http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/specialreports/parliament/singapore-should-wean/1402000.html
Moulmein-Kallang GRC MP Denise Phua in Parliament on Tuesday has called for the Government to review the place of gambling in Singapore, while putting in place a total ban on remote gambling.
SINGAPORE: It is time for the Republic to "take a bold step and reject gambling, whether remote or on-site", Ms Denise Phua said in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 7).
"When will Singapore wean itself off the casino industry, reduce the casinos from two to one to nil, especially in the light of new potential entrants such as Japan and other Asian countries?" asked the Moulmein-Kallang GRC MP.
"We need a holistic longer-term game plan to reflect our principles and intent," she added. "Just as we are bold enough to explicitly stand by principles such as the family is the first port of call for help; that extra marital relationships are not encouraged; we need to express our stand on licensed gambling in Singapore, whether online or via brick-and-mortar casinos."
She added that 10 years after Singapore "made the fateful decision of authorising licensed casino operators for the sake of jobs in an economic recession", it is time for the Government to "discourage gambling as an economic or social activity".
"With the tightening of foreign labour in Singapore, have the casinos now become competitors for manpower from our local SMEs," asked Ms Phua. "If manpower is so precious, why would we divert precious manpower to learn the casino business, whether in physical establishments or online?"
Ms Phua also called for more to be done to discourage gambling by local residents. She proposed that casino entry fees be raised from S$100, and to change casino entry to an opt-in system so that only those who wish to gamble sign up.
Moulmein-Kallang GRC MP Denise Phua in Parliament on Tuesday has called for the Government to review the place of gambling in Singapore, while putting in place a total ban on remote gambling.
SINGAPORE: It is time for the Republic to "take a bold step and reject gambling, whether remote or on-site", Ms Denise Phua said in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 7).
"When will Singapore wean itself off the casino industry, reduce the casinos from two to one to nil, especially in the light of new potential entrants such as Japan and other Asian countries?" asked the Moulmein-Kallang GRC MP.
"We need a holistic longer-term game plan to reflect our principles and intent," she added. "Just as we are bold enough to explicitly stand by principles such as the family is the first port of call for help; that extra marital relationships are not encouraged; we need to express our stand on licensed gambling in Singapore, whether online or via brick-and-mortar casinos."
She added that 10 years after Singapore "made the fateful decision of authorising licensed casino operators for the sake of jobs in an economic recession", it is time for the Government to "discourage gambling as an economic or social activity".
"With the tightening of foreign labour in Singapore, have the casinos now become competitors for manpower from our local SMEs," asked Ms Phua. "If manpower is so precious, why would we divert precious manpower to learn the casino business, whether in physical establishments or online?"
Ms Phua also called for more to be done to discourage gambling by local residents. She proposed that casino entry fees be raised from S$100, and to change casino entry to an opt-in system so that only those who wish to gamble sign up.
