Ang Nam Piau
Singapore
“Sir, the Deputy Prime Minister does not have to worry about the problem of providing enough places for children of school-going age every year, since the success of family planning has reduced the yearly number of school-going children from a peak of 63,000 in 1964 to 49,000 this year.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Senior Minister of State consider granting approval to persons to continue to use a portion or the whole of their dwelling-houses, chicken-huts and pigsties for manufacturing, if they have been engaged in this business for more than 20 years?”
“Minister for Finance that our Financial Policy is not only to continue to pursue our long term economic strategy programme for our economy's transformation to an industrial centre and a base for regional and international services but to see that our per capita income distribution is always towards equity. As we know.”
“Sir, through ASEAN cooperation and as a group, I believe that we have a better investment climate than Latin America, the Middle East or Africa. Therefore, I believe that our future investments from foreigners are still bright. Sir, the Budget Statement is not perfect.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the allocation of Housing Board flats is made on a "first come first served" basis according to the registration of applicants. The applicants have to wait for at least three to four years before a flat can be allocated to them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, many people have told me that there are far too few taxis in Singapore. I think this is quite possible because from personal experience I have to wait for a taxi for a very long time. On several occasions I have to wait for as long as 15 to 30 minutes before I could get a taxi.”
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“Sir, the Deputy Prime Minister does not have to worry about the problem of providing enough places for children of school-going age every year, since the success of family planning has reduced the yearly number of school-going children from a peak of 63,000 in 1964 to 49,000 this year. I would like to congratulate the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and I hope that, with the prevailing favourable conditions and political climate, he will be able to successfully and happily resolve the controversial educational problems which have been vexing us for many years.”
“Likewise, his Senior Ministers of State would not be surrounded and besieged at the Ministry of Education building by demonstrating pupils as was the experience of the then Parliamentary Secretary in 1961. Any decision of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education on any educational issue need not have to take into consideration the possibility of wilful distortions by communist elements and chauvinists with a view to inciting innocent pupils and gullible masses to demonstrate against the Government in the name of the preservation of Chinese education and culture. Unlike in the past, our present Minister of Education will not be running the risk of being called, in newspaper editorials, 'Er Mao Tze' ( ) or one who has lost his soul and forgotten his ancestors. Also, the senior officials in the Ministry, principals and school teachers will not become targets of ridicule or abuse. Nor will they be physically assaulted by unruly pupils. There will not be a repeat of the former situation as described in the Education Report, where senior officials were indecisive and ineffective and would not accept responsibility. Sir, judging from the release of this far-reaching and important Report on education vis-a-vis the very moderate Lim Tay Boh Report of 1964 which did not see the light of day, and further judging from the calm and objective manner of the debate in this House and comments in the newspapers over the past few days, and the absence of any emotional outbursts in any quarters, we can safely say that there is a world of difference between the present political climate and that of 10 to 20 years ago.”
“I therefore hope that in implementing the bilingual policy, the Deputy Prime Minister will make such an arrangement for the pupils. Sir, education has always been a difficult matter to handle in any country. Every family has children in schools. Every parent is very concerned about the education of his children. This is particularly so in Asian countries. School education is not a very specialised subject. Almost every parent is able to expound his own views on education. Therefore, the office of Education Minister, even in times of stability and prosperity, is not a bed of roses. Furthermore, over the past two decades, Singapore has gone through periods of political storms and stress. The complex situation has been further aggravated by the problems and background of our multiracial, multilingual and multicultural society, compounded by the rapid economic development and social changes. All these have contributed to the complexity of the problems of education. Any wise man would eschew the problems of education matters, let alone take on the job of Minister of Education. I can only sympathise with our honourable Deputy Prime Minister upon his appointment as Minister of Education to handle a hot potato. But, what is comforting for him is that, during his term of office, he will be able to devote his attention single-mindedly to education and treat it as purely an educational matter without having to worry about boycotts of lessons or of examinations by pupils like those in 1961, when thousands of secondary pupils demonstrated against the conversion of the 3-3 system to the 4-2 system.”
“Furthermore, the extension of secondary education from four to five years will also have the added advantage of helping to dispel the feeling of inferiority among pupils in the Normal Bilingual Stream. It is also recommended in the Report that if parents want their children to attain a standard higher than that of Second Language, the pupils will be allowed to return to school for one additional year after completing Secondary 4. I do not think the parents or students will accept such a proposal because very few pupils would want to go back to school for one more year after obtaining the GCE 'O' Level certificate just to improve their standard of Chinese Language, and repeat those subjects which they have already taken. So if we cannot extend the four-year period of secondary education to five years, perhaps another practical alternative is to allow our secondary pupils to opt for either a Secondary 1 or Secondary 2 level of the present Chinese schools in graduation. It will be more practical for a pupil to opt for the level of Chinese Language he wishes to attain within the period of four years. I believe that parents of those in the Normal Bilingual Stream which comprises pupils of above average intelligence will also wish that their children attain a higher standard of Chinese Language on leaving the secondary school, for the reason that if secondary school pupils who are learning Chinese as a Second Language attain a standard of Chinese Language equivalent to the present Chinese school Secondary 2, they should be able, after leaving the school, to read Chinese newspapers, magazines and novels when they join pre-university classes, even if they do not follow the Chinese Literature lessons of the present CL syllabus.”
“But at present, being hard-pressed in the preparation for examinations and tests, our pupils hardly have any time left to pursue these beneficial extra-curricular activities. It is also recommended in the Report that in the Special Bilingual Stream, the pupils should attain a standard of Chinese Language equivalent to the present Secondary 3 of the Chinese school. It is also envisaged that they will continue to study Chinese Literature at the pre-university level. But, unless the standard of Chinese Literature is lowered in future pre-university classes (the Report makes no such suggestion), this category of pupils will not be able to cope with the learning of Chinese Literature. This will be so because the current syllabus for the subject, Chinese (Paper 11), prescribes such materials as An Anthology of Tu Fu ( ). Selected Works of Shu Sze ( ), the classical novel, Romance of the Scholars ( ), modern novels like Midnight ( ) and modern dramas like Sunrise ( ), etc. With the present Chinese school Secondary 3 standard of Chinese Language, the pupils will not be able to follow Literature lessons of such a level. Therefore, to extend the secondary education from four to five years will also benefit pupils in the Special Bilingual Stream. If pupils of the Special Bilingual Stream have five years of secondary education, they will be able to attain a standard close to that of the present Chinese school Secondary 4 level in Chinese Language. Consequently, they will be able to cope with the prescribed syllabus in Chinese Literature at the 'A' level. And, the Member for Jurong will not have to worry about the drying up of sources of supply of Chinese Language teachers.”
“If, however, on leaving Secondary 4, these pupils in the Normal Bilingual Stream are really unable to attain a standard of Chinese Language equal to that of Secondary 2 in the Chinese stream, then we should consider extending the secondary education from four to five years. In the first Chapter of the Report, "An Overview of the Problem", the Deputy Prime Minister clearly pointed out that for Singaporeans, whether their ancestors came from China, India or the Malay Archipelago, it is highly undesirable for them to be severed from their cultural mots. In accepting the Report, the Prime Minister has also in his letter emphasised the importance of moral education and character development. He says, "the greatest value in the teaching and learning of Chinese is in the transmission of the norms of social or moral behaviour." Since the teaching of Chinese is so important, the additional one year of secondary education is a price worth paying to achieve this aim. The GCE 'O' Level examination was originally meant for a five-year secondary school curriculum. But, in Singapore, our pupils are expected to complete the curriculum in four years. As pointed out in the Education Report, the content load of our secondary education curriculum has become increasingly heavier from year to year and with the emphasis placed on the teaching of the Second Language, the burden on pupils is becoming too heavy. Therefore, it is reasonable to extend the secondary education from four to five years. In this way, the pupils will not only have ample time to cope with their studies but will also have more time for extra-curricular reading, for music and art, and for participation in group activities to promote solidarity and cultivate the spirit of cooperation and loyalty to the country.”
“Furthermore, a recent circular issued by the Public Service Commission states that civil servants who hope to better their chances of promotion should have a good command of the English Language. This will encourage further neglect of the Chinese Language and other Second Languages and relegate them to a position of no consequence. As the Chinese Language will be of no use in Government departments and statutory boards, is it possible for its standard not to regress? Under such circumstances, if the schools should set the Chinese Language at too low a standard, the pupils' foundation in the language cannot be firmly laid. When that happens, I am afraid the pupils will lose their limited ability to read Chinese within two or three years after leaving school. We ought to train our pupils to read Chinese newspapers and ordinary Chinese magazines and even to write simple letters in Chinese. To achieve this, however, they should have attained at least Secondary 2 level in the Chinese Language of the Chinese schools. Meanwhile, in Government departments and statutory boards some kind of incentive ought to be instituted to encourage the use of the Chinese Language. The importance of such measures cannot be over-emphasised because it is only through having incentives such as have been given to the learning and use of the English Language, that pupils, after leaving school, will be encouraged to continue using the Chinese Language. And it is only through using the language in daily life that they can be imbued with Chinese culture and develop the right values. Only then will our efforts to teach Chinese in the schools be rewarded and our expectations fulfilled.”
“It will be even easier then for our pupils in the Normal Secondary Bilingual Stream to attain a standard of Chinese equivalent to Secondary 2 Chinese Language in the Chinese schools. Fourthly, at present, five 'O' level passes are sufficient for a pupil to qualify for entry into the Pre-University class. Yet, secondary schools generally require students to take seven subjects for their GCE 'O' Level examination. In this respect, a certain degree of flexibility is called for to allow the pupils to offer only six subjects for the GCE 'O' Level, so that they will have more time and energy to master the Chinese Language. Then, it would not be expecting too much of our secondary school students in the Normal Bilingual Stream to attain a standard of Chinese equivalent to that of the Secondary 2 level in the Chinese Schools. If the purpose of learning Chinese as a Second Language is not to use it, but to pass an examination as a means to enter Pre-University or University, then the pupils' competence in the Chinese Language will regress as soon as they leave school. They may even forget whatever Chinese they have learnt after leaving school. One cannot deny the fact that there are increasingly fewer opportunities to use the Chinese language (or the Malay or Tamil language for that matter). This tendency is closely linked with our economy. The Deputy Prime Minister in tabling his Motion has pointed out that the use of English is on the increase in various occupations and sectors. Even in the civil service, for administrative convenience and because language is no longer a sensitive political issue, the opportunity to use languages other than English is decreasing.”
“Therefore, for pupils to be able to read newspapers, as envisaged by the Report, Chinese at Secondary 1 level is inadequate. I feel that the standard of Chinese for secondary school leavers in the future Normal Bilingual Stream should at least be equivalent to Secondary 2 Chinese of the present Chinese secondary school. In other words, the present standard of Chinese as a Second Language in the English stream should be maintained. Is this possible? I believe it is. Let us look further into this matter. Firstly, the 31% in the Normal Bilingual Stream of secondary schools are considered above average in their ability. It should therefore be quite easy for them to attain the Secondary 2 level in Chinese schools. Secondly, according to statistics in the last three years compiled by the Ministry of Education, the percentage of English stream pupils who have sat for the GCE 'O' level examinations, and who have secured a P6 and above in Chinese as a Second Language has been quite high, and has been progressively increasing each year from 68.7% in 1976 to 77% in 1977 and 79.6% in 1978. At present, there is a gap of about two years' difference between the standards in the First and the Second Languages. From the given figures, the standard of Chinese attained by the Secondary 4 pupils from the English stream can be said to have attained that of CL1 at Secondary 2 level. Thirdly, the Report points out that our curriculum is very heavy and very often the textbooks include more than is required by the curriculum. This has been aggravated by the unnecessary materials added by teachers in the course of teaching. When these shortcomings have been rectified, the pupils will have more time for the Second Language.”
“We must make a conscious effort to ensure that our pupils will in future have the necessary minimum ability to understand and use the Chinese Language. This will not only enable them to understand their own cultural roots but also to accept and strengthen their sense of loyalty and their faith in the country and the society as behoves good citizens. For this reason, I consider that the level of Chinese Language recommended by the Education Study Team for secondary pupils of the Normal Bilingual Stream (i.e. 31% of those who pass PSLE), is too low, as it is only equivalent to the present Secondary One Chinese of the Chinese secondary school. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Report suggests that the future Primary school leavers should achieve a standard of Chinese which will enable them to read local news in the Chinese newspapers. In the secondary schools, the study of Chinese as a Second Language is mainly aimed at raising and maintaining its standard so that, eventually, the students will be able to read more complex news such as foreign news and even editorials. In my view, it will be quite an achievement for the present Chinese Primary school leavers to be able to read the local news in the Chinese newspapers. Nevertheless the Report recommends that the future Primary school leavers will only have to achieve a standard of Chinese equivalent to the present Primary 5 of the Chinese school. Such a low level of Chinese will not be sufficient for pupils to read the local news in our Chinese newspapers. At present, it is already not easy for our Secondary 1 pupils in the Chinese stream to read local news in the Chinese newspapers. It will be even more difficult for them to read the more complex items such as foreign news and editorials.”
“This committee will study the various recommendations in detail and invite both written and oral representations from the public. 4.22 p.m. The Minister for Labour (Mr Ong Pang Boon)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the new education system recommended by the Education Report is based on the principle of streaming with due consideration for the ability and progress of the individual pupil. Pupils differ in their intelligence. This results in differential achievement and language competence. It is therefore necessary to teach pupils of varying mental capacity differently according to their ability. This principle of streaming has my support, Sir. However, the recommendation to lower the present standard of Chinese as a second language needs to be reconsidered. As more and more parents send their children to English schools, the traditional Chinese, Malay and Tamil schools will in time no longer be in existence. Henceforth, schools will teach English as a First Language and the other languages as Second Languages. Although nobody shows any surprise over this trend, yet for those who have been closely associated with Chinese education the disappearance of the traditional Chinese schools in Singapore is a bitter pill to swallow. To them, this means a regrettable loss. They may even worry about the possible ultimate disappearance of the Chinese language and Chinese culture resulting from the disappearance of the traditional Chinese schools from the Singapore scene. Perhaps this may be a groundless worry. But such emotional response is only human and to be expected. Under such circumstances, we need to do something to dispel the anxiety.”
“The Education Study Team will not be dissolved with the completion of its Report on the Ministry of Education. But it would join the Ministry as a special unit of staff advisers. The members of the Study Team are young men and women. They are intelligent and successful in their academic career. This does not mean that they know everything. They may be able to write good theoretical reports but in practice it is entirely different. No matter how good they are, they are still short of life experience. Therefore, Sir, for them to act as advisers, I do not think it is appropriate, as the saying goes, "Too many cooks spoil the broth." By and large, Sir, I think the recommendations made by the Report are rather specific, but it is a different thing altogether to put them into practice. Past experience shows that in order to implement policies well, we must first have a sound organisation. Hence, improving the administrative efficiency of the Ministry of Education is, I think, the most important task at present. Therefore, Sir, I strongly object to a vote on the Report in this debate. We cannot afford to try any new education system any more. Sir, we must not rush this time. We must be very sure that the new education system this time is right and the best and go ahead without any further changes. Mr Speaker, Sir, we cannot rush to vote on this Report without a longer and deeper study. To have as near-perfect an education system as possible, Sir, time is needed. Therefore, I would like to urge the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education to consider setting up a special parliamentary committee and that voting on the Report should be deferred. The Report should be passed to the proposed committee for further deliberation.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this is the first time in Singapore's history that the Government has lifted the Whip for the debate on the Report presented by the Education Study Team headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education. All Members of Parliament, including Ministers, Ministers of State, Parliamentary Secretaries and Political Secretaries are free to express their views and vote on the Report. This shows that the Report is very important and that the Government has taken the Report seriously. More important, Sir, the Team has submitted its Report to the Cabinet and yet the Prime Minister has responded to the Report in writing. Ministers are urged to speak freely. This has created a precedent. Members of the public are wondering why. No doubt, Sir, I am sure this Report will become one of the most important documents in the history of education in Singapore. It will affect our whole society and nation in future. Education is a long-term plan and has far-reaching effects. Therefore, Sir, we cannot afford to be like before. For the past decade, we have seen too many educational changes in rapid succession as to leave one completely at a loss. This time, Sir, we must be very sure that the system is near-perfect. Sir, after a few days of thorough reading, I am of the opinion that the Report is good. But since the Study Team took only six months to produce such an important Report, I think there is room for improvement. For example, there are so many doubts about the principle of early streaming and the practical side of it. There are also many other doubts, Sir. As most of the details of the Report have been covered by hon. Members yesterday and the day before, I do not propose to repeat them again, except to make very brief comments.”
“To ask the Minister for Home Affairs and Education whether he is aware that library facilities in primary and secondary schools and junior colleges are inadequate and if he will take steps to improve them. 21.”
“To ask the Minister for Home Affairs and Education whether he is aware that library facilities in primary and secondary schools and junior colleges are inadequate and if he will take steps to improve them. 39.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Senior Minister of State consider granting approval to persons to continue to use a portion or the whole of their dwelling-houses, chicken-huts and pigsties for manufacturing, if they have been engaged in this business for more than 20 years?”
“Minister for Finance that our Financial Policy is not only to continue to pursue our long term economic strategy programme for our economy's transformation to an industrial centre and a base for regional and international services but to see that our per capita income distribution is always towards equity. As we know. Sir, for the past few years our per capita income distribution is not ideal as the trend is not always towards equity. There is still a wide gap between the rich and poor. Therefore, Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope the Hon. Minister for Finance will look into this serious and important matter urgently. In conclusion, Sir, all in all, Singapore is in a very sound financial position. This is a budget that is welcomed by all the people of Singapore and I hereby wish to join my other colleagues in support of the Financial Policy.”
“Fortunately, Sir, Singapore is not entirely immune to such social diseases, but with greater preventives, we can save our children from degenerating cults alien to our country, like hippism and drug-addiction. The responsibility of protecting our future generation falls on us, both Government and parents. It will be a demanding task which we have to carry it out well. How shall we educate our children in the future on their responsibility to themselves and to society? This problem must be faced now and it is one which calls for long term planning. Our education must be bilingual, including moral and civic training. This is a primary need if we are to build a strong and rich nation, with both heart and soul. Mr Speaker, Sir, our future is full of uncertainties and difficulties. Our future is a challenging one. In the next few years we have to face the challenge to govern and the challenge to hold the nation together. We must not fail. Otherwise whatever we have achieved over the past years under the able leadership of the People's Action Party Government will be lost through chaos created by ourselves. Mr Speaker, Sir, in any chaotic situation, life cannot remain comfortable, no matter how advanced we may be or how much we possess materially. Normal life will be uprooted; for instance, general strikes and riots in the Lim Yew Hock Government. We must learn from such painful experiences if we are not to be pushed to the threshold of national disaster. Mr Speaker, Sir, before I conclude my speech, may I seek an assurance from the Hon.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Budget is ably presented by the Minister for Finance. Therefore, it is very difficult for a non-economist like me to make comment on the Budget. I have read the Budget Statement many times over the last few days. I really find it very difficult to criticise the Budget Statement except to bring out a few points for the attention of our Government. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Finance has mentioned that our manpower development programmes must now emphasise training in more and more specialised skills. I think our Government has taken a right step in this direction. As we know, manpower is the most valuable resource we have. Therefore, the best possible training and education must be provided to our young population if they are to be sufficiently equipped to serve the needs of our nation and industry. Mr Speaker, Sir, as we all know, today, Singapore still has to rely a great deal on imported foreign expertise in both commerce and industry. With our present rate of manpower development programmes, I hope our Government will inform the House when Singapore will be able to be self-sufficient in her needs for professional, management, technological and other specialised skills. Mr Speaker, Sir. in the rapid process of urbanisation and industrialisation in Singapore, our life styles have changed, but I wonder whether we have changed for the better or for worse. Sir, there is one thing I am quite sure. Progress will bring along with it more wealth. In some Western countries today, over-affluence has caused youths to lose their diligence and willingness to work. They fall out of society and take to escapist life styles, seeking refuge in drug-taking or form their own sub-cultures.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Finance has presented a very moderate and sound budget for the new financial year on the 28th of last month. It is a well balanced budget. The people of Singapore are happy to hear that there are four tax concessions and no increase in revenue through increased taxation on necessities. Only the duties on liquor, cigarettes and tobacco are increased with immediate effect. Such taxes do not concern the people's daily life. As cigarettes, tobacco and liquor are considered as luxury items and harmful to health, I am sure Singaporeans are happy to accept the right decision of the Government in imposing more taxes on these three commodities. Mr Speaker, Sir, according to the new Budget announced by the Minister for Finance, total expenditure for the new financial year will be $5,459 million as against the main revenue estimate of $3,362 million. After almost self-cancelling tax increases and tax concessions, the projected budgetary deficit is about 8% up, at $1,505 million. According to my own analysis, Mr Speaker, Sir, I think this deficit in our Budget does not mean that our economy is in trouble. As I can see it, the estimated revenue of $3,362 million is more than enough to meet the recurrent expenditure, and secondly the deficit has arisen mainly from the appropriation of $2,708 million as development expenditure to stimulate the economy and accelerate economic recovery. In addition, Mr Speaker, Sir, to meet the deficit, the Minister for Finance has proposed some drawing down from the Development Fund of Surpluses that have been accumulated over the years or borrowing by the Government. In view of the Republic's high credit standing in international markets, there should not be any problem with the raising of loans.”
“Therefore, on behalf of my electorate. I would like to express my thanks to the President and also my support for the policy speech. 3.40 p.m.”
“I wish to bring up only two matters now for the special attention of the Government. I will bring up the other matters from time to time at subsequent sittings of this Parliament. The first matter I would like to focus attention on is the hope of our people that the Government will pay attention to the civil service so that civil servants will be able to discharge their duties and responsibilities courteously and efficiently. Civil servants are expected to be fair but firm in dealing with the public. They should not try to pass the buck from one section to another, from one officer to another, or even from one Ministry to another, as this causes great inconvenience to the public. It is also the hope of the people that civil servants who are arrogant, highhanded and corrupted will be severely punished. The second matter I would like to bring up for special attention is the desire of the general salaried class for a proper adjustment of the income tax system, particularly an increase in the amount for personal reliefs. The current income tax law was implemented as far back as 1947. It has been in force some 30 years now, and is antiquated. Practically, there has been little or no change at all to this law. Compared to the cost of living 30 years ago, the present cost of living is a far cry from the time when this income tax law was passed. The cost of living today has risen many times over, so much so that salaried workers find it unbearable. Therefore, it is only proper that the tax system, in particular the personal relief for the working class, should be adjusted accordingly as soon as possible. Apart from these matters, I would say that the policy speech delivered by the President is a correct one that augurs a bright future before us.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since taking part in democratic elections in Singapore the People's Action Party scored the highest number of votes in the last elections. The people of Singapore have not only endorsed the mandate of the PAP but they have also given us the highest percentage of votes since the implementation of parliamentary democratic system in 1955. This shows that our electorate are not only aware of the problems ahead but they also have great confidence in the PAP in view of our achievements since we took office 1 7 years ago. They have expressed confidence in the able and experienced leadership of our Party to ably solve problems, particularly in the wake of slower economic growth. Since the people have expressed such confidence in our Government, we must not let them down. We must plan and tackle our national affairs carefully and look after the livelihood of the people effectively. In the last 17 years although our Government have good performances, there have also been inevitable shortcomings. Therefore, I hope that in the years to come we will be able to carry out our policies with circumspection and care before implementation. Mr Speaker, Sir, having read the policy speech delivered by the President on 8th February at the opening of the First Session of this Parliament, I would say that this is a document that sums up the Government's policy over the next five years. Such guidelines are based on the experience that we have gained to deal with the current situation before us. They form a comprehensive body of policy for the Government. Of course, there are certain portions or points that call for our criticism. I am sure Members will actively take part in the debate on such matters. For lack of time. I will be brief in my speech.”
“Sir, the Senior Minister of State said that it is too early to decide. May I know when he can decide?”
“Sir, through ASEAN cooperation and as a group, I believe that we have a better investment climate than Latin America, the Middle East or Africa. Therefore, I believe that our future investments from foreigners are still bright. Sir, the Budget Statement is not perfect. I am afraid that the per capita income distribution is not ideal as the trend is not directed towards equity. This may create a wider gap between the rich and the poor. Therefore, I would like the Minister for Finance to look into this matter seriously. On the whole, Sir, though I have made certain comments. I still support the 1976 Budget Statement because it is meant to achieve greater viability for the Republic, to make it a financial centre, and to promote the Asian Dollar Market, and to make Singapore the centre of export-oriented and more sophisticated industries with scientific and higher technology. 7.21 p.m.”
“In addition, as we all know, high wages and low productivity will further discourage investments and aggravate the unemployment problem. Though this factor is very complicated and difficult, it is within our control. Sir, considering these circumstances, we can foresee that Singapore in the coming year will face a serious unemployment problem. The Minister for Finance has in his Budget Statement touched on the adjustment of wages policy. This is a useful reminder to our Singaporeans. If we want to avoid the surging wave of unemployment, we should, besides exercising self-restraint and not asking for higher wages, redouble our efforts, be more hardworking, increase productivity and be prepared to accept heavier jobs with lower wages. Sir, I am sure we all agree that we should attract foreign investments if we are to provide jobs for our people. Regarding those investments which Government has substantial equity participation. I think our Government has a duty to see: (1) That our people at all levels of work in these industries are genuinely given opportunities to upgrade their skills, both technical and managerial, and to acquire the know-how of these industries brought in by foreign investors; (2) That after a period of time, by systematic phasing, some of the more important posts at the upper echelons should be "localised" by appointing local incumbents to be groomed for these key posts. It has been found in practice that in some of the existing industries foreign expatriates have tenaciously clung on to their posts by making all sorts of excuses and ruses to remain as long as possible. Sir, we do not want foreign investors to take too much advantage by giving all sorts of excuses and we do not also want to be the economic slaves of foreign investors.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, 1975 was a year of world-wide recession with the major advanced industrial countries suffering on the average a decline in growth of 2¬%. In such bad circumstances, Singapore, an island nation without natural resources, can still maintain a real growth in gross domestic product of 4.1%, It is indeed a fair performance and considerable achievement. The 1976 Budget Statement presented by our Hon. Minister for Finance in this Chamber on 1st March 1 976 clearly shows that our political, economic and social situations are sound, stable and steady. But, Sir, how long can we maintain and enjoy this sound situation in this turbulent world? I am sure nobody will be able to predict. Therefore, I think we all agree that we cannot afford to take things for granted. We should not relax and be complacent about our achievement, We should unite and work doubly hard so that we can continue to enjoy good living. Sir, in the coming year, foreign investments in Singapore may be gradual and slow. Factors that bring about a slow down and a decrease in foreign investments are beyond our control. For instance: (1) The economic recovery of the advanced industrial countries takes time. Therefore, foreign investments in Singapore are expected to be slow and reduced; (2) The increasing acts of insurgency in the North-East and South of Thailand and in Malaysia have caused hesitancy in the minds of foreign investors and cause them to adopt a more cautious or a wait-and-see attitude. Therefore, we can foresee that, except for short-term investment, there is unlikely to be any hope of large-scale, long term investments before the entire political and economic situation of the region becomes clear and stable.”
“Sir, education is the foundation for nation building. In recent years, our education policy has laid stress on the importance of mathematics, science and technology and bi-lingualism in order to help in the promotion of nation building. But in doing so, the inculcation of character building, moral and ethical concepts in the students has been neglected by the Ministry of Education. We all know that there is the subject called "Ethics" or "Civics" taught in many schools but it is not considered as a subject for examination. Therefore, the students do not pay much attention to this subject and the teachers themselves lack interest in teaching it. In fact, some of them even use the Ethics period to teach other subjects. As a result, the inculcation of the concept of moral virtues of the students has not been effective. Sir, we do not profit in adapting education to meet social development and national needs. We should not do it at the expense of inculcating the ethical concept and character building in the students. If a person is brought up to be a specialist or a professor, but is lacking in morals, character or ethical concept, then of what use is he to our society? So we should not try to educate our students into becoming robots without a sense of morality and responsibility to society. Therefore, moral education is very important. Sir, I therefore hope that the Minister will pay attention to this very important matter and make adjustments, if necessary, to include ethics or civics as one of the examination subjects, so that we can bring up a generation of students with moral character and imbued with a sense of loyalty and patriotism. Only then can the future of our country be assured.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the allocation of Housing Board flats is made on a "first come first served" basis according to the registration of applicants. The applicants have to wait for at least three to four years before a flat can be allocated to them. Moreover, priority of allocation is given to those who are affected by resettlement schemes, and also to police personnel and National Service personnel. This will cause an applicant on the register to wait even longer. Sir, Government officers are public servants who render service to the people. Government officers in Singapore have also been acclaimed to be among the most efficient. However, they are not given priority for HDB flats. However, the national service reservists and police personnel are given priority. This is contrary to Singapore's principles of justice and equality. So, in order to be fair, I hope the Minister concerned will consider the suggestion that all public officers who have served for more than three years should be entitled to priority in the allocation of HDB flats. ]”
“Point of clarification, Sir. The complaint that taxis fail to stop when hailed does not come from me alone. The Members for Paya Lebar and Jurong also had the same experience. The Minister can ask them. So it is not just something that happened to me. Moreover, it is not that such incidents happened just during shift changing. Sometimes it happened at 2.00 p.m, and sometimes in the morning. So those occasions could not occur during the time when the drivers were changing shifts.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, many people have told me that there are far too few taxis in Singapore. I think this is quite possible because from personal experience I have to wait for a taxi for a very long time. On several occasions I have to wait for as long as 15 to 30 minutes before I could get a taxi. I have also come across empty taxis refusing to pick up fares even if they were to raise their hand to request the drivers to stop. There are yet other taxi drivers who stop in response to the hand signal but they say that they cannot drive the passengers to certain places. So again they refuse to pick up the fare. I feel that the Government should not allow this situation to continue. The authority concerned should exercise greater control over taxi drivers. Furthermore, it is my considered opinion that there is a real shortage of taxis in Singapore. Otherwise one does not have to wait for so long before one can get a taxi. For the convenience of the general public. I hope the Minister will consider issuing more taxi licences.”
“They always try some means to evade tax or to reduce their tax dues. This is an open secret. Therefore, Sir, I would like to express my hope that the Government would step up the tax investigations and curb tax evasion activities in order to plug the loopholes and increase our tax revenue. The present taxation policy should not just aim at increasing revenue. It should be a means to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. So I would like to suggest to the Government that the tax rate of 50% for the rich people who have an income of half a million dollars or more a year should be increased to 60%. The Government should also consider increasing the tax levied on companies from 40% to 50%. Sir, if the Government can consider and accept my suggestions, then our financial revenue will surely not be in any difficulty. Therefore, I sincerely hope that our Minister for Finance, after cool, calm and careful consideration, will be able to find that there is a pressing need to increase the rate of personal tax relief in the near future. 3.53 p.m.”
“They have children in primary or secondary schools or even in the universities. So expenditure in this respect is a very great burden to the younger parents generally. Although there is a tax relief of $750 for the first child, with the present cost of living this relief is not enough even to feed the child for one year, much less the amount necessary for the child's education. Moreover, the aged employees usually get higher salaries through annual increments over the years as compared with the younger employees who are lower paid. So I hope that the salaried class should have their tax relief increased accordingly. Sir, under the Income Tax Act, I 947, the personal relief for the taxpayer was $3,000 and $2,000 for his wife. But with the amendment in 1961 the taxpayer's personal relief was reduced to $2,000 but he was also given an earned income relief of 20% up to a maximum of $1,000. Tax relief for the wife was also reduced to $1,000. So the total amount of tax relief for both husband and wife had been reduced by at least $1,000. Sir, there is a great difference in the standard of living some years ago as compared with the present, when we are faced with inflation and a rising cost of living. As we all know, the ordinary people generally find it very difficult to earn a living. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that there is a pressing need to make adjustments to the income tax policy and to increase personal tax reliefs in particular. Sir, taxpayers in the salaried class are the most honest in the submission of tax returns. They pay their taxes without trying to evade tax, as there is no additional income. In the case of businessmen, however, we know that some of them are not honest. They expose themselves to the risk of being investigated into or fined.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Finance has made his Budget statement in this House on the 3rd of this month. Although this Budget is not like previous budgets which could he described as painless, it is still not a budget that will increase the burden of the people. In order to meet our stop-gap needs in development, the Minister for Finance has announced an increase of taxes only on liquor, tobacco and cars. He has also announced certain tax relief measures for employees who continue to work after reaching 55 or 60 years of age. For them their earned income relief will be increased from $1000 to $2000 for those over 55 years old and to $3000 for those over 60 years old. These relief measures will reduce our revenue by $4 million. Setting additional revenue against additional reliefs, we will still be left with some residue. This shows that our new financial policy is one that aims to reduce economic recession and to promote future development, so that our economy will be more stable and sound. This is what we all should support wholeheartedly. However, Sir, on the question of income tax I have some criticisms as well as suggestions to make here, Regarding earned income tax relief for those who are over 55 years old, this measure is not to be criticised unfavourably. However, it seems that the Finance Minister has neglected the fact that while the aged employees need more money to keep themselves healthy, he should also remember that the younger wage-earners need even more money for maintenance of their health and house-keeping. The aged employees normally already have grown up children, some of whom are working and can afford to help the family financially. However, with the younger employees it is different.”
“Sir, we know that the prosperity and economy of Singapore are developing at a pace far greater than our neighbouring countries. This brings about unemployment in those countries, and these unemployed people are therefore pouring into Singapore. This may cause an "explosion" in future. I would, therefore, propose to the Government to encourage Singaporeans to invest in our neighbouring countries. Encouragement should also be given to our technicians and technocrats to help in the development of our neighbouring countries. This will not only help those countries to solve their unemployment problem and to raise their standard of living, but will also ultimately help us to check the danger of a potential "explosion" from occurring in Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, even with an enlightened leadership, Singapore cannot function without the sincere co-operation of the people. If there is such a co-operation, I am confident that Singapore will have a brighter future. 2.40 p.m.”
“People are more concerned with their own material enjoyment than the interests and welfare of the country. In other words, the people are becoming more and more selfish. They take less and less interest in the people around them. Degradation and decadence, therefore, set in. As a result of this phenomenon, crimes are mounting and anti-social activities are increasing. We have gangsterism, blackmail, juvenile delinquency, and a host of other anti-social activities. On top of all this, there is the problem of drug abuse. Drug trafficking is going on in Singapore. Young people are sporting long hair in spite of the Government's attempt to discourage it. It is regrettable that we can still see in this corner of the world young people taking drugs, sporting long hair, and engaging in activities outside the ambit of the law. Sir, in order to create a healthy and wholesome social atmosphere and environment, we must not fall into the wake of some technologically advanced Western countries. Over and above economic development, the Government should pay attention to cultural development. The people must be inculcated with a sense of belonging. They must be educated in the effort to make Singapore a clean and pollution-free city. I do not think that campaigns like the "Tree Planting Campaign", "Anti-Mosquito Campaign" and "Family Planning Campaign" have been adequately carried out. I hope that the Government will allocate more funds to step up these campaigns in order to avoid the by-products and the ill-effects of industrialisation. Sir, although we cannot be assured that the ill-effects of industrialisation can be totally eradicated, I am sure that with all the efforts put in, we can reduce them to a certain extent.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Finance has once again presented a painless Budget in this House. He also announced in his Budget Statement seven items of tax reliefs and a surplus of $20 million. All this goes to show that Singapore is in a very sound financial position. This is a budget that is welcomed by all the people of Singapore, and I hereby support the financial policy. Sir, our Government is now concentrating its efforts on industrialisation and urbanisation in order to catch up with the technologically advanced countries. It is also concentrating its efforts on technological developments as a means to further develop our economy. All this is very well because circumstances are such that we have to catch up with the other advanced countries. But I would like to take this opportunity to remind the Government that we should not overlook certain aspects of development that have taken place in some Western countries. The development of their technology and economy have brought about certain shortcomings. There is also the evolvement of escapism as a result of excessive material development. The spiritual aspect of human life must be looked into. Creativity, the emotions of human beings, should also be developed together with technological and material development. Sir, in the process of urbanisation and industrialisation in Singapore, the Government has taken various steps to control social pathology and other shortcomings. These shortcomings which accompany material and technological development are air pollution, environmental pollution, noise pollution, industrial accidents, industrial diseases, traffic congestion, and a host of others. The abuse of the mass media is also one aspect of the shortcomings.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before I conclude my support of the President's speech, I wish to warn the House that the economic and industrial penetration of Singapore by this particular country should be studied with extreme caution, and any agreement reached with them should have safeguards to protect the interests and to meet the aspirations of our people in the long term. We do not want to be economic slaves of another country when we have achieved freedom with so much sweat and toil. 3.46 p.m.”
“But when these industries are attracted to and established in the Republic and those in which Government has substantial equity participation, it should he the conscious duty of our Government in power to see that:- (a) Our people at all levels of work in these industries are genuinely given opportunities to upgrade their skills, both practical and managerial, and to acquire the know-how of these industries brought in by foreign interests, and (b) after a period of time, by systematic phasing, some of the more important posts at the upper echelon should be "localised" by appointing local incumbents to be groomed for these key posts. It has been found in practice that in some of the existing industries, foreign expatriates have tenaciously clung on to their posts by making all sorts of excuses and ruses to remain as long as possible. There is one particular country in this respect in which their nationals are very adept in this kind of practice. Their main motive is not to assist Singapore towards greater viability but to exploit our Republic as a base for future operations in countries in Southeast Asia. Our Government should study their modus operandi carefully and in depth and their methods of canny economic penetration, because unfortunately for us their nationals work harder than most of us, as work to them is God and is a means to mammon and building a huge trade balance for their own country without consideration for others.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the President's address at the official opening of the Third Parliament. The President's speech has laid great emphasis on the necessity to sustain the momentum of economic growth achieved in the last five years after the Republic has achieved independence and become an autonomous state. In pursuing the same policy during the next five years, it is vital in the interest of our country that the policy adopted does not lose sight of the aspirations and hopes of our people. The two main objectives in inducing more and more industries into Singapore are, namely:- (1) To achieve greater viability for the Republic. (2) To make the Republic the centre of export-oriented and more sophisticated industries with scientific and high technology. Foreign firms will come to Singapore and will invest in our Republic if political stability continues, our trade unions remain responsible, level headed, reasonable, adaptable and conscious of the part they have to play in producing quality products at competitive international pricing, our currency continues to be hard and strong and our Government governs and administrates with clockwork efficiency, fairness and free from corruption.”
“Therefore, I urge that, our economy permitting, there should be a whole-day session at secondary school level, so that students will be able to spend more of their time usefully in schools. Mr Speaker, Sir, in short, the rise or fall of a country depends on the social ethos prevailing. No doubt, we must do all we can to ensure that our national economy is properly maintained. Moreover, we should remove all undesirable influences in our society. The people should be urged to work together and to work hard for the national interest. In this way, a bright future for Singapore is then assured. Finally, Sir, on behalf of the people of Thomson, I support this Budget policy. 3.33 p.m.”
“To ensure that our young people and our work force are not corroded by this Western influence, the Government must take immediate steps to ban yellow publications and stop their circulation in Singapore. Instead, encouragement should be given to good and beneficial publications and film shows. The educational level of the people should be raised, and made fully aware of the evils of yellow culture. Healthy cultural activities shou1d be encouraged and conducted in the various sections of the society. In this way, the people will have beneficial and healthy recreations to counter the corrosive Western influence. Secondly, low-taste films should be banned in Singapore. At present, there are far too many sword-fighting movies This is bad for our young people. We must further tighten the film censorship in the interest of our country. Films or movies which have a bad effect on our citizens should be banned. Instead, encouragement should be given to the screening of beneficial films in the cinemas. In this way, more educational films will be shown, and the people will learn through them. Thirdly, I would urge the Government to take stringent measures against the importation and circulation of undesirable gramophone records from overseas. Fourthly, the social ethos should be reformed. To do this, it is necessary to begin at home. Parents must set good examples to their children, and should not concern themselves merely with making money. Otherwise they would neglect the education of their children, which is equally important. Children will be well-educated only if they receive education both at home and in school Then they will be patriotic and able to resist the corrosive Western influence..”
“We must take immediate steps to ensure that our social discipline does not suffer or is not affected by such influences. While the Government must continue in its economic and social construction, it must at the same time ensure that such corrosive influence from the West does not become too much of a problem in Singapore. We are a small country without natural resources. Although we have some cultural ballast inherited from the past, we must make sure that this poisonous and corrosive influence from the West shall not be allowed to gain a hold in Singapore, particularly to affect the youths. We must not allow our youths to degenerate as did the youths in the West. I am glad to note that in this direction the Government has set up the Central Narcotics Bureau to take effective and immediate action to combat drug-taking. At the same time the Government has also declared "war" against long hair. But in spite of this action, we can still see people with long hair moving around in Singapore. They are still "at large". They claim to be "progressive", and are "with it". They even ignore the advice of the Government. I would therefore suggest that the Government take legislative action against the keeping of long hair. We should not be afraid of criticisms against us for being undemocratic and for interfering with personal liberty. I am sure that the people of Singapore will understand and will be on our side. In order to ensure that there is a fine and proper social ethos, the Government should also take steps in the following direction. Firstly, yellow culture should be banned.”
“But because of the social indiscipline, lack of organisation and hard work on the part of their people in general, their economy is on the decline, resulting in the devaluation of the U.S, dollar and the Pound sterling. Therefore, what happened to them can serve as an object lesson to us. We must continue with our hard work and frugality. This is of great importance to a small country like Singapore. With the advancement of science and technology and industrialisation in Singapore, other problems come into evidence. There are tendencies among our people to take life easy and to enjoy the good things of life. They tend to be more concerned with making money than with getting themselves interested in matters of national importance. They even resort to degenerating and corrosive habits. As a result, there is a mounting wave of crime and some form of social unrest and disorder in Singapore. For example, we can see that there is an increase in secret society activities, and that crimes like rape, gambling, murder, kidnapping, blackmail, traffic offences, and tax evasion, are being committed in Singapore. Singapore is also subject to the degenerating influence of the West. Some of our young people take to "with-it-ism". They turn to drugs and keep long hair, thereby creating very serious social problems. These are the by-products of prosperity. This degenerating influence has come from Western countries which, although industrially advanced, do not care much about the welfare and problems of their youths. Instead of finding solutions to these problems, they resort to permissiveness. Therefore, we must be very careful about our youths. Half our population consists of young people under the age of 21 years.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on the 7th of this month the Minister for Finance announced his Budget proposals, in which there are no tax increases or new taxes. Instead, there are increased tax reliefs which benefit the people in the middle and the lower income groups. This is a far-sighted and satisfactory budget. It is most welcome and has the support of all the people in Singapore. The tremendous progress and stability and peace in Singapore can be attributed to the enlightened and able leadership of our Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues, together with the co-operation and hard work of our people. Over the past decade, these people have taken great steps and concerted efforts to ensure the success of our industrialisation and continuing prosperity of our country. Mr Speaker, Sir, let us take a look at the countries around us, far and near. Their economic development is not as good as we would imagine. Every year they have to increase taxes in varying degrees. But the people of Singapore on the contrary have been fortunate to enjoy painless budgets over the past three years. These are clear indications that our economy is very sound, evidenced by a surplus in our budget. Singapore is already modernised. However, our people should not be complacent with the present prosperity and success. They must take concerted efforts to continue the hard work to ensure that there is continuing economic growth for Singapore, and that there is always a great deal of surplus in our Budget. Mr Speaker, Sir, let us now look at the advanced countries, such as the United States and Great Britain. At one time they had peace at home, and they enjoyed the greatest riches of the world.”
“According to a report by the Hawkers Department, in Thomson Constituency there are 236 hawkers of whom 155 live there. The Housing and Development Board is building a market at the 5 m.s. Thomson Road, which can accommodate 238 stalls including stalls for cooked food hawkers. 1 hope that the Hawkers Department will allow all the hawkers in the Thomson area to move into this new market. I also hope that the Housing and Development Board will give sympathetic consideration to the applications of these hawkers so that they can move into this new market, thereby satisfactorily solving their problem. Finally, on behalf of the people of Thomson Constituency, I express my support and thanks to the policy speech made by the President. 3.46 p.m.”
“There is a plan to build 21 blocks of standard type factories consisting of 269 units, and another plan to build three blocks of 12 storey-flats totalling 500 units of premises, including shop premises on the ground floors. The Housing and Development Board has also a plan to acquire 200 acres of land along the 5th and 7th mile stretch of Upper Thomson Road for new industrial sites and also to develop a marketing centre. All these plans will definitely affect the livelihood of the people living there. The people in the vicinity of Sin Ming Road have now accepted the new rates of compensation and ex gratia payments for resettlement announced by the Government. Following the transportation improvement planning and the development of Upper Thomson Road under the road expansion scheme, about 100 to 200 shop premises there will be affected. However, the Government is planning to build new shop premises and a marketing centre along the 5th mile and the 6th mile of Upper Thomson Road, so that alternative accommodation will be available. Those affected will also be given higher rates of compensation and ex gratia payments. They are also satisfied with the new types of shop premises to be allocated to them. But they have one common request to make, that is, the authorities concerned under the house ownership scheme should enable them to buy their shop premises for their own use on instalment terms, and not to allocate the premises on a rental basis. I would also request the Housing and Development Board to give sympathetic consideration to the requests of these people. There is a question relating to the problem of hawkers, which requires a solution. At the moment the Government is trying to resite the hawkers. This move calls for our support.”
“During these six years under the judicious leadership and guidance of our Government, with their timely judgment and the various measures taken for the benefit of the people, we have seen prosperity and great progress in our commerce and industry. We now have political stability, peace and social well-being. Our people are contented with their lot. But we can only maintain our prosperity, economic progress and growth provided we have the will to survive, the determination to maintain our independence and sovereignty, a united national consciousness, co-operation with one another, and if we redouble our efforts towards national regeneration. In addition to this, if we are resolute, we will achieve much, not only in the political field hut also in the spheres of defence, economy, culture, education, health, and social activities. Sir, the policy speech made by the President on the 21st of this month paints a very bright future and shows us a guiding path to tread along. Now, I would like to touch upon the effect which Singapore's rapid growth and development has on the people of Thomson Constituency. Our land is limited. Unless we can make full use of it many otherwise good plans may not be of any use. The Housing and Development Board has all along taken the correct measures in the acquisition and use of land. It has received the support and praise of all our people. Under the urban renewal plans in Thomson Constituency, Government has acquired 42 acres of land in the vicinity of Sin Ming Road. It intends to develop the area into an industrial estate for motor vehicles and to build a motor vehicle inspection centre. There will also be facilities for vehicle spare parts.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in the history of mankind, there are examples of small countries which were very prosperous and strong; for instance ancient Phoenicia and medieval Venice are good examples. Even in recent times, we have examples of some small countries surrounded by stronger countries, such as Finland, which is encircled by Russia and Sweden; Switzerland, which is surrounded by France, Germany and Italy; and Israel, which is surrounded by the Arab countries. These countries are all independent and yet they can survive. Moreover, they have also developed their countries and have not become the appendices of stronger powers. The reason is that their society is not made up of loose and pleasure-seeking people. We can see from this that the success or failure of nation building depends mainly on the type of people. Success comes if the people have a strong will, a united purpose and national consciousness, and who will always think in terms of the interest of the whole country. They are united in the common purpose of forming a closely-knit society. Since 9th August. 1965, when Singapore was forced to be independent, we, a small country, have managed to survive and progress. When we became independent, our Government immediately announced to the world that we will be an independent and neutral country, and that we will be friend with all the other countries of the world We want to make as many friends as possible and as fewer enemies as possible. With this foreign policy and posture we entered the international arena. Only with this kind of policy can we ensure our survival in this fluid region in Southeast Asia, which is the arena of Super-power politics. We have no other alternatives. We must be determined to live on.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have already submitted my proposals for the metalling of Vaughan Road and Lorong Patong to the U.R.S.C. Can the Parliamentary Secretary inform the House whether or not these proposals will be approved in the near future?”