Cheo Chai Chen
Singapore
“Although we cannot allow vehicles to speed along our expressways, I think we should not set unreasonable speed limits on the roads. I would therefore suggest that the Traffic Police increase the speed limit in Holland Road and Yishun Avenue 2 to 70 km per hour which I think is more appropriate.”
“Sir, does the Minister agree that sometimes small faults are not easy to detect? So the vehicle owner has to send the vehicle for inspection and to be checked by more advanced equipment. Only then can they find out the faults. I think there should be no charge for the second inspection.”
“No. I have to say something first before I ask my question. Otherwise, I cannot ask my question. (In Mandarin) I was saying that we must create favourable conditions to attract foreign investors in order to ensure economic growth or better economic growth.”
“This matter has been bothering me all these years. I do not know why the Ministry of Labour must insist on prohibiting work permit holders from marrying Singapore citizens.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to ask the Minister how many cases of capital offences we had last year. It is very important because capital offences involve a person's life. So if there are not many such cases last year, or the year before, the Minister should review the administration or manpower situation.”
The complete record
Every one of 27 lines we hold for Cheo Chai Chen, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, can I request the Minister to reply---”
“Sir, can I clarify certain points with the Minister first before I withdraw? The Chairman: Okay. Just one short clarification very quickly. We are running out of time. Mr Cheo Chai Chen( In Mandarin): Sir, I would like to respond to the Minister's reply. Firstly, the Minister said that many of these people who were affected had planted a lot of trees. This was because the Government department concerned had not conducted the matter properly. At the time of resettlement, they should make a register of the existing trees. Any tree planted after the registration date will then be ruled out from any claim for compensation. Secondly, many people planted more trees because the Government's compensation was not reasonable, eg, a durian tree takes about seven years to mature and bear fruits. Then, the owner can reap in a lot of money from the sale of durians. Now, the compensation is only some $200 per tree, which I think is manifestly inadequate. Of course, I am not encouraging the people to plant more trees to deceive the Government. With regard to the site in Woodlands Avenue 9, I did not say that Government should compensate them. But when the Government is going to resettle them, they should offer them an alternative site so that they can have a place to store their goods because most of their goods are very bulky. 2.45 pm”
“Could the Minister consider providing a free security code for subscribers because I think it is not reasonable to charge them?”
“Sir, I am not very satisfied with his reply. But I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The Chairman: Amendment No. (3), Mr Zulkifli.”
“I am going to finish. Can you allow me to ---”
“Although we cannot allow vehicles to speed along our expressways, I think we should not set unreasonable speed limits on the roads. I would therefore suggest that the Traffic Police increase the speed limit in Holland Road and Yishun Avenue 2 to 70 km per hour which I think is more appropriate. Increasing the speed limit from 50 km to 70 km per hour in these two areas will not necessarily lead to an increase in road accidents. 2.30 pm As I have said earlier, on 23rd January 1995 the Parliamentary Secretary used the American study to support his argument that the increase in speed limit would lead to more fatal accidents. I do not think that was an appropriate example because in the 1990 study, the speed limit used was 55 miles per hour which, when converted to kilometres, would be 88 km per hour.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head Q of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code QC 1500. (In Mandarin): Sir, last year, the Traffic Police spent $500,000 to install speed detection cameras in six areas - Holland Road, Yishun Avenue 2, Bukit Batok Road, CTE, PIE and Boon Lay Way - in order to catch the motorists who drive at excessive speeds. The Traffic Police believes that this will help to prevent accidents in these six areas which are accident-prone. On 23rd January this year, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs cited a study in America to support his reasoning for the installation of these cameras. Personally, I support the installation of speed detection cameras in accident-prone areas. But I do not agree to the speed limit of 50 km per hour along the two stretches of road in Holland Road and along Yishun Avenue 2. I feel that the 50 km per hour speed limit is too low. It is a well known fact that traffic is very slow in these two areas during the peak hours. In other words, the flow of traffic is affected because of the heavy volume of traffic. Although speeding may cause accidents on the road, there are also many other factors contributing to road accidents. For example, the attitude of drivers, the lack of safety-consciousness of the pedestrians, those who drive after drinking, impatience and fatigue of the drivers all these are human factors which can lead to accidents on the road. At present, the vehicles on the road and the conditions of the road are all very good. But, because our people are very time-conscious, they fight for every second. The Government has built highways and expressways and the MRT system for this reason - to save time for the people.”
“Will the Minister consider building a community hospital in the Yishun area if the Ministry does not have plans to convert the Yishun Medical Centre to a polyclinic?”
“Will the Ministry conduct a survey to justify the demand?”
“Sir, is the Minister aware that we have many parcels of State land and you can find many walkways in these open spaces? Why is the Ministry taking a different standard in this matter?”
“Sir, can the Ministry provide a temporary footpath?”
“Mr Speaker, I will withdraw my speech. Question put, "That this House endorses Paper Cmd. 13 of 1994 on "Competitive Salaries for Competent and Honest Government" as the basis for setting salaries of Ministers and senior public officers."”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, can you allow me to say a few words?”
“Sir, can the Minister tell this House, up to date, how many licences have been issued to these employment agencies?”
“Sir, does the Minister agree that sometimes small faults are not easy to detect? So the vehicle owner has to send the vehicle for inspection and to be checked by more advanced equipment. Only then can they find out the faults. I think there should be no charge for the second inspection. I agree that maybe for the third inspection, the car owners should be charged.”
“I will ask the question now. Can I ask the Minister what is the reason for ROV to want these two organisations to charge for a second inspection?”
“Sir, I think this is not reasonable, because sometimes small faults are not easy to detect. Only when you go to VICOM and AA for inspection that you could find out the faults.”
“Yes. Can the Minister tell me the percentage of these offences which are committed by drivers of heavy vehicles? Because I think there are insufficient heavy vehicle parking lots.”
“Sir, can the Ministry increase the number of vacancies for the residents of Nee Soon Central?”
“Sir, can the Minister of State for National Development tell this House whether the HDB and URA parking fees will be raised this year or next year? If so, when?”
“No. I have to say something first before I ask my question. Otherwise, I cannot ask my question. (In Mandarin) I was saying that we must create favourable conditions to attract foreign investors in order to ensure economic growth or better economic growth. If we are not able to ensure that in future we can have economic growth, even with the implementation of GST, in the long term, it will be useless, because we will not be able to subsidise the people.”
“I wish to seek the views from the Minister.”
“I will have to say something first before I ask my question.”
“This matter has been bothering me all these years. I do not know why the Ministry of Labour must insist on prohibiting work permit holders from marrying Singapore citizens. Any work permit holder who marries a local citizen without the prior approval of the Ministry of Labour stands not only to lose his job in Singapore but also face a permanent ban from entry to Singapore. On the other hand, many people have applied to the Ministry of Labour for permission to get married and their applications are more often than not refused. I think the Ministry of Labour should review its ruling on the matter. So long as it does not harm the interest of our country, I think we should revoke or relax this restriction because this policy has caused many broken hearts. At the same time, we are losing a great number of labourers.”
“Thank you, Sir. (In Mandarin) With regard to the challenge by the Minister of State to the Singapore Democratic Party, as the Member of Parliament representing Nee Soon Central, I accept the Minister of State's challenge, but, on one condition, that is, the Minister of State must promise to return all the land and houses, which had been compulsorily acquired from the people in my constituency, to them. I think this challenge by the Minister of State is ridiculous. It is a very unreasonable challenge. The Minister of State must have forgotten why these residents have to buy the flats from the Housing and Development Board, in the first place. Why have they to stay in HDB flats? That is because their houses were acquired by the Government. Their land was acquired by the Government! If the Minister of State can agree to return their houses and land to them, I will accept the challenge. I will urge the residents not only to sell back the flats to the HDB, but also not to rent the flats from HDB, as it will not be necessary for them to rent the flats any more. I have another question to ask the Minister of State. Just now I asked the Minister one question, that is, before the introduction of these new measures, how many town councils had asked to increase their conservancy charges? Which were these town councils? Can the Minister of State please tell this House?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to ask the Minister how many cases of capital offences we had last year. It is very important because capital offences involve a person's life. So if there are not many such cases last year, or the year before, the Minister should review the administration or manpower situation. Maybe, our courts are short of judges. In fact, the court must have at least three judges, not two, to hear capital offence cases. I think two is not enough. So maybe the Minister should reconsider this amendment. Sir, can I speak in Mandarin?”