Arthur Beng Kian Lam
Singapore
“Sir, the aim of the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) is to encourage optimal road usage so that car ownership can be increased. My questions to the Minister are (1) what is the estimated cost to a motorist, ie, the median, that the Ministry of Communications is expecting?”
“Sir, one point of clarification, please. I am very pleased to hear the announcement made by the Senior Minister of State about the very comprehensive way in which IT is going to be applied in schools. I am also very glad to hear that six more computers are going to be added to the existing five for administration.”
“Sir, my topic is on public transport in mature HDB estates. Sir, we are all excited about the plans to achieve a world-class public transport system. However, as many of the mature towns have little or no reserve land, it would seem that the bus will still be the mainstay of transportation. I would like to ask the Minister two questions.”
“The Minister has implemented a paradigm shift in his approach to personnel management. The new salary scales announced are welcomed and will do much to raise the morale of the teachers. I am glad to hear that the Minister recognises the principal as the CEO of a school. This gives a significant recognition to the role of the principal.”
“Sir, I am glad to know that the Minister will be taking active steps to implement the IMC and that he himself will be chairing the Ministerial Steering Committee which will include the Minister for Education and the Minister for Home Affairs.”
“However, upgrading is necessary as the business of the centre will be affected if the town is not upgraded, and experience has shown that the business in upgraded town centres indeed improves. Sir, the HDB or MND earns from the sale of shops. Should not a sum from this be allocated to town councils for the upgrading process?”
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“This, I think, will do the property market much good. I ask that this reduction of property tax also be extended to residential property. All the reasons that have been given for reduction of property tax to commercial property are equally applicable to that of residential property. The residential property market is facing as much a problem as that of the commercial property market. In closing, Sir, I would like to say that the package as a whole, when considered with what had been announced in the previous year, is satisfactory. The job is now to go on. There will be disagreements, and we can go on disagreeing forever. But the task that lies ahead for us is not to go cherry-picking and keep on at this, but take the next step forward which definitely will entail some hardship and difficulty.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before we adjourned yesterday, I was speaking on the subject of the 15% cut in the employer's CPF contribution and the Government's effort to ensure that, in the words of the First Deputy Prime Minister, "No one should have problems with housing loans." These are reassurances that will indeed allay the fears of those who have made housing loan commitments, based on the premise that their total CPF contribution will remain at 50%, that is, 25% each from the employer and employee. Sir, the problem that will arise with rescheduling of loans is that of legal fees, and this can come up to a very hefty sum. I hope that the HDB will choose not to impose any legal fees and that, as far as the private sector is concerned, whatever legal fees are incurred will be considered as part of the loan. I would like now to turn my attention to the question of consumption tax. I make a plea to the First Deputy Prime Minister to delay this tax for as long as is possible. This would give our retail industry a chance to recover. Even today, shopping in Hong Kong is cheaper than in Singapore. If we would like to increase our competitive edge, the application of the consumption tax at this point in time is not appropriate and will have adverse effect on tourism. The new corporate tax. Mr Speaker, Sir, it has been suggested that this new corporate tax will be implemented from FY 87. Rebate from personal income tax has been given for this year and I am sure it will be very much appreciated by everyone. I make a plea that if the Cabinet feels that the new corporate taxes should only be effective from FY 87, why not give a similar rebate to corporate taxes for this year? Sir, proposals have also been made to lower property tax further.”
“I am sure that being a pragmatic people, we will all be willing to tighten our belts regarding non-essentials or luxuries. But having a roof over one's head is essential. Losing a home will have drastic negative effects on the whole family and ultimately over society as a whole. Let us keep a close watch on this situation and monitor it very carefully.”
“I am sure that all this sacrifice will not be in vain as the measures announced will mean an immediate boost to our economy and the positive effects are expected to be felt in the next 18 to 24 months. More importantly, now that the directions are clearly laid down, confidence both in the Government and the economy will be enhanced. To be sure, the measures mentioned today will not please all. Some will want still more. Others may feel that they have been asked to sacrifice too much. To some it may be an anti-climax. To others, it may again be too little too late. In general, I would say that the measures announced, by and large, are fair and rational. To be sure, the debate will continue. But let us now get on with the business of living. Life goes on, like it or not, in good times or in bad! Mr Speaker, Sir, all workers will be making a big sacrifice with the cut in the 15% employer's contribution in the CPF. This is indeed a bitter pill to swallow but to prevent the more serious ailment of unemployment I am sure that our workers will take the doctor's prescription. We may be young but not necessarily soft! I hope that all employers will remember this when good times return again, hopefully soon. The measures outlined by the First Deputy Prime Minister to assist those with housing loan liabilities are reassuring. The rescheduling of loans, bridging of loans, must be implemented relentlessly and with vigour. The First Deputy Prime Minister has mentioned that no one should have problems with housing loans. I hold him to his word and I hope that this will come true. Should there be one Singaporean worker who loses his home through this, Sir, and if it comes to my knowledge, I would be knocking at his office door and I urge all my fellow colleagues to do the same.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in the last three days, we spent much time debating the Economic Committee's Report and the President's Address. The Opposition has taken much time but at this very critical moment when our First Deputy Prime Minister is making the address regarding the Government's stand, neither Member of the Opposition is in the House. This is their level of interest at a time of national crisis. Sir, at last, after months of speculation, we have the answers from Government. I am relieved. First, there was the coffee-shop talk, newspaper speculation, then the reports of Sub-committees, then the final report of the Economic Committee. Today, the First Deputy Prime Minister has presented the Government's views. The guessing game and idle speculation can now stop. Some may have lost their bets. Others may have won. But I hope that nobody would have lost his pants or her skirts. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has accepted the thrust and the long-term directions of the Economic Committee in general. Now we have the specifics. This is important because we all now know the direction that we will be moving in the future in very clear and explicit terms. All Singaporeans can now make the necessary adjustments. Businessmen can sit down and make their calculations and move on. All Singaporeans now know the adjustments and the sacrifice that we have to make the to our lifestyles. Mr Speaker, Sir, the young may have high expectations but they are also realistic and they are better educated and able to understand the situation. I have every confidence that the young can accept the bitter pill. The call now is for universal sacrifice for our common good.”
“But let me raise these few points very quickly. He asked whether I was reimbursed for my contribution to the Community Chest. The answer, of course, is no. I do not think that Singaporeans are interested in this. They have more pressing problems ahead of them. And I do not think they have the same suspicious mind, as you have, to doubt my sincerity and my honesty in what I did. Some hon. Members: Hear, hear!”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before we adjourned, I was speaking on retrenchments. As I am speaking now only on the amendment to the original Motion, I would like to make only two more points. Firstly, the plight of the retrenched workers or the unemployed. It is untrue that the Government has done nothing to help the retrenched or the unemployed. All of us, the PAP Backbench, have been, through our Meet-the-People sessions, through our grassroots organizations, doing all we can to help them find jobs. We do not make political mileage out of human misery, unlike the Opposition. We extend our hand in genuine sympathy and we try to help them in practical ways. We do not try to make political mileage out of human misery. What is the difference between the PAP MPs and the Opposition? Throughout the whole debate, Sir, we have been making suggestions and constructive criticisms. My hon. colleague from Ulu Pandan was this morning making points regarding the medical profession and the way medical services as an industry can contribute to the economic well-being of Singapore in the future. To the Member for Anson, this is irrelevant. But to us, this is a very relevant point and the expansion of any sector which can contribute to the future well-being of Singapore is relevant. Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank you for this opportunity to speak. The Acting Minister for Community Development (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to make just a few points which the Member for Anson this morning refused to let me interject, although I thought it would be more opportune at that time when he made those points for me to respond to him immediately. But the Member for Anson was, in his usual element, exaggerating problems, misquoting facts, throwing red herrings.”
“Yes, we have. We may have lost 12% in the last elections but we have still decisively won the elections in December 1984. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member accuses the Economic Committee of passing costs to the workers. He talks about equitability. He still refuses to see the connection and the very close association between the survival of companies and the saving of jobs. This must be our priority at this time. The viability of a company is the best insurance to our workers' job security. We have learnt of a shipyard in Singapore that closed down sometime last year. During their first retrenchment exercise, foreigners left. During their second retrenchment exercise, the poor performers left. Also, the first and second batch left with retrenchment benefits. During the third retrenchment exercise, the best workers left without any retrenchment benefits because the company went into receivership. There is no doubt that the best answer to the security of our workers is the viability of a company.”
“That is what we are and that is what we have been, and that is why we have gained the confidence of Singaporeans!”
“Not cling on for the sake of clinging on, but to stay on to rectify and to improve the lot of Singaporeans. Some hon. Members: Hear, hear!”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, he also called for the resignation of the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Communications. He has said that the Government has no longer a moral right to govern. What is morality? Is abandoning a ship in times of trouble moral? Is this what the Workers' Party would do if it was in Government today? It would abandon the ship and take the first flight out with its whole Cabinet! That is not the style of the PAP. We have the mandate of the people.”
“I quote 'In March 1985 you announced in the Budget speech the appointment of a committee to review the progress of the Singapore economy, and to identify new directions for its future growth. The Economic Committee was accordingly convened in April 1985.' Is this not Cabinet responsibility? A recognition by the Government of problems! The appointment by the Government of a committee to look into the problems and to give suggestions and ideas for the solution to these problems and the directions in which we should move for the future! It is always very easy to be clever and right, in retrospect. The Member has said that since 1981 there had been indications and reports of the economic problems looming in Singapore and yet nothing was done. The Member was in the House since December 1981. He has taken up much time of the House. He has taken up Adjournment motions. He has even taken up a motion to censure the Minister for Home Affairs. We have spent much time listening to him and in this last year in the House we, the new Members, have heard him taken the Floor, sometimes much to our own displeasure, with the Whip. He has taken much more of the Floor than many of us. How often has he brought up the question of economic problems? If he had seen these problems, why did he not spend more time bringing the attention of the Government to these problems - if he had been so much the wiser than any one of us here in the House?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to ask that we reject the amendment proposed by the Member for Anson. When he first started speaking, he directed the attention of the House to the fact that we are not debating the Economic Committee's Report but the President's Address. May I just quote from the President's Address. The President said: 'Tonight I shall focus only on the economic goal.' And the President also said: 'My Government accepts, in principle, the policy recommendations set out in the Report of the Economic Committee.' Mr Speaker, Sir, if the Backbenchers in the PAP had spoken out of context, I am sure you would have stopped us. But this morning you have had many occasions to stop the Member for Anson. I think this speaks for itself. Sir, it is unfortunate that at this time of economic crisis, in spite of all that he has said, that he does not intend to create mischief, etc, the Member for Anson has again taken on an adversarial role. It is in times of crisis like this that we together should see Singapore through. I hope that the Member for Anson will rethink his position. Mr Speaker, Sir, he has said much on Cabinet responsibility. May I just ask him one question in this respect? Who initiated the Economic Committee? Was it initiated on the suggestion of any of the Opposition Members? It was initiated at the last Budget session, and if I may quote from the Report the letter to the Minister from the Chairman of the Economic Committee.”
“This will indeed be a dilemma for the innocent. I await the reassurance of the Minister in this respect.”
“It is this transformation of the mini-turf clubs to an organized operation that alerts us all to the urgency and seriousness of this problem. The revision of the laws will result in severe penalties for the operators of these syndicates. For the operators, in addition to heavy fines, there will be mandatory jail sentences. It is good that mandatory jail sentence has been reserved for the operators and not for the punters, for the aim should be to wipe out the operators. However, in view of the organized nature of these operations, we can expect that there will be intimidation of coffee shop owners or stall holders to allow their premises to be used for gambling. These persons may feel helpless or fearful of organized syndicates. I urge these persons to make police reports to protect themselves and their businesses. Not to do so may implicate themselves as part of the gambling operations with very serious consequences. In return, the authorities must be forthcoming in their reassurance to all who make these reports and provide them with adequate protection. This will be a dilemma to the innocent and I seek the reassurance of the Minister of offering protection and assistance to the innocent who are intimidated. I also urge parents to exercise care in that their teenagers will not be unwittingly involved in these activities. Even the "look-out" boys will face mandatory jail sentences. In summary, may I reiterate that the main aim, to my mind, of these amendments is to protect our living environment. To this end, the penalty for involvement in gambling operations now carry a mandatory jail sentence. While we aim at the "big fish", our law enforcement officers must be sensitive to those who face intimidation by the gambling syndicates.”
“What is the situation today? Large groups of people, sometimes up to 70-80 persons, now converge at various centres during the weekends on race days, to carry on what has been termed as mini-turf clubs. These public areas, eg, hawker centres or coffee shops, are no longer safe nor accessible to the public. There are many complaints from our residents, as has been mentioned by the Minister, members of the public, and even the operators of coffee shops and hawker stalls. Police raids were increased, but became increasingly ineffective because the operations are now more sophisticated. Look-outs, mainly teenagers, were employed and this is the most worrying as our young are involved. The presence of even unmarked police cars, I am told, could be detected. Sophisticated telecommunications equipment are used. These illegal activities in a nutshell are being carried out openly in total defiance of the law and with total disregard for the interest of the majority. What is emerging is the picture of organized crime. Violence and even a stabbing incident was reported. If we look at the photograph that has been provided by the Minister, it would show definitely that this is the work of organized crime. It is against this background of organized crime that one must see the new measures to combat these mini-turf clubs being introduced. What is the issue before us today? Is it an issue of whether gambling is right or wrong? The answer to me is no. The issue is one of protecting our living environment. The issue is whether we want our neighbourhood, the public places, to be safe and accessible for all to use, or whether we allow a minority, the organized syndicates, to ruin our environment for their own selfish ends.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. I do not have the answers to the issue of gambling. My learned senior colleague, the Member for Queenstown, has given us a learned discourse and I do not intend to compete with him. Mr Speaker, Sir, my concern is the form in which gambling has taken on today and its consequences to our residents. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Housing and Development Board, since its inception about 25 years ago, has placed great emphasis on the planning of our HDB estates. Today more than 80% of our population are housed in these estates. Our public housing programme has been successful because it is aimed at catering to the social and recreational needs of the residents. In addition to providing the residential units, public amenities, such as schools, food centres, markets, town centres, libraries and parks, are also provided. To ensure that our residents will be able to adapt to high density living, high rise living, the grassroots organizations such as Block Committees, Residents' Committees, CCMCs and CCCs have been nurtured. These organizations play the important role of ensuring that the human relations factor is not neglected. Programmes such as the Police Neighbourhood Watch Scheme and our Civil Defence programmes provide for security in the neighbourhood and aims at promoting self-help in an emergency. It is this integrated approach that has led to the success of our Public Housing programmes. In the last few years, however, one disruptive factor has appeared on the scene, namely, gambling. Initially, and these were the years when the hon. Member for Queenstown was away, this was done discreetly in public places such as the void decks, markets, coffee shops and hawker centres. Over the last two years, however, the scene has changed.”
“As I have mentioned, my concern is for cases affected by the retroactive application of the law. It is my sincere hope that the Minister will consider each case sympathetically as I can foresee that there may be some who are staying overseas for personal reasons, reasons other than for work or business.”
“The responsibility is to contribute to our peace, progress and prosperity. And in the case of the male Singapore citizen, the man, this means national service. The amendment will plug the loophole in the law so that those who have been staying overseas through childhood, through adulthood, to escape national service will now have to rethink on their position. Because the loyal Singaporean who stays in Singapore, serves his 2,5 years' national service and approximately one month every year of incamp training, must be convinced also that there is fair play in his sacrifice. Those who are eligible for national service and yet stay overseas for long periods will be penalized by Article 135(l)(c). But there will be others, of course, who stay away with genuine reasons. They will also be affected by this amendment. It is thus reassuring to hear our Minister's statement that it is not the intention of the Government to act against persons who by nature of their work or business find it necessary to travel and remain abroad for long periods. This is important because this amendment will apply retroactively. I would like the Minister to consider the practicability of informing citizens, when they go to our overseas missions to renew their passports, of the new laws that will apply to them. In this way, the citizens will be safeguarded from losing their citizenship through ignorance. When they come for their passport renewal, if they are informed of these new amendments, they can then decide as to whether they would like to treasure their Singapore citizenship and come home. The amendment will not result in automatic loss of citizenship. As the Minister has mentioned, it is an enabling Act giving discretion to the Minister.”
“Law and national interest interact constantly and incessantly in order to provide a platform for individual liberty without which individual liberty is meaningless. With the law and national interest as platform, individual liberty finds its expression in conformity with the laws of the land which is individual responsibility. So long as law makers legislate with the interest of the individual as the primary intent, individual liberty will be safeguarded. However, should law makers legislate with the intent towards selfish individualism and self-preservation, individual liberty will be eroded as to its content and meaning. Viewing the proposed amendments objectively, having regard to the wordings used in it, it is my opinion that the interest of the people and therefore the nation is upheld in the proposed amendments. The amendment to Article 135(l)(c) forces the person who has been away for a long period to re-examine his responsibility to his nation. Ours, as my learned colleague has mentioned, is an immigrant society. In the last 20 years of independence, the Government has tried to imbue a sense of belonging, commitment and loyalty to our nation. Citizenship carries with it privileges but also responsibilities. With our limited resources, we cannot afford to be benevolent with those who turn to us only in good times. We want citizens who are stayers, who will be with us in good times and in not-so-good times. Why would a person want to be a citizen of Singapore? The main reason must be that he wants to live in Singapore. And why does he want to live in Singapore? Because he must have judged that Singapore will provide him with a good and secure life for himself, his family and a bright future for his children. These are the benefits.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. The Constitution is sacred in that it protects the rights of the individual while providing the framework for an orderly society through an honest and efficient government. The fundamental rights of a citizen of the Republic of Singapore are clearly laid down in Articles 9 and 13 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore. Article 9 (1) reads: 'No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty save in accordance with law.' Article 13 (1) reads: 'No citizen of Singapore shall be banished or excluded from Singapore.' It would seem at first glance that the proposed amendments are too harsh. It seems to place a serious obstacle on the full operation of Articles 9 and 13. However, if these rights are viewed within the total context of the nation, they may not appear to be undesirable because personal liberty must have limits, without which parliamentary democracy will eventually lead to anarchy in the name of individual liberty. Within the Singapore scenario which fabric is the law, necessarily individual liberty must be subservient to the laws of Singapore. The laws of Singapore in turn should be subsumed under the supremacy of national well-being, and it is that that must set the limit to the law. Therefore, individual liberty must resolve within the expanding tenses of law and national interest. Law makers, ie, Parliament with its elected representatives, must never lose sight of national interest, ie, interest of the people who give them the power of legislation in the first place. The moment this is ignored, authoritarianism creeps in which will eventually spell the death of democracy. Laws change as the boundary and constitution of national interest change.”
“Sir, would the Minister of State agree to look into the possibility of meeting this need in the future?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is the Minister of State satisfied that the track record of the RSAF is satisfactory as compared to other air forces? BG Lee Hsien Loong: Mr Deputy Speaker,Sir,l think the RSAF has a reasonable, indeed good track record, Over the last five to ten years, the RSAF has expanded rapidly and dramatically. The numbers of pilots, numbers of aircraft, amount of flying, all have practically doubled. During this period, we have seen also a corresponding improvement in the accident rate of RSAF aircraft. To ask what has happened within one week or one month, and to conclude that something must be wrong for five years or ten years, is a typical example of searching for the irrelevant fact and coming out with the wrong answer.”
“As the Member for Changkat has correctly said, we have our frustrations. But we do not go moaning and groaning. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Member for Anson has also referred to what our First Deputy Prime Minister has said about political self-renewal in the PAP leading to political stability in our country. This was also made an election issue when he was asked why was the renewal process in the PAP being played up in the papers. If anybody were to look at this problem rationally and objectively, they will understand this problem. Do we not look into the succession problems of political parties, whether in the government or in the opposition, in other countries? Are we not worried or are we not planning and asking questions about what would happen if the governments in other countries were to be replaced by an opposition? Do we not want to know what would happen in Japan, Australia, the US, the UK and even our neighbour, Malaysia? What about their succession problems, their leadership problems? Is it not common sense that this will relate itself to political stability? The last point I would like to make, and which has been made and repeated by many of my colleagues, is in regard to grassroots organizations. How can the Opposition Members who have time and again run down our grassroots organiza- tions now expect to be appointed as the Advisers to these organizations? If they are garbage collectors, do you want to be an adviser to the association of garbage collectors? Do not just change your tune because you are now in the House. If you really feel that they are garbage collectors, then you should not ask to be their advisers.”
“If the then Second Deputy Prime Minister were to attend the dinner of any other constituency, I think the residents would be very honoured because in addition to their own MP, they have --”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in these last few minutes before the lunch break, I would like to refer to the remarks made by the Member for Anson in regard to the National Day dinner in 1982, in Anson. He alleged that the residents were forced to attend the dinner. Can this be true? On the one hand, he praised the voters of Anson for having the guts and gumption to elect him into Parliament and this in itself is proof of our democracy and proof that the people of Anson cannot be cowed into going to a dinner. What proof can he give us? Can he provide us with any proof today that there were people who were forced to attend the National Day dinner in Anson? The next point he made about this dinner was that it was an insult to the people of Anson that the then Second Deputy Prime Minister was present at that dinner. All of us here have been involved at one time or another in the organization -”
“In summary, I would like to congratulate Mindef on the timely introduction of this well-thought-through Bill. The fact that this Bill will now be referred to a Select Committee reflects the seriousness with which Mindef takes the opinions of the vehicle owners and the public. This Bill will have far-reaching consequences for our future security and, to be successful, it must have the full cooperation of all involved. I am confident that the Select Committee will carefully consider all views presented to the Committee. 12.41 pm”
“May I suggest that payment be made at monthly intervals for items which can be easily computed, for example, rental of a vehicle? Payment for compensation due to damage, for example, will of course be computed only at the end of the emergency. This will not cause undue hardship to owners whose vehicles or other equipment may be mobilized for a long period, though I hope this situation will never arise. Are we in Singapore alone in this idea of civil resources mobilization? The answer is a definite no. The Swiss, our model, have under their defence plans measures for requisition of civilian trucks and even horses, food, fuel and medical supplies. In Sweden's Total Defence plan of 1982-87, I quote, in relationship to transportation: 'It must be possible to utilize the total transport resources according to the demands of a crisis or a war situation.' In the Falklands War, the British Ministry of Defence requisitioned a total of 45 merchant ships. The luxury liner, QE2 (Queen Elizabeth II), was converted into a troop carrier. Others were modified as mine hunter support ships, a hospital ship, ammunition ships, and water carriers, etc. Some merchant ships were eventually armed with small calibre weapons, and a number actually joined in the initial assault at considerable risk. The United States, after World War 1, passed legislation to establish a programme for the construction of a new merchant fleet that should be capable of serving as military vessels in time of war or national emergency. This programme was embodied in the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, and is a basic policy under which the United States is operating today. Thus, we can see that civil resources mobilization is not a new concept. It is a logical concept which deserves our support.”
“In my speech during the debate on the President's Address, I mentioned that any efforts to marshal civil resources must take into account four factors: (i) That the inconvenience to the civilian sector should be kept to a minimum; (ii) That there should be minimum disruption of civilian operations in peace-time; (iii) That financial compensation, where applicable, should be fair; and (iv) That those asked to participate should be convinced of the importance of their contribution to the defence of our nation. Mindef has taken all these factors into account. Owners will be given three months' advance notice of the mobilization exercise. These exercises will be held at night and on weekends so as not to disrupt normal working schedule. Financial compensation at market rates will be paid and a Compensation Board has been set up to settle only cases of dispute. Further, I must congratulate Mindef and the Feedback Unit of the Ministry of Community Development for organizing the discussion on this Bill on 7th and 8th of May for our grassroots leaders. I have only three points which I would like Mindef to consider further: (i) It may be a problem for the owner to deliver the vehicle to the mobilization centre and this problem deserves further study. (ii) The Bill places the responsibility on the owner to keep the mobilization centre informed within seven days of changes in the initial information provided. I hope that the information required will not be of a complex or too technical nature. I hope that the Minister of State will comment on this. This may pose a problem to the smaller companies and less well-educated. (iii) It is suggested in the Bill to pay compensation at the end of the emergency.”
“It is timely because it is an excellent follow-up to the efforts to explain to the public the concept of Total Defence. Further, the 23,000 trained civil defence volunteers can now see that their training will be backed up with the hardware through civil resources mobilization should the need arise. It is timely because the public is now able to understand the need for this Bill because, in one way or another, they have been exposed to the message of Total Defence. This Bill is logical because the initial years saw our defence build-up requiring heavy expenditure on purchasing military hardware such as guns, tanks, fighter aircraft and naval ships. These are the basic tools required by any modern Armed Force. Now that we have the basics and the trained men, we can complement this with the equipment and services available in the private sector, in the civilian sector. For example, lorries, buses, and trucks can be used to transport soldiers, medicine, food, and equipment. Heavy construction equipment such as cranes, bulldozers and excavators can be used not only by our army engineers but also by our civil defence volunteers for rescue work. Private hospitals and their equipment and staff can be used to nurse our injured. No loyal Singaporean, I am sure, will challenge the rationale of this Bill. This Bill will mean an immense saving by the Government whilst still preparing for emergency. As stated by the Minister of State for Defence, instead of buying equipment and putting it in cold storage, we will have available in an emergency, Civilian equipment for military use. It is gratifying to note that this Bill has taken into careful consideration the inconvenience that will be caused to the civilian owners of these equipment.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Requisition of Resources Bill. The build-up of our citizens' army started in August 1967 with the first batch of 9,000 national servicemen. In the early years of the build-up of the Singapore Armed Forces, much effort was placed on formulating policies for the development of the Army, Navy and Air Force. There was heavy expenditure on capital investment, in buildings, acquisition of military hardware, and the training of a pioneer core of officers. In 1968, our first Brigade of 3,000 men was formed. In 1972, our first Division of 10,000 men was formed. Today, we have already in force three Divisions to meet any threat to our security. The SAF Support Arms, the Artillery Armour and Engineers, and our Navy and Air Force are well established. We have a ready reserve force of 200,000 men with the hardware to equip each and every soldier. In 1982, Mindef carefully thought through the concept of Total Defence. In 1982, the Civil Defence HQ was set up and the training of civil defence volunteers was earnestly started. In 1984, the concept of Total Defence was introduced to the public and the message was well accepted by most Singaporeans. This is shown by the results of a Public Opinion Survey conducted by Mindef. 96% agreed that national service is necessary for our defence; 70% believed that the SAF is a modern fighting force; 74% agreed that Total Defence would discourage others from attacking us; and that 80% are very clear that they will stay in Singapore even if war breaks out. It is thus a natural extension to our concept of Total Defence that we now have before this House the Requisition of Resources Bill. The introduction of this Bill is both timely and logical.”
“On a point of clarification from the Minister. Is it true then that there will be no CPF-induced inflation in the future, no such thing?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on a point of order. I asked for clarification on a specific topic.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise on a point of clarifi- cation. Sir, I seek clarification from the Member for Potong Pasir regarding what he said earlier on the release of CPF Funds causing inflation and its relationship to, I quote, M1. I am very concerned, Sir, regarding CPF-induced inflation. If this is true, may I beg his indulgence and your indulgence, Sir, for, as a medical practitioner, I am confused with this relationship to M1. What is M1? Could he please clarify and, I hope, allay my fear.”
“Even the layman does not need to stretch his imagination to realize that the equipment for adults would be unsuitable for children. Furthermore, the child of today would be the adult of tomorrow. If we can give our children the best medical care, this is our best investment for the future. Senior Professor Wong Hock Boon, Professor of Paediatrics and Director of our Post-Graduate School and the father of modern paediatrics in Singapore, has often expressed this dream of having a children's hospital in Singapore. May I humbly suggest to the Minister that in view of the fact that the University Hospital and Alexandra Hospital are so close in proximity that his Ministry study the feasibility of converting Alexandra Hospital, if not now, maybe in the near future, into a children's hospital? This can only be done if the administrators of the University Hospital will be magnanimous enough to consider having C Class beds in the Hospital. 2.45pm”
“(b) What about some of our C Class patients who have today still been attended to by University doctors? By way of an example, may I quote the test-tube baby programme being carried out in Kandang Kerbau Hospital and, which is in the main, manned by the University staff of the 0 & G Department. If this unit moves to Kent Ridge, does it mean that this service will no longer be available to the C Class patients? (c) How is this privatization programme going to be implemented? Will practitioners in the private sector be allowed to admit their patients to this hospital? We need more details of this privatization plan. I hope the Minister will enlighten us on this matter. I also hope that there will be more consultations with community leaders before embarking further on priva- tization of our other Government hospitals. Another point that I would like to raise regarding the University Hospital is its close proximity to Alexandra Hospital which is now also a general hospital. In the early 1970s, when Alexandra Hospital was handed over from the British to our Government, one of the suggestions was that this hospital should be a children's hospital. After much deliberations, it was decided that the time was inopportune and that Alexandra Hospital should be a general hospital to serve the western sector of Singapore. Now we have two hospitals within 10 minutes drive or approximately 3 km of each other. May I also point out that Alexandra Hospital is also about 3 km from the Singapore General Hospital. I would like the Minister to consider whether he should now again revive this matter of the conversion of Alexandra Hospital to a children's hospital. Paediatrics, the care of children, and its many sub-specialities are highly specialized fields.”
“Sir, before I speak, may I first declare pecuniary interest in that I am a medical practitioner in private practice. The hospital in Kent Ridge at the National University of Singapore was first envisaged as a University hospital. The purpose was that the various departments of the Medical Faculty would be gathered together under one roof in this new Kent Ridge Hospital, now renamed the Univerity Hospital. The initial reasons for the setting up of the University Hospital were noble and valid. But there appears to be now a shift in policy in privatization which is cause for concern, as my colleague has mentioned. My concern is, firstly, whether the Hospital which is now confined to paying class patients can have sufficient clinical material for the training of medical students, both at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Will this result in a fall in the standard of training of our medical students? Secondly, having been privatized, the hospital administration will surely now like to show profits to the shareholders. Can clinical research which is an integral part of the function of an academician in clinical practice, flourish in such an environment? This is especially important as Singapore is now endeavouring to establish itself as a base for biotechnology. Without adequate incentives for research, Singapore will always be dependent on technology handouts from the advanced countries. Thirdly, the total cost of this project will be in the region of $290 million of public funds. Yet this project is now privatized. We need further clarification as to the implications of this term: (a) Will University staff, some of the best in clinical practice, now be available only to those who can afford?”
“Sir, I filed an amendment* to speak on the University Hospital which has been touched upon by my colleague. May I have your permission to speak now, Sir?”
“This is admirable, but I believe it is still inadequate considering the uniform factor alone, not to mention the cost of funding activities. Unless there are sufficient funds to invest in creative activities, the enrolment in the UYOs cannot be expected to increase. May I enlighten the House regarding the cost involved using the Boys' Brigade as an example. In their 1984 Annual Report, it was reported that administration expenses alone were in the region of $100,000. Events and training expenses were in the region of $196,000. Based on the Main Estimates of the Ministry of Education, the amount spent in the various UYOs per student enroled will be as follows: NCC, about $42 per student; NPCC, approximately $12; Scouts and Guides, $2.92 plus $6 donation will bring it up to about $9; Boys' and Girls' Brigades, $8 per student. Unfortunately, I am not able to give the figures for the Red Cross and St. John's cadets as I have insufficient data. I am not suggesting that increasing the allocation of funds alone will achieve the target of 1:3 but this, I feel, would help. I hope the Minister will consider my humble suggestion.”
“I am given to understand that certain UYOs, such as the NPCC, will be able to take in more students if they are able to have more teachers to lead the students. Furthermore, leading a uniformed youth organization can be very demanding, and perhaps a teacher involved in the uniformed youth organization should be exempted from other ECA. Secondly, except for the NCC and the NPCC, students are not given free uniforms. One set of scout's uniform, I am told, costs approximately $30. One set of NPCC uniform costs about $60. 1 wonder how many members there will be in the NPCC today (there are 22,000 today) if these uniforms are not free. Do not misunderstand me. I am not advocating a cut in the NCC or the NPCC vote. Both these organizations are doing a splendid job. We must take into account the fact that as a student progresses from Secondary 1 to Secondary 4, and as he is growing, he may have to change two, or even three sets of uniforms. This cost, by itself, may be a deterring factor. Perhaps more could be done financially to help the other UYOs in addition to the NPCC and NCC. 12.00 pm If we examine the Main Estimates, we will note the allocation as follows: NCC, $323,500; NPCC, $271,000; Scouts and Guides, $25,000; Boys' and Girls' Brigades, $5,000; Red Cross, nil; St. John's Ambulance, nil. I would assume that the funds for the Red Cross cadets and St. John's Ambulance cadets would come from the contributions of the Ministry of Health allocation to the Red Cross Society and the St. John's Headquarters. But how much of this fund is actually allocated to the cadets or school students? To be fair, it must be acknowledged that, above all this, the Ministry of Education also approves an incentive donation of $6 per member except for NPCC and NCC.”
“Sir, the Member for Pasir Panjang and the Member for Chong Boon have touched on this subject of extra-curricular activities. I would like to congratulate the Education Ministry for its emphasis on ECA. I am especially grateful to note that there is also an increased emphasis in the uniformed youth organizations (UYO), and this is a subject on which I wish to address today. The uniformed youth organizations, such as the National Cadet Corps, National Police Cadet Corps, Scouts and Guides, Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade, Red Cross and St. John's Ambulance, all place much emphasis on discipline, the development of total personality, especially leadership training, and community service. Greater participation by our students will result in better citizens. Furthermore, the special skills that the students will achieve will be invaluable in their adult life and even in Civil Defence, for example, skills in fire-fighting, rescue and first-aid. In 1983, the Ministry embarked on a programme to increase the enrolment in the uniformed youth organizations. It was the aim of the Ministry that one in three of our secondary school pupils should parti- cipate in the uniformed group. The Ministry was not able to reach this target. But the Ministry has still to be commended as there was an increase in the enrolment. Of the 134 secondary schools, 49% or 37% have attained this target of one in three. May I congratulate them on this. I would like to suggest two ways, and I am sure the experts know of many more, even better ways, to increase the enrolment in the UYOs. Firstly, that more teachers be allocated to this sphere of activity.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have an amendment under Extra-Curricular Activities. May I have your permission to speak on this subject, Sir.”
“If our Ministers and political appointees are highly paid and yet our nation is in a state of chaos, then it is not justified. The reverse also holds true. The fact that in Singapore today we have an efficient and honest Government which has resulted in political stability, economic and social progress, speaks much for itself.”
“Perhaps the Prime Minister can enlighten us on this. Perhaps also the Member for Clementi, who has also sat on all three sides of the triangle, may comment on this. Mr Speaker, Sir, in concluding this Head, I would like to compare the Minister to a pilot. When the plane has taken off in mid-air, the plane is often put on auto-pilot. So the pilot sits back and one may feel that he is not earning his salary, and pilots are very highly paid. Yet in a crisis, as has recently happened in engine failure, we depend on the wit, the skill, and the response time of the pilot to save the day. Yes, maybe our Minister-pilot, when there is no crisis, is overpaid; but this is a point for discussion and this is something for which a fair comparison is very difficult to make. 2.45 pm Sir, may I next refer to the issue of Member of Parliament's allowance. I emphasize allowance, not salary. This is an allowance meant for the MP to meet part of his expenses in the course of his duties. This includes the employment of secretarial and office help, transport and other miscellaneous expenditure. The allowance is $3,900 per month. And for many MPs, especially the self-employed MPs and including our hon. Opposition MPs, the acceptance of office almost invariably results in loss of earnings, especially as Parliament now sits from 11 am to 4.30 pm. I hope I have dispelled the myth that MPs are earning something like $10,000 per month. Further, may I state that the Opposition MPs and the PAP MPs are paid exactly the same allowance. In the final analysis, whether MPs and Ministers are fairly paid lies in the result of their work, individually, and the Government collectively.”
“Is this true? The lawyer, the engineer, and the doctor, 15 years after graduation, the lawyer earns (as you can see in Table 111) $25,000 per month; engineer earns $7,900 per month; and the doctor $13,500 per month. Here, we can see that, except for the lawyer after 15 years in practice who earns on the average $25,000 per month ($8,300 more than a Minister), it is true that the Minister earns more than engineers by $8,700 and doctors by $3,200. So there is some validity in the belief that Ministers do earn more than professionals, except for lawyers. Furthermore, the argument is put forward that the professionals in the private sector have to live with the problem of risks and business failure. We have compared the salary of the Minister to that of the Civil Servant, Group Chief Executive and the Professional in the private sector. What then is the answer? Are our Ministers overpaid? I have had discussions with many people on this issue. The answer, I feel, is best summarized in these words: 'There is no equivalent of a Cabinet Minister in the private sector - the responsibilities and the nature of work are totally different.' These words are quoted, with his reluctant permission, from a man who has sat on all three sides of the triangle: as the Head of the Civil Service, as a Cabinet Minister, and now as the Chief Executive of DBS. That man is Mr Howe Yoon Chong. Some of us may not be fond of him because of the CPF recommendations of his Committee, but few will dispute his commitment and tremendous contribution to Singapore. Some may agree with Mr Howe's views, others may not. Many expect politicians to sacrifice. Some feel that all this so-called "sacrifice" has today been totally cancelled off by their high salaries.”
“The gross salary was (could you please refer to Table IIB): minimum $19,600 per month; average $24,500 per month; maximum $29,400 per month. That is, the Minister's salary is less than the average for that of a big company. These figures are released on the understanding that the source will not be revealed. Thus, the Chief Executive of a large company employing more than 2,000 persons will earn more than a Minister. So the Minister earns more than the Chief Executives of smaller companies, but less than that of the Chief Executives of large companies. Now, what about the question of perks and fringe benefits, eg car allowance, travel allowance, bonuses, etc? Here again, some question the validity of these comparisons. It has been argued that although the Chief Executives have their own perks and benefits, so do Ministers. The high social standing of Ministers is often mentioned as more than offsetting the other benefits of the Group Chief Executive. It has also been pointed out that Ministers also have other benefits, such as car allowance, free telephone, medical benefits, and even bonuses in the form of 13th month pay and half-month incentive allowance, that is, a total of l months' bonus. So is the Minister overpaid, or underpaid, or receiving fair wages? Debatable, isn't it? (3) Comparison with Professionals in the private sector. The figures I quote here are from a Survey reported in the Sunday Times on 21 February 1985. I will be quoting figures relating to the top 10% of each profession, and I have chosen to compare with lawyers, engineers, and doctors. The Minister's salary in February 1982, please note, was $16,700. I am making these comparisons because it has often been stated that Ministers earn excessive amounts in comparison with professionals.”
“Already promoted. Likewise, the Minister for Trade and Industry who also has a Permanent Secretary in Staff Grade 1. A Permanent Secretary in Staff Grade 11 earns the same salary as that of our Second Deputy Prime Minister, ie $24,400 per month. There are many who question the validity of keeping politician's salary in tandem with that of the Civil Service. There is the suspicion that the Government can easily raise political salaries by raising Civil Service salaries. There is the worry that the recent promotion of civil servants is a preamble to further rise of political salaries. There is also the argument that the civil servant has spent many years (15-20 years) in service to reach the Superscale and Staff Grade. The politician may reach the grade of a Minister in a fraction of this time. (2) Comparison with the Group Chief Executive. The figures that I quote here are from the 1984 Survey of the Singapore National Employers' Federation. I will be comparing the gross salary of the overall non-manufacturing sector with that of the gross salary of the Minister. Would you please refer to Table IIA. If you will note, in the Upper Quartile, that is, the average of those in the top 25%, the earning is $19,784. The Minister is that of $21,600 per month. The Minister's salary is thus $1,816 higher than that of the Group Chief Executive in the Upper Quartile. May I at this time point out that the Survey refers to salary received during the reference period July to September 1984. 239 companies participated in this Survey. Of this, 79% employed less than 200 persons, and only 8% employed more than 500 persons. To satisfy myself, I made confidential enquiries regarding companies with a staff size of above 2,000.”
“Men such as the hon. Member for Telok Ayer, in the early days, our late and beloved Minister for Finance, Mr Hon Sui Sen, and our latest example, the hon. Member for Kreta Ayer. To debate the question of salaries, I would like to make three comparisons: (1) that of the Minister to that of the Civil Service (Permanent Secretary Grade); (2) that of the Minister to the Group Chief Executive in the private sector; and (3) that of the Minister to the Professionals in the private sector. Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to distribute some tables. (Cols. 1237 - 1238). tables - Comparison of salaries with Civil Service Permanent Secretary Grade, Comparison with Group Chief Executive based on SNEF Survey 1984 Group Executive, Chief Executives of Companies with more than 2,000 employees, Comparison with Professionals Top 10% in Private Sector based on Sunday Times Survey 21.2.85 (Cols. 1237 - 1238) [Copies of Tables distributed to hon. Members.] (1) Comparison of salaries with the Civil Service Permanent Secretary Grade. As you can see from Table 1, the Minister earns a gross salary of $21,600 per month and not that of $18,000, as stated by the hon. Member for Potong Pasir. The Permanent Secretary (Staff Grade 1) earns $20,600. Thus the Minister for Finance is today earning $1,000 more than his Permanent Secretary in Staff Grade 1. Should his Permanent Secretary be promoted, as speculated in the Straits Times of 16 March 1985, his salary will be more than that of the Minister. Some hon. Members: Promoted.”
“Thank you, Sir. Mr Speaker, Sir, this subject of Ministers' salaries and that of political appointment holders has been much discussed in this House and outside this House. During the last General Election, the hon. Member for Potong Pasir said in Fullerton Square: 'While a Minister earns approximately $18,000 per month, 70% of workers has gross income of less than $600 per month.' This was reported in the Singapore Monitor on 21 December 1984. It is obvious that he was not making fair com- parisons. On 19 March 1985, he again mentioned an increased expenditure on political appointments in this House. The hon. Member for Queenstown and our First Deputy Prime Minister have also touched on this subject in the House during the debate on the Presidential Address. The First Deputy Prime Minister called for an open debate on this matter. Sir, the monetary worth of a person or employee can be judged by many criteria. His paper qualifications, his integrity, his job demands, job security, and market forces are some aspects. How does one judge whether a person is fairly paid, overpaid or underpaid? In Singapore, Sir, we have a unique political system. The PAP, under the able leadership of our Prime Minister and his colleagues, has been pursuing a relentless search for new talents to ensure an orderly succession in the political arena. Unlike the situation in the early days, in our modern day context, many of our politicians and political leaders in the PAP today are admittedly technocrats turned politicians. The leadership has "talent-scouted" for men and women with ability and integrity to enter politics to serve our nation. Ours is not a politics of fame, wealth and power, but a politics of sacrifice and service. Examples of such persons are not difficult to find in the PAP.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head U be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead UA-01, Object Group 1100 of the Main Estimates.* Sir, I would like to speak on the subject of Ministers' salaries. I have also filed an amendment to Head F Subhead FA-02 Object Group 1410, under which I intend to speak on the subject of Allowances for Members of Parliament. Since the allowance for MPs and the salaries of Ministers and political appointees are inter-related, can I also seek your permission, Sir, to speak on this Subhead at this time and not move under Head F?”