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 9 of 10.
“At the same time, we must also let the followers identify with their leaders and allow them to make their contributions, that is to say, in this competitive society, we must not allow competition to gratify our people. We must not create a situation where people only care about the ends and not the means. So Government must look after the people. Government must love our people and let the people benefit. We must consider the convenience of the people as well. But the people themselves also have their responsibility. The people should not always point an accusing finger at the Government and the leaders for no good reasons. We must love our country, love our people, love our community, love our families and love yourself as well. I have also received reports recently about the problems of broken homes. So if we love our families, it would mean you love your parents, your spouses, your children and yourself. Some people do not even love themselves. They do not care even about themselves. They become irresponsible. If our people can do what I have suggested, this will help to solve some of the social problems. I believe that it is right to have fair competition. We must also support this kind of fair competition to ensure national progress. As parents, we are not able to produce children who are equally intelligent. But it is the responsibility of a parent to give each child the opportunity for education and employment as well as the Government. Next, I would like to talk about the state of mind of the people. Why is it that, with such good development around, with such a high standard of living, there are so many people who have so many complaints and who are unhappy? I think this is because the whole society has become over materialistic.”
“They only fix the price later and it becomes very expensive and over-priced. For example, American cars are good but they are not economical. So, in reality, we must consider the ability of our people to pay, the purchasing power of our people before we fix the price. Of course, we cannot in this regard entirely depend on the market forces, though I am glad to note that the President has said that we will continue to subsidise the C and B2 class wards. I feel that a more important issue is one that is very difficult to comprehend and, that is, if we want the country to continue to develop, as pointed out by the Deputy Prime Minister, Japan is the only country which has succeeded over the past 100 years to become a developed nation and to remain there. Other countries have not made the grade and some have even dropped out. So I believe that it is wise for Singapore to remain as a prosperous and independent country in the world. Apart from economic development, the social and humanity development of human resources must also be attended to. The policies of the Government must be geared towards this direction. Human development includes language, culture, security, sentiment, emotion, the state of mind, the spiritual aspects and the values of the people. So the values and the thinking are very important because they determine the behaviour of the people. In this economic prosperity, how do we, in Singapore, balance individualism, team spirit and meritocracy? Mr Deputy Speaker, I support what the Deputy Prime Minister has said that we must choose and select the able and train them to lead the country, to lead Singapore.”
“In terms of transportation, if everything is left to the economic market forces, then nobody will want to invest in our transport system. So if we leave it entirely to market forces, eg, bus services, then they will become inefficient. But if we allow two or three companies to monopolise the bus services, and without Government's intervention, the consequence will be that there will be no bus services for those routes that are not making profit. Do you expect the people to walk all the way from their home to the main road? So we should not blindly follow any economic theory or policy. We must fix the broad principle and then adapt the details to our local conditions. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I now come to medical care. In this respect, if medical care is left entirely in the hands of the medical experts, then they will choose the most expensive and most sophisticated equipment, and who is going to pay for all that? So we have to work out a framework - the rich people can build more private hospitals to carry out research work and to invest in more sophisticated medical equipment so that those who can afford can choose to go to these private hospitals. In the Government hospitals, we have to decide what level or standard of medical care do we want. I read one article about the difference and philosophy between the Japanese manufacturers and the American manufacturers. In the case of Japan, the manufacturers will do a market survey to find out the demand/needs and ability to pay and then fix the price of the equipment before they ask the experts to design and produce the equipment. Whereas in the case of the United States, it is the designer and the manufacturers who work and produce the sophisticated equipment.”
“We admit that on the whole, we may not have big problems, but there are still some small problems that require our attention and adjustment. First, the pace of our future development. In order to push further the economic growth of Singapore, many people ask why we should always be "No. 1" all the time. When we do not have this ambition to remain "No. 1", Mr Deputy Speaker, then it will become fourth or sixth, or maybe even beyond the tenth position. The pace is not determined by us. The pace of development is determined by other countries in the world. But even for a large superpower, like the United States, they too cannot determine the pace of economic development in the world. So if they do not change, then they will be lagging behind. I support the policy of open market economy. But all these years, we have been successful because we have not been following blindly any political philosophy or economic system. We can, under the principle of democracy, use our own ways to achieve our political stability. Economically, Mr Deputy Speaker, we should adopt the open market policy but, at the same time, we must also use Singapore's methods, according to Singapore's condition, to implement such policies, eg, housing. If we all go by the open market economy system, I believe that Singaporeans will not be able to achieve the level of 84% home ownership. If you compare and add this to the private housing, then we have 90% home owners. In England, it is only 65%, and in Germany, only 41%. All this can be achieved because the Singapore Government has intervened in the property market and therefore we are able to allow people to own their own homes.”
“For the top 20%, the income has improved from $2,200 to $5,300. The middle income group, that is 60% of Singapore's population, has improved from $920 to $1,700. The 20% in the lower income group, their income has also improved from $373 to $644. These are all facts. So when we talk about family income without mentioning at the same time the inflation rate, then they may be accused of not telling the whole truth. Talking about inflation rate, in 1983, our average inflation rate was 1.3%, which was one of the lowest in the world. It is only recently that there has been some increase in the inflation rate to 3.4%. Even then, it is still at a healthy level. When compared to other countries, it is still low. If you compare with other countries, such as Vietnam and the South American countries, where the inflation rate is more than 100%, or more than 1,000%, then we know that we have done well. And often when we compare this with the rate of wage increase in the past, it was an average of 7%. Our inflation rate is 2.3%, that means our actual real purchasing power has improved from 4% to 5%. I do not see how we can possibly deny the fact that we have improved our standard of living. In short, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the people of Singapore have already enjoyed great improvements in terms of clothing, food, housing and transportation. That does not, however, mean that there are no problems in Singapore. Of course, every society has its own problems but the problems may be different. On health care, we have improved our health care in such a way that our average life expectancy is up to 75 years. But this will lead to some other health problems of the aged. So when we solve one problem, new problems arise.”
“Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon (Yuhua)( In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion, standing in the name of the Member for Hong Kah GRC, thanking the President for his Address. Over the past few days, Sir, several Members have spoken in this House on the various aspects of the Speech delivered by the President. Personally, I feel that the President's Address has already reflected the Government's determination to help the various sectors of our society and to invest in the people. After considerable development, we are now entering the new "Next Lap". But some people are still saying that our standard of living has not improved. I would like to take this opportunity to stress, once again, that our standard of living has improved. We know that in the 60s, our average economic growth was 9%. In the 70s, it was also 9%. In the 80s, our economic growth was 7.1% and in the 90s, it was 8.3%. But the President has mentioned that after 1991, our expected growth will be 5-7%, that means there will be a slow down in the economy. When we talk about distribution of income and wealth, we must not forget how to continue with our effort to create wealth. The Opposition has always held the view that we are misleading the people when we say that, generally, the standard of living of the people has improved. I would like to reiterate here the improvement in the standard of living of our people over the years. Between 1973 and 1988, and even up to 1990, as pointed out by the Deputy Prime Minister, the family average income has improved from $1,200 to $2,200, that is, the average family income. If you want to go by average, then some people may not understand. Then we go by income groups, that is, lower, middle and upper income groups.”
“Perhaps because they can rent premises from the PAP Community Foundation in their own wards. If the Opposition was really serious about not wanting special favours, then they should spend less time complaining about rules that affect all MPs, including PAP MPs, and attempt to set up a foundation of their own from which they can rent space. Dr Arthur Beng had earlier, I am quite sure unwittingly, already given them an idea on how to set up a community foundation. It is a challenge that the Opposition should take up and not just complain about unfair treatment when the rules affect everyone. Finally, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, I would like to add that we are living in very dynamic times. Internationally, dramatic changes are taking place. But how fast we can change and adapt these events without being completely disoriented will determine how well we succeed in the coming years. Locally, we have begun the Next Lap. Any distance runner will be able to tell you that the hardest part of the race is usually the second half before you catch your second wind. In order to catch our second wind as quickly as possible, we must endeavour to channel our people's higher expectations and even dissatisfaction away from irrational behaviour into an urge to improve themselves and also to improve the society in which they live. We must encourage the more able and the talented to strive for new heights for themselves and their country. However, we should also instil in them a sense of obligation to help those who are less able but who have in their own way also tried their best. If we can do this as one united nation, adapting at the same time to the rapidly changing international scenario, then there is very much to look forward to in the coming years.”
“The electorate must be made to realise that kicking out able people from government will not in any way solve their problems nor make the government any better. Instead, it may aggravate their problems, weaken government, and will tend to place a heavier burden on the remaining leadership. Any good government that hopes to remain in office must also be able to convince the electorate that it does not govern by merely appeasing those who use their vote purely as a form of protest or in the hope of getting more concessions from the Government. If this mistaken perception is allowed to become widespread, then any effective government willing to implement unpopular but necessary measures will find itself out of office in a very short time, because it is very likely that everyone of us, in some area or another, would like more concessions to be granted. On the other hand, if the Government with popular support from the people chooses to ignore the plight of its supporters, regardless of how genuine the hardships might be, it can only do so at its own peril, especially if a better alternative exists. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Member for Bukit Gombak and his two other colleagues have made a big issue about the decision of the HDB on MPs' offices in void decks. I noted on Monday that the Member for Potong Pasir, Mr Chiam See Tong, the unofficial leader of the Opposition, and the official leader of the SDP, had stated that the Opposition did not ask for any special favours, except perhaps to ask for the front row seats in the House. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the rule imposed by the HDB on MPs' offices, as pointed out by Dr Arthur Beng and also Mr Ho Peng Kee, also affects PAP MPs. However, it may be argued that PAP MPs have an alternative.”
“I note that the President in his Address has stated that we are only half way to becoming a developed country, and that the more difficult half remains ahead of us. I fully agree with the statement that we can only get there as one united nation. With regard to the dissatisfaction expressed by the perceived minority through the media, and also by the silent majority through the ballot box, these issues would have to be addressed. The criticisms, alternative views and suggestions expressed in the media and other feedback channels should be answered as fully and as reasonably as possible. Time and effort should be extended, wherever possible, to patiently and skilfully explain, repeatedly, if necessary, to get the message across, the rationale for unpopular policies. Unconvincing reasons will tend to make difficult policies even more unpopular, and the population more cynical. The objective should be not to completely change the minds of those adversely affected. In many cases, it would not be possible. However, the purpose should be to demonstrate to all that the Government does not implement policies for the sake of making it difficult for everyone, but acts in the interest, both long-term and short-term, of as many of its citizens as possible. It should also demonstrate that it would be willing to accept good advice and suggestions from whatever source. And for those who express dissatisfaction through the ballot box over single issues, or in the hope that the Government will improve, it should be in the Government's immediate interest to dispel the perception that voting against good government would yield benefits.”
“However, the basic underlying principle must always be made clear that success is achieved through effort and not by hand-outs and subsidies. We must be prepared to pay for what we consume and use. Subsidies on consumption have been tried out in many societies older and more experienced than ourselves with disastrous effect in nearly every case. Several examples have already been given by the Deputy Prime Minister. We should not learn everything the hard way. If possible, we should try to avoid the painful mistakes made by others. While encouragement and incentives must be given for all to succeed, it must be realised that, invariably, some will not succeed. As mentioned by the speakers before me, we should never attempt to hold back the able and the successful in order to appear fair to all. In addition to educational opportunities and health care, ways must also be found to ensure that average, hardworking Singaporeans never feel excluded from the better things in life that our progress and prosperity have enabled us to achieve. Mass-based organisations should be encouraged and assisted, if necessary, to establish social and recreational facilities that at present may seem to be enjoyed only by the rich and famous. In addition to ethnic-based community assistance groups, we must also encourage and inculcate in the more able and successful the need to help the less able to achieve their full potential, regardless of whether they belong to the same ethnic, religious or even dialect group. We should try to achieve a situation where there is a fundamental respect for the individual, regardless of how humble his contributions may be to society. In return, each individual must give of his best as an obligation, or rather as a duty, to his country.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. Sir, I support the motion moved by the Member for Hong Kah GRC, Dr John Chen. I note in the President's Address the Government's determination that Singaporeans would be better off at the end of this term of Parliament. This was further reiterated by the Deputy Prime Minister a short while ago. However, in spite of higher standards of living, plentiful jobs, home ownership, better education and health care and rising incomes, as indicated by the charts that were distributed earlier, there appears to be still some degree of dissatisfaction among segments of our population. It is apparent that Singaporeans have indeed set ever higher standards of expectations for themselves. We should see this as a positive development. The fact that Singaporeans are still dissatisfied with what they have achieved so far means that they will continue to strive to seek for improvements in the standard of living and quality of life. The day when we all become completely satisfied with what we have marks the day when we will become complacent, stagnate and decline. The challenge for this Government, and perhaps also for future governments, must be to ensure that the expectations of the general population remain high, but are also sufficiently realistic so that as many as possible will perceive that they have a chance to achieve their goals, if not for themselves, then perhaps for their children. The Government must make it sufficiently apparent that it will, wherever possible, assist anyone or any group, who is willing, to make the effort to help themselves. It should not be perceived as creating unnecessary barriers and conditions for one to achieve success, be it in education, employment, or in business.”
“Sir, I have just three issues to raise with the Minister. Elaboration has already been given on some of these issues by the speakers before me and I do not intend to elaborate further. Firstly, with economic considerations now replacing ideology as the main basis influencing foreign policy in an increasing number of countries, will Singapore, as a matter of policy, now strive to forge links with all countries regardless of their ideology and the type of government? Secondly, could the Minister let us know what policy his Ministry will be adopting in increasing our overseas links and representations, especially in new areas of the world that could have potential economic and political interest to Singapore? Does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also intend to encourage the hosting of more international economic and political conferences in Singapore, in addition to just sending representatives to overseas conferences? Finally, Sir, we have seen in recent times, the emergence of regional and international economic groupings, such as APEC, East Asian Economic Grouping, and others already mentioned by the Chairman of the GPC for Defence and Foreign Affairs. Singapore appears to be interested in linking up with some of these groupings. Could the Minister tell us what are the implications for Singapore in joining any or all of these groupings and how do we intend to manage possible inter-group conflicts in the future?”
“I also note that we have had to introduce unpopular regulations such as the half-tank rule and, more recently, the three-quarter tank rule in order to reduce loss in revenue. If we do introduce the consumption tax, I hope we never have to expand this regulation to include perhaps a one-shirt rule, or a one-pair of shoes rule. Sir, it may be a little premature to comment on the proposed tax at this stage, as the White Paper has yet to be published. However, I feel compelled, purely as a pre-emptive measure, to remind the Minister that he has constantly provided reassurances in this House that the negative impact on the lower income groups would be addressed in the formulation of any consumption tax. The Minister has also reiterated on several occasions that such a tax will be introduced only if Government revenue shortfall is substantial and a permanent deficit is inevitable. I am therefore extremely glad to note that this year's budget is expected to generate a surplus of $1.4 billion. May it always be in surplus this year and every year without the consumption tax.”
“If we intend to keep wages of our workers comparable to that of workers in third world countries in order to be competitive, then we will always be a third world country, and we would have wasted much time in talking about the next lap. I would therefore like to urge employers to place greater emphasis on the promotion of productivity and also share the benefits of productivity increases with their workers. If workers are able to see direct tangible benefits on productivity increases in terms of higher bonuses and improved working conditions, then the word "productivity" would no longer be regarded as an abstract term which some workers still perceive as a tool of management to squeeze more out of them. I would also like to urge unions to play a greater supporting role in productivity promotion in their companies for the benefit of their members and their companies. The Government, too, can assist in providing more incentives and assistance to companies, especially the SMEs, to embark on productivity enhancement in addition to the current incentives it provides for worker training and skills upgrading. Finally, Sir, another subject in the Budget Statement that I would like to briefly comment on is the goods and services tax, which a number of speakers before me had already addressed. The Minister has been talking about this broad-based consumption tax for quite a number of years already, and I am confident that all possible regressive implications of such a tax would have been taken into consideration. However, I would like to express apprehension on the possible impact such a tax would have on inflation which has already risen to 3.4% last year.”
“If this is done, I am positive that if we are hit with another downturn, we can rest assured that workers once again will do their part in turning the economy around. In this respect, I would like to request the Minister to allow companies that can afford it to proceed with restoration of the remaining 2 1/2% of employers' CPF contribution ahead of Government legislation. Notwithstanding the restoration of the CPF rate, should we be concerned that real wages rose by 6.4% compared with only 3.4% growth in productivity? The Member for Cairnhill feels that we should be gravely concerned because nominal wages rose by 9.4% which was way ahead of the 3.4% productivity growth. The Member for Kebun Baru, on the other hand, feels that there should be less concern because real built-in wages rose by only 3.3%, which was less than productivity growth. Sir, I spent some time last night going through all the figures again. I can assure the House that both of them were indeed telling the truth. I am just amazed that such different stories can be produced using the same set of facts. Similarly, the NCMP's assertion that the Government helps only the businessmen seems to be at odds with what the businessmen themselves say. Whatever the case, I am concerned that some of us appear to be attracted to easy and short term solutions in addressing our problems. If there is a perceived gap between productivity and wage increases, I would have thought that the most preferred and long term solution would be to raise productivity. Instead, emphasis has been concentrated mainly on the need to keep wages down.”
“I would like to remind employers that this so-called increase in CPF contribution is in reality only a partial restoration of the 15% cut employees accepted when the economy was in recession, on the explicit understanding that it will be restored once the economy recovered. Mr Speaker, Sir, if we cannot fully restore the cut in CPF rate after four consecutive years of strong economic growth, exactly when can we expect to do so? It has been argued that we must be cautious and take measures to avoid possible future downturns as advocated by a number of Members yesterday. Sir, there can be little said to dispute such a prudent point. However, restoration of the CPF rate should never be used to further such an argument. We must never think only in the short term. If there is a possibility of future economic downturns, as invariably there would be, then it is more imperative that we maintain credibility with our workers. I would like to think that when we face another downturn in the future, our union leaders would still be able, without any loss in credibility, to go before their membership and convince workers to accept sacrifices once again, on the understanding that the cuts would be restored once the economy recovers. Sir, I congratulate the Government for announcing the impending increase in employers' CPF contribution despite lobbying to the contrary by some employers. This is a measure that clearly demonstrates the Government's will to keep faith with the workers. I would like to urge the Government and employers to support the restoration of the remaining 2 1/2% employers' CPF contribution that is still outstanding without further delay while the going is still good.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion moved by the Minister for Finance. Sir, I am glad to note that the economy turned in yet another good year, registering a growth of 8.3%. This is also the fourth year in a row that we have achieved significant economic growth. I think there can be little doubt that we have indeed come a long way from the shadows of the 1985-1986 recession when many in the labour force had to accept sacrifices such as a wage freeze, forgoing of NWC increments and, most significantly, a 15% reduction in the employers' CPF contribution from 25% to 10%. I distinctly recall during the recession that workers were told that these cut-backs were necessary in order to get the economy and their companies back on their feet. Many of them also believed they received assurances that these cuts would be restored once the economy recovered. Workers also accepted the fact that the restoration of the CPF reduction would be gradual, in line with our economic performance and that it may never go back to the pre-recession rate of 25%. Like the Member for Pasir Panjang GRC, Major Abbas, who spoke before me, I am disappointed, not so much on the mere 1% restoration of the employers' CPF contribution, but more on the negative reaction of some business leaders and employers who obviously feel that even this 1% increase is 1% too much. The Member for Eunos GRC, Mr Chew Heng Ching, feels that this may be only 1/2% too much; whereas the Member for Cairnhill feels that this is more than 1% too much and has urged the Minister to reduce the employers' CPF rate in his next announcement.”
“Sir, could the Minister tell us whether the lives of our officers and men were ever in danger during the period of assignment in Saudi Arabia?”
“So we should rally behind the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and put in a concerted effort to build an ideal society.”
“Of course, to produce better programmes, it means higher cost of production. SBC has, to a great extent, depended on revenue from advertisements to pay for its expenses. Of course, advertisers would only advertise in programmes which command good viewership. Furthermore, I think it is not a fair comment to say that SBC is money-minded. Its Channel 12 has been telecasting cultural programmes and programmes for the minority groups on other channels. Of course, the advertisement revenue derived from these programmes is very limited. Yet, SBC has not shirked its duty in telecasting such programmes. Yesterday, Mr Goh Choon Kang said that the success of the Speak Mandarin Campaign has cut off our dialect group. I think he has exaggerated the point. Allow me to clarify. The objective of the Speak Mandarin Campaign is to encourage the use of Mandarin instead of dialects. We have not, and it is impossible to ban the use of dialects. In fact, we have also promoted, as a form of art, some provincial operas where dialects are used. It is not true that there is a big communication gap between grandchildren and grandparents in the family. In the past, we often pictured grandfathers as people in their 70s. In fact, nowadays we have many grandfathers who are in their 50s and 60s. They were educated in the Chinese school in their younger days, and they speak Mandarin. Even some grandfathers who could not speak Mandarin are willing to learn Mandarin in order to communicate with their grandchildren. I give them my respect for that. Sir, for a city to become a city of excellence, it must be complete in both tangible and intangible construction. In this society, everyone is willing to contribute his or her share. Everyone should be proud to be part of this city.”
“Our Government has appreciated this point and it has set up the Ministry of Information and the Arts to actively promote culture and arts. Of course, culture and arts is a form of investment. It is also a form of consumption. I hope that the Government will allocate more funds to improve and enhance the infrastructure for artistic and cultural activities. Because it is only with appropriate and adequate infrastructure that we are able to effectively mobilize our people to participate in cultural development. It is also with basic financial aid and basic facilities provided by the Government that we can undertake various artistic activities. Yesterday, the Member for Serangoon Gardens presented his views on cultural development. Like the Member for Braddell Heights, I do not agree with him. Because his "melting pot" type of culture will not necessarily bring about a culture which is peculiar or unique to Singapore. We are a multi-racial country and we cannot deny the fact that each race has its own cultural characteristics. We want our people to appreciate and to be proud of their own traditions. At the same time, we want to enhance the recognition in our oriental values so that we could resist the influence of the decadent western cultures. We want our people to be united and we want our Singaporeans to be proud of the fact that they are Singaporeans. As to Dr Lau Teik Soon's question on why SBC Channel 8 has become a Mandarin Channel, I hope he understands that SBC has the duty to provide educational, recreational and information programmes for people of various races in Singapore. At the same time, it has to face external competition and also to meet the increasingly higher demands of its viewers. It has to produce better programmes to attract more viewers.”
“We have learnt not only to treat our national defence and civil defence matters seriously, but also to understand as to why our Ministry of Defence has to spend great sums of money in purchasing the most advanced and most sophisticated weapons to enhance our defence capability. We also see that the invaders would certainly come to no good end. Sir, it is only with strong defence and stable society that we can talk about construction in our nation building, be it tangible or intangible. With regard to tangible construction, we saw great achievements over the past 10 years. Many skyscrapers have sprung up like mushrooms. Our water front has changed substantially but with it come a lot of concrete jungles. In order to dilute this image of concrete jungles, apart from setting aside some green belts in our city area, we should add in more outdoor art works such as murals and sculptures. In fact, in this aspect, we have done very little. In our busy city, there is hardly any mural that is representative. As for sculptures, there are far too little. We can hardly see any in our city area. I hope the Government and the private sector, particularly the big corporations, would set aside more money to instal some sculptures so that we could create more artistic atmosphere in our city. I heard that in some countries in Europe, there are legislations providing for a certain percentage of the total building cost, say, 1% or 2% to be set aside for the purchase of arts works when buildings are to be erected. I feel this is something we can consider in order to make our city more artistic. With regard to intangible construction, of course, the most important thing is culture.”
“The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Information and the Arts (Mr Ho Kah Leong)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion standing in the name of the Member for Toa Payoh GRC, Mr Davinder Singh, thanking the President for his Speech in Parliament. Mr Speaker, Sir, the President's speech, the Addendum and "The Next Lap" clearly spell out the Government's agenda for the next few years. It has painted a rosy picture, one which every Singaporean would look forward to. It certainly motivates everyone of us to work hard, to mobilise all available resources and strength to build Singapore into a country of distinction and a city of excellence. Mr Speaker, Sir, although the Gulf War is approaching its end, it is nevertheless a disaster to mankind. Apart from the many deaths and casualties, it has a far-reaching effect on the world economy and the ecological environment. Although Singapore is far away from the Persian Gulf, it cannot avoid the effect of the war. The originally flourishing tourist industry is the first to suffer its effect. There is a drastic reduction in tourist arrivals, hotel occupancy rate has gone down rapidly, and restaurants and tourist shops saw great decrease in the volume of their business. Fortunately, our economy is diversified and it is at the same time very resilient. We have managed to avoid going into recession. In this matter, the resolute stand adopted by Singapore is very appropriate. Our people can learn a very precious lesson from this Gulf War.”
“Sir, this concept will succeed only if the various ethnic groups in Singapore are more or less agreed on the fundamental principles such as what is right and what is wrong. On the non-fundamental issues, there can of course be disagreement and wide diversity of views. And I agree with what was said yesterday by Mr Nasser Kamaruddin, Member for Hong Kah GRC, on the issue of unity in diversity. However, there can be little diversity on the basic principles. If Singaporeans do not have consensus on the fundamental issues, this is reason for concern. And if these differences are manifested along ethnic and religious lines, then there is cause for even greater concern. I would therefore like to see the Government actively promote and continue to expand the number of shared values for all Singaporeans. The alternative to this is of course the promotion of a national identity with less emphasis on individual ethnic identity, as was suggested by the Member for Serangoon Gardens yesterday. Some of us obviously believe that this alternative may be too difficult or too painful to contemplate at this stage of our development. Whatever the case and despite our diversity of views, we will have to resolve this issue during the next lap if we are to enhance our chances of survival as a nation. I would like to believe that the first generation leadership got us through the first lap by never being faint-hearted when it came to making difficult and painful decisions if these were absolutely necessary. And I do not advocate that we change this basic attitude during the next lap. With that, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion.”
“Hopefully, our neighbours too will come to realise that making unhelpful statements on issues relating to our security would only heighten our apprehensions and cause us to take even greater preparations to meet any eventuality, whether real or imaginary. The more secure Singaporeans feel, the more likely it will be for us to divert resources away from defence expenditure and towards economic development such as investment in the growth triangle. I therefore support the call in the President's Address to continue military cooperation with friendly neighbouring countries, both bilaterally and through the Five-Power Defence Pact. I also support the proposal made some time ago to allow open inspections for each other's military facilities in order to reduce the possibility of misunderstandings. Hopefully, such military cooperation would also convince all parties concerned that an armed conflict would just not be a viable proposition. Mr Speaker, Sir, with your kind permission, I would also like to comment briefly on the subject of multi-racialism and ethnic identity, a topic which a number of speakers before me had already spoken about passionately. I support the call in the Addendum to the President's Address for us to strengthen our national identity and national consciousness. Whether we continue to survive and progress in this uncertain world during the next lap and beyond depends very much on whether we will be able to stand united as one people and one nation. It appears that we have chosen to strengthen national identity as well as ethnic identity through a concept of one people, many races. This concept, it is hoped, will enable multi-racial Singaporeans to develop their individual ethnic identity whilst strengthening national identity through shared values.”
“The lesson that should be learnt from this is that despite treaties, declarations and non-aggressive pacts, in reality, circumstances can change dramatically and today's allies may emerge as tomorrow's adversaries. Mr Speaker, Sir, perhaps President Saddam Hussein may not be the ideal example of a rational leader, because rational leaders are not expected to invade and occupy countries that supported them in their hour of need. Let me stress again that we in Singapore should count our blessings at being surrounded by friendly countries with rational leaders. Comforting as this situation may be, Singaporeans cannot afford to be complacent about defence and must still be prepared to face any eventuality, because recent events in neighbouring countries have clearly brought home the fact that leadership changes in this region can still occur suddenly and unexpectedly. In developing total defence and keeping our defence forces in a state of preparedness, we should of course be sensitive to the apprehensions of our neighbours, as much as we expect them to be sensitive to our fears as a small nation in the midst of much bigger countries. Whilst we perceive ourselves as a tiny and inherently vulnerable country that has to constantly take measures to ensure its survival, other countries in this region may not necessarily perceive us the way we perceive ourselves. During discussions with other Parliamentarians at an ASEAN meeting, I was rather surprised to hear them refer to Singapore as a strong economic and military regional power. Therefore, in our dealings with our neighbours, we should always make a conscious effort to project our non-aggressive intentions despite our military preparedness.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on this motion. Sir, I would like to comment on several issues in the President's Address relating to defence and foreign affairs. Over the last few months, many speeches have been made about the Gulf conflict and the lessons that can be learnt from it. The most obvious lessons for us are the need to ensure that we have a credible defence force, the need to take national service and reservist training seriously and the need to be prepared to face any eventuality through a policy of total defence. Singapore is indeed very fortunate to be surrounded by friendly neighbours whose leaders share the vision of cooperation for mutual benefit, so that our people can continue to live in peace and strive for prosperity. However, the lessons of Kuwait also show that good relations cannot always be taken for granted. During the 8-year Iran-Iraq war, the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait spent billions of dollars financing Saddam Hussein's war machine against Iran. Kuwait's support for Iraq was so strong and so open that Kuwaiti shipping in the Gulf came under Iranian missile attacks and had to seek protection under the US flag. Not very long after hostilities between Iran and Iraq ceased, Iraq invaded Kuwait and annexed its former ally and moved troops up to the border of Saudi Arabia, a country which also heavily supported Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. It must have been tragically ironic for the Kuwaitis on 2nd August last year to see Iraqi tanks and armour, many of which had been paid for by the Kuwaitis, roll across the border and occupy their country.”
“I am sure that in the majority of cases there will be no necessity to keep the findings confidential. With that, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support fully all the other provisions of the Bill, and I look forward to hearing the Minister's comments on the issues raised.”
“Sir, the GPC for Defence welcomes the proposed section 8C of the Singapore Armed Forces (Amendment) Bill. This new section will empower the Armed Forces Council to appoint committees for general or specific purposes, including disciplinary matters and to conduct inquiries. Such committees would be entrusted with similar powers as that provided to a Board of Inquiry. I feel that this is a very timely amendment in view of the recent number of accidents involving SAF personnel, some of which have unfortunately resulted in fatalities. Sir, I have no doubt that the SAF is constantly striving to eliminate as completely as possible the causes of accidents and the unnecessary exposure to hazardous situations during the training of its regulars, national servicemen and reservists. However, in the event that an unfortunate mishap does occur, it is essential that the families of the people involved as well as members of the public, almost all invariably have family members or friends serving in the SAF or as reservists, to be informed as completely as possible the circumstances leading to the mishap and the measures taken to prevent a recurrence of such mishaps. We often hear after a mishap that a Committee or a Board of Inquiry has been convened to investigate the accident. However, in nearly every case we never hear much about the findings. I have been told that the findings of these Committees are usually classified. I would therefore like to urge the Minister to consider expanding section 8C of the Bill to make it necessary for the findings of any Committee of Inquiry or Board of Inquiry involving death or serious injury to be made public, if such findings are not deemed to be prejudicial to national security.”
“The provision of this Article in the Singapore Constitution is perhaps to prevent a situation where a key office holder becomes his own advisor. Therefore, I think it would be appropriate that a similar provision should be drafted in the Armed Forces Act to avoid a situation where the Prime Minister acts as his own advisor. Sir, I would also like to comment on the new section 8B(2) of the Bill which states that where the Chairman of the Armed Forces Council is not present at any meeting of the Council, no business shall be transacted. New subsection (3) goes on further to state that even if the Chairman had appointed a member of the Council to act on his behalf, no decision of the Council on any matter made at the meeting can take effect until the written consent of the Chairman has been obtained. The requirements of section 8B therefore appear to be somewhat restrictive and may unnecessarily delay implementation of decisions of the Armed Forces Council if ever the Minister for Defence is away or not available for any length of time. Sir, in our attempt to create more checks and balances on authority, which invariably will serve us well under normal circumstances, we should also consider provisions to ensure that in times of crisis, these checks and balances will not stifle independent initiative and delay implementation of critical decisions required to save the situation under abnormal circumstances. Perhaps the Minister could provide clarification and also some assurance that the requirements stipulated in new section 8B of the Bill will not be a hindrance to the operations of the Armed Forces Council, especially in times of crisis or emergency, when the Minister for Defence is not available.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak on this Bill. The GPC for Defence is generally supportive of the rationale and the objectives of the Singapore Armed Forces (Amendment) Bill. It is recognised that most of the proposed amendments are consequential changes relating to the recent constitutional amendment on the Elected President. Other amendments proposed are mainly related to the updating and rationalisation of existing provisions in the Singapore Armed Forces Act. However, with your kind permission, Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to comment on a few provisions in the Bill. The proposed section 8(2) of the Bill makes it clear that the Minister for Defence shall be the Chairman of the Armed Forces Council. Sir, I think it would be prudent that when the Minister for Defence is also the Prime Minister the functions of the Chairman of the Armed Forces Council should be performed by a Minister or a Minister of State who is a member of the Armed Forces Council, other than the Prime Minister. The reason for this is that the new section 10A(1) and (2) of the Bill requires the Prime Minister to consult the Armed Forces Council on the appointment or revocation of appointment of the Chief of Defence Force and the Chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy before he advises the President. If the Prime Minister is also the Minister for Defence and consequently Chairman of the Armed Forces Council, a situation may arise where the Prime Minister may have to consult himself before he advises the President. Sir, Article 37B(4) of our newly amended Constitution stipulates that the Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisors whenever he performs the functions of the President, shall not act as Chairman of the Council simultaneously.”
“Otherwise, despite the moral authority that he holds by virtue of being directly elected by the people, the Elected President will not have the confidence to stand up against the Government. High qualifications must therefore be required of candidates. In this regard, I hope the First Deputy Prime Minister will introduce as early as possible the mechanism for his election. Finally, Mr Speaker, I would like to comment on the point that has been made about the Bill, ie, that it should be referred to a referendum. It must be noted that the Elected Presidency proposal has already been debated in this House in August 1988. I am aware that the proposal then was for the Elected President to be charged only with protecting the national reserves and integrity of the public service. Nevertheless, Parliament has accepted the principles behind the proposal as a basis for the preparation of a Bill on the Elected President. Furthermore, during the 1988 General Elections, this proposal became one of the hot issues and the people then gave the Government a strong mandate to prepare the Elected President Bill. Mr Speaker, when this Bill becomes law, we must have assurances that it will not be easily amended to remove the President's powers. To safeguard the President's powers, any government wishing to amend this aspect of the Constitution must be required to put the question in a referendum, and no change should be made without the endorsement of a two-thirds majority of the electorate. We must make sure that there are sufficient safeguards to ensure that the Elected Presidency will be an effective institution. Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“I do not think that will be the case, because the Government can still find a way to achieve its objectives. For example, in the case of the Supply Bill or Supplementary Supply Bill, the Elected President must consult the Council of Presidential Advisors in order to exercise his veto power. If a majority of Council members disagree with the Elected President, the Government can table the Bill back before Parliament and carry it with a two-thirds majority. But if a majority of Council members concur with the Elected President, his veto will stay. However, in such and other matters where the President is empowered to act, if the Government feels that the President has not discharged his powers in a reasonable manner and is unhappy with his decision, the President's and the Government's decisions, together with the grounds thereof, can be referred to the people, either in the next Presidential elections or in a referendum to change the Constitution, for a final decision. In the process, the people will of course get a true picture of the problem between the President and the Government and, in the final analysis, will decide what is good for them and the nation. This means the people will have a chance to examine the problem and the underlying issues and make their decision. And this will strengthen our system of democracy. Mr Speaker, with regard to the qualifications of candidates for the Elected Presidency, I agree with what is proposed in the Bill. We must be able to elect someone who can perform the functions of the Elected President effectively and curb the Government if it fails to act responsibly and honestly.”
“Our security will be enhanced through the institution of an Elected President with effective powers to examine the Government's administration, particularly in five vital areas. One, protecting the national reserves from being squandered by an incompetent or irresponsible Government. Our national reserves belong to all citizens, all the workers of Singapore. This is a vital responsibility as it will safeguard the value of the Singapore dollar. Second, ensuring the integrity of the public service. The appointment of key officials in the public service must be made on the basis of meritocracy. This policy has resulted in a competent and honest civil service. Third, ensuring that the Government will not abuse its powers in enforcing the Internal Security Act. Fourth, checking the powers of the Government under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill and finally ensuring that the CPIB will not be prevented from carrying out investigations into any complaint of corruption, particularly, against those holding senior appointments in the Government. Mr Speaker, may I reiterate here that with an Elected President with the powers outlined above, the security of Singapore will be more assured. We can never be sure that the one-man-one-vote system will always give us an honest and capable Government. With this system of checks and balances, we can improve and strengthen our Constitution, and this will ensure the long-term peace and progress of our nation and will help to increase confidence in our country. Mr Speaker, I would like now to comment on certain points that have been made in respect of the Bill. First, the question of whether the Elected President would have such vast powers as to be able to obstruct the Government from carrying out its responsibilities.”
“I would like to think that the role of the Elected President is to act as a safeguard against bad decisions by the Government and not as a means by a fickle electorate to prematurely throw out the Government. Finally, Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to comment on the proposed Article 22J of the Bill which appears to imply that the President, while in office, is above the law and is immune from prosecution for any action done by him either in his official or private capacity. Sir, I am aware that there are provisions in the existing Constitution that give the President immunity from prosecution and I can go along with the rationale for providing the President with immunity for his actions in his official capacity. However, I am unable to see the requirement to extend this immunity to cover all his actions accomplished in his private capacity as well. With that, Mr Speaker, Sir, I am glad to note that the Bill will be referred to a Select Committee where more views and comments can be heard and discussed. Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe( In Malay): Mr Speaker, the commitment of this Bill to a Select Committee will enable the members of the public to have an opportunity to come forward and offer their views and feedback. As we know, the Bill will introduce a fundamental change in the Constitution of Singapore. The people must take this good opportunity to discuss this Bill thoroughly and to contribute their views and suggestions, in the interests of Singapore and our future generations. Mr Speaker, I support this Bill as it will introduce a system of checks and balances which, once implemented, will be of great benefit to the future of our nation.”
“The electorate may not have much of a choice in this instance if the sole candidate is returned unopposed. In order that there can be no doubt that the choice of the people will prevail, I would like to suggest that in cases where there is only one candidate, the electorate should be given a choice of either rejecting or endorsing the candidate. If more than 50% of the eligible voters were to reject the candidate, then fresh nominations should be called. Sir, I support the stringent conditions that Presidential candidates must satisfy before qualifying as candidates. The responsibilities of the President require specialist knowledge and experience. Consequently, it would be prudent to limit the candidates to only those who have proven track records. I agree with the views expressed yesterday that no matter how stringent and careful the selection process might be, the less competent can still occasionally sneak through. However, if there are no stringent criteria in existence, then the possibility of the less competent sneaking through would invariably be very much higher. Sir, I do not think that we need to feel apologetic if the conditions for qualifying appear to be difficult to achieve. Singaporeans deserve the right to choose from the best a Head of State that would be most competent to safeguard our assets and to provide a check on the elected government. Mr Speaker, Sir, I find it difficult to go along with the view expressed yesterday in this House that the Bill, if passed, could be used as a second chance for the electorate to change their minds about the government they have put into power.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill moved by the First Deputy Prime Minister. Many of the points in support of the Bill have already been addressed and elaborated upon by the many speakers before me. I shall try not to repeat them but to comment on a few of the issues raised. First of all, I would like to commend the Government on its far-sightedness in introducing a Bill that would ensure better government, even though such a Bill may effectively dilute its powers at a time when the Government controls nearly all the seats in Parliament and there is no urgent need to give up any of its powers. I remember during the previous general election campaign, calls were made by the Opposition parties for more checks and balances on the PAP Government. This Bill, if passed, will provide significant checks on the Government's actions on issues pertaining to the ISA, CPIB investigations, religious harmony, key appointments in the civil service as well as to provide an additional safeguard on our reserves. I was therefore a bit surprised to hear the NCMP express his party's strong opposition to the Bill. Sir, I suspect the main objection to the Elected President proposal is because the current Prime Minister appears to be an ideal candidate. The prospect of having another PAP man elected by the population as the President probably makes them feel a little bit less enthusiastic about the Bill, despite the desire to have more checks and balances on the Government. Mr Speaker, Sir, as the President has to be elected by the people of Singapore, whatever the outcome of the election, the choice of the electorate would eventually prevail. However, a situation may arise where there may be only one candidate standing for President.”
“Sir, in cases such as that of a Town Council which may utilise the services of a contractor, who in turn may use the services of a number of sub-contractors, other than obtaining a firm undertaking from the contractors that they would not employ illegal foreign workers, it may be impractical for the Town Council Chairman, or his designate, to physically ensure that there are no illegal foreign workers employed by his contractors in providing services to his Town Council. Sir, I hope the Minister would take into consideration these difficulties and review clause 19(2) of the Bill. Finally, I would like to seek clarification on clause 9(4) which appears to prohibit a trade union representing a foreign worker from seeking redress or negotiating on behalf of its member in the event his work permit has been revoked or suspended by the Controller. Clause 7(4) gives any person, who is aggrieved by a decision of the Controller to revoke his work permit, the right to appeal to the Minister. If a foreign worker, whose work permit is revoked by the Controller, requests his union to make representation on his behalf to the Minister, could the union do so without contravening clause 9(4) of the Bill? Similarly, if a foreign worker's work permit is revoked by the Controller as a result of the wrongdoing by his employer and through no fault of the foreign worker, could the union seek redress from his employer without contravening clause 9(4)? Perhaps, the Minister could provide some clarification on these issues. With that, Sir, I would like to state once again my support for the objective of the Bill, ie, to discourage employers from having illegal foreign workers and I look forward to receiving the Minister's clarification.”
“I can understand the rationale for the presumption clause and the frustration of the enforcement officers. However, I would like some assurance from the Minister that this clause would be applied judiciously in order not to transfer the frustration of the enforcement officers to the occupier of the premises. Although clause 22 provides that the occupier of the premises could exempt himself from liability if an illegal worker is found in his premises, the conditions that must be satisfied are indeed difficult to achieve. In order to absolve himself of presumed guilt, it appears that the occupier of the premises must accomplish the role of an enforcement officer to produce the guilty person in court at the appointed time, after giving the prosecution at least three days' written notice. Hopefully, the guilty person, if he shows up at all, would incriminate himself by admitting to the offence. Otherwise, the occupier of the premises would have to assume the role of prosecutor and prove to the satisfaction of the court that the guilty person had indeed committed the offence in question without the occupier's consent, connivance or wilful default. Sir, in my opinion, the possibility of obtaining much cooperation from the guilty party is very remote. Clause 19(2) of the Bill states that if an occupier of the premises is charged for abetting his contractor who has employed an illegal foreign worker, it shall not be sufficient for him to prove in his defence that he had instructed the contractor not to, or obtained from the contractor an under- taking not to employ a foreign worker illegally.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the objectives of the Bill moved by the Minister for Labour. Illegal foreign workers in Singapore face serious consequences on conviction. Many of them are also exposed to exploitation by some unscrupulous employers who are aware that these workers would be reluctant to seek redress due to their illegal status. It would not be equitable if only the illegal foreign worker is made to face severe penalties while his abettor, the employer, gets away lightly. It is therefore hoped that the enhanced penalties provided by this Bill would deter employers from using illegal foreign workers. I am gratified to note that the Minister is well aware of the tight labour market situation currently existing in the country. Although there has been a gradual liberalisation of the foreign worker policy, as pointed out earlier by the Minister, I would like to urge the Minister to consider the plight of some employers who, despite vigorous advertising for workers and offers of competitive salaries, are still unable to get enough Singaporean workers. Perhaps the foreign worker policy could be made sufficiently flexible to accommodate the needs of this group of employers. In supporting the objectives of the Bill, I would like to seek clarification and perhaps express reservations at some of the provisions in the Bill. Clause 6 of the Bill, among other things, specifies that a person found in any premises in possession of any tool or implement would be presumed, until the contrary is proved, to be employed by the occupier of the premises. Sir, if a house-breaker in possession of any tool is apprehended by an enforcement officer on my premises, clause 6 of the Bill would presume that I am his employer until I can prove otherwise.”
“We can also use the values to be spelt out in the White Paper on Shared Values and incorporate them into our curriculum so that Singaporeans can be identified with the spirit of "One Nation, One People and One Singapore" and build up a new generation of Singaporeans which is literate, fluent, physically capable, sharp in business and patriotic to our nation.”
“Therefore, it is necessary for the Government to educate a generation to appreciate what they have today and to look forward to a better life in the future. Mr Speaker, Sir, we say a thousand-foot building will start from the stone on the ground. The Government must immediately launch its programmes in terms of educating our new generation. I am very happy to see that a new set of syllabus has been implemented for Secondary 3 and 4 students in civic and moral education and co-curricular programmes. But I feel that it is more appropriate to start this programme from young. The Minister for Education has given priority to primary education and also to the implementation of single session school right from primary level. However, I hope he will also consider the following two points. First, besides putting due emphasis on English, I think the education system should also put similar emphasis on the learning of the mother tongue to build up a better foundation so that our Asian values, traditions and characteristics can be preserved. Secondly, I hope the Ministry will also consider developing a mother tongue and civics education curriculum together and use the Ministry of Education experts as consultants. They should use their experience to develop a curriculum which has also been used in other Asian countries and incorporate it into our civics education. If necessary, I think we should also incorporate the history of our neighbouring countries into our education system to enhance our understanding.”
“Mr Choo Wee Khiang (Marine Parade GRC)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, first and foremost, I support Mr Lew Syn Pau's motion to express our thanks to the President for his Address. A strong nation must have a strong people and a strong people come from healthy bodies and healthy minds. In the process of building up ourselves physically, I hope the Government will implement fully our health care system. Health is our people's asset and it is through this that we maintain a healthy body. So birth, death and health are part of our lives. The Government has also said that it will try to provide the people with good health care. I am glad the Government has acknowledged this need to improve our health care system. I am sure this will also mean an increase in expenditure. The Government cannot go on forever subsidising health care. Therefore, I hope the Government will, at an appropriate time, make the necessary adjustments. It is these adjustments, especially to B and C class patients, that we need to consider. And I am sure in future they may be given some kind of subsidies and assistance so that the benefits can be transferred to the appropriate class. In the President's Address, we can see that the transition of power to Mr Goh Chok Tong has been smooth and he is leading us with confidence to a new era. And he has promised to lead Singapore to a more prosperous life. I am sure the next 25 years will be the same as the last 25 in terms of progress. The PAP has always worked on the principle of anticipating problems before everybody else. And our accomplishments have not been attained easily. But if we want to continue to progress, depending on wise leadership is not enough. What we need more is a people with a similar identity and who are willing to work.”
“Hopefully, it will also shift the emphasis away from our diversity into an area in which all our various communities can find common ground. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am happy to note that the Government intends to reintroduce the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill in order to prevent disharmony between religious groups. However, I would like to caution that in the long term, it is not always possible to pass legislation that completely protect our people from exposure to religious agitation. Everyday, religious strife occurs somewhere in this world. With communications being so advanced, as it is today, can we possibly hope to create a sterile environment in Singapore where our people can be completely insulated from the real world? Our best chance to prevent religious strife is to gradually expose and educate our people such that they can always think and remain rational even in the face of irrational provocation. This may take more than a generation to achieve. However, we should always bear in mind whenever we pass legislation to protect the people, be it religious harmony or film censorship, that the aim should be to immunise rather than to sterilise. Finally, Mr Speaker, Sir, on the labour situation in Singapore, I am glad to note that the Ministry of Labour feels that it must change the attitude towards employment of older workers. Despite the good progress made in raising the retirement age in unionised establishments, a lot more need to be done in non-unionised firms to raise the retirement age to 60. I would therefore like to urge the Government to legislate raising the retirement age to at least 60 without further delay. With that, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion.”
“Values in our young must be carefully nurtured essentially by parents, and these are reinforced by experiences in our daily life. If we cannot relate these values to everyday living, then it would be very difficult to retain them or to transmit them to our children regardless of how competent we are in the mother tongue. Similarly, the preservation of one's cultural heritage becomes difficult if we merely try to perpetuate past practices and rituals that have little relevance or meaning in our present environment. I am therefore delighted to note that the Ministry of Education will be introducing a new civics and moral education programme in 1992 to enhance sound moral values in our students. I would like to suggest that, in addition to this new civics and moral education programme, a cultural appreciation programme also be initiated. This programme could perhaps provide an updated and structured explanation on the significance and relevance of our various cultural practices. The best possible chance we have of preserving our cultural heritage is to have our young appreciate and see the relevance of our beliefs and practices in addition to learning the mother tongue in school. Mr Speaker, Sir, in our attempts to strengthen our cultural heritage, several cultural programmes were organised since the beginning of this year. These programmes have successfully enlightened many Singaporeans on their diverse heritage. However, it has also heightened racial awareness between our various ethnic groups, including some Eurasians. I am therefore glad to note that the Government intends to publish a White Paper on Shared Values, setting out those values which all communities hold in common. The objective is to help us gradually evolve a Singaporean identity.”
“We should also enhance schemes that permit bright students with language deficiencies, either in English or the second language, but who are able to do well in other subjects, to progress through our education system in order to avoid wastage of talent. I have heard of the anguish of parents whose children are unable to progress higher in our education system because of language deficiencies, either in English or the second language. Those with difficulty in the English language usually suffer in silence. However, those with difficulty in the second language appear to be more vocal in their sufferings. I have observed friends and colleagues who have studied in universities in Germany and France on scholarships. They took a one-year intensive language course in German or French before commencing their university programme. At the end of their language course, they tell me that their command of the language was still below 100%. However, these students, despite their apparent language handicap, still manage to graduate with First Class engineering degrees. Therefore, whilst we acknowledge that language acquisition is central to learning, we should never confuse the inability to master a language as an indication of an inability to excel in other disciplines that do not require a strong language bias. Sir, the figures may indicate that the proportion of students that are able to excel in all subjects other than language subjects may not be very high. However, in our present situation, we should endeavour to make every one of them count. We should also guard against assumptions that mere knowledge of the mother tongue would instil a strong cultural foundation and strong Asian values.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion standing in the name of the Member for Tanglin and I appreciate this opportunity to comment on a few of the subjects raised in the President's Address. On the subject of education, I am glad to note the Government's commitment to investment in education as a means to develop the talents of Singaporeans to the fullest. I also endorse the Government's emphasis on education to raise the standard of living of our people. The Ministry of Education has over the past few years also taken measures to improve the entire education system in Singapore. However, no amount of improvement in the system can benefit children that are not given sufficient education. During the last three years of constituency work, I have come across cases where parents have stopped their children's education prematurely despite their satisfactory performance. These parents attribute domestic problems and other constraints for their failure to keep their children in school. Fortunately, they constitute only a very small proportion of our population. The vast majority of parents go to great lengths to ensure that their children receive the best possible opportunities. However, as our human resources become more critical with our declining population, we should make it a requirement for parents to ensure that their children receive an opportunity to develop their full potential through education. We should also attempt to minimise the casualty rate in our education system without compromising standards. Introduction of streaming in our primary and secondary schools has significantly reduced the drop-out rate by enabling late developers to cope at a more comfortable pace rather than to drop out of the system altogether.”
“I believe this will be a demonstration of the Government's commitment to provide additional avenues for the people to express their sentiments and ideas in this House. Mr Speaker, in order that the nominated MPs are effective and are truly representative of the people, their appointment must be conducted in a careful and systematic manner. I am very much in agreement with the idea that the appointment should cover people from all fields, individuals, grassroots activists, professionals, as well as activists in the arts and culture. The appointment of arts and culture activists would go towards the realisation of our aim, as stated in the National Agenda, to build excellence in various aspects of life. I think arts and culture can play its role here. My other hope is that, if possible, at least one of the six NMPs to be appointed should be from a minority group. This NMP would then be able to convey the viewpoints of the minorities without being constrained by party interests, whether of the ruling or the opposition parties. Mr Speaker, the NCMP scheme and the formation of GRCs demonstrate our political maturity. These amendments were made in the long-term interests of the nation and the society. Though initially they were viewed with reservations by various quarters, both have now been accepted by society, because of the sincere intentions we had when we implemented them. The NMP proposal, too, is in my view part of our process of gaining political maturity. It is meant to prepare us for the challenges of the future, and I believe it is consistent with the desire reflected in our Prime Minister's New Year Message to see the 1990s as the decade when Singapore comes of age as a developed nation. Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“Sir, in order to maintain some consistency in argument, I would prefer to let natural evolution also take its course on the issue of an NMP contesting a by-election rather than make an express provision for him to vacate his seat. Other than that reservation, I support the other recommendations in the Bill. Encik Abdul Nasser bin Kamaruddin (Hong Kah GRC)( In Malay): Mr Speaker, I observe that the nominated MP proposal, when it was first tabled in this House by the First Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, drew a lot of attention from Members. The public too gave it a mixed reaction. And the usual argument against the proposal would have it that it is a ploy by the ruling party to augment its voice or reinforce its power, as if there is some ulterior motive behind this. The GRC proposal and the NCMP scheme, it would be noted, got the same reception when they were first introduced. But once they were implemented, people realise how much advantages they offer in the long term. The lone NCMP in this House, Dr Lee Siew-Choh, must surely be convinced that being a Non-Constituency Member has enabled him to channel opinions on Government policies and convey the people's aspirations, notwithstanding that the Opposition parties had initially rejected the NCMP scheme. Mr Speaker, the nominated Members of Parliament will have the same role as that of the NCMP, indeed, as that of the other MPs, to express their opinions for the good of society and the nation. More than that, the NMPs when appointed will be able to express their views independently. They must not, I think, align themselves with any political party in this supreme law-making body. I am confident that NMPs will also be vocal and candid, since they will not be obligated to nor fearful of any quarter.”
“Sir, on the subject of a nominated MP having to resign or to sever all ties with political parties, I am persuaded by the argument that affiliation to a political party need not affect a person's objectivity. In my relatively short experience in this House I have witnessed occasions when PAP backbenchers have behaved more like Opposition MPs and also when an Opposition MP has sounded more like a PAP backbencher. Consequently, Sir, I do not see the need to require a nominated MP to sever all his political affiliations. The public will be able to make a judgment on the non-partisan character of nominated MPs by the views they express and the way they vote in Parliament. In taking such a position I find myself at odds with the arguments put forward by the Select Committee for a nominated MP to vacate his seat before contesting a by-election as a candidate for a political party. The argument by the Select Committee was that it would be impossible for a nominated MP to maintain his non-partisan image if he had campaigned vigorously along party lines and that he would be indebted to his party for his nomination and for his financial and other support for his campaign. Sir, if we follow through with this non-partisan image argument to its logical conclusion, then it would be consistent to support the proposal that nominated MPs should sever all links with any political party and that a person who stood unsuccessfully on a party ticket for election should be disqualified from nomination as an NMP. The Select Committee has, however, specifically rejected such a proposal in paragraph 39 of its Report. Instead it expressed a preference to let these matters evolve naturally as constitutional conventions and practice rather than to make any express provision.”