Hany Soh on Child Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill

The “rebalancing exercise” undertaken by the Bill should be accompanied by a reexamination of the support given by the state to ensure that it remains fair to children, said MP Hany Soh. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Sep 18), she applauded the additional enhancements which will be introduced. She also sought clarifications and made several suggestions. She suggested providing parents with the full flexibility to decide on how they want to share their maternity and paternity leave. She said there is “no one-size-fits-all solution” for parental leave arrangements, as every family has its own unique set of circumstances and preferences. She also wanted to know if the Government would consider additional amendments that will allow some flexibility on the commencement date of maternity leave for medically certified cases. Ms Soh also called for more flexibility in the way money in the Child Development Account can be utilised to include optional activities. She also stressed the need to ensure that employers' interests are not forsaken as this will ultimately affect the livelihood of their employees. She wanted to know what issues have been raised at feedback sessions hosted by the Government.