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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“However, there are still two more sources of rusty water supply, as I understand as a layman, ie, the water tank and the water pipes in the individual flats. I feel that maintaining the water tanks through regular cleansing and painting is insufficient because not only is this costly in terms of money and manpower, but I am given to understand that in that type of cleansing almost invariably rust is detected. I am not a specialist in water tanks. But after much discussion, I understand that there are other answers to this problem, eg, the lining of these tanks with high density polyethylene lining. The company guarantees that this will be successful for five years and that the life span of this will be for 50 years, Will the HDB consider this or even replacing these old tanks with stainless steel or other materials that will not rust? After spending millions to change or line existing pipes, I think, Mr Minister, Sir, we should go all the way to solve this problem, ie, looking into the problems of the water tanks. Only after this has been done can our residents be asked to change the water pipes in their own flats, for only then can they be ensured of clear water and not yellow water. I hope that I am not making an unreasonable request, I humbly submit.”
“Sir, as the Member for Bukit Merah has mentioned, the quality of some of the sold flats leaves much to be desired. The rapid pace has also resulted sometimes in very poor quality flats. There are some flats which have defects from day one. Repairs on these were done by the HDB. However, with the passing of years, these initial defects, eg, the cracks in walls and ceilings have become exaggerated. I know of a block in my constituency of Fengshan in which the initial building contractor had his Contract terminated because work was not done satisfactorily. A second contractor was given the task of implementing or make good the work during the guarantee period. A visit to this block is most depressing. The point that I am trying to make, Sir, is that since these defects were there initially, should the one-year guarantee period be strictly enforced? Will the HDB accept responsibility for these defects which were initially there? These are not parts of normal wear and tear. Regarding old estates, I would like to bring up the problem of rusty or yellow water supply. We have heard of yellow rain but in Singapore we have yellow water. I must commend both the PUB and the HDB for being very sensitive to this matter. The reason why I am bringing up this matter under the HDB is that after investigation I have come to the conclusion that the PUB has done its share to solve the problem. The HDB has also done much. But I still have another suggestion for the HDB so as to find a permanent solution to this very perplexing problem. Mr Speaker, Sir, the HDB has looked into and will be replacing many of the water pipes, ie, lining the up-pipes and replacing the down-pipes at a cost of millions of dollars.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I intended to speak under Subhead TG-01, on the topics covered by the Member for Bukit Merah. May I have your permission to speak now on the topic of the quality of flats and problems of old estates?”
“Sir, is the Minister of State satisfied that the $2 million spent on recruitment advertisement has been cost-effective? BG Lee Hsien Loong: Mr Speaker, Sir, $2 million spent on recruitment advertising has to be compared, firstly, to the amount of money which we have to spend on salaries and on wages, and allowances for our manpower, which comes to about $600 million a year. So that is about one-third of a per cent. It is a very small proportion. It is worthwhile, not only for the bodies which it brings in to us, but also for the general education which it provides to the population. Because when you see an advertisement in the Straits Times or in the Zaobao or on television, it is not only the person who cuts out the little box who is affected, but everybody who sees it says yes, the SAF is an outfit which we can be proud of. And from that point of view, also, it has been extremely cost-effective. HOUGANG NEW TOWN (NORTH) (HUDC flats) 4. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many Housing and Urban Development Company flats have been built and will be built in Hougang New Town (North); and (b) when will allocation be made to those applicants on the waiting list.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I first declare pecuniary interest as I am a tenant of an HDB shophouse? In the Minister's opinion, would it not endanger the livelihood of many sitting tenant shopkeepers if these shops are now open for sale by tender? If sale is considered, should it not be according to affordable rates as judged by the HDB rather than by tender, and that sitting tenants be given first option to buy? This would be a fair way to encourage ownership by shopkeepers.”
“Will the Minister agree to a study of this problem, yes or no?”
“Am I in order, Sir? Mr Speaker: Let us have your supplementary question, please.”
“On a point of clarification, Mr Speaker, Sir. It looks like I have to go into -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on a point of clarification. I was not asking about more education. I was asking for a study to identify the people in this vulnerable group. Has any study been made? Or will the Minister consider making a study of this group? Who are the vulnerable ones? Who are the people most vulnerable to repeated abortions? We have to know the characteristics of this group, if we are to tackle this problem. I totally agree with you that education is necessary. But who do you educate? You must identify the group first.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State whether any study has been made of this group of persons, especially those who had repeated teenage abortions? Because an understanding of this cohort of people - their socio-economic circumstances, their psychological problems maybe - would help in the prevention or maybe a curtailing of this problem in the future. The other question I would like to pose to you is: I agree with you totally that permissiveness is not to be encouraged, but maybe it is better for the teenage girl to be on contraceptives than to undergo repeated abortions.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, can the Minister consider using the Skills Development Fund and getting the National Maritime Board to organize courses to upgrade the skills of our seamen?”
“We should remember that the purpose of learning the mother tongue is not just to enter university but for the sake of understanding and appreciating our own cultural values. How to make our young generation understand these values and live with a purpose and direction, instead of becoming the 'lost generation,' blindly imitating the West, is the duty of all of us, as parents and as Singaporeans. In 14 years, we shall come to the end of the century. The next century has been termed the Era of the Pacific. Let us work together with unshakeable courage and resolution and strive for a new Singapore of excellence. 2.45 pm”
“We know that our leaders are extremely busy, some with multiple portfolios. Other than dealing with Ministerial work, they have to attend official functions, numerous meetings, social functions, receive foreign dignitaries, look after their own Constituencies and meet all kinds of people. In fact, they have little time for themselves. Nevertheless, as the Chinese say "Three cobblers will match a clever man." Regardless of his occupation, the man-on-the-street may have views worth listening to. The last point to note is that the mass media should not quote things out of context and resort to over-statements when reporting such consultations. A hundred years ago, man invented the telephone and 40 years ago the computer was built. In the last 10 years, computer technology has advanced at a tremendous rate. Coupled with telecommunications in the form of satellites, undersea cables and microwave transmission systems, a message can be transmitted anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. In acquiring current technology, countries like ours may be infected by a common disease in developed countries. I am not referring to AIDS but individualism, a tendency to care for nothing but himself, as vividly described by the Member for Henderson. Inter-personal relationships and the relationship between man and his society will shape the character of our future society. In Western countries, the work ethic has been eroded and traditional values have been brushed aside. In Singapore, the learning of the mother tongue is tied up with traditional cultural values. It is concerned with a philosophy of life, how to live a life according to principles. We should not give in to the request of some people who have problems with examinations.”
“" But I have seen a Chinese translation which read: "Talented people will be cultivated in order to develop their potential to the fullest." This meaning is rather different. I believe the Government intends to develop the talents of all our people and not just the 'talented' ones. Take for example the creator of the Apple micro-computer. He had failed his second year in College and was a drop-out. Apple computers have now spread all over the world, setting a trend in computer technology. As our population is small, our Government's policy must be to educate and train all our children so that everyone can develop his potential to the fullest. We should not focus attention on a few 'talented' people. No Government in the world is omnipotent and can solve all its problems. The new leaders have initiated public discussion of policies and issues to foster better communication between the Government and the people. This is a good sign. Before any policy has been decided upon, these discussions would reduce loopholes and anomalies. When implementing a policy, if there is more detailed explanation and precise exposition, the objectives of the policy would be achieved more readily. However, there are always two sides to the coin. If the participants of the discussions are stubborn and refuse to accept other points of view, then more disagreements and even a deadlock would result. I believe that for such consultations to be fruitful, the following points should be borne in mind. In the first place, the starting point must be the national interest and not personal or sectoral interest. Secondly, arguments must be based on reason and not on the benefit to be obtained. Thirdly, Ministers should be sincere and humble in encouraging people from all walks of life to speak up.”
“It is therefore clear that our economic performance is comparable to that of the developed nations, the result of the diligence of our people and the Government in the past years. Members may recall that this 'Euro-money' magazine had in 1982 voted the late Mr Hon Sui Sen as the most outstanding Finance Minister in the world for that year. I would urge our people to treasure the fruits of our progress. We should maintain our momentum, particularly in the face of increasing protectionism and competition in the world markets. We should strive for more effective marketing techniques, better information and higher quality products and aftersales support and services. A number of sectors in our economy are facing difficulties. Members have urged the Government to help the businessmen, especially the medium and small enterprises. With the imposition of exit taxes in neighbouring countries, the number of tourists has dropped, affecting our retail trade. Our employers have asked for concessions in CPF contributions, SDF levy and payroll tax. I hope the Minister for Finance in the impending Budget would reduce their burden and help them tide over this period. Our new leadership is looking forward to a new society in 1999 as described by the First DPM in the Addendum to the President's Speech. It is only 14 years from now. Do we have the will and the resolve to formulate and implement concrete plans to realise the various objectives? If Singaporeans can succeed in this project, then we would have demonstrated our capacity to take up any challenge. We should prove by deeds and not by words our capability of attaining the targets. The First DPM stated in the Addendum: "Talents of the people will be developed to the fullest.”
“It carries with it double weightage, in the language of the Education Ministry. I cannot agree with him more that the companies facing temporary difficulties should be given all help to see through this year. Their collapse will mean only one thing - more retrenchment, more unemployment and more difficulties for our citizens. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion by the Member for Ayer Rajah. 2.35 pm Mr Lau Ping Sum (Yio Chu Kang)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the President in his speech on behalf of the Government last week outlined the main objectives of the Government in the years ahead, the prime task being: "to safeguard what Singaporeans have achieved." During the last 25 years, we have achieved outstanding economic performance. According to the October 84 issue of 'Euromoney,' of the 93 countries surveyed for the period 1974-1984, Singapore was the best performer based on the average of five economic indicators, ie, economic growth rate, consumer price, inflation rate, strength of exports, currency strength and current account balance relative to GDP. In regard to GDP, Singapore achieved a 8.4% growth p.a. during the 10-year period, Taiwan 7.95% p.a. and South Korea 7.81% p.a. For C.P.I. during this period, Switzerland 3.56%, Singapore 4.27%, placed second and West Germany 4.38%. As for currency appreciation, Singapore attained 3.07%, third in position and behind Japan (4.35%) and Switzerland (3,36%). According to the Business Times dated 20th February this year, our foreign reserves reached $10.3 billion, 11th highest in the world and higher than countries like UK, Canada and Australia.”
“Coming back to the issue of Civil Defence, it is gratifying to note that by mid-1985, the Civil Defence Volunteer Training Programme for residents would have covered all constituencies. It should be emphasized that the National Civil Defence Plan was first implemented in 1982, yet so much has been achieved in this short three-year period. Approximately 23,000 civil defence volunteers have been trained and the success of this programme is seen by the fact that 10% of these are housewives and 6% senior citizens. Those in charge must be complimented on these achievements. This is, however, touching only on the tip of the iceberg of Civil Defence. How will one maintain interest and effectiveness after basic training? How will equipment be stored and maintained? What will be the programme to upgrade civil defence skills? How do we ensure that civil defence volunteers are conversant with new equipment purchased from time to time? Much more needs to be done. Indeed, total defence is so all-encompassing that it is inappropriate for Mindef alone to handle it. It is in the final analysis, the business of each and every citizen to "safeguard what Singaporeans have achieved." Mr Speaker, Sir, I have not mentioned the noble objective of the Government to help the 15-20% of our citizens in the lower income group. This has been adequately covered by my colleagues who have taken the Floor. I would like to join them in urging the HDB to remove the deposit requirement for flat purchasers for this category of persons. Mr Speaker, Sir, I fully endorse the Member for Kebun Baru in his call to the Government to review the CPF, the Skills Development Fund and payroll tax. That a unionist is calling upon the Government to review this is worthy of note.”
“It is good that the Ministry of Home Affairs is handling civil defence. But it must not be forgotten that the police, the fire and ambulance services, our hospitals (both private and public) and our industries are also part of total defence.”
“Ironically, the less diligent serves a shorter period. The answer here, of course, lies in the word "commitment", ie, a willingness to do more. Perhaps a programme of both incentives and disincentives will need to be implemented here. This problem deserves closer study, for if this mood is allowed to fester, morale will be adversely affected. The absorption of new hardware will be a costly but necessary affair. Tapping our civil resources, ie, the equipment that is at present being used by our civilian sector, for example, tractors, bulldozers, cranes and other heavy machinery, can help reduce our defence expenditure. We can perhaps benefit from the British experience of the Falklands War, where civilian resources were adapted for military purposes; for example, the conversion of the luxury liner, QE 11, to a troop carrier. Perhaps Mindef should now make a serious study of our civil resources - Neptune Orient Lines, Singapore Airlines, our pool of vehicles, equipment and services in the civil sector. Having an up-to-date inventory of these and a well-organized mobilization plan will not only increase our combat-effectiveness but will also trim our costs in peace-time. However, any efforts to marshall civil resources must take into consideration several factors: (1) the inconvenience to the civil sector should be kept to a minimum; (2) there should be a minimum disruption to civilian operations in peace-time; (3) that financial compensation, where applicable, should be fair; and (4) those asked to participate should be convinced of the importance of their contribution to the defence of our nation. Total defence must not remain only a concept. It must be practised by each and every citizen. It must not be the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.”
“In the last year, we have embarked on the concept of total defence. In the Addendum to the President's Address, the Minister has emphasized that the SAF will be concentrating on: (1) the operational readiness of the SAF reserves; (2) the absorption of new hardware; and (3) the non-military aspects of total defence. It is indeed timely that the emphasis will be shifting to these three critical areas. The Swiss Chief of General Staff, Lt-Gen Jorg Zumstein, has made the point that as arms become more sophisticated, early warning times will be shorter. This means that our state of operational readiness must always be in keeping with the advances in arms technology. In an emergency, our reservists, our front line troops, have to be recalled to camp. Our present method of recalling reservists through sending messengers to every home (our so-called Silent Recall System) may be too slow. Perhaps other channels of communication need to be explored, including the use of the mass media, such as radio and television. In bringing up this topic of shorter early warning times, I hope that the Member for Anson will consider the views expressed by the Swiss Chief of General Staff. Perhaps this will encourage him to rethink on his philosophy regarding the purchase of the E2Cs Airborne Early Warning Systems. The subject of reservist training and liabilities often generates much heated discussion. To some reservists, it is a paradox that he who works diligently and does well is required to perform more service because he is promoted. From the Establishment point of view, this is only natural as the best must be retained in service. From the reservist's point of view, this calls for more sacrifice and inconvenience - the price he is asked to pay for being a good soldier.”
“This will place greater responsibility on our community leaders. Our community leaders in the Citizens Consultative Committees, the Community Centre Management Committees, the Residents' Committees and a whole host of other organizations, such as the Constituency sports clubs, clan associations, service and religious organizations, have sacrificed much and served well. This new philosophy to "devolve control of the new towns to town councils or estate committees" will mean that more will be expected from the community leaders. More solid shoulders will be required to share the heavy burden and load, and more strong hands to make the work bearable. Many more must come forward to serve and sacrifice if this concept is to succeed. Those communities which lack the dedicated and unselfish leaders to make this system work will be bitterly disappointed. If the community leaders decide that chicken-rearing in HDB flats is to be encouraged, then the community must learn to live with chickens, Lip service and criticism for its own sake will not contribute to a better quality of life. With this new philosophy, action and words must go hand-in-glove. Mr Speaker, Sir, the President has stated that "governments do not create wealth. They can only create the pre-conditions for fruitful efforts." I would like, with your permission, Sir, to touch on only one of these pre-conditions mentioned, namely, that of a strong defence. Since achieving independence, our defence policy has been peace through strength. The SAF is critical of peace and prosperity. Realizing our limited manpower and financial resources, we have built up a citizens' army through national service, with a small pool of well-trained, dedicated professional soldiers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion moved by the Member for Ayer Rajah in thanking the President for his Address delivered at the opening of the First Session of the Sixth Parliament. Mr Speaker, Sir, the President has stated that the Government's first duty would be to safeguard what Singaporeans have achieved, and that its second duty would be to improve upon what has been achieved. It is indeed worthy of note that these two goals of the Government have been described in terms of a "duty"; an accurate description in my mind of the role that the PAP Government has taken in the past and will take in the future, a Government that always sees its goals as a duty to the people, to serve the people. These two goals, I am sure, will be the goals not only of the Government but of all Singaporeans. We may vary in the methods to achieve these goals, but these are goals that we will all strive to achieve together. In this context, I would like to comment on the belief of the Member for Anson that the people of Singapore reject 25 years of the PAP Government. May I remind him, but he is not in the House now, that up to 1980 this House still consisted wholly of PAP Members. My learned colleague, the Member for Ayer Rajah, has fully explained the reasons for the shift in the voting pattern in the last general election and I will not repeat this. The people of Singapore, I believe, will continue to support this Government, as this is the Government that sees its role as a duty to the people of Singapore. To achieve the six objectives set for the next five years as outlined by the President, the Government will be seeking greater participation by all Singaporeans, both young and old. Decentralization of authority and greater autonomy in new towns is envisaged.”