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 6 of 10.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, could the Minister of State confirm when were these market rentals established? Was it before the recession or after the recession?”
“Sir, is the Minister of State aware that Singapore ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1995, and that Article 10 of this Convention states that, among other things, women should also be provided with equal rights as men in the field of education, and that surely must include the study of medicine? Can the Minister of State tell us whether we are in compliance with this Convention which Singapore ratified? Dr Balaji Sadasivan: Sir, I am aware of the Convention. But with regard to the question of whether we are complying with it, I will forward his question to the appropriate Ministry, probably the Ministry of Law. The Member can table a Question to that effect. We are aware that female Singaporeans would like the quota to be lifted. The Remaking Singapore Committee has recommended that the quota be lifted, and we are waiting for the Report. When the Report comes in, we will study it.”
“Yes, Sir, but the Minister of State's response really leaves me with no choice. The protection which I am seeking for these 1,800 men is basically the same that is afforded to the women in Singapore under the Women's Charter. Would the Minister of State not agree that this would be more gender equal and equitable?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with your kind indulgence, just one more supplementary question. Back to my first supplementary question, in 1,800 households in Singapore, the situation is that the man is the full-time home-maker. Would the Minister of State not agree that in these cases, men too need some protection?”
“Is the Minister of State aware that the current Women's Charter already includes the protection of children? Therefore, how much more complicated can it be?”
“Would the Minister of State then not look into amending the title of the Charter into a Family Charter rather than a Women's Charter, to make it more gender equal?”
“Sir, there is absolutely no provision for men under the Women's Charter to claim maintenance from their wives or their ex-wives. The court cannot make a maintenance order.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, is the Minister of State aware that the present reality is that there are approximately 1,800 households in Singapore where the husband or the man is the full-time home-maker? Under these circumstances, would he not also agree that in these cases, the men may need financial support should their wives divorce them? Mr Chan Soo Sen: As I have mentioned, Sir, the court will take all these into consideration when making the order.”
“Sir, the Minister of State's response is not satisfactory. Anyway, 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 Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code IC 1500. Sir, the People's Association recently amended the rules and regulations of the CCC and CCMC. Among other things, the amendment introduces a compulsory retirement age for key grassroots leaders in the CCC and CCMC. The key posts that are now subject to an age limit of 65 years include the Chairman, Secretary and the Treasurer. This rule does not take into consideration the number of years in office or the ability of potential office-holders and indicates ageism which stems from a negative view of ageing and old age. It also fails to realise that there are many people who after retirement from a full and rewarding career, at the age of 62 years or older, now have more time to be involved in community service, armed with a life-time of experience and knowledge. Enforcing a prohibition based solely on the arbitrary age of 65 years, in favour of nurturing new and younger leaders to keep up with the changing expectations and aspirations of the residents they serve, reflects the preoccupation that we are still a youth-oriented society when, in reality, we are among the fastest ageing population in the world. Although the new rules appear to allow exceptions, provided specific approval has been obtained by the People's Association, it does not indicate under what circumstances would approval be granted. Could the Minister indicate what percentage of grassroots leaders in these key positions are aged 65 years and above, and tell us why this rule is even necessary, when it is well within the authority of the advisers of the grassroots organisations to appoint or replace non-performing or unsuitable grassroots leaders? 4.30 pm”
“Sir, I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for the responses and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“With more and more public funds being allocated to CDCs, would it not be timely then for CDCs to be regulated by its own Act rather than remain under the umbrella of the PA Act? Each CDC should also be required to furnish an annual report of their income, expenditure, and their achievements, similar to that currently being done by the Town Councils.”
“Sir, the CDCs have been doing a tremendous job in very many diverse activities and programmes since their formation in 1997. With all CDCs now having full-time Mayors, these organisations are well-placed to do even more for the community. After more than five years since their inception, it may be timely to do an evaluation on the progress that has been made by CDCs so far. The Prime Minister, in his National Day Rally speech on 17th August 1996 said that CDCs are to rekindle the old community spirit of mutual help where the more able and successful should help the less able and less well-off as they used to do and were respected for doing. 4.00 pm The community, especially those who receive help would naturally respect the successful who have looked after them, instead of resenting their success. Now more than five years later, on 5th January 2002, the Prime Minister, in a speech at the Mayor's swearing-in ceremony, reiterated the message. He said the CDCs should not be mistaken as welfare agencies. Elaborating, the Prime Minister said that in order to bond the community, CDCs would have to mobilise the more successful Singaporeans to look after those stuck at the lower rungs of the ladder. Could the Minister tell us how successful have CDCs been getting more able Singaporeans involved in helping the less able? Have we been able to establish appropriate performance indicators for our CDCs? Sir, the budget for CDCs has also been increased from $19 million in 1997 to $153 million in 2001, and will rise further as they take on more programmes, like looking after the elderly and setting up branch offices.”
“Sir, the People's Association was formed in 1960 under the Prime Minister's Office. Since then, it has been placed under various Ministries and then back to the Prime Minister's Office between 1980-1984. Since 1985, the Association has been placed under the Ministry of Community Development and Sports. As provided under the PA Act, the Prime Minister is traditionally the Chairman of the organisation. Currently, the PA's Chairman is indeed the Prime Minister and the Deputy Chairman is the Minister for Home Affairs. At present, PA's Chief Executive Director is also the Prime Minister's Press Secretary. With due respect, could the Minister for Community Development and Sports tell us how much responsibility and jurisdiction does he or MCDS have over PA policies and the administration? Some may find it difficult to imagine the Minister for Community Development and Sports directing and determining policies of an organisation headed by the Prime Minister and administered by his Press Secretary. Would the Minister not agree that the People's Association would be more appropriately placed under the Prime Minister's Office rather than MCDS?”
“Sir, in our effort to promote sports for everyone and to achieve our objective of one in every two Singaporeans being involved in sports, we must ensure that sports complexes are available as basic infrastructure in all our HDB housing estates where the majority of Singaporeans live. These sporting complexes should have, as a basic requirement, facilities for track and field, an indoor sports hall and a swimming pool. Facilities that can be utilised by as many residents as possible, such as a swimming pool, should take priority over facilities that only a few can use at any one time, such as a tennis court. Would the Minister consider ensuring that all our HDB housing estates, including Pasir Ris New Town, have a sports complex with at least the basic facilities mentioned earlier?”
“Perhaps, more of our sports facilities should be disable-friendly, and the future sports school should admit promising disabled athletes in order that they, too, can realise their full sporting potential. 2.15 pm”
“Sir, in September 2000, the Committee on Sporting Singapore (CoSS) was set up to review and make strategic recommendations on how sports should be further developed in Singapore. The main Steering Committee, comprising three Ministers and a Minister of State, had four equally high-powered sub-committees. These committees met between September 2000 and May 2001, and involved almost the entire sporting fraternity in Singapore. The objective, in the words of the former Minister for Community Development and Sports, ie, yourself, Sir, was "To question fundamentals, discuss possibilities, re-examine priorities and explore our dreams for sports in Singapore." The Committee eventually submitted its report with 40 recommendations that would set the directions for sports development in Singapore. To implement these recommendations, the Government, together with Singapore Pools, has committed $500 million over five years to sports. Could the Minister give us a progress report on the implementation of these 40 recommendations? How successful have we been in moving towards our "Sports For Everyone" objective of achieving a sports participation rate of one in every two Singaporeans by the year 2005? In "Sports Excellence", what measures have been taken to ensure that we stand a good chance of emerging one of the top 10 sporting nations in Asia by 2010? In our efforts to promote "Sports Excellence" and "Sports For Everyone", I would also like to urge the Minister not to overlook the sporting needs for the disabled. Perhaps more grants could be provided for the Singapore Sports Council for the disabled. Our disabled sportsmen and sportswomen appear to be bringing home more medals in international meets compared to our able-bodied athletes.”
“Sir, the Prime Minister, in January this year, announced that Inter-Racial Confidence Circles (IRCCs) will be formed to foster inter-racial and inter-religious rapport among the different communities through regular interactions. The descriptions and objectives of the IRCCs resemble that of goodwill communities that were formed shortly after the racial riots in Singapore during the 1960s. These communities were eventually replaced by the CCCs and other grassroots organisations. IRCCs are now being formed as an extension of the CCCs. Have we come a full circle? In the 1960s, there were numerous kampongs and villages were informal but acknowledged leadership, in the form of village headmen or penghulus, had evolved over the years. However, times have changed. Our housing and resettlement policies, although assuring better ethnic mix, have broken up the informal but influential leadership as penghulus and their flocks were dispersed through resettlement throughout the island and these kampongs vanished. It is now harder to find acknowledged penghulus or village headmen in our new HDB estates, but we should still try. IRCCs are likely to see greater success in fostering inter-religious rapport as religious leadership in mosques, temples and churches are still quite clearly defined. Could the Minister give us an update on the formation of the IRCCs, and how successful have IRCCs been in inducting acknowledged community leaders who are not already serving in grassroots organisations? Are IRCCs, that have already been formed, clear on their composition, objectives and methods on how they should go about achieving the desired outcomes?”
“Sir, Singapore's population will age rapidly over the next 30 years. From just 7% of the population aged 65 years and above in 1999 to 19% of the population by 2030, that is, almost one in five Singaporeans will be 65 years, or above, by then. The sheer increase in the number of elderly will create added challenges on society and more stress on families. The support through services for the elderly will therefore become more and more critical. An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on the Ageing Population was formed in 1998 to lead a coordinated national response to address the challenges of the elderly. The IMC has finalised its recommendations after receiving reports from the six committees in November 1999. And in June 1999, a Services Review Committee was set up to review existing elder care provision and delivery and to develop a blueprint for elder care services. The blueprint also includes strategies and plans designed to achieve the desired outcomes formulated by the IMC. Could the Minister give the House an update on the progress made in the implementation of the IMC recommendations, details of the recommendations that have yet to be implemented and those that have been found not feasible? And are there any plans to expand elder care services to enable families to continue taking care of their elderly members, rather than to depend solely on institutionalised care?”
“Sir, children from low-income households who do not have strong family support home environment benefit the most from attending good childcare and before-and-after school care centres. Unfortunately, many low income families may not be able to afford to send their children to childcare centres. During last year's Committee of Supply's debate, I asked the then Minister for Community Development and Sports to consider introducing schemes to make it more affordable to these families to send their children to good childcare centres. I would now like to ask the new Minister for Community Development and Sports to give this House an update of the additional measures and initiatives that were implemented since then, to make childcare services more affordable to low-income families. Could the Minister tell us what are the measures to increase the number of childcare centres in Singapore and the plans to upgrade the quality standards of childcare givers? Does MCDS have plans to facilitate and improve informal childcare arrangements where parents can receive assistance personalised childcare arrangements, especially for young infants too young for admission into normal childcare centres?”
“After all, did we not, wittingly or unwittingly, imbibe in them that in meritocracy whatever success that is achieved is based entirely on one's own effort and merit? Could we always depend on the more able in the community to support the less fortunate? Singapore's social welfare system has largely been based on the family and extended family support. This has served us well in the past, when families were large and extended families living together quite common. But times have changed. Families are smaller, nuclear families common, and being single is no longer unusual. There are also prominent examples in this House. The Government, working with the community, must find ways to create adequate social safety nets for those who are unable to keep up, despite their best efforts, but in a manner not to destroy the sense of self-worth, or the incentive for them to give of their best, however humble that may be. Could the Minister tell the House what social safety nets have been put in place and the strategies adopted by MCDS to assist low-income families, the disabled and the disadvantaged to cope with the changed social and economic environment, and the measures to assist them and their children to improve the situation?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head I of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Meritocracy is a principle embraced by Singaporeans. It is a principle that has served us well and is often attributed as the underlying reason for our competitiveness and rapid progress. Sir, it is true that every Singaporean, regardless of how humble his or her family background, can succeed, and we often read of students from poor families doing brilliantly in their studies and succeeding in life. There are several common examples here in this House. It is also true that low-skilled workers can get ahead if they were to work hard, upgrade their skills and are prepared to undergo life-long learning. We must continue to encourage and motivate all Singaporeans to give of their best, and not to look to welfarism as a viable alternative. But our policy-makers must realise that there will always be the bottom 5-7%, who despite their best efforts, will not be able to keep up with the rest. If Singaporeans are to bond as a cohesive society, meritocracy and competitiveness alone will not enable us to achieve this objective. It has to be tempered with compassion for others, other than ourselves and our immediate family members. Whilst Singaporeans have to be personally responsible for their own welfare, the aged, the disabled and those less-gifted must never be made to feel disenfranchised and neglected. In a society built on meritocracy, equal opportunities lead to unequal outcomes. Those who lag behind may feel demoralised and resent the success of others. Those who succeed may feel less obligated to help anyone.”
“Sir, the precursor of the Singapore Penal Code is the Penal Code of the Straits Settlements, which was passed by the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements in 1871, and this was, in turn, based on the Indian Penal Code of 1860. Come September this year, the Singapore Penal Code would have been in force for 130 years. This is significant if we consider that while the Penal Code has been amended from time to time, it still retains its main provisions in their original form. The wait of 130 years is showing in the Penal Code, and several of the provisions in the Code appear to be rather inappropriate for the Singapore of today. For example, section 429 provides that whoever commits mischief by killing or rendering useless an elephant, a camel and a host of other non-indigenous creatures including cows shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with a fine or with both. Sir, in present times, as we remake Singapore and are willing to sacrifice sacred cows, section 429 appears to be grossly out of date; similarly, for sections 428 and 498 for which I do not have the time to go into. Many of these provisions are rarely or never used to prosecute offenders precisely because they are so irrelevant to society today. Sir, may I suggest that a comprehensive review of the Singapore Penal Code be done to re-evaluate the role, the scope and the relevance of its provisions, and to weed out provisions which are no longer needed or desirable.”
“Sir, Community Safety and Security Programmes (CSSP) are action plans drawn up by grassroots leaders, residents and the Home Team to tackle community issues and problems affecting the safety and security of the local neighbourhood. It started in 1997. The main purpose of CSSP is to encourage the community to look after its own safety and security matters through self-help, mutual support and active citizenry. I understand that, since the year 2000, CSSP has been expanded to include schools in crafting their own safety and security programmes. Could the Minister provide the House with an update of how successful has CSSP been in getting the community involved in addressing neighbourhood safety and security issues? What initiatives have also been taken by the Home Team to facilitate problem solving CSSPs by grassroots leaders and residents? And would the Minister consider implementing a National CSSP Awards to provide recognition about standing initiatives and to encourage more in the community to get involved in CSSP?”
“Chairman, I intended to ask the Minister whether our Home Team has the capability and is prepared to address chemical, biological and other conventional threats. However, the Senior Minister of State, in an answer to a Question for Oral Answer earlier this week, had already told the House that the Home Team has the capability and is prepared to address any unconventional threats. Therefore, I would just like to ask what measures have been taken or are being planned to prepare the population in the form of public education or national exercise on how to react in the event of a chemical or biological incident.”
“Sir, some of my points have already been raised by my colleagues who have spoken before me and I shall not repeat them. I, too, would like to call upon the Singapore Land Authority to be more pro-active in allowing vacant land to be used by grassroots organisations and other non-profit organisations. Sir, I understand that the Singapore Land Authority also offers rebates on charges and levies for grassroots organisations and non-profit organisations. In land-scarce Singapore, this is indeed a welcome development for grassroots organisations and the community. It should also be good news for the SLA as it can now save on maintenance costs while the land is put to good use until it is time for redevelopment. However, for many grassroots organisations which will have to incur costs in converting the land for community use and maintaining it, the rebates may not be sufficient. I would, therefore, like to urge the Ministry of Law to consider increasing the rebate or levying just a nominal rate for recognised grassroots organisations that use State land for non-profit activities that are beneficial to the community. The Singapore Land Authority should also list on its website the areas where there are vacant State land that will not be required for redevelopment within the next three years or longer, the application rates that will be charged and the conditions for use of the land. 5.30 pm GROs, community organisations and members of the public can then put forward creative and beneficial ideas and, where applicable, even manage the temporary use of such vacant sites until the land is required for development.”
“I would like to ask the Minister what additional resources are available to implement all these new measures. Will there be more child psychiatrists? How many are available now and how many more will be needed? Are Juvenile Court judges or social workers equipped to handle such cases? The Bill seems to place great reliance on doctors who may, of course, be equipped very well to deal with physical injuries, but are they equally knowledgeable about child psychiatry? Essentially, are we ready to implement the Bill's extensive provisions? Sir, as we consider the Bill today, I am reminded to call it the Children and Young Persons Charter in that it seeks extensively to protect children and young persons from all sorts of abuse. It reminds me of the other charter, the Women's Charter, and I wonder whether it is really not time to bring the two charters together into one family charter. That should be what we should be driving at. The value of the family is central, it is fundamental to Singapore, it is recognised in the S21 report. We should try to make sure that we have a family charter providing for the protection of children or rehabilitation of young offenders and also of course of women. Sir, I reiterate again my support for this Bill and hope that its coming into force will ensure that more children and young people will sleep better at night.”
“Additionally, in clause 20, the Bill introduces a new institution in relation to the treatment of young offenders and child offenders. This is the convening of a family conference and provides in the new section 44A, a series of measures that a family conference may take to deal with offenders. These include a simple reprimand or formal caution to requiring the offender to pay compensation or to perform community service. It can also require the offender to apologise to the victim. I think now we all understand that the word "apologise" means that saying "sorry" would definitely not be enough. My concern is this. There is no description of what a family conference is, let alone a definition. One can deduce from the provision that family members of the offender may be included, even though there is no requirement that they must attend. There is no indication as to who else might be in the conference or who should chair it or whether it should have a chairman at all. Sir, given that the family conference appears to be acting in a quasi judicial capacity, I would like to know why its nature and composition are not specifically provided for in the Bill. It is strange that its powers are set out in such detail, but not its nature or composition. Neither is it clear how it would conduct its proceedings, or whether it is possible to have a further appeal against the decision of the family conference, assuming that it does not need to be unanimous in its decision-making. May I ask the Minister to clarify the issues relating to the family conference that I have raised? Sir, this Bill is ambitious in scope and intent. However, it seems to require also a serious commitment of additional resources to implement it.”
“These are pretty strong provisions to protect informers. While I can see justification, in terms of public policy, for protecting identity so given, I am not convinced that such protection should be given when the informer was found to be malicious or acting in his or her own self-interest, or for some other undesirable motive. As the provision now stands, no witness who knows the identity of the informer, can be compelled to disclose the identity of the informer. But I would like the Minister to confirm that this provision in the new section 84A(4) would not prevent a willing witness, who knows the informer's identity, from disclosing the identity of the informer. This measure is necessary to ensure that there should be some accountability on the part of informers. Good public policy requires a balance between protecting the young and protecting the innocent. In other words, we should ensure at all times that there should be as small a number as possible of false accusations of ill-treatment. There should be no protection for those who falsely accuse another, particularly in relation to ill-treatment of their own children. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 3.57 pm Sir, I turn now to treatment for juvenile offenders. It is a sad fact that in today's world, crimes, including serious crimes, are no longer solely in the domain of the adult. Therefore, the Bill is clearly right in focusing on the reformation or rehabilitation of the youthful offender, rather than on straightforward punishment in the form of deterrent sentences or incarceration. It is also in the right direction when it seeks to involve a greater number of orders that the Juvenile Court can make, including requiring the young person and parent to undergo psychotherapy or other counselling.”
“For that matter, if I were to ask Members present in this House today to give their views as to what is the degree of risk that would be necessary before it is legitimate to intervene, I believe we would not find a general consensus. Some may say that there needs to be a clear and present danger of ill-treatment, others may put it less strongly. The point is there is likely to be as many interpretations of the degree of risk as there are people asked to interpret it. Sir, I believe therefore that much needs to be done, even if this Bill were to pass through today. There must be a serious attempt to set out clear guidelines as to how these new provisions are to be interpreted and applied. Without such guidelines, I worry that parents and guardians may be wrongly subjected to investigations which may, in turn, give rise to undeserved social ostracism or misunderstanding. In our society, where family values are so enshrined, it would be particularly reprehensible for a parent or guardian to be wrongly accused of ill-treating his child. I must therefore ask the Minister what are the steps that his Ministry would take to ensure that in no case would there be precipitous action by some over-zealous officials and that each case would carefully and quickly be reviewed before action is taken. Sir, the concern is even stronger when we realise that those who provide the information on alleged ill-treatment are specially protected under the proposed legislation. The identity of these informers cannot be revealed even in court. Those who inform cannot through their actions be regarded as having breached any code of ethics or professional etiquette. If he or she acted in good faith, there will be no civil or criminal liability.”
“This is far too restrictive a provision and really contemplates an awful situation of continuing abuse resulting in serious physical or mental injury. I therefore welcome particularly the new provisions contained in clause 4 which are much wider in scope. It speaks of parents or guardians neglecting to exercise proper supervision and control, resulting in a child or a young person falling into bad association or exposed to moral danger, or is otherwise beyond control. It speaks of children being at risk of being ill-treated by their parent or guardian. Ill-treatment is widely defined to include emotional injury or injury to the child's health or development. Development itself is widely defined to mean physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavourial development. Sir, these new terms vastly extend the scope of the legislation and will give rise to several problems, quite apart from the open textured nature of the words used. For instance, reasonable people may disagree as to when a child may be said to be in need of protection. What does being exposed to moral danger mean, or what is the degree of risk of ill-treatment that must be present before it would be right to say that the child is in need of protection? All these terms would have to be interpreted and applied by those involved in enforcing the Act, namely, the Director of Social Welfare, protectors and even police officers. I note especially in clause 5, a police officer of the rank of sergeant can actually take a decision to enter a home without a warrant and remove a child alleged to be at risk. My question is: are police officers trained for this sort of assessment? Indeed, are any of the persons involved trained to assess the wider criteria that are now stipulated?”
“At the same time, some of our young people unfortunately behave in ways that are damaging both to them and to society. It is timely therefore that this House should address these issues in a thorough manner. With the advancement of medical science, particularly in the field of psychiatry, we are made more aware that the emotional injuries inflicted on a child can be more serious and long-lasting than even physical injuries. The emotional scars can even be transferred to future generations. We must be bold therefore in setting up institutions to identify those who have been subjected to abuse or mistreatment and to take a holistic view in prescribing the remedy, whether it be through medical or psychiatric treatment, counselling or social censure, rather than relying solely on the criminal sanction. We must also understand the causes of deviance, and look for solutions that will rehabilitate young offenders, rather than to ostracise and maroon them from the rest of society. Sir, the legislation we are considering today embodies novel objectives and practical solutions. I am all for it. The point that I made concerning the details of the Bill therefore should be seen as supporting the aim of the legislation and to ensuring that when it comes into force, it is effective and implemented with fairness and objectivity. Sir, the new Bill extends a level of protection for children and young persons significantly. Under the present provision, cruelty to children and young persons must cause, and I quote, "unnecessary suffering or injury to his health, including injury through a loss of sight or hearing or limb or organ of the body and any mental derangement". This is the present section 4.”
“However, it is also not difficult to imagine how much more emotional damage could be inflicted on the child if the complaints were eventually proven to be false. There should be safeguards implemented to avoid such situations from arising. Sir, I support the new section 3 of the Bill which clearly defines when a child or a young person is in need of care and protection, for example, when he is abandoned or he has no parent or guardian to look after him, or when he is at risk of being ill-treated. However, I am not really comfortable with the inclusion of illegal hawking, gambling and other undesirable activities as situations where a child is in need of protection under the law. I am sure that the Minister would agree that the definition of "undesirable activities" is rather subjective and varies from individual to individual. I hope his officials would be judicious in the interpretation of this term and I look forward to a clearer definition of the term "undesirable activities" in future amendments to the Act. EXEMPTED BUSINESS (Motion) Resolved, That the proceedings on the item of business under discussion be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS (AMENDMENT) BILL Debate resumed. Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung: Sir, while I agree with Dr Vasoo and Mr Chong that brevity and succinctness are a virtue in this House, I am sure they would also agree with me that in a piece of legislation this important, at least one Member can be allowed to make a longer speech. Sir, I rise to speak in strong support of this Bill. It is a major piece of social legislation designed to extend protection to the most vulnerable in society, possibly from the people that they most trust and love.”
“There have been cases overseas where parents have been arrested and hauled to court for smacking their unruly children in public. In some countries, there is really no shortage of child experts who advocate that any form of corporal punishment on the child or a young person is an infliction of lasting emotional injury. It is my hope that the implementation of this Bill will not lead to a situation where parents can no longer decide on how they should discipline their children. Clause 6 of the Bill amends section 10 and permits a magistrate's court, upon receiving any information or complaint that a relevant offence has been or is being committed against a child or a young person, to issue a warrant to remove the victim to a place of safety and to undergo medical and social assessment. Sir, it is not uncommon in child custody cases for contending parties to make allegations of cruelty and neglect of the child against each other. But sometimes, these allegations may be quite unfounded. More harm may be done to the child if he or she is forcibly removed from a stable home environment while investigations are being conducted. The new section 8 of the Bill also permits the Director, a protector or a police officer not below the rank of sergeant to remove a child or young person and commit him to a place of safety, if there are reasonable grounds to do so. The relevant authority can do this by entering any premises without warrant and with such assistance, and by such force as necessary, by night or by day, in order to remove a child and commit him to a place of safety. It is not difficult to foresee situations where such measures are indeed necessary in order to prevent possible harm or further injury from occurring to the child.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. Before going into my speech, I would like to assure the hon. Member who spoke before me that I intend to heed his advice and keep my speech very much shorter than his. Sir, I support the Children and Young Persons (Amendment) Bill moved by the Minister. The objectives of the Bill are quite evident and worthy of support. Among other things, the Bill seeks to enhance the protection of children and young persons from possible ill treatment and neglect, expand the definition of cruelty, and engage parents in the rehabilitation of juveniles. As mentioned by the Minister, the Bill also introduces alternative sentencing options for juvenile offenders, such as a formal caution, a reprimand and community service, whilst remaining with the family. Sir, I support this approach. Mr Speaker, Sir, while I support the Bill, I would like to sound a note of caution and perhaps express some minor reservations on certain clauses in the Bill which I hope the Minister and his officers would address. However well-intentioned the provisions of the Bill may be, I think we should be cautious in handling issues related to the family and guard against the state inadvertently taking over responsibilities in the upbringing of children that rightly should be left with the family. Intervention in family matters should be done only as a measure of last resort, and I am delighted to hear the Minister share this view. The new section 4 of the Bill expands the definition of ill treatment to include any emotional injury. However, the Bill is not quite specific in the definition of emotional injury, and I share Dr Vasoo's concern for this lack of clear definition.”
“Sir, would the Ministry of Manpower consider including households as workplaces so that the safety laws on workplaces can be applied to domestic workers as well? If not, why not?”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his comprehensive response and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“I would like to urge MCDS, working with strategic partners, including VWOs, to try and fill the gaps in order to ensure that every child with a disability also receives an equal opportunity to attend special childcare centre or a special school, in order to receive an education and, wherever possible, be integrated into the mainstream education system in order to pick up a skill like any other normal child. It will be timely for MCDS to initiate a committee involving the relevant Ministries, NCSS, CDCs and VWOs to review the services to the disabled, especially for the young so that they too can have an opportunity to develop and live meaningful lives when they grow up.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JM 1500. Sir, there are children with varying forms of disabilities and handicaps. Some of these disabilities, such as physical, sight and hearing impairment can easily be identified. However, there are dysfunctions such as attention deficiency, mild intellectual and other learning disabilities that may not be so easily diagnosed. How many of our children suffer from such disabilities? We may not know for certain as I am not aware of any population survey done to ascertain this figure. However, we do know that such children have special needs. Many will be capable of achieving their full potential with early diagnosis and professional help. Some would need special facilities with specialist teachers. Some can be integrated into the mainstream schools, while others may benefit from a combination of both special and mainstream schools. Are we doing enough for this group of children? I was told that there is currently a two-year waiting list for admission into some special schools. I think we can, and should be able to, do better in this area. Although SPED schools come under the purview of the Ministry of Education, and I am told that MOE is working vigorously to address this situation within the next few months, I do not think that we should leave the responsibility of children with special disabilities solely with MOE.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JI 3100. Sir, as Singaporeans, we often take pride in the fact that we always strive to reach world-class standards in everything we do. We regularly collect accolades for our achievements in education, and economic and infrastructural development. It is therefore timely to review our sports facilities, to ensure that they keep abreast of the latest, if we hope to produce world-class sports talent. At the apex of our sports infrastructure is the National Stadium, which is, by now, a rather middle-aged facility. I was therefore delighted to hear the Minister inform the House that a new stadium would be built. Without doubt, it will require a substantial investment to build a stadium of international standards. Therefore, it is crucial that we do not develop a facility that buzzes only once a year, on National Day, or during the occasional football match. We should have an integrated stadium, with sufficient commercial facilities and at a convenient location, to ensure high usage and pedestrian traffic, making it therefore a viable enterprise.”
“Sir, the Minister has already answered my question.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for their responses to the Members, and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Unfortunately, many low income families may not be able to afford to send their children to childcare or before-and-after-school care centres. Would the Minister therefore consider introducing schemes to make it more affordable for these families to send their children to good childcare and before-and-after-school centres? We should also institute measures that will make it easier for the more successful to assist the less fortunate in order to enhance social cohesion. For example, the CPF top-ups are automatically credited into the accounts of the eligible Singaporeans, regardless of whether they need or want the money. I therefore support the suggestion by Dr Jennifer Lee that eligible recipients of CPF top-ups should be required to submit applications for their entitlements. Those who are better off and who want to help the less fortunate should be permitted to have their entitlements channelled to the CDCs in order to help the poor in the community. Would the Minister support such a measure to make it easier for more able Singaporeans to assist the less able?”
“However, we must be aware that there will be a small number who would, if only they could. Our policy makers must realise that there will always be those who, despite their best efforts, will not be able to keep up with the best, or the rest. Some may not have the literacy and numeracy skills, or the intellectual ability, to upgrade themselves. Singaporeans are to bond as a cohesive society, the low income, the less able and the disabled should never be made to feel disenfranchised and neglected. As the Finance Minister so aptly put across in his Budget Statement when he stated that, at the end of the day, we have to ensure that every Singaporean has a place in the Singapore of the new millennium. Sir, the number of public assistance cases, although comparatively small, is beginning to show a gradual upward trend over the last two years. Even though the criteria that qualify for public assistance have not been made any less stringent, are more Singaporeans falling into poverty amidst our apparent prosperity? Could the Minister explain the cause of this disturbing trend? We must also find ways to create adequate social safety nets for these people, but in a manner that would not destroy the sense of self-worth, or the incentive for them to give out their best however humble that may be. Could the Minister tell the House what measures and strategies MCDS has adopted to assist low income families to cope with the rapid changes taking place in the economy and to improve the situation? Sir, children from low income households who do not have a strong family support home environment benefit the most from attending good childcare and before-and-after-school care centres.”
“Sir, a lot has already been said about the widening income gap by many Members during the past few years. I shall try my best not to repeat the arguments. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 4.40 pm While we may not be able to do much as a small economy to influence this global trend, we can and we should start working on measures that would ameliorate the consequences of this widening income gap. However, attempting to do so by slowing down the most able from accelerating ahead, squeezing the rich or artifically boosting wages of non-competitive jobs would be disastrous. There are countries that have tried some, or all of these measures, and invariably the results were not quite they expected. Yes, it is true that we are a meritocracy, that every Singaporean, regardless of how humble his or her family background, can succeed. And we read with admiration from time to time of cases of students from humble families doing brilliantly in their studies. But are all our children, including those with disabilities and those who fall or choose to remain outside the mainstream education system, given an equal opportunity to succeed in life when they grow up? Or are these people likely to contribute to the widening income gap when they join the workforce? The Government, working with the community, should carefully monitor and fine-tune our systems to ensure that every child is given the best chance to achieve his or her full potential and equipped with the relevant skills to get a decent job when they join the workforce. It is also true that low skilled workers can get ahead if they were to upgrade their skills and to attend retraining. But those that could should upgrade their skills to stay relevant in the new economy.”
“Sir, in the immediate aftermath of the recent earthquake in India, our Government responded promptly with US$50,000 worth of emergency supplies to the victims of the earthquake. This humanitarian act was given prominent coverage in both our print and broadcast media. It was, therefore, a rude shock to subsequently read the criticisms of a Straits Times reader, who pointed out that the Singapore Government's contribution was paltry. Was our Government indeed parsimonious in extending aid to a friend in need? While Singapore has demonstrated its sincerity to lend a helping hand by responding instantly to the crisis, how much we contribute would obviously affect our international image as a donor. Others are likely to compare the sum given by the Singapore Government to the country's financial resources. In other words, our willingness to donate versus our ability to donate. Little wonder that the Straits Times reader concluded that the sum of US$50,000 was paltry, relative to our budget surpluses and national reserves. The fact that another S$4 million was raised in nearly three weeks from Singaporeans, who responded generously to the donation drives by the various organisations, appeared to further diminish the impact of the initial contribution from the Government. Could the Minister elaborate on the Government's policy with regard to granting aid to disaster-struck less-developed countries? What criteria do we use in deciding the quantum of assistance to be given to countries in need?”
“Sir, the points that I wanted to raise on the bilateral agreement with the Malaysians have already been addressed by Dr Ong Chit Chung and Mr Ravindran. I would just like to ask the Minister to provide the House with an update on the recent Malaysian government's proposal to construct an underground railway tunnel under the Johor Straits from Johor Baru to Singapore, and on to the Kranji MRT station. Could the Minister give us an update on the Government's response to the Malaysian proposal? 2.45 pm”
“Sir, I have very little to add to what has already been said by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the GPC for Defence. I would just like to ask the Minister if any of the discrepancies cited in the Auditor-General's Report are similar or repeat discrepancies that had been picked by the Auditor-General in previous years?”
“The proposed new section 61A of the Bill will address this problem. With those comments, Sir, I support the Bill.”