Town Council guy and he said that that lady had been calling them every single day to complain of the same issue.  Certainly, they, who were the experts, could not find the root cause.  I did not take very long to realise that she actually was depressed and was hallucinating. This was the incident that spurred me to actually set up and launch a POP Group! - a Psychological Outreach Programme Group - at Geylang Serai where we have a group of nurses, volunteers from IMH and also grassroots and activists working together on house-to-house visits which are targeted, as we go out and source issues related to psychological health and mental illnesses in the community and the response had been overwhelming indeed. This is an initiative by the community, for the community and certainly a perfect example in promotion of the spirit of volunteerism.
 
      There is a growing demand for more comprehensive psychological health services. In his Addendum to the Presidential Address, our Health Minister has already mentioned about upgrading the mental health programme “to make Singapore an emotionally resilient society”. Certainly, this is in line with the Ministry of Health's eight health priorities for the future, namely, (1) to build a healthy population; and (2) to manage diseases holistically and not episodically.  Let me put some perspective on this. From the IMH and the Health Promotion Board's survey of 2004, the prevalence of depression and anxiety related disorders was 16% in our community, and the number is increasing everyday. However, only 48% of these people have sought treatment. The World Health Organisation has estimated that 15% of all premature deaths in Singapore as well as disability is related to psychological illnesses. This is an alarming number because these are people who are dying well before their time. Another Ministry of Health's survey showed that the number of children less than 18 years visiting psychiatrist at Government run outpatient clinics was 1,120 in 1990, and it had gone up to 2,499 in the year 2000, and 50% of them are of primary school age, an alarming number indeed. Certainly, we need to do something about this because if we do not, the numbers will be increasing. And will the pressure make them prone to depression as adults?  The long-term consequences will depend on their psychological resilience as well as the community support.
 
     Psychological illnesses have been stereotyped and stigmatised. The theory that the patients are ‘dangerously mad’ must be debunked. Our mental health understanding and also mental literacy has to be increased. That is why I am very heartened that the Institute of Mental Health has increased its research funding from $700,000 to $1.4 million this year, and this will certainly contribute towards studies and trials to help many of our patients with psychological illnesses.
 
     (In Malay):  Mr Speaker, Sir, please give me the opportunity to speak in Malay on issues faced by the Malay-Muslim community. The Malay-Muslim community has come a long way as compared to 10 years ago. Many improvements have taken place. Our leaders, institutions, organisations and mosques have been very proactive and have shown an open mindset which is progressive and constructive, whereas in yesteryears, the community may highlight their unhappiness with the Mandarin requirement with certain companies. But now with the change in mindset, I am seeing at dialogues, Malay parents standing up to ask for compulsory conversational Mandarin classes in schools for their children so they will not be left out. Well done to these parents for having that mindset. However, just as we have been the hardest hit by the economic crisis, the Malay-Muslim community will also face great changes with globalisation.

     The workforce will be more competitive especially for the lower income and older workers. My advice to them would be to strengthen their spirit and take up courses to upgrade their skills and capabilities so that they will not be left behind. The Government and grassroot organisations will help them as much as they possibly could in providing them with the opportunities.

     With the fast disappearing borders in the face of globalisation and the digital age, our youths will require support and attention to bring them away from the unhealthy impact of this influence. Within the Malay-Muslim community, we are still seeing significant problems such as pre-marital sex, single mothers who have many children, teenage abortions, divorces and drug addiction. Traditional and moral values are beginning to be eroded by globalisation.  Our usage of Malay Language is also getting lesser.  There is a Malay saying which says that tradition is so important that they would sacrifice their child as long as the tradition is protected. This shows that tradition is very important for the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore. Therefore, every member of the community must uphold these good and progressive values.

     Our Muslim community has progressed towards excellence. The document “Building an excellent Muslim community in Singapore” which was issued by MUIS this year is a good effort and should be a source of reference for all of us.  It explains Islam as a religion that promotes education, peace and also progress.

     Madrasahs have carried out many changes. At a recent graduation ceremony of Muhammadiyah Kindergarten, a small boy told me that he wanted to teach at the madrasah when he grew up.  There was another one child who told me that he wanted to be a Formula One car driver when he grows up.  Our Malay-Muslim children really have very wide-ranging career choices. Madrasahs are in the process of making changes and refinements to their curriculum so that by 2008, their primary schools would be ready for PSLE to be integrated into their CE programme. This will enable the madrasah students to be well versed and competent in Mathematics, Science and English Language.  Madrasah Al Maarif, for example,  is planning on starting a full day school and will have new value-added subjects. These are the changes which will be taking place within the Malay-Muslim community and we await these changes and improvements.
 
     (In English):  Mr Speaker, in conclusion, let me quote from Professor Laurence Summers who is from the Harvard University.  He stated that good governments have the ability to maintain order in the country and leaders who have attained power do not abuse it and have the competence to do the job.

     Mr Speaker, Sir, in my view, our Government has all of these and beyond. What I call for is for a more gracious society: more caring and sharing, more concern for neighbours and others, more accepting as a people, more humanitarian and volunteerism activities, less stereotyping and a greater understanding and commitment from all levels of society. I call for a society that does not just celebrate the festivals which we do now, but a society that recognises in a big way the International Volunteers Day, World Peace Day, Alzheimer's Day, Mental Health Wellness Day, World Disaster Reduction Day, World Disability Day, and so on. A society that balances competition and compassion as we together globalise.

     Mr Speaker, Sir, just as everyone has a pair of hands, the Government can hold but only one of your hands, the other is yours to use, to control, to guide, to build and strengthen the muscles and, of course, to help point you in the right direction as you go forward into the future.

     I support the motion.