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 4 of 10.
“Sir, economic growth and population increase are often accompanied by increased waste generation. How fast are our landfills filling up and how is Singapore addressing our waste problems? What is the percentage on waste recycling compared to other developed countries and what measures are being taken to raise the percentage of recycling in Singapore? Sir, being a top First World country is more than just infrastructure development and providing world-class amenities. Our people must develop social responsibility and social graces that are associated and even expected of a top First World nation. A visit to some of our housing estates and parks will reveal that public behaviour and attitudes towards the care of public property and amenities still leave much room for improvement. Without the thousands of efficient cleaners cleaning up for us every day, many of our estates may not even be near First World standards. Achieving a clean and sustainable environment would require more than just Government action. The support and commitment of all parties involved are of vital importance if we are to succeed. Could the Minister tell us what measures his Ministry has taken and will take to enhance public education and enforcement action, if necessary, in order to ensure that our social behaviour keeps pace with our drive to become a top First World country? Could the Minister also tell us how successful has its engagement efforts seen with its three "P" partners - people, private and public sector partners - been so far and what more would be done to enhance this partnership?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head L of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, we have already heard that Singapore aspires to be closer to the top among First World nations. In the years ahead, we plan to support a significantly larger population and increase industrial activities for economic growth. However, much needs to be done to ensure that we always have a clean and sustainable environment that will enhance our quality of life. Could the Minister tell us where Singapore now stands compared to First World countries, in terms of environmental performance? What are the benchmark and timeframe he has set for his Ministry to achieve our objectives of being among the top of the First World countries? One of the most important factors in our survival is the availability of clean water at affordable prices. Could the Minister tell us what plans are there to ensure that we will always have sufficient water for our people, industries, businesses and recreation even when our population approaches 6.5 million people? In addition to water sufficiency, we need to ensure good air quality, despite increasing industrial activities and more vehicles on our roads. Could the Minister tell us what has been done to ensure good air quality in Singapore and the promotion of the use of environmentally-friendly vehicles on our roads? However, good air quality is not dependent solely on domestic measures. Despite our best efforts, our air quality may be affected by transboundary haze. And I think it may be a bit more difficult for Indonesia to enforce a ban on the export of its haze compared to the enforcement of the ban on its sand exports. But I will talk more about the haze in the later cut.”
“Sir, ASEAN governments must surely realise by now that ASEAN's policy of constructive engagement and quiet diplomacy with the Myanmar's military junta over many years has failed to bring about any change for the better in that country. In fact, the situation appears to be regressing after many broken promises made to ASEAN and with hardly any progress made on their roadmap to democracy. Myanmar's military junta has done little to provide ASEAN with justification to continue defending it, and ASEAN's credibility has suffered much as a result of trying to defend the junta against international criticism. However, ASEAN must also realise the limits of its influence, as evidenced by the snub received by its envoy, Syed Hamid Albar when he visited Myanmar earlier last year. Although ASEAN's influence on Myanmar appears limited, ASEAN governments must speak up and make it clear that what is happening in Myanmar is not acceptable to the other ASEAN members. ASEAN cannot simply ignore the tragedy happening in the member country and should review its policy of constructive engagement and stop using non-interference as an excuse for inaction. ASEAN's current constitution does not have any provision to suspend or expel rogue members. Could the Minister tell us whether the proposed ASEAN Charter currently being drawn up will address this shortcoming?”
“With that, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $783,918,000 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $4,331,536,400 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Column No : 2622 COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY REPORTING PROGRESS”
“I would like to thank the Minister, the Minister of State and the Parliamentary Secretary for their comprehensive answers to all Members. I would also like to thank you, Mdm Chairman, for your patience and for your clinical efficiency in maintaining time for both the front and back benches.”
“Madam, we heard the Minister tell the House earlier in the day that sand and granite prices are expected to go up due to the ban on land sand from Indonesia and, more recently reported, disruption of granite shipments from Indonesia. I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware of any instances of profiteering by suppliers and, if so, what measures would the Building and Construction Authority, or BCA, take to curb such profiteering. On another subject, the Minister announced sometime ago that the Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL) and the Specialists Trade Alliance of Singapore (STAS) were negotiating a standard form contract for use between domestic subcontractors and main contractors. This, I believe, was being done in order to reduce disputes between main contractors and subcontractors. Could the Minister give us an update on the progress of the formulation of standard form contracts? Would BCA take a more active role in curbing profiteering in the construction industry as well as assisting to facilitate agreement between SCAL and STAS on standard form contracts? Infrastructure for the Disabled and Elderly”
“Madam, lately, MPs have been seeing more cases of residents with apparently no alternative accommodation being evicted from their flats by the banks due to arrears in their instalments. These evictions are sometimes done even when these families have young children with them. Some ended up sleeping in void decks or in public parks and at least one in his lorry in the carpark until alternative shelters can be found for them by MCYS. Madam, I am not sure that each and every one of these cases involve people who are homeless by choice. Could the HDB work out an arrangement with MCYS to ensure that families facing eviction would be offered temporary shelters before their flats are repossessed? While it is not possible to ensure that everyone behaves in a financially prudent manner and avoid getting into such trouble, we cannot afford to aspire to be a top first-world country if we have our homeless sleeping in public places, whether by choice or by circumstance. Rental Flats”
“Sir, the Government has made a commitment to complete the Lift Upgrading Programme for all eligible HDB blocks, including blocks in Opposition-held constituencies by 2014. As this 2014 commitment is only applicable to eligible blocks, I would like to seek clarification from the Minister as to how many blocks are currently classified as being ineligible and, therefore, may not have their lifts upgraded by 2014. Could the Minister also give us an update on the number of blocks that have been upgraded by the HDB and Town Councils since the commencement of the Lift Upgrading Programme? How many blocks have yet to be completed, and is the original programme running on schedule, such that the 2014 deadline will be met? Could the Minister also tell us if the Lift Upgrading Programme in Potong Pasir is progressing as scheduled, as promised by the MP during the last general elections? If I recall correctly, the promise was that all blocks in Potong Pasir will have their lifts upgraded within five years.”
“Could the Minister let us know his Ministry's plans for enhancing our clean and green Garden City image and providing good quality living environment for all present and future Singapore residents? We also need to ensure that our buildings incorporate features that would reduce energy consumption, increase water conservation and promote recycling. Could the Minister tell us what measures are being considered to make our buildings more green and ecologically friendly? Finally, would the Minister consider requiring all town councils to meet minimum standards to ensure that our public housing estates remain among the best in the world and that none degenerates into a slum due to mismanagement? Singapore is just too small for any constituency to become a slum, as this will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the neighbouring constituencies and, ultimately, the rest of the country. Concept Plan”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, the Minister for National Development recently announced a mid-term review of Singapore's Concept Plan 2001. The revised Concept Plan aims to transform Singapore into a top First World nation and provide capacity and infrastructure to support a population of 6.5 million people, up from 5.5 million that was originally planned in 2001. It envisages a steep increase in demand for industrial land and also a significant increase in the proportion of high density housing to accommodate a larger population as well as to cater for more foreign workers and elderly Singaporeans. There will also be increased transportation demands to satisfy amidst our severe land constraints. Could the Minister elaborate further on how his Ministry intends to achieve these objectives as there are concerns over how we will be dealing with a much larger population comprising old and new citizens and foreign workers, all of whom will be closely packed in high density housing? Sir, we would also need to overcome some immediate obstacles that others seem quite determined to place before us. Could the Minister clarify the media reports that, in addition to the sand export ban by the Indonesian government, there is now the granite export ban, this time imposed by the Indonesian navy? How would this development affect the construction industry and what measures would the Government be able to take to overcome such impediments to our progress and development? Sir, I was glad to hear that the Concept Plan, while intending to cater for a significant population and industrial growth, will continue to enhance the quality of life in our city, our housing estates and public places.”
“I would not like to speculate on why the punishment for such an offence was enhanced. Finally, Sir, I notice that there was an effort made in the provisions of the Penal Code to make it more gender neutral. For example, the word "wife" was changed to "spouse" and the word "son" was changed to "child". However, there is an offence in the Code that only men can be charged with although women are quite capable of committing somewhat similar acts. Sir, I am sure that the Senior Minister of State is aware of which section I am referring to, and I hope that the Minister would review such sections to make it more gender equal in due course. 5.15 pm Rights of Accused Persons”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I am delighted to finally see a completed draft of the revision of the Penal Code. I am sure that a very substantive and comprehensive review had been accomplished due to the years that it has taken to complete the task, and I think it is important that our primary criminal legislation should be updated in its totality. I was, therefore, disappointed to see a number of illustrations and examples in the revised Code that would appear more relevant in 1871 rather than 2007. For example, if I were to meet a bullock carrying a box of treasure and decided to drive the bullock in a certain direction, to dishonestly take the treasure, I will be committing theft of the treasure as soon as the bullock begins to move. Or if I were feeling particularly mischievous and decided to introduce water into an icehouse, causing the ice to melt, I will naturally have committed mischief. It might interest Members to know that the examples that I have cited are specific illustrations of offences still listed in the updated Penal Code. Sir, I am not sure how many bullocks carrying treasure are seen on our roads these days or if there is any icehouse still in existence in Singapore. However, I am sure that a more thorough update of the Penal Code could have been done. Sir, I was initially very surprised that section 151A had been deleted from the Penal Code. Section 151A refers to, amongst other things, the posting of placards that could incite disobedience against authority. My surprise, however, was short-lived when I came across new section 267C that reproduces the exact wordings of the deleted section 151A but with an enhanced punishment of five years' imprisonment instead of the three years.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister what he intends to do to foreigners who take up Singapore PR but refuse to take up citizenship after many, many years of staying in Singapore. Does he intend to set a minimum period where if they do not take up citizenship, the PR status would be reviewed?”
“I would like the Minister to consider policies adopted by the developed countries that have been successful and adapt them to local needs to improve our fertility rates. 12.30 pm”
“Sir, we have already heard Singapore's fertility rate is among the lowest in the world. And we heard from Mdm Halimah that our procreation policies introduced in 2004 have not had the desired impact on our population. Could the Minister advise if the experiences of other developed nations, such as France, Australia, the Nordic states or even Iceland, were taken into consideration in developing our latest procreation policies and, if so, which countries' policies were considered? A study conducted for the European Commission in 2004 revealed that government policies can slow fertility declines. The specific example of France was cited. France was the first European nation to experience a decline in its fertility rate. But with the implementation of an aggressive set of pro-natalistic policies, it now has the second highest fertility rate in Europe behind Ireland. The fertility rate in France has increased from 1.65 in 1993 to 1.9 in 2002. French women workers are offered mandatory paid maternity leave, job-protected leave for up to 42 weeks and parents receive an allowance if they interrupt their employment to care for a child under three years of age and they have to care for at least two children. Other benefits which are available are the single parent allowance, an adoption allowance, a parental education allowance, a special education allowance for handicapped children and an annual school allowance. Beginning at the age of two or three, French children can attend all day pre-school programmes for which families pay on a sliding scale. This can range from nothing for the low-income families to 15% for high-income families. The French experience shows that with an aggressive government policy, it can have an effective and positive effect on the fertility rates.”
“Sir, the Minister, in his reply to my Question, mentioned that there are some areas in our border with Indonesia and Malaysia that are still being negotiated. Could the Minister tell us if our land reclamation works are at all an issue in these negotiations?”
“Sir, I am delighted to hear that the Minister is in the process of reviewing the HDB policies to make them easier for low-income families as well as for the elderly to own homes or even be housed in rental units. I would like to seek clarification from the Minister if he would also consider reviewing the debarment period for families who are unable to afford instalments of the larger units because their circumstances have changed and now need to downgrade to smaller units or even rental units.”
“Sir, the Minister mentioned the setting up of a review panel that will review and develop talent in the Legal Service. Could the Minister tell us how he envisions talent to be developed in the service?”
“But if all the criteria were met, will the Minister support the forthcoming? The Arts School Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung: Sir, the development of the creative industries requires the nurturing of young talent, and opportunities must be given to the young to develop their talents in an atmosphere conducive to both learning and also to developing their innate abilities. This is not a subject that is easy to balance and the fact that we are going to have an Arts School, I think, is a step in the right direction, but one must be very careful what we teach and who we take and who teaches in that Arts School. The questions I would like to ask the Minister is, first, what sort of students will qualify to be students in this Arts School? How many of them will be chosen? How old will they be? How are they to be selected? I think parents are especially anxious to know whether their children will be eligible for selection because many parents, whether rightly or wrongly, believe their children are talented. Second, what sort of curriculum is to be expected? Because, on the one hand, we want the children to have a proper formal education but, on the other, we must be flexible enough to allow them to display their talents to the maximum and to develop their talents to the maximum. How will this curriculum look and whether going into the Arts School would, in fact, enhance their education rather than be a stumbling block later? Finally, the staff. What can we expect would be recruited to be the Arts School's staff members? Because it is very necessary to have the right teachers so as to support the passion in the children. And I believe that artistic children are perhaps more temperamental than normal children. So, we need special staff to understand them and to cater to their needs.”
“Sir, one of MICA's missions is to develop and promote our creative industries. And by most accounts, the Minister and his team must be congratulated for having done an excellent job thus far. Notable events during the last year include the Singapore Arts Show 2005, a Journey of Faith, exhibiting the treasures from the Vatican collections and Nonya Kebaya, a living art which allows the younger generation of Singaporeans to be exposed to heritage art. A noteworthy event for MICA in 2005 was the full scale launch of the Creative Community Singapore Programme which is meant, and I quote the Minister, "To provide more opportunities for Singaporeans from all walks of life to unleash and express their creativity and innovative spirit and I am looking forward to talented artistes being given additional opportunities to exhibit their creations." Exhibition space has, for the most part, been confined to the central part of Singapore. The Esplanade, for example, has a beautiful forum where gifted artistes can share their talent with both Singaporeans and visitors who go to the Esplanade. I would like to ask the Minister if more could be done to bring arts to the heartlands and if his Ministry will support artistic expressions and creativity by ordinary citizens. And I wonder if, for example, the Minister would give his backing to an ad hoc exhibition of creatively designed depictions of pachyderms being exhibited along a quiet stretch of road, perhaps in the north-eastern part of Singapore, which will bring some cheer to residents over there. Obviously, such depictions must not be offensive to any racial or religious group and not create a public nuisance. It must be done with the utmost of sensitivity to the feelings of residents.”
“Mr Chairman, I have already raised this issue for quite a number of years and I hope that this year would indeed be the last time that I would be raising this. Last year, the Senior Minister of State informed us that the Ministry of Home Affairs would be able to take steps to amend the Penal Code within two to three months. We were also informed that the Law Society would be consulted on the draft Bill and that the Bill would be put up for public feedback. Could the Minister let us have an update on the status of this exercise and also inform us the reasons for the delay in the review of this very important statute?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to thank the speaker who spoke before me for asking nearly all the questions that I had wanted to ask. I would, therefore, just like to confine my question to the KPIs for the clearance of travellers at the airport checkpoints as well as the clearance of containers at our ports. The timeframe given for the KPIs was eight minutes. Sir, could the Minister also consider setting a key performance indicator for the clearance of travellers and vehicles at our land checkpoints at the Causeway and the Second Link? Loan Sharks”
“Sir, I think the media report indicated that the Minister stated on 29th August that LTA would complete its study within one to two months, and that he would hurry LTA along, if necessary.”
“Sir, could the Minister ensure that LTA works within the time framework expected, ie, complete the study within one to two months, effective 29th August 2005?”
“Sir, I would like to thank the hon. Member who spoke before me for asking all the questions that I wanted to ask about the Arts School. I would just like to ask the Minister now whether the programmes for the Arts School have already been developed and, if so, could he provide some details to it? Perhaps, the Minister could also tell us what is the expected intake of this Arts School.”
“Sir, the Creative Town Initiative was initiated by MICA recently. It was to allow anyone to express themselves artistically through interesting projects with a lasting impact on the community. Sir, to date, there appears to be little publicity on this initiative. Despite this, I believe that a number of initiatives or proposals have been put forward to MICA and a few may have even been approved. Could the Minister provide more details on this and tell us what has been the response to the Creative Town Initiative and what are some of the interesting projects that have already been approved? What will his Ministry do to create greater awareness of this initiative and to encourage more to participate in this project?”
“6.15 pm Sir, I would like to, first of all, declare my interest as an employee of a service provider at Changi Airport. Sir, the Minister for Transport had previously announced that the aviation sector contributed as much as 9% of Singapore's GDP. In order to retain our aviation hub status, Singapore must continue to attract more airlines to Changi Airport by facilitating their operations here and ensuring our charges are competitive. But cost alone cannot be the only consideration. If we were only to rely on lower cost, we will always be at a disadvantage, compared to countries with more abundant land and manpower resources. Sir, I am aware that CAAS is trying to impose performance indicators on service providers to meet that of the Changi Airport. Could the Minister provide an assurance that should such performance indicators be imposed, it will be done equitably to ensure a level playing field for all service providers? And like my parliamentary colleagues before me, Mr Ong Kian Min and Mr Wee Siew Kim, I would also like to ask the Minister to tell us what strategies his Ministry intends to implement to ensure that Changi Airport maintains its aviation hub status. Sir, in our efforts to grow traffic at Changi Airport, we have always welcomed foreign carriers. However, in the past one year alone, three new Singapore carriers - Valuair, Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways - have emerged. Could the Minister tell us if this proliferation of new Singapore carriers inadvertently discourage foreign carriers from operating in Changi Airport and cause them to consider operating in other regional hubs? Low-cost Airlines”
“Some of the points have already been raised by the speakers before, and so I would not repeat them. Sir, the Third and Fourth Schedules of the Competition Act that Parliament passed not so long ago excluded rail services, amongst some other essential services, from the need to have competition. Sir, was this the realisation that having two or more train operators in Singapore for the sake of competition was not such a good idea after all? The second train operator operating the North-East Line, despite raising productivity by using state-of-the-art equipment and driverless trains, eliminating bus routes that could provide competition to its train routes and cutting cost by not opening, at least, one very important station, is still losing money on its train operations. Besides the lack of population catchment, a contributory factor must surely be the lack of economies of scale in such a small area of operation. Would the Minister consider facilitating a consolidation of the train operators so that better economies of scale could be achieved for the benefit of commuters, as well as the single operator? Sir, I do realise that SMRT and SBS Transit are public listed companies and it may not be appropriate for the Minister to tell these companies what they should do. However, I am sure that the Minister is ingenious enough to be able to come up with incentives for them to do the right thing and, at the same time, with disincentives if they continue to do the wrong thing. One final point, Sir. Could the Minister also give us an update when Buangkok Station will be opened? Mini-buses”
“Could the Minister tell us what road safety measures and safety messages are being conveyed to these more vulnerable road users? Speed Limit”
“Sir, like the Member before me, during the last few weeks, I have had a significant increase in the number of my constituents coming to see me in connection with speeding offences. I believe that this is a direct result of the Traffic Police using the newly acquired speed cameras which were, until recently, stealthily deployed. Like Mr Tan Soo Khoon, I applaud the move by the Traffic Police to make the cameras and the enforcement officers more visible. However, I feel a little more could still be done. For example, there is hardly any use in telling the public that the speed cameras may be deployed on the PIE. Sir, I believe the PIE may be the longest uninterrupted stretch of road in Singapore. The Traffic Police, if it wants to be more visible, needs to be more specific with information on deployment locations. Sir, a related point is that the Traffic Police or the Land Transport Authority, whichever authority that is in charge of speed limits, should consider if the 50 kph speed limit on the majority of our roads is feasible or realistic. Public perception is that the Traffic Police gives some leeway where speeding offences are concerned. However, this simply adds on to the uncertainty as to how much over the limit one can go. Could the Minister consider raising the speed limits to a safely acceptable level and then employ a zero-accident policy towards enforcement? There would then be at least some sense of certainty and motorists would not have an excuse if this policy were to be applied across-the-board. Sir, motorists are not the only road users. More vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, especially the elderly and children, also use the roads.”
“Sir it is on record that the Penal Code has been called my favourite topic. While I do not profess to play favourites, I shall, for the sake of continuity, ask the Minister if he would let us know when the long promised review of the Penal Code will be completed. The law must have certainty. If an offence is on our books, the Police and the authorities have a responsibility to enforce it no matter how silly or ridiculous it may appear to us today. Prosecutorial discretion aside, they have no mandate to ignore provisions of our law and they cannot do so until the law is amended and the outdated provisions expunged from our books. We must realise that this issue is one which is more fundamental than has been acknowledged. Sir, it is my fervent hope, and I am sure it is now also the fervent hope of the Minister, that I will not have to raise this issue again at next year's COS. Warrants of Arrest Sir, would the Minister tell us what is the average number of warrants of arrest issued by the courts each year? What is the backlog in the number of warrants yet to be executed by the Warrants Enforcement Unit? Could the Minister also tell us what measures his Ministry intends to take to clear the backlog and perhaps also reduce the necessity for new warrants being added to the backlog? Criminal Records”
“Sir, the Minister of Statehas mentioned that HDB would intervene should residents be unreasonable. Could we also have an assurance from the Minister of State that should the contractors be unreasonable, HDB would also intervene?”
“Could the Minister of State tell us how much funding is provided to SDS and SDU and how many members SDS and SDU serve?”
“Many of the students and guardians who have approached STB have been counselled and given advice regarding the options available to them to seek redress. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the STB has also sought the help of other Government agencies, or negotiated with NIM for a suitable solution. The more serious complaints of forgery of signatures are being investigated by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and appropriate action would be taken based on the outcome. UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO) (Plans for Singapore to rejoin) 21. Mr Tan Soo Khoon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are plans for Singapore to rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and, if none, under what conditions will it do so.”
“NIM was also alleged to have charged students for items like school uniforms which are not needed, and guardianship fee when no guardian was made available to the student. In view of these complaints, SPRING conducted two audits on NIM. The first audit, conducted in October 2003, recommended that NIM address several shortfalls. NIM was also informed that a second audit would be conducted in three months' time to check on their implementation. During these three months, more complaints were received from students. The second audit was conducted in February 2004. NIM was found to have breached the mandatory pre-qualification requirements which all PEOs applying for SQC-PEO certification must meet on an on-going basis. NIM, as with all organisations applying for the SQC-PEO certification, had made a declaration in its application that it had met all such requirements. In view of this, SPRING decided to withdraw NIM's SQC-PEO status with effect from 15th April 2004. Contrary to what Mr Alan Lau, CEO of NIM said to the media, SPRING had communicated the reasons for the revocation in writing to NIM through the second audit report on 31st March 2004. Sir, I am unable to go into the details of the breaches because SPRING is bound by a confidentiality obligation with SQC-PEO organisations with regard to their application for SQC-PEO certification. However, if NIM agrees to release SPRING from this obligation, we would make public the breaches that led to the revocation. Of the 30 students who have lodged complaints with STB, 14 have transferred to other institutions in Singapore. Twelve are still continuing their studies with NIM. The remaining four have either returned home or have left to pursue their studies elsewhere in the world.”
“Where appropriate, the respective grassroots advisers may also give testimonials to their grassroots leaders who have served well, based on their personal knowledge in their grassroots leaders. NANYANG INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT (Revocation of SQC-PEO) 20. Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the reasons for the Government's decision to revoke the Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC-PEO) status given to the Nanyang Institute of Management; and (b) what is the current status of the foreign students who lodged complaints against the Institute. Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government is committed to develop Singapore into a thriving education hub. In response to industry feedback, SPRING Singapore introduced the Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC-PEO) scheme as a trust mark to identify quality education providers. The trust mark would help students distinguish the good schools and make more informed choices. Participation in the scheme by the PEOs is voluntary. For this trust mark to be credible, we need to enforce strict standards and allow only institutions which fully satisfy the requirements to carry the mark. The Nanyang Institute of Management (NIM) was awarded the SQC-PEO certification in July 2003. However, since then, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has received 22 complaints from 30 foreign students against NIM. NIM is alleged to have forged students' signatures on student pass applications, made students sign on blank forms, and enter false information to enable students to come here for courses not approved by the relevant authorities.”
“Question No. 19, Sir. The Minister of State for Community Development and Sports (Mr Chan Soo Sen) (for the Minister for Community Development and Sports): Sir, we have not detected any trend of grassroots leaders giving up their grassroots work or community work because they have lost their jobs. In fact, on the contrary, the People's Association is heartened to know of grassroots leaders who, despite having been retrenched, have continued to play an active role in grassroots work. We would like to commend these individuals for their selflessness and dedication towards community service. Therefore, in answer to the first part of the Question, community service is not affected by the morale of community leaders who are above 40 and have been retrenched. Having said that, the People's Association would be understanding if any retrenched grassroots leader wants to spend more time looking for a new job. He or she could have the choice of either continuing to serve, but assume a less demanding role, or if he so desires, he can be given temporary leave of absence. Just like any other Singaporean, any retrenched grassroots leader who has difficulty finding a job can approach the Community Development Councils for skills training and job search assistance. Although the People's Association (PA) has no specific programme to maintain the employability of grassroots leaders on their jobs, any training the grassroots leaders may have received from the People Association's training arm, that is, the National Community Leadership Institute, as well as the experience and skills they have acquired through their grassroots work, would be useful to them in looking for a new job.”
“Sir, could the Minister tell us whether the National Kidney Foundation is in full compliance with all the current guidelines that he mentioned just now in the collection and utilisation of the funds that it receives from the public?”
“Madam, winning medals is a poor excuse for delaying the submission of its Annual Report. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head I of the Development Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code II 5200. On page 117 of the Budget book, under the heading "Singapore Sports Council Programme", the figures indicated a steady decline in the number of sports and recreation facilities from 130 in FY 2001 to 129 in FY 2002 and, last year, it was down to 126. The number of attendance at sports facilities has also shown a steady decline from 10.3 million in FY 2001 to 9.7 million in FY 2003. Could the Minister tell us what does the Singapore Sports Council intend to do in order to arrest the declining numbers in both sports facilities as well as attendance at these facilities? And could the Minister also tell us when the Council will release its FY 2002 Annual Report to Parliament and the reason for the delay?”
“I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. 5.45 pm Singapore Sports Council”
“Madam, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head I of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code IH 3100. Madam, on page 89 of this year's Budget book, under the heading of People's Association (PA) Programme, I note that the operating expenditure for PA's programmes for FY 2004 has been increased by $42.64 million or 17% over FY 2003 expenditure. It is further stated that, "The increase is mainly due to the implementation of more grassroots activities and new initiatives to widen the PA's outreach and increase multi-racial participation among the residents." Could the Minister inform the House what are these new initiatives to widen PA's outreach and increase multi-racial participation among the residents? Have any targets been set? Could the Minister also inform the House when will PA release its FY 2002 Annual Report? FY 2003 is almost over and yet the previous year's annual report has yet to be presented to Parliament. What is the reason for this delay?”
“Madam, I would like to thank the Minister and the Minister of State for their replies, and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, the Committee on Sporting Singapore, when it released its report in July 2001, had made a number of recommendations and also set certain targets for sports in Singapore to achieve. For example, in its report for "Sports for Everyone" the target of getting one out of every two Singaporeans to participate in a sport related activity by 2005 was set, and targets were also set for sporting excellence. Could the Minister provide an update on the implementation of these recommendations and whether we are closer to achieving the targets that have been set? Sir, the Prime Minister had also set a target year for the Singapore Football Team to qualify for the World Cup finals. Could the Minister advise if we are on track to achieving the Prime Minister's target, or should he be advising the Prime Minister on a more realistic date?”
“Thank you, Sir, I will keep it short. Sir, it was reported some years ago that the national volunteerism rate in Singapore was very low, compared to other countries. In fact, the percentage of Singaporeans involved in volunteerism was only 9% in 2000. Could the Minister provide an update on the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre's efforts and programmes to promote philanthropy and volunteerism? Have we managed to increase the national volunteerism rate over the last few years? And, during this period of economic downturn, have Singaporeans become less charitable and cut back on their donations to charitable organisations? And, if so, what is being done about this? Inter-racial Confidence Circle”
“Sir, social cohesion, including racial and religious harmony, forms the cornerstone of Singapore’s survival as a nation. A lot of resources have been expended by the Government, Community Development Councils and IRCCs to strengthen social cohesion and racial harmony in Singapore. Could the Minister provide an update of the various efforts to foster racial and religious harmony in Singapore? Could the Minister also explain why, despite these efforts,there appears to be a slight drop in the percentage of people surveyed who are satisfied with the state of race relations in Singapore – from 90% in 2001 to 89% in 2002? A more significant drop is noted in the Malay community from 94% who were satisfied in 2001 to 91% in 2002. The ethnic Chinese population appears to be the least satisfied at 88% while the ethnic Indians are the most satisfied at 93%. Does the Minister have an explanation for these differences in perception by the various ethnic communities? Another community development feedback group’s survey indicated that approximately, 41% of those surveyed felt that IRCCs would help promote ethnic integration. Presumably, 59% of those surveyed did not think so. Could the Minister tell us what measures are being taken to raise the profile and increase the effectiveness of IRCCs in order to enhance social cohesion among Singaporeans?”
“Sir, it is common knowledge that Singapore’s population is aging rapidly as a result of our falling birth rate and increasing life expectancy. An Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Aging Population was set up in 1998 and the Committee subsequently made 78 recommendations. Could the Minister give us an update on the implementation of these recommendations? Sir, the profile of our elderly is changing, with higher educational attainment and changing lifestyles. If our fertility rate continues to decline and more and more Singaporeans choose to remain single or are unable to find compatible spouses, new policy concerns and challenges would arise. We would have a significantly higher proportion of aged who are better educated and probably, more affluent but with no spouse or no children to rely on for care and support. This would impact on the quality and the range of eldercare services and the need for more elderly-friendly built environment and transportation systems. Employment, financial security and healthcare for the elderly are some of the other emerging challenges that need to be addressed. Could the Minister tell us what measures are being taken to address these new emerging challenges? 1.00 pm Retirees”
“24 million would be set aside to fund the four initiatives, which are the STEP-UP programme, the Secretariat to handle out-of-school youth issues, the Youth Leaders and Mentors Programme and the Community Involvement Programme Kit,over the next three years. In conclusion, Sir, our youths are our future. We need to ensure there is enough space and time for them to dream their dreams and to make them into a reality. Our Sports School has opened up an avenue to nurture promising sports talent. Over time, MCDS hopes that more avenues will be opened so that all young Singaporeans can develop their diverse talents and abilities and enjoy the personal satisfaction of reaching their potential. We applaud the move by MITA to open up an Arts School. At the same time, our youths must also stay engaged in the community and rooted to the nation. These new initiatives are geared towards realising these goals.”
“Sir, the National Youth Council has agreed to be the lead agency for this programme, as it is in line with their mandate to develop leadership qualities and abilities across a broad spectrum of youths. Training subsidies will be provided to ensure that all youths have equal access to the training programmes. Over the next few months the NYC will work very closely with training providers, schools, youths and community organisations to launch the initiative. The last initiative is that we will be launching a Community Involvement Programme Kit together with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre. Currently, as we are aware, all students from secondary schools to junior colleges are required to fulfil six hours of community service annually. This kit would provide supplemental resources and guidelines to teachers and students, so as to help them plan, source and execute community projects more meaningfully. By enhancing the Community Involvement Programme, we hope to nurture socially responsible youths who are keen to be involved in their community. The idea is to get them involved in the community early, help them to make their experience meaningful so that they can continue in their experience as they transit from secondary schools and beyond. The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre will develop and manage the content of the web-based kit. In order to ensure that organisations have the capacity to host a large number of students, the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre will work closely with MOE to roll out the kit progressively to schools in stages. In total, about $10.”
“While there are many youth leadership programmes in schools, most are not linked directly to community involvement. Based on feedback from youth organisations and voluntary welfare organisations, there is also a lack of youth mentors and service-learning facilitators. The Youth Leaders and Mentors Programme is meant to address this gap by providing youth leadership training coupled with placement in community service. Mentoring can be an empowering and life-changing process for both mentors and mentees. The Youth Helping Youth Programme was started by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre and the CIP Network, a voluntary group. It trains older youths to become mentors to guide younger teens to generate and sustain unique volunteering opportunities for the Community Involvement Programme. As a result of this mentoring programme, students from North Vista Secondary School said that they not only had found a good friend in their mentors but also gained in terms of self-confidence and problem-solving skills. Mentoring also inspires the mentors themselves to want to do more, and to become more active citizens. Take, for example, Bryan Tong, a second-year business student at SMU. He was a Youth Helping Youth mentor who was so inspired by the positive character changes in his mentees that he has decided to further his involvement in the community. The idea is to get them bitten by the bug so that they continue volunteering. Bryan is now leading a group of NPCC boys from Victoria Secondary School in yet another Park Safety project with Skateline and the National Parks Board.”