Chin Harn Tong
Singapore
“Singaporeans expect the Ministry to ensure the machines such as cranes and gondolas are properly maintained and operated. Presumably, they are imported for use here only if they are suitable for the purpose.”
“If some employers are too shortsighted to see beyond their pockets, the Ministry should be more active and energetic in rectifying their vision. Practically, every PAP MP in this House, at one time or other, has spoken or written about Singapore's people as being its most important asset.”
“This reluctance is understandable when viewed in relation to the Government's refusal to subsidise commercial activities. However, while the bus companies are private sector companies, the Government has also indicated an intention of privatising the operator of the MRT.”
“I would suggest that the Government consider setting up an Employment Arbitration Court to deal with matters which are now left to the discretion of the Minister and the Commissioner for Labour, and allow individual workers to refer their complaints to the Employment Arbitration Court.”
“In order to be fair to Dr Soin and to be fair to the proposed Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill, I move that Parliament do postpone the debate on this Bill until the Government has introduced the Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill, and we could debate the two Bills together during the Second Reading of the Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill.”
“For that matter, our Government should channel the water conservation tax into water research and not the general revenue. Even if the levy imposed on consumers using more than 20 cubic metres of water a month does not yield much, the fact that our Government finances water research will serve to underline the seriousness of our water sit…”
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“Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission, may I raise two points. The first point is with regard to the failure of employers to pay to the CPF Board the employee's CPF contributions. I agree with the views expressed by the Member for Kebun Baru and the Member for Yuhua on this matter. Quite a number of employees have found out when their companies were subsequently liquidated that their CPF contributions were not paid into their CPF accounts. These contributions were the employees' own contributions and had been deducted from their salaries by their employers. Apparently, the employers made use of these contributions instead of paying them to the CPF Board. What does the Minister intend to do to remedy this situation? Another point I wish to raise is about notice pay or pay in lieu of notice when a company is wound up. Employees find out their notice pay, together with wage arrears and other benefits, are not entitled to preferential treatment, ie, to be paid in priority to other unsecured debts despite what the law states. The reason is that these benefits, particularly notice pay, are considered to have been incurred by the company after the commencement of winding up. When the liquidated company has insufficient assets, workers will be very unlikely to get their notice pay if it is not considered a preferential debt. Would the Minister take up with the relevant authority to rectify this unintended hole in our legislation? The Acting Minister for Labour (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank all the Members who have given constructive comments on my Ministry. With the time constraint, I will try and answer as fully as possible and explain all the queries that have been raised.”
“Nor is it every stubborn mule that can be made to move by the liberal use of the stick. Workers in some other countries seem unwilling or unable to stop themselves acting in a perverse manner even when they know they are hurting themselves and their countries. I do not have to refer the Members of this House to the chaotic industrial relations in those countries to make my point that Singapore workers cooperate with the Government and the employers not simply out of enlightened self-interest. Workers cooperate because, first of all, they are well led by the NTUC, which prides itself on its symbiotic relationship with the PAP, and, secondly, they themselves believe whatever efforts and sacrifices they make help to contribute towards our national development. Without putting too fine a point upon it, the role of workers is every bit as active and positive as that of the Government and the employers in combatting the present economic downturn. What is really significant about this role of workers is not so much they have rendered their services well or uncomplainingly at the instruction of others. What is really significant is the positive attitude they have shown of their own accord towards cooperation with the Government and the employers. It is a commendable attitude which owes much to the leadership of the NTUC. 4.11 pm”
“Singapore workers who are affected as drastically as, if not more than others by the changes, have, under the leadership of the National Trades Union Congress, reacted in a positive manner to the changes. I do not think anyone in this House doubt that workers are personally unhappy over the CPF cut and the policy of wage restraint for the time being. Nonetheless, the workers have been able to rise above their personal problems, pressing as they be, and view their personal problems in the perspective of Singapore's economic circumstances. The workers may not like what they see in the scenario that is unfolded before them, but they take it in their stride. It is not a mere passive acceptance of difficult times ahead. More than that, the workers have, under the leadership of the NTUC, shown themselves able and willing to play an active role in cooperating with the Government and the employers in the national efforts to stimulate our economy. Time and again, the workers have responded without fail to the calls of our Government for greater national efforts. The publicly proclaimed tripartite partnership between the Government, the employers and the workers is an indisputable example of the spirit of national cooperation to which workers wholeheartedly subscribe. Sir, a cynic may term such cooperation as a matter of enlightened self-interest since if workers do not cooperate, they do not have jobs and would not be able to live. I do not think any Member in this House shares this cynical view. It is a kind of view that can be held only by persons who regard workers as workhorses for which the carrot and the stick are appropriate. Well, it is not every horse that can be made to drink the water before it.”
“There is acceptance because of several factors. One is the free election of the Government by the people themselves; two is the consistent record of good leadership and honest administration by the Government; and lastly, but not the least, is the people's capacity to understand and willingness to support the Government's policies even when not favourable to them. I do not think sufficient publicity, however, has been given to this positive aspect of the Singapore people's acceptance of the PAP Government over the years. It is an acceptance that is built on mutual respect and trust. It is an acceptance that has withstood the test of time. But the further point I wish to make is that workers, particularly the organized workers, have constructively contributed towards this acceptance. Mr Speaker, Sir, when I say this, I am not trying to belittle what our Government has achieved by its own efforts and on its own merits. Our Government has undoubtedly gained the respect and trust of the people on its own performance, not the least of all by its record of enlightened, sound and honest administration. As events in the past few months have shown, our Government does not shirk from recasting its policies when the circumstances require it, no matter how unpopular the changes may be initially. At the same time, I think we should not forget how well the people of Singapore have responded to the changes in Government policies. Singaporeans show, once again, that they are not only able but also willing to cope with whatever adverse consequences these changes may have on their lifestyle and living standard.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to comment on a point that was indirectly touched upon by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement but that, I think, is directly relevant to Singapore's economic recovery. Though the Budget Statement came as an anti-climax after all the publicity and discussion on the Economic Committee's Report, the Minister for Finance must be congratulated on his clear and concise presentation of the Government's proposals to deal with our present situation. I do not think any right-thinking Singaporean will want to quibble over the nature or extent of the proposals to stimulate our economy, whether by cutting costs or offering incentives. What I would like to comment on is more in the line of amplifying the Minister for Finance's reference to the need for all Singaporeans to join together in launching the next phase of our economic development. The impression that seems to have been created by the Economic Committee's Report and the Budget Statement is that active and positive roles will be played by the Government and the employers in any economic development, and that a passive and negative role will only be expected of workers and other Singaporeans. Sir, I may be wrong and no such impression has ever been intended by any one. Nonetheless, I think it is important to give credit where credit is due. As the Minister for Finance has said, we are dependent mainly on our human resources for our economic success. If praise is due to the people of Singapore, let us do it openly, and not by implication or as an afterthought. Despite the present economic downturn, Singapore continues to have the social stability which Singapore enjoyed for nearly three decades of PAP government. It shows a general acceptance of the PAP by the people of Singapore.”
“I think the Government should give more thought to modifying the basis of CPF in keeping with our social economic development. Sir, if my suggestion means more business for the insurance industry, that is unfortunately unavoidable.”
“The arrangement whereby a contributor who uses his or her CPF contributions to buy an HDB apartment is insured by CPF against his or her mortgage liability to CPF is an example of what can be done by CPF, In the same way, Sir, a small portion of a person's CPF contributions can be used to buy, as has been suggested, an annuity for the person on his or her retirement. Or an insurance policy can be taken out to pay an unemployment allowance to a retrenched worker in addition to whatever retrenchment benefit the worker may receive from an employer. Sir, in these days of high CPF contributions, it is very hard for trade unions to convince employers to pay as much retrenchment benefit as in the days of low CPF contributions. On the other hand, workers who are temporarily unemployed for a few months may have a real problem of making ends meet if he or she receives little or no retrenchment benefits. 12.30 pm I know many CPF contributors will be unhappy with any suggestion that may reduce their CPF savings. But that is because they have been so used to the idea of CPF as only a savings scheme. They have to start thinking of the CPF as being a scheme of protection. The main purpose of the scheme will be, of course, protection against want in old age. Other purposes can be, as at present, protection against homelessness or ill-health. Another purpose, as I have suggested, is protection against unemployment. A portion of the CPF contributions naturally has to be used up in paying the various forms of protection, as nothing in this life is for free. Sir, the other side of the story is that the limited amount of CPF contributions at the disposal of each person can be used to secure more benefits for each person than at present.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has announced its decision to sell off its shareholdings wherever possible. But no equally significant proposal has been made regarding the Central Provident Fund. I am speaking from the viewpoint of workers who find a big chunk of their money going into the CPF until they retire or die. Of course, CPF contributions can now be withdrawn on other grounds. However, my concern is with the present basis of the CPF. The CPF is run very much like a savings scheme. What the contributor puts in is exactly what he or she would take out later plus the accumulated interest. In other words, a CPF account superficially resembles a POSB account except that the savings are compulsory and the savings are doubled by employers. Sir, as long as the CPF is treated like a savings scheme, there is a definite limit to the number of ways we can use CPF contributions. If a worker expects to have no more than $100,000 inclusive of interest to his or her credit with the CPF after a lifetime of work, the worker cannot do very much more with that sum of money other than paying for a home and living expenses in retirement. Sir, it is for this reason that I am suggesting a slight modification to the basis of CPF. To illustrate my point, with a yearly premium of $150, I can buy an endowment policy of, say, $5,000 or a whole life policy of $15,000. To put it simply, the endowment policy stresses on savings while the second policy stresses on protection. I know I am over-simplifying this aspect of life insurance. But my point is that the CPF can achieve more if it is not wholly run as a savings scheme.”
“Sir, I rise in support of the various views expressed by my PAP colleagues in this House on the matter of the increase in diesel tax and taxi fares. This matter has been well ventilated during the debate on the Budget statement. It is therefore not necessary, Sir, for me to add to what others have already said in this House. Sir, I share the sentiments and concern that have been voiced regarding the plight of taxi drivers who have to face not only a hefty increase in diesel tax but also a possible drop in income because of the taxi fare increase. Sir, I find it most reassuring and heartening that the Minister has undertaken to review the situation if it is necessary to do so. That is good news for the taxi drivers as the Ministry may have been too optimistic in down-playing the adverse effect of the proposed increase in taxi fares. Sir, on behalf of the NTUC Comfort taxi drivers, I wish to express their thanks to the Minister for his compassionate understanding of their anxiety. NTUC Comfort will also help to provide feedback on the response of taxi commuters to the taxi fare increase. I endorse the view that taxi fares should reflect market forces. If the demand for taxi service continues at the same level despite the taxi fare increase, so be it. In any event, NTUC Comfort would cushion its drivers against the brunt of diesel tax increase by paying first and then collecting from them by weekly instalments.”
“On the other hand, ft may be said that provisions of the Bill, such as those concerning overtime, may be intended to favour the employers. But to take an objective stand on this matter, any Bill to amend the Employment Act to make it more reflective of the existing circumstances must necessarily contain provisions that are equally favourable to employers as well as to workers. Sir, if the Bill has been drafted to favour the workers rather than the employers, it would not be in the long term interest of the workers themselves as ultimately the employers are also investors and may not be induced to set up businesses in Singapore to give employment opportunities to workers here if the employment climate and conditions are made to be unfavourable to them. On that consideration, I view the Bill to be a well-balanced piece of legislation as it seeks to make the statutory provisions governing employment to be objectively fair and balanced between the employers and the workers, as it is not in the interests of either the employers or workers to have provisions which are disproportionately adverse to them. Sir, the significant merit of this Bill is that it makes the provisions of the principal Employment Act more flexible in keeping with the needs of industry and commerce as practised in Singapore. Sir, the only caution I may express is that the greater the flexibility of a piece of legislation, the greater is the scope for exploitation by employers. I accordingly support the Bill but with the request that the Ministry of Labour is to exercise more vigilance in its enforcement of the pm- visions of the principal Employment Act in order to ensure that the provisions of the Employment Act are not abused by employers against workers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Employment (Amendment) Bill. This Bill is of much interest to workers because the possibility of the amendment of the Employment Act has long been discussed by the public before the Bill was finally presented in Parliament. As a Member in this House very much associated with the trade union movement, I have scrutinized the provisions of this Bill very carefully. Though I have heard comments by some persons to the effect that the provisions of the Bill are mainly favourable to employers rather than to workers, I can say from my own study of the Bill that this is not correct. For example, security guards and watchmen who constitute a sizable proportion of the workforce in Singapore are now brought within the scope of the Employment Act. The provisions of annual leave for workers are made clear and more favourable to workers. Under the existing Employment Act, a worker has to work more than 10 years before he can enjoy an annual leave entitlement of more than seven days. Under this Bill, with every additional year he works, the worker enjoys a greater annual leave entitlement immediately. Similarly, the provisions of maternity and protection benefits are made more favourable to workers in that the workers may take their two months paid maternity leave after confinement, as is the usual practice amongst workers in Singapore. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] Last, but not the least, the Bill provides for different basis of computation of ordinary rate of pay in accordance with the actual number of working days in a week. Such a provision is useful when calculating the salary payable to a worker on termination of service.”
“If charities have to depend more on paid workers, proportionately more of the contributions and donations from the public would go towards paying wages and other expenses and not the objects of the charities. I am, therefore, of the view that this Bill should be adopted by this House since it is in the interest of the charities as well as the people who support, run or benefit from the charities to have such a Bill enacted into law. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Hon Sui Sen]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. PARLIAMENTARY PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 4.45 p.m.”
“For example, clause 6 of the Bill provides that a charity registered under the Bill, unless specifically exempted, would be deemed to be as such. This obligation to register under the Bill is not tied up with any particular benefit. I should have thought that the right to solicit and receive contributions and donations as a charity should be restricted to selected organizations. The organizations should be charities registered or exempted under the Bill. There seems to be no prohibition under the Bill against any organization soliciting and receiving funds as a charity when it is not so registered or exempted. For the benefit of the public who support charities, I should think charities should be required to state clearly and prominently the fact of their registration or exemption under the Bill. Imposters or frauds can then be prosecuted more easily if they dare claim such registration or exemption. The Bill seems to presume that charities function independently of any public support. This presumption is to be implied from the fact that under the Bill some charities do not have to account for what they do with the donations and contributions they receive from the public, even to the Commissioner of Charities. There may be good reason for so doing. But any charity which solicits and receives contributions and donations from the public should be required to inform the public who support it at least the gross sum and the net sum collected. The difference between the gross and net collections would serve to indicate to the public how much of the contributions go to the charitable purposes they support. The difference between the gross and net collections would also serve to remind the public of the need for volunteers to man the cause of charities.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Charities Bill which is now before the House. My reason for supporting this Bill is that the provisions of this Bill could not have been more timely. Trade unions in Singapore have increasingly directed their attention to the plight of Singaporeans who are less fortunate than their members. Consequently, an increasing portion of every trade union's programme of activities is devoted to promoting among union members and among other workers a greater awareness of their social obligation to their less fortunate fellow citizens. The involvement of trade unions in charitable activities may take the form of either charitable and welfare work by the unions and their members or contributions and donations to existing charities. Existing charities in Singapore seem to be well organized and properly run. There seems to be no particular need for enacting the provisions of this Bill. Yet I strongly support this Bill not because there is a need for it but because the Bill would be helpful to the charities themselves and to the people who run or support charities as well as the people whom the charities are meant to benefit. The Bill helps the charities and all these people by reinforcing among the public the feeling of assurance and confidence that whatever contributions and donations made to charities will be properly used for the purposes for which they are intended. If I have any criticism of this Bill, it is that the Bill seems to be wholly concerned with the safe custody and proper application of funds and properties of charities. I have no quarrel with that. At the same time, I think perhaps the Bill should have dealt with the question of the collection of funds by charities.”
“About 3,500 national servicemen, or 35% of the total strength in the Special Constabulary, were attached to the Neighbourhood Policing units in the eight police land divisions. On 1st February 1979, there were about 3,400 blocks of HDB and JTC flats. Of these, 1,342 blocks or 39% were covered by the Neighbourhood Policing units. With smaller intakes of national servicemen and demobilisation of those who have completed 12 years of national service, the number of part-time Special Constabulary national servicemen will decrease gradually from the end of this year, It is therefore unlikely that the coverage of the NPS can be expanded further. Under the NPS, the national servicemen patrol in their own neighbourhoods between 7.00 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. Statistics show that only 116 crimes were reported in 1978. These took place between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. in the Neighbourhood covered by NPS. This works out to less than one crime in three days for all the Neighbourhoods. In the first two months of this year, a total of seven cases of crime were reported as compared with 14 cases reported in the first two months of last year. The preventive value of NPS is therefore quite obvious.”
“Sir, the Member for Punggol has raised the question of Special Constabulary (part-time national servicemen), the CSF of the Vigilante Corps, and the reservists (full-time) patrolling the Neighbourhood. So there are actually three groups policing the neighbourhood. Part-time national servicemen are attached to the police stations to receive on-the-job training on Neighbourhood Policing during their basic training. After basic training, lectures on Neighbourhood Policing are given to them from time to time. Neighbourhood Policing is not so complicated a task. It is therefore not necessary to give the national servicemen elaborate training on it. But for it to succeed, our national servicemen must be imbued with the right spirit and sense of responsibility. Most of them now have it after having been suitably motivated. In the last two to three years, quite a number of national servicemen have been encouraged and are showing greater interest in their work after being promoted and given command responsibility. Ultimately, however, malingering on the part of our national servicemen can only be brought down to the minimum if both regular and national service officers properly supervise their men on the ground. Sir, Neighbourhood Policing Scheme started on 1st April 1976, as a pilot project with only four Neighbourhoods. Each Neighbourhood on average consisted of 46 blocks of flats divided into three sectors. Each sector was patrolled by a national serviceman holding the rank of corporal and two national servicemen holding the rank of police constable. The pilot project showed that the scheme was effective and should be expanded. On 1st January 1977, another 24 Neighbourhoods were added to the scheme. On 1st February 1979, there were 29 Neighbourhoods.”
“More posts will be constructed between 1984 and 1987, according to the actual development of public housing building programme. The plan was forwarded to the Ministry of Finance last December for consideration. Under the plan a post will be constructed in July 1979 at Block 37, Avenue 11, of Bedok South. Reservists are now being transported from Joo Chiat Police Station to Bedok constituency. When the police post is set up in Bedok constituency, reservists will be deployed from the post. The scheme was launched only two months ago. As more national servicemen go into reservist service, more reservists will be deployed under the scheme. Sir, although the scheme was launched only recently, the results so far have been encouraging. From the commencement of the scheme on 16th January 1979 to 28th February 1979, a total of 44 suspects have been arrested, whereas only 15 suspects were arrested in the whole of 1978 when they performed patrol duties in the evenings. The presence of the reservists helps in the prevention of crimes. A study of the crime figures in the sectors patrolled under the scheme shows that, on average, each sector has a 97.9% probability of being free of crime between 10.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. during 16th January 1979 to 28th February 1979. The corresponding percentages of probability for October, November and December 1978 are 90.8%, 88% and 92.4% respectively.”
“Sir, the point to remember is that reservists and part-time national servicemen only supplement regulars and full-time national servicemen who are deployed round the clock. The other suggestions by the Member were, in fact, considered when the patrol scheme was first drawn up in September 1978. They have been put in practice, wherever possible. Immediately before commencing patrol duty, the reservists have to attend a one-day refresher course or in-camp training during which they are briefed on the essential points on police work and good police and public relations. Each reservist is paired with a full-time national serviceman to form a patrol team to cover a sector of approximately 15 blocks of flats. The team is issued with a walkie-talkie to maintain communication with the police division. They perform vertical policing by visiting each floor of the flats and check on suspicious persons found in the lifts, common passageways and staircases. They also check on flats with unsecured doors and windows and advise the occupants to take appropriate measures. They have to arrive at designated points at prescribed times to be checked by their supervisors. Part-time Special Constabulary national servicemen patrol in groups of three and part-time Vigilante Corps national servicemen patrol in groups of four. Action has been taken to minimise these part-time national servicemen moving in bigger groups. The duty hours of part-time national servicemen are between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., whereas those of reservists are between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. There is, therefore, no overlapping of work. 4.30 p.m. My Ministry has worked out a plan to construct 41 police posts in the various public housing estates, starting from July this year to 1983.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, during the debate on the President's Address in January, the Member for Bedok welcomed the scheme for reservists to perform patrol duties during the day, but suggested that they should also be deployed between 10.30 p.m. and 12 midnight. He also made some suggestions concerning discipline, deployment, training of reservists and police and public relations. Sir, the Enlistment Act stipulates that part-time national servicemen and reservists should perform duties for 12 hours per month and seven days of in-camp training annually, or a maximum of 40 days annually. In practice, part-time national servicemen in land divisions are required to perform duty between the hours of 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., i.e. four hours, once in ten days. Reservists were performing duty on the same basis during October 1977 to 14th January 1979. From 16th January, 1979, reservists are deployed to patrol public housing estates between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. because: (1) there is a high incidence of house-breaking, theft, outraging of modesty and vandalism in public housing estates between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.; (2) Most of the residents in public housing estates are away at work during these hours. Sir, it is not feasible for reservists to be deployed just for the hours from 10.30 p.m. to midnight. If this period is to be covered by part-time national servicemen, it will mean a thinning of coverage in the early hours of the night, bearing in mind the availability of men as I explained earlier. There will also be transport problems f6r the men if they sign off as late as midnight. Perhaps what is most important is that most of the part-time national servicemen have regular employment and signing off at midnight will adversely affect their work the following day.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member for Khe Bong and the hon. Member for Kampong Kembangan have mentioned the importance of ex-addicts finding employment upon their release from detention so that they can be successfully rehabilitated. I wholly agree with their view. No effort is spared to find jobs for the ex-addicts. Besides approaching the Employment Service, Ministry of Labour, the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) has been contacting prospective employers in the private sector for jobs for the ex-addicts. In October and November 1978, the first two months since SANA formally set up its job Placement Committee, private employers were approached for jobs for 267 ex-addicts. So far, 128 ex-addicts have been offered jobs but unfortunately only 48 of them have accepted the offers. However, as I have said earlier, SANA will spare no effort to find jobs for the ex-addicts. The Senior Minister of State for National Development (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, a few points were raised by Members on the subjects covered by the Ministry of National Development, and I would like to comment on them. Sir, I was pleasantly surprised that so few pot-shots were taken at the Housing and Development Board. An hon. Member: You were not here.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, because of the more satisfactory answer by the Senior Minister of State than that given last year, i.e, a deduction in fees for taxis as from 1st April this year. I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $64,206,530 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $261,399,000 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. 6.41 p.m.”
“To implement it will get just the reverse result. This attitude of the ROV not to regard taxis as public transport vehicles has been mentioned by me in this House, but the authority concerned has not answered my point directly. In actual fact this kind of attitude is now adversely affecting members of the public and the taxi drivers. It also affects our public transport services. The authority concerned should not bury its head and remain indifferent to this matter. I am awaiting for a concrete answer from the relevant authority.”
“From this, you can see that a car which orginally costs only $10,000 will now cost about $24,500 because of the imposition of additional registration fee and the import duty. But buses are not affected by this additional registration fee because the Government regards buses as public transport vehicles. Does not this attitude then show that the Government does not regard taxis as public transport vehicles? In so far as entering the CBD is concerned, the ROV is also imposing on taxis the same rate of the area licensing fee as for private cars, i.e, at $4 per entry. In the case of buses, they are not subject to this imposition on the ground that the Government regards buses as public transport vehicles. But taxis are not regarded by the same measure as public transport vehicles. I would like to point out here that because taxis are subject to the same restrictions as for private cars entering the CBD. taxi drivers try to avoid entering the CBD during peak hours in order to avoid paying the $4 area licensing fee. As a result, many members of the public are experiencing a great deal of inconvenience. The ROV has naively suggested that to avoid paying the $4 area licensing fee, taxis can also resort to car-pooling. They could wait to pick three passengers before entering the CBD. Such a proposition from the ROV seems to fail to take into account the reason why members of the public make use of taxis. Members of the public use taxis and not buses simply because they find the taxi to be a faster and more convenient means of transport. If the passenger in a taxi has to wait for other passengers to make up a car-pool what is the point of boarding a taxi and who wants to ride in a taxi? This kind of proposition by the ROV is easier said than done.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head P be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead FAA 1101*. (* The same amendment also stood in the names of Dr Ow Chin Hock, Messrs Teong Eng Siong, P. Govindaswamy, Ho Kah Leong and Dr Ong Leong Boon). I am moving this amendment because of the wrong attitude adopted by the Registry of Vehicles towards taxis. This wrong attitude has often given rise to doubts as to whether the ROV also takes taxis as public service vehicles. As we all know and agree, in this developed society of Singapore taxis constitute a very important link in the public transport system, particularly at the present juncture when as a result of Government restrictions the number of private cars is decreasing. This gives rise to a corresponding increase in the demand for taxis. In the Central Business District, because car owners do not drive their cars into the CBD there is an even greater need for them to use taxis for transport. In view of all this and the importance given to public transport vehicles by the ROV I would expect them to give every encouragement to taxi operations, but instead the attitude adopted is just the reverse. In terms of taxes, one has to pay the same amount of additional registration fee for a taxi as for a private car. The original 25% ARF levied in 1972 has been increased to 100% today. To give an illustration: if the original price of a taxi is $10,000, then the taxi driver will now have to pay another $10,000 by way of additional registration fee. If this vehicle is not locally assembled but .an imported vehicle, the taxi driver will have to pay a further 45% in import duty.”
“So it is my hope that the Housing and Development Board authority will change its attitude towards the old housing estates by building and providing more recreational facilities for the old people and children in the old housing estates. As the saying goes, when it is snowing a gift of coal will be more appreciated by the needy than a gift of flowers to the affluent.”
“The HDB officials think that since these housing estates are old, so they must be dirtier and so it is not necessary to take so much trouble to clean up the place. Of course this is a wrong attitude. There should not be different standards of care for different estates. The HDB should hold the view that because the estates are old, they need more attention in respect of cleaning services. This is the only, correct attitude to take in order to improve the hygiene and cleanliness of old housing estates. So I hope the authorities concerned will look into the matter. Mr Speaker, Sir, apart from these two matters, the Housing Board is not providing enough recreational facilities for old housing estates. In the case of new housing estates, the HDB has planned for a complete range of facilities like supermarkets, swimming pools, children's playgrounds, etc. But in the case of old housing estates, the HDB holds a different attitude altogether. What I am trying to say is not to ask the Housing Board to provide the. same facilities to old housing estates as in the case of new housing estates, as we all know that this is impossible. But the HDB must nonetheless pay attention to the recreational needs of people in the old housing estates, particularly when there is a higher population density in the old housing estates and therefore the need for recreational facilities for old people and children is greater. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 6.00 p.m. Their needs are quite urgent. But unfortunately we do not see any adequate provision of such facilities for old people and children in the old housing estates. This also reflects the nonchalant attitude of the HDB towards old housing estates.”
“I have on their behalf taken up this matter of lift breakdowns with the Area Office concerned, but the reaction from the various officers has been very disappointing. They seem to hold the view that old lifts must break down just as it is only natural for old people to fall sick. So these officers do not take a very positive or enthusiastic interest in the repair of old lifts. I think this attitude is very questionable. Recently the Housing Board has increased the conservancy charges for maintenance and other services. The Housing Board only knows how to make the flat dwellers pay more by way of such charges but does not seem to take a serious interest in the repairs and the maintenance of lifts and other facilities in old housing estates. This is a very exasperating situation to the residents. I hope the Housing Board will take a serious view of the matter and positively look into the problem of lifts of old flats going out of order. As I said earlier, we support the Housing Board in trying to improve the one-room flats because it will go a step further to enhance the health and hygiene of the people. This reminds me of the problems of health and hygiene in the old housing estates. If we visit such old housing estates, we will notice that the state of hygiene and cleanliness is not all that satisfactory. There is a vast difference between the state of health and hygiene in the old and the new housing estates. The Housing Board may conveniently put the blame entirely on the residents of old housing estates saying these people do not take much trouble in looking after their own hygiene. In fact, it is the Housing Board itself that should bear the greatest responsibility for it.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am glad to learn from a recent announcement that the Housing Board intends to improve the one-room flats. This is good news to the people of Singapore, particularly the one-room flat dwellers. This is a correct decision because it promotes the hygiene and health of the people. So we express our full support for the HDB's decision on this matter. But since the Housing Board intends to improve the living environment of flat dwellers, their attention should not be confined to the one-room flats. They should also pay attention to the problems of the existing old housing estates, because such problems do affect the health and the hygiene of the people living in old housing estates. For example, there have been numerous lift breakdowns in the old housing estates. This is a serious problem, because usually in every block of flats in the old housing estates there is only one lift available. If the lift breaks down, then the residents have to climb all the way up to their flats. This causes great inconvenience, particularly to children and old people who find it difficult to climb up the steps. Worse still, whenever a lift breaks down, very often people are known to be trapped inside. Not to mention other instances, during my door-to-door visits, I had the experience of being trapped in a lift. Because of these breakdowns, very often I have to climb all the way up to visit my constituents in the flats. This goes to show how serious this problem of lift breakdown is. As a result, during my meet-the-people sessions and during my house-to-house visits, I receive various complaints from the public, many of which are complaints of lift breakdowns.”
“Because we in Parliament are collectively the servants of the people - those in the civil service are not there to serve us, but the people. In this connection, I have asked for a re-appraisal of the civil service - perhaps a kind of "shake-up" is in order. 3.55p.m.”
“I am not saying that this is a common practice, but the tendency is surely there. If there is more frequent and more regular rotation of top civil servants, they will not be able to grow powerful roots. A third feature of civil servants which I find objectionable is the secrecy which sometimes surrounds their work, and a habit of name-dropping. As an excuse for not disclosing the true state of the matter, which might be embarrassing to the civil servants, as possibly the matter concerned is in a sorry state for lack of attention, they dispose of any queries by saying the matter is being studied by the Minister who does not want publicity. Matters which should be attended to, therefore, get swept under a carpet of secrecy. No one need know that the civil service is getting more bureaucratic and less efficient. The top civil servants, after remaining in their positions for long periods of time. would often make reference to a certain Minister, or even the Prime Minister, in order to deter further queries. Likewise, some are in the habit of quoting the Prime Minister, e.g. name-drop that so-and-so is from the Prime Minister's Office, and he gets attended to very promptly. Others, even the Members of Parliament are met with a sluggish response, if at all there is going to be a response. I hope. therefore, Mr Speaker, Sir, that in a budget debate the effect of our fiscal measures must be seen against the interests of the people, and here I have stressed how the civil service fits in. Any budget before the House must be aimed at establishing a more just and a more humane society. However, the attitude must never arise that there is a "them and us" - those who are governed. and those who govern.”
“Matters are not attended to promptly. For example, the problem of getting an immediate and satisfactory response from the civil servants. I am sure some of the hon. Members in this House have experienced, as I have. the frustrations in getting civil servants to act on the complaints we have made on behalf of our constituents. When complaints are sent directly to the press, they seem to be attended to much quicker by the civil servants than those complaints they receive from Backbenchers. This would seem to me that civil servants are afraid of the unfavourable publicity which might draw the attention of their superiors, and. indeed the Ministers, to their shortcomings. Therefore, they have every reason and inducement to act promptly on letters of complaint in the local press. Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask: is this right, or is this desirable? While I agree that the local press should serve as a forum for views and complaints, and that the Ministries and Government Departments concerned are seen to do their jobs, is this all for show? lam not suggesting that all Ministries and Government Departments are chronically inefficient, but there appears to be this developing trend. I contend, therefore, in order to keep the civil service on its toes, particularly the rank and file, there should be regular rotation of senior civil servants. New brooms, Mr Speaker, Sir, can sweep cleaner. A second characteristic which can develop, Mr Speaker, Sir. if the top echelons of the civil service are not regularly rotated is the possibility of empire building. By this I mean a tendency to develop a power base on the part of the top civil servants, achieved I suppose by promoting only people who see eye-to-eye with their superiors.”
“Members of this House may recall that several years back when there was a difference of opinion over priorities in expenditure, this was resolved by the Minister for Finance and the Minister of Defence interchanging portfolios. It is natural for each Ministry to view the priorities of the Republic on the basis of the needs and functions of the respective Ministry. My point in quoting the example is that the outcome of the interchange of portfolios has turned out to be most satisfactory. It is very probable that in the functioning of the various Ministries misunderstandings might arise among senior civil servants who are attached for too long to the same Ministries, and who might not be able to appreciate the dimension of any problem from an overall point of view. There is thus an advantage in regularly rotating senior civil servants among the various Ministries and Departments. Without a constant re-appraisal of the functions of the civil service, undesirable characteristics may arise. Some top civil servants develop the mentality of pleasing only their Ministers, and, of course, everyone tries to please the Prime Minister. If they report everything is ship-shape to their Ministers. then nothing is wrong with the Ministries they are in. Should junior staff have grievances. or if their workload cannot be discharged satisfactorily, this does not matter, since the Minister concerned does not know. This has the adverse effect of junior civil servants doing only the minimum, and doing things only to please their superiors. They no longer discharge their duties as responsibilities, rather as chores in order to keep their jobs. Staff morale may be low; efficiency may be low. When this bureaucratic attitude builds up, the public is adversely affected.”
“The civil servants, in implementing Government decisions and policies, and especially the top civil servants who also advise Government Ministers on their portfolios must, in my opinion, have as broad a perspective as possible of the matters they deal with. I have observed that the upper ranks of the civil service tend to be attached to a particular Ministry or Department for many years. Without the constant and regular rotation of the top civil servants, I get the impression that some of them are so entrenched that they have the full support of their Ministers, and therefore, they assume that whatever they do will always be backed by their Ministers. This is surely not very desirable. There are, of course, pros and cons for the frequency of rotation of civil servants among the various Ministries and Departments. On the one hand, there are valid arguments for the need for continuity in the staffing of Ministries and Departments. This is to facilitate not only the process of decision-making by the Government and Ministers, but also internal administration, and in serving the public. I recognise that in Departments such as the Inland Revenue, Police, Customs or the Industrial Relations Division of the Ministry of Labour, either because of the nature of the work involved or the continuity of services rendered, there need not be the same degree of rotation of staff for the middle-ranking and junior civil servants. On the other hand, there is an equally valid argument that the civil servants in the higher reaches of Government service should have as wide an experience as possible of administration in the various Ministries or Departments, so that they can have a better understanding of the people whom they are supposed to serve.”
“The private property developers and entrepreneurs can no longer have a monopoly on housing. I would say the general effect of the Government housing schemes has stabilised the prices on the property market - no longer can there be the quick and vast returns on property speculation and development. Growth and development of housing now take place in a more orderly and gradual fashion; the not-so-wealthy sections of Singapore society are thus not left behind, nor are they denied the opportunities of house ownership. Thus, the budget estimates before us in raising the amount from $50,000 to $100,000 for exemption from estate duty is a very welcome one. This will ensure that those who have utilised their CPF contributions for the purchase of HDB and HUDC flats will not be penalised. What the CPF is meant for, that is, security at retirement, is now more usefully deployed. Mr Speaker, Sir, in all budget debates at the start of every fiscal year, especially so at the commencement of a new term of office - the Fourth Parliament of the Republic - it is not irrelevant for the Government to take stock of the machinery of Government - i.e. the civil service and the statutory boards. We cannot ignore the role played by the civil servants in implementing fiscal policies of the Government, or for that matter the general functionings of a government. Because the same party continues to be in power. this must not lull the civil service into an attitude of complacency. In the last session of this House, some comments were made on the civil servants. The point which I now wish to make is that what the civil servants do, and how they go about doing their work, has constantly to be examined.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in a period when the world economy has barely recovered from the oil hike of a few years ago, and the effects of the latest OPEC increase in oil price yet to be felt, it is most welcome to have a moderate budget for the coming fiscal year. I would call it a painless budget, for it provided no shocks. The emphasis, as in the past few years, has been on investment projects and generally to create a more conducive economic climate for foreign investments which will in turn create more job opportunities. The increase in taxes on alcohol and tobacco will not, of course, be welcomed by those who habitually drink and smoke, nor by those in the tobacco and alcohol industries, nor by those in allied trades because of possible falling sales. But, Mr Speaker, Sir, who can say that alcohol and tobacco are basic commodities essential for life? In fact, healthier living is to do without them. The other aspect of the budget estimates which I welcome is the raising of the maximum amount of estate duty for exemption purposes from $50,000 to $100,000. As we all know, every year sees an increasing number of Singaporeans becoming owner-occupiers of houses or flats. In many cases, this has only been made possible through the Government's public housing schemes enabling CPF contributions to be utilised for the purchase of HDB and HUDC flats. For these categories of Singaporeans. owning a flat would otherwise not be possible. These lower and middle income groups must realise that our Government provide them the opportunities and the incentives to have a stake in our society. This is their privilege as Singaporeans, and as of right. In thus providing for the lower and middle income groups opportunities at home-ownership, we are surely striving for a more egalitarian society.”
“In the area of industrial health and safety we read in the papers often of accidents happening and of workers being killed. Quite a number of these accidents and deaths could be avoided if the employers have implemented the concept of consultation with workers concerning industrial health and safety and take the necessary steps to safeguard the life of workers and to prevent the occurrence of accidents. I hope the Government will review the contributions of employers towards tripartite cooperation and, if necessary, take some action against employers who fail to implement any scheme of tripartite cooperation in their own factories or offices. 5.11 p.m.”
“Huge slabs of glass and concrete structures may be impressive to behold but they can be found in any other cities of the world. I hope that it is not too late for the Government to consider seriously preserving old buildings which form part of Singapore's past and which lend to Singapore a charming and distinctive image. If such old, stronger buildings can be preserved they should be preserved not only for the sake of tourists but also for the sake of future Singaporeans. Then in the Addendum relating to the Ministry of Labour, it is stated that the Ministry will continue to work with the unions and employers to contribute to economic growth. I have no doubts about the determination or desire of the Ministry to promote tripartite cooperation on the basis of economic prosperity for Singapore. The initiative and the leadership shown by the Ministry on industrial safety and health and in the promotion of productivity are ample proof of the good intention and sincerity of the Ministry. Similarly, I am convinced that the workers under the disciplined and enlightened leadership of the NTUC will do their part in any scheme of tripartite cooperation promoted by the Government of Singapore. But I am not so sure that the employers are doing their part to make a tripartite cooperation a meaningful and successful effort. No doubt the employers or their representatives at various tripartite bodies pay lip service to the concept of tripartite cooperation and are free with their criticism of the faults of others, particularly workers for allegedly not doing their part in tripartite cooperation. But there are employers while not openly criticising tripartite cooperation, are doing their best to make tripartite cooperation a farce in their own factories or offices.”
“Whenever a new housing estate or new roadway is planned, there are bound to be persons living on the land on which the housing estate or the new roadway is to be sited. This is so because Singapore is a compact and densely populated island with hardly any undeveloped or uninhabited area. It is the price of development and progress that must be paid. But my point is whether in planning a new housing estate or new roadway, the Government gives due consideration to the consequent change in the character of the neighbourhood concerned. There are usual grievances of projects being planned and then scrapped, with the result that a number of persons are unnecessarily evicted from their homes, sometimes years ahead of the actual implementation of the project. There is certainly cause for grievance among those persons who are chased out of their homes without any apparent justification. But I am more concerned with the destruction of old buildings to make way for the so-called redevelopment projects. I understand and appreciate that the Government has previously taken steps to preserve buildings of historical importance or architectural significance. But such historic monuments are very few and, apart from that, they by themselves do not influence the character of the neighbourhood. I have in mind certain sections of Singapore where shop-houses or older residential houses, each of which may individually have not much historical or architectural significance, but which collectively have a unique and charming character. If Singapore is to retain its separate identity it is important to preserve the distinctive image of Singapore in relation to the other cities of the world.”
“The Government is very much to be commended for its awareness of the need to improve and beautify the living conditions of a large number of Singaporeans and of its determination to proceed with all its projects, despite the heavy costs. But I am not sure whether the Government is fully aware of the dissatisfaction of those persons living in the older housing estates, such as those in the Aljunied Constituency. Their dissatisfaction is with their flats, which are smaller and less attractive than similar types of flats in the newer housing estates. They are also dissatisfied with the environment of their flats, because in the older housing estates there are hardly any recreational facilities for the residents and, particularly, their children. It is a fact that the children have either to play in dark and dirty corridors, much to the irritation of the residents, or they have to play in the car parks and on the streets, much to the anxiety of their respective parents. I hope the Government will look into the matter and allocate some of its funds to improving the living conditions of the residents in the older housing estates. I also note from the Addendum that the volume of housing and public projects would not only be maintained but increased during the next few years. These projects are to be undertaken by the Housing and Development Board. Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Public Works Department. No one would question the necessity or the usefulness of these various projects to Singapore. But I am concerned that in the implementation of these various projects, sometimes unnecessary inconvenience or sufferings are caused to those persons whose homes have to make way for these projects.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in his Address at the opening of Parliament, the President touched on the course of events likely to affect Singapore over the next few years. In response to such events he went on to state that the Government of Singapore will respect the renewed mandates from the people of Singapore as a vote of confidence in the will and determination of the Government to take action, if necessary, for the common good. It is a correct and desirable policy to be adopted by any self-respecting government. As the President states, we have to formulate our way of life, taking what is best and fitting it into the Singapore context. But in our concern to do what is best for Singapore and for the people of Singapore, there is always the danger that we may overlook the legitimate interest, welfare or hope of a small section of the people. Such oversight may not be deliberately intended but the effect to the people concerned is the same, regardless of whether the oversight is deliberate or unintended. In the Addendum to the Presidential Address, it is stated that the Ministry of National Development will plan and work towards better housing with improved, social and recreational facilities, better infrastructure and public amenities in pleasant and gracious environment in the next five years. It is also stated that it is important to create new parks and open spaces for a large number of people living in high-rise flats. I have nothing but good to say of the plans of the Ministry of National Development to improve and beautify the various housing estates and to expand and enlarge the various recreational facilities for the enjoyment of all Singaporeans.”
“In view of the Minister's explanation, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“But this is not so with pedestrians who are guilty of jaywalking. This reminds me of the Ministry of the Environment which has been keeping Singapore clean effectively by enforcing punitive measures to deal with littering. Similarly I believe the Traffic Police Department should also be able to take punitive measures to prevent an infringement of these traffic regulations against jaywalking.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head U be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead BDA 1111. Sir, I would like to ask the Traffic Police Department whether the provisions of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act requiring pedestrians to use the overhead bridge within a distance of 50 metres, when crossing the road, have been implemented. These regulations are very important and should be strictly enforced, otherwise all the pedestrian overhead bridges and subterranean subways which cost large sums of money to build will be wasted. Sir, as we have noticed, many people just ignore the overhead bridges and subways and jaywalk across the road. The most obvious example of jaywalking can be seen at Clifford Pier where, despite airconditioned escalators leading to the overhead bridge, the pedestrians would rather walk or run across the road. We all know that the traffic there is heavy and the road is quite wide. Therefore, it is very dangerous for pedestrians to walk or run across the road. If a jaywalker meets with an accident, it will not only be a matter of losing his life but also a matter of his family losing the breadwinner in the family, thus bringing about an additional social problem and burden. This disregard for pedestrian overhead bridges constitutes a source of danger to motorists and it will also cause obstruction to the flow of traffic. Besides, the jaywalker is also setting a very bad example to our younger generation who are prone to imitating what the elders do. In view of this, I hope that the Traffic Police Department will tackle this problem seriously and effectively implement such traffic regulations. We are, of course, aware that if any motorist should infringe any traffic regulation, it is easy to book him.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, before I withdraw my amendment, allow me to say that what I cited just now were only some instances to prove that Police officers do protect their own kind and that their attitude towards members of the public has not been good. This is quite prevalent among Police officers. Perhaps the Minister is not aware of this because those officers with whom he comes into contact are high ranking officers and can be expected to show deference to the Minister as their superior. As to the attitude of the rank and file towards members of the public it constitutes a serious problem which I would like the Minister to be aware of. One of the examples I quoted just now related to a person who wrote to the Commissioner of Police and he was not able to deal with the problem. If this problem cannot be solved by the Commissioner of Police, who is able to solve it? If one should write to the Minister, he would likewise ask the Commissioner of Police to deal with it, but the Commissioner of Police would not have been in a better position than the Minister to solve this problem.”
“Sir, what the Minister has said about information being disclosed to the accused person is to side-track the issue, I wish to clarify that I have brought up only some of the many cases I know and that the information had not been disclosed in accordance with the normal procedure where a copy of the report could be obtained by the accused as mentioned by the Minister. If the Minister had listened carefully, he would know that I was referring to the specific cases where the officers concerned released information about the complainant's name and address to the accused person in an unofficial manner. The Minister did not seem to understand what I was saying just now.”
“However, I feel that they should first look into themselves and try to improve their own attitude and sense of responsibility in relation to their manner of discharging their duties. Only on this basis, can they give a better image to the public so that the public will have more confidence in them to come forward to cooperate with them.”
“We understand that the loss of cash due to breach of trust is a serious offence according to the law. Where does the law stipulate that only when the loss involved is of a larger amount then it will become a breach of trust to take any action in respect of it? In principle, there is no reason to reject such a complaint. Sir, this attitude on the part of the Police will not only discourage the public but also encourage more offences to be committed. This attitude should not be tolerated at all. Sir, there was another case when a member of the public was assaulted and had to be sent to the hospital to be stitched up. He also reported to the Police but they only tried to evade their duty by getting both parties together and blaming them and warning them for causing so much trouble to the Police. This kind of treatment, the victim felt, was another psychological blow to him in addition to the physical injury he had suffered. The way the Police deal with public complaints can only antagonise the public against the Police. Sir, what is more serious, where complaints have been lodged to the Police, they tried to avoid trouble by disclosing the names and addresses of complainants to the accused persons, which is against normal procedure, in the hope that both parties would resolve the matter between themselves. Such a practice is likely to deter persons from making complaints to the Police and may even result in some danger to the complainants. From these incidents, we can see that there are many serious problems existing in the Police Force. Very often we hear of appeals by the Police for cooperation from the public.”
“In reality, knowing it full well, and arising out of the desire to cover up a fellow officer's wrongdoings, such a letter was devised. Have they ever realised that such a letter would give rise to very unfavourable impression among the members of the public? Sir, the attitude of the Police in dealing with members of the public has very often resulted in dissatisfaction among the public. Some Police officers are not willing to do their duty. Not only they do not try to help the public in dealing with their complaints but will resort to do something that will adversely affect the interest of the complainants. Recently, there have been newspaper reports of increasing cases of molestation and rape. To curb this increase, the Police should have appealed to the public for cooperation. Let us see the attitude of the Police towards the public in dealing with such cases: A girl was molested and she reported this to the Police. Even the person who committed this offence was also brought to the Police station and yet the Police persuaded the girl not to lodge an official report and told her to just forget about the matter as it would cause her great inconvenience. This incident shows how some Police officers can go to such lengths to shirk their responsibility as to try to cover up the offender by dissuading the victim from complaining. How then can these crimes be curbed? In another case a member of the public reported to the Police about a breach of trust involving some loss of cash, but the Police officer concerned not only did not help but grumbled that since the amount of loss involved was so small, being a few hundred dollars, why should the complainant report such a trivial loss.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head U be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead BAA 1105*. (* The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr P. Govindaswamy.) Sir, over the past few years although there has been some improvement in various aspects of the Police Force, certain serious problems still exist. I feel that if the Police want to give a good impression to the public, these problems, so long as they exist, will give them a poor image. I am referring to the very serious practice of Police officers covering up the wrongs of other Police officers. If a Police officer has committed an offence, the other officers in charge would not try to rectify the wrong but instead try to cover up for him. How are you going to improve the efficiency of the Police and give a good impression to the people if you do not rectify the errors and weed out evil doers? These acts of covering up the wrong doings of Police officers can be illustrated by the instances that I am going to quote. Sir, a member of the public met with a road accident involving a Police officer. Both sides started an argument. In the end, the policeman resorted to violence. The other party then wrote a complaint to the Police Commissioner. The Police Authority, wanting to cut the matter short, replied that there was no evidence to show that the Police officer had resorted to violence against any member of the public. The same letter also stated that the Police officer concerned had been warned to constrain his behaviour in future. How contradictory is that? If the complainant had no evidence on the one hand and the Police officer did nothing wrong on the other, then why warn him?”