Balaji Sadasivan
Singapore
“The issue is, of course, not good publicity for ASEAN. In fact, it is bad publicity for ASEAN. However, the fact that the ASEAN leaders have met and agreed to deal with the issue and ensure that we try and solve the problem at source, and the fact that ASEAN has tasked the Secretary-General to look into the issue and report to the various…”
“Thus far, the authorities here have not encountered any Rohingya refugees seeking to enter Singapore waters. Given our limited land and natural resources, Singapore is not in a position to accept persons seeking political asylum or refugee status. This has been our policy for decades.”
“I would like to conclude by noting that by resolving this dispute through third party adjudication, both countries have demonstrated our respect for international law and our commitment to settle disputes in an amicable manner.”
“Yes, we shall continue with those efforts. In fact, with the Youth Olympics and the F1, it is a great opportunity for all Singaporeans to think about their behaviour and whether they can improve it – whether they can be more polite and more gracious.”
“Sir, currently, the guideline for the Vasantham Channel is that a minimum of 75% of the programming must be in Tamil and 25% can be in other non-Tamil Indian languages. The number of hours is increasing, from 29 hours per week to 65 hours per week. But the guideline will still remain the same.”
“Sir, our branding is what we are and part of our branding is the law and order that we have and the safety that we have in our city and the fact that everybody has to comply with the law. This is part of our reputation and part of our branding, and it is not a bad part of our brand value.”
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“Overall, the fatalities on our roads per capita are lower than most developed countries like the United States, and it has come down, as compared to about 10 years ago. Among the ideas that were generated were more stricter rules on cyclists and more education for cyclists and other road users.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we take the safety of cyclists seriously. Earlier this month, on 2nd and 3rd October, a major conference was held, ie, the Asian Development Bank's ASEAN Road Safety Programme. Experts and various stakeholders on road safety were at this meeting. A lot of brainstorming was done about ideas that can reduce the number of fatalities on the road. We are considering these ideas and the various authorities are looking at them.”
“If you do not shower at your destination, you will smell of stale sweat for the rest of the day. And, of course, ladies will have to redo their face because their make-up will come off. Sir, cycling is still for Germany and Holland, but for Singapore, it is not practical.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in countries like Germany and Holland, they do build such special lanes. I have been to Germany and Holland. In Amsterdam, they have special bicycle lanes and cyclists rule the road. The sight of cyclists ruling the road and motorists being given a lower priority is most appealing. For one thing, it is environmentally-friendly. Cyclists only release carbon dioxide. There is no carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide and particulate matter that combustion engines release. The puffing and wheezing of cyclists and the sound of swirling bicycle wheels is less jarring on the ears than the raw motorcycles and motorcars. Cycling is also a good form of exercise. By cycling to work, you accomplish two goals at the same time. You can get your exercise and get to work at the same time. But the reality is, in Singapore, land is scarce. Less than 1% of Singaporeans use the bicycle for regular travel. Our land is limited. If we designate special bicycle lanes for the less than 1% of travellers for the use of bicycles, it would be at the expense of either existing road lanes or pedestrian ways. If we convert one road lane in our roads for cyclists, it means that 99% of Singaporeans who use buses, cars or motorcycles may be tied up in a gridlock of traffic jams. If we convert pedestrian ways to cycle lanes, then our pedestrians would have nowhere to walk and would be in danger of being knocked down by bicycles. Even if we have special bicycle lanes, how many Singaporeans will cycle to work or the market? Our weather is different from the temperate climate which is present in Germany and Holland. Cycle for five minutes in the hot and humid afternoon and you will be soaked in sweat.”
“The LTA has obtained this feedback on the lighting, and they will improve the lighting at the temporary bus stops. This is part of the ongoing improvement of services on the ground in Punggol as a result of obtaining feedback from grassroots organisations and their advisers. BUS AND TRAIN FARES (Subsidy) 5. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Transport whether bus and train fares will be subsidised to lower the transport cost of workers if employer's CPF contribution rate is reduced by 6%.”
“We expect the interchange to be ready by next year. And when the interchange is ready, as the population of Punggol Town increases, there will be the ability to start new bus services.”
“Currently, when objects are found to obstruct the private walkway, they are removed and a court order is required for the objects to be disposed of. Under this amendment, my Ministry will have the power to draw up regulations and to stipulate how much time is given to people to claim the objects before LTA can dispose it. And I would like to assure Members that we will give a reasonable amount of time. I will inform the Ministry officials to study the problem. I presume it will be several weeks to two months.”
“You have got the clauses confused. Clause 5 is entry into State land to build ancillary structures. Most of the ancillary structures we are talking about here are underground structures. You are talking about the clause that covers walkways. The amendment in the clause that covers walkways is to repair walkways. Currently, we have the power to build walkways on private land but we do not have the power to improve or maintain them, and the amendment allows us to do that.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, again, I would like to explain to Mr Chiam that the reason why there is no compensation for acquisition is that, under this amendment, we are not acquiring the land. The compensation that is being paid is therefore not compensation for acquisition, but compensation for displacement or loss, that is, the loss of use for the period of time when LTA is carrying out the work. We have checked with the AG's Chambers on the language of the Bill and it feels that it is sufficiently clear in explaining these and the other points that have been raised by Mr Chiam.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, without going into detailed legal arguments with Mr Chiam, as he is a lawyer and I am not, I would like to clarify the three points that he raised. With regard to the first point, yes, LTA will possess the land in order to build ancillary structures, but it will not acquire the land, and it will pay compensation for the use or displacement during that period. With regard to the second point, I do not see a major problem in determining how much of electricity that is being taken from the private premises as there will be a meter which will record how much electricity is being used. And with regard to his third legal point, the principle is, if the owner has the legal duty to maintain that space and he does not keep that space free of obstruction, such that pedestrians cannot use the walkway, then the LTA will act.”
“The purpose of having this amendment is so that in the construction of roads, special cables need not be laid just for obtaining electricity for the purpose of the construction. As this electricity tap from private premises will have meters, it is quite easy to determine how much electricity has been used by LTA and to pay directly to the Electricity Board the amounts due. He was also concerned about the liability of owners of private property to obstruction in public land in the vicinity of the private property. The amendment in new section 32A will only affect the owner of the private walkway when he has a legal duty to maintain that walkway in a manner without obstruction.”
“Mr Ahmad Magad has also suggested minimum width and guidelines for gradient to be set for walkways to ensure that they are convenient, safe and accessible. Ms Braema Mathia is also concerned about the width of the walkways so that the disabled on wheelchairs can use them. I would like to assure the House that the LTA does have standards for the construction of footways. This varies from between 2.4 metres and 4 metres and its width is more than comfortable for more than two people to walk or a wheelchair to be used. However, the preferred approach is to use these standards as guidelines rather than mandatory minimum requirements, as there may be situations that call for flexibility in the exercise of such standards. For example, a footpath may need to be a couple of inches short of the minimum width requirement at a specific point, for example, when there is a heritage tree. In such an instance, we would not want to chop down the tree so that we can meet the minimum width requirement, nor would we want to avoid building the footpath because of the tree. Mr Andy Gan has asked what is considered an obstruction. He also asked whether the proposed amendment will allow us to remove trees. Allow me to clarify that obstructions in the context of the Street Works (Amendment) Bill refer to articles or things that a person deposits or allows to remain on any public street, five-footways or private footways. Trees will not fall within this definition. If any particular tree is causing an obstruction or danger to the public, the Government has powers under the Parks and Trees Act to deal with it and NParks enforces this Act. Mr Chiam was concerned about LTA tapping electricity from private premises.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Members for their speeches on this Bill and I shall clarify some of the questions that have been asked by Members. Mr Ahmad Magad asked if we were depriving property owners of their basic rights with the amendment made by clause 5. Mr Chiam See Tong was also concerned about this and so too were the other two Members. Mr Ahmad Magad has also mentioned that we should consider using the powers to enter into non-State land as a last resort. Let me assure the House that these are indeed our intentions, ie, to try and protect the basic rights of owners and to try and enter into their land as a last resort. As I mentioned earlier, this amendment will allow LTA to construct earth-retaining walls and ancillary buildings without the need to sterilise the land above the underground portions of the structures. This will therefore reduce the need for land acquisition. Furthermore, LTA will try as far as possible to carry out all such works on State lands and entry into private properties will only be carried out as a last resort. In cases where LTA needs to enter private land, LTA will also compensate the owners for the displacement loss, ie, the loss of use for the period of time when LTA is carrying out the works. The owners are required to submit the claims because the details may vary from case to case. Without this amendment, LTA would be forced to acquire the land in order to do this work. But with this amendment, LTA can avoid acquiring the land. So the aim of this amendment is actually to allow property owners to keep their land. However, in cases where the owners would prefer LTA to acquire the land, the Bill also provides for flexibility for LTA to consider this option.”
“However, these attempts have not been successful. As the AGD does not envisage any further transaction, it intends to wind up the Fund. Clause 22 seeks to dissolve the Fund. The balance in the Fund will be transferred to the Consolidated Fund upon the Fund's dissolution. Any person who wishes to make a claim to the unclaimed moneys in the Fund may still do so at any time in the manner set out in clause 24. The remaining amendments proposed in the Bill concern the refinement of existing procedures and consequential amendments to the SWA and other written laws arising from the amendments I have spelt out. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“In other words, the onus will be on the qualified persons to ensure that the street plans are in compliance with the requirements of the SWA and its regulations. LTA will carry out random checks to ensure that the submitted plans comply with the requirements stated in the SWA. LTA intends to start the scheme with landed housing developments that are not affected by road widening. It will be extended to other developments if it proves to be effective in ensuring that qualified persons check their plans for compliance with LTA's requirements before making their submissions. It will be an offence if the qualified person makes a false declaration when submitting plans under the new scheme. Winding up of Municipal Provident Fund Sir, we also propose to take the opportunity of amending the Street Works Act to wind up the Municipal Provident Fund. The Municipal Provident Fund was established in the 1920s by the then City Council under the provisions of the Municipal Ordinance. Currently, it is provided for under the Second Schedule of the Street Works Act after the Local Government Integration Act was repealed in 1995. The Fund was set up to receive contributions from its members and to make payments to them on death, resignation or retirement. Its members comprised employees in the Housing and Development Board and the Public Utilities Board as well as those in Government ministries who had prior service with the City Council. The last eligible member was paid in September 2001. The Fund also has an unclaimed balance of $6,645 due to some ex-members. Many of these payments had remained unclaimed since 1979, with some unclaimed since 1960s. The Accountant-General's Department (AGD) has made many attempts to contact these ex-members.”
“Owners who wish to make a claim for compensation as a result of this entry can do so in accordance with the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act. Apart from the above, there are occasions when LTA will need to tap electricity from private premises to operate and maintain road-related facilities, such as traffic surveillance equipment erected on non-State land, or to light up signages at bus and taxi stands located on adjoining State land. Clause 7 will empower LTA to tap electricity from the private premises. LTA will pay the electricity supplier directly based on the amount indicated on the electrical meters. In cases where no electrical meters are installed, the electricity supplier will be paid in accordance with the formula specified in section 10A. In no circumstance will the owners of the private premises from which the electricity is being tapped be billed for the electricity that is tapped for this purpose. Third, the SWA will also be amended to empower LTA to enter any land to improve walkways. LTA currently has powers to enter any land to construct walkways for use by the public, but no powers to enter the land to improve it. Clause 15 amends the SWA to enable LTA to do this. LTA will only exercise this power as a last resort in the interest of public safety. Self-regulation for submission of plans Sir, in line with Government's policy to streamline the approval process, clause 10 amends the SWA to enable LTA to set up its own lodgement scheme for the submission of plans for the construction of new streets. Instead of requiring LTA's approval for each plan, the plans will be deemed as approved upon lodgement by a qualified person with LTA. The new scheme will be based on self-regulation.”
“In some cases, only the underground portions of these structures extend into private lands. As LTA does not require the land above the underground portion, acquisition is not a good option as it will lead to unnecessary sterilisation of this land. To avoid this, clause 3(d) amends the definition of "road structure" to include earth retaining walls and ancillary buildings. With the amendment, LTA can now enter private land to construct the underground portion of these structures without the need to acquire the land. Notwithstanding this, Members can be assured that as far as possible, LTA will locate road structures on State land so as not to inconvenience private owners. Similarly, LTA currently also has powers to enter private land to construct road-related facilities such as traffic signs, street name signs and directional signs. However, for the installation of traffic control and monitoring equipment, the current practice is for LTA to negotiate with private landowners on commercial terms. This process of negotiation may take months, resulting in inefficiency and delays in implementing traffic control systems. To expedite the process, clause 3(d) expands the definition of "road-related facility" to include electronic and computerised traffic monitoring and display equipment. Examples of such equipment include EMAS cameras, Junction Eyes, dynamic traffic information display signboards and electronic signs. With this amendment, LTA can now enter private land to install, operate and maintain road-related facilities such as traffic control and monitoring equipment, without engaging in lengthy negotiations with the private owners.”
“Clauses 17 and 18 create new sections in the SWA to empower LTA to clear obstructions on these passageways. The amendment will also allow LTA to enact regulations to dispose of all seized articles if their owners do not claim them within a specified time. I would also like the House to note that enforcement action will only be carried out against movable obstructions. Where immovable obstructions, such as illegal structures and walls are found on passageways that are located on State lands, the Government has sufficient powers under the State Lands Encroachments Act and the Building Control Act to deal with these. Powers to ensure integrity of road structures Sir, clause 4 introduces a new section to empower LTA to regulate engineering works carried out within the road structure safety zone, which is defined as 20 metres from the outermost edge of any part of a road structure such as bridges and flyovers. Prior to the commencement of such works, engineering plans and other relevant information will have to be submitted by qualified persons to LTA for approval. Any failure to do so will be considered an offence. Powers to enter into non-State lands Sir, we also propose to amend the SWA to empower LTA to enter private lands to: (a) construct earth retaining walls and ancillary buildings; (b) install traffic control and monitoring equipment; (c) operate and maintain earth retaining walls, ancillary buildings and traffic control and monitoring equipment; and (d) improve walkways. Currently, LTA has powers to enter private lands to construct road structures such as bridges, underpasses and tunnels. However, for the construction of earth retaining walls and ancillary buildings, LTA has to acquire the lands.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, the Street Works Act (SWA) was first passed and came into effect in 1995. This Bill contains a range of amendments. Its primary objective is to update the legislation to support new developments and to facilitate LTA's operations. In this regard, Sir, the Bill: (a) empowers LTA to carry out enforcement actions against obstructions, so as to keep passageways clear for pedestrians; (b) empowers LTA to require plans to be submitted before engineering works are carried out within the road structure safety zone. This is to ensure integrity of the road structures; (c) empowers LTA to enter into non-State lands to carry out road works and install traffic control and monitoring equipment; (d) facilitates the introduction of a lodgement scheme to allow for self regulation; and (e) winds up the Municipal Provident Fund. Sir, let me now elaborate on these and highlight the key provisions in the Bill for the proposed amendments. Enforcement actions against obstructions Sir, there is a need to ensure that the public is not inconvenienced by obstructions placed along passageways. These passageways include public streets and backlanes vested in Government, five-footways and certain private footways that serve as key linkages for pedestrians. Currently, LTA only has the powers to seize and remove obstructions on public streets but has no powers to dispose of the articles should they remain unclaimed. If the goods remain unclaimed, LTA needs to seek further directions from the court via a court application. Hence, LTA needs to be empowered to seize and dispose of obstructions found on passageways, particularly those that are heavily used by pedestrians.”
“Clause 26 of the Bill amends other pieces of legislation, like the Income Tax Act and the Immigration Act, which are needed as a result of the formation of Singapore Customs. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Lim Hng Kiang]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE CHAIR”
“Removal of Operational/Administrative Requirements from Customs Act The Bill streamlines the Act by removing provisions that are operational and administrative in nature. These provisions will instead be part of the subsidiary legislation relating to the Customs Act, so that operational and administrative rules can be changed quickly in line with the rapidly changing environment. For example, clause 9 of the Bill amends section 34 of the Act, which specifies the types and amount of dutiable goods that travellers can bring into Singapore without permits. By not specifying such detailed quantitative limits in the Act itself, adjustments can be made more quickly when necessary. Streamlining and Clarification of Provisions The Customs Act will be amended to streamline some provisions and to clarify several other provisions. For example, clause 16 of the Bill amends section 93 of the Act to clearly describe the situations where travellers are required to declare the goods at the checkpoints. Removal of Obsolete Sections The Bill amends the Act to remove sections that are obsolete due to changes in policies and operational procedures. One example of an obsolete section is section 35 which requires hard-copy permits not used to be returned to CED within 24 hours or as soon as CED's office is open. Clause 10 of the Bill repeals this section since hard-copy permits are no longer used today. Permits are declared and approved electronically. They will be automatically invalidated upon expiry. Formation of Singapore Customs Clauses 2 and 24 of the Bill will give legislative effect to consequential changes to sections 3(1), 98 and 138 of the Customs Act needed as a result of the formation of Singapore Customs on 1st April 2003.”
“I shall now elaborate on the main amendments in the Bill. Change in Basis of Valuation for Motor Vehicles Currently, the basis of valuation used for the purpose of determining the excise duty for motor vehicles is the Brussels Definition of Value. Clause 8 of the Bill amends section 22 of the Customs Act to change the basis of valuation to the Customs Valuation Code, or CVC. The CVC is an internationally adopted basis of valuation, increasingly used by many countries. The new basis will exclude obligatory expenses such as advertising, promotion, warranties, showroom and warehousing costs. This move will result in a lower value for most motor vehicles, and hence lower the excise duties and Additional Registration Fees collected on these vehicles. Allowing Minister to Grant Remission Currently, the Minister can only grant exemption and refund of duties, taxes, fees and other charges paid or payable by a person. Clause 6 of the Bill amends section 13 to allow the Minister to be able to also grant a remission of duties, taxes, fees or other charges payable. A similar provision is also found in other pieces of tax legislation, for example, the Income Tax Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act. Empowerment of Director-General of Customs The Bill also amends the Act to empower the Director-General of Customs in several operational matters so as to give Singapore Customs more operational flexibility. This will in turn improve administrative efficiency. For example, clause 5 of the Bill inserts a new section 11, which allows the Director-General of Customs to waive the payment, or recovery of payment, of any duty, tax, fee or other charge, where the amount does not exceed $20.”
“The undertakings include all property used or managed by the Trade Facilitation Division and the Statistical Audit Unit, as well as all assets and obligations of the Board relating to these departments. The transfer of the employees will be on terms no less favourable than those enjoyed by them prior to the transfer. Clause 3 of the Bill amends other Acts to effect the transfer of relevant responsibilities from IE Singapore to Singapore Customs. These Acts are: (a) the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act; (b) the Statistics Act; and (c) the Strategic Goods (Control) Act.; Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Lim Hng Kiang]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. CUSTOMS (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. The Second Minister for Finance (Mr Lim Hng Kiang): Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Bill will amend the Customs Act: (a) to change the basis of valuation for goods levied with ad valorem excise duties; (b) to allow the Minister to be able to grant remission of duties, taxes, fees or other charges payable; (c) to empower the Director-General of Customs in certain operational matters; (d) to remove provisions that are operational and administrative in nature from the Customs Act; (e) to streamline and clarify provisions in the Customs Act; (f) to remove provisions that are obsolete due to changes in policies and operational procedures; and (g) to make consequential changes as a result of the formation of Singapore Customs.”
“I think the public has been given all the necessary advice and we will continue to update the public if there is any further advice that they need to know. With regard to whether it can be done by way of subsidiary legislation, we will ask our experts to look into it. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Dr Balaji Sadasivan]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISE SINGAPORE BOARD (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. The Second Minister for Finance (Mr Lim Hng Kiang): Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Bill will amend the International Enterprise Singapore Board Act, or IES Board Act in short, to effect the formation of Singapore Customs on 1st April 2003. I shall now elaborate on the amendments in the Bill. Singapore Customs will be a department under the Ministry of Finance. It will be a merger of: (a) the revenue enforcement and trade documentation branches of the Customs and Excise Department; and (b) the Trade Facilitation Division and Statistical Audit Unit, of the IES Board. Sir, the role of Singapore Customs will be revenue collection and enforcement, and trade facilitation, including trade enforcement measures related to free trade agreements. Clause 2 of the Bill inserts a new Part V-A into the IES Board Act to transfer some of the undertakings and employees of IES to Singapore Customs.”
“There have also been measures implemented in emergency rooms so that triage nurses would know how to deal with suspected cases. NEA officers have been doing contact tracing. They call all contacts daily and check on their status. Health advisories have been issued to airlines on what precautions they should take to prevent sick people boarding their planes so that these sick people will not enter Singapore. Health advisories would also be issued to parents, schools, pre-schools and childcare centres and, directly, parents will be told to look out for fever in their children, if they have recently travelled to areas where this disease has been known to occur. The task force looking after the disease meets daily and issues press alerts and updates the public on what happens. The information is also on the MOH website and there is a hotline that the public can call. Sir, this outbreak is quite serious. We still have 37 patients in the hospital, five of whom are critically ill. We are not out of the woods, but the outbreak appears to be under control. We can be sure only in one or two weeks' time. We are working closely with WHO and CDC to try to control this outbreak.”
“He stayed at a hotel in Hongkong on 21st and 22nd February. He had previously been treating pneumonia cases in Guangzhou. He infected seven persons at the hotel, including the three Singaporeans. The three Singaporeans returned on 25th February 2003 and they were well at that time. Between 1st and 3rd March, they fell ill and they were admitted to our hospitals as cases of pneumonia. On 6th March, WHO issued an alert that healthcare workers in Hanoi, who had treated an American who had come from Hong Kong, were falling ill. When WHO issued this alert, MOH instructed hospitals to isolate the three patients and to implement stringent isolation measures. Between 14th March and 21st March, which is today, 36 patients have been admitted with SARS. Half of them are healthcare workers, half are family friends and close contacts. Infections in all the cases have been traced to contact with the first three cases when they were not isolated. So far, we have no case of a person being infected after the first three patients were isolated, or of any infections coming from contact with the 36 patients who have now been admitted and isolated. So, having legislation to prevent people coming in or through declarations is not necessarily an effective measure to prevent the disease from coming into Singapore. The steps taken by MOH to control the infection are the following: We want to identify all suspected cases early. So MOH has informed the public on what symptoms to look out for. All hospitals and doctors have been notified on the evaluation of these cases and what measures to take. The disease has also been made a notifiable disease under the Infectious Diseases Act. All patients admitted are in strict isolation.”
“Sir, first let me explain a little bit about the role of MOH and NEA with regard to managing and preventing disease outbreaks. NEA has capabilities in dealing with the environment and how we can change things in the environment that can cause disease. MOH has the expertise in treating people who are sick and diagnosing illness in sick people. Both NEA and MOH have always worked together and they will continue to work together. What has happened in the last 30 years is that our concerns have shifted. In the past, our concern was more primary focus on outbreaks of diseases like malaria, dengue and food poisoning. In the future, our concerns will be more on infectious diseases like SARS as well as bio-terrorism. Since these new types of diseases that we are concerned about will be first handled and seen by MOH rather than ENV, the department has been shifted from ENV to MOH. However, even with the shift, MOH and ENV will have to work together. In the current outbreak, there is a task force monitoring the management of this outbreak. It is chaired by DMS, and it includes NEA officers, as well as all other relevant people involved. They meet every day and they make decisions so that there is a coordinated response. With regard to her second concern, which is on vaccination, it will require some extraordinary events in countries outside Singapore before we will consider ordering vaccination of Singaporeans to protect ourselves from such an infection. Dr Lily Neo wanted to know what measures we have taken with regard to SARS and how we can prevent the disease from coming into Singapore. Let me give a brief history of how the disease came to Singapore. Dr Neo is correct. A professor of medicine from Guangzhou fell ill while in Hongkong.”
“The Bill therefore revises the Act to allow the Minister for Health to order mandatory vaccination, even when there is no outbreak in Singapore when this is necessary to prevent the spread of the disease here. The Bill also makes it an offence for persons with infectious diseases and who are likely to spread the disease to default on their medical examination and treatment when they are required to do so by the Director of Medical Services. It also gives MOH officers powers to arrest such defaulters. Since 1972, the control and prevention of infectious diseases in Singapore has been a shared responsibility between MOH and ENV/NEA. Now, with the rationalisation of public health functions and the transfer of all medical-related public health functions from NEA/ENV to MOH, MOH will take charge of the surveillance, monitoring, outbreak investigations and control of all infectious diseases. MOH will assume lead responsibility in the event of any infectious disease outbreak. NEA/ENV will continue to be responsible for the environmental determinants of health. Mr Speaker, Sir, the proposed amendments to the Infectious Diseases Act, as outlined in the Bill, will enable my Ministry to effectively carry out the public health functions which are being transferred by NEA/ENV to MOH. The amendments will also help to enhance our responsiveness so as to enable effective prevention and timely control of all infectious disease outbreaks in Singapore. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“On the other hand, if there is an outbreak of a highly contagious infectious disease within the premises which are not licensed by any authority, the provisions in the Bill will give the authority to MOH to close down or cordon off the premises to prevent further transmission of the infectious disease. New Provisions Sir, let me now highlight some of the new provisions that are provided for in the Bill. The definition of infectious diseases in the Act will be revised since the current Infectious Diseases Act defines "infectious diseases" as diseases that are listed in the First Schedule of the Act. This means that under the existing Infectious Diseases Act, the provisions of the Act cannot be applied unless the implicated infectious disease is already listed under the First Schedule. This change is particularly important in the modern age of rapid travel, where new infectious diseases, eg, West Nile Encephalitis, Avian-Flu, etc, can potentially spread rapidly to other countries. The definition of "infectious diseases" in the Act will, therefore, be revised to encompass all infectious diseases, rather than be limited to those listed in the First Schedule. Another new provision introduced in the Bill will enhance the Minister for Health's authority to order mandatory vaccination. The existing Infectious Diseases Act empowers the Minister for Health to require any person, who is not protected or vaccinated against an infectious disease, to be vaccinated, if there is an outbreak of the disease in Singapore. If there is an outbreak overseas, the existing provision will not apply, even though vaccination may be judged necessary for public health reasons to prevent the spread of the outbreak to Singapore.”
“This Bill revises the Infectious Diseases Act so that similar provisions will be included in the Infectious Diseases Act to enable MOH to better investigate and prevent the spread of infectious diseases in Singapore. The revised Infectious Diseases Act will empower MOH officers to enter premises without a warrant for the purposes of inspection and search. They will be given the authority to take samples or confiscate any matter that is implicated in an outbreak. The person from whom the matter has been seized will be given the opportunity to lodge a complaint within a stipulated time to a magistrate's court against the seizure. The magistrate can then confirm or disallow the seizure, or even order that the owner be compensated for the loss resulting from the seizure. The amended Act will include provisions which require persons to furnish information which may be useful in the investigations and, for persons suspected of being infected with an infectious disease, to submit themselves for medical examination and undergo treatment, where necessary. Sir, if investigations indicate that a public place is implicated in an outbreak, the amended Act allows MOH to close or cordon off that public place, so as to prevent further transmission of the infectious disease. However, this power of closure does not apply when such power has already been conferred by law to another Government agency or statutory board. For instance, in the event of an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease among young children, it may be necessary to close down childcare centres as a measure to control the outbreak. The authority to close down such places would be with MCDS.”
“With the transfer of the medical related functions for the investigation, prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks to MOH, the following amendments are necessary in the Infectious Diseases Act. Firstly, the existing Infectious Diseases Act empowers the Director-General of Public Health, NEA, to carry out infectious disease outbreak investigations and control. The revised Act will transfer this authority to the Director of Medical Services. Secondly, the revised Act also provides for the transfer of authority from the Minister for the Environment to the Minister for Health to declare an area as an infected area when there is reason to believe that an infectious disease may be introduced into Singapore from the infected area. Thirdly, the authority to regulate the importation of disease-causing organism will now rest with the Director of Medical Services, while the Director-General of Public Health, NEA, will retain his current role in regulating the importation of disease-causing vectors. Fourthly, the Bill revises the Act to amend the definition of health officers to include any person who is appointed by the Director-General of Public Health, NEA, or the Director of Medical Services. This is to cater to the expanded role of MOH officers with the transfer of the medical related functions from NEA to MOH. Currently, NEA officers are empowered under the Environmental Public Health Act, Environmental Public Health Regulations, Sale of Food Act, and the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act, to carry out functions related to the prevention, investigation and control of infectious disease outbreaks.”
“Diseases like typhoid fever and hand, foot and mouth disease come under NEA. But tuberculosis and HIV AIDS are under the purview of MOH. The current system works reasonably well for the surveillance and control of known diseases, for which the division of work between MOH and ENV is well established. However, we need to develop new expertise to deal with new dangers from communicable diseases. At present, almost similar expertise is being developed and deployed in the two Ministries for the surveillance and control of diseases under their respective purview. This has resulted in some duplication of work and efficiency loss. Nationally, new expertise has to be developed to tackle emerging diseases and new health threats arising from bio-safety and bio-terrorism concerns. Instead of continuing with the current path of developing expertise in the two Ministries, it would be more efficient and cost effective to concentrate capability development within one Ministry. For this reason, the medical related functions for the investigation, prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks, which are currently carried out by the National Environment Agency, will be transferred to the Ministry of Health with effect from 1st April 2003. NEA will continue to be responsible for the environmental determinants of health, such as environmental sanitation, food hygiene and vector control. This includes quarantine and port health, cleanliness of public areas, inspection of premises, control of vectors, environmental sampling, and execution of any environment-related measures in response to outbreaks.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Infectious Diseases Act provides for the control and prevention of infectious diseases in Singapore. This includes provisions to undertake investigations and institute control measures, including vaccinations and quarantine, to prevent the spread or the introduction of any infectious disease into Singapore. Today, I propose new amendments to the Act to enable the transfer of the existing medical related functions required for the prevention and control of infectious diseases from the Ministry of the Environment to the Ministry of Health, to expand the definitions of infectious disease, and to enhance the Minister for Health's authority to order mandatory vaccinations. Mr Speaker, Sir, I shall now highlight the major amendments that are being introduced in this Bill. Historically, environmental health, quarantine and epidemiology, which include infectious disease surveillance and the investigation of outbreaks, were carried out by MOH. When the Ministry was established in 1972, it was made in charge of environmental public health, which includes the provision of safe water supply, public cleansing, solid waste and sewage disposal, drainage and control of food hygiene. As the control of many prevalent infectious diseases in the 1970s was closely related to environmental issues, the environmental health quarantine and epidemiology functions of MOH were transferred to ENV in 1972. These functions were taken over by the National Environment Agency (NEA) when it was formed on 1st July 2002. Currently, the surveillance and control of infectious diseases are shared between MOH and NEA. Their responsibilities are divided according to the type of disease.”
“Sir, I understand that in Chinese, there are two types of crows. But with regard to flying crows, NEA has reduced the crow population in 2002 through culling by more than two-thirds. The estimated population is now about 40,000, down from 120,000. We will continue with our culling efforts. An expert from NUS has suggested that the crow population should be brought down to 10,000. We will continue to consult the experts and our culling effort to bring the crow population down to a manageable number. Many public places, eg, East Coast Park, are now relatively crow-free. Crow nuisance areas have also dropped. In Ang Mo Kio, they have dropped by about 80%, from about 1,000 areas to 200 areas. East Coast Park has dropped from about 200 areas to 10 areas. Complaints have also dropped. In 2000, there was an average of about 340 complaints per month. Now, this has dropped to about 200 complaints a month. So we are winning our battle against crows.”
“Sir, birds are a part of nature and a part of our eco-system. We must learn to live with nature and see it as a thing of beauty and not a nuisance. After all, these things of nature have learned to live with us. So, we should learn to live with them. It would be a sad day when we do not have any more living creatures in our environment because we go out to eliminate them because they are a nuisance. So we should see this bird nuisance in its correct perspective. Is there a threat to public health? If there is, then I can assure the House that my Ministry will not hesitate to remove the threat. And that is just not limited to birds; the same goes for any animal, mineral or vegetable. In the case of crows, for example, my Ministry mounted a major culling programme because the crow population has grown to such overwhelming numbers which make them a threat to public health. Crows, being large birds, have a high capacity of carrying pathogens and when there are so many of them around, they pose a threat to public health. We would not say the same about mynahs or sparrows that we see around us today. They pose no threat. However, for the convenience of the public, all feedback and enquiries about nuisance caused by birds can be directed to NEA, who will act as a single agency. At the same time, the public should refrain from feeding birds as that will only attract them to return and congregate in large numbers at one location. Those who believe that feeding the birds is an act of kindness should take heart that these wild birds have the ability to find their food themselves.”
“As you can see, in looking after the environment, we have many parties involved. Usually, when we think about reaching out to environmentally active committed people, we think about young people wearing T-shirts saying "Save the World". In Singapore, we have carried the message to all sectors. Even accountants have joined the environment protection movement. Last week, I was at the function of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. They were handing out Singapore Environmental Reporting Awards to companies. SIA won the award at the function. Today, accountants are auditing more than 300 companies on their environmental performance. All these bode well for the environment and we should continue to work together to build a sustainable environment that many further generations can live, work and play in.”
“Bayer has a Young Environmental Envoy Programme. Under this programme, selected students are sent to Bayer's headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany, to learn about environmental problems. Another private sector organisation I would like to mention is the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. They have been working with students and youths on environmental issues for a long time under their Care for Nature Programme. Having mentioned public and private sector organisations and the important roles they play in building a green community, I would like now to move on to the last, but definitely not the least, P, ie, the people's sector. People's sector organisations, be they NGOs or grassroots organisations, are especially important in getting heartlanders to be environmentally friendly. I would like to mention two programmes we have. One is the Dengue Prevention Volunteer Group Programme, under which grassroots organisation members are trained on basic information on dengue fever and how it is transmitted and how it can be prevented. They check their neighbourhoods for our agencies. An NGO that has offered its volunteers to play an active role in environmental protection is the Waterways Watch Society. Its members undertake weekly boat patrols along the Singapore River and report any sighting of pollution to us. Another movement the NEA has started, in trying to get heartlanders to be more environmentally friendly, is the Litter Free Movement. The Litter Free Movement was launched last year when those attending outdoor events were asked not to leave their litter behind when they leave the place after the event is over. It started with a pilot project at the National Day Parade. And since then, this Movement has been taken to more than 20 outdoor events.”
“Sir, looking after the environment is not solely the job of any one party. As the Singapore Green Plan 2012 has aptly put it, "close partnership among the people, private and public sectors is absolutely crucial to forging a nation that is environmentally aware and responsible." Dr Teo Ho Pin asked what the Ministry can do to support green community groups. To encourage environmental partnership and ownership among the 3P sectors, the National Environment Agency (NEA) had set up a 3P partnership fund last year. The fund is available for partnership efforts between NEA and its 3P partners. NEA is committed to set aside $750,000 each year for these projects. In our effort to forge partnership with the 3P sector, we are always looking for ways to get closer to them. An example of our effort to get closer to them is the restructuring of our NEA regional offices. On 1st March this year, NEA restructured its previous six Environmental Health District Offices into five regional offices with boundaries that match the CDCs. This way, we can work closer with our public sector partners, the CDCs and the Town Councils. Another effort towards building a green community was the setting up of the environmental corner for children at the Woodlands Regional Library in November last year. While the public sector has an important role to play in building a green community, the private sector has an equally important, if not more important, role to play. We have several projects with the private sector that I want to mention. One example is the responsible care programme by the Singapore Chemical Industry Council, which spells out the Council's commitment to the public to continually improve its environmental operations. Another example is a project with Bayer.”
“Our approach is to create an energy policy that promotes the competitiveness of our economy by reducing cost and increasing output. Energy efficiency is good for every one. It is good for our environment. It is good for business, good for consumers. And it is good for Singapore.”
“Are there other ways of obtaining clean energy? We have NEWater through the application of new innovative technology. Perhaps, some time in the future, we will have new energy. We are in the tropics with lots of sunshine, so naturally we are studying how solar energy can be harnessed as a source of energy in Singapore. There are several projects which are ongoing, including projects like the car park lighting in the Sembawang Town Council, landscape lighting at Adam Road Hawker Centre, PV in Changi Naval Base, and there is also a project in Marsiling Secondary School using PV equipment. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed asked whether the recent awareness and need for greater safety have resulted in more energy for lighting up purposes. Lighting up will consume electricity. The question is whether it is excessive. There should be a balance between sufficient lighting for safety and security purposes and energy conservation. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked whether we would consider an energy conservation law. ENV does not have any plan to introduce any restrictive energy conservation law. Instead of using legislation to force change, the approach that we are adopting is to create awareness, build up local capacity and capability in energy efficient practices and focus on programmes and measures that are effective and, yet, financially viable. As shown by experience with the power generation sector, the introduction of competition and market forces leads to energy efficiency. Our approach is to align market efficiency and energy efficiency. This way, the market drives energy efficiency and reduces cost to business and consumers. Restrictive legislation can easily become a burden on our economy.”
“CO2 is one of the green house gases associated with global warming and using natural gas is therefore more environmentally friendly. Singapore will soon be getting its second natural gas supply and, together with the gas from Natunas, we expect to have a total of 475 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. And this volume is expected to increase to 675 million cubic feet per day by 2009. We can mitigate the effects of carbon emission by fixing carbon in bio-mass. Big countries have large land masses and they can do this through reforestation programmes. In Singapore, we do not have large land masses and whatever land is green. Our urban environment is planned to provide greenery and green spaces which promote carbon fixation. What can we do to be more eco-efficient and reduce the level of pollutants emitted in the atmosphere? Currently, levels of air pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate materials in our ambient air are within US EPA standards and WHO standards. In the next five to 10 years, it is estimated that fossil fuel consumption for energy would increase by about 5% per year and so the emission of these pollutants will also increase. So we need to switch to a cleaner fuel. Natural gas is a clean fuel. The switch to natural gas by our power generation sector has led to a substantial reduction in the emission of pollutants. In the transport sector, a shift from diesel vehicles to compressed natural gas vehicles will reduce the emission of pollutants. Later this week, I will be flagging off eight Toyota CNG taxis as part of our programme to promote green vehicles. NEA is working with gas suppliers and fleet operators to build a network of refilling stations across the island to promote the switch from diesel to CNG.”
“NEA will work with the town councils and building owners to pro- mote energy audits. NEEC also identifies promising technologies that promote energy efficiency and will disseminate this information to the industry. Mdm Cynthia Phua and Mr Othman Haron Eusofe also asked about energy labels for household appliances. Consumers and households account for 11% of total energy used in Singapore. Airconditioning and refrigerator account for 45% to 60% of a household's energy use. This is the reason why we have targeted these two appliances for labelling. A voluntary labelling scheme was launched last year for refrigerators and airconditioners. Ten major brands representing 33 refrigerator and 20 airconditioner models have been labelled over the last year. Our aim is to guide consumer purchasing behaviour towards sustainability in energy use. Education and awareness on energy efficient airconditioner and refrigerator models, as well as energy saving tips are included in the information kit for new HDB flat owners. We have developed the simple tick system to identify the energy efficiency of appliances. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked how it works. It is quite simple. One tick is good; two ticks are better; three ticks are the best. To find out how much you save, you look at the machine with one tick, you know how much you have to spend every month; you look at the equivalent appliance with three ticks and you know how much you spend per month, the difference is your saving. Eventually, distributors will respond to consumer's choice and bring in mainly three-tick appliances. On the second goal, how can we be more carbon efficient? By switching to natural gas. With natural gas, for each unit of energy produced, less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.”
“We are also working with our partners, EDB, NUS and industry, to set up a framework to train energy managers for the industry. The transport sector accounts for 20% of total energy consumption. Public transport is more efficient than passenger cars. It requires about 0.9 mega joules to move a passenger a kilometre by MRT, and about 0.9 mega joules by a bus. A passenger car requires seven to 10 times more energy than MRT, about 1.5 to 2 mega joules to move a passenger 1 kilometre. There are already many regulatory requirements that restrict car ownership, and we are not suggesting any new ones. But for those who do buy cars, the NEEC will be launching a scheme to help them make informed choices. A voluntary fuel economy labelling scheme will be implemented later this year. The main objective is to raise consumer awareness of the fuel economy of cars. By looking at the fuel economy labels, consumers would be able to make better informed decisions on energy efficiency when they wish to purchase a new car. The National Environment Agency is also working with LTA and other agencies to review green vehicle rebates to promote the use of more energy-efficient cars, such as hybrid cars. Through these measures, car dealers would be encouraged to bring in more energy-efficient vehicles. The building sector accounts for 17% of total energy use in Singapore. Minimum energy performance standards for buildings already exist in the form of design codes and regulations. While design codes and regulations are useful to establish minimum energy performance standards, the subsequent operation and maintenance of centralised airconditioning plants in buildings are equally important. One way of monitoring energy efficiency is to audit energy use.”
“Sir, at the beginning of this year, the new electricity market came into effect and electricity generators are required to sell electricity through a competitive bidding process. In anticipation of this competition, the power companies have over the past several years sought greater generation efficiency to maintain their commercial viability. Most have opted to switch to natural gas and combined cycle generation technologies. For example, the latest combined cycle plants at the Seraya power plant have achieved efficiency as high as 56%, compared to about 39% for steam turbine plants. This translates to an efficiency of more than 40%. In the future, it may be possible to use cogen generators that use the thermal energy lost during electricity generation to run central cooling systems. Co-generation plants can achieve efficiency of 70% and higher. But they are constrained in terms of size and location. A co-generation facility has already been built in Jurong Island to provide both electricity and steam to consumers. Mdm Cynthia Phua and Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed asked about the pattern of energy utilisation and energy audits in manufacturing and in the home. Manufacturing is the second most important sector accounting for 47% of total energy use. 28% is derived directly from fossil fuels and 19% from electricity produced by power plants. To improve efficiency in this sector, we need better energy management. An energy audit scheme was launched last year. So far, three refineries and a petrochemical plant have participated in the scheme and they have reported improvement in energy efficiency and reduction in energy use. We are currently working with industry associations to extend energy audit schemes to more industries.”
“What are our strategies to enhance energy efficiency? We wish to enhance the efficiency of energy use throughout the energy cycle and in all sectors of energy use without affecting the life that we enjoy. For example, on a hot and humid day, after work, a Singaporean goes to a pub and enjoys a chilled glass of beer in the airconditioned comfort of the premises. The enjoyment of this quality of life is dependent on the consumption of energy. Our goal is not to stop the Singaporean from enjoying his beer in order to save energy. We want him to enjoy his beer but with the minimum amount of fossil fuel burned to provide him the pleasure of drinking his chilled beer. To do this, several efficiencies are needed. The brewery must use efficient machinery to brew the beer. The vehicle that brings the beer to the pub must be fuel efficient. The refrigerator in the pub must be energy efficient. The building in which the pub is located must be designed so that it can have an efficient airconditioning system. The airconditioning equipment must be efficient in the quantity of electricity it needs to provide each unit of cooling that it produces. The power plant that generates electricity that runs the airconditioner must also be efficient in the conversion of energy in fossil fuels to electrical energy. If all these are in place, the Singaporean will be drinking his beer in an energy-efficient manner. We must therefore aim for energy efficiency throughout the energy cycle and in all sectors of energy use. 50% of fossil fuels in Singapore are used for the generation of electricity, and this makes it the most important factor in the energy cycle. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed asked if privatisation of energy supply would help to make the industry more efficient.”
“Sir, on behalf of the Minister, I thank the Members for their questions and concerns about energy use. Dr Teo Ho Pin has asked what are the key policies and strategies to encourage energy conservation in Singapore. We have good reasons to have a need for such policies. We are a society that runs on energy. It fuels our industries, drives our economy and allows us our quality of life. And all energy in Singapore is derived from fossil fuels - oil or natural gas. We are totally dependent on imported supplies. We have no energy source of our own and no control over the price of oil or natural gas. And Members have pointed out that this is dependent on world events, like the coming war. 12.15 pm A comprehensive strategy to deal with energy use is therefore needed. The National Energy Efficiency Committee (NEEC) is a national multi-agency committee, with ENV as the lead agency, to formulate policies on our use of energy. NEEC has set out three objectives for Singapore. One, to be energy efficient, that is, to get the maximum output and ability to enjoy our quality of life from each unit of energy use. This will reduce the cost of our quality of life and improve our economic competitiveness. Two, to be carbon efficient, that is, to get the maximum output and quality of life from each molecule of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. This will result in less green house gases and we will be playing our part in reducing the effects of green house gases on global warming. Three, to be eco-efficient, at least to have the minimum effect on our eco-system from the emission of particulates and pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrate oxide, which can occur when fossil fuels are burned. I shall begin with energy efficiency.”
“This year, the programme will focus on depression and aims to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms and treatment of depression.”
“Sir, when times are bad, and you have lost your job, or in danger of losing your job, feeling anxious and depressed is normal. This is called reactive depression. But it is testimony to human resilience that we all recover from this after a while, as we look for ways to solving the problem. But where depression or anxiety occurs for no good reason, that is a mental illness and requires treatment and, if possible, prevention. The Ministry of Health recognises the importance of promoting mental health among Singaporeans to prevent all mental illnesses, including endogenous depression. To place greater emphasis on mental health, a mental health education programme "Mind Your Mind" was implemented in 2001 by the Health Promotion Board and the Institute of Mental Health. The programme aims to promote mental wellness and raise awareness of the importance of early detection and treatment of common mental conditions, such as stress, depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia. The programme is targeted at all Singaporeans - children and adolescents, adults and the elderly. A variety of strategies is used to reach the target groups. Mass media, talks, public forums and exhibitions are carried out to create public awareness. To impart skills to healthcare professionals for the early detection of these diseases, workshops and training courses are carried out. The programme focuses on stress management in 2001. We have reached out to students, adults and the elderly educating them on how to manage stress. Last year, the programme focused on the destigmatisation of mental illness. We have tried to change the public perception and attitudes towards mental illness and people suffering from mental disorders.”
“I am glad that we all agree that altruism should be the reason why people donate blood.”
“The number of blood donations collected by HSA in 2002 was 74,750, compared to 66,028 in 2001, which is a 13% increase. This shows that Singaporeans respond to a call for altruistic donation. The number of new donors has increased 12%, from 13,537 in 2001 to 15,121 in 2002. HSA will continue to work with the Singapore Red Cross Society to ensure the adequacy and safety of the national blood programme. Dr Neo has also asked whether the Government could subsidise fertility procedures and drugs. The resources which we can devote to healthcare are finite and should be targeted at the majority of patients with medical conditions. Couples can already use their Medisave for assisted conception procedures and that is the current assistance that they get from the Government. But I agree with Dr Neo that the real problem is that people are postponing their marriages and having children. There is a biological clock in all women and it is ticking all the time. You are most fertile in your 20s, and that is when you should get married and try and have children. So we encourage couples to marry early and have their children early.”