Charles Chong
Singapore
“I am interested, however, to hear what the experiences of the 28 pilot schools are and how they have found the move to FSBB. Could the Minister give an update on the pilot and how successful or otherwise this has been? Finally, Mr Chairman, I would like to address the need for support of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
“I know that we are very appreciative of the support provided by the Australian government and the Australian defence force. However, with the recent bush fires in the east coast of Australia, could the Minister let us know if the Shoalwater Bay training area has been affected and whether this has had an impact on the SAF's ability to full…”
“Mr Chairman, even as we aim for zero training fatalities, it inherent in the nature of the SAF that accidents will probably happen and the challenge for us then is to ensure that when they do happen, that our service personnel have the very best medical care which we can provide for them.”
“Finally, could the Minister provide details on the number of calls which have been made to the Army, Navy and Air Force safety hotlines, and whether this has increased since we have enhanced our emphasis on training safety and whether concrete action has been taken following the making of these reports? Safety Consciousness”
“Mr Chairman, a number of speakers before me have already raised most of the points which I have, so I will not repeat them and will be very brief. As Singapore's population ages, one of the issues which will be of increasing concern for our citizens is the affordability and accessibility of healthcare.”
“00 pm These days, however, the US appears to be focused on other regional matters, such as the denuclearisation negotiations in North Korea. While on trade, a comprehensive and progressive agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership came into force at the end of last year, with the conspicuous absence of the US, which withdrew from its pr…”
The complete record
Every one of 474 lines we hold for Charles Chong, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 10.
“Sir, I am delighted to hear that the Ministry of Transport may be considering whether lifts can be retrofitted to some pedestrian overhead bridges. In view of our ageing population and our efforts to encourage families to have more children, providing lifts and escalators at pedestrian overhead bridges, wherever appropriate, would be of great help to our senior citizens, the handicapped and parents with young infants. I would, therefore, like to support the calls made by Er Lee Bee Wah and Mr Hri Kumar who spoke before me on the installation of lifts or escalators at overhead bridges. Sir, I would also like to take this opportunity to bring to the Minister's attention of an overhead bridge in my constituency. This overhead bridge across Sengkang East Way connects Compass Point where Sengkang MRT station is located to Compassvale Gardens precinct near Blocks 257C and 260A. This overhead bridge has an escalator going up, which is of great help to users who have difficulty climbing steps. However, after bringing these people to the top of the overhead bridge and getting across the overhead bridge, they find that there is no escalator or lift to bring them down, except for a steep staircase. Could the Minister consider rectifying this situation as soon as possible? Encroachment of public walkways Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef: Mr Chairman, throughout Singapore there are many small and medium-sized commercial properties dealing with a variety of products and services. They add to the uniqueness and characteristics of our different areas. Many of these premises have made it a habit to have their products showcased and spilled over onto pedestrian walkways and pavements fronting their units. This causes obstruction in a variety of ways and especially to the human traffic.”
“Finally, the number of foreign workers and foreign domestic worker management problems per 1,000 workers has risen from 3.5% in 2007 to 12.5% in 2008 and 15.6% in 2009. Could the Minister tell us what measures the Ministry has taken to reduce this number in 2010? Workplace safety Madam, the workplace fatality rates have fallen steadily since 2004 from 4.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2004 to 2.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2007. However, since 2007, there appears to be no significant improvement and the figures have stood stagnated between 2.8 and 2.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers. With a workforce of approximately three million workers, this translates into 84 to 87 fatalities per year. Now, surely, this cannot be an acceptable situation for MOM. Could the Minister tell us what measures his Ministry has taken or will be taking to improve workplace safety in order to reduce this figure? And does the Minister consider a zero fatality rate to be unrealistic? Construction and the marine sectors account for approximately 63% of all workplace fatalities. Could the Minister tell us what measures his Ministry has taken to improve workplace safety in these two sectors? Have the recommendations by the National Crane Safety Taskforce, released in September 2009, been implemented? And could the Minister give us an update on the national industry-led taskforce on safe working at heights and the confined spaces legislation? Workplace safety and health”
“Madam, I note on page 158 of the Budget book, under the key performance indicators for the Ministry of Manpower, the following figures that I hope the Minister could provide some clarifications. Firstly, the number of errant employment agencies (EAs) per 1,000 EAs has shown a marked increase from 46 in 2008 to 109 in 2009. This represents a 137% increase in errant employment agencies. Could the Minister tell us the reason for this spike, and is it a cause for concern? And what measures are being taken to reduce this number? Madam, the Minister earlier mentioned that 47,600 job applicants were placed from 2008 to January 2010. However, the figures in the Budget book indicate that the job placement rate appears to be in steady decline, from 63% in FY 2007 to 56% in FY 2008 and to only 40% in FY 2009. The job placement rate estimated for 2010 remains at 40%, the lowest level compared to what was achieved over the last three years. Could the Minister tell us why is MOM's estimate for FY 2010 so low when the economy is recovering and despite the estimated 20% increase in the expenditure for WDA for FY 2010? Thirdly, the total funds disbursed for training show a sharp increase from $128 million in FY 2008 to $335 million in FY 2009, an increase of almost 160%. However, the overall training participation rate appears to have fallen from 32% to 28% over the same period, despite the substantial increase in total funds disbursed for training. Could the Minister tell us how is this increase in training funds in FY 2009 being utilised and has there been effective use of the training funds? Could the Minister also tell us why the overall training participation rate is estimated at only 29% for FY 2010? What measures should be taken to increase this rate?”
“Madam, CPF members aged 55 years and above were able to opt into CPF LIFE from September 2009. Could the Minister give us an update on the number of eligible members who have yet to sign up? Has there been sufficient publicity and explanation given on the three options to those who may benefit from CPF LIFE? It is also noted that by 2013, members aged 55 years old who have at least $40,000 cash in their Retirement Accounts would automatically be included in CPF LIFE. Would such members be given a choice to opt out or to purchase an annuity instead of being automatically included in CPF LIFE? Workfare Income Supplement (WIS)”
“Under such a situation, raising foreign worker levies across the board and consequently driving up labour cost in the hope that the market will then react by raising productivity may not have the desired outcomes. We had, in the past, tried to drive productivity growth and attract high value-added industries by raising the cost of labour through significant National Wages Council (NWC) wage increase recommendations year after year. However, it did not achieve the desired results, and instead it led to many businesses becoming less competitive and contributed to the 1985/1986 recession. We should learn from our past experiences in order to avoid repeating past mistakes. Could the Minister tell us what measures his Ministry would be taking that would be very much different from our previous efforts to tackle the old problem of raising productivity? What measures will be taken to change the mindset of Singaporeans towards jobs that are currently considered less attractive, such as those in construction, ship repairing and cleansing industries? Continuing Education and Training (CET) system”
“Madam, levies on foreign workers will be increased quite significantly over the next few years in order to encourage productivity growth. Much scope for productivity improvements is envisaged in the construction industry where productivity levels are low. I recall, as a member of the previous National Productivity Council from 1988 to 1993 and the National Productivity Board from 1990 to 1996, the many higher level deliberations and campaigns that were conducted to improve productivity, including that of the construction industry. What was then known as the Construction Industry Development Board, it set up a taskforce which issued a report in 1992, specifically considering how Singapore's construction productivity could be raised. Even at that time, there was a conscious effort to reduce our dependency on foreign workers by raising productivity. In 1999, another high level committee launched Construction 21, with more recommendations to raise productivity in the construction industry. However, productivity in that industry continued to decline between 2% and 4% from 1995 to 1999. Even after implementation of Construction 21, productivity growth averaged a meagre 0.7%. Despite whatever productivity improvements or job redesign we are able to achieve, I think that there will always be a need for workers to carry out jobs that Singaporeans find less attractive. Even if we use the most innovative methods and work more productively every year, there may never be enough Singaporeans to replace the thousands of foreign workers who currently accomplish tasks that Singaporeans seem to avoid.”
“Could the Minister also provide details of the revenue yield and the cap determination exercise that was conducted in August and September of last year? Maritime transportation”
“Sir, data on passenger movement growth from 2008 to 2009 indicate that passengers carried by full-service carriers at Changi Airport fell by approximately 9%, from 33.1 million in 2008 to 30.1 million in 2009. However, the growth of passengers transported by budget carriers during the same period rose by almost 54%, from 4.6 million in 2008 to 7.1 million in 2009. By all accounts, we can expect that this growth will continue at least in the foreseeable future. In the light of these figures, could the Minister tell us if CAA intends to expand the Budget Terminal or upgrade its facilities to accommodate growth in this new trend in air travel? Would the terminal also be made handicap-friendly where the elderly and wheelchair-bound passengers are able board aircraft without having to hire special lifting equipment to raise them into the aircraft and having to pay lifting charges that could amount to three times the airfares? Have the facilities of the Budget Terminal also been able to meet the requirements of budget carriers? And if so, would the Minister be able to shed some light on why some low-cost carriers still prefer to use Terminal 1 rather than the Budget Terminal despite the higher associated costs? Would CAAS be able to address these issues and make the Budget Terminal more attractive to budget carriers and, as a result, make air travel even more affordable? Changi Airport Sir, corporatisation of Changi Airport and the restructuring of CAA were completed on 1st July 2009. One of the objectives was to achieve a clear separation between the role of the airport operator and the airport regulator. Could the Minister provide an update of this restructuring? Have the Government's objectives been met and what have corporatisation and restructuring achieved?”
“How has the liberalisation of air services benefited Singaporeans and Singapore companies, in particular, how has the the liberalisation of air services between Singapore and Malaysia benefited Singaporeans and our air hub? Are there tangible examples of how such liberalisation has benefited our air hub? Finally, what are the future plans in the liberalisation of air services in ASEAN and the region? Are there any plans to capitalise on the rise of Asia in the coming decade?”
“Sir, 2009 witnessed the largest post-war decline in the aviation industry in history, both in passenger and cargo movements. Could the Minister tell us how the recession has affected growth of the air hub in Singapore, in terms of passengers, cargo and flights handled? What measures are being taken to enhance the hub status and the competitiveness of Changi Airport amidst the emergence of other airports with similar ambitions within the region and beyond? Could the Minister also tell us how liberalisation of our air services agreements with other countries, some of whom still do not provide us with equal reciprocal rights, have benefited our air hub and also air travellers? Aviation development fund Sir, on the Aviation Development Fund (ADF), the Minister announced the formation of a $100 million ADF in January 2010. Could the Minister provide more details on the objectives of the Fund and what projects would qualify for funding? Could the Minister also elaborate how CAA intends to disburse these funds and how companies, especially the SMEs, would benefit from such funding? The Minister also said that the $100 million will be disbursed over five years. Would more funds be committed should the ADF be depleted before the five-year period ends? 2.30 pm Liberalisation of air services Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, Singapore has signed numerous Air Services Agreements in its quest to push for Open Skies Policy in the aviation sector. Over the years, the level of air services liberalisation has increased opening up more opportunities in the aviation industry. I would like to ask the Minister on the current status of liberalisation of air services.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, could the Senior Minister of State tell us what benefit or value has Myanmar's membership brought to ASEAN other than create concern, dismay and sometimes even revulsion? And if there is no provision in the ASEAN constitution to suspend or expel Myanmar from ASEAN, is there any way ASEAN can persuade Myanmar to resign from the Association? Or is there also no provision for countries to resign from ASEAN?”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for their detailed answers. I would also like to thank Members who have contributed to this debate. And I would like to assure Mr Seah that I will get rid of my jacket the moment the temperature in this Chamber reaches 24 degrees Celsius. Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $747,965,500 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $634,558,000 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head O – Ministry of Health”
“Sir, littering complaints and the number of littering offenders have shown significant increases over the past few years. Our efforts to create a clean and green environment to beautify our estates and water bodies would be futile if we are unable to reverse this littering habit. Sir, we really cannot expect to have more and more cleaners to pick up and clean up after us. Could the Minister tell us what efforts have been made to improve and sustain cleanliness in public places, particularly in the areas of public education and enforcement actions, and whether these efforts have been effective? Anti-littering Enforcement Efforts”
“Sir, there has been a surge in dengue cases in neighbouring countries. Singapore is usually not spared during the warmer months where we usually see an increase in the number of cases. Could the Minister tell us what measures have been taken to control the outbreaks of dengue and Chikungunya cases in Singapore? Other than stricter enforcement action, have efforts also been made in research for a vaccine in cooperation with regional countries to study and control the spread of these diseases? 3.30 pm”
“Sir, construction activity is expected to rise in many areas in Singapore as we renew older estates and develop new ones under URA's Masterplan 2008. The number of vehicles on our roads has also increased steadily over the past few years. Both construction noise and vehicle noise are expected to rise with these developments. Could the Minister tell us what measures NEA has taken and will be taking to minimise noise levels in order to ensure a pleasant and relatively noise-free environment? And what standards have been set for noise levels near residential areas, especially at night and on Sundays and public holidays?”
“(3) Provide grants, funds and incentives to support recycling and recyclers who are introducing innovative and technology to recover resources, particularly in the current economic crisis. The Government should invest during this downturn in this sector to exploit opportunities and to sustain and create new "green" jobs. As technology is applied, most of these "green" jobs will require technical skills which will be suitable for Singaporeans. Grants can be given to organisations prepared to upgrade and apply innovative solutions in their premises to segregate and facilitate the easy handling and disposal of their segregated waste. Similarly, incentives should be given to recyclers who are prepared to invest in segregated collections, and then applying innovation and technology to recover resources from the waste. I would like to seek the Minister's views on the above suggestions. Enhancing Capacity and Boosting Long-term Competitiveness”
“This, then results in eight, or 67%, of waste types not reaching the SGP 2012 targets. This, in turn, means that our incinerators will have to work harder and our landfill in Palau Semakau will have to receive more waste. This is obviously not desirable for Singapore's waste management strategy. Sir, in my consultation with the Waste Management and Recycling Association (WMRAS) and a number of waste recyclers, I would like to feedback to the Minister, the suggestions that the industry have that will relieve the projected weak situation on recycling, so as to bring recycling back on track. (1) Increase the gate or tipping fee into the incinerators, as it is currently too low compared to many of the developed countries. Having such low rates will not promote segregation and recycling. There is also little or no incentive for recyclers to invest in alternative waste recycling technologies (eg, innovative recycling and recovery technologies and hi-tech waste to energy plants). Singapore's waste operators must move up the innovative and technology chain so that they can showcase these technologies in Singapore to their prospective customers in the East Asian market, ie, develop Singapore into a hub for waste technology and solutions. (2) Mandate the segregation of waste at source for industrial, commercial and large institutions to support and complement point (1) above. Segregation at source also supports and encourages recycling, particularly food waste from recyclables as food waste contaminates recyclables, therefore rendering them non-recyclable. Since there is a back-end facility to treat food waste, the recovery of recyclables should increase.”
“Sir, could the Minister provide us with an update of Singapore's recycling and waste minimisation efforts? Like several speakers who spoke before me, I too am interested to know if there has been any improvement in our overall recycling rate, and what measures have been taken by MEWR to improve the rate, especially in condominiums and private apartments. Going forward, will the Minister consider providing financial incentives for companies, households and individuals for recycling initiatives? And, finally, will there also be a development plan for our current landfill at Pulau Semakau? Waste Management and Recycling Er Edwin Khew Teck Fook: Sir, before I speak on the subject, I would like to declare my interest as I manage a food waste and renewable energy company. The recycling rate of waste in Singapore, in general, has been slowly increasing by 1% to 2% per year over the last four to five years. Based on the statistics given by NEA for 2007, four out of 12 or 33% of the categories of waste types have achieved or exceeded the Singapore Green Plan (SGP) 2012 target. Four have a fair chance of reaching the target by 2012, but four of the categories (ie, plastics, horticultural waste, glass and food waste) have no chance of reaching the target as the discrepancies between the current and the SGP 2012 target figures are greater than 15%. With the current global economic situation, commodity prices for paper, steel, plastics and other recyclables have seen a sharp decline which will, no doubt, have a major effect on the recycling rate of all waste, making the four waste types, which have a fair chance (which includes paper, wood, cardboard, ferrous and non-ferrous metals) not achieve the 2012 targets.”
“Can more be done to educate the public about recyclable materials? What are some initiatives the Ministry is embarking on to further improve our recycling rate? The demand for waste disposal is also expected to rise. How are we going to cope with this demand? Prudent Use of Natural Resources”
“What can be done to change this mindset and evoke a sense of social responsibility for the environment. Perhaps we need to approach the littering campaign from a different perspective. With the economy looking bleak this year, energy efficiency is no longer just a solution to environmental problems. As income is tightened, it becomes all the more necessary to pay attention to efficient energy usage. Expenditure on energy usage can impact the competitiveness of a business. In last year's budget, a comprehensive plan had been drawn up for a multi-tiered approach to involve public sector, private sector and residents in embracing energy efficiency. Although this plan incurred some financial investment, we should continue to promote energy efficiency in Singapore. This way, we would not be penny wise and pound foolish. Given the benefits of energy efficient business practices, will the Ministry consider providing financial support for individuals and corporations not already benefiting from energy efficiency schemes? What are the Ministry's plans to push for more efficient energy usage amongst businesses and households? We have an ambitious target of hitting a 60% recycling rate by 2012. Our National Recycling Programme has helped boosted Singapore's recycling rate in recent years, but it may not be entirely efficient with regard to household waste. In today's Forum page in the Straits Times, there was an article titled "Recycling: All that effort gone to waste" by Reuel Royston Wee. Are our waste disposal contractors taking waste recycling seriously? Are our residents still putting the wrong items in neighbourhood recycling bins and giving up non-recyclable products for collections? I hope we have more residents like the foreign writer, Reuel Royston Wee.”
“Several of my nursery operators in Bah Soon Pah Road told me that they were fined $2,000 the first time. Soon after that, they were fined $4,000 or $5,000 the second time. And soon after that, they were being hauled to Court and was fined between $12,000 and $13,000. By any standard, the fine was huge. They cannot afford it especially during this economic downturn. I would like to ask the Minister: is the Ministry imposing such a huge fine to eradicate the mosquitoes or to eradicate the nursery operators? I believe that just as in the case of controlling dengue infection, controlling Chikungunya should be a joint effort between citizens and the Government. More resources should be invested in educating the public on the effective preventive methods and symptoms of Chikungunya. I am very sure my residents in Bah Soon Pah Road are keen to learn the effective way of eradicating mosquitoes and, hence, sharing of good practices with all nursery operators in Singapore and all households in Singapore could be more helpful and effective. Next, littering in the neighbourhoods remains a persistent problem even after many years of public education. Our conservancy workers dispose large amounts of carelessly displayed litter daily, ranging from bulky furniture to half-empty drink cans. Publicity campaigns and flyers have proven to exhibit limited results. I believe that the root of the problem could be due to the lack of pride amongst Singaporeans and Singapore residents about their neighbourhood. Without a sense of belonging to the neighbourhood, residents would not have the urge to voluntarily protect it. Likewise, we get feedback about the littering habit of Singaporeans when they are abroad.”
“Sir, I note that the existing green vehicle rebate scheme will end this year. To encourage greater ownership of green vehicles, will the Minister consider extending the scheme for a much longer period to just, say, one year? On a separate but equally compelling note, with a significant proportion of our coastline area not very high above sea level, could the Minister tell us what measures have been implemented in our development plans to address our vulnerability to climate change, especially to rising sea levels? With new reclamation projects having to be built, at least 125 centimetres above the highest recorded tide level, this appears only to deal with our man-made coastline and not to our natural coastline, thereby leaving what nature has provided us to susceptible sea levels. Finally, Sir, would the Minister be able to provide any update on the status of the Report on Climate Change commissioned by the NEA, which he previously mentioned that we can expect to see this year, and also an update on the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development? Environmental Problems and Challenges Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, I wish to raise my concerns for several environmental problems and challenges in Singapore. Despite efforts by the MOH and MEWR to control the spread of Chikungunya, the number of outbreaks of this disease has continued to be on the rise late into December last year. We need to do more to look into this disease to see how it can be eradicated. What new initiatives will be adopted to inhibit the spread of this disease? In view of the fact that Chikungunya infection has no cure and may limit its sufferers' ability to work, for up to many months, what can be done to curb the ensuing problems of the patients in our workforce?”
“5 emissions is contributed by vehicles that run on diesel. With the more stringent Euro IV emission standards, having been introduced for some time already, greater use of CNG by commercial and private vehicles would contribute towards reducing our air pollution. If more vehicles were to switch to CNG, it may even be able to bring down our PM2.5 levels below the level set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. One reason why CNG is not widely used in Singapore is the difficulty vehicle owners have in filling up their CNG tanks. There are just too few CNG filling stations available in the country. This is especially so for private vehicles which do not have access to the Jurong Island filling station. Feedback from owners of CNG-equipped vehicles has also been that waiting times at stations can be quite considerable, especially if CNG terminals are not able to fill vehicles in quick succession – the same way as petrol-filling stations can. While the NEA provides co-funding to the private sector to develop CNG distribution network through the innovation for environmental sustainability fund. I am concerned that leaving it purely to the private sector to construct the network may take a very long time to happen in the prevailing economic climate. Will the Government consider developing the infrastructure itself, and then handing it over to the private sector, as it did for the MRT system? 2.00 pm With lower oil prices followed by lower pump prices for petrol and diesel, there may now be less incentives for vehicle owners to switch to hybrid and other more environmentally-friendly vehicles. Could the Minister consider reviewing the current incentives with the view of making them more attractive for vehicle owners to switch to green vehicles?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head L of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, the Government has previously made development and environmental sustainability a priority. Could the Minister comment if, in this economically uncertain times, sustainable development and environmental sustainability remain as relevant priorities. Sir, I am concerned that during this downturn, business owners may be less inclined to devote resources towards developing and improving environmentally initiatives, but may, instead, decide to concentrate their efforts on the core of their businesses. In many cases, this may actually be the right approach to save their businesses and to preserve jobs, but the health of the environment should not depend on the recovery of the economy and it is something that we must look at in good times, as well as in bad. Could the Minister tell us if his Ministry will consider extending financial support to businesses and, perhaps, even individuals to improve their resource sufficiency and to implement green initiatives, so that the environment is not placed on the back burner while the economy remains troubled? One potential area which the Government can help households and businesses be more environmentally-friendly is by further encouraging energy and water efficiency with more incentives for consumers. Apart from the benefits to the environment, generally, greater efficiency will also lead to cost savings for individuals and business owners. Could the Minister tell us what measures his Ministry has taken or will be taking in these areas? Another area of concern I have is Singapore's air quality, in particular, our fine particulate matter or PM2.5 levels. A large percentage of PM2.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister, the Senior Minister of State and the Parliamentary Secretary for their responses, and I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $744,296,100 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of 4,071,242,200 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head Q - Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts”
“Sir, just a point of clarification for the Parliamentary Secretary in answer to my earlier question about heavy vehicle parks. The Parliamentary Secretary said that there are more than ample heavy vehicle parking lots throughout Singapore and yet he said also that there is a long waiting list for heavy vehicle parking lots such as in Sengkang and other areas. Would it not be a reasonable conclusion to say that we have over-catered for heavy vehicle parking lots in areas where there is no demand and under-catered for areas where there is demand? And if the Parliamentary Secretary agrees with that, could he tell us what remedial actions the Ministry would take?”
“Mr Chairman, there have been recent news reports of a number of new cases of Avian flu in humans occurring in countries in the region. We have seen these cases in China, Vietnam and Indonesia. I am concerned that this might be the start of a wave of an Avian flu epidemic. I wish to ask the Minister what measures have been taken or are being planned in preventing an outbreak of Avian flu in Singapore.”
“Residents who are not able to secure heavy vehicle parking lots near their residences would have already secured parking lots at their workplaces, like factories, and at designated parking places outside HDB estates. They can continue to park at these locations. Sustaining the Construction Industry”
“Mr Chariman, Sir, heavy vehicle owners are currently required to have parking lots for their vehicles before they can register or renew their vehicle road tax. Owners of heavy vehicles sometimes designate their factory premises that may be far away from any residential area, such as Jurong Island. Many of these heavy vehicles operate after office hours so as to avoid congestion with peak hour traffic, and this should be encouraged. However, drivers of these vehicles often have to start or end their shifts when public transport is no longer available, and therefore have to incur high cost in taxi fares in order to get to work and to return home after work. Could the Minister tell us the number of heavy vehicle parks located within or near HDB estates? Are there usually waiting lists for season parking at these heavy vehicle parks, especially in new towns such as Sengkang and Punggol which really have ample space to accommodate such vehicle parks? If so, what measures are being planned to meet this demand? Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Mr Chairman, there is currently an island-wide supply of more than 42,000 parking lots to meet overnight parking needs of 21,510 registered heavy vehicles. More than 12,000 of these lots are located within or near HDB estates. The remaining 30,000 lots are available in industrial estates. Demand for heavy vehicle parking lots in or near HDB estates is high and there are waiting lists for season parking in HDB estates, including new towns such as Sengkang and Punggol. However, we cannot keep building heavy vehicle parks in or near residential estates as these would cause disamenities to the majority of the residents in the estates. There is more than enough heavy vehicle parking spaces island-wide.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, as mentioned earlier by Mr Liang, Master Plan 08 was recently gazetted. As part of the plan, the Ministry of National Development and URA had announced exciting new plans to develop and rejuvenate certain areas in Singapore such as Jurong Lake District, the Paya Lebar sub-regional centre, and so on. Some of the development plans also announced last year, such as Punggol 21 Plus development programme, although equally exciting, were not really new. Punggol 21 Plus is a refreshed version of the old Punggol 21 Plan that was announced some years earlier. However, due to the previous recession, the Punggol 21 Plan did not fully take off. Sir, with the current recession, will all these exciting development plans including the Punggol 21 Plus Programme be put on hold again? Sir, I was delighted to hear the Senior Minister of State just announce that the LUP Programme would be accelerated rather than slowed down. I hope that we could also accelerate these wonderful exciting plans in the Master Plan 2008. Redevelopment Plans for Paya Lebar Central and Geylang”
“Mr Chairman, the Town Councils are currently required by regulation to set aside a minimum of 30%-35% of the collection from the Service and Conservancy Charges into their sinking funds. The money in the sinking funds can only be used for relatively long-term cyclical works, such as block painting, roof replacement, electrical wiring, and lift upgrading. Could the Minister tell us if the amounts accumulated by Town Councils in their sinking funds are excessive or just sufficient to meet their long-term requirements? Now, if these accumulated funds are deemed to be more than sufficient, would MND consider lowering the minimum contributions into the sinking fund for those Town Councils with excessive sinking funds, or even amending existing regulations to allow Town Councils to use the net investment incomes generated from their sinking funds to be transferred into their operating funds in order to delay increase in charges? Accessibility”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, could the Minister give us an update on the lift upgrading programme that has been targeted for completion by year 2014? How many blocks have already been completed and the number of blocks that has yet to be completed? In view of the current economic recession, would there be a slowdown in this programme? Could the Minister also tell us if all Town Councils are projected to have sufficient sinking funds to pay for their share of the LUP before the 2014 deadline? Sir, on another subject, the HDB has already constructed lifts in some multi-storey car parks. However, in the vast majority of multi-storey car parks, there are still no lifts. In view of our ageing population, could the Minister consider starting a programme to install lifts in all our multi-storey car parks so as to make these car parks more handicapped- and elderly-friendly, and perhaps also more convenient for young parents with children to carry?”
“Finally, Sir, all of us would no doubt have heard of the singularly unromantic way Singaporean men propose marriages by suggesting the purchase of an HDB flat to their girlfriends. Could the Minister comment if MND is looking to put into place further schemes to make public housing affordable, especially for those first-time HDB buyers who are looking to settle down and start families? Affordable Public Housing”
“If someone is facing financial difficulties, it makes good economic sense that he should try and downgrade to a smaller property and use the unlocked equity from the sale of the larger unit to tide him over this difficult period. This is something, I think, should be encouraged where it is a realistic possibility. The difficulty with this is that the second concessionary interest rate of HDB loan is currently only available to those who are looking to upgrade to larger units and not to those who intend to downgrade. The latter category of home owners will generally have to take commercial bank rate loans to finance the new smaller flats. To further complicate matters, a number of these downgraders will not be able to obtain bank loans because of their financial situations and also, possibly, because banks' lending criteria have become more stringent. Would MND be able to help those in these difficult situations? In particular, would HDB consider doing away with the upgrading criteria for a second HDB loan? Sir, on a separate note, could the Minister provide an update on the status of the HDB's Lease Buyback Scheme which the Senior Minister of State has said will be implemented early this year? Given the current economic conditions, this would be a very timely and welcomed alternative for a number of elderly Singaporeans who are in financial trouble, and further details of the Lease Buyback Scheme would be appreciated. Sir, I would be especially interested to learn more about the proposed lease extensions should home owner outlive the 30-year lease period. I would also be interested to know if the eligibility criteria have been relooked in view of what Singaporeans are currently experiencing.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, Singaporeans' ownership of their homes has not been spared the effects of the current economic recession. I have three areas of concern, which I believe will result directly from this. First, smaller HDB flats. Home owners or potential home owners will be looking to downgrade or to purchase smaller flats. When times were good, the demand for these smaller units did not justify the building of new 1- to 3-room units. It is, however, reasonable to anticipate the demand for these units will rise if the economic situation continues its decline. Does MND foresee a need for new smaller size HDB flats to be constructed in view of Singaporeans' changing needs, and will we see more new 1- to 3-room flats being built? Second, the availability of HDB rental flats. My experience in the recent Meet-the-People Sessions is that more Singaporeans are having their flats compulsorily repossessed because of their personal financial difficulties. I am also seeing more residents who are having to voluntarily sell their flats to enable them to settle their debts. These ex-home owners will need to obtain alternative housing and often look to rent flats from the HDB after they have moved out of their old flats. However, there is currently a 30-month debarment period from the time of sale within which they will be ineligible to obtain a rental flat from the HDB. Does MND anticipate that the current supply of HDB rental flats will have to be increased to cope for greater demand? And would MND consider amending the HDB rental flat eligibility criteria and the debarment period for those who have to sell their flats because of financial difficulty? Third, downgrading.”
“Sir, we heard the Senior Parliamentary Secretary say that cyclists should be cycling on the roads and should they be found cycling on the pathways, if they are outside Tampines GRC, they could be severely fined. Could the Senior Parliamentary Secretary tell us if the cyclists happen to be young children on kids' bicycles, should they be cycling on the road or will they be fined if their parents make them cycle on the pathways?”
“It is unfair and may even be unconstitutional that women do not, in this respect, currently have the same sort of protection that men have under the law. So, ultimately, my question, as asked by the other Members, is: if we did not have section 377A in the Penal Code today, would we think it fit and proper to enact a provision in exactly the same terms? Would we not be seen as being narrow-minded, perhaps even bigoted in our philosophy towards people who are born different and engage in practices not approved by the majority, even if no harm is done to others? If we would not, then I think we should show leadership and convince the majority to do what is fair, just and representative of the age in which we live. And that it does not make sense to have a law we do not intend to proactively enforce and that intimate relations with the consenting adults in the privacy of one's bedroom are not the business of the Government. Finally, Sir, I support the many changes made in the Penal Code, not only to expunge archaic laws and terms - I am delighted to hear the Senior Minister of State say that there are no more terms of "bullock", "ice-house" and "horse carriages" in the Penal Code - but also to bring the existing laws up to date with our present day situation. Although in several areas I think we could have done better, overall, it was quite a commendable effort and I hope the Minister would continue to refine the provisions further in the very near future and to seriously consider expunging laws that we have no intention to enforce. 5.07 pm”
“Is it really the business of Government to regulate acts between consenting adults born with different sexual orientations in the privacy of their bedrooms? Sir, if we have intended the retention of section 377A in the Penal Code as an expression of our conservative values, rather than to be proactively enforced, as some have suggested, then I think we have come out short even in this respect. The section criminalises act of gross indecency in public and in private only if it is engaged between men. Surely, the Minister must acknowledge that women are as capable as men of committing such acts. Is section 377A therefore, as it stands, a correct statement of our values and principles? Or are there no lesbians in Singapore? Sir, it would simply not be realistic to expect the majority of Singaporeans to ever reach a position of being pro-homosexuality or where they would actively seek to repeal section 377A as a matter of priority. Even if heterosexual Singaporeans are apathetic towards homosexuality, it would be much easier just to maintain the status quo than to take steps to modify or even expunge section 377A from the Penal Code. Having said all this, section 377A is useful in one regard as it is currently an offence for a man to "procure or attempt to procure the commission" of an act of gross indecency with another man. This gives some protection to men who are subject to unwanted sexual advances of other men and should continue to be an offence whether these advances are made in public or in private. The section should however be extended to protect women who face the same sort of harassment from other women. This is a rare case of the Penal Code providing more protection to men than it does to women.”
“Neither am I convinced that we will all rapidly slip down the slippery road if we were to repeal section 377A, as suggested by some Members. The slippery road argument has less of an impact on me these days, as I have heard that sort of arguments used many times before. Some years ago, a senior politician (who shall remain unnamed) argued his case as eloquently and as convincingly as some of our NMPs did yesterday, in retaining an archaic regulation. The removal of such a regulation, it was said, would have led to conflicts, fights and murders, if it were to be abolished. Well, we have abolished that archaic regulation and permitted bar-top dancing for some years already, and the world has not come to an end yet. Sir, if the experts and MM and PM are indeed correct (and some of our MPs wrong) that some of us are indeed born with different sexual orientations, then it would be quite wrong for us to criminalise and persecute those that are born different from us, regardless of how conservative a society we claim to be, especially if their actions do not cause harm to third parties. Sir, we also claim to be a secular and inclusive society. We should therefore respect the private space of those who are born different from us as much as we expect them to respect our common space. Therefore, if we do retain section 377A, which is most likely the case, as the Prime Minister has said so already, then we should exclude criminalising acts done in private between consenting adults of full capacity. Enforcing section 377A for acts done in private would be onerous if we do not have the equivalent of religious vigilantes that some of our neighbouring countries have to spy on what takes place in the bedrooms and hotel rooms.”
“At the supernational level, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women specifically refers to marital rape as a form of violence against women. It therefore baffles me that the amendment Bill seeks to disapply the marital rape exemption only when certain conditions apply. We have moved beyond the outdated thinking that a woman gives her husband her irrevocable consent to engage in intercourse with her at any time. And I do not recall ever seen in any marriage vows where the bride explicitly gives such a consent. Sir, intercourse against a woman's consent is rape, whatever the context. Let us get this straight, no "ifs", no "buts". It is no less deplorable because the parties are married to each other and are not subject to any matrimonial or judicial proceedings. My opinion is that the inclusion of the proposed sections 375(4) and 376(5) will do us a great disservice, and I am really hard-pressed to understand how we can justify Neanderthal-like behaviour in this day and age. Section 377A Sir, another provision that has generated much controversy is section 377A. Much has already been said on this section, and I am not sure if I can add anything that has not already been said. I shudder at the thought of adding more of it because of the passion that has been shown in this House. But I think I would be remiss as a legislator if I merely hid behind the views of the "conservative majority" and maintain the status quo, which of course would be the least inconvenient thing to do if you were not gay. Sir, I am not convinced that there would be drastic consequences in our society if we do not repeal section 377A, as the section has been in the Penal Code since the Code was adopted in, I think, 1871.”
“"Thought crimes" Sir, I would now like to address what appears to be Orwellian "thought crimes" in the Penal Code. Section 121A of the Code stipulates the death penalty and a fine for anyone who imagines harm to, or the death or imprisonment of the President. Section 121B provides for the imprisonment for life and a fine for whoever who imagines the deprivation or the deposition of the President from the sovereignty of Singapore or the overthrow of the Government by criminal force. Sir, this may be part of our colonial legacy and can, I believe, trace its roots to the United Kingdom's Treason Act, which I was told was passed in 1351 - more than 6 1/2 centuries ago. Sir, the use of the word "imagine" in those sections is unfortunate as the modern meaning of the word detracts from the meaning it used to have. The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, in referring to precisely the type of archaic language set out in sections 121A and 121B, says that "imagine" in this context means "to devise, plot or plan". It is of course right that anyone who plots, plans or actually takes action against the person or the Office of the President ought to be punished, but merely "imagining" any of these - should this really be on our books? Marital rape Sir, the amendment Bill also addresses the issue of marital rape. While I note that a slight headway has been made in diluting the blanket marital rape exemption, I share the disappointment with many other Members who spoke before me that we have chosen not to adopt the same enlightened position that countries such as the United Kingdom and even conservative India have taken in criminalising marital rape without exemption.”
“Sir, section 493, as it stands, implies that only women can be duped by men into believing that they are married to them, while men are never fooled. It is somewhat insulting to women and perhaps gives men a little too much credit. Sir, section 509 makes it an offence - punishable by imprisonment of up to one year and a fine – to intentionally insult the modesty of a woman by uttering any word, making any sound, showing any gesture or exhibiting any object. However, it is not an offence if the victim is a man. It implies that men are less modest and can never be insulted by words, sounds, gestures or objects. So, in the same vein, while Chapter VII on Offences relating to the Armed Forces may, by virtue of the interpretation of the word “serviceman” in the SAF Act, be construed to apply to women as well as to men serving in the Armed Forces, the “Exception” in the Penal Code, section 136 is currently not gender equal. Section 136 refers to punishment of up to two years' imprisonment or a fine for harbouring a deserter. This provision does not apply to a wife who gives harbour to a deserter husband. On the other hand, a husband who gives harbour to his wife, who is a SAF deserter, is subject to punishment under the law. Perhaps, the exception should be made applicable to both husbands and wives, rather than limited only to wives. Sir, it is not completely outrageous to conceive of the offences under the sections that I have mentioned being committed by both men and women, and I would have thought that it would have been an opportune time to amend the language of these sections in the same way that other previously gender-biased provisions were reviewed.”
“The proposed repeal of section 498 – under which only men can be charged for an offence that both men and women are quite capable of committing – is a good example of how we have made progress on this front. Sir, some years ago, I had asked for a review of this section as it did not seem right that only a man could be imprisoned for up to two years and be fined for enticing a married woman away from her husband. However, a woman who entices a married man away from his wife, (which I think is more often the case) committed no crime. Perhaps she would have earned a bad reputation, but she was not guilty of any offence under the Penal Code. Sir, other steps in the same direction include the substitution of “spouse” for “wife” and “child” for “son” in various provisions of the Code. What puzzles me is why this exercise of “gender-neutralisation” was not taken further, with the Code applying equally to women as it does to men - to the extent that is physiologically appropriate for it to do so. Sir, the retention of sections 366, 377A, 493 and 509 “as is” is a blemish on what would otherwise have been a very successful exercise in having a Code that treats women and men equally. For example, section 493 makes it an offence for every man who, by deceit, causes any woman who is not legally married to him, to believe that she is married to him and to cohabit and to have sexual intercourse with him. An offender under this section is liable to imprisonment of up to 10 years and will be subject to a fine. However, a woman who commits the same act in respect to any man will not have committed any offence.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am always delighted to speak immediately after the Prime Minister, because most likely he would have covered everything that I wanted to say and in a more eloquent way as well. Sir, I first raised the issue of a review of the Penal Code in the Budget debate in 2002. While it has taken some time for the present Amendment Bill to be tabled, I am delighted that we have finally come to the stage where the primary legislation on criminal law is on the brink of being revised. Sir, the Amendment Bill has done much to update our penal laws and I would like to commend the various agencies that were involved in this exercise, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the organisations and individuals who have given their views on the amendments. It has been an arduous task and much thought and effort must have been expended in putting this Bill together. Much heat and debate has been generated on a few of the proposed amendments, especially on section 377A. But the amendments are significantly more than just the few of the controversial sections. Sex tourism/racial and religious offences Bold initiatives, such as the proposed criminalisation of sex tourism, must be commended as very forward-thinking and reflective of the issues affecting society in the present day. Likewise, enhanced penalties for racially or religiously aggravated offences are, in my view, extremely appropriate for this day and age, and I am sure, will have no detractors. Gender neutrality Sir, the Amendment Bill seeks to make our penal laws more gender-neutral.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the UN Envoy Gambari was reported to have asked ASEAN to go beyond this rhetorical support for its mission. Would the Minister tell us if ASEAN is willing to consider trying to influence China, India and Japan to try and bring about change in Myanmar?”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for their comprehensive responses. I think they have answered most of Members' questions to the best of their ability. With that, Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $469,055,490 for Head L stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $401,164,400 for Head L stand part of the Development Estimates.”
“Sir, while we are on the subject of haze, could the Minister confirm that Indonesia has yet to sign the ASEAN transboundary haze agreement, and which other ASEAN countries have failed to do so, and the reasons, if he knows? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, two countries have not ratified the agreement, namely, the Philippines and Indonesia. According to the Philippine Head of Delegation in Brunei, I think it is because the Philippines is going through an election. They will have to delay this until the next parliament sits or get elected sometime in the second half of this year. I have also impressed upon my Indonesian colleague, Pak Rachmat Witoelar, that they should ratify the haze agreement as soon as possible. As I understand it, the agreement is now in the Indonesian parliament and it is still being debated. We have impressed upon him that it is important that he ratifies this as soon as possible because it has been there for the last 10 years. Notwithstanding that, Sir, we will continue to develop the master plan because we need to make sure that we can deal with the forest fires as soon as possible.”
“Sir, the issue of water is one that is very important to Singapore. If we were to rely solely on local catchment sources, we would not have enough water to satisfy the demands of homes and industries. So to encourage Singaporeans to conserve water, we have a well-established system of staggered pricing as well as a water conservation tax. In recent years, we have developed NEWater and have undertaken investments to provide long-term sustainable solutions to our water needs, such as new reservoir schemes and the deep tunnel sewerage system. Could the Minister please explain if these developments would have an impact on the way we manage the demand for water through pricing? Is there a need to review the pricing policy that was formulated under different circumstances? Flood Prevention and Control”
“Sir, the smoking ban was extended to coffee shops and hawker centres last year. However, such establishment can still have designated smoking areas. Could the Minister provide an update on the enforcement of this new regulation? Are there sufficient officers deployed to enforce the ban? Are all the designated smoking areas suitable locations, such that non-smokers are not required to inhale second-hand smoke?”
“Sir, could the Minister update the House on the measures taken to prevent the recurrence of the haze situation experienced in Singapore last year and in previous years. I understand that Singapore and other countries have agreed to work with the Indonesians to eliminate slash and burn land clearance methods and, ultimately, eliminate the annual occurrence of haze over the entire region. Could the Minister tell us what is the level of Singapore's commitment to assist Indonesia eliminate this domestic and transborder environmental hazard faced by Indonesia and the regional countries, including Singapore, for many years already? Sir, no amount of effort would succeed without effective monitoring and enforcement action on the ground by the Indonesian authorities. However, I remain optimistic that good progress will be achieved as Indonesia has recently demonstrated its ability to take drastic action to protect the environment. Finally, Sir, is the Minister aware of any Singapore-owned companies involved in agricultural activities in Indonesia that generate haze? And, if so, what action does he plan to take against such companies? Dust Pollution”