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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“Member for Punggol, we are facing difficulty in getting people to do the job because of the obnoxious nature of the job. Unless we can continue to increase our productivity, we may have to consider introducing measures along these lines in the future. The Member for Whampoa made a protest about the conditions in Sungei Whampoa. Mr Chairman, Sir, Sungei Whampoa is one of the five rivers flowing into the Kallang Basin. The other four being Rochore Canal, Carlton Canal, Kallang River and Geylang River. A cleaning-up programme to eliminate sources of pollution in the Kallang Basin and the Singapore River started in 1977 and significant progress has been achieved to-date. Within the Sungei Whampoa catchment, major sources of pollution like farms, answered premises and squatters have been cleared. Only pockets of answered squattered premises still remain but these will be removed or resettled by the end of this year. Sir, unfortunately, Sungei Whampoa is subjected to tidal influence. Water from Kallang Basin flows into Sungei Whampoa at high tide bringing along with it debris and flotsam, as there are still serious sources of pollution in the Kallang Basin and its catchment. The major sources of pollution in the Kallang Basin and its catchment are squatters and boat yards. These boat yards are at Kampong Bugis, Kampong Arang, Jalan Benaan Kapal and Tanjong Rhu. Squatters on the river bank, Sir, discharge refuse and waste water directly into the river while boat repair activities result in oil, grease, materials to be discharged into the Basin. The squatters will have to be resettled. The boat yards will have to be relocated elsewhere, But those who wish to remain where they are will be required to have proper control pollution measures.”
“In fact, my Ministry has considered the use of garbage grinders to remove food waste but has not approved its use as this requires a high consumption of water and electricity which the PUB is trying very hard to conserve. Furthermore, our sewers and treatment works will have to be increased in capacity before they can cater to the additional solids being introduced into the sewerage system and the cost of treatment will also increase correspondingly. The Member for Toa Payoh may be interested to know that officers of my Ministry, together with the HDB officers, are currently reviewing the refuse handling system in HDB estates. They will, of course, look into alternative methods which will include the use of compactors and other mechanical equipment that will save manpower and increase productivity. We will take note of the suggestions made by the Member for Toa Payoh. But, Sir, ultimately the residents themselves have to play a major role in preventing environmental problems arising from refuse handling. As I mentioned, Sir, our refuse is wet and, in our tropical climate, decomposes very easily. So householders should exercise care and discipline by draining off the liquid and putting the contents properly into plastic bags as this would be the best way to reduce smell and fly nuisance and make collection much easier. Sir, Members may be interested to know that in Japan housewives are required to separate their refuse into organic waste which includes food waste and the rest into combustibles and non-combustibles. This requires a lot of discipline on the part of the housewives. In Singapore, the volumes of refuse collected are increasing as the years go by and, as I have mentioned in my answer to the hon.”
“Sometimes. Sir, our fleet of 275 refuse trucks are generally well maintained and well looked after by our Vehicle Workshop at Eunos Industrial Estate. They are checked and serviced regularly. In fact, Sir, each vehicle is subjected to routine maintenance and servicing once in every 40 days, and the same vehicle is sent to the Singapore Automotive Engineering for overhauling and refurnishing once in every three years. Our refuse collection vehicles are replaced after eight years, although the life span of each vehicle is ten years. In 1984, Sir, 26 vehicles were taken off the road and replaced with 28 new vehicles. The trucks are also regularly checked in order to make sure that liquid from the refuse does not drop on the road. Sir, drippings from the truck can occur if the rubber seals at the tail gate of the trucks wear out before the servicing period is out, Drippings can also occur, Sir, on rainy days when the daily-rated employees do not drain off all the liquid from the bin centre. But whatever it is, Sir, whether the dripping is due to mechanical or human reasons, the defects are corrected immediately. 12.00 pm The Member for Toa Payoh, in a nutshell, says that the continued use of refuse chutes is out-of-date. Sir, the system of providing a refuse chute to every flat, while convenient to the householder, is labour-intensive as the refuse has to be transferred from the chute to the bin centre for eventual disposal. It also gives rise to environmental problems, as the Member has said, including fly breeding, smell, water pollution, etc., as the household refuse which includes food waste is generally wet. However, Sir, this can be minimized if householders tie up their refuse in plastic bags before they throw into the refuse chutes.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I will leave the replies on hawkers, pig farms, resettlement of pig farms to my Parliamentary Secretary. I will give replies to the other issues raised by hon. Members. First, I will give a reply to the suggestion by the hon. Member for Bukit Timah. His suggestion that we use sea water will be noted. I will certainly ask my Ministry to look into it. In fact, Sir, our Jurong Waterworks is already supplying treated effluent water to flats and industries in the area. His suggestion will be taken into consideration. Next, I move to the issues raised by the hon. Member for Punggol. He spoke of maintenance and upkeep of garbage disposal trucks. He observes, together with the Member for Siglap, that smelly liquids frequently drip from the refuse trucks.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, either we listen to Backbenchers or the Minister's reply. We have less than forty minutes.”
“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, 1985 to 31st March, 1986, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, some managements have complained to my Ministry that this is a difficult task for them as, very often, the public who use these toilets do not show enough care and consideration. The second area that needs attention is on the use of toilets. We will continue to have dirty toilets as long as people abuse and misuse public toilets. Here, we cannot expect Public Health Inspectors of my Ministry to check on the users in order to make sure that they practise good toilet habits. So we seek the cooperation of members of the public who make use of public toilets. Mr Chairman, Sir, in 1983, my Ministry embarked on a campaign to clean up public toilets. The approach was to get the managements and proprietors to rectify and spruce up the public toilets. They were also required to provide adequate facilities for drying hands, toilet paper, soap, and also to make sure that the mechanical systems, such as exhaust fans, are in good working condition. Sir, since then, some 2,000 public toilets in Singapore have shown some improvement. They have been rectified, spruced up and upgraded. And post-campaign surveys show that the sanitary fittings are in good working condition. Even the Ministry of Education, Sir, has embarked on a project costing $71/2 million to repair toilets in schools. The response is indeed encouraging. Sir, with the hope that clean toilets will beget clean toilet habits, my Ministry then went on to the public appealing to them, reminding them, to use public toilets with due care and consideration. I am confident that with the cooperation of the managements and users of public toilets, we hope to see some marked improvements in the state of our public toilets in the years to come.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, as far as I know, gas cylinders used for storage and conveyance of dangerous gases are manufactured to international standards which are acceptable by the Factory Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labour. Although the Ministry of Labour does not prescribe standards for gas cylinders, they do inspect them before they are filled. They are also required by the Factory Inspectorate to be pressure-tested at regular intervals to make sure that they are safe and that they have not deteriorated with time. Sir, I will now answer the question raised by the Member for Hong Kah on public toilets and I shall leave it to my Parliamentary Secretary to answer his question on hawkers. Sir, all public toilets in Singapore with more than two toilet compartments are required to be provided with extractor fans. In fact, Sir, it is one o the health requirements in the design of public toilets that there must be at least 10 air changes per hour. Sir, I must stress that my Ministry is really very concerned with the problems of cleanliness of public toilets, including those which are accessible to members of the public, like those in coffee shops. Basically, there are two areas which require aftention. The first is on the maintenance of these public toilets. Here, we hold the managements and owners of public toilets responsible for this. We want them to make sure that the toilets are kept clean, and we want to make sure that the sanitary fittings and the mechanical systems are in operation. Those who fail to maintain their toilets are warned and even prosecuted under the Environmental Public Health Act. For the information of this House, Sir, in 1984 alone, 676 managements of public toilets were warned to keep their toilets clean and 98 were summonsed.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, what the Member for Buona Vista wants to know is to what level are we going to reduce the lead content in petrol, and how do we arrive at that particular level. As I mentioned just now, Sir, before I was interrupted by you, my Ministry is seriously considering reducing the lead content in petrol to 0.15 grammes per litre. Why this level? It is because this is a practical level and it is being used by many countries, including Europe. More importantly, Sir, at this level, the octane numbers for petrol can still be maintained with some adjustments by the oil refineries. But I would like to inform this House that before we embark on this programme of reducing the lead content in petrol further, my Ministry intends to seek the views of oil refineries and also the Motor Traders' Association. We want to know from them the economic and technical aspects of the reduction which may affect refinery operations, the effect on the quality of petrol produced and the type of vehicles affected by the change in quality, if any. And, most importantly, the pump price of petrol after the reduction. Mr Chairman, Sir, Singapore is a highly urbanized society. Our road coverage per square kilometre of land is easily one of the highest in the world. So control of lead in the atmosphere is therefore a necessity for Singapore and the reduction of lead content in petrol is a cost effective method of control.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, at the moment there is no law to prevent Singaporeans from going to Johor Baru to buy petrol. As far as the lead content of petrol in Malaysia is concerned, the Member for Potong Pasir is right. At the moment the lead content of petrol in Malaysia is 0.84 grammes per litre, which was the lead content of petrol in Singapore five years ago. But I have been made to understand by my counterpart, the Minister for Environment in Malaysia, that Malaysia wo will be bringing down the lead content to 0.4 grammes per litre with effect from July this year.”
“But since 1984, Sir, these lead levels have been on the increase again, and this is due to the increase in our vehicle population and the corresponding increase in petrol consumption. One of the ways of controlling the ambient and roadside lead levels is to reduce the lead content in petrol further, My Ministry is seriously looking into this, and we hope to bring down the lead in petrol to 0.15 grammes per litre. As far as the incident at Mount Emily Park is concerned, this was caused by leaks in a valve controlling the supply of chlorine to a water tank at the Kandang Kerbau Hospital. Sir, Kandang Kerbau Hospital does not get its water supply direct from PUB. Instead, the PUB water is stored in a large concrete tank, and this water is super-chlorinated before it is being pumped and supplied to the hospital. The PWD has repaired the leaking valve and the cause of the incident is under investigation.”
“Now, the lead compounds in the exhaust gases of petrol engines are actually the combustion products of tetraethyl lead and tetramethyl lead which are added to petrol to increase the octane ratings. One of the main reasons for wanting to control excessive lead pollution is to protect the public from excessive lead exposure. You may know, Sir, that children are more susceptible to effects of lead than adults, as their central nervous systems are still developing and are therefore easily damaged. And some of the effects of lead on children are hyper-activity, reduction in intelligence, loss of concentration. Even pregnant women too are susceptible to the harmful effects of even low levels of lead. Now, Sir, both the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia have recommended that the maximum permissible level of lead in our air is 1.5 micro-grammes per cubic metre averaged over a 3-month period. And my Ministry has adopted this level as our guideline. Sir, the question is: why do we want to reduce the lead content in petrol? When the lead in petrol reduction programme was first launched by my Ministry in 1980, the ambient and roadside levels of lead, as measured by the Air Monitoring Stations of my Ministry, were very much above this level, that is, above the 1.5 microgrammes per cubic metre. And the concentration of lead in petrol at that time was 0.84 grammes per litre But as this concentration was progressively reduced to the present level of 0.4 grammes per litre, which was first attained in 1983, it was observed, Sir, that the ambient and the roadside lead levels correspondingly decreased to a level much lower than 1.5 microgrammes per cubic metre.”
“However, Sir, the discharge points of these have been carefully selected and designed so that the used sea water is discharged into the open sea, without upsetting the marine life in the sea. My Ministry is satisfied that the monitoring of sea water off Pulau Ayer Merbau has shown that there is no adverse effect on marine life. Now, Sir, as far a's solid wastes are concerned, they are either incinerated or buried at the Complex itself after they have been detoxified. The incinerators installed have performed up to the specifications given. Sir, all these measures which I have just described are measures to control air and water pollution, and also methods to dispose of solid wastes. Other aspects like plant safety, fire-fighting ability, fire protection, industrial hygiene, are being looked after by the other relevant authorities, like the Development and Building Control Division of the Ministry of National Development, the Singapore Fire Service of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Factories lnspectorate and the Industrial Health Division of the Ministry of Labour. Sir,[ now turn to the second issue which the Member has raised and that is, the reduction of lead in petrol. Mr Chairman, Sir, as the hon. Member for Buona Vista has aptly described, lead is a metabolic poison. It can be inhaled or ingested into the body through the air we breathe or the food and drink we consume. And, as he has pointed out, Sir, air pollution from motor vehicle exhausts constitutes the most significant source of lead in our atmosphere, In fact, Sir, it has been estimated that well over 90% of lead particles in our atmosphere originate from this source.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, hydrocarbon emissions are discharged when there are defects in the process equipment and these emissions would add on to the ambient hydrocarbon level in the atmosphere and, if left unchecked, it could create a hazardous situation, like explosions, for example. Therefore, Sir, companies involved with the project have been asked to institute hydrocarbon emission monitoring programmes whereby locations where hydrocarbon emissions are likely to occur are monitored regularly. Where hydrocarbons are detected, Sir, action will be taken to rectify the situation. Now, to control the sulphur dioxide emission resulting from the burning of fuel oil, a 2% limit, by weight, has been imposed on the sulphur content of the fuel oil used at the Complex. Mr Chairman, Sir, various types of flare systems have also been instituted for the safe disposal of waste gases and also to minimize black smoke and visual intrusion. Sir, with this comprehensive flare systems and together with the limit on sulphur content in fuel oil and the hydrocarbon emission monitoring programme, my Ministry is satisfied with the overall standards of air pollution control achieved at the Complex. Let me now turn to measures to control water pollution. Sir, for this purpose a central waste water treatment plant has been constructed to handle the liquid effluents. The treated liquid effluent is monitored regularly, and my Ministry is satisfied with the quality of this effluent. It has consistently complied with the limits set. Most of the processes at the Complex are heat-generating or exothermic and, therefore, large volumes of sea water are used for cooling purposes.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the Member for Buona Vista has raised a number of issues: measures taken to control air and water pollution in and around the petrochemical complex on Pulau Ayer Merbau, reduction of lead in petrol, and the Member has also cited the incidence of chlorine leakage near Mount Emily Park. Sir, I shall first deal with the petrochemical complex on Pulau Ayer Merbau. Mr Chairman, Sir, at the Complex, large quantities of hazardous and flammable materials are being processed under high pressures and extreme temperatures. But like the other refineries and chemical plants, Sir, adequate precautions have been incorporated in the design and operations of plants at the Complex in order to minimize the risk of fire, explosions and environmental problems. In fact, Sir, it is for safety reasons that the Complex is sited on the offshore island of Ayer Merbau. My Ministry is concerned with environmental problems at the Complex, especially those pertaining to air and liquid effluents and also solid wastes generated by processes at the Complex. My Ministry, therefore, has stipulated requirements to minimize these, and I shall now deal briefly with control measures instituted. First, measures to control air pollution. Sir, the biggest source of air pollution at the Complex is the relieving of processed valves during process changes, especially during the start-up and shut-down. Hydro-carbon emissions from processed equipment and sulphur dioxide emissions from the burning of fuel oil are other sources of air pollution.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a site at the junction of Bedok Reservoir Road and Bedok North Road has been safeguarded for the construction of a mosque to replace Masjid Alkaff which is affected by the redevelopment of Kampong Melayu/Kaki Bukit area. This assurance was made in this House some three years ago by the Minister for National Development himself. But I would like to stress, Sir, that as MUIS is heavily committed to the building of the nine mosques under Phase 11 of its Mosque Building Programme, development of the mosque at the Bedok Reservoir site can only be considered thereafter. The Member for Eunos wants an assurance to be given that the Masjid Alkaff mosque will not be demolished until the new mosque is built. This is the undertaking given by the Minister for National Development. MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF SINGAPORE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1985 TO 31 ST MARCH, 1986 Order read for resumed consideration in Committee of Supply (6th Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head L (cont) - Resumption of Debate on Question [25th March, 1985], "That the sum to be allocated for Head L be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead LA-01 Object Group 1100 of the Main Estimates." - [Mr Sia Khoon Seong]. Question again proposed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, MUIS has no plans for the Al-Taqwa Mosque at Jalan Bilal, and MUIS is not aware of any public scheme which will affect the site on which the mosque stands.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, nine mosques are scheduled to be built under Phase 11 of the Mosque Building Programme of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). The first mosque under the Programme, Masjid En-Naeem in Hougang, was completed in November 1983. Masjid Darul Aman in Kampong Ubi is under construction and is expected to be completed in December this year. Construction work on the third mosque, Masjid Darul Makmur in Yishun, will commence soon. Tenders for the construction of Masjid Al-Mukminin in Jurong East were called in December last year and work is expected to start by the middle of this year. Tenders for two other mosques, Masjid Al-Amin in Telok Blangah/Radin Mas and Masjid Darussalam in Clementi/West Coast will be called later this year. Work on the design of these two mosques is being done now by the HDB architects. Tenders for Masjid Darul Ghufran in Tampines and a mosque at Jalan Sempadan in Siglap are expected to be called next year, while tenders for the construction of the ninth mosque under the Programme, ie Masjid Ar-Raudhah in Bukit Batok, will be called in early 1987. Sir, barring unforeseen circumstances, the construction of each of these mosques will take between 18 and 24 months to complete.”
“Sir, members of the delegation were also advised that arrangements for the booking of accommodation in hotels and lodging houses would be standardized. With effect from this year, Sir, all bookings of hotels and lodging houses for Singapore pilgrims will have to be made through MUIS. MUIS has also been assured that, other than those in hotels, the other Singapore pilgrims will be accommodated in one or two lodging houses in close proximity of one another and not scattered about as was the case previously. Another assurance given to the MUIS delegation is that Singapore pilgrims will not be grouped with pilgrims from other countries. MUIS has also been requested to send another delegation nearer the 1985 Haj season to inspect the accommodation which will be allotted to Singapore pilgrims. Sir, with these arrangements,, MUIS hopes that the problems encountered by our pilgrims last year will be minimized this year. The Member for Kampong Kembangan has suggested that MUIS should take advantage of the recession and the low cost of construction, to expedite the building of mosques by using money which has accumulated in the Baitul-mal. Sir, the building of mosques in Singapore is a specific project under the Mosque Building Scheme. Muslims in Singapore are contributing to this Scheme. The minimum contribution is $1. There is no limit to the ceiling. And money collected for this fund is being used for the purpose of building mosques. So there is no other way by which mosques can be built from other funds.”
“My confidence is based on the good news brought back by the 4-member MUIS delegation to Saudi Arabia early this year, and the delegation was led by none other than the President of MUIS himself. Sir, let me just briefly tell this House why this delegation was sent to Saudi Arabia. Sir, it all started with the implementation by the Saudi Arabian Government of a new system, as the Member for Tanah Merah has mentioned, called the "Muassasah", for Southeast Asian pilgrims last year. Apparently, the system did not meet its intended objectives. Like all new systems, Sir, it had its teething problems. So MUIS felt that the problems encountered by Singapore pilgrims last year should be looked into and brought to the attention of the relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia in the hope that they would be resolved in time for this year's batch of pilgrims. But before the delegation left for Saudi Arabia, Sir, feedback from various sources, especially from last year's group of pilgrims, through questionnaires, and debriefing sessions from Medical and Welfare Teams of MUIS, was obtained. On the basis of the information gathered, a report was compiled and presented to the Saudi Minister for Pilgrimage and Endowments by the delegation. Sir, the delegation was given an assurance by the Saudi Minister that his Ministry would, to the best of their ability, provide better facilities in order to improve their services to the pilgrims. For matters which do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Pilgrimage and Endowments, such as airport facilities, transportation and health matters, the Ministry would liaise with the relevant Saudi authorities to extend full assistance to the pilgrims.”
“Following interrogations, the people concerned will be told of the falsehood of the teachings they are propagating. As a follow-up, Sir, MUIS from time to time reminds the Muslim public to be wary of such wrong teachings through statements in the press, through its publications, and through Friday sermons. Where the need arises, public lectures are organized to expose the people involved in the spreading of wrong teachings. Incidentally, Sir, section 133 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act empowers MUIS to deal with people who are guilty of spreading false teachings. And if I may read, Sir, section 133 says: 'Whoever shall teach or publicly expound any doctrine or perform any ceremony or act relating to the Muslim religion in any manner contrary to the Muslim law shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.' Next, the Member for Pasir Panjang wants to know about Islamic Religious Schools, whether MUIS is doing anything about them: to standardize syllabuses; salaries of teachers, and so on. For his information, Sir, a comprehensive working paper on Islamic Religious Schools in Singapore which incorporates matters related to the curricula, salary scale of teachers and other recommendations are now being studied by MUIS. The Member for Tanah Merah wants to know if this year's Haj pilgrims could expect better facilities in Makkah and the other Holy Cities in Saudi Arabia when they perform the pilgrimage in the latter half of this year. My answer is: Yes, I think so. And I certainly hope so.”
“The Syariah Court and the Registry of Muslim Marriages feel, and I agree with them, Sir, that parents of married couples should be made to realize their role and responsibilities in providing guidance and advice to their married sons and daughters. The traditional role of parents as counsellors should be revived. Parents, perhaps, should be encouraged to attend religious classes and talks in order to improve their knowledge. Sir, according to observations of the Registry of Muslim Marriages and the Syariah Court, lack of understanding in Islamic Religious Knowledge among Muslim couples is one of the major causes for the escalating rate of marital disputes. So perhaps efforts should, firstly, be targetted at the young. They should be taught and made to understand the basic Muslim marriage and divorce laws. In this respect, Sir, our educational system could play an important role by incorporating this aspect of the Muslim law into the IRK syllabus designed for Muslim students at secondary school level. The Member for Pasir Panjang has raised two issues, one on false teachings of Islam and the other on Islamic religious schools. Sir, cases involving wrong teachings or false teachings of Islam are brought to the attention of the Muslim Religious Council (MUIS) for investigation. These cases usually surface through complaints received by MUIS, either from the Muslim public, Mosque Management Committees, or MUIS's own Muslim Missionary District Committees (JHDs). Individuals or groups suspected of indulging in wrong teachings are summoned to appear before the Fatwa or Rulings Committee of MUIS, if the initial investigations by MUIS disclose that an offence has been committed.”
“The Ministry of Finance has given the Syariah Court two additional posts, a clerical officer in May last year and an additional MSCW for FY 85. It is hoped that, with the additional staff, the Syariah Court will be able to help Muslim couples resolve their marital disputes more speedily. Next, I turn to the role of mosques in helping the Court to counsel newly-wedded couples. Sir, the Syariah Court has successfully sought the cooperation of six Mosque Management Committees in this area of need. These are the Management Committees of the six mosques built under Phase I of the Mosque Building Programme of MUIS. Formed in the middle of last year, these Mosque Counselling Committees, as they are called, help in counselling newly-married couples who are facing marital problems. Now, in view of its usefulness, Sir, I think every couple who intends to get married should be encouraged to attend such courses. And the Registrar of Muslim Marriages and his Kadis, therefore, will have to vigorously promote these courses and request the couples to make a concerted effort to avail themselves of such courses. Now, preventive measures are also being taken by the Syariah Court and the Registry of Muslim Marriages with a view to reducing the number of divorces among Muslims in Singapore. The Registry of Muslim Marriages refers couples who intend to get married but are found to have little religious knowledge to the Mosque Management Committees of the six mosques I have mentioned earlier. These mosques conduct classes on basic religious knowledge and the couples are required to attend these classes in order to improve their religious understanding which is an important preparation before they set out on married life.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I am replying in my capacity as the Minister-incharge of Muslim affairs. Let me first deal with the Member for Kampong Ubi. He wants to know how successful Muslim Social Case Workers at the Syariah Court have been in reconciling Muslim couples who seek the assistance of the Court for marriage counselling, the volume of cases handled by them, and the role of the Mosques Management Committees in helping the Court to counsel newly wed couples. Sir, the number of marital dispute cases registered at the Syariah Court has been increasing steadily over the years. In 1975, the number of new cases registered was 1,064. In 1980, it increased to 1,216. And last year, as pointed out by the Member for Kampong Ubi, it was 1,593. So in percentage terms, Sir, the increase in the number of cases registered from 1975 to 1984 was 50%. Muslim Social Case Workers, or MSCWs as they are called, generally try to help couples with marital problems to resolve their differences. If after counselling the couples still insist on a divorce, the MSCWs will help them to reach a mutually acceptable agreement on matters such as custody of children, maintenance, consolatory gifts and division of property. 3.30 pm Sir, the MSCWs have generally been successful in helping couples to settle their disputes. On the average, in 33% of the cases counselled, the couples agreed to be reconciled; 14% insisted on going through a divorce; 15% had their cases referred to the Court for hearing, and the remaining 38% were carried over to the following year for further counselling. Sir, the staff in the Syariah Court have been facing an uphill task in trying to cope with their ever-increasing workload over the years. I am happy to say, Sir, that their predicament did not go unnoticed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, for land-scarce Singapore, the most cost-effective method of refuse waste disposal is by incineration, particularly because of the high volume-reduction achieved in transforming refuse to ash. The heat generated from the combustion of refuse can be made use of to generate electricity and the ferrous metals present in the ash residue can be extracted and sold as scrap iron. As you know, Sir, we have at the moment one refuse incineration plant at Ulu Pandan and the Government is currently building a second one at Tuas. Based on the projected tonnage of volume that we can anticipate in the 1990s, we may have to build a third one. But even if we build all the incineration plants that we need to build, the level of technology today, Sir, can only allow 80% of the total refuse collected to be incinerated. The remaining 20%, what we call the non-incinerables, will still have to be dumped. On the question of acquisition of land in Punggol for dumping, I think that part of the Punggol has been earmarked for the development of a new town and, therefore, the site for the additional dumping ground has been transferred to a new area which is adjacent to the Lorong Halus dumping ground. RESETTLEMENT OF STREET HAWKERS 3. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for the Environment how many street hawkers have been resettled into the hawker centres since the introduction Qf the policy to ensure better and more hygienic handling of food; how many more will have to be resited and when will this exercise be completed and, whether there are plar)s to build (nore hawker centres, partrcularly for the selling of cooked food, in the light of changing eating habits.”
“Retirement and resignation, Sir, could not be matched by recruitment which is increasingly difficult because of the obnoxious nature of the job. But be rest assured, Sir, that my Ministry, particularly the Environmental Health Officers of my Ministry, are vigilant. They are always on the alert and they will attend to complaints of this nature immediately and in the best way they know how.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my Ministry is aware of an increase in the incidence of fly breedings at the Lorong Halus Dumping Ground around the Chinese New Year period. This increase was due to increased refuse dumped at the dumping grounds and a temporary shortage of earth to cover the refuse, The fly situation at the Lorong Halus Dumping Ground, Sir, is monitored daily and the increase was controlled by insecticidal spray. Sir, during a routine survey of the Hougang housing estate by my health inspectors, we also detected a number of fly breedings at the refuse chutes of some of the flats and bin centres. This problem arose because of an increase in refuse output in the estate due to the Chinese New Year period as well as the durian season. The fly breedings were destroyed and the situation is back to normal. The fly nuisance at Hougang housing estate was not related to the increase in incidence of fly breedings at Lorong Halus Dumping Ground, which is about 2 km away. Sir, at this stage, I would like to mention to this House that as long as we have to dump our refuse we can anticipate complaints of this nature to arise once in a while, especially during festive seasons and during prolonged periods of bad weather. The other point that I feel I should make in this House is that sewerage, refuse disposal and street cleansing activities are labour-intensive. In spite of automation and mechanization, we still need to depend on a large number of daily-rated employees, or what we call the DREs. I think we are fortunate, Sir, that we do have these people to do the job. But I am afraid, Sir, it would not be for long. The DREs belong to a special breed of people, and one major problem faced by my Ministry in this area is the declining number of our DRE workforce.”
“The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) is working closely with the architects of the Housing and Development Board on the brief for Masjid Al-Amin which will be built at the junction of Telok Blangah Way and Telok Blangah Rise. Once this has been finalised, building plans will be prepared by the HDB architects and submined to the Development and Building Control Division for approval. Tenders for the construction of the mosque will be called by the HDB sometime in 1985. EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE TO THE DISABLED 14. Mr S. Chandra Das asked the Minister for Labour and Second Minister for Law and Home Affairs whether the Ministry of Labour offers assistance for disabled people who seek employment and, if so, what assistance is given and what are the major problems facing employment prospects for the disabled.”
“(a) 2,947 pilgrims performed the Haj this year through the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). (b) Our pilgrims and also those from other Southeast Asian countries encountered problems as a result of the Muassasah system introduced for this region by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Endowments this year. The Muassasah is an agency set up to coordinate arrangements for pilgrims from a specific country or region. The objectives of the Muassasah system are: i. to upgrade the standard of service for pilgrims; ii. to regularise the fees charged by the Makkah syehs; iii. to prevent pilgrims from being overcharged by unscrupulous syehs; iv. to eliminate the annually recurring problems of water shortage, poor transportation service and poor quality of food provided; and v. to group pilgrims of the same country together so that they can be better looked after. Among the problems encountered by the pilgrims were poor accommodation, inadequate supply of water, difficulty in obtaining food and poor transportation service. MUIS is collating information from pilgrims, pilgrim brokers and the team of Medical/Welfare officers who accompanied the pilgrims during their Haj on the problems they encountered. MUIS will then take up the pilgrims' problems with the relevant Muassasah agency so that these may be resolved. AL-AMIN MASJID 13. Mr M.K.A. Jabbar asked the Minister for Social Affairs what is the present position in the building of Al-Amin Masjid at Telok Blangah Way.”
“As soon as it is possible. $120 LEVY ON FOREIGN MAIDS 6. Mr Hwang Soo Jin asked the Minister for Labour and Second Minister for Law and Home Affairs whether he will rescind the decision to impose the flat $120 levy on foreign maids in view of the fact that the measure is clearly inconsistent with the Government's objective of encouraging more married women to work.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am pleased to inform the Member for Chong Boon that my Ministry supports the proposal by the Singapore Sports Council to build a modern international indoor stadium at Kallang Park, near to the National Stadium. Estimated to cost $45 million, the Indoor Stadium now proposed will have a capacity of 15,000 to cater to sports activities, conventions, family entertainment shows, exhibitions, cultural and other events. The arena will accommodate two basketball and eight badminton courts which can also be used for all other indoor sports. The Stadium will conform to specifications of international standards which include unobstructed views from the galleries and air-conditioning. There will be special lighting for different sports and at different illumination levels, public address system with controls to different areas, matrix scoreboards, adequate changing rooms, showers and toilets for players and spectators. We will also have supporting facilities for staff and members of the media. A feasibility study conducted by the Singapore Sports Council indicates that the proposed international Indoor Stadium should be well utilized. The better facility might encourage sports and other organizations to organize more international, regional and national games competitions, good family type entertainment and cultural performances.”
“I have inquired into the events that led to the cholera outbreak, and the answer today is a report of that report. INDOOR NATIONAL STADIUM 5. Mr S. Chandra Das asked the Minister for Social Affairs whether there are any definite plans to build a modern "Indoor National Stadium" in Singapore in the very near future and, if so, what are the details of the proposed Indoor Stadium.”
“The answer is no. I have my Boards of Visitors appointed by the Director of Social Welfare and they consist of members of the public. They visit the Homes regularly, not only the Woodlands Home for the Aged but all the other Homes under the Ministry. There is no need for any committee of inquiry.”
“As I replied to the Member for Chong Boon, because of the fact that the residents are old, frail and incontinent, dirty and choked toilets occur frequently and we attend to them as soon as we can. To his second question, with the present staff to resident ratio of 1:12, 1 think we can manage with the problem. We have been managing this for the last 20 years. We will continue to manage. We will do our best with the resources available.”
“To answer the first question, repairs were done almost immediately after it happened.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the problem of dirty and choked toilets is not. peculiar to Woodlands Home for the Aged only. It happens almost everywhere. Maybe I should draw the attention of the Member to an article which appeared in one of the September issues of Sunday Times. I cannot remember the date. In fact, this article was written by an employee of the Straits Times. She bemoans the fact that we Singaporeans have not been educated in our toilet habits. According to her, even young, healthy office workers dirty the toilets no matter how new the environment of the office and the toilets may be. Even in the Straits Times, according to her, although the toilets are about two years old, the handles to the water closets are already breaking and repairs to choked toilets have been less than prompt. Only a couple of days ago we read in The Monitor that the sanitation in the toilets of NUS has improved after the Member for Whampoa brought it up at an exhibition last week. Sir, the problem with the Woodlands Home for the Aged is that, as I mentioned in my answer earlier on, most of the 600-plus residents are old, incontinent and have poor control over their bowels. But we will do our best with whatever resources available.”
“Frequent inspections we conducted by my staff and by members of the Boards of Visitors appointed by the Director of Social Welfare. For the long term, my Ministry has instituted a thorough review of all its institutions. The review may result in the relocation of some Homes to more appropriate localities with purpose-built facilities.”
“My staff have done what they could within the available manpower resources of the Woodlands Home for the Aged. Mr Speaker, Sir, the relevant issue to consider here is whether we can afford to deploy a staff force to ensure at all times personal hygiene and complete cleanliness of the toilets and premises of these Homes. Although the State has a duty to care for the residents in these Welfare Homes, I am of the view that we must do the best with the resources available. Measures taken to prevent recurrence of similar situations The Member for Chong Boon has asked what measures have been taken to prevent recurrence of similar situations. Mr Speaker, Sir, this incident in the Woodlands Home was an unfortunate one. The Home has been in existence for 20 years and there has hitherto been no epidemic or even food poisoning. Nonetheless, we have taken several immediate measures to prevent recurrence of a similar outbreak. Only freshly cooked food is allowed into the Homes. All residents and food handlers are made to wash their hands before touching food and drinks. All food handlers will be screened regularly by the Ministry of Health. A new working procedure for minor repairs has been introduced which allows the Superintendent of the Home to get the work done by any nearby contractor if the term contractor appointed by PWD fails to respond to a request for minor repairs within a reasonable time. The existing PVC toilet cisterns will be phased out and replaced by heavy duty ones. Hygienic Conditions of the Homes The Ministry of Social Affairs runs three Homes for the aged and destitutes and nine Homes for children and young persons. I am satisfied with the hygienic conditions of these Homes.”
“Thank you, Sir. Mr Speaker, Sir, the recent outbreak of cholera in the Woodlands Home for the Aged was caused by the introduction of cholera bacteria into the Home from an outside source. A resident helper in the kitchen was infected through consuming contaminated food brought to him by a relative. He developed diarrhoea on 14 August and was diagnosed to be suffering from cholera on 18 August. Up to 7 September, a total of 21 residents were infected with cholera and 76 were identified as carriers. Four of the cholera victims died. The causes of death were 'acute myocardial infarction' and 'acute cerebral infarction' in an 85-year old resident, 'cardio-respiratory failure' in an 82-year old resident, 'acute intestinal gangrene' in a 75-year old resident and 'acute gastroenteritis' in a 90-year old resident. It can be seen that two of the four victims died because of their frailty and low resistance to the cholera bacteria. Mr Speaker, Sir, certain newspapers have given wide publicity to the outbreak and attributed the spreading of the disease within the Home mainly to the unsanitary condition of the toilets. While a few toilets serving the male residents were defective at the time of the outbreak and some others were not quite clean, these were in themselves not the main cause for the spread of the disease in the Home. The frailty of most of the residents in the Home, many of whom are incontinent and have poor control over their bowels, were a more significant factor. It was unfortunate that an infected resident helper in the kitchen was not detected as a cholera victim and isolated until after several days. He was the initial source of the spread of the cholera.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since Questions 3 and 4 are related, may I be permitted to answer them together?”
“Among the facilities to be provided are a conference room, committee rooms, computer room, office for MENDAKI Secretariat, director's office and library. Renovations to the Siglap Indah Primary School are scheduled for completion in May 1985. 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; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 6.25 pm”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I must thank the hon. Members for Geylang Serai, Telok Blangah, Pasir Panjang and Kaki Bukit for supporting the amendment to the Administration of Muslim Law Act now before the House. On the suggestion of the hon. Members for Geylang Serai, Telok Blangah and Pasir Panjang that MENDAKI must quickly develop a strong administrative infrastructure with good staff who are capable and who can plan and implement programmes which can effectively raise the educational level of Muslims, hon. Members may be pleased to know that MENDAKI is actively considering this. I fully agree with them that MENDAKI will only be able to achieve marginal success when its programmes are planned and carried out on a piece-meal basis by volunteers. The Member for Telok Blangah has expressed concern that having produced the graduates, we could not make optimum use of the acquired education and skills. Here, Sir, I hope that the term "graduates" used by the Member for Telok Blangah does not only refer to University graduates but also graduates from the Polytechnics, from the Vocational Institutes of VITB; in fact, graduates from all levels of education. Sir, I think the Member's fear is real and I agree with him that MENDAKI needs to sit down and address itself to this potential problem area. However, I am confident that with positive assistance from the Government and the sincerity of the other ethnic groups in Singapore, this problem, hopefully, would not arise. The Member for Pasir Panjang would like to know of the facilities available at the new MENDAKI headquarters when we take over the Siglap Indah Primary School sometime next year.”
“With all of us, the leaders of the various Muslim organizations in Mendaki, parents, students and other members of the Muslim community continuing to work together in a positive and confident way, I am sure that we can attain our objectives. We must show that we have the courage, determination, perseverance and stamina to try and try again until we succeed. By not giving up, we will earn self-respect and dignity. This effort to raise the educational standards of Muslims in Singapore will benefit everyone. In a country without any natural resources, it is important that we develop our human resources to their maximum potential so that they can increase their contribution to Singapore's development. Sir, I support the Bill. 6.03 pm”
“With a regular source of income, Mendaki must quickly develop a strong administrative infrastructure with staff who are highly capable and who can plan and implement programmes which can effectively raise the educational level of the Muslims. Mendaki will only be able to achieve marginal success when its programmes are planned and carried out on a piecemeal basis by volunteers who can only offer their services part-time. Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to stress that the Muslim parents will have a crucial role to play to help Mendaki fulfil its mission. Muslim parents must be determined to see that their children take full advantage of the educational opportunities which Mendaki can help make available. They have the responsibility to make sure that in their homes, they will not only provide strong encouragement but also the right condition for -their children to study. In other words, they should have a very keen interest in their children's studies and should spare no effort to ensure that their children can be developed to their fullest potential in their education. To provide our children with the opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills is to provide them with an abundance of opportunities to enjoy a better quality of life. The development of Mendaki has demonstrated unequivocally that the Muslims in Singapore are self-reliant. We are indeed thankful for the generous help and support given by the Government and the other communities in Singapore to Mendaki. We realize that the responsibility to ensure that Mendaki will be able to suc- cessfully attain its objectives must fall squarely on the Muslim community itself.”
“Any Muslim employee who does not wish to contribute for mosque building or MENDAKI or both may go to the office of MUIS to exercise his option and obtain a Certificate of Option which he should present to his employer instructing the latter not to pay contribution to the Fund on his behalf during any period not exceeding 12 months. However, just as Muslims have given their whole-hearted support to the Mosque Building Fund since 1975, 1 hope that they will be equally supportive of the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund. For all of us know that contributions to MENDAKI will benefit Muslim children in Singapore. It is their education that we will be investing in. Finally, Sir, I would like to allay the fears of some Muslim contributors to the CPF who were wrongly informed by a newspaper that part of their savings in the CPF would be channelled to MENDAKI. This is not correct. The savings in the account of the CPF contributor cannot be withdrawn for any purposes other than those prescribed by the CPF Act and Regulations. No part of his. savings in the CPF can therefore be channelled to MENDAKI. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe (Geylang Serai)( In Malay): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank the Government for giving its strong support and encouragement to Mendaki. With the passage of this Bill, Mendaki will be able to secure a steady flow of income to finance its various programmes. Sir, Mendaki has the formidable and enormous task to raise the education level of Muslims in all fields and at all levels of education. With better education and the upgrading of their knowledge and skill levels, Muslims in Singapore will be able to meet the challenges of new technology more confidently.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Muslim leaders and members of the MENDAKI Council, and Muslims in Singapore in general, were therefore pleased when Government gave its approval for Muslim employees to contribute 50 cents each month to MENDAKI through the CPF Board. The amendment to the Administration of Muslim Law Act now before the House is to enable the proposal to be put into effect. The Mosque Building Fund will be redesignated as the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund. The minimum contributions payable to the Fund will be $1 for the purpose of building mosques and 50 cents for Mendaki. I would like to reiterate that money collected for MENDAKI through this fund will be used solely for the purposes of implementing MENDAKI's tuition and other related educational projects, and to meet administrative overheads. It will not be administered by MUIS. MUIS, on receipt of all contributions to the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund from the CPF Board each month, will pay to MENDAKI, as soon as practicable, the net amount of the contributions received for the purpose of MENDAKI after taking into account the appropriate expenses referred to in subsection (1) (c) of clause 3 of the Bill. Sir, it is my sincere appeal to all Muslim employees that they will continue to give the same amount as they are giving now for mosque building, and, in addition, contribute another 50 cents for MENDAKI. If a Muslim employee feels that he can afford to give more to MENDAKI, I would urge him to do so by completing an authorization form obtainable at the office of MUIS at Empress Place and presenting it to his employer so that the appropriate deduction from his salary can be made by the employer. I would like to reiterate that contributions to the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund are entirely voluntary.”
“MENDAKI also realizes that to give tuition only to students of Primary 6, Secondary 4 and JC II/pre U III to got them to pass their respective end-of-year-examinations is a short-term expedient which may at the most produce better results only at the margin. Plans are therefore afoot to extend the tuition scheme to students in Primary 5, Secondary 3 and JC I/Pre U II. As a start, tuition classes for Secondary 3 students will start next year. Classes for Primary 5 students will commence in 1986. In addition to its tuition scheme MENDAKI, in consonance with its objective of uplifting the educational performance of Muslim students, has been awarding bursaries to postgraduate students and study loans to students in tertiary education since 1983. Based on 1984 estimates, MENDAKI needs about $300,000 a year to run its tuition classes for PSLE, GCE 'O' and 'A level students, for its postgraduate bursaries and study loans, and to meet administrative costs. More, of course, will be needed if MENDAKI were to mount tuition classes for students at the other levels, organize other related educational projects and meet the higher administrative costs when it moves to its new Headquarters at the former Siglap lndah Primary School next year. As of now, MENDAKI does not have a steady source of income. Fortunately, both Muslims and non-Muslims in Singapore have so far responded positively to appeals for donations to MENDAKI. However, it is difficult to predict the level of public enthusiasm and financial support as this fluctuates with changing economic situations. In the long run, MENDAKI must have its own source of income if it is to continue serving the educational needs of Muslims in Singapore.”
“As we all know, Sir, the Report of the 1980 Census of Population revealed that the Malays were under-represented in the higher levels of education. There were only 679 Malays in Singapore with university qualifications in that year, representing 0.21% of all Malays aged five years and above compared to 31,286 Chinese (1.8%) and 3,518 Indians (2.4%). Similarly, the number of Malays with technical qualifications in 1980 was 1,046 (0.3%) compared to 24,227 Chinese (1.4%) and 1,234 Indians (0.9%). Malay pupils also do not perform as well as pupils of other races in the PSLE, GCE 'O' and GCE 'A' level examinations. Given the practical importance of examination success, there is, therefore, a definite need to take steps to help Muslim students Malays especially, to realize their full potential in terms of their educational attainment. It was this realization that prompted the Muslim Members of this House and leaders of 11 leading Muslim organizations in Singapore, including MUIS, to form MENDAKI in 1981 with the aim of providing an educational uplift to Muslim children. It is appreciated, Sir, that it takes a long, comprehensive and sustained effort to encourage students, even before Primary 1 and throughout their school career, to achieve their full potential. However, it was felt that, as a first step in the drive to improve the educational attainment of Muslims, MENDAKI should organize a tuition scheme for students in the "terminal" levels. Special tuition classes have therefore been organized for students sitting for the PSLE, GCE 'O' and GCE 'A' level examinations. I am pleased to inform the House that about 3,000 students are presently attending tuition classes at MENDAKI's 13 tuition centres.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." In the early 1970s, Muslim leaders and members of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) saw the need for mosques to be built in HDB new towns to serve the Muslim residents. The task of raising the necessary funds to meet the land and construction costs proved to be most difficult. The first mosque planned at Toa Payoh New Town could not get off the ground because the funds collected through donations and fund-raising projects were insufficient to meet the project cost. To solve this problem, Government gave its approval for Muslims in Singapore to contribute to the Mosque Building Fund of MUIS through the Central Provident Fund Board. In September, 1975, the Administration of Muslim Low Act was amended accordingly for the implementation of this Scheme. The objective was to ensure a steady source of funds for the building of mosques in HDB Now Towns in Singapore. As a Muslim Singaporean, Sir, I am very proud to state that although contributions to the Mosque Building Fund are voluntary, it has received the whole-hearted support of our Muslim employees. Their contributions have enabled MUIS to build seven multifunctional mosques in HDB New Towns. Eight more are at various stages of planning. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Administration of Muslim Law Act is being amended once again to extend the purpose and application of the Mosque Building Fund to the payment of contributions to Yayasan MENDAKI (Council on Education of Muslim Children). However, before I proceed any further, Sir, allow me to give a brief background on Yayasan MENDAKI - how and why it was formed and what it has been doing so far.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, among the 16 Kadis and Naib Kadis appointed by the President of Singapore to solemnize marriages under the Administration of Muslim Law Act, only one is an Indian Muslim. Since his appointment in September 1977, this Naib Kadi has solemnized a total of only 71 marriages, or an average of 12 each year. The other Kadis and Naib Kadis solemnize an annual average of 176 marriages each during the same period. So it would appear that more Indian Muslim Naib Kadis are not required to serve the needs of the Indian Muslim community in Singapore. PROBLEMS OF THE AGED (Paper Misc. 3 of 1984) Order read for Resumption of Debate on Amendment [29th June, 1984], to Question [29th June, 1984], "That this House, having noted the Report of the Committee on the Problems of the Aged - A Blue Paper by the Ministry of Health, February 1984, as contained in Paper Misc. 3 of 1984, approves the recommendations of the Committee on the Problems of the Aged." - (Minister for Health). Which Amendment was, To leave out "approves the recommendations of the Committee on the Problems of the Aged" appearing in lines 3 and 4 and insert - "recommends to the Government to adopt the Report, after making appropriate amendments to the recommendations taking into consideration the views expressed by this House". - [Mr Lim Boon Heng].”