Chew Heng Ching
Singapore
“Sir, in terms of sports facilities, we, as a nation, are certainly very well-endowed. We have many stadiums, swimming complexes, sports halls, multi-purpose fields, tennis courts, school fields and many, many more.”
“These jobs need not necessarily be limited to menial jobs like cleaners, sweepers and lift attendants, but could be extended to include the services of older professionals such as engineers, accountants, managers, and clerical officers.”
“For this reason, Sir, I am a bit disappointed with the Budget in that we could have done more for our SMEs, many of which have also made sacrifices in the past and are still struggling and not able to reap the benefits of economic recovery.”
“In so doing, we may have addressed the form of the issue at high cost to our charities, deterred some good people from coming forward to serve and to volunteer, but may miss out on the substance, which is the bigger picture, ie, what is the best means with reasonable level of disclosure and accountability to help meet the needs of the nee…”
“May I, therefore, suggest that the Government look into the plight of these wet market stall owners. Many wanted to give up their stalls but, with outstanding loans from the banks, they could not. Some wanted to sell their stalls but there were no buyers. And their children are not willing to take over the stalls.”
“May I therefore propose that the Ministry, in the light of this massive LUP project announced by the PM, review the adequacy and the use of town council sinking funds.”
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“The next point I would like to raise is the recent hiccup in the relations between Singapore and Malaysia. On the face of it, this storm stems from a sentence in the affidavit of Senior Minister Lee. But the actual development of the events shows that this is only the tip of the iceberg. From the accusations, insults, humiliation and threats hurled on our leaders by the Malaysian leaders and the mass media, and the way they go about rattling on endlessly, we can see that they are acting beyond reason and rationality. Since March this year when the trouble first started, we read in the newspapers every day of their abuses at us. Yes, we are being scolded every day. In addition to all these abuses, some politicians are even calling upon their people to boycott the Singapore port, and to cut off water supply to Singapore. We all know that cutting off our water supply is not an ordinary threat. Those who issued this threat know that they are actually threatening the survival of Singaporeans. In other words, they are giving the warning to us that our survival is in their hands. So long as they cut our water supply, we cannot live anymore. As a Singaporean, my feeling is that we have not been treated as an independent, sovereign country. Yet, the Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir, still said that it would be very difficult to maintain bilateral relations with Singapore. I think his true meaning is that it is difficult to have bilateral relations with Singapore according to his wishes. Of course, if he wants everything to be conducted according to his wishes, on his terms, then it will be very difficult indeed.”
“This will be detrimental to the competitiveness of a country. Now the Taiwanese are saying that they should resort to heavy punishment to deal with the social disorder. But we know that when politics and the underworld are tied up together, as in the case of Taiwan, to move from disorder to order is not easy. Here, I would like to refer to one article in the New News Weekly which says: " The ill fate of Taiwan is like a heavy object dropping into the water. It sinks deeper and deeper. In less than 10 years' time, Taiwan has deteriorated from a society of chaos to a society of avarice, and from an avaricious society into a cruel society. 1996 was the watershed. The number of serious crimes of violence suddenly jumped from 917 cases to more than 1,400 cases. Kidnapping and extortion cases rose from 92 to more than 150 cases. Taiwan is full of violence. It is no longer a country of petty thieves and small-time robbers. It is now a new barbaric country which is full of violence and gruesome crimes. This article is entitled "Who can save Taiwan?" Mr Speaker, Sir, in the 60s, Singapore was also a country infested with kidnappers and gangsters. But because the Government had taken effective measures to curb the influence of the underworld, we are able to enjoy social order today. We should never allow the underworld the opportunity to raise its ugly head again to jeopardize our social security. Therefore, the Government must make all efforts to deal with criminals, to maintain good social order and security, to ensure that our people enjoy safety and freedom without any fear, or interference, kidnapping or blackmailing by the underworld. I believe this is a prerequisite for us to continue in our development.”
“These are samples of the kind of social disorder in Taiwan which make the people there feel that they are living in fear and danger all the time, and these are real fears! We all know that Taiwan is one of the four little dragons of Asia. Taiwan's development started earlier than Singapore, and at a faster pace too. In my opinion, the experiences of Taiwan provides us with a lot of lessons to learn from. Not too long ago, Taiwan was also a very orderly society, but in just a short period of time, everything has changed. On television, we can see thousands and thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets, calling on the government to resign, because they could not solve all these crimes. We have also seen from TV the cries and appeals of Pai Ping Ping calling on President Lee Teng Hui to devote some time to look into law and order in Taiwan, and to provide the women-folk in Taiwan a reasonable space for survival, while paying attention to the international arena. Sir, as it is said, "worms will hatch only from things which are rotten". Taiwan today has all the chaos that caused a lot of anxiety, and this is something that we need to study and learn from. The Taiwanese experience tells us that to move from order to disorder is easy, but to restore law and order from chaos is very difficult. It is just like a jigsaw puzzle. You need to spend a lot of time to put all the pieces together. But if you want to break them, it is just so easy. You can do instantaneously. In English, they use the expression: "to open up the Pandora's box". The consequences are unthinkable. It is beyond control. Once social order is in jeopardy, it will affect not only the confidence of the people, but the confidence of the investors as well.”
“We must realize that although there is no great crisis or threat to us in the foreseeable future, the very keen global competition may well affect our survival and our future prosperity. Today, we have a very good life, much better than that of 20-30 years ago. But the world today has also changed. We must make our people realize that world competition is becoming keener and keener. Our economic competitors are no longer the tortoises, because there are no more tortoises. We are now competing with hares. Take the case of Malaysia. It is now a hare which can run very fast and they have always been using the slogan Malaysia Boleh to encourage their people to be competitive. In certain areas like ports, airports, information technology, they are actually in direct competition with Singapore. So I feel that it is very important for us to enhance the competitive awareness among our people. Sir, let me deal with two recent events which are very important in urging our people to reflect on our future. The first event is the kidnap and murder of Pai Hsiao-Yen, the only daughter of the famous Taiwanese television artiste Pai Ping Ping. The second event is the recent storm in the relationship between Singapore and Malaysia, which we have all been talking about. The case of Pai Hsiao-Yen shocked the entire Taiwan society. But it was just one of the many cases of chaos in Taiwan. We learnt from the newspapers that soon after the funeral of Pai Hsiao-Yen, there was news of yet another innocent young boy who was kidnapped and murdered. Not long ago, there were the case of rape and murder involving a feminist leader, Peng Wan-Ru, and the murder of the Magistrate of Tao Yuan County, Taiwan. All these cases remain unsolved.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not possible for us to recreate artificially the sense of crisis to stimulate the fighting spirit of our citizens, because the sense of crisis is a product of circumstances. So, I think what we should do is to try and enhance the competitive awareness among our people. Why do I say we have to enhance our competitive awareness? This is because, I believe, basically, all our citizens do have the competitive awareness with them. However, I notice also that the competitive awareness of some of our people is either not correctly oriented or simply inadequate. For example, some people may ask: why should we want to be No. 1 in every field? Why must Singapore be fighting to be the first in everything? Some people say that Singapore is very small, competition is very intense and the pressure is getting more and more heavy all the time. I think this sort of thinking exists because these people have inadequate competitive awareness or they have failed to understand the real meaning of competitive awareness. They should understand that apart from internal competition, the greater competition actually comes from outside, or the external environment for survival. Some people do not fully understand that keeping our advantage or edge in the competition is our means for survival. That is why I believe that competitive awareness is one key component we must include in our proposed National Education. Mr Speaker, Sir, to enhance competitive awareness, first of all, we must know the various crises that we have gone through in all these years of our nation building. This is history. There was an ancient Chinese saying, "Taking history as an object lesson, we can tell the rise and fall of a nation." We must always be prepared for danger in times of peace.”
“At the time of separation from Malaysia, we were really desperate and everybody thought we had no chance of survival. But we made it. We actually found a way out against all odds. I think in this context, the sense of crisis played a very important role. That generation of Singaporeans all had a very strong sense of crisis or "crisis consciousness". Since separation from Malaysia, we worked very hard for more than 30 years. Today, with all the success and prosperity, Singaporeans seem to have lost their sense of crisis. Long periods of stability and development have brought to our people security and confidence. Is it good or bad? I think it can be both. Good in the sense that we have confidence and the courage to face our future positively. Bad in the sense that some of our people have become complacent and arrogant. It is generally known in military strategy that, "An army burning with righteous indignation is bound to win, and an army puffed up with pride is bound to lose." This is precisely the reason why the hare lost its race against the slow-moving tortoise, in the famous fable. In the 60s and 70s, we were an army of righteous indignation. We had no other options. We had to bei shui yi zhan ( : fight with one's back to the river) that is, fight to win or die, and pofu chenzhou ( : break the cauldrons and sink the boats after crossing) that is, cut off all means of retreat and be absolutely resolute to win or die. Now, what we must do is to prevent our people from an army which is puffed with pride, or like the conceited hare in the fable. Otherwise, we may end up "surviving the turbulent times yet succumbing in times of peace and happiness".”
“We also need to be gracious, caring and considerate people as we enter the next millennium, thereby making Singapore our best home! Mr Goh Choon Kang (Marine Parade)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, having heard the speeches of more than 40 colleagues in this House, I think they have covered almost every relevant topic. All I can say is that "great minds think alike". However, as it is said, "The wise man may have considered a thousand things, yet he is bound to make a slip one day. On the other hand, even a foolish man may occasionally hit a good idea." It is in this light that I am presenting my humble view to this House today. First of all, I would like to support the motion standing in the name of the Member for Bukit Timah thanking the President for his Address at the Opening of this Parliament. This Government is a cross-century government, because it will lead Singapore from the 20th century into the 21st century. Different ages and different times face different questions, problems and challenges. Every country, at different stages of development and different times in history, also has to face different kinds of problems and challenges. As such, the key to survival is to be able to overcome all the problems and meet all the challenges. In the ever-turning wheel of history, we have seen countless ups and downs, successes and failures. Mr Speaker, Sir, in order to face the future challenges, as a citizen, I think there are two things we have to bear in mind. Firstly, it is to learn from the past for the sense of crisis which would motivate us to struggle for our survival. Secondly, we must make every effort to enhance our awareness for competitiveness.”
“Sir, as GPC Chairman for MITA, I cannot end my speech without responding to DPM Dr Tony Tan's announcement two days ago that the Government has given art a big boost with the formation of a Committee to recommend how creative and artistic manpower in Singapore can be developed and with promise of financial support for the LaSalle College of Arts and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. My GPC Members and I give our whole-hearted support to this move. Sir, as our economy matures and before the pursuit of materialism and wealth becomes an obsession, it is timely that we make space for the arts to ventilate, to flourish. It is accepted that arts is soothing, that it makes people more gentle and patient. It helps to remind ourselves that there is beauty in being a gracious people, in being appreciative of nature and the sublime. Sir, everyone has a part to play in promoting art awareness. I would like to suggest that at the constituency level, the Government consider designating a place or places as Arts Corner where residents are free to show and display their artistic talents, whether in the form of paintings, poems, handicrafts, or even dancing. Grassroots organisations could help on a bigger scale by holding performances, operas or dances for budding artists, talents, from within the constituency on a regular basis. Artistes should be encouraged and given room and access for expression. Only then will Singapore not become a concrete jungle for the spiritual bankrupt, but a people of varied talents appreciative of the true meaning of life and living. With that, Sir, I would like to thank the President once again for reminding us that it is not enough just to have handsome buildings and a world-class infrastructure.”
“I am therefore glad that the Government has planned family get-together programmes, such as the National Family week in June, where wholesome activities will be organised with the family in mind. It is now for Singaporeans to respond positively to these activities, which hopefully will jump-start them into holding their own family gatherings and interactions on a regular basis. Sir, good dramas and plays will also help strengthen family ties. I remember the movie Julie Andrews' "The Sound of Music" was a hit. It has a beautiful story line. A father who ruled over his children regimentally discovered true love and rapport with his children through the children's nanny, who herself had to first contend with and win over defiant children. I hope this move will still be a hit today. Otherwise, I would be worried. Another good drama is the local "Under One Roof" which again centres on the family ties and neighbourliness. Its jokes are funny, sometimes exaggerated, but never need to be vulgar. It goes to show that we can still have good plays and dramas without having to spice them with gore, violence or sex. Sir, care for the aged. The Government has in place various safety nets for healthcare protection. I would urge the Government to monitor closely the adequacy of each safety net, enhance and improve on them according to the needs of the people, lest they become irrelevant. There should also be more efforts made by National Sports Associations to promote sporting activities specially tailored for the elderly for greater awareness.”
“But the sight of kids piling up their plates, spilling food on the way back to their tables and not finishing them, all these sometimes under the eyes of their doting parents is, indeed, saddening. These people feel that since it is a buffet and they have paid for it, they have every right to the food including wasting them. Educating the parents as much as the children against such thinking is necessary, and I have no qualms that restaurants enforce the rule of charging wasted food strictly. Peer group pressure would also help. And in schools, teachers could promote etiquette awareness by discussing good social habits and chiding all forms of kiasuism. Sir, affluence, the result of our forefathers and ourselves working hard, our frugality, determination and honest and able Government, has unfortunately given many young Singaporeans today the notion that life is blessed with opulence and abundance. That money is to be found in an ATM machine, and all you need is an ATM card or a credit card. Some parents prefer to spend all their time at work, with friends and entertainment. Instead of giving time to their children, they give them ATM cards or credit cards. So their children become free-spenders, and with substantial amounts of money at their disposal, they are attracted to branded goods and become brand conscious. The net result, trendy youth who indulges in vain pursuits of materialism and with scant respect for money. Sir, we can conveniently blame social ills to society, to economic affluence. We look at the developed West and we console ourselves that they are no different. Yes, but we can be different. Recognising that these are weaknesses in our system brings us one step closer to a solution.”
“It could feature philanthropists like Tan Kah Khee, Lee Kong Chian, anti-Japanese occupation hero like Major Lim Bo Seng, and even the retired "Tiger Hong" and the "Samsudin" of SAFTI who not only instilled discipline and patriotism in their charges, but helped mould the early batches of NSmen and lay a solid foundation for National Service. Our home-grown entrepreneurs and industrialists too should find a place in Singapore's history. What is most important of all is the struggles and success stories of our first generation of political leaders before, during and after independence. Sir, the NEP should not be confined only to schools. The mass media should play their part by running articles and stories on these great men, in particular, honouring their deeds and sacrifices. The real benefit would come with time when the young Singaporeans are imbued with the right values and are seen to emulate our true heroes. Sir, the President has outlined the five pillars of excellence. I think our adequate hardware and sound infrastructure built over the years augmented by consistent upgrading and restructuring to meet market demands, should keep us in competition. I am not too worried about that. However, like my many colleagues in this House, I am concerned with the "software" aspect of nation building. How do we improve our social behaviour, nurture our young, care for the aged and build family ties? This aspect of growth has become increasingly important as we move to become a developed nation by the turn of the century. Sir, eating at buffets is a common past-time for Singaporeans. Sometimes, it helps to bring a family and friends together and that is good.”
“It makes Singaporeans, particularly our younger ones, more aware of our vulnerabilities and the need, despite our economic progress, to also know Singapore's history in greater details, the trials and tribulations that came before our success today. That it was never a breezy stroll, but a meandering path that was arduous and sometimes treacherous. Only then would younger Singaporeans look at each achievement with pride, gratitude and appreciation. Sir, the National Education Programme (NEP) should come timely for all Singaporeans. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend, on behalf of the Government, the National Day Celebration of a very friendly developed country, the Netherlands. What I witnessed at the celebration deeply moved and impressed me. The guests at the celebration were mostly Singaporeans and many Dutchmen too. When the Singapore National Anthem was played, the audience was generally attentive but very few Singaporeans were heard singing `Majullah Singapura'. In contrast, as soon as the first beat of the Netherlands National Anthem came on the air, the Dutch sang spontaneously, in thunderous unison and their faces beaming with pride and joy. Obviously, they love their country and are always ready to show it expressively. Sir, we could learn from the Netherlands. I would like to suggest that the NEP include urging all Singaporeans to sing aloud our National Anthem wherever and whenever it is played, be it in the schools, community halls or at other public or private functions. Sir, I would also like to suggest that the deeds of yesteryear heroes of Singapore be made an integral part of the NEP.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I join my colleagues in rising to thank the President for his Address which was succinct and yet all encompassing, spelling out the ingredients necessary to make Singapore our best home. Yes, competition will get tougher by the day with our competitors building up capabilities in areas of our traditional strengths and moving into niches which we used to occupy. But their progress will also mean that there will be more opportunities for us and our companies to trade with them, invest in them and provide them with support and services. Therefore, Sir, keener competition is not without gains to our people provided we continue to upgrade ourselves, improve our productivity, persevere and be always united purposefully for a common destiny. I am glad that the priorities of the Government in the next five years are to continually invest in our people, fine-tune our education system and plan ahead to catch the market tide. But, Sir, economic achievement alone is not enough. We must also know our roots and our history in order to be proud of our own brand of Singapore culture and tradition. Sir, pride for one's home, country and tradition is a unifying force never too early to imbue one with. I note with pride that we not only thrive economically, but we are also a thinking people and refused to be dragged into silly mud-slinging. Recently, Singaporeans have shown their mettle yet again in the face of a tirade onslaught by some members of our closest neighbour, Malaysia. Their ferocity and outburst were calculated to agitate, annoy and stir emotions. But Singaporeans remained level-headed and unfazed. They closed ranks and kept their cool. Sir, it was an eye opener. To me, it is like a blessing in disguise.”
“We must preserve and uphold the respectability of Parliament and its members. We cannot compromise the standard of parliamentary representation. Otherwise, the electorate will suffer. Singapore will suffer. I think we do not dislike the Opposition, as Mr Chiam and Mr Low would know, but we certainly loathe dishonest, crafty and dubious Opposition. Parliament has no place for such people. Sir, I endorse the Report of the Committee.”
“Chee Soon Juan should indeed look at himself hard in the mirror, search his own conscience and see whether he himself has the minimum standard of morals. Sir, Chee Soon Juan has been found guilty of an offence personal to himself. He will be fined by this House. He has let his party down. He has brought disgrace to his SDP members through his behaviour. And yet I read in the Sunday Times of 24th November 1996 that the decision of the Committee of Privileges posed a serious financial setback for the SDP. Does it mean that Chee Soon Juan is asking his party to pay for his fine? If so, where is his conscience? Has he a moral? Could a director of a company, for example, fined for his own misdeeds, ask his company to pay for his fine? This is certainly unheard of and wrong, morally and legally. Sir, I am aware that clause X(f) of the SDP's Constitution allows for Party funds to be used to compensate the loss by a member as a result of activity for the Party. Unless giving false statements and prevaricating are condoned by the Party membership as SDP's activities, then SDP members themselves, like shareholders of a company, should question whether Party funds should be used to help pay for Chee Soon Juan's fine, since he is doing a great disservice to the Party. He has shamed the SDP! I would like to urge Singaporeans to vote carefully at the coming General Election. We cannot afford to admit a cheat, a liar, into this Parliament. Look at Taiwan where fist fights are part of their parliamentary proceedings. Members of this House are honourable men and women of character and integrity, with high moral standards and conscience. They are highly respected in our society. Many serve as role models for our younger Singaporeans.”
“After he was sacked from the University, instead of reflecting on his misdemeanour, he went on a hunger strike, but secretly drank glucose at the same time. Very smart indeed, trying to evoke sympathy while sustaining himself out of hunger. Sir, Chee Soon Juan then tried again to cheat with numbers, as you have heard in the House earlier. He has a doctorate degree. He is adept at doing research work. He must have checked through figures and numbers many times, and by the time he was ready to write a book, he would have formed an impression as to the actual state of affairs. Even if it was a typo error in the first instance, he would have discovered the mistake at proof reading, because the figure does not jive with what he has read. And yet he cunningly put the figure as 5%, hoping that if it is not corrected, his ploy would succeed and, if caught, he could give the excuse that the figure "2" has slipped out. Indeed, a very slippery man! Sir, I read in the Report of the Privileges Committee that Mr Kwan Yue Keng conceded that Chee Soon Juan had done wrong, and indeed tried to distance himself. This was even reported in the press. But soon after that, the SDP released an undated press statement signed by Mr Kwan himself that he had complete faith in Chee Soon Juan's leadership. Could Mr Kwan have told the truth, and then being forced to say otherwise? Mr Kwan, in his clear conscience, would tell you the answer. But I think you could guess it quite correctly, going by what Chee Soon Juan is capable of doing. Chee likes to seek audience with the foreign press for only one reason: to run Singapore or Singaporeans down. He did that again recently when he told the Bangkok Post that Singaporeans lacked conscience, lacked morals.”
“But this time, Mr Low cannot, in good conscience, disagree with the findings of the Committee. There is no doubt that Chee Soon Juan and his SDP colleagues are guilty to the hilt of the offences of giving false statements and prevaricating. Mr Low only asked that the fines be lower. The allegations made by the SDP members were indeed very serious. They are matters close to the heart of the people. If believed, it could disenchant and divide the people. It could incite the people to hate the Government and its policies. If such rumours are not nipped in the bud and the perpetrators brought to book, then the people may believe that they are true. I think the fine is too lenient in view of the time and taxpayers' money involved. I am told it costs the Government some few hundred thousand dollars just to convene the Health Care Cost Review Committee. Sir, the penalty has to be sufficiently deterrent to be effective. Otherwise, anyone could frivolously stir up emotions, and when the Government had to hold an inquiry to establish the truth of the allegations, they would appear before Parliament and utter nonsense as freely as they would do in the market place. The dignity of Parliament would be ruined. And taxpayers' money would go down the drain again and again. Sir, we all know that the General Election will be held soon. Chee Soon Juan and his team will soon peddle the roads to sell their antics. By all means, laugh and be entertained by them. But before believing them, Singaporeans should ask what manner of a man is this Chee Soon Juan. We look at what he can do and had done. He was a lecturer in the University but was sacked because he used university research funds for his wife's postage.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, if there are sceptics who want to question why the Privileges Committee's Report was released close to the General Election, they have forgotten that it was the SDP which started it all. They tried to sow seeds of hatred and anger in the people by first telling them in Chee Soon Juan's book Dare to Change, that health care cost has risen beyond their means. When Chee Soon Juan realised that nobody reads his book, he raised it in The New Democrat, the press and other forums. When lies are spread like wild fire, the Government has a duty to debunk these lies. So the Government called for a Health Cost Review Committee to examine the allegations. Chee Soon Juan and the SDP will have to face the natural consequences of their own actions and choice. That they have again brought shame to themselves deserves no pity. Sir, releasing the findings and recommendations of the Report of the Privileges Committee now, just before the General Election, is indeed timely, so that Singaporeans will be given a fair chance to assess the true character of Chee Soon Juan before they decide whether or not to vote for him at the coming election. To release the Report after the General Election may be doing a disservice to Singaporeans. Many people may blame the Privileges Committee or Parliament for withholding important information about Chee Soon Juan. Worse, if he is penalised after being elected, then the people may think that the Government is out to fix him. Sir, the Privileges Committee cannot be said to be partisan or biased. We have an honourable Member, Mr Low Thia Khiang, from the Opposition in the Committee. We have seen him going to the rescue of the SDP MPs in Parliament many a time in this House.”
“I recall that at the time when the PAP Government wanted to set up the Town Councils, the then Prime Minister said in the 1988 mass rally that the duty of the HDB was to build flats, and not to manage or to control the local government. But this Amendment Bill has put the Town Councils under the control of the HDB. Does it mean that with a change of the Prime Minister, the duties of HDB are also changed? Thirdly, this Amendment Bill makes it impossible for the Town Councils to manage the towns effectively. For example, it provides that the Town Councils must provide, free of charge, facilities to agents appointed by the HDB and the Minister can prescribe that any person or community-based organisation can make use of common property under the management of the Town Council without having to pay any fees or charges In the beginning, the Government said that the concept of Town Councils was to allow the people to have a say in managing their own housing estates. But now, with this Amendment Bill, the system of Town Council will eventually become an effective tool for the PAP to use against the Opposition, and the Town Councils will be reduced to slaves of the Housing and Development Board.”
“They will also not be able to retain the total accumulated surpluses, even if the MP is re-elected, to improve and provide facilities such as covered walkways, recreational facilities, illuminated signboards, etc. When Town Councils were first established, the PAP threatened voters in the 1988 General Election that if the voters were to cast their votes for the opposition and the elected opposition candidate was unable to manage the Town Council, there would be nobody to clear their garbage, and maintenance of flats would be a problem. But eight years later when the PAP discovered that the Opposition parties were able to manage the Town Councils and to make good use of the available resources, it makes use of the power vested in the Government to provide more funds to the Town Councils run by the PAP, to create the wrong impression that the PAP MPs are managing their Town Councils better than the Opposition MPs. Now it is going one step further by making it mandatory for the accumulated surpluses to be transferred to the sinking fund so as to restrain the Town Councils run by the Opposition parties, in order to attain the political objectives of the People's Action Party. Secondly, the Amendment Bill restrains the power of the Town Councils, causing the Town Councils to take orders from the HDB when they want to enhance the facilities within the town. This Amendment Bill takes away the rights given to the Town Councils as provided for under section 19(a), (c) and (d) of the original Act. With this amendment, prior approval of the HDB shall be required when the Town Council wants to carry out any improvement to their facilities.”
“Sir, with this amendment, 80% of these accumulated surpluses go to the sinking fund and this will affect the implementation of the ongoing 5-year development plan as less funds will be available to the Town Council. May I therefore ask the Minister if he will make an exception to a Town Council which has basically the same team of MPs from the same political party running the Town Council after the next general election, that is, allowing them to retain 100% of the accumulated surpluses to ensure continuity in the implementation of the 5-year development plan. Sir, I offer these suggestions to the Minister for his comments. Mr Low Thia Khiang( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, this is another example of the PAP Government disregarding the wishes of the people. When the constituents vote in a Member of Parliament, they are also giving him the mandate to run the Town Council. Yet, the PAP Government is saying that the elected MP cannot be trusted. We must lock up the money! There are three purposes to this Amendment Bill. First, it is to stop the Town Council run by an Opposition MP from making use of the accumulated surpluses to develop the town or to improve its facilities. The Bill provides that at least 80% of the accumulated surpluses must be transferred to the sinking fund after each election. This Amendment Bill, of course, will not have much effect on the PAP Town Councils because the PAP Town Councils can obtain 80% to 85% additional subsidy through the CIPC from the Ministry of National Development to improve the facilities in the town. On the contrary, the Town Councils run by the Opposition parties are unable to obtain additional subsidies from the Ministry of National Development.”
“It removes the cushioning and the spillover effect if accumulated surpluses are available and ensures accountability by each MP or group of MPs in charge of the Town Council. Sir, whilst I support the principle behind the Amendment Bill and notwithstanding what I have said, I have two suggestions for the Minister. These two suggestions relate to the new section 33A of the Act which is the use of surplus funds. While it is acknowledged that this amendment in section 33A of the Bill serves a laudable purpose of safeguarding residents' money, will it not be more productive and prudent for the use of this surplus money to be channelled to some kind of safe investments like the purchase of premises for the Town Council's own office? Most Town Councils currently rent offices from the HDB. Perhaps, part of this surplus fund could be used by the Town Council to purchase premises for its own use. The Government can still have control here by stipulating guidelines on the use of these surpluses on investments in properties. Sir, the other suggestion I have is that most Town Councils are able to implement a lot of improvement works, for example, construction of walkways, linkways, landscaping, residents' corner, study corner and the lot, through the use of operating surpluses accumulated over the years and, of course, with the help of CIPC. Because of this, most Town Councils, particularly Eunos/Pasir Ris Town Council, have developed a 5-year development plan to provide additional improvement facilities that will further enhance the ambience and environment of the town.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Amendment Bill. Sir, the amendments to section 19(2) of the Town Councils Act afford flexibility for Town Councils to cooperate and work with other authorities to provide better services to residents, thereby optimising efficiency and minimising cost. Work duplication has sometimes caused inconvenience to residents. Thus, with better coordination, grass-cutting, for example, by the Parks and Recreation Department could be done once so that residents would not have to bear with the noise and perhaps be hit by flying stones twice. The new section 33A comes timely. It again shows the Government's foresight to ensure that money collected from residents will not be squandered by persons who happen to inherit the money. This Government once again shows its concern and commitment that residents' hard-earned money will be protected and will only be used for the benefit of residents. Looking back in time, residents will be happy that there will always be funds available to maintain their homes and amenities even if the economy were to really slow down. Sir, it is also a challenge to the incoming Town Councillors to ensure that they will do just as well, if not better, than their predecessors or themselves in the last term. Without this luxury of inheriting accumulated surpluses, any mismanagement of funds will become immediately apparent to residents, like when a Town Council continually runs into cash-flow problems and is unable to pay its suppliers on time. It will be most absurd for anyone to suggest that this amendment is political because the challenge to perform will come afresh after each election and will apply to all without exception.”
“What measures will the Ministry of Education take to improve learning attitude of our students?”
“I believe that the Minister for Education and the Senior Minister of State would agree that the inculcation of moral values should not be based on book knowledge, but it should also be done in conjunction with family education, The role model by the teachers, with the strict enforcement of school discipline, and peer influence are also very important. In the Feedback Unit's dialogue sessions, many teachers, principals and grassroots leaders were worried about the lax of discipline of students. Many teachers feel that the parents, once they send their children to school, on the one hand, push the entire responsibility of teaching to the teachers and on the other hand, they are over protective and spoil the children. So whenever their children are scolded by the teachers, they would confront the teachers or even complain to the Ministry of Education. According to some participants, the Ministry of Education seems to favour the parents most of the time. Another problem is the bad learning attitude of the students. Many of the students are opportunistic. They pick soft option subjects which are easy to pass, and they also take a very perfunctory attitude in their school work. Many people believe that the school discipline problem is getting more serious and the students are not learning the right attitude. In this context, may I ask the Ministry of Education the following questions: First, what is the current state of school discipline, and how are we going to improve school discipline? Second, how is the relationship and coordination between the school and the families? Third, if students are not serious about learning in school, how are they are going to develop positive work attitude later?”
“Sir, when I discussed the subject of gracious behaviour in the Committee of Supply on MITA's budget estimates, BG George Yeo said that it was important to instil values in children when they were young as they would then be more likely to carry these values through life. He added that older society had recognised the wisdom of this and the most important thing is to be able to grasp the fundamentals when they were young. Sir, I cannot agree with the Minister more. I am therefore asking the Minister for Education if his Ministry has worked out any plan and, if so, what plans to teach our young about gracious behaviour, in answer to a call by PM for us to work towards becoming a gracious society by the next century. Dr Ow Chin Hock( In Mandarin): Sir, last year, when the Committee of Supply debated the budget on the Ministry of Education, I raised the issue of moral education. The Senior Minister of State, Dr Aline Wong, informed the House that beginning in 1992, the new Civics and Moral Education curriculum had been introduced in the secondary schools, and as for the primary schools, the "Good Citizens" series has been revised and already fully implemented two years ago. (Hansard, Volume 64, ). Here I would like to raise a few questions. First, has the civics and moral education curriculum been fully implemented in the secondary schools? Second, is it implemented in primary schools or secondary schools? As the "Good Citizens" and "Civics and Moral Education" are non-examination subjects, how are the schools going to evaluate the degree of inculcation of moral values, and the effect of teaching these subjects? 5.30 pm Third, apart from the formal teaching of the subjects in the classrooms, are there any extra-curricular activities and projects to counsel the students?”
“But more needs to be done. The terms and conditions of service for teachers must be enhanced in order to attract talents. May I therefore ask the Minister if his Ministry is doing anything to make the teaching profession a more attractive and glamorous one? Mr Low Thia Khiang( In Mandarin): Sir, presently, apart from imparting knowledge, teachers have also to teach the ability to think, and think creatively. With our modern society getting more and more sophisticated, a student needs not only the knowledge but also a good understanding of what is happening around him so that once he steps into society he would be able to cope and to stand firmly on his own feet. Therefore, I suggest that the Ministry of Education should consider not only employing fresh graduates as teachers but also absorbing people who are currently in other professions into the teaching profession. Now that our retirement age is going to be raised to 67 years, many mid-career professionals who have been working in their respective professions for many years may want to have a change of job, and with all their working experience accumulated over the years, they can prove to be extremely valuable as teachers to inspire and cultivate the younger generation during the remaining years of their working life. They can be precious new blood to the teaching profession.”
“Sir, when I was a boy I dreamed of becoming a teacher. The teaching profession then was a prestigious and well respected one. Very often we looked towards our school teachers as our mentors in life. In terms of status in society, teachers then were ranked as high as doctors, certainly way above other professions like accountants, engineers, lawyers and bankers. But, sad to say, Sir, the situation today is markedly different. Now parents want their children to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants and bankers, and even Administrative Officers in the civil service. Few parents would encourage their children to take up teaching as a profession. Sir, rapid economic progress in the last 30 years, coupled with abundant job opportunities and the competition for a limited talent pool, has resulted in fewer Singaporeans wanting to be teachers. The perception that teachers today are over worked and burdened with lots of non-teaching responsibilities, and the slow promotional prospects have added to the problem. Sir, teachers play a very important role in our nation building process. Indeed, in my view, their role is as important as the Administrative Officers in our civil service. While the Administrative Officers help Ministers formulate national policies, our teachers train and educate our younger generation to be responsible citizens in our society. These two roles are equally important. Sir, it is high time that we seriously reviewed and revamped our teaching profession to make it attractive for talented Singaporeans to join and to retain good and dedicated teachers. I note that the Ministry of Education has recently embarked on a PR exercise using the media to promote and project positively the teaching profession. I think this is a good start.”
“Sir, most town council conservancy contractors are facing a shortage of cleaning labour. Because of affluence, many Singaporeans are shying away from becoming conservancy cleaners. Many see this as low wage, low status jobs. The situation is made worse by the fact that our existing pool of cleaners are getting old and retiring. Many are also encouraged by their grown up children to stop working or switch to other types of jobs. Sir, the labour shortage situation in our estate cleaning industry is real and could get worse if we do not address this problem now. It could lead to a drop in cleanliness standard in our housing estates and posing serious health problems. Sir, I am aware that automation and educating Singaporeans not to litter are medium to long term solutions to this problem. But we need some short term measures to tackle the problem. I think we may have no choice but to allow for some reliance on foreign labour to do the conservancy cleaning jobs in the constituency. I am aware of the adverse social implications of having too many foreign workers in our residential estates, but I believe this problem could be controlled by imposing stringent conditions on the employment of these foreign workers by cleaning contractors. For example, stipulating that these workers be housed away from residential estates, maybe nearby construction sites, or restricting the hours of work of these workers in the constituency from, say, 6.00 am to 6.00 pm. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister if his Ministry is doing anything to help alleviate the shortage of labour in conservancy work in the town councils. I would like to propose that the Minister consider allowing up to 10% of our conservancy cleaning workforce to be foreigners.”
“While we are making progress with our TV productions, we should not forget to explore ways to further improve our local productions, and ensure that our productions can reach international standard. I would also like to ask whether there are any plans to improve the Malay and Tamil programmes on TV12.”
“In another episode, the issue of female participation in politics was discussed, and the way it was presented left much to be desired. We want more people to understand the social and political issues in our society, and programmes of this nature should be made with the correct attitude. It should be a serious matter and should not be treated as a joke. This kind of programme should be produced by the serious-minded Current Affairs Department (Chinese Division) rather than leaving it in the hands of the fun-seeking Variety Show department. Since the objective of this programme is to enable people to have a clear understanding of social and political policies, it should not appear as a form of entertainment, or a farce, and leave people in doubt as to whether Government policies are right or wrong. 1.30 pm At the same time, I would like to suggest that popular programmes, like Focus in Chinese, should be aired during prime time. Because Focus not only covers a wide variety of subjects, which are of great concern to us, it also has the pulse of the society and is a serious production. Professionally, the production is also of a very high standard. This programme is very inspiring and educational to the people, which is far better than the present variety programmes. If TCS does not want to ensure that local productions are screened during prime time, I think we should at least consider buying some good programmes from China, Hong Kong or Taiwan for screening during prime time. In fact, it is wrong and a waste to screen these meaningless programmes, like the one that I have mentioned, during prime time.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Mr Peh Chin Hua (Jalan Besar GRC)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code RG 3100. With the assistance of foreign artistes, the standard of production of our local TV programmes has improved. According to a survey, viewership of these local productions does not lag far behind Hong Kong and Taiwan productions. Chinese current affairs and special feature programmes on Channel 8 such as Focus, Extraordinary People, Code Red, Good Morning Singapore, Singapore Today, and new TV serials like Dare to Do and Don't Worry Be Happy are well received. On Channel 5, we have the English comedy serial Under One Roof. These programmes are very popular among most Singaporeans, young and old. However, the variety shows which have been occupying prime time slots still have room for improvement. This is particularly so with the talk show entitled Let's Talk, which is presented as part of a variety show. This programme is somewhat similar to the debate by tertiary students, but the actual debate programme was more serious and educational. This programme is presented as a form of entertainment, and the effect is pathetic. In fact, it can be regarded as a farce. In one of the episodes, the issue of whether the control of dialect programmes over TV should be relaxed was discussed. Home viewers were invited to phone-in and vote either for or against the motion. The result was expressed in terms of percentage, but there were no statistics to show, in real terms, the number of phone calls received. Reliability of the result is very much in doubt.”
“Sir, I think the Minister has not responded to one of my comments. I was concerned about the widespread trafficking in illegal video tapes and the proliferation of video games that depict violence and sadism. Is the Ministry doing anything about this? BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Sir, I did make references to both points earlier. In the last year, the number of cases of pornographic videos being circulated in housing estates through flyers and so on has come down significantly. In fact, the number of flyers reported to the Board of Film Censors has dropped from over 100 to less than 20. So there has been some improvement. It is because parents are quick to report, enforcement officers are quick to react, and the judges have been meting out heavier sentences. So we are reviewing the need to re-legislate to increase the punishments and whether or not it is necessary to have a presumption clause that anyone in possession of more than five pieces will be deemed a distributor. We are still working on this, No decision has yet been taken. On the Member's other point of CD-ROMs and computer games, we will be amending the Films Act and the Undesirable Publications Act to take into account this electronic medium.”
“Sir, I am not speaking on that topic. Members of my GPC, Mr Peh and Dr Koh, will speak on it.”
“Sir, film and video censorship is carried out to safeguard Singapore's political, racial and religious stability, as well as to uphold our own values and moral systems. And the legal authority or framework to regulate the film and video business is covered under the Films Act. Sir, recent developments in the field of IT and multi-media have resulted in films being now available in various forms - LDs, CDs, videos, CD-Roms and the lot. As a result, video games have become increasingly popular among our young. My concern is that increasingly these video games carry violent and sadistic content, and this is no good for our young. Another development which we have to watch out for is the widespread trafficking in obscene videos, particularly in housing estates. Today, we see obscene video flyers inserted into mailboxes in HDB estates. This is public nuisance and has aroused parental concern that children will have access to these obscene videos. Traffickers are also very cunning and crafty. They engage young children to deliver these obscene tapes. Sir, current laws and regulations to deal with these problems seem inadequate. While stepping up enforcement is a necessary but costly exercise, enhancing current penalties may be necessary to combat the problem. May I therefore ask the Minister if his Ministry will review the Films Act with a view to tackling this problem?”
“Sir, I would like to ask MITA to consider, under the circumstances in which the Speak Mandarin Campaign and bilingual policy are not affected, allowing more dialect programmes.”
“May I ask the Minister why is this so? Will this reduced grant affect the standard of our locally produced TV programmes? And how can we expect TCS to play a useful nation-building role without sufficient Government financial support? Mr Peh Chin Hua( In Mandarin): Sir, with the economic boom in the Asia-Pacific area, all the bilingual policies and Speak Mandarin Campaigns have already achieved their objectives. So this has benefited our regionalisation programme. For our bilingual policy which we are promoting, I think we should allow some space to accommodate dialect programmes and local operas. From my experience investing in China, if we know Chinese and we can speak some good dialects, I think it will be very useful for us to establish good rapport with our Chinese counterparts. The other side would feel very close to us. So if we can allow some space for the accommodation of dialect programmes on our TV, not only will the older Singaporeans feel very happy about it, our potential investors overseas will also benefit. During my leisure time, I attended some performances like the Teochew opera from China and they were full-house performances. I notice that among the audience, we not only have older Singaporeans but also some young people. The admission ticket prices were quite high, ranging from $10 to $50 per person. And it was not a performance for charity. It was full-house and the performance left a very good impression on the audience. At that time, I tried to understand the thinking and expressions of the audience. I think they all wanted to have the desire to know their roots. It is through their dialect that they can get to their roots and find greater cohesion among themselves.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Members will recall that two budget debates ago, they had expressed concern about the standard of our TV programmes. Following that, we saw the formation of the Advisory Committee on Chinese SBC Shows (ACCSS) in April 1994 and the formation of the Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) in March 1995, to tackle the problems and the concerns raised by MPs. I must applaud the TCS for their efforts in the last two years, as there has been a marked improvement in the quality of the programmes shown on Channel 5, Channel 8, TV12 and Premiere 12, though I must admit that there are still lapses on censorship pertaining particularly to sex and violence in our movie programmes. Sir, TCS today produces a good range of local English and Chinese programmes, ie, Extraordinary People, Code Red, Health Matters, Asia Inc., AM Singapore and Good Morning Singapore. Local Chinese programmes like Kids at Work in English and Kids' Camp in Mandarin are good attempts to meet the children's needs. While the standards have improved, we all agree that there is always room for further improvement, particularly on locally produced programmes. We need more of such programmes that can portray and project our national economic, social and cultural objectives. In particular, we need more serious current affairs programmes. Sir, TCS, while being run as a commercial organisation, has a nation-building role. All these improvements and suggestions to the locally produced programmes require more grants and more financial support from the Government. I am therefore disappointed to note that the total funding by the Government to the Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA) in FY96/97 sees a drop of 50% from $30 million last year to $15 million in the budgeted year.”
“Sir, MITA has recently given a press conference to explain the progress in the implementation of the Singapore cable TV project, in particular, the laying of cables and the wiring of homes. I am told the problems, after an initial hiccup, are now largely under control and the project is progressing satisfactorily. I have no comment on that. Sir, I am raising this cut because many Singaporeans today still do not appreciate or understand why the need to wire up their homes. When SCV first approached my constituents in Tampines and Pasir Ris to wire up their homes, quite a number of them were sceptical. They refused to let the contractors into the house. They wonder why is SCV forcing them to do so. I am, therefore, asking the Minister to enlighten the House and the public in general on the cable TV project, perhaps explain why the need to wire up all homes and how the cable TV project would benefit them. Sir, I see cable TV as a good alternative to satellite TV in a broader perspective on media and broadcast. Perhaps the concept and objective have not been well explained to the residents. In his explanation to the constituents and the public, the Minister may wish to highlight this point. Today, our local TV programmes are impressive and as there is a marked improvement, many residents do not see the need for an alternative cable TV whereby they have to pay. Of course, the recent move to provide a free channel may be a step in the right direction. But we still have to monitor the progress of SCV. 5.15 pm I would like the Minister to give an overall perspective on the objective of cable TV and perhaps enlighten our Singaporeans, in particular, my constituents on why there is a need to open their homes to be wired up.”
“This will offer tremendous employment opportunities for young talents, many of whom are currently pursuing degree and diploma courses on mass communication and related fields in our universities and polytechnics and overseas universities. Sir, we are not alone in trying to attract these media companies to this region. We have competition - competition from neighbouring cities, like Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok in particular, Jakarta to a lesser extent. Our only setback may be our history of conflicts with the foreign press. However, we offer long-term political stability, excellent infrastructure and our rules and laws on business are more transparent than the other cities. Our fluency in the English Language and our abundant talents are similarly added advantages. I am therefore of the view that we must consciously develop and promote Singapore as a regional media hub. I therefore would like to ask the Minister whether the Government is consciously doing anything towards this end to promote Singapore as a regional media hub.”
“I wish to speak on regional media hub. Sir, I wish to first declare my interest on this subject as I am a Director of a media company. I am raising this cut in my capacity as GPC Chairman for MITA and in the interest of the public. Sir, developments in the region in the media industry in recent years offer great opportunities for Singapore to promote the media industry and to develop itself as a regional media hub. Some of these developments are: the concern over how PRC intends to run Hong Kong after 1997 has forced a number of media companies in Hong Kong to look elsewhere to relocate their operations. Another development is that the current China-Taiwan tension has further accentuated the flow of media companies away from the East China region towards this part of the world. Hong Kong and Taiwan's once flourishing film industry is going through difficult times as their talented film stars are seeking greener pastures elsewhere. Because of rapid economic growth in this region, many multi-national media companies, both in print, electronic and broadcast, are gravitating towards this way hoping to have a share of the advertising pie. Indeed, international broadcasters, like ABN, ESPN, HBO, Walt Disney, have already set up base here. Even international publishers, like Time, Life, Asia, Dow Jones, Reuters, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, have either set up base here, or in the process of doing so. Sir, all these developments offer tremendous opportunities and scope for us to attract international media companies to set up base here and for us to develop Singapore as a regional media hub.”
“Sir, I am speaking on Building a Gracious Society. The Prime Minister in his New Year message called on Singaporeans to become a more gracious people by the turn of the century. While we may have achieved economic success, we still lag behind in graciousness and good behaviour. This is a long-term goal. Good behaviour and graciousness cannot be achieved overnight. It takes time, but we must make a start now. Currently, MITA organises the Courtesy Campaign through the Courtesy Council every year. MITA is also charged with the task of promoting our own Singaporean identity and deepening the sense of our heritage through the National Arts Council and the Heritage Board. I see these as appropriate bodies or vehicles to serve as a catalyst and get the ball rolling towards developing programmes in achieving the goals of becoming a gracious society. In particular, Sir, I believe the annual Courtesy Campaign should be given enhanced importance this year. I see this as an appropriate campaign for us to launch our efforts to consciously develop gracious behaviour. I wish to ask the Minister what plans his Ministry has this year to help promote and develop a gracious society under the various programmes in his purview.”
“Many countries have already taken steps or are taking steps to introduce laws to control the Internet. I therefore support the Minister's proposal to regulate and control the use of Internet in Singapore. I hope the Minister can elaborate on the proposed regulatory mechanism. I agree with Mr Chew Heng Ching that at the initial stage we should not introduce too many rules and regulations to inhibit the growth of the Net. I hope the proposed control mechanism will be effective in weeding out the bad elements and still allow Singaporeans to enjoy the full benefits of the Internet, namely, free communication and free access to the information available on the Net.”
“We have discussed the rapid growth of the number of Internet users, the possibility of inflow of objectional information and the ways to control them. Today, I think we still have the same questions and concern, except that the issues are now even more important because more and more people in Singapore are now linked to the Internet. Last year, the Minister gave us an estimated number of Internet subscribers at 26,000, growing at a rate of about 1,000 per month. It turned out that he had grossly under-estimated the rate of growth. I think we now have about 90,000 Internet users in Singapore, which is three to four times the figure at the same time last year. The main reasons for this fast growth are the increasing awareness of the use of the Internet, the declining cost of the hardware and the cheaper fees charged by the Net providers. I believe the number of Internet users will continue to grow rapidly in the next few years and eventually many, if not most of our homes, will be linked to the Internet. The impact of Internet on our society is therefore something we should be prepared to deal with. At the moment, there are at least two areas which we need to pay immediate attention to. First is the proliferation of objectionable information, such as pornography and other materials through the Internet. Second is the use of Internet to spread rumours or propaganda that may be harmful to the racial, religious or ethnic relations in Singapore. Sir, Internet is a very powerful communication tool as well as a rich source of information. We cannot afford not to let Singaporeans to have free access to the Internet, but we should not also let Internet to be used for propagation of undesirable information and to sabotage our social stability.”
“However, we must not neglect the fact that individual users of Internet may face the following problems: (1) Some users who have ulterior motives may spread groundless and baffling political views which are slanderous and biased; (2) Some users may spread materials which contain sex, violence, and other undesirable elements; (3) Some may even use Internet to commit commercial crimes. Sir, the advantages of Internet are obvious and known to all. I would like to know whether the Ministry of Information and the Arts has any other ways to overcome the above problems. It is reported that the United States and the United Kingdom have some feasible measures to deal with people who abuse the Internet. In the United States, an offender can be imprisoned and fined US$100,000, and in the United Kingdom, the offence carries a maximum imprisonment of up to three years, and an indefinite amount of fine. I hope MITA would enhance our legislation to regulate the individual Internet users and suppress the spread of offensive materials through the Internet. We should study the measures used in the United States and the United Kingdom. As the Minister said, we should not only clear up all the rubbish in front and at the back of our house, but also to find ways and means to stop the dust in the atmosphere from being blown into the interior of our house. Otherwise, the house may appear to be nice and clean outside, but it is dirty and dusty inside. Then, all our efforts to keep the house clean will be in vain. Dr Koh Lip Lin (Nee Soon South): Sir, last year during the debate in the Committee of Supply my colleagues and I in the GPC on Information and the Arts had raised a number of questions about the development of Internet in Singapore.”
“I suggest that MITA monitor closely developments locally and internationally on Internet, in particular, study how overseas governments tackle the problem before passing any legislation, if at all necessary, to curb Internet. In the meantime, we advocate that MITA encourage parents to exercise self-discipline and self-regulation in the use of the Net by our young ones. My question to the Minister is, if he would present the Ministry's stand on the subject of Internet to the House and let the House know if MITA has any plan to foster the growth of Internet in general and to introduce legislation in particular to curb its growth. Mr Peh Chin Hua (Jalan Besar GRC)( In Mandarin): Sir, with the rapid development of information technology, Internet can be said to be another revolution in telecommunications after the invention of the telephone. In other words, the effect and influence of Internet on the daily lives of mankind in the not too far future will far exceed that of the telephone. The use of Internet is getting more and more popular in Singapore. We can see and read lots of news reports concerning Internet over TV and the newspapers. The invention of Internet enables me to communicate intimately with my children who are studying overseas, in the privacy of my home at night. As such, the advantages and benefit of Internet are simply beyond description. However, the Internet has also been abused by some unscrupulous users who spread pornographic pictures and languages, baseless political criticisms and religious messages which are misleading and biased. Last week, the Minister for Information and the Arts announced that the Government has decided to take measures to control Internet. This is a timely and correct decision. I welcome this move.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head R of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, Internet is a very powerful communication tool. In recent months, it has become a catchword in our everyday life. Its growth has been exponential with the number of subscribers doubling from 50,000 to 100,000 within a year. Sir, my GPC supports the development of Internet. We are of the view that we should not impede its development for the following three reasons. Firstly, it is in line with our national IT 2000 plan. Secondly, it is in line with our national objective to exploit IT to upgrade our quality of life. Thirdly, over-regulation could jeopardise our efforts to promote Singapore as a regional media centre. My GPC is, however, concerned with the abuses of the Net to disseminate objectional pornography and incendiary materials to the detriment of our young and against our efforts to promote and inculcate our own moral value system. We therefore support the recent move by MITA to bring Internet under the purview of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA) by licensing all local Internet service operators and content providers, by ensuring all political and religious groups that utilise Internet be registered under SBA, and by requiring that all schools, cybercafes, libraries, CCs and the like to install software that would cut off access to objectional materials. Sir, these measures are aimed at safeguarding our public morals, political stability and our religious harmony. While this may be a start in regulating Internet, I caution MITA against rushing in too quickly to implement any drastic measures that may impede the development of Internet.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“I urge the PSD to look at these suggestions in the interest of the Administrative Service and the civil service in general.”
“Indeed, I see them being able to complement and to be of great assistance to some of our Ministers and Permanent Secretaries whose backgrounds are largely from the public sector. Sir, while the move to recruit talents from the private sector is good, we should not necessarily restrict them to young talents in their 20s and early 30s. We should cast the net wider. In particular, we should try to attract back to the service those ex-Administrative Officers who are in the late 30s and early 40s, many of whom left the service in the mid-80s, not because they were not good but because the pay of Administrative Officers were less competitive then. Sir, I believe some of them are doing very well outside in the private sector and may consider, if approached, joining the Administrative Service. This group of ex-Administrative Officers, with their balanced experience in the public and private sectors, could play a valuable role in helping our Ministers to shape and formulate national policies. Sir, I have got one more suggestion to improve the contribution of our Administrative Officers. Some of our Administrative Officers in their late 20s and some in early 30s have become Superscale officers. While I believe they are talented and good but at that young age, many still lack the experience and maturity to look at issues with sufficient depth and width. I am therefore suggesting that the Public Service Division consider planning the career of Administrative Officers in such a way that they spend a stint of 2-3 years either in a statutory board or in a Government-linked company to acquire the necessary so-called grassroots experience before they are considered for promotion to the Superscale grade.”