Clarification by Second Minister for Trade and Industry
Ministry of Trade and IndustrySpeakers
Summary
This clarification concerns a factual correction by Second Minister Dr Tan See Leng regarding his previous response on the Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities (M-SEP) scheme. He corrected the referenced foreign workforce ratio from 30% to 33% while addressing Mr Leon Perera’s concerns about a potential policy "U-turn" regarding work permit numbers and sub-Dependency Ratio Ceilings. The Minister argued that the scheme's highly selective nature and stringent criteria ensure that participant numbers will not significantly affect overall workforce proportions. Second Minister Dr Tan See Leng emphasized that the government will continue to monitor the 33% ratio closely despite the flexibility provided by the M-SEP scheme. He concluded that the initiative remains a targeted measure for strategic economic priorities and does not represent a reversal of prevailing manpower quotas.
Transcript
The following statement was made in the reply given by the Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng) at the Sitting of 9 January 2023:
The Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng): Just to set it into perspective, the 30% cap, that was not the context of how I addressed that there is no U-turn. Because Mr Leon Perera's point about the "U-turn" was whether this M-SEP scheme would subsequently – in terms of raising the sub-DRC numbers, and also the work permit numbers above the prevailing quota – appears to be a "U-turn".
For the record, for the 30% ratio, we will continue to monitor this very closely. But the M-SEP, because of the very highly selective nature of the scheme and because of the stringent criteria that we have applied for Condition 1 and Condition 2, we do not expect, in the penultimate, the numbers to affect the proportion significantly. [Please refer to "Work Passes Issued under Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities Scheme", Official Report, 9 January 2023, Vol 95, Issue 79, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
Written statement by Dr Tan See Leng circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5):
I wish to make the following factual correction to my statement made at the Sitting of 9 January 2023. My statement should read as follows:
The Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng): Just to set it into perspective, the 33% cap, that was not the context of how I addressed that there is no "U-turn". Because Mr Leon Perera's point about the "U-turn" was whether this M-SEP scheme would subsequently – in terms of raising the sub-DRC numbers, and also the work permit numbers above the prevailing quota – appears to be a "U-turn".
For the record, for the 33% ratio, we will continue to monitor this very closely. But the M-SEP, because of the very highly selective nature of the scheme and because of the stringent criteria that we have applied for Condition 1 and Condition 2, we do not expect, in the penultimate, the numbers to affect the proportion significantly.