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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“I understand that feedback has been given to the Ministry regarding the need to look into provision of retirement housing in view of an ageing population. There are already lands designated for nursing homes which have been sold by the Government on 30-year leases. I would like to ask whether the Government can also consider designating land for retirement housing and selling them on, say, 30-year leases. HDB already builds granny flats and perhaps the private sector and NTUC affiliated organisations could be given the opportunity to participate in this area of social provision. Sir, as one of the MPs in the west region, I am also very happy to note that there are plans to improve the accessibility within the Jurong area with a light rail system for the future Jurong Regional Line. I would urge the plans to improve accessibility of the area to be implemented as soon as possible, as this is one of the main reasons which makes the Jurong area less attractive to live in than the East. Tuas, for instance, is infamous as a place that employees try to avoid as their place of work. Indeed, the ERC Report accepted as one of the recommendations of the Land Work Group for the Government to invest in transportation infrastructure ahead of demand if there are sound reasons to do so. Hence, I would like to ask the Minister how the proposals in the Master Plan 2003 for this area would help to enhance the attractiveness of Tuas as a place for work, if not, live and play. 11.15 am”
“Sir, I support the URA's move to give developers and businesses more flexibility in their land use by having sites with new expanded white zoning under which a wider mix of uses will be allowed, ranging from residential and commercial to sports and R&D facilities. This also implies that landowners have greater flexibility to change a portion of the uses of their building in future according to market demands without attracting development charge. Nonetheless, I would like to suggest that when tenders are invited for such plots, unless the intention is merely to allow greater flexibility, some weight should be given to the proposed uses of the land which may add more vibrancy to the area and thus indirectly bring in more and wider economic benefits, than just the bid prices for the land. Otherwise, for sites such as those next to the Jurong East MRT Station recently unveiled in the draft Master Plan 2003, the wider mix and combination of uses allowed may be purely academic, since commercial and residential uses would generally yield the highest residual land values. Previous whites sites in the Central Area, for instance, have been developed largely for commercial uses. I would also like to propose that for white sites, the Ministry could, in future, instead of prescribing the permissible uses of the land, provide an exclusion list of uses that are disallowed, because they will be incompatible with the surrounding land use. This could allow for even more creative and flexible use of land and enable land owners to adapt more quickly to changing market conditions. With regard to land use, I would also like to ask what the Ministry's thinking is with regard to land for retirement housing.”
“But I urge the Minister to ensure that these thrusts to minimise direct competition with the domestic enterprises and to increasingly focus beyond the shores of Singapore will not be diluted in any way. 4.00 pm There have been some eyebrows raised by the press as well as some members of the public who have written to the press regarding the generous compensation package dished out by HDB to its staff, especially those who will be transferred to HDB Corp. In a reply to the press, HDB has noted that these HDB staff will not be automatically given a job in HDB Corp and that they will be on a new pay structure. This is hardly convincing. Could the Minister let us know if some or all of the staff to be transferred to HDB Corporation have already been identified? What percentage of the staff in HDB Corporation will not be former HDB employees? I know, for instance, that HDB Corporation already has a CEO designate who is presently a staff of HDB. Also, while HDB Corporation is technically a different entity from HDB, it is wholly owned by HDB and, hence, a job in HDB Corporation, which if offered to an HDB employee, could very reasonably be viewed as a transfer, instead of a retrenchment. There is public outcry over what is deemed to be an unnecessary double bite of the same cherry. This matter should not be allowed to fester as, otherwise, it will undermine confidence in the Government's wisdom to make such decisions.”
“Madam, HDB's revamp is inevitable because the large bureaucratic organisation it has grown into over the years is clearly not suited to the rapidly changing economic and social landscape. However, this has given rise to some concerns from the private and people sectors. Firstly, scope of HDB Corporation. I would like to ask the Minister what would be the scope of HDB Corp's business? Would it extend beyond the provision of professional services and consultancy work to property developers when it is eventually allowed to compete in the local non-HDB market? Secondly, a level playing field. An increasing proportion of HDB's projects will be outsourced to the private sector from 2006. This is, of course, welcomed by the private sector. However, there are apprehensions from them that the HDB Corp, being wholly-owned by HDB, will not be competing on a level playing field. I am quite certain that the Temasek Charter will be religiously and fully applied to this entity and it will not enjoy special privileges beyond what is already announced by the Minister. But the fact that overnight, a Government-linked behemoth, capable of competing for the shrinking housing pie, has surfaced is sure to give rise to grave concerns over unfair competition. I urge the Minister to consider, at least, a tentative timetable for HDB Corp's divestment into private hands to reduce some misgivings. At the same time, focusing its energy on overseas market instead of competing in the local market will help to allay the fears of the private sector and simultaneously help to achieve the objective of expanding our second wing. Madam, I notice that both these issues have already been mentioned by the Minister.”
“There are, in fact, already a significant number of 5-room HDB flats available for sale, both in the new and resale markets, which can cater to those who wish to upgrade to such flats. HDB's attention is thus better focused at the lower end mass housing market, where the housing needs are more acute because of lower affordability. HDB should shrink its target market at the higher end completely. It could stop building 5-room flats and instead sell more executive condominium sites as a step towards increasing the proportion of housing types. Secondly, low income housing and rental flats. HDB should make more rental flats available to allow Singaporeans the option to separate their housing investments and consumption decisions. Increasingly, in line with the call for more entrepreneurial spirit, many Singaporeans may not wish to be tied down by a housing mortgage. They may wish to invest their money in a business instead of a house. To allow this, HDB could relax the qualifying criteria for renting flats, by, amongst others, increasing the gross household income ceiling, which now stands at only $800 per month. The present rules are too stringent and will not release any significant amount of rental housing into the market. The optimal mix of home ownership and rental would, however, need to be studied to strike some balance between the effect of an entrepreneurial risk appetite, rate of family formation, and having a tangible stake in the nation.”
“Madam, since its inception in the 1960s, HDB's role and reach have grown far beyond the mere provision of low cost housing. It has a huge multiplicity of roles - public housing authority, developer, financier, lessor, builder, supplier, estate manager, and so on. The ERC Report called for a review of the HDB's role in public housing, but it stopped short of making recommendations. Madam, I deduce that unlike streaming in education, the home ownership policy is not a sacred cow that cannot be slaughtered. As more than 85% of Singaporeans own and live in HDB flats, any change in public housing policies stands to have wide ramifications on the private housing market and the economy as a whole. This has been witnessed many times over in the past. Reviewing the role of HDB is a tremendous challenge and requires much careful thought and consideration. I am pleased that HDB has already begun to remake itself with the announcement to corporatise the Building and Development Division. Madam, I would like to ask the Minister whether the HDB plans to become even trimmer by shedding some of its non-related public housing functions, such as developing and managing industrial and commercial projects. I would also like to make the following two suggestions for HDB to consider as it reviews its role. Firstly, increasing the ratio of private to public housing. Over the years, HDB has scope-crept from low cost to middle income housing, and perhaps even higher middle income housing. The recent economic downturn has shown that the demand for 5-room flats has dwindled to a trickle. On the other hand, 4-room flats have remained the most popular.”
“Sir, due to these issues, I am pleased that a body to further develop, promote and coordinate Continuing Education and Training for adults and their placement will be formed. The new CET body should work closely with all relevant private and public sector organisations in identifying, planning and organising the appropriate CET programmes and inculcating the habit of lifelong learning in a Singaporean workforce at all levels, including the professionals and executives who have not been spared from redundancy and retrenchments. The CET body should confine itself to policy and promotion and champion the involvement of the private sector to supply services to realise its mission. It should try to outsource as many courses as possible to the private sector who has the capability to conduct these courses and not directly compete with them in course delivery. This would prevent the CET body from becoming another behemoth that some members of the public are wary of. It would indeed be ironic if there comes a day when the CET body, which oversees training and placement of the unemployed, has to retrench employees themselves. The CET body should ensure that minimum standards are complied with. Finally, it should also track the success and effectiveness of all programmes implemented, benchmark itself against an internationally accepted set of educational Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and report these periodically.”
“Sir, I would like to applaud the MOM for aggressively and tirelessly launching a slew of programmes to help retrenched workers and groom Singaporeans into an adaptable workforce with portable skills. In fact, one of my grassroots leaders with business in China and Australia, recently remarked, half in jest, that compared to other governments in the region, we may have taken skills upgrading and retraining much too seriously. He mused cynically that perhaps the Government has done too much, so much so that when workers cannot get a job after retraining with Government funds, they blame the Government who kept nudging them to go for retraining in the first place. But, on a more serious note, despite the plethora of skills upgrading and retraining programmes launched, some Singaporeans at the ground have the impression that what had been done so far are ad hoc and disjointed. Some feel that the large number of schemes, as well as the multiple agencies organising these schemes, is confusing and that there is also some degree of duplication. Rightly or wrongly, the suspicion is that all the money on retraining may not have been well spent and the results less than sterling. For instance, are there enough job opportunities for the course participants after they complete the programme? Otherwise, some could become even more dejected. This calls for a programme of career counselling to help workers match their skills and interests with the job opportunities available. Have the most relevant and useful training programmes been organised? Has the training helped them find employment? What is the job retention rate of the trainees after they complete the programme? I hope the Minister can enlighten us on these questions.”
“Based on the Land Acquisition Act, the petrol station site will be compensated taking into account either the residential or the industrial zoning. Such values could be one-third to half of the full value of the petrol station. Sir, the conditions under which the restrictions for compensation were imposed in the 1970s are no longer valid. There was then an urgent need for the Government to acquire land for urban redevelopment, housing and infrastructure. Now, more than 80% of Singaporeans are housed in HDB flats on land acquired by the Government and our transport network and infrastructure are almost fully developed. The rate of acquisition has slowed down significantly. Moreover, some 80% or more of the land in Singapore are owned by the Government and the statutory boards. The Government is therefore now able to use its land sales programme to moderate land price increases. Also, many countries like the UK compensate based on market value as at the date of acquisition. Our Act, with these restrictive clauses, has been called draconian by many. I therefore urge the Minister for Law to consider removing the statutory date requirement altogether and allowing compensation to be pegged simply to the full market value of the property as at the date of the acquisition. This will make the basis of compensation more just and much less acrimonious between the affected owners and the Government.”
“Sir, taking the cue from the Government's present effort to review all rules and regulations, I would like to urge the Minister for Law to review and amend the Land Acquisition Act so that the amount of compensation to be awarded would be pegged simply to the full market value of the property as at the time of acquisition. Sir, currently compensation is based on the lower of the market value as at the date of acquisition or a stipulated statutory date, the most recent of which is 1st January 1995. In addition, the market value of the property, at each of the two dates, is further restricted to the lower of the values based on the existing use of the land, or the permissible use of the land as in the relevant Master Plan. ` Sir, these two restrictions on the market value to be used as the basis for compensation have been the main bone of contention and a source of much anguish of owners whose property is acquired. In the past, when property prices were rising, many affected landowners who do not qualify for ex-gratia payment were greatly aggrieved as they were compensated a fraction of the actual value of the property had it been sold in the open market at the time of acquisition. This is because market value as at the statutory date was much lower then. Even when the compensation is based on market value as at the time of acquisition, because prevailing values would generally be lower than those at statutory date on 1st January 1995, some affected owners are still aggrieved by the restriction of the compensation to the lower of the existing use or the permissible use. For instance, I know of an acquired petrol station site which was zoned either residential or industrial in the earlier relevant Master Plan and then rezoned to transport facility in the 1998 Master Plan.”
“We need everybody on board the ship to not only work together but in the right place and doing the right thing in order to continue to successfully steer and sail the ship. This in effect is what the ERC's recommendations and Budget 2003 have laid the ground for. Sir, with this, I support the motion.”
“Without minimising the importance of doing so, let us not brush aside the wrenching adjustments this will require of the civil service. Sir, I see this as the start of a journey to reform Government thinking. We may be far from the destination, but it is at least a good start. At the same time, this must be matched by a national movement for Singaporeans to discard a crutch mentality of wanting handouts, and instead be more adventurous, more daring, more tolerant of failure, and more resilient amidst the storms of adversity. At the grassroots level, often we see the handout mentality manifesting itself, especially during these challenging times, but I have every reason to be hopeful that the mindsets and the constitution of our people, especially the young, are changing. The daily press nowadays have regular ventures of young Singaporeans who break traditional moulds and have chosen to chart their own destinies. Like Alison Ng, the graduate "gao luk" seller or the two NTU graduate porridge sellers, as well as many others like Eugene Low of Hardware Zone and the four 28-year-old NAFA graduates, who despite all the problems they face with starting a business, have made their shop "Fourskin" at Heeren selling T-shirts a success. These Singaporeans are living proof that not all are waiting for handouts from the Government and are willing to embrace wholeheartedly the virtues of diligence and enterprise. In fact, the current adversity we are facing may in the end turn out to be a blessing in disguise. In the not too distant future, when historians document this phase of our development, they may well dub it as a baptism of fire, not just for the younger Ministers but for Singaporeans as a whole, especially the young, and equipping them for the many challenges ahead.”
“Whilst we do not want to encourage a crutch mentality, the reality is that structural unemployment is likely to become the norm, there would always be retrenched workers who desperately need help until they find the next job. Hence, an interim financial package akin to the EDRS but with more clearly defined and stringent conditions could be set up to grant short-term financial assistance to those who are really in need. Premier Zhu Rongji, in his farewell address to the National People's Congress, spoke on public servants who uphold the law and truly serve the public - combining aggressive pursuit of economic growth with compassion for the laggards. The newspapers quoted him as saying, "Government officials at all levels should go to the people in their neighbourhoods and homes, listen to their views, care about their hardship and promptly attend to their grievances." Indeed, this is a challenge well-worth taking up for the Government and Members of this House, including myself. Mr Speaker, Sir, despite the apparent "tameness", this Budget is, in reality, a watershed Budget. I also see this Budget as a work-in-progress of the ERC's recommendations for Singapore's long-term growth. It makes an unequivocal call for the Ministries, the statutory boards and the public sector to change their practices where they hinder private sector enterprise. As DPM Lee noted, "In Singapore, an entrepreneurial and innovative civil service bureaucracy must not be a contradiction in terms." Indeed, many of the policy changes announced in Budget 2003, such as the Yellow Pages rule and public sector market testing, require the Government and Government-linked organisations to change their mindsets and venture out of their comfort zone.”
“For instance, while we remain unable to secure adequate numbers of trained local workers for, say, the spa industry which we are trying to promote, we should be open to relaxing our foreign worker policies for such sectors. After all, as the Minister for Trade and Industry often put forth as justification for the presence of foreign workers, they help to ensure that these businesses remain viable and thus along the way also create jobs for our locals which would otherwise not be available. Finally, alleviating short-term pains. The Budget does have some goodies for the ordinary Singaporeans - rent and conservancy charge rebates, property tax rebates, the ERS shares to help offset the impact of the GST hike. I would urge the Government to continue to move towards a more focused and perhaps community-based help system. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work because aid does not go where it is most needed. Spreading wealth like distribution of ERS shares when there are surpluses or during times of strong economic growth is acceptable, but in the new economy, where income spread will widen, it is more appropriate to render help where help is more sorely needed. It is therefore very reassuring to hear the Minister for Finance say that the Government will concentrate its social safety nets on the minority of Singaporeans who need them most. This will ensure that the help reaches the neediest Singaporeans without undermining our work ethic and culture of self-reliance. It is a delicate balance, but one which I judge could be finally met with this statement. Additionally, as structural unemployment becomes a norm rather than an exception, the Government should put in place measures to help this group of displaced workers.”
“First and foremost is the issue of adequate and appropriate manpower. The service delivery standard of many frontline workers in these services sector are also less than satisfactory, such as in the retail industry. The establishment of the Retail Academy of Singapore, spearheaded by the Singapore Retalier's Association, is a one-stop place to raise the quality of our retail staff to world-class standard and this is a positive step in the right direction. The Government, perhaps through the soon-to-be established statutory board on CET, should look into training and job enhancement schemes for the various services sector, including nursing assistants, cleaners, waiters, chambermaids and waste collectors, to help these jobs gain greater acceptance as well as raise the service standards of such jobs. Some cleaning and waste collection companies I know of have often complained about their manpower problems. They say that it is very common for Singaporeans to pack up and leave their jobs after three days, unable to take what they deem as the harsh and unpleasant conditions of the job. Our retail sales staff are, for instance, famous for their one-liner answers such as "All here already, lah!" when you ask them if the product is available in another colour or size. One also wonders why it is so coincidental that none of the waiters or waitresses at a restaurant is looking at your direction when you want to ask someone for help. Another major issue that should be tackled is the removal of regulatory impediments that stifle the growth of the services sector.”
“I urge the Ministries and statutory boards therefore to limit the scope of the activities of agencies or companies they spawn. Such agencies or companies should, unless they are of a strategic nature or operate in a sphere where the private sector is deemed not ready, confine themselves to policy and promotion, and also champion the involvement of the private sector to supply services to realise its core mission. For example, the proposed statutory board for Continuing Education and Training, which I fully endorse, should as far as possible outsource the courses it plans rather than try to do them itself. The IDA and several other agencies recently issued a call for business collaboration to the private sector to co-develop new business models for location-based services based on Government data. I think this is an excellent example of how the private sector can work with the public sector. Furthermore, the recent appointment by SLA of a real estate agent to sell their property at Tiong Bahru - unfortunately it is not my firm - at what was an eye-popping fee, demonstrates just how much cost savings can be achieved when the Ministries and statutory boards assiduously seek private-sector participation in implementing its policies. Such moves would further facilitate entrepreneurship and the growth of Singapore companies. Thirdly, services sector. The Government's acceptance of the ERC's recommendation to set up a Ministerial Committee on Services to be chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance is an excellent step forward to grow the services sector which hitherto has largely remained the step-sister of manufacturing. However, several key issues still need to be resolved if we are to grow our services sector.”
“I would like to urge the newly-appointed Minister of State for Entrepreneurship to look seriously into implementing at least some of these financing alternatives as soon as possible, as access to low-cost financing is the lifeblood of business. SMEs will not grow, no matter how many SME-friendly measures are put in place, without the lifeblood that is needed to keep them alive. My second point relates to the role of Government and Government-related organisations. Related to this whole issue of SMEs is the influence of Government and Government-related organisations. The common grouse is, of course, that GLCs crowd out the private sector, and this has been the subject of vigorous debate over the motion on the Temasek Charter. I wholeheartedly support the Government's move as announced in Budget 2003 to, among others, progressively stop providing services that the private sector can supply, and review all Government-related companies every three years. In fact, I think many of these measures are long overdue, judging by the calls and appeals that had been persistently made in the past, even in this House. Some TLCs have added a multiplicity of businesses that it seems incongruous to outsiders. For instance, what business does PSB Corp now have in running courses when there are so many private education firms that can do them? By the same token, why is HDBay involved in providing interior designing services and developing e-commerce applications when there are already so many existing interior design firms competing for the same pie? If errant renovation contractors were the problem, then the HDB's role should at most be one of accrediting renovation contractors.”
“In reality, most businessmen, unlike children, know that they will have to deposit some cash into the bank before they can withdraw the money. The philosophy that there is no free lunch has been touted often enough, and most are under no illusion that the Government will easily throw money at them. However, these SMEs are appealing that there be a wider spectrum of financing options made available to them and that the conditions for obtaining such loans are not made unnecessarily onerous. Many SMEs, especially start-ups, find it difficult to meet the requirements of a secure collateral, track record and minimum self-financing that are needed before any loan can be extended by the banks. Additionally, on the side of the lenders, the knowledge required to assess the viability of SME business proposals by banks, or even SPRING Singapore officials, may also be lacking. To this end, I am proposing that perhaps a committee comprising industry practitioners could be set up to assess such loans, where the industry knowledge is lacking on the part of the lenders, particularly SPRING and other Government-related organisations. To alleviate this problem, there have also been suggestions, ranging from setting up a SME Bank, to extending the Start-up Enterprise Development Scheme (SEEDS) which is administered by EDB to domestic enterprise. Other suggestions include allowing fully paid-up HDB flats to be used as security for business loans, setting up of a private equity exchange, encouraging local enterprises and GLCs to provide venture capital to SMEs, and promoting the establishment of a SME credit bureau.”
“This would further reduce the current labyrinth of agencies and conditions that SMEs have to navigate before they can get help for their business. Of course, one could argue that entrepreneurs must make the effort to seek assistance, and should not expect everything on a platter. But there is a Cantonese saying that best sums up the spirit of what I want to say here, and I hope the Minister for Education and the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts will forgive this lapse. The Cantonese saying is: "Pong yan pong do tai, song fa song do sei", which means that when we render help, we should go the distance and complete the task. In fact, the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship himself noted that countries like Taiwan and Hong Kong do help their entrepreneurs by creating the right conditions for start-ups, and even those in Silicon Valley are indirectly assisted by the high defence spending in the area. Another pressing issue which Budget 2003 has not adequately addressed is access to affordable financing for SMEs, especially start-ups. Although the Government has, over the years, made available various financial assistance schemes for SMEs, there are still persistent complaints about the accessibility to capital and low cost financing. Again, the Minister of State, Mr Raymond Lim, had noted in his speech that the Government will not "throw money at the problem". He said that it is like having an ATM machine, in which you key in the word 'entrepreneurs" and out comes a stash of cash. His analogy reminds me of my eldest daughter when she was a 2-year old. When I told her on one occasion that I did not have the money to buy her the toy she desired, she told me that I could just go to the machine on the wall and press the buttons for cash!”
“I needed somebody else's approval for the name of my own building by some faceless committee that I did not even know existed. Imagine having the name of your baby being approved by somebody you do not know. Hey, that is the regulation. OK, we submitted and no prize for guessing the right answer. The answer was NO. The reason given was that the name was not 'Centre, Plaza, Building, Complex, House, etc ... There was actually a list of approved names in the rulebook and we were only given the impression that we could name our own building. I nearly jumped through the roof when I heard the answer. It was a very typical case of NUTS. 'Resource' was not in their rulebook, hence the standard answer was NO. I was not going to give up on this, right? So we fought back and wrote letters to appeal. Finally, after a long process, our name was approved." Sir, I am sure hon. Members of this House will smile at this incident, but setting our civil service default button to "Yes" across all levels will be a challenge to very established habits of mind, but something we must not let up on. And I suppose that is the reason why this issue has been brought up year after year in this House. But I am more optimistic this year. Many SMEs have also complained of the need to deal with an inordinately large number of agencies when applying for various schemes. The establishment of SME First Stop, which is a call centre set up by SPRING to act as a bridge connecting SMEs to the various agencies, has alleviated the problem. However, further feedback from SMEs is that it will be better if the First-Stop becomes a One-Stop. SPRING could be the one-stop centralised coordinating agency charged to deal with all, or at least most, issues faced by SMEs.”
“However, Sir, I believe that, very often, whilst Ministers and top officials may have their default buttons set at "Yes", this may not be so for others down the line. For the officers executing policy, a "Yes" default button does mean additional responsibilities, greater fuzziness and a higher risk of unintended outcomes - something antithetical to the historically low-risk tolerance of the civil servants. But this is well worth the price. Sir, I would like to urge the Minister of State to remind all officials at all levels of Government and Government-related organisations who deal with the public, from the managers to the front-line officers, to re-set their default button to "Yes", so that a truly pro-enterprise environment can develop, and entrepreneurship can flourish unfettered. Sir, my parliamentary colleague, Mr Leong Horn Kee, mentioned NUTS in his speech yesterday. Credit for this phrase should also go to our doyen of Creativity, Mr Sim Wong Hoo, who wrote the book Chaotic Thoughts for the New Millennium. In it, he described various situations when the "No" default button characteristic of people with a NUTS mentality drove him nuts! Let me read one out to you: "When our corporate headquarters were completed in 1997, we needed to give it a name. The placeholder name was Creative Technology Centre. Made sense, but it was a boring name that everybody had. I wanted a special name, because we are 'creative'. So the usual names like, 'Creative Building, Plaza, Complex, House ...' were suggested on the name list. I rejected all of them. Finally, we came out with a very good name, 'Creative Resource' - the source of all creativity - and everybody loved it. But wait, before we could go ahead, we had to submit the building name for approval. What! I was shocked.”
“Taking the line of the ERC Report, I wish to speak, first of all, about the long-term structural issues focusing on the perennial favourites - SMEs, enterprise promotion and the role of Government and Government-related organisations. Then, I wish to say something on refining the measures for alleviating the short-term pains of the current downturn. Firstly, SMEs and enterprise promotion. While MNCs have been assiduously courted, it has been recognised that the domestic enterprise sector still employs a comparatively larger number of workers than the MNC sector, but lags significantly behind the latter and, therefore, needs help. The hurdles SMEs face are well-known, and have already received an airing in this House. Lack of access to capital, inefficiency business practices, difficulty in attracting quality staff and, most controversially, the threat of GLCs. The budget has introduced many welcome measures to promote entrepreneurship and help domestic enterprises. There is the Pro-Enterprise Panel to act on feedback from businessmen on Government rules and regulations that might increase business cost and stifle enterprise. There is now even a rule about rules. All rules will have a 5-year shelf life and are renewable only upon adequate justification. All in, these are laudable, wide-ranging and comprehensive efforts by the Government. But, as in so many other things, the real test is in the implementation of these programmes. Yesterday, the newly-appointed Minister of State for Entrepreneurship noted that to shift mindsets, the Government should, when dealing with businesses, set its default key at "Yes" rather than "No". I am indeed pleased that the Minister of State has made this commitment.”
“Therefore, we must not be seeking short-term solutions to our longer-term problems, although there is also a need to hear the cries of the disenfranchised and less well-off. I note that Hong Kong - like I said earlier - because of its dire fiscal position, has been forced to raise taxes, the first in nearly two decades, at a time when the economic outlook is perhaps more grim than we can imagine. Yet, we cannot gloat over their present predicament, because the resilience of the Hong Kong people is legendary, and neither must we forget the salivating prospect of Hong Kong being part of the vast Pearl River Delta hinterland, one of China's economic powerhouses. If the SAR Administration can get their act together, they are well capable of overtaking us again. So, the threat can come not only from newer competitors, like Tanjung Pelapas and KLIA, but also from the resurgence of older competitors. I am by no means an ardent football fan, but many of my office colleagues - and I am sure many hon. Members in this House - are. I liken this competitive threat to the intense rivalry between top English Premier League teams, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle, each of them jostling for primacy. Even if one of these teams falters in one season, it would be a grave error to ignore that team, and that is because the pedigree of these top teams means that any one of them is capable of staging a comeback and winning top honours. The brutal realities of global competition are here to stay. Sir, let me now deal with some specific areas in the budget.”
“I think he has answered it himself. He said that Singapore should be a city that stands for talent, vibrancy and affluence. I think that is what Singapore is and many people will not disagree with that. Mr Speaker, Sir, Budget 2003 has aptly been entitled "Seizing Opportunity in Uncertainty". These are truly momentous times facing us as a nation. A recent piece by Straits Times journalist, Ms Chua Lee Hoong, warned of the danger of failing to recognise that the challenges facing us are vastly different from the ones before. The same day that Ms Chua wrote her article in the Straits Times, Streats reported billionnaire, Warren Buffett, issuing a warning of the damage that derivatives - which he calls "financial weapons of mass destruction"- can do to the global economy. We are standing on the edge of a precipice, with a coalition of forces conspiring to create a vastly different world order. Greed - Enron and World.com; malevolence - Iraq and the Al Qaeda terrorist network; nuclear brinkmanship - North Korea; and an insatiable thirst for economic success - China and many other developing countries. The Budget may be construed by some as a disappointing one, because the hoped-for tax cuts or personal rebates did not materialise. But, in truth, Budget 2003 is a holding budget, helping us to take the first few steps towards a re-engineering of our social and economic DNA, so that we can better face the challenges of a different and more unpredictable world ahead. Fiscal demand boosters, such as tax cuts or higher rebates, will not be effective against a backdrop of the Middle East war that has, in some ways, already begun. Even in the scenario that war does not break out, the UN debate has already polarised the world.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before I begin my speech, I would like to take up two points that the NCMP Mr Steve Chia mentioned earlier. I am actually quite surprised that he felt that the Budget has no plans to help businesses and individuals. I think speaker after speaker, as well as the people outside this House, have spoken up about how the Budget aims to help businesses, create jobs and preserve jobs. In fact, Mrs Fang Ai Lian, NMP, has also mentioned about the many benefits that this Budget will produce and the many sacred cows that the Budget has actually slaughtered in order to lay the foundation to revitalise the economy and prepare the economy for the next phase of growth. As regards the issue of chronic deficit, I think that we need look no further than Hong Kong to see what the problems are if you actually work on a budget deficit year after year. Hong Kong now, for instance, instead of reducing their income tax, has to increase the income tax because of the chronic budget deficit. And, additionally, they are also thinking that they may have to impose GST to help them get over this issue. As regards benefits of being a Singapore citizen, I think Mr Steve Chia who is himself a Singapore citizen would remember that he must have benefited from the ERS and NSS, as well as the fact that NSmen actually get extra ERS and NSS shares. There is also obviously the upgrading benefit. So I do not know why Singaporeans are saying that they do not get benefits. In fact, when we go to the constituency and do interim upgrading, very often, it is the permanent resident who says that he does not get the benefits and why only the Singapore citizens actually get additional benefits. So I think it is quite obvious. He also asked what does Singapore stand for.”
“In the case of bacteria, it is the size of a building. So, if you go to the NEWater Visitor Centre, you can see clearly for yourself that NEWater is really clean and very safe. I want to repeat that we have established beyond any doubt that NEWater is clean and safe. Otherwise, we would not have introduced NEWater.”
“May I ask the Minister if he can confirm that there have been tests conducted by countries overseas who have used NEWater in an indirect manner and that there are no long-term negative effects of such use? Mr Lim Swee Say: Sir, we have gathered the international experts, people who are experienced in the area of water reclamation and who have done it for many years before to sit on our Expert Panel for NEWater. Take the case of USA, they have been doing that for the last 25-30 years. Today, you go to Orange County, or Upper Occoquan in North Virginia, it is quite clear that they have consumed reclaimed water in an indirect manner for the last 20-30 years and there is no sign at all of any long-term health effect. Let me also add that anyone, including the reporter of Today's article, who still has any doubt about this should visit the NEWater Visitor Centre. The whole purpose of having the NEWater Visitor Centre is for members of the public to see for themselves and to convince themselves that NEWater indeed is safe and clean. My favourite exhibit there is one that blows up the pore size of the reverse osmosis membrane by 100 million times. With the enlargement, the size of the pores of the membrane is now the size of a tennis ball. In that exhibit, it shows that pure water is the size of a ping-pong ball. As a result, a ping-pong ball can get through the reverse osmosis membrane. But in the case of an estrogenic compound, which could cause a change in the sex of a fish, it is the size of a football. Obviously, a football is much bigger than a tennis ball. So, no estrogenic compound is able to get through the reverse osmosis membrane. In the case of a virus, it is the size of a 3-ton truck, compared to the size of a tennis ball.”
“As for the EU's economic engagement with ASEAN, Commissioner Lamy has informed me that he is working on a flexible framework which takes into account the different stages of development of the 10 ASEAN countries. This new framework should be ready by the time he meets the ASEAN Economic Ministers in early April in Laos at our informal retreat. Realistically, an EU-ASEAN FTA can only be a long-term objective.”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister if, in addition to placing emphasis on sectors such as pharmaceuticals and biomedical, the Ministry would continue to ensure that sectors which may not be identified as growth areas but which are equally viable, for instance, those proposed by small and medium enterprises, would also receive equal attention or help? BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Absolutely. We are interested in all viable sectors and we are paying particular attention to growth enterprises, including those from small and medium enterprises. In fact, this constitutes a fair proportion of the recommendations in the Economic Review Committee's report. FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND EUROPEAN UNION 2. Miss Penny Low asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether there has been any progress towards a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Singapore and the European Union (EU) or does the EU still prefer to work on a multilateral FTA framework with ASEAN; and (b) what is the probability of a successful conclusion of either FTA in the next three years or so. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Mr Speaker, Sir, the European Commission has not yet replied officially to Singapore's proposal for an EU-Singapore FTA although Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy commented publicly in February last year that Singapore has made a compelling strategic and economic case for such an FTA. In the past year, the European Commission has been holding consultations with industry on whether there is a strong business case for such an FTA. The Commission has indicated on various occasions that its current priority is to concentrate on the Doha Development Agenda and that it prefers to consider new FTA initiatives only after its completion in 2005.”
“The reminders and debate about the dangers of allowing extremist elements into our shores must therefore continue, as the battle is far from over and is likely to be long and arduous. Furthermore, this battle is not a conventional battle. It is a contest over ideologies, over values and, therefore, must be fought on all fronts and would require the help of every Singaporean - yellow, brown, black or white. On this note, Sir, I wholeheartedly support the motion.”
“Such dialogue can be expanded from the conventional ones of philosophy, history, culture and those in the humanities, to other aspects of human life, since Islam is concerned with the complete way of life. In this way, a truly meaningful common action agenda among the various ethnic and religious groups can be formulated and carried out in the near future for the betterment of all men, women and children, regardless of the colour of their skin or the religious headgear they wear. Sir, in conclusion, as the Minister for Home Affairs has noted, some Singaporeans have questioned if we should keep revisiting this subject; if it might not be better to go about our daily lives, rather than inevitably putting the spotlight on the Malay/Muslim community each time we talk about September 11, the JI arrests and terrorism. They fear that this incessant reminder could instead become negative reinforcement. However, as noted by Rohan Gunaratna, the battle against terrorism has barely just begun. It is likely to be a persistent flu bug that is hard to shake off and, if left alone to fester, could turn fatal. Racial and religious harmony, as history and experience have shown, is not a natural phenomenon. It is far more natural for people of the same skin colour, creed and language, to feel an affinity and thus congregate. Hence, we must continue to actively promote social harmony among Singaporeans of different races and religions in response to the terrorist challenge. As this multi-religious and multi-ethnic ecosystem we currently have is man-made, as with many things in Singapore, we must continue to maintain and improve upon it. Left alone unattended, it will start to fall apart if extremism starts to gnaw at its seams.”
“For instance, in my constituency, Malay and non-Malay grassroots leaders admitted that they have come to understand each other much better after working closely together on a New Year Charity Lunch project for needy residents of all races, where they personally had to prepare lunch for the residents. There were some tensions in the first year when they organised the lunch, as the non-Muslims did not fully appreciate the requirements of the Muslims regarding food preparation and cooking. They felt that the Muslims were just being difficult and uncompromising. This year, which is the second time they are organising the lunch, the tension has dissipated, through greater understanding and a give-and-take attitude, and now there is even greater rapport and camaraderie as the different races work together for the common good. At the individual level, I urge all Singaporeans to extend common courtesies to one another, especially to those of other races, since as a friend of mine quipped, "Inadvertently, in a multi-racial society like ours, each of us is an ambassador of our own race." For instance, HDB flat dwellers, and even office workers, who are in the lift together, can smile and greet each other, instead of staring at the floor, at the lift floor indicator, or worse of all, at the ceiling, which seems to be the lift habit of most Singaporeans. Sir, I support the Code of Religious Harmony proposed by the Prime Minister as a means to highlight to all religious leaders that peace on earth is not incompatible with peace in heaven. Also, the IRCC and Harmony Circles will need to continue their efforts to promote understanding and inter-religious or, as some one has termed, inter-civilisational dialogue.”
“For instance, though the incidence of this today could be considerably lower than before, I do hear of complaints from the non-Chinese community that some grassroots organisations still conduct their meetings in Chinese, without formally offering translations in the other languages. There are also complaints that some non-Muslim grassroots leaders still remain insensitive to the Muslim's food requirements at functions. These perceived prejudices, if unchecked, could drive a wedge between the Malay/Muslim community, already forced into an uncomfortable period of introspection by the JI events and the other races, especially the Chinese. Having Singaporeans of different races and religion dining together and visiting each other's places of worship is definitely a good start to greater understanding of the different races and religion. In fact, when I was in Florida last December, I read, with some satisfaction in the local newspaper, that in an attempt to imbue greater understanding about Americans of different religions, the Muslim organisations in Florida are initiating visits to different places of worship for Americans of all creed. However, attempts to foster greater understanding and confidence among the different races and religions clearly cannot stop at this rather symbolic and significant superficial level. Confidence and trust in a person can only be built when we get to know each other personally, and the best way to achieve this is through working with each other. Hence, at the community level, we must encourage more residents of different races and religions to come forward to work on community projects together.”
“We should encourage and create opportunities for students of different races to interact and make friends with each other from as young an age as possible; in fact, from pre-school. There is a need to watch out for the unwitting formation of enclaves in schools because groups of students may unconsciously clique and engage each other in a particular language, and thus could alienate students of other races, who may otherwise feel out of place. It is natural for people of the same colour to congregate. We do so overseas to gain a measure of security and for purposes of identification. But, doing so in Singapore, could also raise social barriers and hamper more meaningful inter-racial interaction. Certain sports, like basketball or sepak takraw, tend to attract participation from specific groups in schools. Without restricting choice, schools must make every effort to complement such propensities for specific groups to coalesce around certain sports and games, with other activities that have wider appeal to all races. At the community level, grassroots organisations and grassroots leaders must likewise be committed to the multi-racial ideal in planning activities. It is commonly observed that Malays are under represented in grassroots organisations. The non-Malay community, especially the Chinese majority, should redouble their efforts to reach out to the Malay community and make them feel comfortable. They would have to get rid of any residual practices and prejudices they may have, which may hinder Malays from joining the grassroots organisations and cause them to concentrate almost exclusively on their own mosque-based activities.”
“In fact, I do not think that affirmative action is necessary at all. This is because, as the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs has noted, the Malay community in Singapore has, in many ways, made its mark in our society. It has also been making great strides in closing any gap with the other communities. For this reason, I think what is needed is for self-help groups, like Mendaki, to press on with their efforts, especially to raise the educational attainments and quality of life of the weaker members of the Malay/Muslim community, thus further uplifting and achieving higher overall averages for the community. Other self-help groups, such as CDAC and SINDA, could also work together with Mendaki towards this end, as an added, tangible sign of solidarity and unity among the different races. Fourth, promoting social and ethnic-religious harmony. At the largest circumference of the strategic framework for tackling JI is the need to enhance social harmony among the various ethnic and religious groups. Sir, the need to do so is really unquestionable. Social and religious harmony are seeds that must be sown in all areas of public life in Singapore - schools, workplaces and communities. The national schools, in particular, are undoubtedly the crucible for multi-racial living. We must teach our children to be colour blind, and celebrate harmony amidst diversity. More activities designed to promote racial and religious harmony should be planned. For instance, there could be more designated projects related to our cultural and religious diversity where students of different races are required to work together in groups.”
“Therefore, the Malay/Muslim community must affirm the moderate non-sectarian nature of Islam and the nation-building role. I am pleased to note that, in recent days, shortly after the release of the JI White Paper, many religious leaders and organisations from the Muslim community have come forward to state their stand, and argue for self-governance, and to take the necessary steps to ensure that itinerant teachers and self-styled mullahs will not be permitted to propagate heretical teaching and poison the minds of our younger Muslims. I think this proactive, firm and united stand has done much to allay any anxieties and prejudices the non-Muslim community may have. Third, progression of the Malay/Muslim community. Sir, the White Paper has noted that the JI network in Singapore comprised generally people with average, or above average, intelligence, and who cannot be classified as being socially disadvantaged. Yet, one cannot deny that the risk of being influenced by the JI movement could be greater among the weaker members of the Malay/Muslim community. The large issue facing us then is how to bring further economic and social progress to this community, in particular, to the weaker members of the community, so that they do not feel left behind in this age of rapid gobalisation and technological change and, therefore, become easier prey to deviant teachers. Again, I am keenly aware of the sensitivity faced when we raise this question among our Muslim friends. My parliamentary colleague, Mr Shanmugam, has spoken of this on Monday. The reality is that each race has its share of members who lag behind their compatriots, economically and socially. Sir, I am not suggesting affirmative action. So, in this sense, I am not even mildly heretical.”
“Our neighbours, with some of whom we have occasional tiffs, are similarly victims of terrorist attacks. Sir, I hope that Southeast Asia nations will be able to put aside our differences to confront the common enemy that can wreak havoc on our very existence. Secondly, propagation of Islamic truth. It has been said that the war on terrorism is 95% ideological and only 5% military. There is a Chinese proverb that says, zhan cao chu gen. We need to remove the sinister roots from which the terrorist tree grows and cut off the supply of new recruits. We need a counter-propaganda, not of half-truth and twisted teachings that sowed the seeds of JI. We need to debunk the myth that "true" Islam equals fundamentalist and militant Islam. This will not be easy. Because, Islam, like Christianity, is by nature monotheistic, preaching one way to salvation. Fiery itinerant Islamic teachers and mullahs, if unchallenged and unfettered, may not be teaching the correct interpretation of their faith and, indeed, even mislead people into believing that jihad and martyrdom is the one-way ticket to heaven. Some influential western scholars, like Samuel Huntington, have taken a pessimistic view that Islamic teaching has no room for pluralism. Instead, Muslim communalism will grow and lead to inter-religious strife and eventual Balkanization, that is, disintegration of the nation state along religio-ethnic lines. That conception cannot and should not remain unchallenged by Muslims in Singapore. Otherwise, we risk the return to the dark days of communal strife and the undoing of what our founding fathers have fought so hard to accomplish - the establishment of a multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore.”
“These are the four P's of pre-emption of terrorist strikes; propagation of Islamic truth; progression of the Malay/Muslim community; and promotion of inter-ethnic and religious harmony. Firstly, pre-emption of terrorist strikes. At the centre of the series of circles are the hard security measures we need to take to prevent and pre-empt terrorist strikes. We need to improve the security of key installations and targets. We need to tighten border controls. We need to choke off funds meant for financing terrorism. We need to have superior intelligence and surveillance against the "super-terrorism" we are facing. I am comforted that the Government has stated unequivocally in the White Paper that it has taken these steps and more to harden Singapore against terrorist infiltration and attacks. I urge the Government not to let up on these security measures as they give the population and investors alike assurance that Singapore is clearly among the safest destination in the region. Indeed, the international community working in Singapore viewed the arrests as evidence of an effective security apparatus that gives investors confidence in our country's ability to thwart all manner of threats. There have been murmurings about the long jams at the Tuas and Woodland Checkpoints. But I strongly feel, and I gather that many other Singaporeans also, that the strict border checks should not be relaxed. The resulting inconvenience is but a small price to pay for our social, economic and political security. However, our homeland security lattice, no matter how sophisticated, can only do so much, because the Al-Qaeda threat is global, and therefore the front against terrorism must likewise be global.”
“It is not intended to highlight the Malay/Muslim community's deficiencies, but to air the issues in a calm and rational manner so that, collectively, we may find solutions to the problems that confront us all. It is a mark of our nation's maturity that we can openly and honestly discuss issues like these. Sir, indeed, over the last two days, my parliamentary colleagues have freely brought and frankly discussed numerous awkward and sensitive issues relating to race and religion. This attests to our confidence with the majority of Singaporeans with regard to such potentially divisive issues. It also reflects our beliefs in the strengths of our inter-racial ties which have been painstakingly and deliberately cultivated over the last three decades. It is an affirmation that the majority of Singaporeans believe in our multi-racial and multi-religious compact and that they are moderate in their practice of religion, not just Muslims, but Buddhists, Taoists, Christians, Hindus and others. As the Economist in its November-December 2002 issue aptly commented: 'Secrecy and centralisation are useful watchwords in a conventional war .. But if the war against terrorism is going to last for years, the governments need to mobilise their people. The way to do that is to treat them as adults and give them as much information as possible without compromising sources of intelligence - even if this does cause a few sleepless nights.' Let me now offer my own perspectives on the responses we need to take to combat the terrorist threat. I suggest a four-pronged approach to JI, three of which echo what the White Paper proposes. The conceptual framework is that of a series of enlarging concentric circles, with widening application and impact.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, after more than 30 speeches, I have no doubt that many in this House may inadvertently feel that they are suffering from an overdose of the debate on terrorism. Many of the statements made would, by now, have a familiar ring tone. Nonetheless, even at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I feel compelled to lend my voice to this chorus. Since as MP of a constituency, I feel duty-bound to voice my opinion and the views I have gathered from the residents of the community I represent on a subject of such critical importance. I therefore beg for your indulgence, Sir, and Members of this House as I give my response to the White Paper. Sir, the motion speaks of countering the terrorist threat in a three-fold manner, like by enhancing security measures, by policing the spread of terrorism and extremist ideology, and by strengthening our social cohesion and religious harmony. Like my parliamentary colleagues who have spoken before me, let me say, at the outset, that I support this motion because the consequences of terrorism, if left unchecked, are grave and unimaginable. Sir, I applaud the Government for having the moral courage to table this motion to debate the White Paper, even though it may once again put our Malay/Muslim community under the spotlight. It is unfortunate, but not unprecedented. Recall the anguish felt among the Chinese community at the chauvinistic tactics employed by Tang Liang Hong, two elections ago. Each time, issues like the Chinese Language, or Nantah, are brought up in its various forms, a raw nerve is struck. I, therefore, like many of my parliamentary colleagues before me, urge all Malay/Muslim Singaporeans to view this debate positively.”
“I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether the 170 cases, which the Ministry could not locate, have been referred to the Family Service Centre or social workers, because some of them may be gypsies, staying in friends' and relatives' home? And, also perhaps the grassroots organisations could help if these cases are known.”
“May I ask the Minister whether it would be possible for the Ministry of Education - in any case, the Ministry of Education has done it for certain cases - to accept the applications for readmission and to evaluate the suitability or genuine sincerity of the students to be readmitted and then match them to schools? Because there are many cases where the principals, for various reasons, do not want to admit them and the students actually go from school to school to apply for readmission before they finally come to see us.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to inform the Senior Minister of State for Education that I have come across students and parents who are very frustrated because they cannot get into any school after expulsion. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether the present ranking system actually discourages principals from admitting such students, because it will pull down the overall ranking of the school. Could the Ministry actually consider such cases if the principal admits them and whether the results of such students could be waived from the overall school ranking or make an exception, so that it will not be so frustrating for these students? Otherwise, they will end up as juvenile delinquents.”
“In this present situation, I think people will be quite perturbed to have new initiatives coming where they have to take money out of the pocket and perhaps have to face the GST hike which will be incorporated into such programmes. Perhaps it is also a good time to review whether it is necessary to go ahead with such programmes. Lastly, it is wonderful that institutions like NTUC Fairprice will absorb the GST, but it also begs another question. What about the small-time retailers in the HDB heartlands? They may not be in a situation to absorb the GST hike. Maybe we need to keep an eye and also see that they too can survive.”
“Coming back to the point that I raised earlier on the VWOs, I appeal that we do reconsider the situation where they are concerned, especially when they have big item expenditures and are no longer entitled to the Ministry of Finance's grant to offset the GST. From 1994 to 1999, they have been receiving a $2.7 million grant. This has helped about 42 to 60 VWOs. What a GST imposition really means is that for recovering $7 million in terms of donations, it can come up to $200,000 in GST, which can stall quite a number of their programmes as well as plans. So I appeal that we do not forget the VWOs in this instance. The second point is that, as I mentioned earlier, it is not that I am asking for a more generous package. There are quite a number of people in crisis. I have asked earlier in the House about the number of people who are receiving aid for the period from April 2000-March 2001. The figure that was given - thanks to the Ministry of Community Development and Sports - was 5,265. For the same period, April 2001-March 2002, it has already gone up to 14,950. For that year, about 15,000 people have received $15 million in different aid packages. It is good that they are already receiving quite a lot of help. Nevertheless, add into this, like what Mr Tan has mentioned, 100,000 people are unemployed who are not sure when they are going to get the next job, I think these are the people in crisis. Although it is an increase of only 1% and in, real terms, it may not be very much, I think we need to monitor how they are affected, and to work out how the criteria schemes that we use currently to help these people can perhaps be broadened and to monitor the situation. There are some programmes on the ground such as IUP, etc, that are perhaps imminent in some constituencies.”
“Lastly, I would urge the Government to consider again reinstating the EDRS very quickly, in spite of what the Deputy Prime Minister told us that in a difficult situation, we need to give out such schemes, but if the emergency is no longer there, we need to withdraw the scheme and reinstate it at a later date. What I am concerned is the fact that we do have 100,000-odd people who are unemployed now and there is no guarantee that the employment situation is improving. I would therefore strongly urge the Government to consider reinstating the EDRS because I am sure that there will still be a lot of unemployed people who will be coming to MPs during their meet-the-people sessions looking for help. Ms Braema Mathiaparanam: I do not have very much to add other than to just expand on a few points. I thank the DPM for what he has spoken about as far as the amendment in the Bill is concerned. Like some Members of the House, it would have been good to defer the 2% and review the whole thing in the year 2004, the reason being that for quite a number of us, we are not savvy enough to totally understand how increasing GST by 2% can improve the economy or help to balance the budget, and why that becomes very pertinent. Perhaps, there is a greater need to try and be more communicative to the population at large so that they can be in sync with what Government's intentions are and understand why the 2% is important, and now the reduced rate of 1%. I know it has been said many times but I think I am quite naive in this area of money matters and I am sure there are many others out there like me. It would be good to have a greater and clearer explanation.”
“Sir, I am a bit concerned whether in fact there will be a kind of retraction of the economy even though we are told that the Government is pumping in more money during this difficult period. We must not under-estimate the impact of a negative multiplier effect on the economy. Our retail sector has already been suffering for several years. Whether you are a big store in one of our Orchard Road shopping malls or a shop in an HDB estate or a market stall, you would, in all probability, have been suffering from a declining business. If we just take a look at the frequent changes in the tenants of shops, we can get a feel of how difficult it must be for each previous tenant. If Singaporeans now tighten their purse strings further, the situation is likely to worsen in the months ahead. Sir, I want to make the point that one million people have already cashed in their New Singapore Shares and they did so in spite of knowing that they would be forgoing an annual 3% Government-guaranteed dividend, even more if there is strong economic growth. This to me, Sir, is a pity. We can empathise with them because, if what we know on the ground is correct, many did so because they need the money today to pay for household expenses or to settle their arrears such as their utilities bills and other expenses, in other words, to pay for very basic needs. It is a reflection of how tough life must be for them. A lot of the money which was given out would eventually go back to Government, in fact, very quickly. So I am really concerned whether in fact there would be any expansionary effect on the economy in spite of the Government giving away the amount that it has announced that it is giving.”
“While I would say that there were some of us, including myself, who were hoping that the increase of 2% would be fully deferred for at least six months to a year, I must say that the change in plans to increase it by only 1% next year and another 1% in 2004 come as a pleasant surprise to us. While I would not say that what the Government is forgoing is ikan bilis, I would like to say that perhaps we should be grateful for little mercies that do come our way sometimes from the Government. Sir, a lot has changed since the Government first announced the GST increase during the Budget debate. Unemployment has now reached an all time high of 4.8% and this is expected to rise to as much as 5.5% very soon. There are therefore now more Singaporeans without jobs than in March. Without jobs means without any source of income. Like every one else, all the people who are unemployed have to face the other increases such as the bus and MRT fares, hospital charges, utilities bills, car park charges, etc, that we have to put up with this year. Sir, the employed are of course not much better off. If they are not already faced with uncertainty of losing their jobs tomorrow, they have now been told by the NWC and the NTUC to be prepared for further wage cuts. We still do not know what the economic outlook will be like next year. Our forecasts for economic growth are as reliable as the weatherman's, and had to be revised several times this year. Singaporeans are therefore tightening their belts and they want to save whatever money they can save for a rainy day and for some, that rainy day has probably arrived.”
“It may not be the practice to give individual Cabinet members' views but such a practice could be revealed to see how the Cabinet works and how they came to the conclusion that there should be an increase, albeit it is now in two phases of 4% in 2003 and 5% in 2004 and subsequent years. Our Government may want to balance the national budget purely to have a clean record of never having failed to have balanced budgets these past few years. However, it may be preferable not to have a balanced budget in a year where the nation has fared badly economically. Citizens generally are taking home less this year. So should not the State too take home less? It would assist the spirit of the citizens for them to know that our Government does care and is not a government that is purely and coldly efficient, especially during poor economic times. We must give a boost to our national spirit and not create unhappiness with more taxes when there is sadness and gloom facing our society. The Cabinet has decided, the people and Members of Parliament can debate in detail all the pros and cons of an increase in GST. However, it makes little difference. All I can do is register my point for what it is worth. I propose that the clause proposing an increase in GST be deleted from the proposed amendment and let there be a review of an increase in GST only if times are better, and only in the second half of 2003. Besides this reservation, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the other proposed amendments, namely, clauses 2, 4, 6 and 7. Mr Tan Soo Khoon: Mr Speaker, Sir, when the Second Reading of this GST (Amendment) Bill was postponed last week, I, like many others, felt that something was brewing.”
“Only 20% supported such a proposal. The psychological impact of the proposed increase is one of hopelessness on the part of citizens once the Government decides to go ahead with an increase in any form of taxation. The spirit of the people and the nation is down and our Government must take serious note of this and not just pay lip service to it, as perceived by many people. Today, as a result of the amendment, the Government would be perceived to be more caring. The political leadership must be compassionate and must feel for the sentiments of its people and not be too logical and pragmatic all the time. Even a logical and pragmatic Government, as seen today, may not, when analysed in future, turn out to be correct and accurate in their decisions. The Government's main argument in support of the proposed increase in GST is that it needs to balance the budget. It is easy and convenient to say that the budget of the nation needs to be balanced. The issue is whether that is a top priority when times are bad. This move may cause the budgets of the other sectors of our society, namely, that of lay persons, retailers, manufacturers, service providers, etc, to have difficulty in balancing their respective budgets. Which then is to prevail? Only the Cabinet can decide this. They have the power to do so, not the citizenry. Cabinet members would have, hopefully, given serious and independent thoughts to this proposed increase, be it 1% or 2%. Was it an unanimous decision or were there differing views amongst Cabinet Ministers and even senior civil servants? It would be interesting to get a revelation of the minds of different Cabinet Ministers on this topic of GST increase.”