Amy Khor Lean Suan
Singapore
“Sir, NEA does conduct inspections of these premises from time to time. For this particular premises, they actually did six inspections since 2021.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducts enforcement actions against drivers who are found to have provided illegal car-pooling services. An individual who provides an illegal car-pooling service may face a fine of up to $3,000, up to six months' imprisonment, or both.”
“We will also provide the first 500 private heavy vehicle chargers co-funding of up to 50% of the charger installation cost, capped at $30,000 per charger. These measures will narrow the lifecycle cost gap between an electric and internal combustion engine heavy vehicle and spur adoption of electric heavy vehicles.”
“With regard to the extension of the lower speed limit to school zones for full day, we will work with the relevant agencies on the enhanced enforcements.”
“They will provide a certain amount of protection to the pedestrians because, as I have said, the bollards will absorb the impact of the collision from the vehicles. So, there is a protection. But ultimately, of course, road safety really depends on a multitude of factors, including road user behaviour.”
“The bollards installed at pedestrian crossings by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are not of the K4, K8 or K12 standards stated by the Member. Bollards of these standards are typically security bollards. They are installed to protect critical infrastructure or at high security areas, such as Changi Airport, to be unyielding.”
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“Sir, whilst I generally agree that charities should be regulated with a light touch, as otherwise they would be overburdened with tight regulations which could stifle volunteerism, light regulation certainly does not mean that we allow our charity sector to run like the wild, wild west. In relation to the NKF fiasco, for instance, there have been some sentiments on the ground that the Government could have been more pro-active and intervened earlier when there were already some grumblings from members of the public and the charity sector. With regard to the further review of rules and regulations governing charities, I would like to make three proposals: Audits, annual reports and general meeting with the public Sir, while voluntary welfare organisations are required to submit their year-end audited accounts to the NCSS and post them online, there is no requirement for independent audits to be conducted on these non-profit organisations to ensure that the funds are used prudently. Such independent audits would lead to greater transparency and accountability for the funds raised. The Government should thus consider making it mandatory for large IPCs to undertake independent audits. Additionally, they should be required to publish annual reports and audited financial statements which should be made available online to the public for greater accountability and transparency. The recommendations recently made by the Council on Governance of Institutions of Public Character only recommend this as a best practice and not made compulsory. It is also proposed that they hold annual meetings where the public can ask questions regarding their operations to keep the public fully informed of their activities.”
“The committee should comprise members who are experts in the area of volunteerism and philanthropy, senior civil servants from the relevant Ministries, experts in corporate governance and accounting standards, and well respected by the public. And I think these clearly may not be the Opposition, as Mr Chiam See Tong tried to suggest. There should be a timeline set for the completion of the committee's inquiry, so as not to allow the public disquiet to fester longer than necessary. The committee's findings and recommendations should be made public. We should face the issues and mistakes made, if any, squarely, learn from them, and then move on. Secondly, fine-tuning and tightening regulations. Sir, the Council on Governance of Institutions of Public character, which was appointed by the Minister for Finance, had in May 2005 made recommendations to promote good governance and transparency among institutions of public character. These relate to board governance, fund-raising and financial controls. Sir, it may be presumed that the charities themselves were supportive of the original 19 recommendations made by the Council, as they recognise that greater transparency and accountability would earn them the trust of the donating public. In the light of the recent revelations and feedback from the public, more comprehensive rules and regulations should be drawn up, especially for large IPCs. These should be as rigorous as for any listed companies, to ensure a high standard of corporate governance, transparency and ethics. As there is a wide range of charities, it is recognised that we clearly cannot have a one-size-fits-all set of rules. Hence, we should look at a tiered approach and even some customisation.”
“However, what then is enough as reserves since fund-raising activities are also ongoing, what is the reserve policy, who sets and approves the policy, and how is its adequacy measured? Furthermore, whilst it continues to be very successful in raising funds, why has the NKF's share of kidney patients dropped from more than 50% in 2002 to 44% in 2003? As mentioned by the Minister for Health, have the subsidy levels set been so stringent that many patients have been driven away? Some of the revelations appear to be serious violations of public trust, such as the apparent inflation of the patient number to 3,000 when, in fact, it is only about 2,000. Sir, although we should not go on a witch hunt, the public disquiet over the many unanswered questions regarding the NKF must be fully addressed, with no stones unturned. Otherwise, this could lead to a very cynical public with deep mistrust for charities and, hence, lower philanthropy participation rate and giving. Although our philanthropy participation rate of 97%, according to an NVPC survey, is very high, our donation per capita is actually very low, compared to countries like Hong Kong, the US and UK. So, we can ill afford to have a cynical public that cuts back on their giving for charity. Already, due to the tsunami relief efforts, many charities are lamenting that they are not receiving the charity dollars they need. Sir, I therefore propose that, besides an internal probe, an independent committee of inquiry be set up to thoroughly investigate the issues and concerns that have been raised as a result of the recent revelations in court.”
“Sir, like many Singaporeans, I am shocked and saddened by recent disclosures about the affairs of the NKF. I have always had great respect for the work that the NKF is doing in providing affordable, accessible and high-quality dialysis treatment and care for its patients. In fact, its innovative ways of fund raising and publicising the NKF cause, which some criticise while others praise, has made the NKF easily the most recognisable charitable organisation in Singapore. Perhaps, this is why the public outrage against these disclosures has been tremendous and the revelations were a bombshell to many who have loyally supported and sacrificially donated to the NKF. Sir, I would thus like to make two key observations and recommendations: Firstly, the formation of an independent committee of inquiry. Sir, although the potential fallout of the NKF disclosures is now, I believe, contained, with the resignation of the previous CEO and the Board and the swift appointment of a very well-respected volunteer and philanthropist, Mr Gerard Ee, to helm the organisation, numerous questions remain unanswered. For instance, it was revealed that, of the $31.6 million expended for dialysis and transplantation treatment in 2003, the fees collected from patients were $22.9 million and the actual out-of-pocket expense by NKF was only $7.2 million. One wonders why the overall average subsidy level is only 23% when the NKF has managed to raise large amounts of funds and amass huge reserves of $262 million. I fully understand the justification for reserves in that, when one takes on a dialysis patient, it is for the long term and hence NKF is committed to the patients for their lifetime.”
“We should, in line with the current thinking, allow as many investment options and choices as possible and in effect, this may have a negative impact on the Government's encouragement for people to set up business because many of these people may have purchased the shops and office space for their own use.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister three questions. Sir, with your indulgence, first, I would like to thank the Minister for announcing this package of changes with the aim, as he noted, of streamlining many of the policies in the public and private housing markets, as well as help to lead to more efficient functioning of the property market. This would come as a very pleasant surprise to many property market players as well as potential investors. I think it would be a shot in the arm for the property market in general. But, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister why now. What is the rationale for implementing these changes, and why now, especially at a time when some analysts believe that worldwide, except in Singapore, the property market is experiencing a bubble built-up and heading for a crash? Some of these changes seem to me to be a reversal of the Government's policy to ensure prudence in property investments. Does the Government believe that the property market is grossly underperforming here and this has a negative impact on consumption? Sir, another question would be, why not implement these changes in phases? Why all at once? Sir, I would also like to ask the Minister, as the property market is already showing some signs of being on the mend and many of these changes are likely to boost demand, is the Ministry not concerned that these changes coming now may cause a more than desirable or unwarranted upsurge in property prices, thus impacting affordability in the medium and long-term and the cost of living, something we are all still very concerned with? Sir, my final question relates to the non-residential property scheme. I would like to ask the Minister what is the rationale for doing away with the NRPS, since there are not many of such purchases.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State if there will be a period for consultation as regards the draft criteria in the Bill. Who is the Ministry consulting at this point in time? Would all relevant stakeholders, not just the contractors, be consulted as regards the criteria as well as the training that may be required for the people who are checking on the specialist contractors? For those who may not qualify under the criteria, are there transitionary provisions provided for them to get the required training?”
“The Ministry has also announced a cost cap of $30,000 per benefitting unit for its lift upgrading programme in order to maximise the number of blocks that can benefit from this programme. It was reported in the press that about 190 blocks had been identified to be too costly for lift upgrading. Considering that lift access is much coveted and would be even more so as the population ages, those blocks which are not eligible for lift upgrading may suffer from poor demand if existing owners were to sell their units. There could be a risk of such blocks suffering more quickly from urban blight with many vacant units as owners are unable to sell off their flats in the open market. I would like to ask the Minister if the Ministry has any alternative plans for these blocks which do not qualify for lift upgrading under the current criteria, such as Selective En-bloc Redevelopment for these blocks. Mr Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, I would like to commend the Ministry for shortening the timeframe for the implementation of the lift upgrading programme from 15 to 10 years, and for initiating the Town Council lift upgrading programme. The announcement to focus more on LUP and to include low rise blocks in the programme is also timely and a welcome move. It shows that the Government is sensitive and responsive to the needs and feedback of the public. I would like to urge the Ministry to take into account the issues and concerns I have raised and further improve the LUP programme to benefit more residents. Subject to this qualification, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“However, while the counsellors can be likened to a company board of directors who have a fiduciary duty to the shareholders of the company, many counsellors have neither the technical training, nor the ability to keep an eagle eye on the affairs of the Town Council. Many of the Town Council members are volunteers and grassroots leaders. The duty by association thus appears very onerous and will discourage capable, honest and genuine people to serve in such capacities because they now run the risks of being sentenced for acts of negligence they were not totally responsible for. Is this clause really necessary as all persons in any event are subjected to the Penal Code? If any person has been guilty of, say, criminal breach of trust or misuse of funds, he will be brought to task under the more generic Penal Code. Is there a real need for such penal provisions in the Town Councils (Amendment) Bill which may breed a mentality of "spend less, less mistake made" or shao zuo shao cuo. Fifthly, the provision for the eligible low rise blocks in upgraded precincts and ineligible high rise blocks. Sir, the Ministry's decision to include low rise blocks in the lift upgrading programme is indeed welcome. I would like to ask the Minister of State whether all the low rise blocks eligible for lift upgrading subject to a cost cap have been identified and made known to the Town Council and grassroots organisations. Additionally, I would like to ask the Minister of State how the Ministry intends to handle those low rise blocks which are eligible for lift upgrading but are located in precincts which have already been upgraded under the MUP, IUP Plus or LUP. When will these blocks be able to benefit from the lift upgrading programme?”
“There is a need to reconcile the two provisions on the recovery of conservancy and service charge under the existing section 44 and the recovery of improvement contribution under the new section 24F in order not to avoid confusion and for consistency and clarity. Explicitly stating that HDB's approval is needed before the Town Council can invoke section 24F to sell the flat to recover the improvement contributions would help allay some of the concerns of owners. Furthermore, it would be helpful if the Ministry could give assurance that the various modes of payment for the improvement contributions that are currently available to lessees under HDB's LUP, such as longer instalment payments and deferred payments for residents aged above 55 years, are also available to residents under the TC-LUP as indeed they ought to be. Fourthly, the penal provisions. It is stated that any contravention of the provisions of the Act could subject the Town Council to be convicted of an offence and the sentence may be a fine of up to a maximum of $5,000. In addition, if the Town Council is guilty of an offence, the Chairman, Secretary or person who acts in such capacity may also be liable to the same maximum fine if the offence is committed with the consent, connivance or neglect of that person. This clause is expanded to all expenditure from the Town Council fund - be it sinking fund or operating fund - and the Chairman, Secretary or any person would be fined if he has consented to or is in connivance with or has been negligent. Sir, like MOS, I am all for sound corporate governance, whether the organisation is a commercial entity, a charitable or community institution, particularly in the light of recent events.”
“Section 44 of the existing Act provides for the recovery of conservancy and service charge from the sale of flat. This section is triggered when the conservancy and service charges remain unpaid on the expiry of 90 days after the Town Council had served on the owner of the flat a written demand of such charges. Before serving or publishing a notice of sale to declare its intention of selling the flat, the Town Council needs to obtain the prior written approval of the HDB. Under the proposed amendment, a similar provision is now introduced under section 24F for recovery of improvement contributions for the lift upgrading works under TC-LUP. However, there are differences. Under section 24F(1), the expiry period provided for is three months, instead of 90 days, although the practical difference is likely to be small. But it could be between 90 and 91 days. More importantly, unlike the existing provision, the new section F(5) provides that the Town Council may proceed to sell any flat which is subject to a charge without any mention of the need to first obtain approval from the HDB. HDB, as both reversionary owner and quite commonly the mortgagee, should surely be consulted before such drastic action is taken. Sir, there is also some worry on the ground that, without additional safeguards, the Town Council may irresponsibly invoke this section and cause hardship, especially among the lower income families, the elderly who have little or no savings and no means of support, as well as those who may be facing temporary financial hardship due to retrenchment.”
“It is understood that up to 10% of each Town Council's sinking fund for residental properties, calculated as at 31st March 2004, can be used to fund the lift upgrading. However, the total amount of this sinking fund spent for the lift upgrading works must not exceed $5,000 per benefitting unit, excluding the lessee's co-payment. Town Councils comprising older estates, with HDB blocks constructed before 1990, will have many blocks to be upgraded despite the fact that the LUP, IUP-Plus or MUP is still ongoing. For these older estates, this 10% of sinking fund cap as at a specific date may only cover a small proportion of the blocks in the towns that are eligible for LUP. This restriction will retard the speed at which all blocks in the estate can be fully upgraded. Perhaps the Ministry could consider allowing a variation to this cap to enable TCs to accelerate their LUP. Every quarter, the Town Council contributes 30%, 35% or 40% of the service and conservancy charges to the sinking fund, as prescribed by the Town Council Rules. At the end of each financial year, the Town Council would know the sinking fund balance of that year. As the amount contributed and expended from sinking fund for each year can be calculated, perhaps the Ministry could look into allowing up to 10% of the surplus sinking fund contribution for that financial year after the accounts are audited to be transferred for Town Council-LUP. More blocks within that town could then benefit from the TC-LUP. This should help to speed up the lift upgrading programme significantly for residents, especially in precincts with a high proportion of flats built before 1990. Thirdly, the provision for recovery of the improvement contributions.”
“If not, how is the Ministry planning to meet the target timeframe of 10 years? Furthermore, I would like to ask the Minister if the Ministry now has a more accurate estimate of how many of these blocks are eligible for lift upgrading under the TC-LUP. It was noted by the Minister in March that approximately 300 to 400 blocks could benefit under the TC-LUP. I would also like to ask how is the Ministry coordinating with the Town Councils and the HDB for the implementation of their respective LUP programmes, so that the LUP can be completed as soon as possible with minimum overlap and maximum efficiency. Sir, while the effort to shorten the cycle of lift upgrading from 15 to 10 years is commendable, I urge the Government to look at more ways to further shorten this period. If the programme were to be completed in the next 10 years, it would, in effect, have to take some 15 years to complete the entire programme since its inception in 2001. For instance, my parliamentary colleague, Mr Ang Mong Seng, had previously suggested reducing the period between the announcement of the LUP and the commencement of the works. He also suggested looking into more innovative and effective ways to make lift upgrading more economical and also to hasten the process. I would like to ask the Minister if any headway has been made regarding these proposals. Secondly, the proportion of sinking fund available for lift upgrading. Under the proposed section 33(6) of the Town Councils (Amendment) Bill, Town Councils can use a portion of the sinking fund to meet the cost and expenses of the TC-LUP. This requires the Minister's approval or direction and it only can be done with the consent of the owner of the non-common property.”
“Sir, the Prime Minister's announcement in January this year that the timeframe to complete lift upgrading will be shortened from 15 years to 10 years has brought cheer to many HDB residents. Allowing the Town Councils to use up to 10% of their sinking fund to undertake lift upgrading would help the Government achieve this 10-year target. This should benefit countless residents staying in the close to 4,000 blocks with lifts yet to be upgraded. However, Sir, the proposed amendment to the Town Council Act to empower Town Councils to carry out lift upgrading works has raised some issues. I would like to highlight five of these areas. Firstly, the timeframe to complete lift upgrading. The majority of the blocks in my ward were built before 1990. Many residents are asking me when they would be able to benefit from the lift upgrading programme. In their view, the 10-year timeframe is still too long. Many of the elderly folks tell me that since they are already so old, they may not have many more days to enjoy the use of the lifts. Sir, I am sure this is a common sentiment among the older residents in other estates. Sir, the Minister for National Development noted in Parliament in March this year that there were some 3,000 high-rise blocks and 800 low-rise blocks that were still waiting for lift upgrading Of these, some 95% are eligible for lift upgrading under the new criteria which incorporate a cost cap of $30,000 per benefitting unit. If the target of completing the lift upgrading programme within the next 10 years is to be achieved, then, on average, some 360 blocks would have to undergo lift upgrading annually. I would like to ask the Minister if indeed, on average, some 360 blocks or thereabouts would undergo lift upgrading every year, starting from this fiscal year.”
“I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister if there are any plans ahead for us to conduct anti-terrorism drills at MRT stations, bus interchanges, and so on, like what UK actually had done previously, not just to educate the public but also to train the staff of the public transport operators as to how to react if such an incident were to occur. I would also like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister what more could be done to prepare Singaporeans psychologically if such an incident were to happen because, if you talk to some Singaporeans, many of them may feel that such an incident happening could be remote in Singapore.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister if the improved growth in the second quarter, which was driven by the services sector, is likely to be sustainable, going forward into the rest of the year and, also, if there is any evidence that the SMEs are more hard-hit by the negative impact caused by oil prices.”
“I would like to ask the Minister, in considering giving access of nature parks and other facilities to the public, whether the Ministry also looks into the issue of safety of access. For instance, it was recently reported that the access to the Tree-Top Walk via the Singapore Island Country Club is dangerous because there is no walkway for the public to access the Tree-Top Walk.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister if the Ministry could consider working with MHA to see how to more effectively enforce the laws relating to audacious solicitation of sex with minors on the Internet.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether there were any cases that were prosecuted because of solicitation on the Internet, that means, the deed was not performed but there was a clear evidence of solicitation. The Minister said that there were actually such laws for acts of procurement. I would also like to ask the Minister if the industry is required to undertake surveillance of the website and to shut down the website where there is solicitation of sex with minors.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister three supplementary questions. In relation to the 10,000 direct and 25,000 indirect jobs, I am pleased to note that the Minister has said that an inter-Ministry committee will be set up to look at service standards. I would like to ask the Minister if, in considering the upgrading of service standards, the Ministry would dedicate some funds to such programmes to improve the service quality gap in view of the fact that the World Economic Forum's service ranking has ranked Singapore 21st, which means that it has dropped by 10 positions from the last ranking. I would also like to ask the Minister if the Ministry would liaise with the successful tenderer to find out the type of workers that are needed in order to develop training programmes that will better prepare Singaporeans for the jobs. My final question is whether the Ministry will also be discussing or is already in discussion with the ITEs, SHATEC, polytechnics and universities on the relevant courses that they can offer, so that these courses will be effective and relevant in the training of the needed workers because some polytechnics, I note, have already started courses.”
“There were a lot of jackpot machines and some gaming devices. Last month, I went to Ho Chi Minh City and there were casinos operated by Singaporeans. Thailand is also considering setting up a casino. There are casinos in Europe, Macau, Australia, South East Asia, and many other countries.”
“China, with about 35 provinces and hundreds of cities and towns, is developing faster than us. Singapore is very small, in many ways, we cannot compete with China. Nonetheless, we have to compete not only with China as a nation, we also have to compete with each and every one of its provinces and cities. So we have to change our way of doing things. Otherwise, we would be left behind. Singaporeans are more conservative and as the Teochews say, "If one's grip is too loose, the bird will fly away. Yet, if the grip is too tight, the bird will be killed." This is how conservative we are. So we have not been able to develop Singapore as rapidly as Shanghai or Shengyang. After visiting the lift companies in Shanghai and Shenyang, I asked a Director of the Shanghai lift company what the company's strengths were. He told me that whatever features other companies had, so did they. However, what his company had, the others might not have. This is very enlightening. Since there are many IRs outside Singapore, if we want to build one or two in Singapore, we have to build something different from the others. Whatever others have, we should have too. But what we have, they may not have. So we must have something unique in Singapore to attract and compete with others. As to whether the IR must necessarily contain a casino, it is very controversial. Genting in Malaysia has been around for more than 20 years now, and Penang is also planning to open a casino. The Philippines and Indonesia already have casinos. Last year, I went to Hanoi, Vietnam. It is a communist country. I stayed in a hotel run by Singaporeans. I asked one of them whether there was any casino in Hanoi. He told me that there was a casino in the basement of the hotel. They had a casino!”
“A survey conducted thereafter showed that about 92% of the people were in favour and 6% were against. All these four surveys show that an average of about 87% of the people from different walks of life were in favour of the IR, including a casino. With such a high percentage of support from the people, we know that for a small country like Singapore to compete internationally, we should have some breakthrough projects to lay the foundation for greater competitiveness. Recently, I went on a business trip to China and saw for myself the rapid transformation in China. A friend of mine suggested visiting Xin Tian Di which is a very famous tourist attraction in Shanghai. He was under the impression that as long as we could find the large public park next to it, we would be able to locate it. We walked for almost half an hour, yet we were unable to find it. Eventually, we asked some passers-by for the way, and we were told it was right in front of us. We found that the original park had already made way for many high-rise buildings, so much so that it has become unrecognisable. The site of Xin Tian Di used to be some low-rise buildings with low economic value. The Shanghainese converted them into restaurants. With the establishment of Xin Tian Di, it brought about the economic development of the surrounding areas. This shows that the Shanghainese are full of creativity and they are capable of reforming and reinventing themselves. If this were in Singapore, I do not think our people would be so creative. The Chinese people are very bold in creating, reinventing and innovating. If we want to convert the ordinary shops and buildings into a big restaurant, it would not be so easy. So the rapid development of Shanghai is well known to all.”
“Much work needs to be done to enhance the chance of success, maximise the benefits and minimise the costs, which should not be trivialised. Although this decision is not a unanimous one, my sense is that if put to a national referendum, the ayes will outnumber the nays. Whatever our stand, ultimately, we are collectively responsible for the long term good of Singapore and, hence, I urge all Singaporeans to work together with the Government to make this succeed, both economically and socially, now that the decision has been taken. This is a calculated gamble which we can scarcely afford to lose. Sir, I support the decision. Mr Ang Mong Seng (Hong Kah) (In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, since Mr George Yeo raised the idea of an integrated resort with a casino, it has given rise to a big debate in Singapore, and some even suggested that we should hold a referendum to decide on the issue. Like many Singaporeans, I am also concerned about the IR proposal and the subsequent debate. As a Member of Parliament, I need to understand how our people and my constituents feel about an IR. Hence, I conducted a total of four surveys on four separate occasions. The first one was a survey at a dinner after a golf game where 91% were in favour and a very small percentage of those present were against the idea. The second occasion was a martial arts "wushu" event attended by about 600 people; about 85% were in favour and about 10% against. Next, I set up a neighbourhood committee of about 50 people from all stations of life, and about 82% supported the idea while 12% were against. The last survey was during Minister Yeo Cheow Tong's visit to our constituency. The Minister explained the rationale to the Malay, Chinese and Indian residents who were present.”
“Sir, I also fully support the call by my parliamentary colleague, Mr Gan Kim Yong, as well as Straits Times journalist Ong Soh Chin for us to ensure that Singaporeans will be able to provide world class service commensurate with the world class architecture and entertainment we will be developing. We must change the mindsets and attitudes of Singaporeans towards the service industry and equip them with the skills necessary for them to provide high quality world class service in the retail, leisure and entertainment industry. In fact, just as we would need to benchmark our containment measures against the best in the world, and do even better, we must also benchmark our IR operations and the services we provide against the best in the world and strive to top them, to create compelling success stories, like what we have done in the case of SIA. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in many ways, the economic imperative compels us to take such a decision on the IRs. I support the decision to go ahead with the IRs, but with adequate safeguards to deal with the social fallout. Of course, the decision can be construed by moral purists as sacrificing long-cherished values at the altar of mammon. But that is really putting it too starkly and simplistically. If mammon can be had, and its demons held at bay, why not? Hence, the key to the political success of the two IRs lies, in my view, in the containment measures to minimise the social ill consequences. The decision to proceed is only the beginning of a major calculated game - pardon the pun - we have taken for the long term economic well-being of the nation. Like all bets, no one can be sure if this will turn out well in the long run, although the odds seem to be in the favour of this decision now.”
“It is imperative that the IR operators have the international marketing prowess to pull in the tourists, upon which the success of the IRs hinges. Otherwise, the IRs would merely be cannibalising existing businesses. The condition that no more than 50% of the revenue should come from gaming operations (otherwise there will be a hefty surcharge) as well as the fact that the IRs are wholly private sector investments (ie, zero subsidies from the state) are good, as they should spur the IR operators to work hard to attract foreign clientele. The STB should work together with the IR operators both before and after the opening of these projects to market the IRs overseas and attract the tourists. Both can derive synergies by pooling their resources to market the projects and Singapore. Finally, Sir, there is worry that a large proportion of the 35,000 new jobs created might go to foreigners, as even now there appears to be many foreigners working in the hotels, F&B and other retail outlets. The first comment one of my grassroots made when the IR announcement was made on Monday was, "Can we make sure that more of our locals would bag the 35,000 new jobs created?" Sir, as Singaporeans could suffer from some of the incremental social costs, the Government has the duty to ensure that Singaporeans will benefit most from the economic gains, including the jobs created. MOM, through WDA, NTUC and the CDCs, and perhaps even the IR operators when the IRs are awarded, could work together to design and provide skills training for the jobs which will be created by the IRs. This will help to ensure that there will be a ready pool of local workers to take up the jobs offered by the IRs.”
“These proposals should result in iconic developments displaying great architecture, which many experts and laymen alike have often lamented Singapore sorely lacks and needs. In fact, at one recent dialogue I had with students from the NUS, a student actually lamented that our landscape and our architecture are boring. He said that even the Durian is not enough. Sir, the economic benefits of the IRs, as estimated by the Government, are immense. However, careful execution of the IRs is needed if these envisioned benefits are to be realised, otherwise our vision may just become one big headache! The Government will need to apply the same meticulous and methodical approach it has used to arrive at the casino gaming decision to the evaluation of the request for proposals. I would urge that the evaluation panel for the subsequent detailed proposals insists on one of a kind concepts, sensitive to our urban setting and tropical climate, instead of a replica of other projects elsewhere, however grandiose. This would then truly make the IRs "Uniquely Singapore". Apart from the design and design expertise, the evaluation panel should also focus on the business sustainability and the track record of continuous innovation to keep the crowds coming back. Sir, to deal with the concern that the IRs might not be able to adequately draw a large enough foreign clientele, I urge that in the next step of the evaluation and selection process, attention should be paid to detailed analysis of the business case put forward by the bidders - their projections and how they propose to draw the foreign clientele and visitors needed for the casino and the IR.”
“Personally, Sir, I am glad we had rejected the casino idea when it was first brought up in 1985, as back then we would likely have ended up with, what my son would call, a gambling den, if we had allowed a casino then. Because IRs of the scale that we are considering now have not been conceptualised at that point in time. Again, speaking based on my experience as a real estate professional, I support the Government's decision to have two IRs, instead of one. Whilst I do not believe that the social costs would necessarily double with two casinos, from a real estate point of view, I think the benefits which the two IRs together can provide are likely to be greater than the sum of the parts. Sentosa badly needs an iconic IR project with theme parks, spectacular waterfront and exciting architecture, which can give it the enchantment and the "wow" factor it needs, to put it back on the list of "must see" attractions, and make it a popular repeat destination for both tourists and locals. The Marina Bayfront IR, on the other hand, with its mix of convention, retail, food and beverage outlets, entertainment facilities and so on, would quite nicely complement and, indeed, enrich the existing mega developments in the areas such as Suntec City, Marina Square, the Esplanade, as well as future developments in the new Downtown, the Marina Barrage and the second Botanical Gardens. The IR should give the whole area a boost and will act as the catalyst for the development of the entire area, including the massive BFC project. Having seen some of the proposals submitted for the two sites, I must say that I am thrilled by a number of the proposals which exhibit truly creative and visionary architectural designs and concepts.”
“However, I think it is like the icing to an otherwise plain looking but well baked cake, to make it that much more enticing for tourists, investors and foreign talent alike. The integrated resorts will enhance our efforts that we have made to restructure the economy, such as increasing our focus on the financial services and logistics sector and attempting to improve the tourism sector. Hence, whilst I am against gambling and the casino per se, I understand that if we want to reclaim some of the tourism pie, create new jobs, boost our economy, and stay in the competition, we would have to go ahead with the IRs incorporating a casino component. So, would having casinos detract from the value of Singapore's brand name as a safe, reliable, well-run country, with a high standard of morality and work ethic, which this Government itself has spent the last 40 years building? Sir, I believe that having the two IRs with casinos is unlikely to be seen to signal that we have abandoned our virtues of a clean and efficient government, a well-run and well-ordered country. Indeed, having made the decision to proceed, rather than tarnishing the brand capital that is Singapore, the signal we should be sending out is that the best and safest place in the world to have a casino is right here. In fact, Singapore's reputation for a clean government and strict regulation is what makes it so attractive to large IR companies looking for expansion in Asia. Furthermore, far from creating a dent in Singapore's image, most analysts expect this move to go a long way towards changing Singapore's image as a sterile environment into a more "with it" happening place, sufficiently alluring to the talent and capital of the world.”
“In year 2000, I was involved in a study to evaluate the level of interest of local and foreign developers in developing iconic urban entertainment centres in Singapore that will help to draw visitors and add buzz to the entertainment scene. Urban entertainment centres (or UECs) may be said to be a precursor of the large scale integrated resorts we are currently considering. Even in year 2000, the urban entertainment industry was still relatively new but rapidly evolving. The response to our survey done in conjunction with a US counterpart was at best lukewarm, with only a handful of local and foreign developers, who said that they may consider developing such a project. Their main concerns were, as expected, our high land cost, as well as whether such a project could draw the overseas crowds to make it viable, since the local market catchment is too small. Even reducing the length of the land lease from 99 years to 60 years or 30 years did not significantly improve the financial viability of the project. I have also been involved in several other projects where potential overseas and local investors have looked at developing large scale theme parks but, without exception, all have concluded that it would be difficult to make such projects viable, without heavy state subsidies. All these projects, of course, did not have a casino component. It would therefore be difficult to attract investors to develop such large scale integrated projects that require substantial capital commitments to the tune of billions of dollars, if their risks are not mitigated in part by the potential revenue from having a casino component. The integrated resorts with casinos are clearly not the panacea to all our woes.”
“I view sitting at the jackpot machine a waste of precious time and cannot see how one can get thrilled over what is almost a certain prospect of losing one's hard earned money in the casinos! There is a wise Chinese saying which goes "shi du jiu shu", ie, gamble 10 times lose nine times. In fact, I would even venture to say "shi du quan shu", ie, gamble 10 times lose all the time, since, as we learn from Chia Teck Leng, the house always wins. Even though MCYS' recent survey shows the incidence of pathological gambling to be 2.1%, which is comparable to those in Hong Kong and Macau, this is still 2.1% too high. Having casinos on our own soil would conceivably lead to an increase in this percentage, although no one can be sure of the extent of any such increase. But, Sir, having been a real estate professional in my previous incarnation, I am also fully aware that for some time now, both the Government and the private sector are looking at ways to attract more tourists, but they have largely been unsuccessful. When I was a lecturer at NUS, I used to be in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' training scheme for government officials from developing countries, including China. That was in the late 1990s. Even back then, the Chinese officials would tell me that they came to Singapore to learn about our tax systems, our public housing programme, and so on. But when all the official business was over, they would go to Bangkok, Pattaya and Genting to have fun. They told me that Bangkok, and not Singapore, is a shopping paradise as the goods in Singapore are too expensive. I believe what was true 10 years ago is more true - if there is such a phrase - now. Hence, we have lost our edge as a shopping paradise.”
“Sir, to Mr Fong and others like him, I want to say that I believe they are mistaken and I want to thank them for their efforts. I think that if it were not for their passionate voices, we might not have had such a comprehensive set of social safeguards and multi-pronged approach laid out by no less than three Ministries to address problem gambling. The Minister for MCYS has pledged that MCYS will enforce the social safeguards strictly and will not compromise on these safeguards at any point in time, just to improve the economic viability of the casinos. The Health Minister has called upon the IMH to start beefing up its capabilities and expertise to deal with problem gambling and to benchmark itself against the best treatment centres in the world. The Minister for Home Affairs has also pledged that he will do everything possible to minimise any negative impact which may arise from the integrated resorts with casinos. Hence, I want to say to Mr Fong and others like him, that they should not lose heart, their views do matter a great deal and the missionary zeal they have shown over this issue is a positive sign of a maturing citizenry and civil society that cares for Singapore's future, and wants to play a part in shaping public policies. Active citizens like them could continue to play a role in the future as watchdog on our value systems when other equally difficult and emotive issues arise. Sir, like many others, I also abhor the whole idea of gambling on both moral principles and religious grounds. I have never gambled at casinos, not even at the one-arm bandits or one-finger muggers, as they are aptly called.”
“The negatives outweighed the excitement, and because of that, my children told me that they did not like Las Vegas, and given a choice, would not want to go there again for a holiday. Sir, children could be a little confused by this - unable to reconcile what we preach about the ills of gambling and the fact that we will be having casinos on our own shores. Sir, this is also likely to be one of the key arguments of many anti-casino lobbyists like Mr Fong Hoe Fang, the pioneer of Facts (Families Against the Casino Threat in Singapore). Sir, for them it is not just about the destructive effects of compulsive gambling, but also the moral imperative of our value systems. As Mr Fong noted to the press, "We say one thing and do another. We tell our children gambling is bad, but how are we to answer them when they ask why a casino is allowed in Singapore?" Sir, I empathise with Mr Fong, and many others like him, as these are genuine concerns and cannot be trivialised. Sir, now that we have decided to go ahead with the IRs with a casino component, we should, among others, kick-start our public education campaign right away. The public education campaigns launched must be intensive and should at least start from the upper primaries. It should highlight the social ills of gambling and inculcate positive work attitudes. It should target particularly our young, help them understand why we need to allow casinos on our shores, even though we preach against gambling and its ill effects. Besides the schools, parents and religious leaders must, of course, also be involved to reinforce the values we want to inculcate in Singaporeans. Sir, Mr Fong and some others have expressed the sentiment that they do not think their views have made a difference.”
“Sir, this morning, as I was driving my two younger children to school, my 15-year old son remarked, "So mum, we are going to have two gambling dens!" To which my 11-year old daughter added, "Yes, one at Sentosa and the other at Marina!". Sir, I was somewhat taken aback by these remarks, but regaining my composure, I went on to explain that, "No, we are not having two gambling dens, but two integrated resorts, each with a casino component." I told them that put simply, if we do not allow the casino component, then they cannot look forward to having theme parks, like Universal Studios, right at our doorstep. Singaporeans would have less business and fewer jobs. But, "As children, mummy and daddy will not allow you to visit the casino, and even when you grow up and are allowed into the casino, you should avoid gambling as far as possible." Sir, my children understand what casinos are. Last December, I brought them to Disneyland in Anaheim and Universal Studies in LA. Then, as I had wanted to have a look at Las Vegas to better understand the type of IRs we are considering, I also brought them to Las Vegas. When we were there, we did not gamble. We visited the shops. We went to the games arcade at New York, New York and Circus Circus. The children liked the newer IRs, like Bellagio and Venetian, as they were very grand and beautifully designed, with spectacular water features and great shopping and eating outlets. But they did not like the casinos, with the slot machines and gaming tables, which were literally just right behind most of the hotel lobbies, and which they often had to walk through to get to the other facilities. Many of the casinos were also smoke-filled, because smoking was allowed.”
“Sir, while I accept and agree with the Minister that most employers are actually enlightened and do not practise discrimination, I would like to ask the Minister whether the Ministry could actually monitor and consider amending the legislation, if such cases of complaints against perceived discrimination continue or are on the rise, and particularly for pregnant employees or as soon as they are pregnant, that employers should bear the responsibility and not fire them. Because it seems that there are so many employers who are enlightened and usually do not practise such discrimination, then I think that it would not be too burdensome to actually impose such a requirement.”
“I would like to ask the Minister, given that 60% of the 400,000 women who have opted out or are not in MediShield or any other form of catastrophic insurance, whether MOH, say, through the Health Promotion Board, would undertake any programme to encourage the whole lot, but particularly the women, since due to longer life expectancy, to actually come into the MediShield programme.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister that if large hospitals like SGH are more susceptible to the spread of infectious diseases, not necessarily just the VRE, because of the volume of traffic, the number of patients and the sheer size of the hospital, are there any additional precautions that are necessary in addition to what has been listed.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister three questions. I fully agree and support the move to make stakeholders involved at workplace, to be responsible for safety standards and also to imbue in all of them a safety culture. But I would like to ask the Minister: why does MOM put such a long timeframe of 10 years to reduce our current worksite fatality rate of 4.9 by half, to match the safety standards achieved by the top 10 developed countries? As every fatality is one fatality too many, should we not have a more aggressive target? Secondly, how does the Ministry see this new approach that places responsibility for safety on all stakeholders in the operation - from the directors, top management, supervisors, right down to the site workers - impacting on business cost? Should the Ministry also not consider, as a supplement to the harsher penalties for offences or breach of safety guidelines, incentives such as plus points to contractors who maintain high safety standards, ie, instead of just administering the big stick, also put the carrot in?”
“Sir, I would like to suggest to the Minister of a more coordinated approach to increasing the awareness of the community as well as our young regarding such help as well as regarding the crisis centre and all that are available, because there have been a number of babies that have been dumped into rubbish chutes.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister that with regard to promoting awareness of such crisis centres, particularly to teenagers in secondary schools and beyond, are there programmes to inform the secondary school students, especially of the availability of such centres and to counsel them.”
“I urge the Ministry to ensure, as in the case of overseas colleges, that there will be enough scholarships, grants, loans and part-time jobs available on campus to help students pay their fees, so that no deserving student will be deprived of a university education due to financial circumstances. The universities, like their US counterparts, could evaluate how much fees a student can contribute, based on his family circumstances, before looking at a combination of university-funded scholarships, grants, loans and part-time work to help him pay his fees. They should not impose a one-size-fits-all means test, as this could mean that those from the sandwich class could be left out in the cold, in terms of financial assistance. The drop in funding will need to be compensated, as in other privately-run universities elsewhere, by the greater involvement of their alumni in fund-raising. Finally, the road to autonomy is going to be strewn with sensitive staff issues. As the university reviews its hiring and tenure policy to attract and keep the best talents, inevitably there will be casualties. I hope that the transition will be handled with sensitivity, especially the older staff whose efforts and contributions had made the universities what they are now.”
“Sir, the move to corporatise our local universities, NUS and NTU, is a highly commendable decision. That this decision reportedly took three years to make across the tenure of two Ministers reflects the fact that the issues are highly complex. From a conceptual viewpoint, nobody can argue against the benefits of university autonomy. But, as in so many Government policies, there can be a darker side to this decision, and I urge the Ministry to give due consideration to some practical problems that may arise from the corporatisation. Firstly, while competition is good, the focus should be beyond, rather than within, our shores. All three universities, NUS, NTU as well as SMU, offer popular courses like business administration, with each of them trying hard to differentiate from the others to attract the best student brains. This competition makes for a more varied landscape, and certainly interesting newspaper and bus-stop advertisements. But our small size makes me wonder if such competition is more confusing and destructive than helpful, and also wasteful of already scarce funds. Might it not be better for these universities to each develop into more specialised schools that offer breadth and depth in both research and teaching? So, it is a managed autonomy that we are talking about, rather than a free-for-all. Another obvious concern is further future fee hikes. The recent fee hikes by all three universities might well be viewed as a herald of things to come. This is the unavoidable conclusion of a sceptical public. This fear is accentuated by the Government stating very clearly that it intends to reduce the 75% subsidy to university students.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for their comprehensive responses to our queries and appeals, and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $516, 237,780 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $847,226,700 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head O - Ministry of Health”
“But my advice to the karung guni men is to see whether they can work together with the public waste collectors. Because, in our efforts to improve the recycling rate, the public waste collectors generally need a lot more people on the ground to be able to pick up the recyclable materials. There have been instances where the karung guni men work together with the PWCs. But bottomline it is private sector free market. We allow them to operate on their own. When there are instances that come to our attention that we need to do something, we will do so.”
“Sir, I would like clarification from the Minister in my earlier speech on creating jobs in the environmental sector. This is as regards the karung guni men. I think because of the economic downturn, actually more people have taken up work as karung guni men. There were letters to the press complaining about the incessant noise made by the karung guni men on weekends, one karung guni man after another, and there had been fights over the garbage. The police had actually said that because the garbage does not belong to anybody, they cannot take action. But I think grievous harm had also been caused. My understanding is that some of the weekend karung guni men are actually foreign workers on work permit who moonlight as karung guni men over the weekend, and then there are fights. So I would like to ask the Minister if steps are being taken to tackle this problem, for instance, by working with the public waste collectors to require the karung guni men to have at least some NSRS certification and badges, or something like that, in order to resolve this issue. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, her last suggestion is the one that we have been looking into. NEA has encouraged the public waste collectors to work together with the karung guni men. In fact, this is something which we encourage, and the karung guni men can actually increase their yield and do a lot more. For the situation on the ground, I think this is something which we would probably have to look together with our other agencies. If there are people working illegally, I think MOM would be keen to know so that they can do something about it. In terms of the noise, please do not hesitate to call the NEA hotline because whenever the noise pollution level reaches a certain level, we will step in.”
“Recently, there have also been a number of letters to the press complaining about many karung guni men who take turns to rouse you from your sleep on weekend with their blaring horns. There have also been cases of karung guni men fighting over garbage and causing grievous hurt to each other in some instances. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether the Ministry is looking into how these issues can be resolved. Manpower Training in the Environment Sector”
“Sir, I applaud the Ministry's various initiatives to facilitate private sector participation and create economic opportunities in the environmental sector. The Design, Build, Own and Operate scheme for the NEWater and desalination water plants, the Hawker Centre Upgrading Programme and the 1,000 for 1,000 scheme where jobs in the cleaning sector has been redesigned, are notable examples of such efforts. The revival of the Street Hawker Licence Scheme which allows hawkers, for instance, to sell ice-cream in designated areas, also shows the Ministry's responsiveness to public feedback. I would like to ask the Minister to consider relaxing some of the conditions imposed and expanding the area these street hawkers can operate so that whilst avoiding excessive competition in more popular areas, we do not make it so restrictive that it is difficult for the vendor to make a living. I would also like to ask the Minister to revive the Newspaper Vendor Licence Scheme which I understand has been stopped since 1994. The reason apparently is that there were then too many such newspaper vendors. However, as the licence is non-transferable, natural attrition over time will automatically reduce the number. I have seen quite a number of appeals to the NEA for the licence to be transferred to another person as the licensee no longer wishes or is unable to operate the stall. These have been rejected on the ground that the licence is not transferable and no new licences can be issued. As more than 10 years have passed, I submit that there are grounds to warrant a review of the number of licences issued as this could provide an extra avenue for those trying to find a means of making a living.”
“Would the Ministry be implementing mandatory energy labelling as well as expanding this to other appliances as this will allow consumers to make more informed choices, reduce energy consumption and enjoy savings? Why has Singapore not acceded to the Kyoto Protocol which commits 39 industrialised nations to reducing the levels of greenhouse gas emission even when it claims to be pro-environment and is committed to environmental sustainability? Community Participation”
“This definitely provides work for our cleaners but our social behaviour contrasts sharply with countries like Japan where it is second nature to pick up and dispose of their own rubbish before they leave the event venue. Furthermore, even though the state of our public toilets has improved after the launch of the "Singapore OK" campaign, there is still much to be desired in terms of toilet hygiene and cleanliness when compared to the standards achieved in many developed western countries like the UK and US. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister the following questions: What steps is the Ministry taking to inculcate our young with environmentally-friendly habits, such as recycling, good public hygiene, responsibility not to litter, raise their level of awareness about green issues and get them interested in the environment? How would it reach out to the students in schools, especially as I understand from my children and those of my friends, that the standard of cleanliness of school toilets, especially primary school toilets, is embarrassing? How does the Ministry plan to raise the community's awareness of and participation in environmental issues and inculcate in them a sense of responsibility for the environment? Does the Ministry intend to open up more of its reservoirs for recreational activities? And if so, what types of activities as well as what measures will it take to ensure that the visitors do not litter or damage the ecology and foliage of the place? Energy labelling, specifically air-conditioners and refrigerators, was introduced in 2002. But it remains on a voluntary basis.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head L of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has, in recent times, launched various bold initiatives, such as opening up our reservoirs to the public for recreational activities and spearheading the 3P partnership by best sourcing its NEWater and desalination plants to the private sector. Sir, I wish to commend the Ministry on this. Singaporeans are increasingly aware of the importance of protecting our environment, not just for ourselves, but also for our future generations. This is evident by the increase in the number of Forum page letters on environmental issues as well as the activities of passionate groups, such as the marine conservation group, Blue Water Volunteers. Nevertheless, Sir, the passion and the actions seem to be confined to these groups. The importance of preserving and protecting our environment has still not filtered down to the masses. While the percentage of the population participating in recycling projects has been increasing to its present level of 47%, the bulk of this participation comes from households in public housing estates. Only 20% of condominium homes currently recycle, whilst the participation rate in schools stands at only 30%. Moreover, one wonders how strongly the public cares for their living environment when you look at the amount of garbage that is thrown on the floor near the letter-boxes at the void decks of HDB blocks every evening, as well as the amount of litter that is left behind after major events like the Chingay. It was reported that two tonnes of trash was left behind on Orchard Road after the Chingay parade.”