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[h=2]Govt heeds WP MP Muhd Faisal’s call for paternity leave and work-life balance[/h]
January 22nd, 2013 |
Author: Editorial
WP MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal
Singapore’s birth rate of 1.20 children per woman, according to official 2011 figures, is one of the lowest in the world. It is well below the 2.10 statistic needed to sustain the population.
Yesterday (21 Jan), the government announced a plethora of incentives and measures to address Singapore’s much-too-low fertility rate.
The government will pay for a week of paternity leave for fathers of babies born on or after 1 May 2013. It does appear rather unfortunately that fathers of babies born before the crucial cut-off date of 1 May 2013 will have to fend for themselves.
Beyond the one week of government-paid paternity leave, dad can have a second week of paternity leave by tapping into mum’s compulsory 16-week maternity leave with her permission, provided the baby is a Singapore citizen at birth, mum qualifies for Government-Paid Maternity Leave, and both parents are legally married.
To help balance work and family commitments, parents with children aged 7 to 12 years will get two days of government-paid child care leave annually.
The existing baby bonus cash gift of $4,000 (for first two births) and $6,000 (for next two births) will be bumped up to $6,000 and $8,000 respectively. It is uncertain what cash incentives are available after the first four births i.e for fifth and sixth children. Presumably, the government thinks the stress of living in Singapore will preclude this scenario.
A CPF Medisave account of $3,000 will be created for each Singaporean baby “to further support parents in planning for their children’s healthcare need” and to encourage MediShield enrolment.
MediShield will be extended to cover congenital and neonatal conditions from 1 March 2013.
There are also housing incentives.
Families with at least one child below 16 years will be given priority to buy HDB flats.
First-time married couples will get priority allocation of new HDB flats and such couples with children will be allowed to rent a flat from HDB at an affordable rent while waiting for their flats to be completed.
Ironically many of the above measures and incentives have come after Workers’ Party MP for Aljunied GRC Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap raised them in Parliament. In fact, Mr Faisal, a father of three, made his loud and insistent calls for compulsory paternity leave as recently as Saturday evening (18 Jan) at WP’s Punggol East by-election rally.
At the rally, he said:
It is good to see the PAP government humbly adopting the recommendations of the opposition WP, for these recommendations are reasonable and justified.
WP candidate Lee Li Lian will hold her second rally tonight at the open field in front of Block 183C Rivervale Crescent, 7-10pm.
Note: Mr Faisal started out as a Technical Officer with HDB between 1998 and 2002. During this time, he developed a great interest in human behaviour, due to the nature of his job which required him to interact with people of different ilk. So he resigned from HDB in 2002 to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Psychology, at Monash University.
Mr Faisal’s 3-year sojourn in Melbourne was an eye-opener. Besides studying, he was actively involved with the Melbourne Malay community, consisting mainly of Singaporeans and ex-Singaporeans. Through this close engagement, he saw that some Australian socio-political policies provide a more conducive environment for balanced family life and civil society. Hence his calls as a Parliamentarian for “work-life balance” and “mandatory paternity leave”. He owns Ihsan Family Consultancy which focuses on family, marriage and pre-marriage counselling.
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WP MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad FaisalSingapore’s birth rate of 1.20 children per woman, according to official 2011 figures, is one of the lowest in the world. It is well below the 2.10 statistic needed to sustain the population.
Yesterday (21 Jan), the government announced a plethora of incentives and measures to address Singapore’s much-too-low fertility rate.
The government will pay for a week of paternity leave for fathers of babies born on or after 1 May 2013. It does appear rather unfortunately that fathers of babies born before the crucial cut-off date of 1 May 2013 will have to fend for themselves.
Beyond the one week of government-paid paternity leave, dad can have a second week of paternity leave by tapping into mum’s compulsory 16-week maternity leave with her permission, provided the baby is a Singapore citizen at birth, mum qualifies for Government-Paid Maternity Leave, and both parents are legally married.
To help balance work and family commitments, parents with children aged 7 to 12 years will get two days of government-paid child care leave annually.
The existing baby bonus cash gift of $4,000 (for first two births) and $6,000 (for next two births) will be bumped up to $6,000 and $8,000 respectively. It is uncertain what cash incentives are available after the first four births i.e for fifth and sixth children. Presumably, the government thinks the stress of living in Singapore will preclude this scenario.
A CPF Medisave account of $3,000 will be created for each Singaporean baby “to further support parents in planning for their children’s healthcare need” and to encourage MediShield enrolment.
MediShield will be extended to cover congenital and neonatal conditions from 1 March 2013.
There are also housing incentives.
Families with at least one child below 16 years will be given priority to buy HDB flats.
First-time married couples will get priority allocation of new HDB flats and such couples with children will be allowed to rent a flat from HDB at an affordable rent while waiting for their flats to be completed.
Ironically many of the above measures and incentives have come after Workers’ Party MP for Aljunied GRC Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap raised them in Parliament. In fact, Mr Faisal, a father of three, made his loud and insistent calls for compulsory paternity leave as recently as Saturday evening (18 Jan) at WP’s Punggol East by-election rally.
At the rally, he said:
As society progresses, and as families become smaller, the role of the father becomes just as important as the mother, and we need our laws to reflect that. Mothers have maternity leave enshrined in the Employment Act, fathers do not.
In Parliament, in August last year, … I asked if the government intends to legislate paternity leave of at least six days… It is about time the government changes its mindset and legislates for paternity leave as soon as possible…
We believe the government must make a stronger commitment in the area of work-life balance… It is time for our country to move forward, to achieve a sustainable work-life balance. It is time for our country and voters of Punggol East to elect a person who shares many of the hopes and dreams that you have, Lee Li Lian, [who] understands the concerns of many couples who are beginning to start a life of their own.
Here is a video of Mr Faisal’s rally speech, the above quotation is from 7:49 to 10:32.In Parliament, in August last year, … I asked if the government intends to legislate paternity leave of at least six days… It is about time the government changes its mindset and legislates for paternity leave as soon as possible…
We believe the government must make a stronger commitment in the area of work-life balance… It is time for our country to move forward, to achieve a sustainable work-life balance. It is time for our country and voters of Punggol East to elect a person who shares many of the hopes and dreams that you have, Lee Li Lian, [who] understands the concerns of many couples who are beginning to start a life of their own.
It is good to see the PAP government humbly adopting the recommendations of the opposition WP, for these recommendations are reasonable and justified.
WP candidate Lee Li Lian will hold her second rally tonight at the open field in front of Block 183C Rivervale Crescent, 7-10pm.
Note: Mr Faisal started out as a Technical Officer with HDB between 1998 and 2002. During this time, he developed a great interest in human behaviour, due to the nature of his job which required him to interact with people of different ilk. So he resigned from HDB in 2002 to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Psychology, at Monash University.
Mr Faisal’s 3-year sojourn in Melbourne was an eye-opener. Besides studying, he was actively involved with the Melbourne Malay community, consisting mainly of Singaporeans and ex-Singaporeans. Through this close engagement, he saw that some Australian socio-political policies provide a more conducive environment for balanced family life and civil society. Hence his calls as a Parliamentarian for “work-life balance” and “mandatory paternity leave”. He owns Ihsan Family Consultancy which focuses on family, marriage and pre-marriage counselling.
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