Abdullah Tarmugi
Singapore
“As I have said, in most, if not all cases, we have a multi-disciplinary team to assess. In other words, even the protector himself or herself is subject to the assessment of this team. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.”
“Sir, I think that is a convenient tack to say. But AMP and others must also realise that the new policy applies to all NGOs which are co-located at community buildings, and not only to AMP. TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE ON PORTABLE MEDICAL BENEFITS (Progress report) 5.”
“Sir, this is precisely what we are talking about, ie, it is not just a question about numbers per se, and I would like to refer to what Mr Noris Ong said, about having three or more children, if we can afford it. This means, as I mentioned just now in my speech too, that we do not want children to be a burden.”
“At present, Sir, the policy is we will support up to three children. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Abdullah Tarmugi].”
“My Ministry will continue to look into ways of removing the obstacles couples face in having children. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. Dr S. Vasoo (Tanjong Pagar): Sir, we already have had eight days of long debate. I would be concise and you would be very relieved if all other speakers after me would be concise.”
“So we would leave it as it is and we only pay for working women. It is really to compensate the loss in income. He asked about the provision in the Bill on "lawfully married to the child's natural father". This is, as I said earlier, because we want to encourage child birth within wedlock and the family remains intact.”
The complete record
Every one of 726 lines we hold for Abdullah Tarmugi, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 11 of 15.
“Sir, the eligibility criteria for PA have to be stringent. They have to be. It is not a dole for the unemployed or to the indolent who have no desire to work. It is for those who cannot work. So the PA scheme is meant to help the destitutes who have no family or no friends to help them and to give relief to the low-income groups who are in temporary difficulty. There have been cases where PA applicants withdraw their requests when they know that they would be thoroughly investigated for their means. For example, in 1993, 711 applicants failed the means tests as they had savings or were already receiving other financial assistance. Still, I would like to assure the Member for Cheng San GRC that those who do not qualify for PA are also helped in other ways by other agencies, not necessarily by the Government. For example, those who need temporary financial help are given financial help from charitable funds administered by MCD itself. Others are referred to voluntary welfare organisations or grassroots organisations for advice, counselling and assistance in either cash or kind. And those with school-going children are linked to schools for free textbooks, free meals, waiver of fees. And it is not true, Sir, that we apply across-the-board the same amounts because we do look at the circumstances of each family and, although they will be paid PA rates, they will also be helped in other ways. In other words, a single-person family will have the standard PA rate and, at the same time, if there are other needs of the single person, we will try to get other organisations to help. Similarly, also, those with school-going children or aged parents, the PA rates will apply but, again, in addition to all these, we will also try to get additional help from other organisations.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Members for the suggestions on the Public Assistance scheme. The Members for Changi, Bukit Gombak, Cheng San GRC and Tampines GRC asked about the PA scheme. Sir, the question of PA rates has always been an issue of contention. They somehow are never enough and the eligibility criteria are always deemed to be strictly applied. Let me reiterate the philosophy of the Public Assistance scheme, that is, to provide basic subsistence for the truly destitute. So it is quite different, therefore, from what the Member for Bukit Gombak said when he compared it with the Minimum Sum or Retirement Account. They are for different target groups. Sir, different people will definitely have different perception of what is basic subsistence level, and that is why the PA rates are based on surveys of actual living conditions and actual consumption patterns of low-income families. These are not just figures which we grab from the air. These are actual cases of low-income families. So the current PA rates are based on these surveys. The current rates, for example, are based on a survey, which we carried out in 1990, on the lifestyles and consumption patterns of PA recipients and low-income families. These were reviewed in 1992 and revised in 1993 to reflect increases in the cost of living. The PA rates will be revised again next month, as I have mentioned earlier. With the introduction of GST, Government will increase the PA rates between 3 1/3% and 5.17%. These, we believe, are more than sufficient to cover GST increases. As I have mentioned just now, 60% of the PA recipients will receive additional assistance from HDB by way of GST rebates. The Member for Cheng San GRC pleads for more lenient criteria to qualify for PA.”
“Sir, under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), a married Muslim woman can obtain a Shariah Court order to compel her husband to pay maintenance under Islamic law. So the powers are already there. But powers aside, the Shariah Court usually finds it difficult to carry out its task expeditiously because of the high number of claims, a lack of manpower and other constraints, as the Member for Thomson had alluded to. On the other hand, the Subordinate Courts have all the facilities necessary to resolve these cases speedily. That is why many Muslims go to the Subordinate Courts for a quicker resolution of their cases. In order to expedite the cases, a Second President was appointed to the Shariah Court in 1992. Mr Abu Bakar bin Bawah was made the Second President of the Shariah Court in November 1992. However, he left the Court in October last year and Mr Syed Ahmad bin Syed Mohammad was then appointed in his place with effect from November last year. But then the first President of the Shariah Court, Haji Abu Bakar Hashim, will be retiring at the end of this month. We are now awaiting the results of an interview conducted by the PSC and the second President would be appointed in April. I have also asked for a review of the powers and practices of the Shariah Court in order that maintenance cases could be resolved more speedily and more effectively. This is being done. When the study is completed, we will submit it to the Government for changes to be made to the Shariah Court to make it more effective.”
“On CFC, the House was informed in the FY 93 Budget debate that the Ministry of the Environment will prohibit the use of CFCs in airconditioners fitted in newly-registered vehicles from 1st January 1995. And although the January 1995 deadline is still some time away, most newly-registered vehicles are already fitted with CFC-free airconditioners. Owners of cars currently fitted with CFC-based airconditioners can choose to replace the CFC coolant with CFC-free substitutes which are available in Singapore. The existing airconditioners using CFCs can be modified to run on the CFC-free coolants. As an alternative, car owners with CFC-based airconditioners can continue to use CFCs so long as they continue to be available. Many of the bigger workshops in Singapore are already equipped with machines to recover, recycle and reuse the CFCs from the existing CFC-based airconditioners. I would like to thank Dr John Chen for his suggestion to educate motorists on the options available. My Ministry will look into his suggestion.”
“As a consequence of the measures implemented in April 1993, the Arabian Sea Monrovia was denied entry into Singapore for repairs and for its sludge to be disposed of after it was detained by the Malaysian authorities. The DOE approached the Ministry of the Environment on 21st February this year to allow the Arabian Sea Monrovia to enter Singapore. The DOE has also assured the Ministry of the Environment that the vessel had complied with all the requirements set by it for its release and that the charge of illegal dumping of oil sludge will be pursued by DOE in accordance with due legal process. In view of this consultation by DOE, the Ministry of the Environment agreed to allow the Arabian Sea Monrovia to enter Singapore on 25th February this year for repairs and for its cargo of oil sludge to be disposed of at the sludge disposal facility in Singapore. The Chairman: I think you have not answered Dr Chen's other question. You have one minute left.”
“Sir, Dr Chen asked about the Arabian Sea Monrovia issue. My Ministry has long been concerned with the problem of controlling tanker cleaning, especially since such activities take place in Indonesian, Malaysian and Singapore waters. All three countries need to stringently enforce controls to limit ship cleaning to designated control areas. We raised the matter for study at the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee for the Environment (MSJCE) in 1991. The Committee agreed, in principle, to adopt control procedures and the Ministry of the Environment implemented the procedures to tighten control over tanker cleaning in April 1993. There are sufficient facilities at the sludge incineration plant at Pulau Serbarok to receive and dispose of the oil sludge from the cleaning of tankers destined for Singapore shipyards. My Ministry had, in April 1993, also announced the decision not to allow any tanker to sail into Singapore if it cannot show proof of proper disposal of its oil sludge. This is to discourage the improper disposal of the oil sludge. Malaysia had agreed to implement similar controls and also to call on Indonesia to impose the same. The Malaysian authorities detained the Arabian Sea Monrovia on 15th January 1994 for having allegedly dumped oily waste. The Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) agreed to release the tanker after preliminary investigation on condition that the tanker owners provide half a million ringgit bond and to make arrangements for the proper disposal of the sludge on board the vessel. The owners of the vessel on 2nd February deposited the bond with the Malaysian authorities but they were unable to find a country to accept and dispose of its sludge.”
“at the time of restructuring more facilities were required to accommodate an additional Department of Neonatology (transferred from Alexandra Hospital) and an additional Department of O & G (comprising the Departments of O & G from Alexandra Hospital and Toa Payoh Hospital) and to cater to anticipated increase in patient load; 3. certain facilities were clearly unacceptable even for a very basic level of service to patients, for example, delivery rooms which were shared by four patients. The increased patient load that KK Hospital has had to handle within its present facilities in the last four years is as follows: 1989 1993 Increase Births 12,291 15,858 29% Admissions 29,648 40,813 38% Outpatient Attendances 117,929 202,427 72% KKH has to continue providing a reasonable level of service, and handling these and continued increasing patient loads on an operational level in the current hospital until the new hospital is ready. SOCIAL WORKERS 5.”
“My Ministry helps in job placement and provides interest-free loans of up to $2,000 to help PA recipients set up small businesses. As the PA rates are based on actual expenditures as determined by a survey and with the additional package of assistance, my Ministry feels that the help given is adequate. Nevertheless, we will continue to review the PA rates every two years to ensure that they meet current needs. To help PA recipients upon the introduction of GST on 1st April, PA rates will be increased by $5 to $15 per month or between 3.3% and 5.2% over the current rates depending on household size. This increase will more than offset the GST. My Ministry will be reviewing the PA rates in the next financial year. We will be conducting another survey to determine the changes in consumption patterns and prices of goods and services for low-income families. Based on the survey the PA rates will be revised if necessary. RENOVATION OF THE KANDANG KERBAU HOSPITAL 4. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health if he will justify the cost-effectiveness of spending $5.5 million on upgrading the Kandang Kerbau Hospital as the Hospital will be moving to its new premises in 1997. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: The renovations to Kandang Kerbau Hospital were undertaken in the period immediately before and after its restructuring in April 1990. The new KK Hospital is scheduled to be operational in its new premises in 1997. The costs of the renovations are therefore being amortised over a period of 7 years. The renovations were necessary for the following reasons: 1. the last major repair works and painting of the hospital had been done more than five years prior to that date, and the buildings were grossly in need of repair and maintenance; 2.”
“Prior to 1990 Public Assistance (PA) rates were based on the Minimum Household Expenditure (MHE) determined by the Department of Statistics. In 1989 the Committee on Destitute Families of the Advisory Council on Family and Community Life expressed reservations about using the MHE and called for a review taking into consideration the changes in consumption patterns and prices of goods and services. To overcome the limitations of using the MHE, my Ministry engaged a consultant firm to conduct a survey on the lifestyle and consumption patterns of low-income families, including PA recipients, ex-PA recipients and other low-income families. The 1990 survey showed that households with children had higher consumption expenditures than households of the same size without children. The 1991 PA rates were increased based on the survey results. For the first time families with children were also given a higher quantum of PA allowances. In 1992 the PA rates were again increased taking into account increases in the Consumer Price Index since 1990. No survey was carried out as consumption patterns were unlikely to have changed in the intervening two years. The current PA rates effective since 1st January 1993 range from $150 for one-person households to $430 for households with one adult and three children. In addition to Public Assistance allowances, PA recipients and their dependants are given free medical treatment at outpatient clinics and restructured hospitals. Assistance is given to schooling children by the Ministry of Education and schools through waiver of school fees, supplementary fees and the provision of free textbooks, uniforms, bursaries, etc.”
“We may consider that, but I do not think, frankly, it will be a useful or beneficial proposition. NEW MEDICAL BENEFITS SCHEME FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE (Statement by the Minister for Finance)”
“Sir, I am afraid we cannot revoke the decision. With regard to the old residents living on the island, we know that too. As I mentioned earlier, the younger ones would be leaving and, in the long run, we believe the island will not be inhabited as people will continue to leave the island to live on the mainland. And mind you, even if we move the bunds to the south of Pulau Sakeng, and we allow the people to live on the island, the environment will not be that good, simply because the landfill site will be too near the people on the island.”
“Sir, I do not think we can revoke the order for the people to leave. We can have a dialogue perhaps to reduce whatever difficulties they have in trying to adapt themselves on the mainland. On the cost-benefit analysis, I am sure the URA has done a very complete and exhaustive costing and technical feasibility study of the outlying islands in Singapore and this, as I mentioned earlier, has been the final decision and suggestion of the URA.”
“I am afraid I cannot confirm whether the residents have been asked to leave the island by the end of the year. But, as I mentioned earlier, even without resettlement, we found that people are leaving the island for the mainland and this trend, we believe, will continue. With regard to dialogue, we can look into it but I am not too sure whether a dialogue will be useful in this case.”
“Sir, talking of the environment, we know for a fact that there are some coral reefs to the south of Pulau Semakau and steps are indeed being taken to preserve the coral site and ensure that the corals are not disturbed or destroyed.”
“The Ministry is aware of this fact. But according to records, the residents are leaving the island. In 1980, it had 525 residents. In April this year, there were only 139 residents on the island and 19 of whom are actually single persons. The fact remains that the younger people are leaving the island even without resettlement. But more importantly, Sir, if Pulau Sakeng were to be excluded, as I mentioned earlier, we need to spend $30 million on reclamation to build a wharf and supporting facilities elsewhere and the resulting capacity will also be reduced by one-sixth. If we were to recover this lost capacity, which amounts to about 10 million cubic metres, the perimeter bunds will have to be built in deeper waters. This would cost another $100 million. This means that we would need to spend altogether an additional sum of $130 million over and above the $1 billion that we are going to spend to build this landfill site. I hope that the Member will understand that the Government has to balance the need to spend this large sum of money with that of preserving the island. Encik Ibrahim bin Othman (Thomson GRC): Sir, could the Minister of State inform the House what steps his Ministry is taking to protect the environment of that area?”
“I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I beg to move That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JD 1500. Sir, the problems and challenges that we have to face as a result of having more of the elderly among us are already well-known. What faces us is so big and serious that Government alone will not be able to tackle it effectively and comprehensively. It has to be an effort in which the whole society is involved. The principle of the family being the best institution to care for its aged is a fundamental and sound one. Notwithstanding this, we will still need more institutions and facilities for the aged, either as an alternative for those who are unable to enjoy the care and support of their loved ones, or, for those with families to complement what they get at home. It is, therefore, disturbing, Sir, to hear and read reports that certain sections of the community have manifested the "not-at-my-doorstep" syndrome, as shown by some residents when a hospital for the aged was proposed in an HDB estate. If community-based programmes are to succeed and be a feature of our lives, then we will have to arrest the syndrome from becoming a trend. Our space constraints do not give us the luxury of placing institutions and facilities for the aged away from residential concentrations. Nor is it desirable for us to do so. We will therefore have to make increasing use of whatever space we have, including void deck space for such needs. We will need to educate the public on this principle. We will need to encourage and plan for the setting up of community-based programmes to care for the aged. My question is: What is the Ministry doing to facilitate the development of community-based programmes and facilities for the aged?”
“In other words, we help them to help themselves through counselling, through training, education and through creating opportunities for these groups to amass wealth to better their lives. The result is more enduring. We will also have to make it easier and cheaper for voluntary organisations to run their programmes and thus increase the community effort in helping the poor and the disadvantaged. We will also have to continue to monitor the effects of the GST on the sections of the community and on the efforts of the VWOs. I believe we can do all this without turning into a welfare state and without unduly increasing expenditure, a fear so often expressed by the Government bench. Can I have the Minister's response, please?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, when there is a call for higher Government spending on welfare, the normal response is an enumeration of the ills of a welfare state and the virtues of avoiding a crutch mentality. But many have argued, Sir, that the Government does little for the poor and the disadvantaged, while making it increasingly easier for the more able to reap higher rewards for their efforts. Such an argument, Sir, is psychologically attractive and emotionally seductive. There is a constant tussle between the two arguments, making it a fertile ground for the "I'm-more-compassionate-than-thou" types to peddle their politics of envy. I must categorically assert, Sir, that I too do not subscribe to the notion of a welfare state or in mollycoddling. Yet, I believe that while we must not go the way of some Western societies when it comes to doling out of welfare, I think there are compelling reasons that we can and should do more for our poor and disadvantaged. Sir, the total projected expenditure for MCD this financial year is $233.31 million. This is 0.29% of GDP and 1.4% of total allocation to the various budget programmes. Welfare programmes are projected to cost $62.34 million or 26.7% of total expenditure for MCD. Expressed as a proportion of GDP, this sum appears very small indeed. We could do more. But by merely giving out more financial assistance is only a small part of the answer. It is far better for us to think of more and better ways of giving assistance to programmes which will enable the lower income and disadvantaged to break themselves away from the vicious circle into what our Prime Minister refers to as the virtuous circle.”
“Is this not a kind of policy which encourages the students not to pay serious attention to the learning of Chinese essay-writing? After all, they have the dictionary to check! Sixthly, the Report also recommended a revision of the examination format. I would like to know what items have been added or deleted from the Chinese examination papers, and how is the amended format of the examination paper going to help in meeting the target of assessing the language proficiency of our students. Sir, Singapore is a multi-racial society with English as the language of administration, and as the bridge of communications among the different ethnic groups, thus enhancing the cohesiveness among our people. This is a correct move. Since the launching of the Speak Mandarin Campaign, young Chinese Singaporeans generally are able to speak Mandarin. Chinese as a learning subject in the schools has also been accepted by the parents. I think the Ministry of Education should go a step further to increase the cultural contents of the Chinese people in Singapore, through the teaching of the Chinese language subject. We should not stop at the level of just listening and speaking. We must also encourage the reading and writing of Chinese, to check the decline in the standard of Chinese in Singapore. Only then, can we claim to be truly successful in our bilingual policy. This is particularly so when we are now actively encouraging our entrepreneurs to venture overseas. China is an opportunity that simply cannot be neglected. I believe if our people are better equipped with a Chinese cultural background, it will greatly assist our development of an external economy.”
“Yet, a good number of these idioms were not introduced in the prescribed texts. I hope that the Ministry of Education will look into this matter when compiling the new set of teaching materials. Thirdly, the Report recommended that local Chinese supplementary reading materials be published in Singapore. Up till this date, how many such books have been published? Is there a long-term plan for the publication of such materials? I believe reading materials suitable for the Singapore students will be very useful in raising the standard of Chinese among our students, particularly Chinese comics and cartoons. I hope that the authority would beef up its effort in promoting and encouraging the publication of such Chinese reading materials. Fourthly, after the release of the Report, what has the Ministry of Education done in enhancing the status of Chinese Language teachers and in boosting their morale? Up till this date, how many Chinese Language teachers have taken up professional training locally or overseas to improve their professional standards? What plans has the Ministry of Education in raising the status and professional standard of our Chinese Language teachers? Fifthly, the Report recommended that students be allowed to make use of the dictionary during examinations. No doubt, it is good to encourage our students to consult the dictionary whenever they come across words or phrases which they do not understand. That is indeed a good habit of learning. But if we allow the students to use the dictionary in the course of the essay-writing paper during their Chinese examination, then may I know what is the criterion for assessment of the Chinese essay-writing paper.”
“Mr Low Thia Khiang( In Mandarin): Sir, the Report of the Chinese Language Review Committee has been released. I would like to ask the Minister for Education the following questions: First, after the release of the Chinese Language Review Committee's Report, apart from giving the subjects of Chinese language their proper names, I am given to understand that the teaching materials are also being revised. Has the Committee completed its examination of the contents of all the new teaching materials? What was the Committee's evaluation of the quality of these materials? Can the contents of this new set of teaching materials achieve the target set by the Committee? Secondly, the list of Chinese characters. Because the list of Chinese characters is restricted by the Ministry of Education, many people have criticized that the contents of our Chinese textbooks have been so badly distorted that they are almost beyond recognition. Many well-known articles written by renowned authors were so badly rewritten that much of their original glamour was lost and they have become uninteresting. Can the Ministry of Education consider restricting the list of Chinese characters only in so far as examinations are concerned, and relax its restriction on the use of Chinese characters when writing the teaching materials? That is to say, allow more Chinese characters to be used in these materials, so that the authors of these materials may give full play to their talents. On the other hand, does the Ministry realize that even with the list of restricted Chinese characters, some of them were left out in the writing of teaching materials? For example, the Ministry of Education rules that secondary school students in the Express Stream have to learn a list of 150 Chinese idioms.”
“Dr Ow Chin Hock( In Mandarin): Sir, since the release of the Report of the Chinese Language Review Committee headed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Ong Teng Cheong, the Minister for Education has publicly announced that he would be accepting most of the recommendations therein. The Feedback Unit conducted two dialogue sessions, the first one on 13th May which was conducted in Mandarin and the second one on 20th May in English. Present at the dialogue sessions were teachers, parents, newspaper editors and professionals who actively participated in the discussions. The Feedback Unit has submitted a record of the main points of the discussions to the Minister for Education as well as the Deputy Prime Minister. To-date, I have not received any response from the Ministry. I would like to know: (1) what are the recommendations that have already been implemented? (2) which recommendations are in the process of being implemented? and (3) which recommendations have encountered difficulties? I have held office in the Ministry before, and I know that the attitude of civil servants plays a very important part in the implementation of new policies. Most of the senior civil servants in the Ministry of Education are English-educated and some tend to be prejudiced and more often than not they would discriminate against anything that has to do with the Chinese language. For this reason, I am concerned that they may "overtly agree but covertly oppose" ( ) the recommendations of the Report and thereby adopt delay tactics or be uncooperative in their implementation. I hope that the Minister for Education or his Minister of State would personally supervise the implementation of these recommendations to ensure that they are carried out smoothly and expeditiously.”
“Sir, the notion that teachers work only half a day, five days a week and with holidays which total more than two months a year, is a myth. It has been so for some time. We now hear of complaints from teachers about their increasing workload and of the stress and pressures they are being put through daily. Their complaints are becoming louder and indeed more frequent. On average, Sir, a secondary school teacher is given 30-34 teaching periods a week. Each is assigned to teach two subjects and roughly five classes. At about 40 students per class, one can imagine the amount of preparation and marking that has to be done. Added to this, Sir, are duties like counselling students and attending to and liaising with parents, fee collection and other administrative duties, which have little or nothing to do with teaching. And with the introduction of Edusave, Sir, teachers are also called upon to assist in the implementation of the scheme in schools. But that is not all. They also have to take on two ECA subjects each, conduct remedial classes, are given special duties or additional duties, attend courses and meetings. These are normally done outside school hours. In other words, teachers do not merely teach. They are pressed for time and they have to rush from one class to another. They also bring work home. Indeed, Sir, their non-teaching duties appear to be growing and threaten to jeopardise their real role as educators. 4.30 pm My question to the Minister is this: Are our teachers being optimally utilised as educators? Is the Ministry aware of the condition of the teachers in schools and, if so, what is being done to ameliorate their condition, so that there can be less stress and they can become more effective teachers?”
“I can understand the difficulties of enforcing such a system - the need for it in the local context and the possibility of such a system discouraging parents or guardians from seeking treatment for abused children. But this could at least reveal more cases which would otherwise be lost or hidden. So I do hope that the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Health would not drop this subject altogether for the earlier mentioned reasons, but would continue to monitor the situation to see whether such an option need to be implemented here in future. In my view, we should look into all measures which can eliminate the abuse of children and young persons in Singapore. I support the Bill.”
“This is especially so for abuses which lead to the death of children. While such penalties may not be the best way of stopping child abuse, it is nevertheless an effective one in most cases. I am also very glad to note that a new provision has been included in the Bill, which is clause 6, which deals with sexual exploitation of children and young persons. It is high time that we dealt with such vile acts decisively. One concern I have, however, Sir, is the effective implementation of this provision. The nature of such abuses may make it difficult or reluctant for the victims to give evidence or their parents to do so or complain for fear of the social stigma and embarrassment that usually accompany such abuses. I would like to ask the Minister what measures are being taken or planned to ensure that such abuses come to light and at the same time do not jeopardise the identity or the future of the abused. I am also pleased with the new provision, which is clause 52(3), which stipulates that the Juvenile Court may commit a probationer or supervisee who is above 16 years but not yet 19 years old to be remanded in a remand home instead of a remand prison, as is the situation in the present Act. It is undesirable, Sir, for people so young to be so closely acquainted with prisons so early in life. This is unsatisfactory and I am glad that this situation will be changed. Before I conclude, Sir, I would like to say a few words about mandatory reporting by medical practitioners to the Protector of Children of cases of possible physical or emotional injury of children under their medical examination.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the statistics on abuse of children and young persons, in absolute terms at least on the number of children with evidence of abuse, has declined, from 67 cases in 1986 to 31 cases last year, ie, halved. The number of cases reported or complaints, as has been mentioned by the Minister earlier, also dropped from 280 to 112 within the same period. Judging by these numbers alone, it may appear that our record of offences against children is not as bad as in many other countries. Still, Sir, this is not something we can really be proud about and crow about as it is, to my mind, akin to a man saying that he beats his wife less than other husbands do. Therefore, we should continue to find ways to diminish further, if not altogether eliminate, acts of abuse of children and young persons in our society. Therefore, this Bill is welcomed. The main reason for updating the Children and Young Persons Act is to remove any ambiguities present in the Act and to make it more socially current, the overriding considerations being to promote and safeguard the interests and well-being of our children. We therefore, Sir, cannot over-stress this important principle as children are our responsibility when they are young and our future when they grow up. I support this Bill, Sir, and I feel that every Member in this House should do so too. I am particularly glad to note that penalties for offences against children have been enhanced so that they may act as deterrence. The quantum of fine, for example, has been increased and so have been the jail terms. The quantum of fines has not changed since the Act was enacted in 1949, as mentioned earlier. What was a deterrent sum then, which is about 1 1/2 decades ago, is a painless sum to be of any deterrence now.”
“And to say that because we used dialects in the Marine Parade by-election was the reason why we won the by-election is hogwash. And neither can he prove that too. As to complaints of Mr Chiam on what the PA and community centres do or did not do, for his constituency they are nothing new really, and the Hansard is full of instances of what he said were the "misdeeds" of PA and of the community centres against his Party. But as the Deputy Chairman of the People's Association mentioned just now, one of the reasons for the extension of the tenure of the elected members from one to three years is simply to be in line with the tenure of the appointed members which is also three years. I see nothing wrong in that. Besides, I think it is much more efficient for a member to be there for three years and be thinking about what to do in PA, for the people, mind you, not for PA, not for the Board members. With regard to whether the PA ought to think of also taking part in other activities other than what they do in community centres and boys' clubs, it is also for the people. It is not for PA members, it is not for the Board members. So I do not see anything wrong in the PA trying to enlarge its activities to other than those in community centres and boys' clubs. The other issue about investment of funds which he did not mention is to make more efficient use of the funds which CCs and these bodies have. But I also have this caution: perhaps the Minister could ensure that the investments in portfolios are those investments which should not incur losses because these are public funds. Sir, that is about all I have to say on the Bill and I do support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, actually I did not intend to speak on this Bill. I thought it was straightforward and formalising what has been carefully thought out. But I cannot let the Member of the Opposition go with some of the accusations about PAP MPs. To say that PAP MPs do not support Government policies is heresy.”
“Sir, is the Ministry considering harsher measures to prevent such behaviour, because there have been calls from the public to have more severe penalties to stop such behaviour?”
“One involves the fate of the people who now work in the SCSS and the CCS. What would happen to them with the formation of the new Council? The second question involves the perception of several people in the VWOs about Government intervention and control in the new Council. Rightly or wrongly, these individuals view the formation of the new Council as Government's attempt to control the body through its appointment of some of these Board members. Can the Minister comment? Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Such separation, Sir, has also given rise to some confusion over the roles of the SCSS and the CCS and also meant some duplication and overlap in the activities of the two. This amalgamation would mean that the fund allocation can now be better matched with plans and priorities to meet the needs of clients. Public confidence in the Chest is crucial as it handles substantial amounts of money from the public. Such confidence will also go some way in encouraging the public to be more generous in their donations to the Council. More funds are needed by the Council and Government would provide up to 50% of actual recurrent cost subject to a maximum of $2.75 million. There is also provision for the setting up of an Endowment Fund, which interest could be used by the Council in its operations. Adequate funding is necessary if the Council is to carry out its work effectively. I hope that Government will monitor this aspect and continue to ensure that sufficient funds are available to the Council. But there is a lot of work to be done by the Council. More urgent is for the Council to look into the manpower needs of providing social services, as service quality is inevitably affected by the adequacy and quality of manpower available. The Council will have to urgently address the shortage of professional and technical manpower in the VWOs. And apart from numbers, it will also have to look into the career prospects and job satisfaction of social workers and care givers. Another area which would need urgent attention is how to interest and motivate more and more people to get involved in voluntary service. The new Council could work closely with Government in these two areas. Before I conclude, Sir, I have two questions to ask the Minister.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has adopted the "many hands approach" to the provision of social welfare services in Singapore. For this approach to succeed, a great deal of organisation, planning and coordination would be necessary to galvanise and direct the efforts of the community and the VWOs to where they are needed in the most efficient and cost-effective way. This is especially so, Sir, when more and new problems emerge, as has been mentioned by the Minister a while ago, as a result of changes in the family and society. Some of these changes, like the increase in the number of nuclear families with both parents working, more single parents, and a society that is rapidly aging, would require wide networks of service delivery involving many and a wide variety of VWOs. A strong institution, therefore, is needed to tackle these problems. The proposed National Council of Social Service has the potential to provide the kind of leadership, direction and flexibility required to spearhead the efforts to meet the emerging problems. It is a strengthened organisation, Sir, over the existing SCSS - more pro-active in identifying and meeting needs, more oriented towards planning and strategizing, and greater emphasis put on leadership and participation by people with a wider array of interests and expertise. It also provides for continuous self-renewal and, therefore, continuous new ideas. I am pleased, Sir, that the Bill has also provided for the amalgamation of the new Council and the Community Chest with a clear delineation of roles and operations. This formalises the latter. Its predecessor, the Community Chest of Singapore, has no clear legal status and operates largely independent of the SCSS.”
“Sir, I agree with the Ministry and the Government that the number of foreign maids ought to be controlled. And I think a lot of other people too agree that the uninhibited growth of foreign maids in our midst would have very deleterious effects on society. But the question many people also ask is whether the raising of the foreign maid levy is the only way of moderating demand. The general feeling is that the Government is only interested in raising revenue and, by the way, hope that the demand would be blunted. The question they ask is what other options have been looked into. And I would like to ask the same question of the Minister: what options have been looked into by the Ministry? What are they? In what way are they inferior to the raising of the levy?”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JE 1500 of the Main Estimates. I will just ask my questions, Sir. I would like to ask the Minister what the Government is doing to forge consensus among our population. What is it doing to assure the minorities and what is being done to increase cross cultural understanding among the various ethnic groups.”
“Sir, if I were to name a major concern that we will have to face by the end of this decade and beyond, it would be the aging of our society. Indeed, ours will be one of the fastest aging populations in the world and the process touches virtually every aspect of our lives. To be sure, public education for our citizens to reorientate their thinking towards the old and to accept and adapt themselves to an older society will have to go on. Measures to ensure that our senior citizens remain healthy and independent for as long as they can must be put in place. But it is in the area of care for the aged sick and the aged poor that the Government will have to pay particular attention on and to play the main role. This is especially so when such care will also impinge on the kind and amount of health facilities that will have to be provided to this group of citizens. From available demographic projections, those who are 75 years old and above will number roughly 79,000 by the year 2000. People in this group will most likely be those who will need care, either in institutions or by their own families. Can the Minister therefore elaborate on the Government's plan to prepare this country for an aging society? What is it doing to meet the larger numbers of our elderly who will need residential care? What are the community support services that are being planned and the help that will be given to these services? 2.30 pm”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JD 1500 of the Main Estimates. Sir, time and again, in my contacts with the disabled, I hear the same recurrent plea, "Give us opportunities and your understanding, not your pity. Give us the means to maintain our dignity and independence, not merely your condescending charity." The plea is especially strong among those who suffer from physical disability but are not in any way mentally impaired. They are no different, therefore, Sir, otherwise in terms of feelings and needs from us. Far from wanting to isolate themselves from mainstream society, they want to be part of and accepted as part of it. The problem is society itself places physical barriers to their integration in terms of access to facilities, buildings and transportation, and emotional barriers in terms of people's prejudices and even ridicule. The disabled will need to be adequately trained and educated so that they can get jobs to lead economically active and meaningful lives. We used to have a central registry of disabled persons which recorded about 12,500 disabled people in 1988 or less than 1% of the population. At the moment, the various VWOs providing service for the disabled can only cope with only a fraction of that number. Can the Minister therefore enlighten us on what is Government doing to help the disabled integrate themselves into mainstream society? What is the assistance given to agencies and the community towards this objective? Sir, may I go on to my second topic?”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“The GPC goes along with the Government that mindless injections of subsidies into welfare or those which merely finance consumption should not be encouraged nor entertained. But subsidies which seek to improve those who receive them to becoming more self-reliant and more independent should not be ruled out altogether. Indeed, Government should not shy at granting subsidies which aim at these objectives. They are needed and they also serve as an encouragement to others in the community to come forward and help. Can the Minister therefore elaborate in this House the Government's approach to social welfare and to helping the needy in our midst? What kind of assistance is it prepared to render to these families and how is it encouraging voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and the community to help?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, in any country there will be families and individuals whose standards of living fall below others because of their low incomes. In Singapore, we do not see the crippling poverty that exists in some countries in the slums, in the streets begging, hustling others. Ours is more subtle. But it, nevertheless, lurks behind the doors of our rented flats. Official estimates put the number of lower income families at 38,000. This is defined as those families whose incomes fall below the minimum household expenditure level of about $511 for a family of four people. Some of these families are further disadvantaged by chronic and multiple problems in the family, thus putting the children at risk. Children are inevitably caught in the poverty of their environment, not only economically but also emotionally and socially. These families need our help. The question is, who is to help them? My GPC, Sir, states categorically that we do not subscribe to a welfare state model as found in many countries in the West. Apart from the Government, the community and the families themselves will have to work in concert to address the problems of low income families. But, still, we believe that Government will have to play a leading role in setting the tone of this tripartite cooperation -- in setting the rules, in providing the basic infrastructure and in creating an atmosphere where the community will be motivated to help the families to be motivated, and the families themselves to improve. In this context, Sir, let me touch on the question of subsidies.”
“In the circumstances, to those students who do not or very seldom speak Chinese at home, the learning of Chinese is as difficult as an ordinary student learning a foreign language. In Singapore today, most of our people in the 40s are products of the then English schools. During their school days, they had studied Chinese as a second language. If we examine this group of people carefully, I believe not many of them could really read and understand the Chinese newspapers. If we want them to pick up a pen and write a simple note in Chinese, then even less people would have passed the test. The problem encountered in the past by our generation who are now in our 40s will likewise be encountered by the younger generation. If we are trying to take the easy way out by merely simplifying the contents of CL2 as a subject, with the hope that our students would stride over the minimum standard set for the school examinations, then I would say that we have basically failed to face squarely the problem of difficulty in learning Chinese. I am of the view that our schools should endeavour to create an environment conducive to the learning of the second language. Perhaps we could boldly consider allowing using the second language as a medium of instruction for some minor subjects such as civics, physical education or extra-curricular activities, etc. This will imperceptibly create a lot of opportunities for our students to be in touch with the second language. At the same time, this will enable them to learn Chinese as a second language in a more flexible and receptive manner. If this can be done, I am sure it will help to make it easier for our students to master the learning of Chinese, and alleviate their difficulties in the learning of this language. 2.22 pm”
“This issue has been debated on many occasions in this House. From my own experience, during my undergraduate days, I gave Chinese tuition to some Secondary 3 and 4 English-school students. My feeling at that time was that these students were having a real hard time learning Chinese. During the past years, the CL2 courses have been simplified, to quite a large extent. At least, our students today need not study the classical Chinese. However, in the process of simplifying the courses, we have not solved the problems of difficulty in learning Chinese. Chinese is different from English. It does not follow an alphabetic system of writing. Every Chinese character has to be learnt by heart -- its pronunciation, its meaning and the way it is written. If not used frequently, very often, many characters will be forgotten. Therefore, when learning the language, the students should have an environment where they can practise what they have learnt. We have to be in touch with the langauge every day, learning and using it over and over, before we can be said to have a good command of the language. In the earlier days, no one from the Chinese schools has ever complained that Chinese was difficult to learn. On the contrary, the complaint was that English was difficult to learn. The reason is very simple. In the Chinese schools of those days, Chinese was the medium of instruction. The environment was conducive to the learning of Chinese. On the other hand, in the English schools of the past and the schools, in general, of today, Chinese was and is used only in the teaching of the subject "Chinese". For the other subjects, English is used as the medium of instruction.”
“Many working adults in Singapore will now have the opportunity to fulfil their ambition of enrolling in a university to receive further education. Ideally, the Open University should enjoy the same status as our two existing universities. Graduates from the Open University should also receive the same degree of recognition by people in our society. In order to achieve this objective, we must, right from the very beginning, ensure that the enrolment requirements of students and the quality of teaching staff for the Open University are comparable to those for the two existing universities. The Government should also treat the three universities equally, affording them the same status. Furthermore, in the teaching and training of students, the Open University should not be in any way inferior to the other two universities. In the course of its development, if we discover that students in the Open University need longer periods of time to learn and to undergo training before they can reach the standard of efficiency and intellectual level comparable to those of a standard university graduate, then we must try to extend the learning time of the students of the Open University. We should not produce some university graduates who may be wrongly regarded by others as "second-class graduates". Otherwise, the consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate. I also hope that we will not simply import the British system of open university "lock, stock and barrel" into our system here, because if this is done, then I believe the results will not be satisfactory. Now, I would like to talk about the learning of CL2 in the schools. During the past 10 to 20 years, students from the non-Chinese schools have been continuously complaining that Chinese was hard to learn.”
“At the same time, we must help those students who are determined to better themselves and have done well in their studies to find a way out so that they can return from the non-main stream to the main-stream education. This way, this category of students will be able to visualize their prospects and hope in the course of their studies. This will also help to motivate and inspire them to work harder in the course of their studies. Eventually, the nation will also benefit. As a matter of fact, in addition to providing students of the Institute of Technical Education the opportunities to further their studies in the polytechnics, we should also provide more opportunities for polytechnic students to further their studies in the universities after they have completed their courses in the polytechnics. At the moment, the Faculty of Engineering in the NTU has already opened its door to admit polytechnic graduates. I hope that the NUS will follow the footsteps of the NTU by opening its door to polytechnic graduates. Personally, I hope that the other faculties in our local universities, such as accountancy, business administration, computer science, etc, will also absorb some polytechnic graduates. I understand that in an ordinary university in the UK, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering alone, there are 25 Singaporean students studying there, many of whom are polytechnic graduates. Apparently, this is a very clear evidence that many of our polytechnic graduates who wished to be admitted to our local universities had found that the doors were shut to them. I am very glad to note that the Open University is finally going to be established soon.”
“By then, our people would be able to command better skills, better management, commercial, scientific and technological expertise to better prepare Singapore for its move towards more high-technology, more sophisticated and higher value-added manufacturing and service industries. This would also provide Singapore with more favourable conditions to develop itself into an economically advanced country whose GNP would be comparable to today's advanced European countries, by the turn of the century. In the Addendum of the Ministry of Education, it is mentioned that students of the Institute of Technical Education would be allowed to further their studies in the polytechnics. It is indeed a heartening measure. In fact, under our education system, the main stream of education is from primary school with at least CL2 to secondary school "O" level. junior college "A" level, and then to the university. We also realize that Singapore is a society which attaches much importance to paper qualifications. Everybody would take the completion of a university degree as the target of their studies, as well as the finishing point of their academic pursuit. In the circumstances, if our children did not do well in their younger days and were streamed to a non-main stream education, and if there is no provision, under our present educational system, for these students in the non-main stream to better themselves through their determination and hard work to get back into the main-stream, then the morale and work attitude of these students will surely be very low. They will think that there is no future for them, and that they are doomed! Therefore, we must offer ample opportunities in our educational system for our students.”
“Dr Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to take part in this debate on the motion to thank the President for his Address. Before I join in the debate, I would like to clarify the point concerning the remuneration of engineer. Mr Chiam See Tong mentioned that in the early 1970s, an engineer would draw a salary of approximately $1,700 per month. In fact, I am an engineer myself. I joined the profession as an engineer in 1975. In 1975, the market rate for an engineer was $1,250 per month, but not as high as $1,700. Now, an engineering graduate gets between $2,100 and $2,200. From these figures, it is quite evident that Mr Chiam must have been misled by his friends or assistants, thus producing these inaccurate figures. In his Address, the President spent the longest time talking about the future plans for our education system. The Government intends to improve the educational plan for the primary and secondary schools so as to further improve the efficiency of the education system in Singapore. It is planned that by the turn of the century, about 40% of our children in the same age group will finish education at polytechnic level, and 20% of the population in the same age group will be university graduates. In other words, at the end of this century, among the younger generation of Singaporeans, six out of ten would be graduates of tertiary institutions. This is comparable to the advanced countries in Europe, America and Japan today. This would also mean that the educational level of the future generation of Singaporeans would be generally higher.”
“$1,600. Yes, I agree with him. With $1,600, we cannot have that kind of life now, much less go night-clubing with the kind of money that he has got. But I think what he has missed is that the same person with the same qualification and experience now will not be drawing only $1,600. The other point is about the way we are doing things and the way we emphasise our roots. He is worried that the minorities are concerned about the increasing Chineseness of Singapore. I agree. Indeed, the minorities are concerned about the increasing Chineseness in Singapore. But they have a greater fear in their minds of losing their identity, given influence of TV, the media and from outside. I think all of us are optimistic, Sir, that the danger of any community swamping the identity of another community will not happen so long as the PAP is in Government. And I think it will not happen. Sir, the Address of the President is peppered with what appears to be contradictions that must be reconciled. For instance, how do we reward the able but exercise compassion and charity to the less able; how do we maintain a meritocratic society without encouraging self-centredness; how do we encourage individualism without threatening community interest; and how, Sir, do we go back to our roots without breeding chauvinism. That is the challenge that each and everyone of us will have to face and the future for us will be a united nation. The balance, Sir, between these apparent contradictions can sometimes be precarious, but it must be done. We have to live and govern the way which is suited to our own situation and our own needs. Sir, I support the motion in the name of Dr John Chen, Member for Hong Kah GRC.”
“Government will have to be proactive in this area by initiating projects and schemes to help these groups. I agree they must be helped to upgrade themselves and to be more self-reliant. Indeed my association and contact with disabled people and groups indicate that they too do not wish for handouts but for assistance to make themselves more self-reliant for this means more lasting results and also giving them the dignity and the self-worth that they hope for. Still, there will be those who are helpless, no matter how much they try, and we must be more charitable and compassionate to them. Before I close, Sir, I would like to comment on what Mr Chiam said just now. There are two points. First, on his reference to the engineer drawing $1,700 in 1970. Is it right, Mr Chiam?”
“I am particularly heartened by the opportunities that are to be created in education. As a minority, Sir, and as one who has seen, time and again, the levelling-up effects of education, I cannot over-stress the importance of education in our lives. I am pleased to know of the proposed investments that Government intends to make in our promising students and to those who have the promise, but not the means, to pursue better and higher education. I agree that admission to the better schools must be made on merit and not on the ability to pay. This we cannot compromise. Nevertheless, I would strongly urge those who are able to pay to be charitable enough to forgo their scholarships so that more can be given to those who need the funds. We must continue to expand and we must continue to multiply the opportunities in education, especially to the lower income groups, for this is central to our levelling-up process. We should, to my mind, go even further and consider schemes and projects that go into eliminating the causes that hinder children from these groups to avail themselves of the opportunities existing. This would mean taking into account their family circumstances for, often, the root of a child's problems lies within the familial surroundings and his environment rather than from his own inherent weaknesses. Let me now, Sir, touch on the proposals by the Ministry of Community Development. In its Addendum to the President's Address, the Ministry promises to devote more attention to the needs of the lower income groups as well as of the disabled and the aged. As GPC Chairman for Community Development, Sir, I fully support and encourage this intent, and I await the announcement of programmes to fulfil it.”