Bernard Chen
Singapore
“The increase in health expenditure is as inevitable as the sun rises. The major part of this expenditure is on manpower. Doctors and nurses and other operational staff have to be paid at market level wages. They have to compete with other demands for the scarce labour resources.”
“Question No. 12, Sir. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, investigations into the case are still in progress. When investigations are completed, a Coroner's Inquiry will be held during which the full facts of the case will be presented.”
“Question No. 16, Sir. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Police is investigating the incident which occurred outside the Kallang Theatre, not at the Singapore Recreation Club, as stated in the Question. Investigations are in progress.”
“If you can license dogs, what is the difference for licensing cats? Dr John Chen Seow Phun: If something is not necessary, why do you want to create that machinery and system, just to do something which some people want. SINGLE SESSION SECONDARY SCHOOLS (Adjustment to reporting time) 5.”
“Although cat is not my problem, I am asking on behalf of somebody else. If the Minister of State is in agreement that we should control cats, why do you not license them so that at least we do not shoot the wrong cats, to begin with, and whoever is the owner will have a responsibility in making sure that the cat does not stray around, but…”
“I agree with the Minister on the need to retain flexibility. I think we should leave it to the patient. But can the Minister confirm that the rates that the patients are paying to the specialists are, in fact, market rates so that there is no subsidy by the Government on all these consultations and there is no impact on the cost efficienc…”
The complete record
Every one of 363 lines we hold for Bernard Chen, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 8.
“I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, there has been quite a lot of publicity lately on doctors in the public sector. The Government has initiated various measures to stem the exodus of experienced doctors from the public service. Doctors' salaries have been raised. The Ministry has also reintroduced a faculty practice plan which allows selective senior consultants to do part-time work in the private sector, and allows a reverse flow of similar doctors from the private sector to the public sector. Some private doctors have indicated that these measures are not enough to stop the exodus. They claim that many doctors left not because of pay. Although I have yet to know any one, including doctors, who openly admit that they leave their jobs because of money, it is always something else. This includes working conditions like having long hours, unappreciative bosses and family sacrifices. To a certain extent, these grouses may be true, as there will be in almost every profession. Within the constraints of the system, however, remedial measures can be taken to resolve them. This could, however, be the chicken and egg situation. For example, to reduce the long working hours, we can recruit more doctors. But this is one snag against the outflow of doctors to the private sector. It boils down then to managing a balance of resources and constraints. I think there can still be room for improvement. I would like to know the measures the Ministry has taken, apart from salary adjustments, to make it more conducive for doctors to stay in the public sector, given all the operational constraints.”
“The increase in health expenditure is as inevitable as the sun rises. The major part of this expenditure is on manpower. Doctors and nurses and other operational staff have to be paid at market level wages. They have to compete with other demands for the scarce labour resources. With our extremely tight labour market in Singapore, we are not talking about single digit increases. The days of regular small increases are over. We have to consider not only salary increases but bonuses as well. We can try reducing labour usage through higher productivity and mechanisation. In healthcare, there is a limit to mechanisation, as healthcare is a very personalised affair. Increases in manpower expenditure will continue to drive health costs higher over the years. Increases in fees and charges will not be able to cope with these increasing costs which would lead to more subsidies. I would be grateful if the Minister can give us an idea how the increases in manpower expenditure have impacted the budget, especially in terms of the increases in subsidies, to meet the rising costs.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head P of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, the budget of the Ministry of Health for financial year 2001 shows an increase of 30% over the previous year. The amount of $1,600 million is probably the highest that the Ministry has received so far, indicating the priority that the Government has placed on healthcare for Singaporeans. Whatever the various indicators may say, whether as percentage of GDP or per capita medical expenditure, the fact remains that the Government is devoting considerable funds and resources to meet the health needs of the people. The issue however is not one of how much we spend on healthcare, but do we spend the funds allocated, whether we are getting the desired impact or we are just wasting the resources. I note that of the amount allocated to the Ministry, $1,200 million is in the form of operating subventions to the restructured institutions of the National Health Group and the Singapore Health Services. Between them, they are responsible for all the public sector hospitals, national centres and polyclinics. They are autonomous bodies responsible for their own bottom lines. What may not be evident to the public is that they are very substantially subsidised by the Government, especially patients from a lower income category. It would be useful if the Minister can elaborate on the main components of these subventions to the two restructured institutions and, if possible, highlight the extent of the subsidies to the lower income groups.”
“Question No. 16, Sir. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Police is investigating the incident which occurred outside the Kallang Theatre, not at the Singapore Recreation Club, as stated in the Question. Investigations are in progress. MEXICO-SINGAPORE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (Progress of negotiation) The following Question stood in the name of Mr Tay Beng Chuan - 17. To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry if he will provide an update on his recent visit to Mexico and the progress of the Mexico-Singapore Free Trade Agreement negotiation.”
“Question No. 12, Sir. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, investigations into the case are still in progress. When investigations are completed, a Coroner's Inquiry will be held during which the full facts of the case will be presented. At the conclusion of the Inquiry, the Coroner will deliver his verdict as to the cause of death. Until then, it is premature to discuss whether the police officers involved should be charged for murder. DROWNING CASES (Number) 13. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Minister for Community Development and Sports (a) how many cases of drowning were reported in Singapore from 1998 up to the first five months of 2000; (b) what measures are taken to educate the public on water safety; and (c) if his Ministry will consider providing resources to help the Singapore Life-Saving Society conduct more water safety courses and public education programmes.”
“If you can license dogs, what is the difference for licensing cats? Dr John Chen Seow Phun: If something is not necessary, why do you want to create that machinery and system, just to do something which some people want. SINGLE SESSION SECONDARY SCHOOLS (Adjustment to reporting time) 5. Mr Gerard Ee asked the Minister for Education whether any secondary school has adjusted the daily reporting time with the introduction of single session so that students do not have to wake up so early to get to school on time.”
“Although cat is not my problem, I am asking on behalf of somebody else. If the Minister of State is in agreement that we should control cats, why do you not license them so that at least we do not shoot the wrong cats, to begin with, and whoever is the owner will have a responsibility in making sure that the cat does not stray around, but is confined to the flat?”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I would like to address this preventive healthcare issue more at the elderly or those of us who are going to be getting old ourselves. I once asked my old friend, who was in his 60s, how he was doing. He said, "Every part of my body is falling apart." As we get older, this will happen to us too and we will get sick more often. One way to prevent this from happening is to keep monitoring ourselves to enable us to take preventive measures in good time. If we find that we have high blood pressure, we should start taking medication before we get strokes. Health screening, although not 100% effective, at least helps us to spot these symptoms early. Most of us are, however, reluctant to go for health screening. Some of us are dead scared about it because every time we go, we find something wrong. And the older we get, the more wrong things we get. So, it may be better not to go at all. This is a wrong approach, especially for the elderly. It is vital that we should detect the signs earlier for us to take steps to reduce the risk of serious illnesses and costly treatment. We need to convince them that health screening is not only good for them, but also necessary. We know that we are providing, at the moment, some health screening at the community centres and other institutions. We should widen the net and catch as many of them as possible. Above all, we need to provide this screening at reasonable cost that they can afford. It is not necessary to test everything, but the basic fundamental tests must be carried out and if we can confine these tests to the essential ones, we will be able to keep cost to a minimum. I do not know whether the Ministry has a programme in this respect.”
“Sir, the White Paper on healthcare has spelt out the requirements for doctors and nurses for both the public and private sectors. Over the years, there have been so many changes in Singapore and in the region which have also impacted on projections for medical personnel required to sustain and improve the quality of medical care. For example, we thought that the regional crisis will lead to a decline of patients from the region which, in fact, it did for a while. The rapid recovery of Singapore's economy and to a certain extent, those in the region, has renewed the demand for more medical services, leading to more doctors and nurses needed to service them. The problem, of course, is that we cannot simply turn the tap on and expect more doctors and nurses to come out. Training of doctors and nurses take time, in particular when it comes to specialists. There is also a close nexus between the public and private sectors in both good and bad times. The national centres that were established would also tend to take the bulk of the specialists, leaving the private sector with less. How do we strike a proper balance between the two, as each can contribute its part to make Singapore an eminent medical hub? Can the Minister elaborate on what are the steps being taken to adapt to these changes?”
“I agree with the Minister on the need to retain flexibility. I think we should leave it to the patient. But can the Minister confirm that the rates that the patients are paying to the specialists are, in fact, market rates so that there is no subsidy by the Government on all these consultations and there is no impact on the cost efficiency?”
“I hope that this is only a perception, but there could be possibilities that eventually, the medical cost will rise because of these increased charges. Thirdly, in the event that more national centres are to be set up, acute hospitals may be deprived of the entire range of specialties to render total treatment. This will add to the so-called to-ing and fro-ing of patients between the hospitals and the centres. I would like to have the Minister's comments on these several areas of concern.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head P of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. The announcement of the Ministry's plan to form two healthcare delivery networks is a step in the right direction. The networks will achieve better coordination between the acute hospitals, national centres and the polyclinics. With the setting up of so many medical establishments, it makes sense to try to coordinate the activities for these centres providing different types of medical care. I am, however, concerned with the six national centres which have been established over the years. These include the Eye Centre, Oncology and Heart Centres, and so on. While it is good that specialties be concentrated in these centres, there are several perceived disadvantages. The first is the coordination with the acute hospitals. Patients, especially older ones, do not suffer from just one ailment. They may be afflicted with multiple illnesses. How do we ensure that all the expertise is brought to bear to effect total treatment without having to refer to specialists residing in different places or, worse still, refer the patients from hospitals to these national centres and vice versa? Second, the national centres, being new buildings, give the impression that they are very expensive affairs. I understand patients referred to these centres by private practitioners have to pay "A" class charges. Some of them may not be able to afford these charges because they may have been referred to by GPs in housing estates. Even with the public hospital network, there may be occasions when patients are levied higher charges had they been treated in the hospitals themselves.”
“Can I ask the Senior Minister of State whether, when he is crowing about shooting crows, he can also go after the pigeons because I understand the pigeon droppings are more dangerous than the crow?”
“Question No. 1, Sir. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the proposed scheme to improve private residential estates aims to improve the physical environment of these estates. Items being considered for improvement include landscaping, play equipment, park furniture and the widening of footpaths. This will be over and above the on-going maintenance works provided by the various Government agencies. The Government had earlier deferred the implementation of the scheme due to the economic downturn. Since the economy has recovered, we will proceed to reactivate the scheme. The Ministry of National Development is currently in the process of working out the implementation details of the scheme. The Committee is looking into the possibility of starting one or two pilot projects in the second half of this year. This will enable the Committee to learn the best way to improve the physical environment of the private residential estates. Selection criteria will include the physical condition of the estate, and the level of community bonding and support among the residents in the estate.”
“Sir, can the Minister consider publicising the punitive measures which can be taken against employers? Sometimes the maid has no choice when she is instructed by the employer to clean windows. But if the employers know that if they do that and the penalty is very severe, then they will not ask the maid to do it.”
“Sir, I feel that this aspect, which is for our Backbenchers to speak our mind, boldly ask questions and let conscience be our guide, has become an integral part of this unique and honourable parliamentary democracy created and institutionalised by all the past and present MPs in this House. With the impending move to the new and modern Chamber next door, I am sure that the excellent traditions will continue and prevail.”
“While the Frontbench Prime Minister, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries are the initiators of the Government's programmes and improvements, therefore they rightly deserve the recognition, I feel that it is also very meaningful for this motion to record our appreciation for the contributions of all past Backbenchers, both from the PAP and Opposition. The Backbenchers are the unsung heroes who have equally contributed to the exemplary and honourable image of this House. Sir, from my past 15 years of membership of this august Chamber, I can recall many notable and memorable speeches made by Backbenchers and Ministers. In fact, my first year as Member of this House in March 1985 (some 14 years ago), the Presidential Debate was led by our colleague, Dr Tan Cheng Bock. He made a remark that is still etched very deeply in my mind. Dr Tan advised us, novice Backbenchers then, "to speak our minds and let conscience be our guide", and never mind if you incur "parliamentary wounds". True to his words, Dr Tan has, to this day, spoken his mind. He has raised many significant issues for debate in this House. He has suffered many parliamentary wounds. Like Dr Tan, many Backbenchers have also spoken honestly and boldly in this Chamber. Mr Speaker, Sir, you yourself have been noted as a vocal Backbencher while you were sitting here on this side of the floor with us. For PAP Backbenchers, in fact, it has not been an easy task speaking in this House as we have to do a fine balancing act in crafting our speech, so as not to score "own goals".”
“Sir, I thought it would also be quite meaningful for me, as a backbencher, to take this occasion to speak briefly on two issues. The first is the excellent parliamentary democracy evolved and established in the past 44 years, and the second is to speak in honour of the many backbenchers, past and present, who have done their fair share towards the creation of our unique Singapore parliamentary process. As PAP MPs, in the typical tradition of Westminster Parliamentary system, it should be our primary task to help PAP Ministers to take on the Opposition MPs. But because of the lack in number of Opposition MPs in this House in the past 25 years, PAP backbenchers had the unusual task on many occasions to join the Opposition side, and play a major role to scrutinise, and sometimes even critically comment on Government policies and Bills presented by Government Ministers. In fact, due to the lack of seating places, the PAP MPs of Singapore have this very un-Westminster format of sitting opposite and face-off our own Government Ministers. Moreover, to allow for more focus on debates of the Ministerial portfolios, as the Prime Minister has said, the Government created the Government Parliamentary Committees (GPC) so that PAP MPs can form into small groups to shadow various different Ministries. In addition, we also created non-elected MPs such as NCMPs and NMPs to provide more avenues for debates. Sir, our parliamentary structure has indeed become a unique Singapore-style parliamentary democracy. These changes have contributed to the confidence of the electorate to the openness and integrity of proceedings, as stated in the Prime Minister's motion. It is a proud Singapore tradition that should be carried through to the new Chamber.”
“Dr Tan Cheng Bock is a shining example. Mr Peh Chin Hua and Mr Heng Chiang Meng made their marks and took the Ministers' "dressing down" in their stride. On the lighter side, who can forget Members who were trying not to fall asleep in the House, and for those who did, were caught by the very efficient microphones in the sound system. I hope the sound system in the new Parliament would not be as good. The introduction of television, thankfully, put paid to this practice. Although a few Members, I am told, still could not resist the urge and were caught on the camera. Seriously, though, the debates in the House demonstrate without a doubt that democracy is practised and is seen to be practised. PAP MPs have not been afraid to speak out. More than that, they have contributed fully to the deliberations, regardless of the presence of Opposition MPs, NMPs or NCMPs. As the Prime Minister has said, I am very confident that all of us would take with us fond memories of this House and we will reinforce our commitment to carry on this fine tradition to the new Chamber. Mr Leong Horn Kee (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on this motion moved by the Prime Minister which I fully support. In its exalted 44 years of existence, this Chamber has witnessed numerous tumultuous periods in Singapore's history. It is recognised that great and significant personalities, such as past and present Speakers, Prime Ministers such as Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong, Ministers and MPs have honoured this House with their memorable and historic speeches. Every single word uttered in this House was faithfully recorded in the Hansard. This occasion of the "Moving to New Chamber" is indeed an appropriate occasion to honour all of them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to support the motion moved by the Prime Minister. Thank you also for giving me this opportunity to speak because I am only five months after the PM in joining this Parliament 22 years ago, and I guess this says a lot about that. In the years since our independence in 1965, this House has witnessed debates of all major policies introduced by the Government and legislation that gave effect to these policies. They include national service, health, education and housing. From time to time, we had to grapple with economic problems. On each occasion, there was full debate not only on the general principles but also on details, much of which were dealt with by the Select Committees set up for this purpose. One outstanding feature of all these debates is that PAP backbenchers took the initiatives to query Government Ministers on all major aspects of these policies. The lack of opposition in Parliament, which is no fault of the PAP, did not make the debates less lively or substantial. Who can forget Mr Ho See Beng and the late Mr Fong Sip Chee who engaged virtually every Minister and made them work extra hard to answer their questions. Members may know that Mr Ng Kah Ting was the champion for filing questions across all Ministries during Budget time. Dr Augustine Tan regaled the House with his discourse on economics. There was also Mr Lawrence Sia who took on Dr Goh Keng Swee on matters of education. Lucky for him, he was always mistaken for Mr Sia Kah Hui. That is why he stayed on long after Mr Sia Kah Hui retired. Even our Speaker, Sir, yourself, when you were a backbencher, was also noted for your contributions until you were asked not to speak when you took on this appointment. In the 1990s, we are not short of outspoken MPs either.”
“My own wish is that with time, the President will come to terms with the loss of his loved one in the comfort that the First Lady in her time, had made contributions to Singapore that he would be very proud of and we will all remember. May the good Lord continue to look after the President and his family and help them to overcome the grief during these difficult times.”
“Sir, I would like to support the motion by the Prime Minister and on behalf of my fellow GPC Chairmen and the Members extend our deepest condolences to the President and his family on the untimely demise of the First Lady. There is much truth in the statement that behind every successful man is a supportive woman. The President's long and illustrious career spans the private and public sectors, in political office, culminating in the present high office of President. Throughout the past 36 years, the First Lady had been most supportive of her husband. She continued to lead the architectural business of the family when her husband became a Minister in the Government. As a loving mother, she brought up the family of two sons, not to mention looking after her husband when he himself fell sick. As First Lady, she had done much, more than a fair share of charity work, and lent her personal support to a host of social services. It would have been difficult enough to juggle these three jobs when one is healthy. It would be too much to expect the First Lady to continue doing them when she herself was stricken with cancer two and a half years ago. To the amazement of all Singaporeans, the First Lady took her illness in her stride. She worked tirelessly until almost to the end. Her positive attitude to life, living it to the full, and making a full contribution to her family and Singapore, despite daunting odds, deserves our full admiration and our thanks. We will all miss her as she had touched our lives in one way or another. We will all have warm memories of the good that she has done for Singapore directly and through her husband.”
“We should not bemoan what we do not have, but treasure what we have already got. The quality of life ultimately depends not only on material well being but, more important, emotional and spiritual fulfilment. Ultimately, citizenship is not just a passport to vote and avail ourselves to the benefits. More important, it signifies where we belong. Once we establish this belonging, the commitment to work and fight for one's country will come naturally. The development of this sense of belonging and commitment can take a lifetime, as one goes through the experience of trial and error. For younger citizens who have yet to go through this experience, my advice is to open your hearts and minds, and ask the fundamental questions which have been posed in Singapore 21. Consult those who have gone through life, especially your parents and your older friends and relatives. You may be able to shorten your learning curve. Remember that the grass may look greener on the other side of the fence, but usually it turns out not to be so. Many of our younger Singaporeans lament that they do not have the time and space to do their own things, and think that they can do better in other countries, including owning big houses and driving big cars that do not cost an arm and a leg. These things may be important for a while but, ultimately, one must go back to the fundamentals of home and country. As my father did 40 years ago, he chose Singapore for him and his family. He had no regrets. Those of us in the family who followed him have no regrets either. Ultimately, the Singapore heartbeat is for all Singaporeans to maintain and strengthen. To my fellow Singaporeans, young and old, only you can make the final choice.”
“Singapore 21 states emphatically that every Singaporean matters. I would add that every Singaporean matters, no matter what success he can achieve as long as he has given of his best. Third, we must play our part as citizens of Singapore actively. It is not enough to confine our attention to our immediate family. Our friends and neighbours deserve our attention, especially in times of trouble. We may need them when our turn comes. It is only by overcoming troubles together that we can appreciate what we mean to one another. In doing so, the bonds between all of us will strengthen with time and we will be ready to face new challenges together. In a city state where we live in close proximity with one another, the need to look after our neighbours becomes even greater. The Residents' Committees, the Town Councils and the Community Development Councils are all vehicles to enable us to reach out to our fellow citizens, building up a lasting friendship and be ready to come to one another's aid in time of need. My father was too busy making a living for the family to contribute some of his time to society. I guess he would have been pleased to know that two of his sons became Members of Parliament after his death, and make up in a small way what he did not do. Commitment and belonging cannot be lectured into our hearts and minds. Rather we must develop them from within. Singapore 21, therefore, must not be just a campaign like the many campaigns that we have come across. It is a soul-searching process involving the examination of the fundamentals we hold as Singaporeans. We must open ourselves to the emotive and spiritual dimensions in arriving at our own decisions. We must be able to transcend the materialistic objectives and look at where our hearts take us.”
“As I reflect on my father's words and his deeds and reading Singapore 21, I could see some parallels. First, the family is the foundation and an essential unit in nation-building. It is a reflection of the society at large. Without cohesive and harmonious families, no nation will last long. On the other hand, strong families will go towards strengthening the nation especially in times of need. The successful formula to a happy family is love and respect among the members. There has to be a large dose of give and take, and every willingness to work together for the common good. It is no different for society or country, except that it is even more necessary to recognise the characters of a multi-racial and multi-religious society. We have to be more tolerant to each other's ethnic background, and respect each other's beliefs. I was often asked by overseas visitors how all the races in Singapore could stay so happily together. I have to tell them that we have to work hard at it. Racial and religious harmony does not come automatically. In fact, sometimes they do not even come naturally. We have to go out of our way to make it work and make sure that it continues to do so for a long, long time to come. Second, there must be equal opportunities for everyone in Singapore, regardless of race, language or religion. Only in this way can we inculcate the commitment and sense of belonging to the country we all call our home. Every Singaporean will then be allowed to strive to reach his or her maximum potential. Not all of us could achieve the same success in life, as we are all made differently. But all of us should in time achieve the same level of commitment to our society, to our country, whatever position we may be holding in life.”
“Above all, he was grateful that his family benefited from an increasingly prosperous Singapore, which offered both security and better well-being. All his children and grandchildren in Singapore are in one way or another beneficiaries. For myself, I have benefited greatly from Singapore as I have all my secondary and tertiary education paid for by way of bursaries and scholarships. Like the Prime Minister too, I was offered a PhD Fellowship from the university in Canada where I studied, but the PSC also called me back to serve. I must say that I am glad that I came back. My father died a happy and contented man. Singapore's landscape has changed beyond recognition in the 23 years since his death. Our economy has prospered and with it much higher standard of living. However, some fundamentals remain unchanged over these years. We are still a small country, despite the reclamation of more land. We remain a multi-racial and multi-religious society. As the population grows, we find that we are getting more crowded and getting into one another's way more often. As we look beyond our shores to expand our economy and seek regional and global markets, we have become more exposed to foreign influences, not only in terms of economics but, more importantly, the different cultures and values that such exposures brought along. In fact, nation-building, as the Prime Minister has said, which was already difficult in the 60s and 70s, has become more complex and challenging as we move into the next millennium. We have to reckon with the domestic forces at work, resolve the conflicts and overcome the constraints, at the same time, taking into account the external influences that affect our decisions and choices. One thing is certain, our job of nation-building is getting tougher.”
“Somehow, we pulled through the 50s and early 60s, despite the trauma of self-governing, communist confrontation, racial riots, the merger with Malaysia and the subsequent separation in 1965. Things began to pick up in the late 60s. The past 30 years saw the making of Singapore into a prosperous city state, with a multi-racial and multi-religious backdrop, in which all of us live in harmony, each one contributing in his or her own special way to nation-building. I used to wonder what was on my father's mind during these turbulent times as he grappled with making a living to support the family. In his own time, he had travelled worldwide and stayed in many places. Why did he finally choose Singapore, despite the uncertain and difficult conditions then? Why did he not move on to greener pastures as many have done? It could not be that he became rich, because he did not own his first apartment until he was well into his 60s. He had many alternatives, yet he opted for Singapore. In a few years before his death in 1976, in reflecting on his life, he told us his reasons for doing so. First and foremost, he found that he belonged. At long last, he could say that he had a home which he could call his own. A home is where you have a family, living happily together. You have relatives and friends who you can turn to in times of happiness which you share and when in difficulties, you can help each other out. Although life was difficult and there were plenty of challenges, the support given by the family and friends was crucial for him to shape the sense of belonging. My father never longed for what he did not have. Rather, he took great satisfaction in what he had and he treasured them and shared generously with his family.”
“Sir, the publication of Singapore 21 - Together, We Make the Difference is very timely as we are only seven months from the new millennium. The book spells out the ways we need to follow to achieve this vision. Every one of us has a key role to play and we can succeed only if all of us continue to work together. I would like to direct my remarks to the Singapore Heartbeat and share with Members of the House a bit of my own experience. In doing so, I hope to pinpoint the essentials required to keep the Singapore Heart beating. I was born in China at the onset of the Second World War. My parents brought us to India where we stayed for four years. After the war, we returned to Hong Kong, my father's birthplace. In those days, Hong Kong was rebuilding itself from the ravages of war. There were opportunities. There were also difficulties. In 1955, my father was retrenched. He decided to come to Singapore to find a job and managed to get one in an insurance company. The family, comprising my mother and four sons, came over a year later. I was also a foreigner. I am not too sure whether I have got the talent, but I was a foreigner. Singapore in the mid-1950s was a turbulent place. Strikes and worker clashes occurred almost daily. The racial harmony that we see today was not in place. The education system, torn between English and Chinese, was in turmoil. The economy was not doing well and living standards were low. I still remember that during the first two months of our arrival, the Singapore Traction Company (STC) was on strike. My brother, Kenneth and I, have to wait almost two hours to catch a bus operated by Hock Lee Bus Company to school (St Anthony Boys' School) and back home in MacPherson every day.”
“Sir, I must compliment the Minister for their concise and very refreshing response we got over the last two hours. I must also congratulate my fellow colleagues for daring to speak up on this hair-raising subject. I do not think they would get much of a chance to speak any more. Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $934,944,670 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $261,483,800 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head R -”
“Of interest also is whether the system will be applied to private hospitals where the billing systems could be different from those in the restructured hospitals. What would be the Ministry's policy on the use of Casemix for private hospitals? On healthcare for the elderly, the Report on Healthcare for the Elderly has just been issued by the Inter-Ministerial Committee and the Minister at his press conference has commented on all the major recommendations. I want to comment on one issue which is of some interest and, that is, the financing of medical costs by way of insurance. There are existing insurance packages which cater to various aspects of the healthcare needs of the elderly. However, it would very much depend on the private sector support because, ultimately, the insurance scheme must be profitable for the private sector to take them on. I would like to ask the Minister in what ways can the Ministry help, through various measures, to make it possible for the private insurers to implement the programmes to support this very important programme on healthcare for the elderly.”
“Sir, the Ministry of Health's budget for the coming financial year shows just a marginal decline of about 2.6% over the previous years. It underlines the importance the Government is placing on health in Singapore. The current year has seen the completion of two major hospitals, the KK Women and Children Hospital and the New Changi Hospital. The new Tan Tock Seng Hospital will be commissioned sometime this year. These three new hospitals were built at a cost of almost $1.5 billion. The other development projects are also on track. It would seem that the development programmes outlined in the White Paper on healthcare, presented in 1993 by the Minister, have largely been implemented. With continued Government support on health expenditures, the Ministry is well poised to meet the health challenges in the coming millennium. I would like to request the Minister to comment on the extent to which the targets set out in the White Paper have been met, whether there are any shortfalls and how does his Ministry propose to resolve them. On the matter of Casemix, Casemix is a system employed to estimate patient bills based on trends and patterns of certain diseases. When properly implemented, patients can get a better idea of how much hospital treatment will cost them. I understand that the Ministry has embarked on a study of Casemix several years ago and now two pilot projects are being carried out in the restructured hospitals. I would like to ask the Minister what are the results of these pilot projects and when does he propose to extend this Casemix system to the other Government and restructured hospitals in the near future.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head P of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, may I have your permission to move all the three cuts together?”
“But these are human behaviour which the Government cannot force on our people because they have the freedom of choice. But HIV to me is almost a death sentence which in this case not only affects oneself, it affects all those with whom they come into contact. I do not think the Government will take much joy in getting more revenue from fines. That is the least of the problem. But I think the more adverse impact coming from this is: should AIDS spread through the children, through the spouses and families, the resultant social problems that arise would be a much bigger price to pay. And I think we should do what we can to ensure that this is minimised. The message to Singaporeans at large is the laws are meant to protect you but, ultimately, you have got to protect yourself. The Government cannot do that. I support the Bill.”
“Singapore is particularly vulnerable because we are exposed to the region. We have people coming into Singapore in far greater numbers, and Singaporeans are travelling abroad even more frequently. The possibility of being affected by this disease will be only increasing with time, rather than lessening. Therefore, I fully endorse the Ministry's policy to enhance the punishment for not revealing this illness to the spouses or contacts and to empower our Immigration Officers to be on the lookout for foreigners coming in. The punishments recommended are not as harsh as those under the Misuse of Drugs Act. In fact, AIDS is worse than drugs. It is a death sentence. The moment you get it, that is it. And if we are so conscious in controlling drug abuse and drug trafficking, and we have been successful at it, all the more reason we should make sure that we apply the same methods to an even more dangerous disease - AIDS. Therefore, I fully support the enhanced punishment proposed by the Ministry. But, I think, ultimately, it is much better to look at prevention rather than cure. In this case, cure is not even secure. Whatever punishment you have is only after the event. As the Minister says, it is better to see how we can prevent the disease. This brings us into the social realm. The Government cannot legislate this. The best thing to do it is, as the Chinese say, if you do not want people to know about it, do not do it. If you do not want it to happen to you, do not do it. The first thing is if we can maintain spouse fidelity, we will never have a chance of passing any of these things to our children, to our wives and to the children; a proper lifestyle, perhaps, when you travel to countries where the incidence of AIDS is very high.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the amendments proposed by the Senior Minister of State. The Senior Minister of State has mentioned about the rise in incidence of AIDS in Singapore, which is alarming by itself. But let me refer Members to some statistics for the world which point out even more starkly the spread of AIDS. Many of us are aware that the spread of AIDS is increasing but not to the extent that is being done in certain areas. For example, this survey was done by Time magazine and published in the Annual 1996. The number of people living with HIV AIDS in North America as at the end of 1996 amounted to 750,000 people. The change from 1992 to 1996 was minus 13%. That means, they have actually a reducing incidence of people with AIDS. Maybe they died. The death in 1996 was 61,000. In Western Europe, the total number of people with AIDS is half a million. The change from 1992 to 1996 is 2%, and death in 1996 was 10,000. This shows that at least, for the time being, the increase in AIDS in people has stabilised for the developed countries in North America and Western Europe. In the Sub-Sahara Africa area where AIDS started actually, the number of people living with AIDS now amounted to 14 million. Changes from 1992 to 1996, 37%; and death in 1996, 783,000. The interesting one is for South and South-east Asia. By this, I think India and Pakistan, and also all parts of Southeast Asia included, the number of people living with AIDS and HIV is 5.2 million. But the change between 1992 and 1996 was 261%, which is the highest among all the continents; and death in 1996 was 43,000. This could be because of detection, but the high increase could not hide the fact that the spread of AIDS in this region is getting out of control.”
“The CSC Report has mentioned that "A limited domestic market poses a serious impediment to expansion and constrains investment in equipment, technology and modern management methods." If Singapore can bring about an economic union with Malaysia, the problem of our small size or limited domestic market can be solved. But the ultimate aim of our economic union must not only be for the benefit of Singapore, it must be for the mutual benefit of both countries. I call on the Government to strive for an economic union with Malaysia.”
“It wants a firm control of the country. On the other hand, the CSC envisages that in a knowledge economy "there should be a critical mass of Singaporeans who are risk-taking entrepreneurs, innovators and arbitrageurs". In the first place, will the present PAP political system allow a group of Singaporeans a critical mass of leaders who can think independently and develop independently? I do not think so. I make this assessment after having been in politics in Singapore for 22 years and an elected MP for 14 years. Just look at all aspects of the Singapore society, whether it be in business, sports, culture or social activities, you see a PAP Minister, a PAP MP or a PAP man in charge. So nationally I cannot see a critical mass of Singaporeans who are risk-taking entrepreneurs, innovators and arbitrageurs to emerge unless, of course, we have a reformation, a material change in the political system. Instead of a one-party rule, we have democratic pluralism, maybe a two-party system and the Government of the day behaves in a more traditional way, ie, to collect taxes, maintain internal security, external defence, foreign policies and leave the commerce and business to its private citizens. It is only under such a system where Singaporeans are given more freedom can truly great, great business leaders emerge. I think the CSC Report has missed one important issue, and that is, our relationship with our closest neighbour, Malaysia. Malaysia is Singapore's most important trading partner. Our water supply is also from Malaysia. For the long term well-being of our economy, Singapore must enter into some kind of economic relationship with Malaysia which benefits both sides. I have suggested in this House that Singapore seek an economic union with Malaysia.”
“I quote the CSC's Report: "We should be a knowledge economy where the basis for competitiveness will be the capabilities and intellectual capital to absorb, process and apply knowledge. We should have a strong technological capability and a vibrant entrepreneurial culture that thrives on creativity, nimbleness and good business sense. To develop into a knowledge economy, Singapore should be an open cosmopolitan society, attractive to global talent and connected with other global knowledge nodes. There should be a critical mass of Singaporeans who are risk-taking entrepreneurs, innovators and arbitrageurs. Together with the global talent, they will move Singapore ahead in the Information Age." I entirely agree with this vision. In Japan they had this similar vision, ie, to develop a knowledge economy in 1992. The problem in Japan which hindered the attainment of this vision was their culture of bureaucratic leadership. The bureaucratic civil servants run the country. It is said that in Japan the measures adopted under bureaucratic leadership were aimed not at development for the future, but maintenance of the status quo. Can Singapore attain a knowledge economy within the next decade? I personally think that we cannot do so. Singapore is worse than Japan. We do not only have a culture of bureaucratic leadership but we have in place a dominant one-party rule that is bent in perpetuating its rule. The organisation of the whole of Singapore is such that the leadership must come from the party or the top. In the CSC Report, at page 118, it is mentioned: "The World Competitiveness Yearbook indicated that Singapore has adopted a centralised, top-down decision-making approach in government." I doubt that the PAP will change its style or form of Government.”
“I would also support the suspension of stamp duty on share transactions and to lower corporate and personal income tax. In these hard times, I would also call on the Prime Minister and his Ministers to voluntarily take at least a 25% pay cut. I understand that in the private sector, many workers are suffering a freeze on their salaries and others are taking a 20% cut on their pay. It is reported that company directors are taking a 50% cut on their directors' fees. Singapore Ministers are reputed to be the highest paid in the world. So a 25% cut on the Ministers' salary shall still leave them with a lot to live on comfortably. Ministers are top leaders of the country and a significant gesture on their part in these difficult times shall be a great boost to the morale of the whole country. The Ministers should take a pay cut at this point of time. An act like that shall jell the whole nation, as they can say that they lead by example. They really show solidarity with the workers. They have a genuine feel for the people. The Ministers have gone down to the NTUC and tell them, "United we stand." Such a pronouncement on the part of Ministers sounds hollow if they do not share the sufferings of the workers who are expected to take a 15% reduction in their monthly wage. Many people also are complaining about the 3% GST imposed on all goods and services. They want the Government to suspend GST for the time being until the financial crisis is over. I hope the Government can give a positive response. Now, I would like to comment on the CSC's vision for Singapore in the next decade. It wants Singapore to become an advanced globally competitive knowledge economy.”
“I note that the CSC has only recommended a reduction of the levy for both skilled and unskilled foreign workers in the manufacturing sector, but not for domestic maids. I would urge the Government to reduce the levy of all foreign workers, including domestic maids, by $100-$200 per month. By lowering the levy, employers shall pay less for foreign workers and this should be all right since foreign workers mostly work in jobs which local workers are not willing to do so, for example, in the construction industry, road works or MRT sites. Local workers shall thus not be deprived of their jobs. I agree that the charges for electricity, telecommunications and port services should be reduced. I would further suggest that Singapore Power stop collecting water conservation charges and also not to collect interest and penalties for late payments until the economic crisis is over. The reason is that electricity and water consumers have placed sufficient deposits with Singapore Power in their accounts. No interest is paid by Singapore Power to consumers for the use of their deposit money. Singapore Power can use the interest earned from the vast amount of deposits placed with them by account holders over the past years to offset the lost interest as a result of late payments. I agree with the CSC that rentals for Jurong Town Corporation and Housing and Development Board land and factory rentals should be reduced. I would further suggest that the sale price of new HDB flats should also be reduced, since prices of building materials and building costs have dropped significantly. I would also agree with the CSC that motor vehicle customs duty and petrol diesel duty be reduced, and the 55% property tax rebate be extended.”
“Instead of just recommending that 10% of the employers' CPF be cut, the NTUC should also recommend that the employees' CPF be cut by an equivalent amount. With the 10% employees' CPF cut, the workers can have more take-home pay. This is particularly important to single breadwinners in the family. If there is only one spouse working in the family, that family often finds that it cannot make ends meet. The single bread earner has to take on a part-time additional job which he may not be able to hold continuously. The extra 10% cash in lieu of a CPF reduction shall come in very handy. Some will say that in such a case, that worker will not have enough CPF in the account to pay for his CPF monthly loan instalments. In such a case, I would say that the HDB as well as the Government should give a helping hand. The HDB could restructure the mortgage loan and work out a longer repayment period. If that does not help the workers, then the Government should step in and use its surpluses collected over the last 10 years to pay for the workers' HDB monthly loan instalments. The Government is reported to have accumulated $122 billion in surpluses. So setting aside $5 billion to help out our workers in time of need is not asking too much of the Government. I would say that the Government owes a duty to the nation's workers to tide them over the next one or two years when the recession takes its worst toll. The Government can charge a nominal interest rate of 2% and have the loans secured as a second mortgage after the HDB. I am certain a scheme like that can be worked out to help the workers since $5 billion is less than 5% of the amount of the Government's surpluses collected over the years. I wish the NTUC will support this suggestion.”
“Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Mr Speaker, Sir, the workers shall bear the brunt of the cost-cutting measures recommended by the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness. The CSC has recommended a 15% wage cut from the 1997 level, 10% of which shall be from the employer's component of the CPF and the balance from the flexi-wage scheme part of the wages. On 12th November this year, the National Wages Council recommended a cut of 5-8% of the workers' wages. If the employers choose to cut workers' flexi-wage as high as 8%, then together with the 10% cut in the employer's component of CPF, the workers can lose up to 15% of wages a month. I urge the Government to be slow in implementing these recommendations. The workers already suffered once in 1985 when Singapore went into a recession. At that time, the workers' wages suffered a 15% drop when 15% of the employers' CPF were cut. It was reported in the local press that for the first nine months of the year, 20,000 workers were retrenched. But how many of these workers are foreign workers? I understand that MNCs are allowed to hire as many as four foreign workers to every one Singaporean worker the company employs. So the Minister should make sure that the number of Singapore workers who are retrenched is significant before implementing the recommended wage cut. At my meet-the-people sessions in my constituency so far, I do not have any resident coming to complain that he is out of job. Employers should not be encouraged to jump the gun and cut workers' wages prematurely, since there is so much talk of cutting workers' wages. The NTUC is in support of the 10% employers' CPF cut.”
“I was very dismayed when I read in the New Paper two weeks ago that some children were saying, "I'm not going to take a cut in allowance, because there is no recession yet." This kind of attitude, I think, has to change, because without the pain, we are not likely to be galvanised into action. What is in our favour? I think we still have a hardworking workforce. There is no denial about it and that has been our selling point all these years. Our workforce has been ranked number one or two consistently. We have a fantastic infrastructure, equal to none. Our educational institutions are one of the best, if not the best, especially in the technological field. So we can do a lot of things to help ourselves. The question is whether we are prepared to avail ourselves of this. If our people can respond to the retraining, to the tightening of the belt and to live a frugal life instead of spending money on wasteful things and if we complement this with the good fundamentals that the Government has put out, I think we stand a very good chance in overcoming the recession. That is not the problem. The recession will be overcome but, more important, I think we should be able to face the future stronger because we are dealing with a very fundamental problem, that of surviving in the long term, not the short term. For the short term, all of us can do it. But in the long term, we have got to be fit and able and the Government's duty is to ensure that we can do that and I hope that the people of Singapore will come together with the Government, change their lifestyles and work towards the common good of bringing ourselves out of this recession, leaner, trimmer, hungrier and, of course, more productive.”
“If we are to attract investments from these countries, then we must ourselves be more competitive than countries in these continents. Our response is not just Government, because the Government does not make up the country. The people make up the country. The Government can have all the policies but if the people do not respond, there is nothing the Government can do. My message to Singaporeans is that we must adjust our abilities to meet these challenges. We must acquire new knowledge and we must respond to the Government's call for retraining on new ways to do things. All the people in the rest of the world are doing this. If we are not doing that, we are in deep trouble. Secondly, we must also adjust our own living standards. We have been used to years of high growth and high wage increases, so much so that we do not know what bad times are. I think many people would not want to say this, but I will say this. I think we have got to have some pain. I think without pain, there can be no incentive to improve. I think we will be deluding ourselves if we think that this recession will pass and everyone of us will be better in the process. We are not. All of us will suffer. Some of us suffer less, some of us suffer more. The Government's duty is to help those who cannot help themselves and make their suffering a bit more bearable. What does this mean? It means that we probably have to eat into our savings that we accumulated over the good years. As the Prime Minister has said, instead of going to the US for a holiday, go to Bintan. It is one-fifth the cost. You still have a good holiday. You still got some money left for your children.”
“Our competitiveness has been eroded since before the recession. It has progressively gone worse, but the regional crisis has brought it out into stark perspective, which therefore means that post-economic crisis the same issues will remain with us, that of competitiveness. If we at the end of this economic crisis are still as uncompetitive as before, then I think we will be in dire straits. Everyone of us Government, industries and our people must take this opportunity to make ourselves trimmer and leaner to prepare for the future. I was in Mexico last year and I found in Mexico most of the MNCs were there. They were there because Mexico was competitive and they have NAFTA which provides the market. So a lot of industries, especially electronic industries, some of them are from Singapore, have moved to Mexico. I just came back from Europe over the weekend. I visited Germany, France and Austria. Even in developed countries like Germany and France, they are taking very drastic measures to revamp the industries, to cut costs and they retrenched workers by the thousands. Why? Because they are facing competition from countries within Europe. In Austria, in fact, most of the big MNCs which have operations in Europe also have their plants there. Some of them even put their headquarters there. The reason is because the Austrians' wage levels are lower than most of Europe. The workforce is also intelligent and educated. This is not only to speak of Europe itself but Northern Ireland, for example, and Scotland. Scotland and Northern Ireland together account for 45% of export of electronic equipment to EC. So countries in Europe and the US have other alternatives, not in Asia, but in Europe and in their own continents.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, let me, first, congratulate the CSC for the comprehensive way in which it prepared the Report, and also the rapid way in which they changed horses mid-stream to deal with the economic crisis at hand. The short-term packages, personally, I have no quarrel. In fact, the CPF wage cut has all been announced before the Report was published. But I only hope that the Government will also consider the assistance to be given to mortgage houseowners in order to alleviate the problem when the CPF is cut. And I also hope that Government Ministries and departments will respond equally fast to reduce charges in equal measure to keep tab with the wage reduction that the people will suffer in return. In fact, those of us in the private sector have already done so. Many of us have already cut the bonuses almost by 80%-90%, and some companies have already decreased wages by about 10-15%. As regards availability of capital, I do not think it is an issue. I think our banks have very sound fundamentals and if the projects are bankable, there will be no lack of finance. What I would like to comment today, rather than on the short-term measures which I think other Members will have a field day, is to comment on the future competitiveness section which the CSC Report has delved on at length. I think the three elements that were mentioned in the Report are very important. First of all, the strengthening of the external wing post-recession; second, the human and intellectual capital that we have got to build up; and, third, the optimal resource management that we must exercise. I think Singaporeans must realise that there is a basic shift in the economic climate in Singapore, and it is not just an economic crisis. This economic crisis, in fact, is a wake up call for us.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $1,012,292,140 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $251,062,000 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head R -”
“I am assured by the Minister's remark about the need for continued facilities in the hospitals for specialised treatment. But in our visits to the hospitals, there was some concern expressed that too much emphasis would be placed on the centres, and hospitals like the New Changi Hospital or the upcoming Tan Tock Seng Hospital would give up these traditional specialised facilities. I hope the Minister will look into making sure that everyone gets a fair share of things. 5.00 pm On the question of obesity, I understand that in some schools, school children have been asked to forgo food and drinks during recess time. Instead of having a bowl of noodles, they have to exercise. Apparently, some parents are a bit anxious that their lovely children are prevented from having their bowl of soup or noodles. I do not know whether this is the right way to go about things. Maybe that is better for them.”