Ahmad Mattar
Singapore
“Sir, I would like to urge the Minister, the newly appointed panel chaired by Mr Hsuan Owyang, and certainly the people in charge of Channel 12 Pte Ltd, to look into the quality of Malay programmes on Channel 12. There is not much point in increasing the number of hours of Malay programmes on Channel 12 if quality is not there.”
“Because if SBC conducts those surveys or SBC administers the people meter, what other conclusions can we get? Finally, Sir, I would like to urge the Minister, and certainly the General Manager of SBC, to re-look into SBC's programmes.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, Encik Ibrahim Othman has asked a number of questions on Muslim divorces. On the actual number of Muslim divorces registered in 1992, the answer is 1,002.”
“45 pm Sir, on wakaf properties, the House may want to know that the first development project comprising four units of terrace houses at Duku Road has been completed. This year, two more projects at Lorong L and Lorong G, Telok Kurau, will be launched.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am aware of that circular. Unfortunately, my Public Health Officers have reported that despite the circular there has not been any improvement to the littering problem. Even till this morning, Sir, when we inspected Potong Pasir, littering was still evident.”
“Sir, the question has been answered and the photographs have also been labelled with the time they were taken. My point is that if the Member claims that his constituency does not have a littering problem, then there should not be any litter at any time of the day, 5.30 am regardless.”
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“Sir, since the hon. Member for Khe Bong has directed his question to me, my answer is that I will take it up with the Minister for Finance.”
“If that is the case, I do not think the Government is that inflexible in its approach. What is "No" today may be "Yes" tomorrow. As hon, Members know, the Government reviews its policy periodically. A good example is the recent upward revision in the grants for new community centres. It is a very good example of Government's flexible approach.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, as I have stressed earlier on, knowing the current thinking of Government, there will be no such plans to help national sports associations.”
“Sir, the Government is already providing sufficient, and more important, Sir, decentralised sports facilities to satisfy the demands of sports-conscious Singaporeans from all walks of life. 4.15 p.m. However, lest the impression be given that the Government does not help financially the national sports associations at all, let me say, Sir, that the Government does assist them. Through the Singapore Sports Council, subsidies are granted to selected national sports associations, particularly those national sports associations which have mass appeal. They are being provided with subsidies for coaching and other courses; for preparation and training of competitors for overseas sports meets; and, to a limited extent, for sending participants to overseas competitions. For example, in the Financial Year 1979, Sir, 22 national sports associa- tions received these subsidies. The SSC also helps national sports associations in other ways. For example, sports associations may rent office space, at concessional rates, at Sports House, at Rutland Road. Sports associations also enjoy tax exemptions for donations which are made to them through the Singapore Sports Council. As for the suggestion by the hon. Member for Bedok that the SSC should also look after the interest of senior citizens, I will certainly pass on his suggestion to the Singapore Sports Council to look into it.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I must give credit to the Member for Kim Seng for reading my mind. My simple answer to his question is "No". The Government is not without reason for being firm on this. Unlike the building of community centres for which a definite scheme has been set up by the Government through the People's Association, the Government, on the other hand, does not have a similar scheme for the building of clubhouses for national sports associations in Singapore. Knowing the current thinking of Government, I do not think such a scheme will be set up - not for a very, very long time. Sir, there are altogether 47 national sports associations in Singapore today. It is not possible for Government to extend financial assistance to them, even to the two associations quoted by the hon. Member for Kim Seng - the Singapore Squash Rackets Association and the Singapore Lawn Tennis Association - particularly if the financial assistance sought by these national sports associations is for the purpose of building their clubhouses. The Singapore Sports Council is charged with the responsibility of building and maintaining sports facilities for the general public and it will continue to build these facilities in accordance with its Master Plan. Besides the SSC, the Government, through its network of community centres, is literally working hand in hand with the People's Association, the community leaders and the people of the constituencies concerned to provide facilities for tennis, squash, badminton, basketball, and sepak takraw in the various community centres. The hon. Member's new community centre is a case in point. I believe his new community centre will be the first centre in Postal District 3 to have tennis courts.”
“The Service has drawn up plans for the construction of fire stations within or in the vicinity of high-rise housing estates. Hon. Members would have noticed that funds have been provided in the next financial year for the construction of two new fire stations. The new station at Upper Changi Road will cover Bedok and Marine Parade Housing Estates. The second station will serve Ang Mo Kio New Town. The Fire Service's plan is to have, eventually, 15 fire stations that will cover the whole island. The ultimate objective is to reduce the average response time to a fire to within five minutes so that a fire in its incipient stage could be brought under control before it spreads. Sir, I hope the hon. Member for Telok Blangah is satisfied with the assurances I have given. Mr Rohan bin Kamis: Mr Speaker, Sir, I must thank the Hon. Minister for his lengthy and detailed assurances. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn.”
“In this way, Sir, they familiarise themselves with the building lay-out and the fire-fighting equipment it has. The High-Rise Fire-Fighting Unit also works with the management of a building to draw up evacuation plans. These plans are then tested by conducting actual evacuation exercises, In 1979, nine such evacuation exercises were held. Another 15 have been planned for this year. As far as HDB flats are concerned, fire-fighting and evacuation exercises are not conducted as regularly as in the case of high-rise commercial buildings. This is because HDB blocks are built more or less of standard patterns and the drill worked out for one block can be adopted in other blocks. But this does not mean that the Fire Service ignores the HDB estates completely. On the contrary, from time to time, the Service carries out demonstration exercises in HDB buildings, showing how evacuation and rescue will be effected. The Search and Rescue Squad also undergoes exercises in selected HDB blocks as part of their training. The prevention of fires in high-rise buildings also depends on the people living and working in them. The Fire Service takes great pains to train the occupants of high-rise buildings in fire prevention and the rudiments of fire-fighting. Last year, some 9,000 persons from various high-rise buildings in Singapore attended courses and evacuation exercises conducted by the Service. In addition, Sir, a National Fire Prevention Campaign is held every year to spread the message that people can prevent fires by taking relatively simple precautions. All these measures are designed to prevent or to minimise the risk of fire outbreaks. At the same time, the Fire Service has taken steps to ensure that fires which do occur are dealt with effectively.”
“A Search and Rescue Squad has been formed, and hitherto 75 men have been trained to carry out search and rescue work at major high-rise fires. These men are trained to use a wide variety of rescue aids and tools and in advanced rope-work. They are subjected to regular physical exercises and simulated rescue work to maintain their fitness and ability. 4.00 p.m. The Singapore Fire Service has also set up a High-Rise Fire-Fighting Unit. In fact, this Unit was formed in 1976 when the Ministry of Finance approved manpower posts for its establishment. This High-Rise Fire-Fighting Unit in the Singapore Fire Service carries out regular inspections of the fire-fighting facilities in commercial and other high-rise buildings. These inspections cover tests on wet rising mains for static pressure and weight of water output, sample tests on fire-detecting heads to see that they are working, sample tests on hose reels for water flow and leaks, tests on fire-lifts, inspections of lobbies and fire-doors for smoke tightness, and detection of unauthorised structural changes. In 1979, Sir, 2,220 such tests involving 220 high-rise buildings were conducted by the Unit. The Unit also collects information on each high-rise building, its water supply system, the means of access and exits, the location of fire-lifts, staircases and other information useful for fire-fighting. For each high-rise building, the collected information is compiled into an operation manual which serves as a reference book should a fire have to be fought in that building. Simulated fire-fighting exercises are conducted weekly. Officers and men are sent to high-rise buildings every Monday to practise drills on how to tackle a fire in that building.”
“Sir, as the Member for Telok Blangah has rightly pointed out, we should not have fires before we can test the capabilities of the Fire Service. Before I inform the House of the measures taken by the Singapore Fire Service in preparing itself for the new challenges ahead, let us first examine the state of buildings in Singapore, Sir, Building Regulations in Singapore require that high-rise buildings should be structurally sound and safe against fire. The use of fire resistants and non-combustible materials is insisted upon so that fire-spread will be minimised. The HDB flats, in which the majority of the population already live, are constructed in such a way that they are safe. Commercial and industrial activities are not allowed in HDB flats. I have just checked with my colleague, the Minister for National Development who confirms that the use of charcoal or wood for cooking in HDB flats is also prohibited. Staircases in HDB flats are made of concrete and are not enclosed so that smoke cannot build up to impede access. For other high-rise buildings which contain more combustible materials, or which have central airconditioning systems that would enhance the spread of smoke through airconditioning ducts, stricter measures are enforced. These include the installation of automatic sprinklers, fire and heat detectors, fire-lifts, ventilated lobbies and internal water supply systems. Now I shall deal with measures taken by the Singapore Fire Service to meet the challenges ahead. The Singapore Fire Service has a contingent plan which will enable the Service to call upon the RSAF helicopters to rescue people trapped on rooftops in the rare event that an evacuation procedure is necessary.”
“Sir, if a widow with three children is receiving Public Assistance, she should not, in the first place, be living in a three-room flat because of the expenses involved. She should be able to adjust herself accordingly. The Member has suggested that the rates for Public Assistance should be revised further. We will do this, of course, perhaps once in three or four years. The present rates were only revised this year. The previous revision was in 1976. We will review the rates periodically to adjust ourselves with time.”
“Sir, a widow with three children, that is, a four-person household, would be entitled to a maximum of $120 under the Public Assistance scheme. That is the new rate. Of course, the widow can apply for additional funds from other sources. The Member for Whampoa has asked me what I think is sufficient for a single destitute person. Now the Member for Kolam Ayer wants to know what is sufficient for a four-person family. Let me do a little bit of arithmetic now. Sir, personally I think $200 would be sufficient.”
“Personally, I think about $100 p.m. is sufficient for a single person.”
“Sir, in fact, there are two other funds which I have not mentioned. There are altogether six funds which are being administered by my Ministry. Of course, a recipient of Public Assistance cannot hope to get additional money from all the six funds. The Social Welfare Department monitors the situation to ensure that the funds are fairly disbursed. There is also coordination between the Social Welfare Department and the other charitable welfare organisations to see that the money from these organisations are fairly distributed to the recipients and that no one recipient gets more than another. If he wants a specific case, I am afraid I cannot tell him the specific amount off-hand now. I am not a walking computer, If the Member wants, I can supply the figures at some other time, not now. As for 60-year olds who have been abandoned by wealthy children, they will, of course, not be admitted to any of the homes for the aged. That is for sure. As I have said earlier on, homes for the aged are meant for those people who are either destitute or cannot be supported by their children for financial reasons. Dr Augustine Tan: Sir, I am just curious to know what the Hon. Minister thinks would be the minimum required to sustain body and soul for one destitute.”
“Examples of casual work I am referring to are washing of clothes in the case of female recipients, dish washing, piece-rate sewing or working as hawker assistants. Secondly, recipients of Public Assistance also receive other non-cash benefits, such as free medical treatment and remission of school fees and receipt of free textbooks for their school-going children. Thirdly, recipients of Public Assistance also receive supplementary assistance, either in cash or in kind, from voluntary charitable and religious organisations. The Social Welfare Department administers a number of private charitable funds from which needy people can get additional money and among them are the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Welfare Grant, Lee Foundation Grant, the Silver Jubilee Fund and the Charity Box Fund. The Member for Kolam Ayer also wants to know the sort of assistance given to widows with children. Widows with dependent children who are in need of financial assistance are given Public Assistance allowances. As far as possible, they are assisted by the Social Welfare Department to become self-supporting, and their cases are reviewed periodically. On the suggestion by the Member for Changi that my Ministry considers an extra bonus payment be given to Public Assistance recipients during the festive season, I can only say that I have taken note of the suggestion.”
“Sir, the hon. Member for Kolam Ayer feels that the Public Assistance allowances, in spite of the new increases, are still inadequate. In terms of cash, of course, they are not enough. They are not intended to be, anyway, First of all, Sir, I would like to emphasize here that Social Welfare cannot take upon itself the entire task of helping people overcome their misfortunes or to cope with these disadvantages in life. Social Welfare can only offer assistance in the occasional case of overt need. The important thing to remember is that we should guard ourselves against the introduction of a supportive Public Assistance scheme which would deprive people of any incentive to take up gainful employment. So, not intended as unemployment, retirement or disability payments, Public Assistance allowances are therefore given only to those who have no means of support. There will always be a number of persons who are without families, friends or means of support and who are incapable of looking after themselves because of some disabling physical or mental condition. Just for the information of the House, of the 5,356 cases who are to-date receiving Public Assistance allowances from the Social Welfare Department, 4,420 or 83% of them belong to persons who are 60 years old and above. There are also a number of factors which ought to be borne in mind when considering whether or not current rates of Public Assistance allowances from the Government are adequate. Firstly, people who for one reason or another cannot take on regular employment can, and generally do, find part-time employment. In other words, recipients of Public Assistance are free to earn extra income from casual work.”
“According to the information I have received, the Pilot Family Service Centre at Balam Road in MacPherson Estate has been classified as successful. For instance, volunteers are able to organise and implement programmes for themselves, such as training and recreational programmes, and also programmes to meet clients' needs in the community. Children in the area show less propensity towards vandalism, fights, selfishness and uncooperativeness. Children in the area show greater interest in learning and are more able to occupy their time in meaningful activities. Parents become more aware of their children's developmental needs. Youths show greater motivation to study and several premature school-leavers have gone back to studies. More youths are contributing a share of their income to the families and youths in the area show diminished anti-social behaviour traits and improvement in the relationship with family members. These are some of the criteria which have been met.”
“Sir, I will answer the Member for Kolam Ayer first. The Family Service Centre in MacPherson Estate was started as a three-year pilot project in June 1977. UNICEF assisted the pilot project by sponsoring four staff members until May 1979, and thereafter it was entirely funded by Government. The pilot project will end in two months' time, i.e. in May 1980. The Family Service Centre Pilot Project has been evaluated by a team from UNICEF. The project was assessed as successful and its continuance was recommended by the evaluation team. My Ministry and the Ministry of Finance are now examining the feasibility of continuing the Family Service Centre Project on a permanent footing. Pending a firm decision, the financial provision for the project has been deleted from the Estimates for Financial Year 1980. For the benefit of our young Member for Telok Blangah, the Family Service Cent. e is the pioneer in the use of what sociologists term "the integrated social work approach". Most social agencies provide an individualised service to clients and make limited use of group work, and even more limited use of community work methods. Thus, the Family Service Centre not only provides what it calls "crisis service" to members of the community in need of such services, but also arranges for community involvement through the use of befrienders to assist families with long term problems. So, side by side with the crisis service, preventive and developmental work is also undertaken. Outreach to children, youths and adults of various degrees of disadvantage and vulnerability is also undertaken. The hon. Member for Telok Blangah has also asked for certain success criteria and he wants to know whether these success criteria have been met.”
“I would like to thank the Member for Telok Blangah for his kind words on the efforts of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore (MUIS) in looking after the interest of Muslims in Singapore. The Member for Telok Blangah has observed that MUIS should strengthen its administration as well as its public relations efforts. I agree with him that the present secretariat of MUIS needs to be strengthened. Towards this end, my Ministry recently commissioned the Management Services Department (MSD) of the Ministry of Finance to: (a) examine the organisational framework of the secretariat of MUIS with .a view to recommending a reorganisation, if found necessary; (b) to recommend a suitable staff structure for the MUIS; (c) to recommend improved work procedures in the secretariat. The MSD has completed its study and has made a number of recommendations. These include increasing the complement of senior staff in the secretariat, especially in the areas of finance and public relations, and reorganisation of the sections within the MUIS. The report of the MSD is now being considered by the Ministry of Finance, and we expect a decision to be made on the recommendations soon. I am conscious of the need for MUIS to improve its public relations effort to keep the Muslim public informed of its work. So far MUIS has been constrained by the lack of suitable staff in the ares of public relations. We hope that with the additional staff recommended by the MSD, its public relations effort will be improved significantly. This effort will also be directed towards strengthening its relations with other Muslim organisations overseas.”
“I am aware of what the Member for Serangoon Gardens has just raised. In fact, the matter has been brought to my attention and I have referred it to the relevant authority, that is, the Ministry of Finance.”
“Sir, I do not have to visit his grandfather; I get reports.”
“Since the Member for Whampoa has brought up an actual case, I am now familiar with it, but I would rather not discuss it in this House. However, I will certainly look into the suggestion which he has just proposed. I am very familiar with the case of his grandfather. As I said, this is a very personal thing, and I do not think the Member for Whampoa wants me to discuss it here.”
“Sir, I visited all these homes when I first took the office of Minister for Social Affairs. I wonder if the Member for Whampoa could be more specific as to which home he is referring to. I am inclined to think that he is referring to the community home in his constituency. Am I right?”
“Sir, each home for the aged, whether it is being run by the Government, i.e. the Social Welfare Department, or whether it is being run by voluntary organisations, has a pool of voluntary nurses who help to look after the so-called physical needs of the aged particularly those who are non-ambulant. They are being attended to by these voluntary workers. Dr Augustine Tan: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like the Hon. Minister really to visit those people who are sick to the point where they need to be cleaned up every two hours in the middle of the night. How does he expect these voluntary nurses and workers to look after these old people in this way? Is he aware of these realities? He is a young man. He does not know what is life. 3.15 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on the question of Social Welfare assistance, since the hon. Member for Kolam Ayer will be raising this matter under the appropriate Subhead, I would rather not answer the question now. The hon. Member for Whampoa wants to know the details of the new Home for the Aged to be set up by the Social Welfare Department. As I mentioned earlier on, Sir, it is still in the embryonic stage, and I hope the Member knows what "embryonic stage" means. The other point which the Member raised is about mahjongg being a form of gambling. It all depends on what one thinks of the game. If the Member wants to think of it as a form of gambling, then it is a form of gambling. So it depends on what goes on in the mind. Football is a good example. People go to the National Stadium either to watch football for the fun of it or to gamble on it. It all depends on what goes on in that little mind. I am not quite sure, Sir, of the question which the Member raised on the physical needs of the aged. Perhaps the Member could repeat it. I was busy thinking of a suitable reply to his question on mahjongg. I might have missed the point,”
“It maintains close liaison with other civic bodies which provide recreational and social activities for the aged. The Singapore Council of Social Service, which is a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Affairs, has a committee for the care of the aged. Studies have been conducted on the problems and needs of the aged and the resources available. The Council is also planning to have a Day-Care Centre for the Elderly. It is also looking into such matters as obtaining cinema concession rates for the aged. The People's Association and the Citizens' Consultative Committees have various activities and projects to look after the aged. A good example is the Bukit Merah Old Folks' Club which, I believe, is run by young volunteers in coordination with the Welfare Sub-Committee of the Bukit Merah CCC. Then there is, of course, the Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE) which is under the active guidance of my Senior Parliamentary Secretary. Close liaison is maintained between my Ministry and these various organisations which provide recreational and social services for the aged. Sir, at this point of time, I feel there is no need for my Ministry to duplicate the good services of the voluntary sector. Hence, there is no need for my Ministry to set up a gerontology unit as suggested by the Member for Bedok.”
“Gambling is strictly prohibited. Organised tours to places of interest in Singapore and occasional viewing of film shows at cinemas are examples of the outdoor activities organised for the aged. Talking of film shows, Sir, the hon. Member may be pleased to know that the Social Welfare Department has just received a donation of $6,000 for the purchase of equipment to screen film shows at the four Social Welfare Homes under the Department. There are also ample opportunities for social interaction, as residents are allowed to receive visitors and to visit friends. Residents who are physically fit are encouraged to do simple chores, like gardening, under supervision. However, Sir, there are also old folks who wish to be left alone, For such residents who do not wish to participate in the activities organised, their wishes are well respected. Sir, let me now come to the suggestion of the hon. Member for Bedok. If I understand correctly, the word "gerontology" refers to the scientific study of old age and its diseases. The Member should have made the suggestion to the Minister for Health for his consideration. However, as the Member has also mentioned the recreational needs of old people and how to keep them occupied, I shall attempt to answer him from my Ministry's point of view. It is not correct for him to say that my Ministry does not have a unit which looks after the aged. The Social Welfare Department already has, what it calls, the Aged Services Unit. The priority of this Unit is to look after the destitute aged and to provide for their needs. The Unit has been encouraging community and voluntary organisations to set up community homes for the aged and the chronic sick.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir. the hon. Member's concern that past graduates of the Polytechnic, especially those who have excelled themselves are not given the opportunity to serve the Polytechnic Board of Governors, is quite unfounded. Though not explicitly mentioned in the present Act or the Amendment Bill, past graduates of the Polytechnic have served on the Board of Governors in the past. In fact, the Amendment Bill before the House will give the Minister this flexibility to appoint people on the Board as he deems fit. I would suggest that if the hon. Member for Buona Vista has some suitable names to recommend, please do so because I am in the process of appointing the next Board of Governors for the Singapore Polytechnic. 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. - [Dr Ahmad Mattar]. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Clause I -”
“Sir, it is quite true, as pointed out by the Member for Jalan Kayu, that there is no specific mention of fire prevention in the Bill. However, as we all know, the Singapore Fire Brigade has, in the past, been educating members of the public on fire prevention through its regular fire prevention campaigns and exhibitions. For the information of Members of this House, a Fire Prevention Campaign will be organised by the Brigade at Lucky Plaza this Friday, 29th February. This effort of the Singapore Fire Brigade in educating members of the public on fire prevention will be continued by the Singapore Fire Service, when formed as a result of this Bill. On the Member's suggestion that the Director of Fire Service co-ordinate efforts in research and education, I am of the opinion that instead of enlarging Part Ill of the Bill I feel that this provision is adequately covered by clause 4 in Part 11 of the Bill. I would certainly take up his suggestion. Clause 4 of the Bill says that the Director shall be charged with the direction and administration of the Fire Service. So I think the suggestion by the Member to include research and education in fire prevention can be part and parcel of the administration of the Fire Service. 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. - [Dr Ahmad Mattar]. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Clause 1 -”
“Sir, I beg to move, That Parliament do now adjourn. Question proposed. THE NEED FOR A MODERN INDOOR STADIUM 5.34 p.m.”
“(6) Where a dispute has not been referred to arbitration pursuant to subsection (4), the decison of the Registrar that settles the dispute under pararaph (a) of subsection (3) shall, on the application of the party in whose favour it is given, be enforced by any Court which would have jurisdiction in civil suits between the parties to the dispute in the same manner as if the decision had been the decision of a District Court.". Modern co-operative societies are large and complex. The types of disputes that arise among themselves and between them and their members can involve large sums of money or interpretations of their constitutions and by-laws. Attempts to settle the disputes could entail extensive analyses of the societies' business operations. In some cases, points of law may even be called into question. In such disputes, it would be desirable to ensure that the High Court is able to exercise the procedural and jurisdictional powers laid out in the Arbitration Act over the matters referred for arbitration under this clause of the Bill. I am therefore recommending this amendment so that parties to a dispute could refer the dispute to arbitration by a referee appointed by the Chief Justice if they are advised to do so by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, or if they are dissatisfied by the Registrar's decision concerning their disputes. Where such arbitration is resorted to, the provisions of the Arbitration Act will apply. Amendment agreed to. Clause 91, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Bill reported with amendments, read a Third time and passed. 4.00pm DEPARTMENTAL TITLES”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, In page 38, line 38, after "decision", to insert "in accordance with subsection (3)". Clause 91 of the Bill states that disputes among members of co-operative societies and between members and societies shall be referred to the Registrar for a decision. The proposed amendment will specify that the Registrar's decision must be made in accordance with subsection (3) which spells out the procedure for the settlement of the disputes. Amendment agreed to. Dr Ahmad Mattar: Sir, I beg to move, In page 39, line 11 to line 32 in page 40, to leave out sub-clauses (3) to (10) and insert new sub-clauses (3), (4), (5) and (6)* as set out in the Order Paper Supplement. *New sub-clauses (3), (4), (5) and (6) read as follows: "(3) The Registrar shall, on receipt of a reference under subsection (1), have regard to the nature and complexity of the dispute, and decide whether - (a) to settle the dispute himself; or (b) to recommend to the parties to the dispute to refer it to arbitration in the same manner and subject to the same terms that an aggrieved party under subsection (4) may refer a dispute to arbitration. (4) Where the Registrar decides to settle the dispute himself and gives a decision thereon which aggrieves a party to the dispute, that party may, within thirty days of the date of the Registrar's decision, refer the dispute to arbitration by a referee appointed by the Chief Justice, who shall not be an official of any Government department. (5) The relevant provisions of the Arbitration Act (Cap. 16) shall apply to any dispute referred to arbitration under subsections (3) and (4).”
“Now, Sir. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 3.55 p.m. Clause 91 -”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with such eloquence and with all the salutary remarks from the Member for Anson in support of the Bill, need I say more! Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time. Resolved, "That the Co-operative Societies Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection." - [Dr Ahmad Mattar]. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to Tuesday, 27th March, 1979." - [Mr E.W. Barker]. Adjourned accordingly at Five minutes to Six o'clock p.m. to Tuesday, 27th March, 1979. figures - NUMBER OF DRIVERS SUSPENDED UNDER THE POINTS DEMERIT SYSTEM (Cols. 1203 - 1204)”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1st April, 1979 to 31st March, 1980, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow?”
“And there are several outlets, as my Senior Parliamentary Secretary has just said. His last suggestion, if I got him correctly, was that the Singapore Sports Council should help sports associations to establish sports centres and he mentioned a scheme on a dollar-for-dollar basis - akin to the People's Association's assistance to Members of Parliament in building community centres. My answer is: we will look into it.”
“Sir, there is already an underpass; an overhead bridge will be constructed at Nicoll Highway and there is also another overhead bridge at Mountbatten Road. So I think they are fairly sufficient.”
“I was merely trying to quote what I thought the hon. Member had said. Anyway, the SSC and the Ministry of Social Affairs will try their best to approach SIA. On his complaint about traffic jams around the National Stadium area whenever there are football matches, particularly during the Malaysia Cup series, there is already an underpass near the stadium. The only problem is that the football fans just simply refuse to make use of this underpass mainly because it is sited slightly further away from the exit points. As far as the overhead pedestrian bridge is concerned, I remember the former Senior Minister of State for Finance, who is currently the Chairman of the Singapore Sports Council, in his answer to a Question raised by the hon. Member for Kampong Kembangan, said that an overhead pedestrian bridge would definitely be provided. If the hon. Member for Kim Seng takes a drive towards the East Coast he can see work being done there.”
“In other words, the SNOC is the coordinating body for national sports associations and there are 29 of them which come under the umbrella of SNOC. So when he suggested that the SSC should provide office space to national sports associations, I am not too sure whether this can be done because, as I said, these national sports associations come under the umbrella of the SNOC. He mentioned something about SIA being the lousiest airline. I did not follow what the Member -”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the financial provision to the Singapore Sports Council is for the implementation of some of the projects under its Master Plan of sports facilities. Since the implementation of the Master Plan of sports facilities in 1976, the squash and tennis complex at Kallang has been completed. Piling work on the Aroozoo Swimming Complex has commenced and the project is expected to be completed by 1980. Construction of the St. Wilfrid Sports Complex, next to Whampoa Secondary School, and the Serangoon Garden Squash and Tennis Complex, next to Serangoon Garden Technical School, will also be carried out in the new financial year. The plans for sports facilities to be developed by the Singapore Sports Council have been revised based on projected population distribution up to 1982 provided by the Planning Department. The hon. Member has made a number of suggestions and I think what we can do is perhaps to consider or study his suggestions in depth to see whether or not they can be implemented. On his suggestion that the Singapore Sports Council should also offer office-space to sports associations, I am not too sure whether or not this can be done for the reasons which I shall give now. The Singapore Sports Council's main objective, as hon. Members know, is to encourage as many people as possible to take up sports and physical exercises as a recreational habit to promote physical fitness. As such, it does not control sports associations except for Constituency Sports Clubs which are registered with the Singapore Sports Council. Apart from Constituency Sports Clubs, the other national sports associations are under the purview of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).”
“In that case, Sir, my answer is that the delay has nothing to do with the Legal Aid Bureau. The delays are due to the shortage of staff in both the Social Welfare Department and the Legal Aid Bureau. Every effort will be made to reduce the time for adoption cases to be completed, and my Ministry has appealed to the Ministry of Finance for additional staff to clear the backlog.”
“Sir, I am doing this because the hon. Member has traced the development which eventually pointed to the Legal Aid.”
“Sir, the delay is definitely not due to the inefficiency of the Legal Aid Bureau. The adoption law in Singapore, Sir, stipulates that before a court makes any decision relating to the adoption of a child, the court must be satisfied that the adoption is in the interest and welfare of the child. An affidavit must, therefore, be filed before the final hearing of the petition, setting out the result of any investigation made on the social circumstances of the infant and the petitioner and all other matters relevant to the proposed adoption. All this is done with a view to safeguarding the interests of the infant.”
“Sir, when I said that my Ministry is actively reviewing its Public Assistance Scheme, it will also look into the Means Test which the hon. Member is familiar with. This will be part of our review. We will certainly make our recommendations for an upward revision and hopefully they will be favourably accepted by my colleague, the Minister for Finance.”
“This is exactly what my Ministry is doing at the moment. Hopefully our recommendations will be favourably accepted by the Ministry of Finance.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the hon. Member has put a very difficult question for me to answer, i.e. whether $40 is enough or not. Like what my colleague, the Hon. Minister of Defence has said, as MP for Brickworks, it is not enough. But as the Minister for Social Affairs, I have to take a different stand. Sir, coming back to the policy of Public Assistance Scheme, first of all, I would like to stress that the Public Assistance Scheme is not a social insurance scheme. Ours is a non-contributing scheme which seeks to prevent utter destitution and starvation. It is recognised that the Public Assistance recipients cannot be expected to live on the allowances given. So wherever possible, Sir, they are assisted to become self-dependent unless, of course, they are old, disabled or chronically sick. For cases which experience extreme hardship, the Social Welfare Department actively seeks further assistance on their behalf from charitable organisations. Public assistance cases also enjoy a range of other benefits such as free medical attention at Government clinics and hospitals, remission of school fees, free textbooks for school-going children and free attendance at Government and NTUC/SILO creches. 7.15 p.m. Since the present Government took office in 1959, the rates of public assistance allowances have been revised five times. The last revision was in March 1976, Sir, as hon. Members may still recall, the former Senior Minister of State for Finance and now the Minister for Trade and Industry, in his reply to queries raised by hon. Members during the debate on the Budget Statement, mentioned that the Public Assistance Scheme is reviewed once in every three years. Since the last revision was made in 1976, it is therefore quite timely, Sir, for it to be reviewed again this year.”
“I would certainly direct the Education Committee of MUIS to look into his suggestion on the use of audio visual aids. Sir, I think I have answered all the points raised by the Member.”
“MUIS keeps in close touch with the mosque management committees to assist them in the proper management and running of the mosques. The mosque management committees of the three mosques do get together occasionally to exchange notes, so to speak, on the running of their mosques. They are also in close touch with MUIS for funds and other assistance which they may require. Sir, the last point raised by the hon. Member is whether I would consider forming a professional group of experts to improve on the management of mosques, the application of modern financial and accounting system for use by mosque management committees and the wide application of audio visual techniques in religious teachings conducted in mosques and other religious centres. As I have stated earlier, the running of a mosque is not a complicated affair. MUIS constantly monitors and assists in the management of the mosques. From time to time, when expertise in a certain field is needed, MUIS will seek the proper person and, if necessary, pay for his services. There is therefore no need to have a permanent group of experts, as we cannot envisage what kind of experts will be needed at any one time. The use of modern techniques in teaching is a specialised function. It involves training of teachers, purchase of equipment -and it presupposes that there are qualified people to take on the teaching programmes. I am not sure what the hon. Member has in mind when he talks about applying audio visual techniques in religious teaching. But if he is thinking of upgrading the level of teaching in religious schools which involves the use of audio visual aids, then the Education Committee of MUIS can look into this separately.”
“However, it is again my hope and desire that the best of the Muslims would come forward to serve on mosque management committees. On the hon. Member's concern that activities of mosques should not create the misconception that Muslims are people who prefer to keep to themselves, I would like to emphasise an important point here which should not be forgotten. A mosque is basically a place of worship. The activities organised by the mosque management committee are ancillary to the mosque's main function. Therefore, the mosque management committee members should be careful that in the running of the mosque, they do not over-emphasise the ancillary activities which detract from making the mosque a place of worship. If Muslims accept this concept, there is no question of their not wanting to integrate with the larger society. The hon. Member for Kampong Kembangan next wants to know whether I have plans to bring together the principal officers of mosque management committees of the six mosques to review and discuss in-depth measures to ensure that the management of the mosques will succeed in fulfilling the difficult and complex task of running the mosque in a modern, progressive and multi-racial society. Sir, here I beg to disagree with the hon. Member. I do not think that the running of a mosque is a difficult and complex affair. The running of a mosque is like the running of any organisation. The present mosque management committees with the assistance of MUIS are running the three mosques built under the Mosque Building Fund Scheme satisfactorily. And it is a credit to these members who have offered their services and sacrifice their free time voluntarily.”
“Like all civil servants, staff of the MUIS secretariat have been informed that letters written to them must be attended to promptly. However, delays are inevitable in a few instances because of the need to refer the complaints or requests to some other agencies for further investigation. I would like to ask the hon. Member to let me have specific instances where there have been inordinate delays so that these can be investigated immediately. I can assure the hon. Member for Kampong Kembangan that as long as the letters are not anonymous, they shall be answered. On the appointment of the Mufti, I fully agree with the hon. Member that the appointment of a Mufti is an important one and, for that reason, we must be certain that the person who is appointed to hold such an august appointment is the best candidate available. As with other senior civil service appointments, the decision to appoint a candidate to this post rests with the Public Service Commission. Although the post of Mufti is shown in the Estimates as a permanent post, the Commission has the prerogative to decide whether the selected candidate should be given temporary, contract or permanent appointment. Hitherto, Muftis have been appointed on contract basis. Eventually we hope to have the appointment filled on a permanent basis. Mr Chairman, Sir, I am not quite certain what the hon. Member has in mind with regard to his question on the Board of Management of mosques. If he is referring to mosque management committees, the members of these committees are appointed from among a list of persons whose names have been submitted to MUIS for consideration. These mosques can be run as best as the services offered by the volunteers.”