Arthur Fong
Singapore
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the response. A supplementary question. Would the Ministry of National Development (MND) or HDB consider putting double-glazed windows for bedrooms into the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) options in the future?”
“Mdm Chair, the Sports Master Plan of 2011 is bearing fruit. Since the inaugural Marathon Race in 1982, our sports calendar is now filled with several marathon runs, catering to a variety of running enthusiasts, from novices to Olympic champions.”
“Mdm Chair, in just under three months, we will be hosting the 28th SEA Games and, in nine months, we will have the honour of hosting some 1,300 to 1,500 para-athletes from ASEAN countries. We hosted the SEA Games some 12 years ago and we are hosting the ASEAN Para Games for the first time.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank Mr Chen for his clarification and I hope that Mr Cedric Foo would read it in the Hansard. But my point was on foreign workers, as he prevaricated from his answer to Mr Foo. But I hear him. It is good to have a peek into the Workers' Party's attempt on policy on foreign workers.”
“Sir, the Sports Facilities Masterplan costing $250 million was unveiled last year. The main objective would be to build facilities to cater for future sporting needs and sports development. Are there any updates in terms of new community-based sporting facilities to be built in the coming years, aside from a new stadium in Sembawang?”
“I hope this can be extended to other male national athletes as well. The Olympics is not the only prestigious sports event, even if it is indeed the most prestigious. Our athletes require more opportunities to participate in as many regional sporting events as possible.”
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“Mr Chairman, most drivers of heavy vehicles, such as lorry prime mover and cement mixer, are paid on a per trip basis. They work long hours to maximise the time on the road to as many times as possible on the trips. Hence, it is understandable that, although they have a speed limit of not more than 60 km per hour, it is common to see them violating the speed limit on the road. These vehicles are installed with speed limiters, as required by law. Speed limiters prevent vehicles from travelling beyond their speed limits. They are required by law, for buses with a maximum laden weight of more than 10 tonnes, and more than 12 tonnes for other vehicles. Some continue to drive, even though their speed limiters are not working, until the law catches up with them or until they kill someone on the road, as it happened on 3rd January 2009 on the PIE. Last year, 178 drivers of heavy vehicles were caught speeding, up from 164 in 2006. The number of summonses climbed from 1,109 to 1,160, After more public complaints, our Traffic Police mounted operations to curb heavy vehicle speeding. Notwithstanding this, heavy vehicles continue speeding on the roads, violating their speed limits. Sometimes, I wonder, Mr Chairman, if the speed limiters are efficient, as I suspect most heavy vehicle drivers ignore the speed alert. In the first half of the year, about 1,400 summonses were issued to drivers of heavy vehicles for violation, such as speeding and tempering with their speed limiters and road hogging. We only need to witness the number of heavy vehicles on the TPE or Tampines Avenue 10, in the direction of the TPE. It is common to see heavy vehicles, such as lorries and cement mixers, hogging the overtaking lane on the extreme right lane.”
“I propose that, perhaps, a unit within the Home Team be tasked to do this and develop within this unit, specialist skills, procedures, technology adaptation and development. This will augment specialist teams in the Home Team and, perhaps, even be a resource to be deployed to audit certain security functions for large-scale events. Drink Driving”
“Sir, in last year's COS, I applauded our Home Team's efforts towards extending the network of public security cameras. That was doubled from what it was previously and installed in more areas across Singapore. With the security environment that proves to be a challenge even in the best of economic times, I urge MHA to continue its efforts towards using CCTVs to assist in crime prevention, deterrence and investigation. As the Police has confirmed that there had been a marked drop in crimes in areas where the CCTVs have been installed, I suggest we can perhaps move to another level. I urge the Police to consider encouraging private and business owners, in a coordinated fashion, to align their resources – in this case, security cameras that are already installed at or near their premises to those of the Police. This can enlarge the coverage footprint, fill in the gaps in reducing costs for the Home Team associated with installing cameras in areas that are covered by businesses. Let me cite Taiwan as an example. It is common to watch on television news, coverage of a crime where footages from CCTV cameras, belonging to businesses around the scene of a crime, were used to piece together evidence that helped the Police better identify the suspect, the mode of transport and if the perpetrators had any accomplices. The authorities there urged shop owners to consult with the local authorities how best to locate the CCTVs for mutual benefit. When a series of shop owners or banks combined this coverage with that of the Police, the CCTV footage can serve to play a big part in the initial investigation or management of a crime.”
“I therefore ask the Minister if we are prepared and what are the processes and measures in place and, more importantly, how to restore order in the event of a foreign worker gathering turning violent. Finally, how can the Home Team carry out all these without affecting Singapore's image as one of bullying our guest workers? Prison Violence and Inmate Safety”
“As the economic downturn marches on, we can expect more workers to lose their jobs and this is despite our Government's efforts to stem the tide of retrenchments with the Jobs Credit. Although the construction industry is performing better at this time than the manufacturing or service industry, it is also affected by the downturn. At last count, we have close to 800,000 foreign workers in Singapore although not all from the construction industry. These foreign workers face several challenges in addition to not being able to find any work here; some do face the problem of errant employers who have not paid them their salaries. Underneath the surface of industrial relations here, I feel that much exploitation of foreign workers goes on unreported. I am glad that our Manpower Ministry is taking up the cudgels on behalf of these exploited foreign workers. Sadly, we still see more of these disgruntled foreign workers gathering outside the Ministry awaiting justice. The numbers of these gatherings have been large at times to air their grievances and some of them have been settled satisfactorily. As our construction industry continues to face the prospect of less jobs becoming available and worsening cashflow problems, there is no guarantee that these gatherings of workers or in anywhere else, for that matter, will continue to be orderly. There were also reports of workers gathering in large numbers elsewhere in Singapore or even near our heartlands. How is the Home Team coping and policing such groups to the possibilities of coordinated protests by such groups existing at different localities? Our Home Team needs to be wary of such a possibility.”
“Mr Chairman, the negative effects of the global financial crisis are still unfolding, making victims of more traditional financial giants after Lehman Brothers. Singapore is now ranked third behind New York and London as a financial centre in a survey commissioned by the City of London. The crisis is not only forcing financial giants to their knees, it has also resulted in a heavy retrenchment of staff in the industry. How does the retrenchment of banking staff on whom we have spent much public and private resources to develop, affect our status as a pre-eminent centre? We have been promoting the wealth management and fund management as specific sectors with strong growth potential. How does the MAS consider this growth sector going forward? Will our ambitions be thwarted, or have we already, in the last five years, developed the natural advantage in this area? Finally, Sir, I call on the Government to take stock of the progress thus far and re-assess the immediate and longer-term directions to develop further Singapore as an international financial centre. Developing Financial Literacy”
“Sir, with the intravenous drips that are already in place, we need to administer the solutions before our businesses are met with even more headwind. There will be some "unknown-unknowns" in the horizons that will exist. An "unknown-unknown" was perhaps the Lehman collapse in September 2008. For instance, perhaps, there may be a shift from a confidence crisis of banks to a growing concern of an increase in sovereign risks of countries that are shouldering corporate risks. What will that do down the road for our businesses? Sir, this Budget shows Singapore has the wherewithal to be resilient. We have made a realistic assessment, have been decisive in our action and innovative in our solutions and, thankfully, a cohesive and resolute citizenry. As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, the dark clouds will lift. I hope that with the help schemes in place within this Budget and the readiness of our Government to extend even more assistance should the situation deteriorate, we will ride out this year to be resilient and, hopefully, welcome the Year of The Tiger with a roar, if not a loud meow. What a difference a year will make! Sir, I support the Budget. 12.50 pm”
“They felt a disconnect between what the Government was saying to the businesses and what their agencies were doing. I told the businessman that it may be due to a mix of data and process lag in the system and therefore, the timing of the assessment. But notwithstanding, I think this can be avoided. It creates an element of cynicism to what the Government does to help businesses. A 45% increase in November to be met with a 40% rebate in January the year after, has left some with a bad taste in the figurative mouths of our SMEs. In the areas of Stimulating Bank Lending through the Special Risk-Sharing Initiative (SRI), many SMEs have greeted this with a sense of hopeful anticipation. Many SMEs have felt the effects of the risk aversion of banks to lend which have also contributed to the credit crunch. It is indeed welcome news that the Government has identified this risk aversion of banks and mitigated it by assuming another 30% of risk, thereby increasing the portion of Government risk-sharing to 80%. This is a positive move. I call on the Government to monitor the loan approvals and subsequent drawdowns of the businesses. We have heard many anecdotes of the stringent approval processes and many have been rejected due to the PFI's lending criteria in the previous downturn. With an increase to 80% risk-sharing, we need to see the loans going out the door for the businesses to draw on. It is no use having a supply of firemen in the firehouse if they are not going out to fight the fires and extinguish them. If they act early enough, the $5.8 billion or a quarter of the $20.5 billion is contingent, upon the success of this. Any coagulation here will mean the objective of freeing up credit will come to naught.”
“The MoneySENSE programme is a good start but I feel that we should broaden financial education so that young Singaporeans can draw lessons from the current difficult economy. The last recession had seen many Singaporeans in a financial bind. I have no doubt that this time round, many will be caught again. From having adequate reserves, to what is an acceptable degree of leveraging, to virtues of frugality and investing wisely, all these virtues ring true not only for a government of a country, but for its citizens too. On another front, I call on the Government to urge their agencies to be in better sync with the reality of the economy and the sentiments of businesses. I cite an example. Many businesses have been slapped with a revised assessment of the annual value of their business facilities in 2008. The assessment was sent out in November 2008 and revised amounts to be collected were as much as 45% higher. A business owner told me that on the way to work, he heard a report over the radio from the Government calling on employers to save jobs and not to retrench workers to cut costs. Upon reaching his factory, he was greeted with a 45% increase in property tax for the year received, 11 months into the year in November 2008. The reality for the businessman was that factory orders and business volume had dropped by 50% to 60% from September last year. I am sure many businesses share his plight. Due to the spike in oil prices, many businesses have had their cost structures and revenue drastically affected. When viewed against a backdrop of Government leaders asking businesses not to cut costs by cutting jobs, the receipt of an increased tax bill, at around the same time, disenchants these business owners.”
“The Government has never shirk its responsibility of facing up to harsh and unwelcome truths and thus the extraordinary budgetary measures in 2009 and the bold move to dip into our reserves. We have had many robust debates in this House whenever it came to our reserves, many bloody noses too, figuratively, and also accusation from some quarters said that the Government was hoarding our reserves. If we had not been careful, if we had not guarded our reserves, I shudder to think what few options we would have at our disposal today. Therefore, I was glad to hear, at several grassroots functions, that our citizens can now identify with the Government's stand on guarding our reserves through the tough times we have had. Singaporeans also understand that by dipping into the reserves today, Singapore is indeed steering through a very rough sea. It is this realisation in mind that the innovative Jobs Credit programme has resonated with our citizens and businesses. We need to keep jobs and help stem job losses. This will help Singaporeans "steady" ourselves as we ride through the stormy sea but, at the same time, prepare us for a recovery and bounce back once there are clear waters ahead. The keeping of jobs will bolster the spirit, keep the self-esteem of individuals, feed their families, and not take the fight out of our people. Most of all, the Jobs Credit programme will nurse the flame of a slower economy and not snuff out basic domestic demand. For this reason, I applaud the move to give out rental rebates by JTC, HDB, SLA and for NEA to give stall holders a rental rebate. I urge the Government to push ahead and add resources towards financial education for Singaporeans, especially the young.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, what a difference a year makes. In our Budget debate last year, measures were aimed at invigorating the Singapore economy. Throughout last year, we had been inoculating ourselves from the financial pandemic. In the US, President Bush had touted a US$150 billion stimulus package and a year later, the Obama Administration is now pushing through a US$825 billion stimulus package. Indeed, a Bloomberg report cited the market capitalisation of five global banks, namely, Citigroup, HSBC, UBS, JP Morgan and RBS, had their combined US$870 billion market capitalisation reduced to US$240 billion as of January 2009. A massive plunge of over US$630 billion of market value wiped out and this is just for these five banks! This has resulted in the knock-on effects to the credit markets and the associated credit crunch. There were hopes early last year by some economists that a decoupling effect of many economies from the US would shelter from the US recession. Well, even the man in the street now will tell you that was wishful thinking. Hindsight is indeed 20/20. Having foresight as a description of this year's Budget may be premature at the moment, but I think the Resilience Package presented by the Minister of Finance is best described as being innovative, inventive and inspiring! Resilience, or in Mandarin, "kang ya xin ", is the capacity to withstand shock without permanent deformation or rupture; tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. Simply put, resilient can be described as the ability to bounce back from adversity. However, to be able to bounce back, we must first recognise the unwelcome truths that these are extraordinary times and the harsh realities we are confronted with today are unprecedented.”
“With this, Sir, I support the Amendment. 4.59 pm”
“So far, for many years, our Government has been re-distributing our accumulation of wealth back to the people in the many "ang pows" that we give out annually. So much so, many foreigners see us as a benevolent paternal Government and our own people have grown to expect the handout. In a good year, we give out "ang pows". In a bad year, it comes in the form of "packages". Sir, to this end, it is therefore important that our Government be given the margin to tap on to ensure adequate social spending on our people. Sir, let me change the tune to one of cautioning possible further use of the reserves down the road. It took us many years to invest wisely and saving, calling on our citizens to live on less and having Singaporeans rising to the occasion. For instance, in the past, HDB flats were providing basic lodging with clean water and electricity. We have moved on and spend more to enhance the living standards of our people including nicer landscaping, covered walkways and colourful facades of our flats. Today, we have what my residents call the HDB macam CONDOs! We have the "ang pows" and packages, but be that as it may, let us not abandon our primary policy of enhancing our reserves. Let us keep in place stringent measures to prevent easy passage of future profligate government from Constitutional Amendments that would kill our golden goose. Whether the future government is PAP or otherwise, there is no guarantee that the government of the day would not opt for the soft option of using our reserves rather than to try to accumulate more reserves. I share Mr Inderjit Singh's concerns as to how we can give the President more structured measures and controls to scrutinise the government of the day. We are but trustees of the future generation.”
“It is very clear what is before us. With spending escalating and revenue falling, no Government in the world can go on indefinitely. The Government would at some point have to try new ways and means to increase revenue to balance the budget. The struggle before us is whether we allow a greater use of the returns on our investment or the dreaded solution of taxing more from the people. While we have reduced personal taxes and corporate taxes, lost some tax revenue flows from the abolishment of estate duties, facing the challenges of a greying population, combined with an increasing mobile workforce, there will come a time when we need other revenue streams and "lifelines" for the government of the day. This kind of crisis or other will be sure to visit us again. The curve ball will be thrown at us again for sure. Happening at a time when all the scenarios I mentioned before will severely reduce our options and our ability to see through strategies that will be vital for Singapore's continued growth. We need the financial resources to fuel us in seeing around the curve! The new framework will address the year-to-year market and return volatilities. This smoothening will lend the Government a steady hand steering towards our long-term objectives. Nobody likes taxes, not especially when the country is holding large amount of reserves. With the passage of the Amendment, hopefully, Sir, our Government may, at the very least, not have to contemplate raising the Goods and Services Tax as often. For this reason, the choice is clear and obvious. And for this reason, I am convinced and I support the move to amend our Constitution to allow greater use of the returns on our investment. Sir, a second factor that made me change my mind is our re-distribution of wealth.”
“I was at first hesitant to the idea of using more of our returns on our investments. I always believe in the mantra that you need to save, to be safe financially. For a country, I believe even more that it is necessary to accumulate reserves than to spend. This is especially so for an island city-state like Singapore with no natural resources. Our prudent investments and financial discipline put us where we are today in terms of the amount of reserves we have accumulated. The minor scuffle with hedge funds during the Asian Financial Crisis illustrates most succinctly the need to have strong reserves. The reserves give our financial system the stability in the current financial turmoil. The financial turmoil that is gripping the world is still unfolding. There are, I believe, still a few unknown unknowns in the horizon. The challenge it poses is confounding even the brightest mind in the world. The global financial crisis is adding more complications to Singapore's own problems. As I reflect on the problems facing Singapore and the future challenges brought on by globalisation and interconnected financial markets and economies, I have a change of mind on the need to amend our Constitution to allow a greater use of the returns on our reserves. Sir, this is how I see it. The problem that falling fertility rate could cause Singapore is already quite well discussed and debated. With an ageing population, Government spending on these areas is likely to increase, if not, in some instances, it already has. For example, our Government had set aside about $8.3 billion since 2006 to strengthen social security. But what is not well debated is that with falling birth rate and an ageing population, our Government's revenue is likely to fall while spending increases.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join the debate on the Constitutional amendment. The late British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill described a pessimist as someone who sees difficulty in every opportunity, and an optimist as someone who sees opportunity in every difficulty. In the financial world, it is indeed during the times of upheavals that there are plenty of opportunities for the bold and the daring. But regardless whether one is a pessimist or an optimist, there is no denying that we are entering an unchartered territory in the road ahead of us; one filled with lots of uneven and rocky path. How long, how difficult and the type of difficulties that we are going to face, no one really knows. I term these as the "unknown unknowns". We are veering towards the abyss with the financial markets around the world setting lower lows on the indices. For sure, lower lows on the indices and stock prices will be the order of the day for some time yet as the US takes some time to deleverage. For the past few weeks, we have seen unprecedented falls in the stock markets unseen since the Great Depression of 1930s. If I may add, with the exception of Minister Mentor, none in this House have actual memories of the Great Depression except those confined to history books. Our latest memory of anything financial and economic hardship as earth shaking as today may be the 10-year old Asian Financial Crisis. We rode out of that crisis well, a little shaken but relatively unscathed for most and grew stronger. Sir, I might add that many too shared my belief that Singapore is likely to chart through this unprecedented global financial turmoil. It will take time but we will recover from the pain and bane of this confidence crisis.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, clarification for the Senior Minister of State. I would like to clarify some of the media reports with regard to Pulau Pisang. The Malaysian media had been commenting about Pulau Pisang. Can we state our position on Pulau Pisang?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, notwithstanding the statistics and the law requiring the use of seat belt, it would appear that the enforcement of the law perhaps needs some stepping up. Not being caught does not mean that there are no violations on the road. Can the Minister assure us that there is some stepping up of this, as we have seen a lot of writers in the Forum stating that they have seen people on the road or parents being lackadaisical in putting their kids in seat belts? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, I think this is one offence where personal responsibility on the part of wearing seat belts and parental accountability on the part of using a child restraint or child booster are paramount. Whilst the Police can enforce, unlike other offences where the offence is more visible, eg, moving vehicle or even illegal parking which tends to endanger other people, I think not wearing a seat belt is not so easy to detect and essentially is one where personal responsibility and personal or family safety are involved. Yes, indeed, the Police will enforce as it has done, but I will take this opportunity to call upon all Singaporeans, in particular in the light of the current debate on seat belt usage in other settings, to take this to heart and to say "what shall I do about it". Because if we do love our loved ones, including young children who may not have a choice as to whether or not, for example, to have child restraint, I think this is a very timely reminder to all of us that we can do more to ensure that this traffic rule is complied with.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank the DPM for describing the approach that MHA had taken. But has any action been taken or contemplated against the Director of ISD? Also, for the DPM to perhaps give the House an assurance that the morale at ISD is maintained and safeguarded as it is a very important institution safeguarding our security and also that, right now, we need to concentrate our efforts in recapturing Mas Selamat in case of reprisals.”
“After all, it is only for our own safety that we belt up. I say, better a live chicken than a dead duck. I have mentioned the next aspect of road safety in this House before and will do it again. The ignorance, or rather the lackadaisical attitudes, of parents who belt up or seated in the front seats and have their toddlers or babies in their arms in front of them, do they not know or care that their child will be severely or fatally injured in an accident when the impact occurs either through their own carelessness or that of others? An impact is an impact. They will only have themselves to blame for causing hurt to their child. I fail to understand why some parents would allow their children to be put through the risk of death. The child would be flung out of the windscreen if they had to halt suddenly or if their vehicle was hit from the rear. Another observation of heavy goods vehicles and passenger vehicles is that it is common for me to come across heavy goods vehicles driving above the speed limit and also those of speeding lorries ferrying workmen. Moreover, a fully-laden lorry at high speed would have a difficult time stopping without putting its occupants and other road users in danger. I have brought up this subject in the House two years ago. We have seen a couple of accidents last year where some workers were flung from their vehicles on the expressway. Recently, Mdm Halimah Yacob had also brought this up as well, and the Straits Times had a feature on this matter some weeks ago too. What are the authorities doing about these? It seems that this road safety ball has been on an uncongested and seamless round trip between MHA and MOT. Bicycles”
“Sir, the focus on public education on road safety should not be restricted to drink driving and motorcycle safety only. The number of road traffic accidents is growing faster than the growth of our car population. This suggests that we should also be vigilant against other issues that affect road safety. The number of road traffic accidents resulting in death has risen from 190 in 2006 to 219 cases last year. The total number of road accidents reported in 2006 was 7,499 and by 2007, the total had gone up to 8,323. The total number of cases had risen by more than 10% while our corresponding car population had grown only by 6.2%. The number of summonses had also risen in the two years of comparison, from 350,000 to 417,000. But many in this House, as regular road users, have seen many perennial challenges to road safety and the poor driving attitude or, should I say, attitude of some, which is a threat to other road users. I have also noticed less presence of the Traffic Police officers on the road, especially during peak hours or late hours. I appreciate that our officers often have to strike a balance between enforcement and the need for regular traffic flow. But the safe driving standards of motorists seem to have deteriorated. The recent two cases of the polytechnic students and the sad case of the four Indian youths on a shopping mission before a wedding had fatal outcome. In all these cases, all those who met their death did not belt up and those who survived did. I would like to highlight the point that the dead youth did not belt up even though it is required by law. We would think that after so many years of implementing the seat belt-up law, it would be second nature to belt up when we get into a vehicle.”
“Sir, National Service is a rite of passage for many Singaporeans. It is a duty which male Singaporeans and second generation permanent residents are conscripted into the Singapore Armed Forces at the age of 18. Over the years, our National Service policy has undergone some changes. We undertook a policy to review the length of National Service. Depending on their education and level of fitness, National Service now lasts between 22-24 months. I was among those in this House calling for a shorter NS stint. Sir, I agree that we should incentivise fit servicemen so that the quality of our defence force improves. However, I hope that the Minister could comment on the effectiveness thus far of this policy decision. Are our conscripts starting off National Service fitter? How has MINDEF spread the message to young Singaporeans on the value of fitness, so that we have a more operationally-ready defence force? Furthermore, the amount of training required to make our defence force operationally ready is substantive. It would take a certain amount of time and training to orientate conscripts into military life. Thus, would the Minister share his thoughts on the shorter term of National Service? And how has our 3G SAF been able to hone its ability to develop a viable and operationally ready defence force, in spite of the shorter time taken for National Service? What has been the experience and difficulties, if any, faced by our commanders these past years since the shorter NS stint begun? Total Defence”
“However, Sir, after training these men and women, developing them to build their experience over the years to become valuable assets, I understand that they are required to retire mandatorily at age 50 for senior specialists or warrant officers, 55 for senior warrant officers, and 45 for officers. Given that they would have built up years of experience, would it not be possible to tap on this asset rather than move them on to their second careers for those who wish to stay on serving in the defence force? I join my colleague, Dr Ong Chit Chung, in requesting the Ministry to review this, and I hope that the Minister will share with us the rationale for his policy and if there are any plans to review, in light of the changing defence and security climate.”
“Sir, the Minister for Defence has previously mentioned that our national boundaries have become increasingly porous, as has the complexity of our security environment. Indeed, while an interconnected world has resulted in better trade and economic growth for our country, it has also resulted in new challenges, in terms of security. We have opened up new vulnerabilities and, in some cases, may even become targets for acts of terrorism. Taken together with the rapid spread of technology, the theatre of operations has indeed become a global one. In this context, we need to rely on experienced professional soldiers to deal with these challenges. Indeed, while we bring in new talent in each stage of our defence services development, we invest greatly in the training and professionalism of our defence forces. These men and women have protected our interest at home and will continue to do so. I have heard the Minister speak of the SAF's transformation into the Third Generation Force to meet the security challenges of the day and into the future. And at the heart of our Third Generation forces are our people, the most vital asset. The Minister has commented that defence and security are the two pillars on which Singaporeans depend upon for economic growth and well-being. Thus, the need for an SAF that is adaptive and flexible is certainly clear. Sir, I agree with the Minister that, to do this, we must attract people with the right values. They must have a strong passion to serve the nation. And many of our assets in the defence force are Singaporeans who passionately want to make a difference. I, too, feel that the people who are committed to the defence and security of Singapore are prized assets which we should nurture and develop.”
“Sir, as a small state, Singapore has always had a strong stake in the maintenance of an orderly international system. As a nation, Singapore is committed to the principles of the UN Charter and firmly supports the UN's role in maintaining international peace and security. Sir, I am happy to report that despite being a small country, Singapore has always been a firm supporter of UN stabilisation, peacekeeping and reconstruction missions to the best of our ability. In the last decade, we had participated in many missions worldwide. Singapore was among the first to respond to calls for participation in the international effort to help bring peace and stability to East Timor. We contributed two LSTs, a SAF liaison team and a medical detachment to support the UN-mandated International Force for East Timor, and an LST and a Charlie-130 detachment to assist in the transition to the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor, as well as a medical team, military observers and police officers to support the UN's work in East Timor. Sir, Singaporeans may wonder why we are such active supporters of UN efforts globally. We have such limited resources and will be facing a somewhat uncertain economic landscape a year or two ahead. This would, to some, seem like resources that could be better spent at home. I myself have asked about the amount of resources we have spent in Aceh during the tsunami aid process. While I understand that our participation in UN efforts are important, I hope that the Minister can share with us the rationale for participation of Singapore in UN programmes and also an account of our recent activities. Operational Readiness of 3rd Generation SAF 3.15 pm”
“While I am glad that the Government has gone out in the media to show the plight, pain and suffering of gambling addicts' families in the effort to bring awareness to our people, the other end of the gambling problem, ie, that of the loansharks, is still very much in our midst. As long as there are borrowers, loansharks and their illegal moneylending activities will exist. However, their debt recovery methods have caused much stress, fear and tension not only to the occupants of the targeted flats but to the neighbours as well. I ask for a stronger enforcement and whether the current law is adequate enough to deal with this menace. Borrowing Money from Unlicensed Moneylenders”
“Sir, the issue of loansharks or illegal moneylending is not only a menace to society but it is also posing a present and direct challenge to the authorities. Reports of harassments have been widely covered in the media. Of concern are the innocent victims of such harassments. Most of us, if not all of us, in this House would have encountered at some time or other during our meet-the-people sessions of residents telling us the problem they face from harassment from loansharks. Woe befalls anyone who had bought a resale flat whose previous owner had borrowed money from these loansharks. If the previous owner had outstanding debts, the loansharks' runners are indifferent to whether the new owners have anything to do with the previous occupant. Spray painting on the walls is a form of vandalism, and some even had the gall to cut off the electricity supply of "lenders". Some have even resorted to harassing neighbours or occupants of those flats to embarrass them into paying. I spoke with a Singapore PR who came from Hong Kong. I asked him, "Do you have this problem in Hong Kong?" He said, "Oh, maybe the Hong Kong loansharks are more kiasu than the Singapore ones." I asked him, "Why do you say that?" He said that when the loansharks lend them the money, they actually do due diligence. I asked him what he meant. He said they went to verify where they live so that they would not have these innocent parties suffering. I do not know. It is quite laughable. But to these residents who come to see us at our MPS, it is not funny at all.”
“Sir, on the subject of public safety and security, MHA has recently announced its plan to extend a network of public security cameras, more than double of what it was previously and in more areas across the island. Indeed, this is one measure which the MHA has undertaken to promote greater public safety and security. Sir, I am pleased to note that the Police has announced a marked drop in crime where CCTVs have been installed, for example, at Boat Quay, Orchard area, Little India, Shenton Way. According to press reports, footage used from the CCTV has been instrumental in identifying criminals, resulting in breakthrough when solving crimes. Still, some concerns remain. Adaptable criminals may be able to work around these measures. Similarly, CCTVs are known to be vandalised. I hope that the above have been taken into account when expanding the footprint of CCTVs further. Sir, the use of technology such as CCTVs has broader applications. Much of the July synchronised bombing in London was recorded by the cameras and this assisted the forensics in unfolding the tactics and unveiling the culprits. Counter-terrorism at home should be a concern for all Singaporeans and in light of the recent information of Mas Selamat's escape. This is a concern for all of us. Terrorists are a different category of fish when compared to the criminals at home. They are organised, trained and hence a greater threat to our security. This is the reality that we are faced with. Given this reality, I hope the Minister could oblige us with his view on the role of technology and how it can play to counter terrorism in our front yard. Drug Abuse”
“However, during the process of refining the CPF, perhaps some small adjustments to take in the feedback of Singaporeans can be done. I am confident that with these refinements, we will be in better shape to stem the retirement needs of Singaporeans in 10-20 years' time. It is our responsibility to do this now. Failing to do so, failing to plan forward, will tantamount to squandering away all the achievements that this Government and the people of Singapore have obtained these many years. Sir, I support the reforms to the CPF. ADJOURNMENT OF DEBATE Resolved, "That the debate be now adjourned." - [Mr Lim Swee Say].”
“We are doing all we can to keep Singaporeans employed between the critical age of 55 and 62 years and, subsequently, more workers to work beyond 62. The additional years of employment will add significantly to the retirement funds. However, I hope that we can still help those who are not able to work. For some, the proposed compulsory annuity is causing some unhappiness because they do not have the funds for the premiums in the first place. They feel that they are being forced to plan for the future when their needs are simply put much more immediate. It is here and now not having enough for today, something that Dr Lim Wee Kiak, my hon. colleague, had addressed in his speech earlier. To compound the unhappiness, many do not adequately understand what risk-pooling means and why it should be a part of it. Why should their premiums benefit others if they pass on before they reach 85, or that they only live maybe a year or two past 85? Will not those funds they use to pay the premiums better serve their immediate families when they die? This type of concern is the hardest to address and I hope that we can think of ways to allow some - the terminally ill or those adequately covered - to opt out of the annuity scheme. It looks like more time will need to be spent on getting Singaporeans to buy into this compulsory annuity plan. And I hope that we could work with more insurers to come up with perhaps riders that kick in only at 85. Sir, these are the main concerns that have come up as a response to the refinements proposed by the Government. The CPF refinements are necessary. By doing this, we are preserving our social compact between the Government and the people.”
“In the current environment, with the low interest rates, we have heard from the Minister that in the short-term, we may not be able to provide a rate of return to match this. Sir, I am happy to hear that the SMRA will be pegged to the 10-year SGS plus 1%. I am happy not just because the Minister had given us the reasons, citing the 30-year and the 10-year rate differential, but due to the current interest rate situation. The current 10-year bond yield is actually at 2.73%. The positive impact on the retirement income is therefore going to be lower if the interest rate environment persists. In fact, some quarters suggest to the media that it may not be a short-term blip, but lower than 4% returns may prove to be much more enduring. This will directly impact the size of the nest-egg available for retirement. We may have a bigger retirement problem than before. So I am therefore making a call to the Minister to consider a permanent floor of, say, 3.5% after the two years instead of leaving it at 2.5%. In the long run, if the interest rate environment changes, then we may see better returns. But a sense of uncertainty still prevails. Many Singaporeans are not convinced that this is a better move because they do not have a decent guaranteed rate of return. On the upside, of course, when the bond returns are higher than the floor limits set, then let it be a bonus for the CPF members. So pegging the 10-year SGS plus 1% shows that the Government is aware of the interest rate environment and will also silence those who think this tweaking exercise also reduces the borrowing cost from the CPF pool. Instead, it will show the sincerity and the refinement would be that much more palatable.”
“Otherwise, we will have many more unhappy Singaporeans. When the intent is certainly good, why let Singaporeans begin to doubt the sincerity of this Government? Secondly, on the increase in the rate of return and the tying of the returns for all accounts, other than the OA, to the long-term bond yield. The increase of the 1% on the rate of return is indeed welcome news for many Singaporeans. Many insurance and financial industry professionals have engaged with the media to work out the sums to demonstrate what the impact will be for Singaporeans as a result of the rate increase. For those who have this amount, the better returns will more than pay for their annuity premiums due when they reach the DDA. This needs to be communicated better. While many Singaporeans will no doubt benefit from this gracious move, it should be noted that some lower income Singaporeans do not have $60,000 in the combined accounts within the CPF. For many Singaporeans, after using their CPF funds to pay for housing, they are left with little in their CPF OAs. For this group who are the ones who need it most, how can we help them enjoy the benefits of this rate increase so that they can have a larger retirement nest-egg? Sir, this is a thorny issue. A significant proportion of Singaporeans - the sick, poor or unemployed - they are the ones who are possibly left out by the increase in the rate of return proposal, while the rest of Singaporeans generally feel that they can take care of themselves. On linking the rate of return for the Special Account, Retirement Account and Medisave to a long-term bond rate, this is probably where the most concern has surfaced from the ground. These accounts currently enjoy a 4% rate of return.”
“This is a tough question and today, we have heard the steps proposed by the Minister. I know many of my colleagues here will remember the years during the Asian financial crisis, 9/11, SARS, but we have to roll with the punches. We have not been afraid to make tough decisions when we had to. Today, we are discussing further refinements to the CPF, and we should forge ahead. Sir, the first thing that came up regularly during my conversations with my constituents was this. Many are still unclear about the terms of the refinement and I hope after today, they will be a little bit clearer. Let me give you an example. One resident, Mr Tan, in his early 50s, came to me mortified. He had heard about the CPF changes and he was very upset. Why? Because he thought he would not be able to withdraw from his CPF until 65. Worse still, for him, he thought the retirement age was to be reviewed with immediate effect. Sir, I can tell you that he was much relieved when I assured him that our Government did not intend to do anything so drastic. He was happy to learn that the plans outlined will be put in place in a phased manner, that the retirement age has not changed, and that we will make employers provide re-employment opportunities available for those who work beyond 62, to 65, and then to 67. Mr Tan was most pleased that the Government did not have any intention of preventing him from withdrawing some money from his CPF when he reaches 55, as long as the Minimum Sum criterion is fulfilled. Sir, I hope that we can have a comprehensive plan to communicate to Singaporeans about the details of the CPF refinement. Given that many who are retiring in the next few years are still some of the lower educated seniors, the fine-tuning should be simple to understand.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to participate in this important debate. The issue of retirement planning is one that is close to my heart. In fact, in Clementi, it is a mature estate and this is a much talked about topic at coffeeshops and void decks in the division. It is apt that we should be thinking hard to help Singaporeans build their CPF nest-egg to ensure that they live their retirement years with dignity. Sir, the CPF fine-tuning reflects a long-term assessment by our Government of the needs of Singaporeans. It is a far-sighted move because we know that there is an impending bubble building up. Let us face it - the data speaks for itself. The media published information that in 10 years' time, about 60,000 Singaporeans will turn 62 years old, almost double what it is today. About half, or 30,000, or perhaps, even more, will live beyond 85. With the Minimum Sum, you will have a steady income for 20 years. What less the Minimum Sum, the payout will run out earlier. So the scenario that presents itself is this. How to prevent Singaporeans from running out of cash during their retirement? Of course, family support is important but we are not going to have so many younger Singaporeans to take care of the older ones. One can only imagine the kind of pressure on the economic contributors and the Government of the day when our very own children and grandchildren will have to confront the enormity of supporting and caring for so many seniors 10-30 years down the road. How would those seniors help care for themselves then? The question we ask ourselves could then be phrased as: what can we do today to help the retirees in 10-20 years' time lighten the load on a future working generation in caring for the aged in their time?”
“Sir, in view of the negative comments coming out of Indonesia recently, many Singaporeans have asked, should we continue to assist and whether, in view of many more natural disasters that might crop up, eg, recently, even ourselves in Singapore, we have had these tremors, should we commit our resources further towards this?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, this year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the SAF and we thank all our citizens who have served and who are serving National Service. Many of us in this House have served NS. Whether we were operating a keyboard, shooting with a rifle, toggling the risers of a parachute or rappelling down a helicopter, we serve National Service. Sir, we are planning for a 6.5 million population and, increasingly, we will have more new citizens who may not need to serve National Service. These new citizens would be working shoulder-to-shoulder with soldiers, eg, colleagues, bosses and subordinates who have served National Service. We need them to understand the flavour of National Service. As I mentioned, we are planning towards a 6.5 million population. The integration of our citizens is more important when it comes to National Service and I think National Service is a great integrator. Sir, could MINDEF modify perhaps a short stint or introduce a kind of National Service where these new citizens who, for some reason may not need to serve National Service, can do a stint in NS, say, a very modified, diluted or watered down form, so that they could understand first-hand the raison d'etre of National Service of the SAF? Financial Control”
“Notwithstanding this, I am also sure that many parents also welcome a shorter stint for their sons in the service to the country. Sir, it is two years since we have reduced the stint of most of our NSmen to two years. It is timely to ask for an evaluation if the shorter stint has any effect on the operational readiness of our defence force. The Minister may also share with Members the adoption of more sophisticated technologies as the proverbial force multiplier that allows us to manage with a smaller number of men in the SAF.”
“Sir, the responsibility of defence, especially total defence, of a country is every citizen's duty. I quote George Washington who declared, "It must be laid down, as a primary position and the basis of our (democratic) system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal service to the defence of it." Although I have argued in this House for a shorter stint for our NS, it has not in anyway dented the belief in the essence of George Washington's declaration. The cornerstone of our defence force - the SAF- relies heavily on the conscription of our youth from the young age of 18 years. Our conscripted defence force had undergone quite massive transformation. We are into our Third Generation and a new military philosophy. Globally, there are views that the end of the conscripted army is near. They argued that military labour is now more complex and has demanded increasing professional personnel. Secondly, technological advancements have proven to be an effective force multiplier that can substitute, to some degree, physical soldiers in the battlefield. Hence, here in Singapore, the maturity of our citizenry in recognising the institution of National Service is the chief reason for the SAF's success. National Service promotes universal values, inculcation of discipline and patriotism in citizens. It is especially beneficial for youth in character-building and it occurs at a time when they are more susceptible to outside influences. I believe that many parents shared in this belief as well as in the benefits not only to the country but also the overall development of their sons.”
“Hence, I would like to hear from the Defence Minister what our 3G armed forces combat readiness and evaluation is. Research and Development”
“Sir, we have invested much resources in our country's defence. I understand that, in some areas, we are at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. This has even raised some concerns by some countries. Nevertheless, just as the knife blade needs constant sharpening, our armed forces need constant evolving to be kept abreast of emerging security challenges. On this score, I notice that the SAF too is evolving, especially in terms of changes being made to our Third Generation Army. The changes being introduced to our 3G Armed Forces are rather profound and wide ranging. The backbone of our defence force rests with our 300,000-odd operationally ready National Servicemen, 20,000 regular servicemen, another 30,000 NSmen. It is always therefore that the main bulk of our defence force rests with the 300,000 servicemen who are no longer on active duty. While I note the transformation to the 3G forces, I also wonder if the 300,000 servicemen who have left active duty are in sync with the new operational demand. This point was so eloquently put by the Chairman of our GPC, Ms Indranee Rajah. One of the declared principles under the 3G armed forces is the reliance on leaner and meaner forces, that is, lesser amount of troops would be needed. Along this line of 300,000 servicemen who have been trained to operate with more personnel when called to duty, their combat readiness might certainly be compromised if the training is not up to speed. Finally, retired Chief of Australian Defence Force, Prof. Peter Dennis, was quoted in an interview that history has shown that there is no substitute for boots on the ground when it comes to military superiority. In other words, technological advancement cannot be replacement for soldiers. We still need the numbers.”
“The coordination in such efforts cannot come about without close cooperation and working side by side with different forces during peacetime. Sir, military-training facilities overseas are beneficial in more ways than one. It serves to enhance the peace and stability of the region and it is vital for our economic growth. I urge MINDEF to continuously search for more and greater overseas training cooperation with countries that share our holistic view. Humanitarian and Disasters Relief”
“Mr Chairman, with the limited military training ground on our shores, it has not prevented us from developing and growing a credible defence force. From as early as the 1960s and 1970s, we have put our minds into exploring and developing more training facilities for our troops. Due to limited space within Singapore's territorial land and waters, some training programmes and facilities are located overseas. In the early years, we developed and established overseas training bases for our SAF in Thailand, Brunei and Taiwan. In fact, many of the male colleagues in this House probably had served at least one stint in one of the three overseas training facilities. This has also in no small way added to the increased mutual understanding between our countries and added much to bilateral cooperation on many fronts, not just military. Sir, I understand that we have over the last few years managed to extend cooperation with new countries for more training facilities. Some of these countries are Australia, New Zealand, France and even the US and India. Having new areas of defence cooperation, including joint training facilities, supplement existing bilateral cooperation. I was therefore puzzled to learn that our training facilities with Indonesia are not on the same footing as the other arrangements with so many other countries. I am further puzzled as to why the Indonesians would sacrifice closer cooperation activities that go beyond military, like economic, and most of all for Indonesia, humanitarian activities. I note that our cooperation in the past on frequent military exchanges with our Indonesian neighbours had yielded good results too. It had facilitated, for instance, our boys in uniform helping out in Aceh smoothly and without any glitches.”
“Mr Chairman, the matters to this cut have been addressed in a report by CNB just last week after I filed my cut. Penal Code”
“Are these workers qualified to drive the types of vehicles that they are driving? Are they tested on our highway codes? Have they been tested on our roads? Sir, lastly, on the full-day bus lanes. The roads with full-day bus lanes are creating, sometimes, an impossible situation for vehicles intending to make a left turn. An example is Orchard Road where the portion allowing drivers to turn left to, say, Paragon, is almost occupied by buses and other cars which do not follow the bus lane rules. So cars intending to make a left turn would either have to wait, causing a traffic jam, or miss the turn. This problem is not common just to Orchard Road but other areas.”
“Mr Chairman, allow me to share my observations and where the areas of ensuring road safety where we might improve on. First and foremost, I have often noted with alarm, while on the road, the lackadaisical attitude parents and minders with children in their vehicle. There are children in a moving car with seat beats but not belted up. There are some parents and minders, usually grandparents, carrying children, mostly toddlers in their arm. The worst group are those with children jumping at the back seat or walking around at the back seat of a speeding MPV. In the United Kingdom, in 2004, there were 495 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities among children under five years of age. Of those 495 fatalities, an estimated 173 (35%) were totally unrestrained. Among children under five years old, an estimated 451 lives were saved in 2004 by child restraint use. Of these 451 lives saved, 413 were associated with the use of child safety seats and 38 with the use of adult seat belts. Child safety seats can reduce fatal injuries by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers, ages from one to four. Sir, I have this to say about belting up, especially for the safety our children: "Belt up, better a live chicken than a dead duck!" Perhaps, we could print stickers for dashboards! Sir, another observation is that of heavy vehicles speeding along our expressways. A common phenomenon we see these days is heavy vehicles hogging our expressways. A heavy vehicle, whether loaded or not loaded, travelling at high speed cannot be expected to stop in time in the event of an emergency. They are hazards to other road-users as well. Many of these heavy vehicles are driven by foreign workers ferrying foreign workers to and from work.”
“I would suggest that we might like to use the mock-up of an MRT train cabin for passengers to walk through, to appreciate the realism of a bomb attack and a chemical attack. It can be interactive, coupled with video or learning aids. It can be helpful in preparing our public in familiarising themselves and, most importantly, to learn how to react, report and respond to such emergencies. Control of Firearms”
“Total Defence Day type of activities is a start, but we can do more. I would leave the imagination to Members what effects such an attack would have on our schools and society. In this regard, although we have carried out many emergency preparedness exercises, I am uncertain of the success of wanting to send a resounding message of preparedness to our people. Mr Chairman, we see the same usual faces at many of these emergency exercises, the same ones at the anti-dengue exercises and almost the same people would turn up at either mass exercises or fire drills, and so on. We need to go for a wider audience. The American Red Cross categorised community preparedness in the event of a terrorist attack in the following five groups: (1) Head Scratcher - those who do not know where to get information; (2) Head in the Sand - those who think preparation is unimportant; (3) Head in the Clouds - those who mistakenly believe that they are ready; (4) Headset Crowd - those who are too busy to bother; and (5) Heady Unawareness - those who simply have no thought about it. Any of these groups' presence would spell disaster in the event of a terrorist attack. My point is that we should not be lulled into a false sense of security, as like the third group I mentioned, ie, the head-in-the-clouds type. We need to spare no effort in preparing ourselves. A resilient community is probably the best defence in the event of an attack. We need to go beyond the usual Emergency Preparedness exercises. We need to engage the wider community and bring the Head Scratcher, the Head in the Sand, the Headset Crowd as well as the Heady Unawareness types into awareness. Finally, given the attack on transportation in London in 2005, our efforts to reach a wider public transport is important.”
“Mr Chairman, we have wasted no effort in enhancing our security preparedness in high-risk areas, such as Changi Airport, Tuas and Woodlands Checkpoints as well as Government buildings. We even have armed soldiers in uniform patrolling Changi Airport. Some people have said that we are over-reacting, but I do not think so. Up until the 11th September 2001 attacks on New York were deemed almost implausible and far-fetched, much less using American planes. And closer to home, so was Bali, catching many unprepared. These days, it is common fodder on the news to hear of terrorist attacks and bomb explosions here and there. We must accept that terrorist attacks can strike at any time, anywhere and in any form. Singapore is too good a target not to take aim at. Being a successful small island-state, a busy port and a financial centre, it makes us a juicy target. We cannot afford to slack in our level of preparedness. A terrorist attack may still take place despite our best efforts. We need to explore all avenues and prepare the general public for an eventuality of a terrorist attack. Our community may have been subjected to exercises and scenarios in the event of a conventional terrorist attack, such as a bomb explosion in crowded areas like a bus interchange or an MRT station. We often see traffic that builds up outside our schools by our parents who are waiting to pick up their children. It has also struck me that, if I were a terrorist attacking a school in Singapore, it would certainly make front-page news. No one expected the Beslan incident to happen, but it did. In engaging our wider community, we might want to consider starting first with engaging over half a million or so of our school children and their parents.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, may I have your permission to take both cuts together?”
“There will be less young folks supporting the older folks. It would therefore make more sense for our people to retire with more cash rather than just assets. We have tried to do this with reverse mortgage, but I am not sure that this is catching on. The scenario before us is one of a greying population, a greying group, one with one child or with no children or single elders. In this instance, the quality of life for this greying group is to have cash in hand rather than a HDB flat worth $200,000. The way to help a greying population with little or no dependence is the provision of more rental flats perhaps, thus allowing them to cash out of their flat at age 55 or 60 or when they retire. While I have not worked out the details of this call, I am urging the Government to review this high home ownership policy with our changing society and the factors that I have mentioned. Sir, I support the Budget. 2.48 pm”