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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“Her children will benefit from the PSEA and various offsets announced by the Second Finance Minister. If she can bring herself back to work, the family will indeed fare pretty well. Sir, that is a big "if" - if Mdm Wong would go back to work. Workfare will encourage people to work and to stay in the job. However, I am concerned that for Singaporeans like Mdm Wong who can work and should work and now needs Workfare to prod her to work. It is a situation, I hope, we will not denigrate to. Where are the work ethics here? Where are the self-help and self-reliant spirit in this case? I also hope that we are not creating yet another unhappy lot where each year there will be a clamour to ask for more. Maybe Mr Jack Neo may come up with a sequel 3 to "Money No Enough", scripted around Workfare. This case that I just shared with the House should serve as a shot across the bow for us to continue to inculcate self-reliance in our people. While the Government constantly comes up with programmes to help the needy, we must ensure that the needy will also have the self-determination to help themselves. I am therefore heartened to hear the Minister remind the House that our people should not lose their self-reliance. This is crucial for us to flourish as a nation. Sir, Singapore has been lauded for our high home ownership policy. This policy has served us well and would continue to be one of the pillars of the way to organise our society. However, several factors are emerging in our society - a cause for rethinking and maybe a refinement to our high home ownership policy. Primary to these factors are a greying population, four in 10 are turning 55 who have Minimum Sums of about $90,000 and a low birth rate. We have talked about dependency ratios for some time now.”
“They asked, "Does Singapore need the GST for fiscal purposes given that there are other revenue avenues?" For starters, many point to the high revenue that land sales have generated that has helped places like Hong Kong manage with a budget surplus. Sir, while I am convinced that the conditions that we are in are different, I am convinced that the GST is probably the best longer term solution for us. We would need to communicate better our agenda with the people. I am not sure whether a lot of Singaporeans on the street understand why or are convinced. Sir, many of my colleagues have already spoken about Workfare and I do not think I will be wrong to say that many governments will be studying how the Singapore Government pulls this off, just like our CPF system. Workfare will, no doubt, be something future participants of the Singapore Cooperation Programme will be asking about. I related to the House during the debate on the President's Speech about how a Mdm Wong had asked for education financial assistance for her two children. Her husband works as a taxi driver, taking home about $1,000 and she is not used to working after having stopped work for 15 years to look after her two children. Probing further, I found out that all her children's education bills and related expenses, except for pocket money, were taken care of by MOE and the school's assistance programme. She had, in fact, asked for an income supplement for her household but used her children's education expense as an opener. Sir, with Workfare, her self- employed husband, with Medisave in his account, will benefit the family. And over the next five years, her service and conservancy charges and usage bills will help the family.”
“Our international standing is good and will only get better hereon. The future landscape of Singapore looks exciting with the slew of programmes on the table. By 2010, the Integrated Resorts should be up and running and so is the Singapore Flyer, the Ferris-wheel icon in Marina South. We have plans to provide clean and beautiful water within our living environment. Plans are on the way for a new Sports Hub within the Kallang area. And to boot, we are providing for a population of 6.5 million. In this regard, while we have paid attention to the physical surroundings, expatriates that I have spoken to over the past few days are a little concerned that we could become like Hong Kong. Merrill Lynch, in fact, made a front page news calling a sell in Hong Kong because of the congestion and pollution. We must guard against this scenario. With a bigger population expected, more flats need to be built to accommodate them. There will be more people on our streets and there will be more cars on the road. Stress levels will increase, work and family life will be a hard balance and as an end result, we might not be an attraction to foreign talent then. On the GST, in lowering our corporate tax rate to 18%, we cannot avoid being linked to Hong Kong. Thus, when Hong Kong initially toyed with the idea of a GST and then not willing to go forward, people in Hong Kong cheered. We, on the other hand, increased it by 2%. Lowering corporate tax, the net effect is that Singaporeans' burden is increased while foreign companies' loads are lightened. These are conclusions of some. Sir, I think this is rubbish. Sir, within the financial circle, there has also been murmur within that the GST might not be the best and only option.”
“Although the inflation in real estate prices has not been broad-based yet, it is slowly but surely dwindling the supply glut. It has not helped some of those in negative equity yet. But those with real estate to sublet are reporting improving rental rates of about 30%. And I read with interest that in my division of Clementi, rental rates for the four-room flats have gone up by 30%. With our twin effort of targeting a population of 6.5 million and liberalising immigration policy to attract more foreign talent, the prospect looks bright for the property sector. It is spilling over to the construction industry that has been sleepy for several years now. In 2006, the construction industry had increased by 41% to about $16 billion. The pace of growth had continued into 2007 unabated. This sand, or lack of it, causing the construction industry to grind slower but certainly not to a halt, but we have contingency plans. The competition for foreign direct investments globally is a fierce battle field. It is worse in Asia Pacific, what with two foreign direct investment sucking giants like China and India? Notwithstanding this, Singapore can be quite proud of what we have achieved. We have managed a respectable slew of high level of foreign direct investments here. The latest, of course, is Google, setting up a research and development arm here. Google attributed choosing Singapore because of our very vibrant info-communications technology. We have good infrastructure and continue to invest in them. We spare no effort in improving the pro-business environment to help the 7,000-odd multinational companies here and 130,000 SMEs. With a lower corporate tax of 18%, our pro-business advantages can only get better from here. It is an exciting time. We have much to look forward to.”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to participate in this Budget debate. I speak in support of the Budget of 2007. I also take this opportunity to congratulate the Second Finance Minister, Mr Tharman for his maiden Budget Statement but, nonetheless, unprecedented in many ways - socialist in caring for the people and has a longer term aim to boost Singapore's competitive. The economy has been improving for the last two years and it is likely to continue to do well. Our Government has revised upward our economy to be growing between 4.5% and 6.5%. Although slower than last year's overall 7.9% growth, the forecast for 2007 economic growth is still quite respectable by any standard. We are on the right track. A better economy has created a total of 123,000 employment opportunities thus far. What is even more worth celebrating is that more than half of these jobs created are going to Singaporeans. Infusion of foreign talent into our economy will help boost the diversity and dynamism of our workforce and we should be happy for this too. The word from the small and medium-sized enterprises these days is not only difficult in finding good help but also holding on to the good ones. This sets the stage for better remuneration for our workforce and in extension, a better quality of life for all round. The fact that we have received hardly any negative feedback after the increase in 1.5% CPF contribution suggests the overall increase in unit business cost is well absorbed through higher productivity. The bullishness in the property sector, a bit uneven, is another article of faith in what we are doing. Foreign investors are showing their faith in our real estate through stepping up good top-end properties.”
“" Mr Speaker, Sir, for a little red dot like ours, we must continue to enable those who can contribute most and to give those who need help the opportunities and the hope so that they too can contribute in their own way. Sir, we have the social nets and we need to avail the net to all who need help but guard any dependencies that our people can develop. We need to strive to imbue our young folks with more resilience and self-reliance. Sir, I support the motion to thank the President. TIME LIMIT FOR PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH (Suspension of Standing Orders)”
“Sir, this has added some cynicism to some families affected by the huge rise in utilities and the interim assistance availed to them quickly runs out. I hope that the Government will look at going beyond the existing utilities assistance schemes for such families, especially those with children, during the examination period. Sir, some three years ago, during the debate on CPF, I had alluded to the quadruple whammies, or what I call "si mian mai fu", that may present itself in years to come. Sir, that has happened. I pointed out that there will be a situation when the reduced CPF contribution from employers, along with the increase in interest rates for housing mortgages in addition to the reduced contribution from CPF account holders as they move into another age group, would pose a cash crunch for these people. If this group of families are also in the bottom 20% of people who had their household incomes reduced over the last five years, we are talking about quite a bit of hardship, perhaps "wu mian mai fu ". I appeal to the Government to take a look at this group of people and see where help can be availed to them. For instance, they may be forced to ask for a third HDB loan as they may default in their commercial loans due to the reasons I mentioned earlier. I hope the Minister for National Development can address the concerns of this group of Singaporeans which is a sizeable group in our public housing. Sir, I would like to end by quoting President Franklin D Rooservelt. During the Great Depression, on one of his visits to the American Mid West, he was quoted as saying, "The measure of our progress is not how much we can add to those who have but how much we can give to those who have little.”
“I think the call for self-reliance by the Minister for MCYS and the kind of resilience building, which Ms Indranee Rajah spoke of, on the part of our people is timely. These calls are made with a promise of assistance from the Government and in no less than the 36 schemes available. Sir, on the assistance programmes, callers to this morning's talkback programme were in agreement that there are in fact enough schemes and funds available to help the needy. Some even made it clear that there is no need for another national fund. I would like to caution that it is a slippery road to consider more help funds without first satisfying ourselves that the existing available help is availed to those who need it most. Guided by the "Help first, ask question later", I am confident that we will reach those in need of help better. Mr Speaker, many in this House had also touched on the cost of living. Sir, if judging by CPI reports, then the cost of living in Singapore had not increased much, if at all. However, left and right, we continue to hear of rising cost of living. And up till recently, the oil prices around the world had increased by about 40%. Oil increases have a significant and broad based impact on our cost of living. For starters, oil price increases have led to a significant increase in utility bill of every Singaporean household. It has led to transport companies applying for an increase in fare and getting our Public Transport Council's approval. Both increases have a significant impact on the cost of living of the average Singaporean. Yet, the CPI which captures inflation in Singapore is passively mild. We need a different set of indexes that could perhaps show us the relevance to the cost of living in Singapore.”
“" Then I asked what other education financial assistance could come in to help her three children. She repeated her plea for an education financial assistance and that her husband takes home only $1,000 per month. I took a moment to take in what she said. Sir, more telling is what she is not saying. She is not saying that her children are already adequately helped by the schemes available but her livelihood is not sustainable from $1,000 of take-home income. The household income used to be double. I asked if she would be agreeable to me seeking a job assistance for her. I added, "At least a part-time job to improve your household income." She immediately said "no" and that she had to look after the three children when they come back from school. Sir, the case I mentioned lends colour to my concerns. Firstly, this family is an example of the group whose income has shrunk over the last five years. Secondly, there is adequate assistance for her children to go to school but she is still asking for education financial assistance. Thirdly, she could be part of the solution in asking for a job match rather than for the funds that goes towards supplementing her family's livelihood. Sir, my concern here is: Is Mdm Wong really expecting the various help schemes to supplement her household income? If so, I am concerned that while the slew of schemes is helpful to many, we are also seeing a growing group where the schemes help improve their welfare of sorts. While the facts of shrinking household incomes shine through in this case, it also shows a growing concern that there is a sizeable group wanting assistance without wanting to consider some self-help on their part.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in the debate and the motion to thank the President. Sir, for the past three days of the debate, I felt like I was standing on quick sand. Being slated to be the 52nd speaker, the topics that I had intended to touch on had been nicely covered by many of my esteemed colleagues. I wish my fellow West Coast GRC colleague, Mr Cedric Foo, well, being the last speaker. Sir, I am concerned, like many colleagues in this House, about the persistent yawning income gap and the implication for "An Inclusive Society", that the people-Government partnership are collectively working on. Over the last five years, I have seen first hand the paradox of lowering income and a rising cost of living. I have also seen at my MPS the helplessness of a mother in making sure that her children are able to concentrate and compete in school with the other children, added on by the frustration in her daily life by her husband's low income. Let me share a telling example and hopefully another look into the situation. Sir, Mdm Wong, homemaker, and her husband, a taxi driver, in his late 40s have three children, all in secondary school. I met her on one of my Saturday morning "lone ranger" walkabouts in Clementi. She asked for zhu xue jin or education financial assistance. As there were others around, I told her to come over to my MPS. She promptly showed up at my MPS two nights later. I asked for some more information in order that I could help her better. I asked if she had applied to the MOE for the assistance on her fees as well as textbooks, and she said, "Yes." I then asked her, if she is receiving any school based assistance for meals, etc, she said, "Yes, the School Advisory Board is processing her application.”
“) Resumption of Debate on Question [7th March, 2006], "That the total sum to be allocated for Head K of the Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan]. Question again proposed.”
“Question No. 1, Sir. The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker Sir, when an NRIC holder reports a change of his address, the registration officer at the reporting centre would obliterate the old address on the NRIC by making cut grooves into the address section on the back of the NRIC with a metal inscriber. He then marks over it with permanent ink, before pasting the new address sticker over the old address. Any attempt to tamper with the change in address will show up. We started this procedure in April 1999 to address the problem of NRIC holders tearing off the sticker, and passing off the original address as the present address. Furthermore, we have put in place strict laws against those who tamper with their NRIC. Under the National Registration Act, any person who forges, erases, alters or falsifies any entry in or tampers with an identity card, can be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both. Using another person's address as his own is an act of cheating, which is an offence punishable under the Penal Code. Over the last three years, an average of 193,000 NRIC holders reported a change of address each year. We have made it convenient for those who need to report their new address by allowing them to do so at any Neighbourhood Police Centre or Police Post. The current procedure balances cost and convenience with security. Column No : 1351 Column No : 1352 ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2006 TO 31ST MARCH, 2007 (Paper Cmd. 3 of 2006) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [6th Allotted Day]. Column No : 1352 [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head K - Ministry of Education (cont.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State for Health if his Ministry would consider spearheading or initiating a programme with MCYS and MOE to arrest the growing trend of youth smokers.”
“Sir, perhaps, our public awareness campaign or anti-smoking communications directed at youths may take the tack that smoking is not cool or something along that line. For the image concerned youths today, this alternative tack may bear fruit rather than just making cigarettes a forbidden fruit. This approach may leave a more lasting impression on the youth and young female smokers for which there is an uptrend. This group will, in time, stretch our health dollar that will already be stretched by our greying population and the healthcare needs. Can the Minister tell us what is in store to combat the uptrend of youth smokers? National Blood Programme”
“Sir, since the inception of a comprehensive anti-smoking campaign in 1986, I have seen the Government undertake a myriad of approaches to curb the prevalence of smoking in Singapore. Sir, we have tried many things, from banning advertising by tobacco companies, raising duties and tax payable for cigarettes, including health warning on cigarette packaging and have even restricted the places where one can have a smoke. We have made it illegal to sell cigarettes to those below 18 years old. In effect, we have made cigarettes a forbidden fruit and the consequence is that the groups which we are trying to dissuade from smoking are the ones who clamour all the more for it. I think most smokers, about 90%, according to a survey by HPB on "Youth Attitudes on Smoking" in 2000, know that smoking can have an adverse effect on their health. But, by restricting it so thoroughly, we may have made some groups all the more determined to try it for themselves. While the prevalence of smoking is down to 12.6% as of middle of last year, down from 13.8% in 2001 for some groups, it is on an uptrend, particularly for youths between the ages 16 and 24 and for females between the ages of 18 and 24. Sir, in Thailand, cigarettes are cheaply and freely available, even though it has a bit less stringent preventive legislation like Singapore in place. Yet, while overall youth smoking trends are rising, the group that most resembles the Singapore youth, and that is the average urban school-going middle-class youth, is not clamouring more for cigarettes. In fact, studies showed that youths in Thailand associate smoking with those who drop out of the mainstream education or move into the labour market early. So this mindset has developed despite cigarettes being so readily available.”
“Would the Minister please provide an update on the RPS and share the next steps planned by the Ministry to help the HDB retailers to improve their business?”
“Sir, the retail sector in Singapore recorded a growth of 7.4% in 2005. However, we know that this growth was not experienced by many of the 15,200 HDB retailers who form the major portion of the retailers here. In fact, business prospects remain poor for this group. Sir, the daughter of the owner of one such shop in Clementi wrote to me of her father's situation. I quote Shirley: "A few years back, my father bought the shophouse from HDB. He had been renting the same shophouse from HDB for 20 years. A loan was taken from a commercial bank, amounting to more than $1 million. Today, the outstanding loan is still at about $800,000-plus. Monthly repayment to the bank is about $6,000. Development is slack in the area to boost up any business. My father can hardly maintain the monthly repayments to the bank. Maintaining a shop no one wants to rent is straining on the finance." Sir, there are many reasons why there are such cases. Some of the reasons are as follows: (1) There is an oversupply of HDB retail shops; (2) Older towns and precincts are experiencing a hollowing out; (3) Poor retail mix; and (4) Shopping environment is not conducive. The Restructuring Programme for Shops (RPS) was announced by the Minister in March 2005 to assist HDB shop tenants located in areas where there is an oversupply of shops and where the business is poor to retire from the business or to restructure and upgrade their business operations. A pilot was carried out last year involving seven areas. In the case of Shirley's father, I fear the RPS will fall short of helping them. The clock is ticking and I think the reality that hon. Members talked about just now will befall on this family.”
“Sir, Singapore has one of the best transport infrastructures in the world. In a densely populated city like Singapore, we have maintained competitively high standards of road safety, with an average of 200-250 fatalities annually since the 1980s. However, some key concerns remain, as highlighted by the National Road Safety Action Plan - lack of lane discipline by many motorcyclists, particularly young riders; tendency of elderly pedestrians to avoid the use of pedestrian crossing facilities provided; cyclists and motorcyclists who ride in a manner that risks their own safety when interacting with other road users. I understand that the Land Transport Authority undertakes regular road safety audits on the highways and arterial roads. However, one area highlighted by the recent tragic loss involving a Home Team member when his Rhino was involved in an accident needs urgent attention. Sir, I submit that we need to step up education for our road users, particularly in respect to how road users should respond to emergency vehicles that are travelling on our roads when they are responding to emergency or an incident. I ask that the Minister share how our drivers can be educated through a comprehensive campaign to ensure safety of road users and also respond appropriately when emergency vehicles are on our roads. Sir, we often see the ugly side of drivers on brinkmanship and opportunist take-over when a better sense of safety and consideration for other road users should be present. Emergency Preparedness”
“In the report on "Youth: Creating Our Future" consultation exercise by MCYS, ex-offenders had called for society to be more understanding and for more rehabilitation and employment opportunities so that they can re-integrate and participate in contributing to the society. If we cannot serve their needs, then, coupled with the stigma that society places on them, the offender might be dragged into a vicious cycle of criminalisation. Minor offenders, through incarceration, may find themselves too estranged from society to re-integrate. I ask the Minister to share his plans to prevent this cycle of criminalisation of the 11,000 ex-offenders released each year. Would the Minister share with us how many have been successfully re-integrated and what is the relapse rate? Neighbourhood Police Centres”
“Other programmes, such as the Streetwise Programme, involve prison visits for those youths at risk, in tandem with CID. Arrangements are made with the Prisons Department for identified wayward youths to visit the Changi Prison and Changi Women Prison respectively. Sir, I propose that such visits be extended to all students. The visit offers youths an opportunity to see for themselves the tough regime that prisoners have to undergo and the spartan conditions in prison. Personal glimpses into the harsh life behind bars also serve as a strong message to the youths, warning them of the freedom that they would lose if they persist in getting into trouble with the law. I hope the Minister would consider extending such programmes to more youths to nip the problem in its bud as the youths would be reminded, in no uncertain terms, that having a prison record would close some opportunities for them, notwithstanding the Yellow Ribbon Project which is the subject of my next cut. Rehabilitation of Prisoners According to SCORE, about 11,000 ex-offenders are released from the various prisons and drug rehabilitation centres every year. SCORE is the key agency that seeks to rehabilitate and help re-integrate offenders to become responsible and contributing members of the society. Its Yellow Ribbon Project established in 2004 was well received by the public. I understand that some 90,000 students and teachers were involved in the "Wear a Yellow Ribbon" Project. Employers also played their part in the Yellow Ribbon job fair where 150 soon-to-be-released inmates were successful in their job interviews.”
“Sir, the uptrend on crime remains a great concern to me. Last year, there was a 20% increase in recorded cases. So crime trends, in general, are on the uptrend. In the first half of 2005, youths arrested for crimes were up by 9%, compared to the same period in 2004. By the end of the year, the youth crime figures were 4,594, which was 122 youths less than 2004. However, I note with concern that although the numbers have fallen, youth crime in the three most common offences is up: rioting, 483 cases in 2005, which is more than double the 2004 figures; shop theft, 1,423 cases, which is up by almost 50% from 2004; and other thefts, 787 cases, which are up by 50% from 2004. Youth arrest has accounted for 22% of all arrests, even though they make up about 15% of our population according to the Police. Sir, if we take some data in perspective, we may be able to see how important it is to nip the problem in the bud. Even if 10% of students, who do not make it through to complete secondary school, turn to crime, and each of this 10% pools together a small gang, we are looking at staggering numbers of potential gang members. Sir, the data is worrying. We have to stem the tide of our youths turning to crime. Perhaps, they do not appreciate the seriousness of their actions at an early age and what implications they can have later in life. I applaud the Home Team in keeping the overall numbers in check. The Inter-ministry Committee on Youth Crime has come up with several programmes to check youth crime. Its effectiveness is measurable. In 2004, MCYS conducted a study on the cohort of youth offenders discharged from the IMC on Youth Crime Guidance Programme (GP) in 2000. The number who returned to crime went down from 30% to 7.5%.”
“We have to embrace the challenges before us, if we are going to compete in the global economy. Through education and retraining, these are the basic foundations through which all Singaporeans can improve their lot. Future generations will reap the dividends, just as the education and manpower policies of the Government have paid dividends over the last five years. Many Singaporeans are better off financially, with more workers being employed. For those who are still in difficulty, the Government will help those who need it most, as the $2.6 billion package is testimony to its commitment. I hope that, this year, it would be another good year for Singaporeans. Sir, I support the Budget. 5.50 pm”
“It has always been the position of the Government that, where possible, surpluses will be redistributed to those who need it the most. This is not about elections, contrary to what critics say. The Budget sets out clear long-range objectives. The strategic objectives are clear and cannot be missed. I do, however, have some concerns. Firstly, as a banker, I would caution against the Government handing out grants to help more Singaporeans more home owners. While I support the Government in its move to provide $20,000 to help some low-income Singaporeans become home owners, I submit that this group is susceptible to the vagaries of the economy. I would caution Singaporeans to do their sums properly so that they can be sure that they can afford to keep up on the payments for their new homes, taking into consideration what would their contingency be, if they become unemployed. Where feasible, some should consider carefully if rental flats are a better option for them early in their lives. Rental flats are a low-cost option for housing and will allow low-income families to save, rather than in continually worrying about mortgage payments that they may not be able to afford in the long run. A case in point, there are people who have moved from a three-room to a four-room or five-room flat but who are currently in difficulty. So, if these young Singaporeans embark on a home ownership, they should do their numbers to avoid dying of greater death (confirmed by Arthur over the phone that this is correct). Sir, I am afraid that the good intent of just aiding our low-income families own their own homes might yield an unintended negative result. I call on the would-be recipients of such assistance to reflect and weigh on the options. Singapore is our home.”
“This is not only to ensure that our children would have a better future but that the young people today would have to carry a rapidly growing greying Singapore. Thus, for this reason, I am happy to note the move to apply the Opportunity Fund to the tune of $50 million. I see this as an investment that would reap huge returns on investments that would benefit not only our young but also our own security as we get older. The Opportunity Fund, to me, is a great social leveller. This is intended that so that the children of our lower-income families are not disadvantaged. It would also ensure that children do not miss out on learning opportunities and experiences just because their parents cannot afford it. Sir, I would caution that, given the Singapore character to be Number One, overzealous principals may sacrifice beneficial programmes for many over those that would help the schools' ranking. This is one score I never wish to be correct. So I would urge the Minister for Education to provide the House with periodic updates on how the funds would be used and the programmes that they are applied to. Although socio-economically the future is challenging, our present scorecard is not bad. Of the lowest 10% in terms of household incomes, 78% own their own homes in 2000 or about 9% more than in 1990. There are hardly any vagrants out on the streets, as the Government has housed them properly. Singaporeans are generally more affluent and well-travelled. We continue to post good results in GDP growth of 6.5% in 2005. Our Government has extended assistance in this Budget for many groups of Singaporeans, especially those who are still unemployed and the greying population.”
“Over time, I hope that the lowest-income earners have a better fighting chance to break free from their poverty trap. We are seeing a widening income disparity. This Budget's allocation of $50 million to the Opportunity Fund is a clear and affirmative signal of our Government's intent to invest wholeheartedly in education. This is strategic. National income is rising, generally speaking. However, according to the data from the National Census in 2000, the exception is for the lowest-income groups where the average income levels have dropped by about 80%. It is mainly due to more households in the lowest 10% who have no income earners. The proportion of households with no income earners increased from 4% in 1990 to 8.7% in 2000. Ideally, I hope that in every household of working age adults, there will be an income earner. Yet, stacked against the socio-economic reality today, I am not that optimistic. In the last 15 years, life expectancy in Singapore has risen from 71 years for males and 76 years for females to 77 years for males and 81 years for females. Today, it is 82 years for males and, perhaps, in 15 years, I believe it will be even higher with the new drugs and the pace of development in medical science. The Government's drive for Singaporeans to lead healthy lifestyles will also contribute to increasing life expectancy. The cold cruel fact is that we would either need to be economically productive past our retirement age or the dependency ratio against our younger generation would be greater, given the twin pillar of a decreasing total fertility rate and decreasing job options, as we get older, we need to take preventive measures. That is why investing in the education of our children is so important.”
“I am proud that the principle of meritocracy ensured that this was consistent across all ethnic groups. I applaud the Government for its forward thinking. Members of the House will agree that Singaporean parents invest in their children so that they can have a better life. By investing in education, we will continue to be plugged in and compete in a fast pace of an ever changing global economy. I urge the Government to continue its focus on education as the key driver to secure the future of Singaporeans, not only here in Singapore but, more importantly, for Singaporeans to be able to hold our own on the international playing field. Research conducted across the world has revealed that children of more educated parents would attain a higher educational position than his or her parent and also likely his or her peers. In today's world, the better educated and better trained you are, you will be equipped to move upwards in society. Research indicated that the challenge is to focus on the lower-income earners to give them access to education. The Progress Package does just that. I am heartened that this has not been missed by the Government. No one is denied an opportunity to attend school. In fact, it is compulsory. If you cannot afford an education, the Government will help you. Parents too realise that education is a formidable stepping stone towards a better future for our children. It is the great equaliser that will ensure that our children have a better chance in the long run. I am confident that as each subsequent generation progresses with better and relevant education to keep pace, Singapore will be safe. Singapore will continue to be a secure and a choice home for all.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in this Budget debate. This Budget represents a prudent investment in our future, but it is also sensitive to the needs of the present. It paves the way forward with surgical precision, in pinpointing and tackling areas of hardship our people have experienced as a result of the changes in the economic landscape, largely caused by globalisation. In many parts of Asia, generations work in servitude with little hope of breaking free. The children of those in bonded labour cannot break free from this vicious cycle, access to education is unlike ours. In Singapore, we are fortunate. Our children do not suffer from such a predestined fate. A child born in a poor family will not end up in a life of servitude. We have high social mobility in Singapore compared to the rest of the world. Our children have the ability to transcend the social strata of their parents. Research findings from the University of Michigan's 2004 paper, "Intergenerational Income Mobility in Singapore" found that education is the single most influential factor that will allow our child to leapfrog to a better life. The Government's education policy has indeed paid dividends. Equal access to education and a system of meritocracy has removed barriers for all Singaporeans to improve their standing in broad terms. Education is a social leveller. Let the data speak for itself. Average household income rose from $3,076 in 1990 to $4,943 in the year 2002, an increase of about 60% in 10 short years. The proportion of the lowest-income earners also reduced dramatically, from 43% of households in Singapore earning less than $2,000 in 1990 to 26% in 2000, which is almost a third less, again in 10 short years.”
“Throughout his secondary school life, he had been convincing his mother that he is a Singaporean and National Service was very important and he had to do his part. Being mothers, they are very concerned about their sons going to National Service. He successfully convinced his mum about his role as a Singaporean in the National Service. This young man contracted meningitis some time during his NS and he was supposed to start medical school at NUS. That is not a possibility now. But this young man has been given a deferred entrance to NUS to do another programme. But the signal to this young man is that, just as important as the signal of this young man to his mother, the Government is sending a strong signal to Singaporeans, to people who want to default or who have defaulted, that NS is an obligation that they must serve. That is why it is so important to all Singaporeans to know that NS is a national duty. It is important that the Government has dispelled the impression that those with special talents or with special circumstances can be given an easy way out or should they default on NS. Singaporean men, and whatever family background they happen to come from, all will be treated the same. I thank the Minister for his responses in his statement, sending a clear signal to Singaporeans that their contributions are not taken lightly. 5.05 pm”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, up to a short while ago, the feeling of many, especially those who have served NS, in the light of the sentence that Mr Melvyn Tan had received, was disappointment, disgust and a sense that their two or two-and-a-half years in National Service counted little. 5.02 pm [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Chew Heng Ching) in the Chair] The hue and cry and furore that followed had cast a shadow over the importance of NS. Singaporeans, I am sure, many of the 700,000 who had served NS, had expressed their stand on the responsibility of every Singaporean in our nation's defence in the press and in the blog sphere. Listening to the Minister for Defence's statement, I applaud the upcoming changes to the SAF Act and the Enlistment Act. The Minister had also explained clearly the circumstances in Mr Tan's case and has assured us that Mr Tan had not been given special treatment. As far as the perceived disparity in treatment between the average serviceman who goes on AWOL and the defaulter similar to Mr Tan's case, I am happy to note that the review will increase the fines and align both Acts and will also push for a deterrent custodial sentence for serious cases for NS defaulters. Sir, whether the young man's finger coiled round the trigger of a M16 rifle, or a parachute control line, or placed on a keyboard as a company clerk or round the steering of a swimming Bronco, he has served his country first in NS. Sir, for many Singaporeans, NS is an important aspect of a life of a citizen. Let me relate to the House a case of a friend's son. This friend of mine came to Singapore from Hong Kong and became a Singaporean about 15 years ago. I met his son about 12 years ago when he was in Primary Six/Secondary One.”
“Clarification, Mr Speaker. Of the accidents that occurred, how many of them resulted in deaths?”
“Sir, I think Singaporeans need to compete with others for the IR. We have been early adopters and must continue to be early adopters. I am confident that Singapore's confidence in the values that we have been instilled will pass on and preserve the kind of society we have come to be so proud of. I am confident that an able Government that has put high on its agenda since independence of hard work, honesty and integrity while building our nation will preserve these same values with the IRs on our island state. Sir, I support the establishment of IRs.”
“This will help dispel some anxiety and hence allow Singaporeans to better understand the Government's proposed measures towards countervailing the social ills envisioned. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, I would like to share with Members an article I read in the April issue of MacWorld, a magazine dedicated to Apple computer users. It is an article I thought could be quite related to our talk and debate on the IR. Steve Jobs explained the success of Apple in an interview. When Adobe refused Apple's request to jointly develop a consumer video editing software for Mac, Apple had to go at it alone. That resulted in Apple starting the Applications Software Division that now boasts a thousand engineers that resulted in its hugely successful i-Tunes software. Singaporeans who use MP3 players would be very familiar with this. Steve Jobs said that he "felt like a dope" for not moving quicker. Back in 2000, he was so distracted by perfecting video editing on the Mac that he did not notice that people were using computers and CD burners to make audio CDs and downloading MP3s from illegal online services, such as Napster. Jobs was quoted as saying, "I thought we had missed it. We had to work hard to catch up." Fortune reporter Brent Schlender wrote that, "Yes, even Steve Jobs, the technological visionary of his generation, occasionally gets caught looking the wrong way." Singapore cannot afford to look the wrong way or even not look at how the IR could place us in the global village. We look the wrong way and someone will come along and clobber us out of the running. Staying on top, staying attractive for visitors, vying for attention and consideration for investment dollars is all competition. In any competition, I believe we compete to win.”
“They want to know how they can get those jobs so that they can climb out of unemployment. Our Government may wish to convey to Singaporeans how the job creation related to IR will address our unemployment problem. How will these jobs trickle down to our unemployed? Whether specific training programmes will be developed so that those who are interested may re-skill themselves through appropriate training? I think we have a four-year lead time for that. Mr Lim Boon Heng had already spoken on this, maybe MOM in time will also share with us their strategy on how we can prepare 10,000 people for these 10,000 jobs as well as the 25,000 downstream jobs. Lastly, in Minister Balakrishnan's statement on Monday, we were reassured by his mention of the various safeguards to be put in place. However, the Government can do more to set Singaporeans at ease by detailing and providing the specifics on these safeguards, such as what are the processes required by a family member to exclude one from the casino. Looking at the profile of the problem gambler, his family members may not be savvy or resourceful enough to utilise the "exclusion" provision. I felt that the statement was perhaps at this time short on details that could otherwise give Singaporeans a better grasp of the safeguards to be put in place. Some other questions could be: what does the implementation time-line look like for the various help groups to be set up and staffed? Where do you begin with all these good and well-intentioned education programmes on gambling addiction? How relevant will $100 per day or $2,000 per year be in the year 2009? Will the Government then stipulate a fixed review period for such a levy? I hope the Government can elaborate on these. But I understand that it is still early time.”
“But they were also very quick to point out that even as they want to apply our laws, Singapore has put in place concrete strategies to reduce both drug demand and supply of narcotics. This says a lot of how we do things in Singapore. Passing a law is only part of it, as we have the system and complementary strategies to remove the scourge of drug abuse and opportunities for trafficking. The law comes in then to enforce and deter such acts. We have thus shown how the Government's process and perspective is in tackling problems of such nature that can strike at the very social fabric of our life of Singapore. Therefore, the ability for such resorts to operate and maintain its reputation under strict laws will in fact count towards brownie points for such companies to set up operations elsewhere. They come in here fully aware of the kind of regulatory compliances to adhere to. To me, the potential ills of an IR can be averted through careful planning and execution. However, at the moment, I think the Government has to acknowledge there are some challenges before it. Firstly, many Singaporeans are not convinced that the multiplier effect or spillover benefits mentioned will have a direct impact on them. Singaporeans have been told in broad and general terms that the IR will have many economic benefits, for instance, jobs will be created through the IR development and the tourism industry will receive a boost. However, they get the feeling that many of the concerns about the casino arise because Singaporeans do not fully understand as yet the full scope of the development within the IR apart from the hotly debated casino. Secondly, if jobs are to be created, then my unemployed residents have asked me what kind of jobs will there be, and how many will there be for them.”
“The inclusion of a casino as part of an integrated resort will not mean we become a cowboy town where suddenly an explosion of vice, money laundering and gambling addiction will be the order of the day. As a financial centre, we have come thus far as a choice among global wealth managers as a booking centre. Top-tier banks want to service their customers from Singapore. We know that the Government is committed to the push towards establishing ourselves as a pre-eminent financial centre. It is unimaginable that a responsible government will give up this engine of the economy or let the image be tarnished. On the banking aspects, specifically, the money laundering guidelines put in place and the regulatory supervision in all aspects of money laundering are strict, though even-handed. Mr Deputy Speaker, I am sure Mr Chia will agree with me being formerly a member in the financial industry. He only knows too well that the money laundering guidelines are very strict and the banks are very serious about this. This makes banks, wanting to operate and continue to operate in Singapore, put anti-money laundering a priority along with running a profitable franchise. On drug enforcement, we have shown, and we are known, to be tough on drug trafficking and drug abuse. While we have been at the brunt of some human rights activists due to our harsh laws, we have been steadfast to our core values and recent reports by CNB have shown just how successful we are. Regional and international drug enforcement agencies sit up when we are mentioned. At a recent conference on drug enforcement that I attended with fellow hon. Member Mr Ahmad Khalis in Laos, some member countries were eager to learn and apply our laws.”
“We have strict but fair laws, we have had many firsts among the world in how we do things. Again, I mention the ERP, chewing gum ban and perhaps even secretly proud that these "firsts" by Singapore have been considered or emulated in whole or in part by other more developed nations. In this competition for the tourist dollar, no one will be remembered for being second place. I think recently we hear that the Hong Kong International Airport was voted Most Friendly Airport and Changi Airport came in No. 2. These are warning bells already. At the same time, Singaporeans will declare that our social mores have matured, and we are not a staid backwater, but a confident, vibrant and forward looking society. We are in a position to become the jewel (or as MM has called yesterday the "Gem of Asia"), an eclectic mix of business and entertainment. With an increase in Chinese tourists, up to 56% in 2004 over 2003, and others from Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and US, we can expect a spillover in hotel, F&B, airline, transportation, retail, MICE industries, 10,000 jobs directly related to the two IRs when it starts operating. Singaporeans have voiced valid concerns regarding the ills of the IRs. I urge them to reflect on the record and style of this Government. At no time in our past has the Singapore Government embarked on a decision with similarly far-reaching consequences without weighing the costs and benefits carefully. For a country like Singapore, we learnt early on that we need to be nimble and to constantly seek or create options and examine and implement them carefully, and later finetune.”
“However, having won the prize, I went back to my maternal grandfather's home, my father was there and I had, I would call it, public caning actually, the biggest shelling by my father and I thought to myself the next day that the cane marks were permanent. Aside from the chocolate package that looked like cigarettes, the game of "tikam-tikam", although seemingly harmless fun, was in fact gambling. This was what got me into trouble with my folks. To my parents, gambling was a big no-no. They frowned upon it and did not want me to think it was okay, even if the stakes were low. So, since young, I did not care much about card games. Gambling to me is a non-event. It does not give me a rush. I am probably one of the few Cantonese I know who do not know how to play mahjong. I am also very curious at this point when Mr Chia declared that he liked gambling, how he keeps good control. Perhaps, when the gambling addiction organisation or body is set up, maybe Mr Chia could share a few of his controlling techniques. Even so, I am in support of setting up an IR in Singapore. I came to this conclusion simply because the decision to sit out this opportunity and do nothing will hamper our continued development as a country. The IR would have iconic status in keeping with Singapore's vision to be one of the great cosmopolitan cities in the world. It would present to the world that Singapore is still at the pinnacle of many things, like our much vaunted public housing, CPF and ERP system. We have been at the forefront with many firsts. Our short journey from independence to first world was no fluke, it was pure determination and true grit. Internationally, that is our image. How do we see ourselves then?”
“If you talk to branding specialists, they will tell you that a brand needs to adapt and change its image to keep its current users and entice potential users. This is an opportunity for us to augment, to update if you will, the Singapore brand. If we hesitate too long on a decision to develop an IR, the rest of the region will pass us by and overtake us. We will be no more than a little red dot, boring and sleepy. Regional competition from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand are all considering IRs. I understand from a Hong Kong friend who said that Hong Kong had to bend their knees for the Disneyland project. Can we afford to opt out, hold fast to our principles against the ills of gambling, while Singaporeans and tourists travel elsewhere to exciting IRs set up in the region? Will Singaporean values be threatened and the society, as we know it, disintegrate if an IR is set up? I was brought up by strict parents by adhering to certain traditional values - work hard, respect your peers and elders, contribute to the community, and make an honest living. I remember when I was young, like Mr Lim Boon Heng had mentioned, I played the game of "tikam-tikam". I used to run around Swatow Street, Bugis Street, Hylam Street at North Bridge Road - I think we called it Tong Lam in Cantonese - and I played "tikam-tikam" at the street stall. Some of you will recall this game. It was a game of chance. I picked a number, and if you are lucky, you win a prize. Anyway, I won a package of chocolates that looked like a package of cigarettes.”
“It demonstrates that Singaporeans are now prepared to discuss this issue openly, even if they may not see things from the same perspective. I think it is a good sign, as the Minister had mentioned. It demonstrates that our society has matured. We are prepared to listen and respect alternate views. But what is definitive is that the Government and the people of Singapore are concerned about our future, our prospects and the kind of society we want to have. I think that thus far, the Government has shown that, in its decision to go ahead with the two IRs, the Government has not thrown caution to the wind for economic gains in respect of the ills that Government has already recognised and it has come up with plans to take care of them. It has taken Singapore many years of careful and well-timed decisions to get to where we are today. In my opinion, if the costs of the IR are deemed to be too high, we can still survive without it, but how well, that is another question. Mr Chia seemed to mention all these problems and ills will come about if the casino or IR fails. But he forgets that we have other engines of the economy. It is precisely because we have the other engines of the economy that we need to augment. We have been talking about the manufacturing sector which may not produce many more jobs and we are squeezing that. We are pushing ahead with our biomedical hub and education hub. So this is not the only engine. The IR is not the end-all and the be-all solution. An IR, however, presents many opportunities for Singapore. Having considered the advantages and costs, I am convinced that the IR is indeed timely. We have from time to time talked about the Singapore brand.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to join in the debate. May I, first, address some of the points that the hon. Member, Mr Steve Chia, had mentioned earlier. May I ask Mr Chia whether he supports or does not support the IRs after all that he had mentioned in his long speech? Does he support the need to create 35,000 jobs, and also the need to enhance the livelihood of Singaporeans? He asked whether there was enough rice (muai) for our fellow Singaporeans to be shared. I do not know if Mr Chia was in the House when the Minister for Trade and Industry talked about the economic benefits of the IRs and the potential contribution to our GDP - I think $1.5 billion - the revenues and the taxes. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Mr Lim Hng Kiang had elaborated on the economic benefits and I will leave Mr Chia to read that speech once again, and also PM's opening speech. He was talking about share of taxes and all that. We have already heard the Ministers mention that our long-range objective is to keep our taxes down, and this is a stream of revenue. And talking about jobs, I could not understand Mr Chia's point just now. Also, he talked about whether the money was to be used for counsellors and family service centres. If Mr Chia was in the House and was awake, when Minister Vivian Balakrishnan was talking about the social exclusions and social safeguards when the IR is in place, it was very clear that he also mentioned that the levy collected would be channelled to the Tote Board, and the Tote Board would also contribute to all these organisations that will take care of gambling addiction and the social ills. Later, Minister Khaw Boon Wan had also talked about that. Sir, I think we have a very passionate debate.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I rise to speak on steps we could take to reduce the burden on ailing HDB retailers. The plight of HDB retailers has been in the headlines for some time now, the recent one being on Insight in the Straits Times. It has been suggested in the ERC Subcommittee on Domestic Enterprises that the condition of over-supply exists in the HDB retail sector, particularly in the older estates. With this, many HDB retailers are suffering from ailing businesses and could barely make ends meet. While the Government may not want to take a direct hand in shielding retailers from market forces, it may still be too early for market forces to be applied wholesale within the HDB retail sector. Many of these retailers had taken up retail shops based on the development plans earmarked for the area. However, many of those plans did not materialise during the economic downturn these past few years. This, combined with the gradual pulling back of HDB rental rebates, serves a double whammy to HDB retailers. I, therefore, ask the Minister whether it would be possible for HDB to follow the examples set by JTC in the aftermath of the economic downturn, namely, to reduce rentals to help HDB retailers weather the storm until the point that the market has stabilised. Second, in the private sector, part of the rent collected forms the budget where major shopping malls conducted advertising and promotional events to draw crowds to their malls. I believe Dr Amy Khor had also touched on this suggestion earlier. I ask if HDB, being the landlord, and collecting rentals from the ,000 tenants of well above $100 million annually, could, and is prepared to, do likewise to help boost up business in the neighbourhood shops.”
“So they have to drink water. The Ministry of Home Affairs is always proactive. We are looking at ways to improve the process. So let us see whether we can expedite the process for them.”
“Sir, the Minister talked about some of the assurances that would be given to the ex-drug abusers from CNB. Could the Minister elaborate on some of the assurances? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: What CNB has done is to look at the urine supervision scheme and to see how it can be improved. Over the years, in fact, it has been improved in such a way as to facilitate their reintegration into the society. For example, as I have said, currently, the cycle is over one year. If the ex-drug abuser performs satisfactorily in the first month, the test is every two-day-cycle. After one month, he can report on a weekly urine cycle. And then he is monitored over the next 11 months. Beyond that, if his performance is satisfactory, the supervision order is revoked. This is already an improvement over the previous years. Previously, it was over two years. Currently, they have six reporting centres, spread out over the island. Also, ex-drug abusers can ask for a change of venue, for example, they want to be nearer their workplace or if they shift homes themselves. SCORE has been mentioned by Mr Fong. Indeed, SCORE does a big part in trying to place these drug abusers on jobs. Last year, about 700 of them were placed on these jobs. When they are placed by SCORE, a counsellor is also assigned by SCORE to help them so that if they need help with their employers, they can approach the SCORE counsellor who can then be the mediator should there be any problem or dispute as to reporting for these urine tests. This is what we can do. Indeed, we are looking at ways in which the testing can be improved, for example, whether there are better ways to test them, rather than ask them to give urine. Sometimes, the time taken at the police station is also lengthened because they may not have urine to pass.”
“Maybe this is very strange to look at, but the child is going to be very badly hurt. Bicycle Safety”
“The problem is compounded by the behaviour of other road users in situations like those who slow down to prevent others from passing by jamming their brakes, and others who tailgate - all recipe for a pile-up on the highway. The problem is magnified when the driver goes on his or her happy way, ignorant of the others on the road, or perhaps in some cases, they do not care about the other road users, including the pedestrians, the speeding motorbikes between two moving cars. So these "kings" and "queens" on the road that do not care, raise the overall stress and danger on our roads. Another pet peeve I have is how Singaporean drivers do not seem to know how to react or do the right thing when there is an emergency vehicle behind, either a police car or an ambulance. They said, "It is not urgent. He is just flashing his lights. If it is very urgent he would turn on the siren. If the car in front is moving at that speed and I am moving at the same speed, I am paving the way." Strange! Sir, I watched with horror also, sometimes in a moving vehicle, with smiling young parents - the wife in the car chit-chatting, pointing here and there, all belted up, in case they get caught and fined. But, guess what? They have a toddler standing in front at the front seat and talking to the child. I guess these people have a strange sense about safety because when the air-bag comes on, they do not only have the air-bag to save them, but the child in front would also absorb some of the impact. Similarly with maids carrying children at the back seat of the car. It is a strange but common phenomenon in Singapore. The maid is well belted up, the father is belted up as a driver, the mother is belted up, and the maid carrying the baby. Again, it is a recipe for disaster.”
“Mr Chairman and Members in this House who drive would have horror stories to share about terrible drivers that they meet on the road - perhaps those who do not signal, drivers who leave their signals on, only to turn in the opposite direction, and many more. Mr Tan had covered the speeding drivers. I would like to talk about the other drivers. I have been told by a taxi driver why many Singapore drivers do not indicate or signal when they want to change lanes. He said that because whenever they signal their intention to change lanes, the other drivers would speed up to prevent them from cutting into their lane, not filtering into their lane. Hence, rather than signalling their intention earlier, Singaporean drivers have been conditioned to just cut left or right. I was in a taxi coming back from the airport and the taxi driver said, "Mister, Mister, the Mercedes car in front is cheaper than the Mercedes on the inside lane." I was curious and I said, "Oh, yes, maybe it is the engine capacity." He said, "No, Sir. This is a special car." I said, "Why?" "This car comes with less options - rear view mirror and signal lights not included." I said, "Oh, I see. I know what you mean now. So, sometimes our drivers on the road act as if they have no rear mirror in their cars. It would not be very much to glance at the rear view mirror, see a car behind you and make way." He said, "I do not know. Maybe it is one-upmanship just to stay in the front." While I do not think that such drivers are kiasu drivers, I think it is more of the "I don't care" kind of drivers. I would have used another word that starts with "Bo", but I do not think it is parliamentary language. I think the manners of these drivers need to be improved. Maybe they need to be re-educated.”
“But perhaps MHA and SCORE can consider working together individually with these persons, consider the ones that are recently released, those who have somehow secured a job upon their release, and the urine test schedules may impact on their continued employment. Sir, I am aware that the Yellow Ribbon programme has met with some success and I believe that my suggestion will aid some of these ex-drug abusers in holding on to their jobs for an appreciable time in order that they can make a positive contribution to their families and, in turn, give themselves the confidence that they are also successful in their own fight with drug abuse. Traffic Police and Road Safety”
“Sir, as the Minister had told the House just now, the number of local drug abusers arrested in 2004 has fallen about 47% from the previous year. More importantly, the number of new drug abusers arrested has also fallen. I join Mr Ahmad Khalis in commending the Home Team, and particularly CNB, for a job well-done and encourage them as they continue to wage battle on drug abuse. Sir, the other heartening news is that there are abusers and former addicts who want to reform and are trying their best. They are aware of the pain and the hardship that they have inflicted on their families. Many MPs in this House will tell you, when they have met these people at their MPS, that they are indeed sincere and want to change. Sir, aside from the vocational skills and raising their employment chances later, work is a major contributor to the rehabilitative process and it also brings the family the much needed income that was absent when the person was in DRC. During the MPS, MPs like myself would have heard this story. I ask them, "Mister, why did you lose your job again? This is the fourth or fifth time we are referring you to the CDC." He would say, "Sir, what do I do? If I tell the employer I am a former abuser, I may not get employed. If I do not tell them, at least I have half a chance of being employed." But then, after a week, when they need to go for the urine test, what excuse do they give? Take an MC - how many MCs can they take? Emergency leave - how many emergency leave and excuses can they give? So after a while, the patience wears in and the employer tells him to go. Sir, I do understand that the recently released abusers are in the high-risk group and that their relapse is high and they need to go for their urine test.”
“Mr Chairman, in Singapore's push towards establishing ourselves as a pre-eminent financial centre, I am happy to note that we have been making good progress. I need to declare that I am employed in the private banking industry, and although my cut is on fund management, I must state that, in the course of my work, I do employ the services and products of fund managers. Mr Chairman, investing in funds requires some knowledge in different areas of risks, like volatility, concentration risks, sector-specific or industry-specific risks and sovereign risks that the funds are invested in. In building up the fund management industry in Singapore, fund managers will naturally have among its first clients not just individuals but local corporations and institutions. Many in the fund management industry have fed back that, too often, local institutions are too focused in the fees and expense ratios. It is not that these are not important. As a matter of fact, they are very important. But the tilt should be towards understanding how the performances are derived, eg, in the kind of investment modes and strategies that the fund managers employ. I understand that the Wealth Management Institute has begun its classes and is receiving much positive response in so far as its role is concerned, that is, to provide industry professionals and want-to-be private bankers value-added training and competence. Can the WMI perhaps also consider educating institutions and local corporations, specifically in evaluating and assessing funds to be managed by fund managers?”
“In conclusion, I believe that the Government has done many things to bring Singaporeans through a difficult journey in the last few years. We are beginning to see the fruits of our labour. Even thus, we cannot afford to take a back seat. I commend the Government for taking the right track in bringing Singaporeans and our businesses through these difficult times of economic change. However, I ask the Government to consider not pulling back the assistance as yet. Some are just finding their footing. We have prepared the foundation,but let us not build on it before the foundation is fully set. With this, I support theBudget.”