Mariam Jaafar on Child Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill

Creating a “Singapore Made for Families” is one of the most pressing challenges of our time and we need to go further and faster, said MP Mariam Jaafar in Parliament on Monday (Sep 18). She questioned if the increase in paternity leave from two to four weeks is “bold enough” and whether making it voluntary is “a missed opportunity to signal the will to take firm steps”. Ms Mariam pointed out that many multinational companies in Singapore already provide significantly longer paternity leave - some, equal to maternity leave and with no tenure requirement. This is part of their strategy to attract and retain talent, she said. Ms Mariam asked what markers the Government is looking at to move from a voluntary to mandatory increase in paternity leave. As for the increase in unpaid infant care leave, she asked what the current take-up is and whether usage will be tracked. She said that anecdotally, many fathers experience “not-so-subtle pressures” when it comes to taking such leave. She called for the use of paternity and unpaid infant care leave to be enshrined in proposed anti-discrimination legislation. Ms Mariam also urged the Government to consider two further enhancements - first, legislating more childcare leave for parents with two or more children; and second, developing childcare and childcare leave solutions that are customised to the needs of workers in different industries.