Christopher de Souza
Singapore
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. My supplementary question arises out of our deployment of our Multi-Role Tankers Transport. I think our airmen and soldiers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and MINDEF should be commended. It was a complex high-altitude mission, and it was successful.”
“Much obliged, Sir. My supplementary questions draw from the fact that the situation displays: one, how Singapore has agency; and two, how Singapore can use the situation as a catalyst.”
“It cannot be allowed to be the master. It does not moralise. Thus, as we embrace AI, we must do so with discernment. We should use it to the extent that it facilitates decision-making, but it cannot be allowed to usurp our decision-making. Innovation cannot come at the expense of trespassing on some existing IP rights.”
“In relation to the study on the drug trafficking and the death penalty. In fact, in response to that, I think there is a very good statistic that we should elaborate on in this House and also out there in education that 15 grams of diamorphine feeds 180 drug abuses for one week.”
“The Singapore Land Authority plays an important role in unlocking the value of state land for community use. As a sportsman, I have personally seen with immense joy how underutilised spaces, such as areas under flyovers, can be transformed into safe and vibrant places for sport and recreation, whether for pickleball, futsal, badminton, te…”
“To propel our status as a hub, Singapore will need infrastructure, such as exhibition facilities, to showcase mediation capabilities, breakout rooms, bilateral mediation hearing rooms as well as printers, laptops and screens for settlement agreements to be typed out.”
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Every one of 1,264 lines we hold for Christopher de Souza, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 25 of 26.
“Many of these sex workers come on two-week social visit passes. Just before the two weeks come to an end, the sex workers leave the country, usually by making their way to JB, only to return to Singapore the same day. This trip, which earns them an extended stay in Singapore, is known as the "U-turn". Many of them continue to ply the trade until caught for overstaying. I am told that they even get a free ticket home when repatriated after serving their jail sentences. We have all seen several reports in the press of prostitutes openly soliciting in coffeeshops. I have also received feedback that sexual services are offered at shops claiming to offer massages, especially, for some reason, massage parlours with curtains. The numbers speak for themselves: 34% rise in number of foreign prostitutes arrested from 2005 to 2006, 25% rise from 2006 to 2007. What concrete steps will MHA take to curb the worrying figures? In particular, would MHA allocate a healthy budget to bolster the anti-vice squad with additional manpower and intelligence officers to: (a) Suss out new locations where sex syndicates operate? (b) Clamp down on such operations? Road Safety”
“(c) The whole corridor suffers the stigma of graffitied walls even if a false address is not given? (d) The continuing Government philosophy that if we continue to work, we will be given an incentive, such as WIS, why not make borrowing from illegal moneylenders, which causes much harm to the neighbourliness of communities, an offence? The Public Prosecutor is always in a position to exercise his discretion whether or not to prosecute the borrower based on the unique mitigating factors, if any. The number of reported cases and arrests in relation to unlicensed moneylending and related activities over the last three years is very worrying. I urge MHA to consider a shift in policy away from supply-centric enforcement to one which also combats the demand. This would be similar to the two-pronged enforcement action taken against drugs and corruption. Such a two-pronged strategy focusing on the supply and demand forces giving rise to the crime would pressure the offence from all sides and help lead it closer to extinction. I propose that MHA use a portion of its budget to analyse how a new provision can be introduced into the Moneylenders Act to make the borrowing of money from unlicensed moneylenders an offence. Turning, Sir, to my second cut. To Clamp Down on Prostitution and Associated Vices The number of foreign prostitutes arrested in 2006 was 4,310. This was a 34% increase over 2005. In 2007, the number of foreign prostitutes arrested was 5,400. This signified a 25% increase over 2006. Bids to contain the trade in Geylang has not been successful. An evening drive down Duxton Road and Duxton Hill - which I did with my wife by the way - will prove that prostitutes operate well beyond the artificial borders of Geylang. Prostitution is working itself into our heartlands.”
“There are two prominent pieces of legislation which combat both the supply and demand elements of an offence. The first is the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA). Sections 5, 6 and 7 of the MDA penalise the trafficking, import and export and manufacture of controlled drugs, ie, the supply of them. But, significantly, section 8 of the MDA also penalises the possession and consumption of controlled drugs, ie, the demand for them. By penalising both the demand and supply, Singapore's drug problem has been contained. The second prominent piece of legislation is the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). Section 5(a) of the PCA penalises the supply of corruption, ie, it penalises, subject to other elements being satisfied, the corrupt soliciting or receiving or agreeing to receive for himself or for any other person any gratification as an inducement to or reward for. In order to effectively deter acts of corruption in Singapore, section 5(b) of the PCA penalises the demand for corruption, ie, it penalises, subject to other elements being satisfied, the corrupt giving, promising or offering to any person, whether for the benefit of that person or of any other person any gratification as an inducement or reward for. Thus, both the demand and supply of elements of corruption are tackled in tandem, resulting in Singapore's extremely low incidence of corruption. Why not use the same strategy to combat the rapid growth of unlicensed moneylending in Singapore, given that: (a) The anecdotal evidence that a significant number of those borrowing from loansharks are using the loan to pay off gambling debts? (b) As a result, innocent residents have to bear the brunt of harassment if a false residential address is given?”
“However, in the light of the unattractive figures quoted above, I urge MHA to take a different strategy in tackling the very real problem of unlicensed moneylending. This involves simultaneously tackling the supply of and the demand for illegal loans. Currently, the law, called the Moneylenders Act, curbs UML only by deterring the supply of illegal loans into the market. It does nothing to penalise or deter the borrowing, ie, the demand side. This is clear from sections 8(1)(b) and (c) of the Moneylenders Act. These offences in these sections do not deter the demand for illegal loans. I therefore propose that MHA consider introducing a new section which makes it an offence if a person secures a loan for himself or on behalf of any other person from an unlicensed moneylender. The punitive measures which come along with the offence can be calculated based on the harm that the State deems such borrowing creates and based on the level that will best deter such activities. Naturally, the Public Prosecutor will have the ultimate discretion whether to prosecute a borrower, and unique circumstances prompting a compassionate approach would likely merit non-prosecution. Having said this, the merit of making borrowing illegal and having it in the books, as it were, is that it deters people from taking loans which cause both them and their neighbours a great deal of distress. Taking a page out of the speeches of Dr Teo Ho Pin and Mr Arthur Fong, to my mind, a good example, though not the only example, of a borrower who deserves to be prosecuted is one who gives a false address to the loansharks such that innocent residents get harassed. If the borrower abets such harassment, why not make his very act of borrowing an offence?”
“"Owe money, pay money" - these threatening words mar the walls of several common corridors of our HDB homes. In January last year, Senior Minister of State, Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee, informed that there were 10,221 reported cases of unlicensed moneylending in 2006. That was a 19% increase over 2005 when there were 8,568 reported cases. Similarly, the 2005 figure represented an increase of 47%, to be exact, over 2004, which had 5,809 reported cases. Multiple initiatives were introduced by MHA to try to solve the problem. These included: (a) Enhancing the penalties under the Moneylenders' Act; and (b) The formation of the Anti-UML Task Force to increase, among others, the number of ambush operations. However, recent figures show that these measures have not deterred UML syndicates. A look at the statistics for 2007 support this point. In 2007, there were 277 arrests over the first three quarters, ie, from January to September, which were just 17 short of the total number of arrests for the whole of 2006. All else being equal, working from an average of 30 cases per month, the total figure for 2007 would be in the region of about 360. In the same nine months in 2007, there were 7,438 reported cases of illegal moneylending and related activities. All else being equal, working from an average of 826 cases per month, the total figure for 2007 would be in the region of 9,917 cases. This is a mere drop of about 300 reported cases from 2006-07. Having previously worked with enforcement agencies to tackle similar types of crime, I put on record my appreciation for their dedicated effort in their attempt to deter UML activities in Singapore.”
“Instead, returning law students could undergo training more relevant to practice, along the lines of the Vocational Training Course recommended in the V K Rajah Report. By fusing the Dip Sing and the current Practical Law Course into a one year VTC or Vocational Training Course, the affected law student (a) broadens his knowledge of local law by studying areas which he has not studied before and are, in fact, relevant to his future local practice; and (b) receives his first pay cheque, it seems, six months quicker (compared to the current system). This will go a long way to help meet the demand for locally qualified practising lawyers in Singapore. To this end, can Ministry of Law allocate resources to this proposal? On a separate note, the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill was passed – it constituted a thorough review of the Code and will go a long way to ensure the law punishes new, innovative crimes with appropriate sentences and an up-to-date fine structure. However, to allow the amended Penal Code to have its full effect, it must be complemented with up-to-date criminal procedure. To this end, can Ministry of Law allocate resources to ensure the CPC review is completed expeditiously? Supply of Lawyers”
“Madam, the recent Report of the Committee to Develop the Singapore Legal Sector chaired by Judge of Appeal V K Rajah stated, and I quote, "the Committee received anecdotal feedback that the Dip Sing Course has outlived its utility and that some Dip Sing students find the course to be unproductive because it often repeats the content of courses already taken overseas." The Report was spot on about the anecdotal evidence. In November last year, the Temasek Society, a UK-based Singapore students’ society, invited Mr Lim Siong Guan, Dr Lim Wee Kiak and myself to speak to about 400 Singaporean students in London. After the forum, at least one dozen law students from different faculties in the UK told me that they wanted to return to Singapore to practise law at some point in their careers, but that the Dip Sing Course was a major disincentive to do so. Firstly, the students indicated that the Dip Sing requires them to repeat subjects they have already studied. Secondly, Dip Sing, being a one year full-time course, delays their pay cheque by one whole year. The students I spoke to indicated that they were better off taking up a training contract in a London-based law firm. This view was held even though a training contract would require them to take the one-year full time Legal Practice Course. It appears that having to do the Dip Sing Course in order to qualify at the Singapore Bar has the negative consequence of discouraging the overseas law student-turned-lawyer from returning to practise in Singapore. There is a solution to this - remove the Dip Sing requirement. Therefore, I ask, would the Ministry of Law be open to removing the Dip Sing requirement for returning law students?”
“The need for such a step, or at least a step in a similar direction, becomes starker when it is analysed along with the fact that self-employed persons and informal workers who meet Workfare eligibility criteria will be required to first contribute into their Medisave Accounts in order to receive WIS. With the WIS they already receive shrinking in worth due to inflation rates, they will have less, or worse nothing, to contribute to Medisave. This is a knock-on effect. Non-contribution to Medisave disqualifies them from collecting WIS. I have previously questioned the rationale for tagging WIS for the self-employed to Medisave contributions, but given the rising inflation rates, I prefer to work within the existing framework and ask for higher WIS, in light of inflation, in order that there will be enough for the self-employed to in fact make that Medisave contribution. In closing, Sir, I acknowledge that the Government has done much to help ease the burden of living in an increasingly expensive society - Senior Citizens' Bonus, Utilities-Save, Rental Rebates and Growth Dividends are positive policies, to mention a few. However, among these policies, WIS has a unique characteristic - it has the direct and tangible effect of increasing a person's wage in hand. He is able to predict how much he will receive from month to month - this is to be contrasted to one-off dividend payouts. Therefore, my third proposal coming out of Budget 2008 is for the Government to consider budgeting for an inflation-sensitive WIS programme. 2.00 pm”
“MOF states that the WIS will more than compensate for the reduction in CPF contributions and that the prime focus group for WIS are full-time workers aged 45 years who earn $1,000 or less. However, WIS benefits will extend to a wider group - mainly, those above 35 years who earn $1,500 or less - but the benefits will be at a lower rate for this group. MOF also states that the WIS scheme will be reviewed after three years. In light of the inflation rate, I ask, why wait three years for a review? Why not devise a formula which also pegs quantum of WIS to the average inflation rate over the immediate past four quarters? Some figures might display this point. Currently, according to MOF's website, a 46-year-old employee earning $800 per month stands to earn a total monthly income of $977, having factored in the decrease in the employee's CPF contribution and the new additions in the form of WIS Cash and WIS CPF. Prior to the changes to CPF contribution rates and WIS, he would have had a total monthly income of $904. This means that the changes to CPF contribution rates plus the introduction of WIS have given him an increase of $73 per month. However, and this is key, of that $73, he only gets to take home $57 (as the rest is deducted for CPF). So $57 is the key figure. The question to ask is therefore: will an increase of $57 in the take-home pay of a worker earning $800 per month be significantly diminished by an inflation rate of 4.5% to 5.5% and including the rising costs of public transport? The answer to the question must be "yes". Assuming that his wage does not increase, should not we make his WIS component inflation proof, if not fully, at least partially?”
“Workers returning from a hard day at work should not face fees which may deter them from enjoying this common space. Notably, in February last year, our Prime Minister mapped a vision of how we could bring out Singapore's natural beauty to the fullest, for every Singaporean to enjoy. In the same address at the ABC Waters Exhibition, PM stated: "Imagine looking out of your HDB apartment window and instead of seeing a huge concrete canal, you set your eyes on a sparkling river with landscaped banks, with kayakers paddling in the stream, with lively play areas for children, and with boardwalks and bridges for families to enjoy outings together.” As PM said, "This is not a far-fetched scenario." Singapore has an extensive water network that spans 14 reservoirs, 32 major rivers and more than 7,000 km of waterways, including canals and drains. I propose that a healthy budget be allocated to beautifying our common spaces. We need not be restricted to gardens on land. The pioneer batch of 50-storey HDB blocks at Pinnacle at Duxton showcases how sky gardens linked by sky bridges are possible. We need to pump in money to make sure our common green spaces are beautified. Since the word 'Dollars" starts with the letter "D", I urge the Government to put more "D" into the ABC scheme, so that it becomes ABCD. The third proposal for how the Budget can achieve a better and more equitable distribution of our nation's wealth, I submit, is to make WIS more sensitive to inflation rates. Last year, the Government introduced the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) Scheme to enhance the take-home pay and CPF savings of low-income workers. The Minister for Finance announced that 287,000 workers were paid WIS in January 2008.”
“And this is why under the Extended Family Scheme, the couple's combined salary must still be under $8,000. It is just that the remaining $4,000 can be made up by the wages of other children or married children. This, therefore, entrenches the $8,000 income ceiling for the recently-married couples. The residents who live in HDB flats in my constituency are in Sunset Way, Ghim Moh and Farrer Gardens. The residents' newly or soon-to-be-married children who grew up in the these estates and who earn a household income of more than $8,000 find it next to impossible to find an affordable resale or private property close to their parents' home. For the reasons set out, and in light of the fact that "Home-Ownership" was specifically named in the Budget as a strategy to cope with inflation, I ask the Government to seriously consider raising the per household income ceiling for first-time direct purchasers of HDB flats. The second proposal for how the Budget can achieve a better and more equitable distribution of our nation's wealth without discarding the tenets of Workfare and meritocracy is by investing resources into beautifying Singapore's common spaces. Space is a premium commodity in Singapore. With a new soft target of 6.5 million residents in Singapore, people are already snapping up homes near parks and nature reserves, or buying country club memberships which promise that extra amount of space. People long to be able to unwind in relaxing surroundings. But what about our residents who cannot afford to pay for space, who cannot afford weekend get-aways, or prime properties near lush greenery? We need to ensure that our population has green and natural common space to unwind and recharge in. There should be no charge to enter these 'green lung' areas.”
“As can be seen with the HDB resale market, such demand from foreign buyers trickles down the property chain causing prices to go up for lower end private property. This affects the couples who are disqualified from buying directly from HDB due to the $8,000 income ceiling. Rising prices of resale and private properties aside, another indicator of why the $8,000 ceiling needs to be reviewed is the growing number of households who earn $8,000 or more per month. Data from the General Household Survey shows that the proportion of resident households earning $8,000 and above every month has nearly doubled from 10.85% in 1995 to 19.9% in 2005. Granted, these statistics do not show the age of residents in each household at the time their income exceeds $8,000. Nonetheless, the figures do show that a household income of $8,000 per month is becoming less exclusive. So, I ask: "Is $8,001 per month per couple comfortable enough a wage to exclude them from subsidised first-time HDB property ownership, bearing in mind (a) that the couple receives no WIS, less GST credits, faces an inflation rate which is rising; and (b) perhaps more significantly, that the only other housing alternative is a pricey resale flat or private condominium?" Additionally, if the young couple is forced to saddle a back-breaking mortgage, how then can they ever strive for 'work-life' balance? Husband and wife's preoccupation will be to overcome the considerable debt and they are likely to decide that promotions at work are needed to achieve this over and above family time. The counter-argument to all of this may be HDB's $12,000 ceiling for, what they call, the "Extended Family Scheme". While it is a concrete step in the right direction, is it a viable solution for the young couple? I say, not really.”
“For a young couple, few things are harder or more ironic than having to slog for many years to pay off a huge mortgage for their first home just because they worked hard and were given raises early in their careers before they purchased a HDB flat. It has been 14 years since the HDB last increased the income ceiling for new flats from $7,000 to $8,000. This was done for nuclear families by the then Minister for National Development, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, in 1994. Perhaps the sluggishness in the property market from 1997 to 2006 justified a non-review during the same period. But, surely, the trailblazing prices of 2007 have scorched young first-time buying couples enough to jolt an increase in the income ceiling. For example, HDB records show that a 4-room resale flat at Jalan Membina was sold for $590,000 (or $609 psf); a 5-room Marine Parade flat was sold for $750,000 (or $577 psf); and an executive Mei Ling Street flat was sold for $890,000 (or $552 psf). Where private property is concerned, Business Times' article dated 10th July 2007 reported that "Of late, 60 per cent of the buyers for most new high-end projects have been foreigners, but sometimes the figure is even higher. At City Developments' Cliveden at Grange Road, it reports, 90 per cent of the 38 units sold so far have gone to foreign buyers, with an average price of $3,600 per square foot." Citibank's Economics & Market Analysis of June 2007 stated that the Government’s push to increase the population to an upper parameter of 6.5 million people by attracting new immigrants creates a volatile property market where foreign buying or selling helps drive prices up or down - the volatility of the market.”
“Firstly, raise income ceiling for first time buyers of subsidised public housing. The Prime Minister had stated in the 2007 National Day Rally that the maximum Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) would be enhanced further from $20,000 to $30,000. In addition, the household income ceiling for AHG eligibility would be raised from $3,000 to $4,000. This has received good feedback from the ground, especially from those wanting to take the plunge into "owning" a property rather than just renting one. But the scheme has, as its target, the low income group. What about the middle income group? These are the people, many of whom are in my age group, who have crossed the household income ceiling and find it very difficult to pay the high prices of resale flats or the cheaper leasehold private condominiums, and I use that term "cheaper" loosely. Currently, a couple wanting to purchase a 3-room flat directly from HDB must have a gross monthly household income of less than $3,000. A couple is disqualified from purchasing a 4-room or bigger flat directly from the HDB if their gross monthly income exceeds $8,000. The middle-income couple is caught in a difficult position. For example, some of my constituents as well as peers in my age group say, "I will accept the promotion in my company but I will decline the raise so as not to breach the income ceiling." The question to ask is therefore: "Is it worthwhile turning down the raise?" Unfortunately, many of my constituents, whom I have discussions on this topic, and my peers have said yes, especially in a private property market which has seen prices skyrocket.”
“Sir, caveats lodged with URA for the Sail, One Shenton, St Regis indicate an average per square foot price of $2,500. Business Times' article of 2nd November 2007 titled "Bravo buys Makeway View for $162.8m in en bloc sale" reported that "Makeway View owners will receive gross sale proceeds of about $3.7 million to $10.4 million per unit." Accolade after accolade highlighting Singapore's meteoric growth. Contrast this with the $1,000 per month wage of the worker who clears plates in the hawker centre. $1,200 for 3-day F1 pass. $30 per ticket on Singapore Flyer. $50 per person for dinner at Dempsey Hill. 7% GST. Forecasted inflation rate of 4.5% to 5.5% for FY 2008. Contrast this with a $700 per month wage of cleaners of public toilets. Toning, training, tuning and revving the economy so that it is in a prime position for the nation's next lap is paramount but the question to ask is, "Have we made sure that nobody is left behind?" Termed the "Bonanza Budget" on the Straits Times' front page the day after it was delivered, I think it is only fair to put on record that the Government has done a good and commendable job in developing a Budget that is highly sensitive to the needs on the ground. The Budget has, in concrete ways, tried to address the rising cost of living and the consequences of inflation. Growth dividends; top-ups to CPF Medisave and the PSE accounts; strengthening ComCare Fund; the L-Bonus all help Singaporeans cope with the increase in food, living and fuel prices. Mr Speaker, Sir, while I rise in support of the Budget, I wish to propose three ways the Budget could achieve a better and more equitable distribution of our nation's wealth without discarding the tenets of Workfare and meritocracy.”
“Of these, there have been 56 increases in maximum fines, two introductions of life imprisonment, 110 increases of maximum imprisonment terms, 13 removals of life imprisonment and four removals of mandatory minimum imprisonment. This is a massive review, and has involved immense efforts and diligent work by the officers of MHA, MinLaw, and members of the investigative and enforcement agencies of the Police, AGC and the Courts. They are to be complimented on their achievement. I support the Bill, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, because the amendments are timely and ensure the continued safety and protection of our citizens. 5.11 pm”
“Presuming an offender is overseas when he communicates with the minor, would he have fulfilled the second limb if he flies to Singapore to meet the minor? I ask this question principally on the same grounds as Dr Teo Ho Pin, because I think limb (ii) should be fulfilled if there is an attempt to meet and should not be conditional on a meeting. This is so in order to prevent the harm which may arise out of the meeting. Third, the revised section 304(a) is a sentencing provision and it allows the Court to sentence an offender who was convicted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder to either (i) up to 20 years' imprisonment, or (ii) life. This is an immense improvement over the old section 304(a) which allowed judges the discretion to sentence an offender up to 10 years or life, but nothing in between. What made the old position even more ineffective was the wide gap between life imprisonment (interpreted as the remainder of the offender's natural life) and the relatively short alternative of "up to 10 years". The amendment has remedied this. It gives the Court flexibility when sentencing offenders, especially those who need to be imprisoned for a length of time between 10 and 20 years. The judgments in the case of Tan Kei Loon Allan [1999] 2 SLR 288 and the more recent case of Chee Cheong Hin Constance [2006] 2 SLR 707/[2006] 2 SLR 24, displayed the need to give the Courts more discretion to deliver punishments which match culpability. The new section 304(a) achieves this. Apart from the new offences introduced in the Bill, a sum total of no less than 360 penalties have been reviewed.”
“First, the new section 108B criminalises the abetment outside of Singapore of an offence in Singapore. To date, we only criminalise the converse, ie, abetment in Singapore of offences committed outside of Singapore, which meant that we protected other countries from crimes which were manufactured in Singapore. It is timely that section 108B is introduced due to the rising transnational nature of crime which allows crimes to be planned in one country but executed in another. Section 108B, therefore, assists in crystallising culpability for acts done abroad, the effects of which are felt in Singapore. This also takes into consideration advances in modern communication technology, which has made it easier to abet offences in Singapore while being physically in another country. Second, the new section 376E makes it an offence to meet or travel to meet a minor under 16 years of age after sexual grooming. Again, this is timely as the new offence seeks to protect minors from the rising number of sexual predators who prowl in the Internet to coax or attempt to coax them into performing sexual activities. There are two mechanisms built into the section to ensure culpability is not imputed arbitrarily. Importantly, there must have been (i) a prior meeting or communication, which can take place within or outside Singapore, on at least two occasions as an indication of the offender's intent of grooming the minor for sexual activities, and (ii) the offender has to travel to meet or intentionally meet the victim in Singapore, with the intent to commit a sexual offence with the minor. I seek clarification from the Minister in relation to the second limb.”
“Genetic or natural predispositions do not translate in removal of related offences. For example, it is a known fact that some members of our society suffer from a medical condition known as kleptomania. However, this does not merit repealing all the offences in the Penal Code relating to theft. The open letter I have read the open letter to the Prime Minister seeking the repeal of section 377A. Several points are worth highlighting. Firstly, the letter states: "a gay man should have exactly the same rights as a straight man or woman," and "Singapore will be woefully out-of-step with the rest of the world should it retain this legislation." I have just read the Petition which was put on the seat, and it seems that the Petition takes the same position. It seems from these words that the letter seeks not just a repeal but an unreserved embracing of the homosexual lifestyle, ie, marriage, adoption, spousal rights and so on. Secondly, the letter seems to adopt the position that section 377A should be repealed even if "those who disapprove of gay people outnumber those who support them." Thirdly, the letter claims that section 377A contravenes Singapore's Constitution. Any analysis of the relevant Article, ie, Article 12, must come with a study of the authoritative judgment in Ong Ah Chuan. To my mind, this case will not support the letter's position. For these reasons, I support the Government's retention of section 377A. The review of the Penal Code has also seen several timely inclusions of new offences, improvement of existing ones and a rethink of sentences, including a significant review of the concept of "mandatory minimum sentences." I aim to deal with three amendments which display the comprehensiveness of the review.”
“By retaining section 377A, the consequences listed above can be prevented. In any event, enforcement cannot be construed as the sole litmus test for an effective law. The effectiveness of section 377A is seen in what it prevents beyond the act criminalised. For example, to attempt suicide is an offence in Singapore. Yet, how many are prosecuted for it? I dare say a negligible percentage of those who do attempt to commit suicide. Yet, the offence remains on the books even after this amendment because it conveys the message that we do not want people taking their own lives. Will that message become weaker if the offence is taken off the books? Of course, it will. That is why we cannot only be fixated with enforcement. Scientific arguments that homosexuality is genetic In recent years, by comparing identical twins to fraternal twins, scientists have attempted to prove a genetic basis for homosexuality. However, such studies are now called into question because the scientists drew their subjects from non-representative samples. Indeed, the earlier twin studies were criticised as being "ascertainment-biased", in that homosexuals with gay siblings were more likely to volunteer for studies. Later twin studies have been drawn from broader, more representative samples. In a recent large-scale study by two universities, ie, Yale and Columbia, researchers concluded that "We find no support for genetic influences on same-sex preferences net of social structural constraints." However, even if we take the argument that homosexuality is genetic at its best - I do not agree with it - but even if we take that argument at its best case, does that merit a repeal of section of 377A? It does not. Natural predispositions should not translate into exceptions from the law.”
“Where Massachusetts is concerned, the Goodrich decision now permits same-sex spouses to take advantage of statutes allowing an employee to include his or her spouse in the health insurance coverage. How will we cope in Singapore, where traditional definitions of family and marriage had been the bedrock of the HDB policies? How would it affect the laws of intestacy? Would we then change the definitions of spouse under, say, the CPF Act or Income Tax Act? These are far-reaching consequences. Education The last consequence of a repeal of section 377A is its effect on how we may have to educate our children. It flows that with changes in how marriage, the family nucleus and spousal rights are defined, there will be pressure to change our curricula in our schools. Do we want to see our children being taught that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle choice? This is something that we should all think carefully about. In the light of these consequences, I ask that we do not treat these calls for the repeal of section 377A lightly. It is a misconception to think that repealing section 377A is simply the repealing of an outdated and obsolete offence. Instead, such a repeal would have far-reaching consequences. Harm Some say that the retention of section 377A does not shield society from harm. I do not think that line of argument is defensible in light of the possible consequences the repeal may bring. Lack of enforcement The lack of enforcement is another argument put forward by those advocating a repeal. Whether section 377A is enforced or not is the decision of the Executive. In fact, the Ministry has just confirmed in the Second Reading of the Bill that it has been enforced in certain circumstances.”
“What happens there could happen here, if section 377A is repealed. So, this is not a private matter between two consenting male adults. It is a public matter, the effects of which will be felt by all in the wider community. Adoption Adoption by same-sex couples may be the second consequence of a repeal of section 377A. Is this far-fetched? No. The UCLA School of Law reported in March 2007 that, to date, 10 states in the US allow same-sex partners to adopt children as couples. About the same number either implicitly or explicitly state that sexual orientation cannot legally prevent homosexual persons from adopting. The same 2007 report from Williams Institute, UCLA, states that gay and lesbian parents are raising 4% of all adopted children in the United States. Is this just a US phenomenon? No. The International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family stated in a 2002 report that the Danes have since removed the prohibition on same-sex couples adopting, while the Netherlands has expressly legislated to permit such adoptions. This has forced societies to accept what some academics called the modern family in its many variations. Do we want our family-centric culture and the traditional definition of family to be threatened? They will be, if section 377A is repealed. This is not just a private matter. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Matthias Yao Chih) in the Chair] 5.05 pm Spousal rights Another consequence, if section 377A is repealed, is the effect it will have on spousal rights. Same-sex partners may be statutorily entitled to benefits because of their new-found spousal status. This is already the position in some states in the US.”
“In Singapore, we have had recent calls by lobby groups advocating the trumping of minority interests over wider society's preferences and priorities. This argument is attractive. But, really, what are the consequences? What if section 377A is repealed? Surely, the answer to this must be weighed in the balance. So, let us consider the consequences of repealing section 377A. Marriage One major consequence is the effect that such an appeal may have on the institution of marriage. Take Massachusetts, for example. In the case of Goodridge v the Department of Public Health, the US Massachusetts court ruled that a law denying marriage licences to same-sex couples was unconstitutional. The court disagreed with the argument that child-rearing was best performed under the care of a heterosexual couple. It is the same situation in the United Kingdom, except that gay marriages are termed same-sex civil partnerships. In fact, the law in the UK is entrenched in the Civil Partnerships Act of 2004. Under that Act, a civil partnership is defined as a relationship between two people of the same sex which is formed when they register as civil partners of each other. Perhaps, some supporting the repeal of section 377A may say, "Well, that does not matter. That marriage relationship can still be private. It does not pervade common space." Unfortunately, that is incorrect. There has been recent judicial opinion in the United Kingdom that the Civil Partnership Act 2004 grants the same-sex couples the same legal recognition that the law grants to opposite-sex couples. It allows them a formal status with virtually identical legal consequences to those of marriage. Incidentally, the United Kingdom is the jurisdiction with which Singapore law has the most intimate relationship.”
“The retention of section 377A is a non-amendment. Yet, its retention has attracted the most press. Some argue to repeal it and provide reasons to support their position. Others say repeal because the law is archaic, not abreast with the times, displays Singapore to be inflexible. I do not agree with this position and provide a number of arguments in support of retaining section 377A and, in so doing, record my support for the Bill. Consequences of repealing section 377A The first argument is a basic one. It involves the possible consequences of appealing section 377A. A repeal of section 377A will not merely remove an offence. It is much more significant than that. Because of the concept of negative liberty, the removal of section 377A puts homosexual lifestyle on par with heterosexual lifestyle. It is to accord both lifestyles a sense of parity. As a result, homosexual lifestyle no longer remains private but travels into spheres traditionally reserved for heterosexual couples. The point I make is this. It is a misconception to argue for the repeal of section 377A on the ground that "what goes on behind closed doors will not affect us, so no point criminalising it". It is also a misconception to argue that "what is private, will stay private" and therefore there is no harm repealing section 377A. Such arguments are incorrect. The truth of the matter is that if we do repeal section 377A, what is in private will not remain private. There are far-reaching consequences. If it is repealed, arguments can be made that rights accorded to heterosexual couples must be accorded to homosexual couples. This has happened in many jurisdictions - the United States, UK, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, to name a few.”
“The Minister mentioned that there were percentages of 22%, 25% and 23% for 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively, in terms of re-employment for those attaining the age of 62, and percentages which were more favourable for the statutory boards. My question is, of these civil servants, how many were re-employed in jobs commensurate to their skills and experience? Also, how many were re-employed on a full-time basis as opposed to a part-time basis? Because I think there must be the appreciation of the point that it could be that they are re-employed on terms that are not favourable to them. For example, they may take a 10%, 20%, or more than 50% reduction on the number of hours they used to work, and in the skill set that they are not entirely comfortable with.”
“Sir, may I ask the Ministry what concrete steps the Ministry has taken to address the complaints received and whether the Ministry is collating how many employers were found to have wrongfully terminated jobs, how many employers were taken to court, and whether such collation can be made available to the public via its website? Mr Hawazi Daipi: A number of cases were resolved. In fact, about 90% of the cases were resolved, either resulting in the employees getting paid by the employers for their maternity benefits, or the employees withdrawing their claims. The point I want to make is that conciliation has worked and has helped resolve the claims by employees. For the number of actions taken, we can always make this public through Parliament, for example, during parliamentary questions, or on our website. That is possible. FUTURESCHOOLS@SINGAPORE 17. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for Education with the introduction of the FutureSchools@Singapore programme where students may make forays into chatrooms, blogs and podcasts, (a) what steps are being taken to educate primary and secondary school students on the pitfalls and dangers of misusing the new media; (b) if the Ministry will consider working with parents so that these students can be adequately supervised when they delve into the new media; and (c) if the Ministry has plans for students who do not have computers at home to complete assignments given after school. 18. Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Education in light of FutureSchools@Singapore where greater emphasis will be placed on the use of information technology, whether there will be any increase in subsidy schemes for needy families and students to purchase personal computers.”
“It was an honour to serve as an officer in the Legal Service and I can attest to the fact that it is the people who make a system proficient and not the other way round. Having received three postings in four years in the Service, I gained a keen respect for my colleagues who had to exercise an immense amount of discretion each day. This included: (a) deciding whether or not to institute legal proceedings against entities or private individuals in the name of the State; (b) the judicial exercise of discerning whether, on the balance of probabilities, one party's case outweighed the other; and (c) as a judicial clerk researching into how other jurisdictions have tackled a novel point in a new area of law and what we could do to improve on it in Singapore. I beg to differ from Ms Sylvia Lim, and I wish to state that never once in all these three portfolios of mine was my will weakened. While the powers given to these officers derive from the office they assume - whether it be a Deputy to the Public Prosecutor, an Assistant to the Registrar of the High Court or a law Clerk to the Court of Appeal - at the end of the day, it is the human mind that makes the decision. And it matters most that that human mind is equipped with the best knowledge, training and experience to make the decision. I support the efforts of the Legal Service Commission to improve its structure for investing in and developing this human capital. My sincere hope is that these structural changes introduced via this Bill will ensure that our Legal Service continues to remain first class. 3.41 pm”
“The Personnel Boards will play a key role in ensuring that our officers are trained for and deployed to jobs that they can excel in. We must continue to invest in human capital. The base plate for my view finds itself in the conviction with which former Chief Justice Yong Pung How delivered the following statement at the annual Legal Service dinner in 2001, and I quote: "It is precisely because of the difficulty in arriving at neat strategic plans of what to do at each critical moment, that makes it vitally important to ensure that the Legal Service has a continuing flow of top talent at all levels. The Legal Service will have to be staffed by men and women who are effectively trained, with strong professional knowledge and expertise, who can identify and analyse intricate and novel issues, and make sound judgments where the bottomline is not dollars and cents, but unquantifiable yet critical outcomes, ie, the continued Rule of Law and the fair administration of justice in Singapore." The need to recruit and retain talent in the Legal Service is of paramount importance. In June of 2000, former CJ Yong paid a visit to England and invited six students for lunch at a restaurant near Piccadilly Circus. He asked each of us to seriously consider a career in the Legal Service. Each of us had yet to graduate but took CJ Yong's advice seriously. Five of us returned and joined the Service as judicial clerks. The sixth joined a magic circle firm's offshore office in Hong Kong. Of the five who returned, two are remaining in the Legal Service and have now been posted to the AG's Chambers. Of the three that left Service, one has since joined a management consultancy firm, the second returned to serve out her bond at SembCorp after a year, and I joined the private sector last year.”
“This set of guidelines also seeks to explain the leniency programme for companies that "come clean" and seek help in how to become competition-friendly. These guidelines detail what level of immunity (whether half or full) the company will receive if the information that they provide is useful. The point I am making here is that the Commission is concerned with promoting competition in the Singapore economy via methods, such as this leniency programme. However, private sector lawyers and their corporate clients are most concerned with what information needs to be told to the Commission and what immunity clients will receive. It is crucial, therefore, for the Commission to strike the right balance between enforcement and commercial sense. International as well as local clients will be affected, if the right balance is not struck. This displays how much we need to invest in the career development of our Legal Service officers and the profession as a whole. Where IP Law is concerned, many areas of IP jurisprudence are still being decided for the first time by the Singapore High Court. In a recent trial I was involved in, both plaintiff and defendant had to submit on what each thought were the criteria for ascertaining when a trade mark was "well-known". For this, parties submitted to Court authorities from the United States 9th Circuit Court, the European Court of Justice, and the Hansard report on DPM Jayakumar's speech in relation to the amendments of the Trade Marks Act. This was a classic example of how plaintiff, defendant and their respective counsel, Court and Parliament all sought to advance Singapore's Trade Marks law. This advancement is able to continue because of the strong judiciary we have developed.”
“Intellectual Property, Competition Law and sophisticated litigation are only a few of the fast-changing areas which both the private and public sectors need to be proficient in. To this end, on 3rd April last year, DPM Jayakumar emphasised, and I quote: "As lawyers in the House would know, the legal landscape has changed tremendously in recent years, reflecting the wider changes taking place in the world. With each passing day, the frontiers of law are being pushed further and further. We need only to look at the developments in intellectual property, alternative dispute resolution, information technology and financial services." Prof. Jayakumar went on to stress: "Our Legal Service, therefore, needs to keep abreast of these wider developments, and we need good and able minds in the Legal Service with expertise to advise, prosecute as well as to adjudicate." The profession's private sector and the Legal Service must move in tandem in order to keep ahead of this pace. Neither should have a monopoly of talent. Instead, they should augment each other so that clients will choose the Singapore legal arena as their jurisdiction for adjudicating disputes or concluding contracts because they know that they will be serviced by top minds in Government and in the private sector. Among the areas of law I practise, two display the need for tandem progress in both the private and public sectors. These areas are Competition Law and Intellectual Property (or IP law for short). The Competition Commission of Singapore is staffed by Legal Service officers and economists. Among other things, it has a set of guidelines to regularise the manner in which the Commission will treat companies who "come clean" on their anti-competitive behaviour.”
“Third, the plurality of the Personnel Boards (ie, if the amendment envisions the establishing of more than just one board) will assist the LSC in the collation of vital data. If multiple Personnel Boards are envisioned, such as one for each arm of the Service (for example, AG's Chambers, the Subordinate Courts, or the High Court Registry), the collation and submission of data by these boards to LSC will enable LSC to: (a) better rank officers across each arm of the Service; (b) assess which areas of practice the Service, in general, needs to improve on; and (c) devote more time to the important task of assessing which officers have the potential to take up senior positions within the Service. Therefore, I wish to highlight that the devolution of functions to Personnel Boards must not be at the expense of LSC's aim of promoting not just the officers who have skills organic to their daily jobs, but also officers who possess the helicopter qualities needed for leadership positions within the Service. If, indeed, these are goals of the proposed amendments, the LSC's secretariat, whose current function is to assist in the annual grading exercise of officers, must be allocated a larger financial budget so as to meet these new demands. But the proposed changes must not be viewed as merely enhancing the career development of the officer and the morale within the Legal Service. The amendments merit much more than such parochial appreciation. The challenge is not only to chart a career path for a Legal Service officer, but it is to ensure that what he is being charted for meets the growing range of legal services that Singapore wants to provide to local and international clients.”
“In the 10th Singapore Law Review Lecture, delivered in 1996, Attorney-General Mr Chan Sek Keong (as he then was) had this to say of Singapore’s model of the criminal process, and I quote: "What is perhaps more important is the integrity of the people who operate the system, ie, the investigative and the prosecutorial agencies, and the ultimate supervisor of the criminal process, the judiciary. In other words, it is people who make a system fair and just, and not the reverse." I understand the constitutional amendment in relation to the Legal Service Commission’s Personnel Boards to be preserving just that model. The new Article 111AA seeks to allow the President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, to establish by subsidiary legislation one or more Personnel Boards having charge over Legal Service officers. My understanding is that this amendment seeks to decentralise the management of officers. It seeks to create a more local supervisory system. In essence, it involves a devolution. The merits of having a more localised Personnel Board are three-fold: First, the Personnel Board would, presumably, be made up of members within the officer's department. As such, it will be able to better assess the officer's ground skills to ascertain which posting the officer ought to receive next. It will be able to chart the officer's postings, based on a local assessment of the officer's skill-set. The board would also have had the benefit of reviewing his work on a day-to-day basis. Second, the officer himself will benefit from a proximate "sounding board" from which he is able to establish how he is performing on the job. Such proximity will also enable the officer to communicate what his interests are to the board and which portfolio he prefers for his next posting.”
“They too are our children and they deserve the same support given to other children. With a higher level of commitment from MOE, these children will have a much better chance of integrating into our community, living independently and working productively when they grow up. People are our most important resource. Every child is capable of contributing to Singapore, but we must provide the child with the training and education necessary to unleash his potential. This is a job best done by the best and the most able specialist in the field - the Ministry of Education.”
“00 pm I do realise that it is not feasible from the financial perspective and teaching delivery to integrate all students with disabilities into our mainstream schools. But where it can be done, it should be done because the pay-offs are enormous. Take a leaf out of what Dr Amy Khor had said earlier. I recently attended a wedding where I spoke with a disabled young person who had been educated overseas, actually in Perth, Australia. His education was integrated into a mainstream programme. My wife and I were both impressed at his level of confidence and independence. Children with disabilities will benefit from interacting with other kids and the positive stimuli of his environment. He would adjust better to life and a wider community - the real world. The children who interact with the disabled child learn empathy, compassion, understanding and inclusiveness. They learn to express these values through daily interaction by helping and integrating this child into their group. In addition, they will see with their own eyes the resilience and perseverance exhibited by the child with disabilities and learn to appreciate what they have taken for granted. In short, Singapore can become a more caring, compassionate and inclusive society. Any changes made to improve the lives of our disabled students will have ramifications through our entire community. We are moulding the attitude and spirit of a nation. We are shaping the mindsets and behaviour of our future generations. We are, without a doubt, one of the best countries in the world for public education and the Ministry of Education can be very proud of that. I believe that we can do a better job, providing public education to children with disabilities.”
“Thus, I request that the Ministry of Education brings the education of children with disabilities fully under its purview. Presently, MOE shares this responsibility with the NCSS and VWOs. This, I respectfully submit, is far from a satisfactory arrangement. In fact, it may not be in the best interest of the children. The recent furore at the Singapore School for the Deaf over the sacking of the principal, a teacher and social worker highlights the severe weaknesses of such a cumbersome arrangement. It was disruptive and stressful for the parents and children involved, particularly for the seven pupils who were left without their regular teachers just two weeks prior to their PSLE. It would have been better if MOE were in charge of the management of the school. Many other stakeholders, ie, the parents, teachers, volunteers and sponsors have reiterated this call over the years. I believe that, with MOE taking charge, the standards and quality of education for these children would be greatly improved. I would also like to request that we integrate children with disabilities into the mainstream schools whenever possible and appropriate. When it is not possible or appropriate, as former Nominated Member of Parliament, Ms Braema Mathi had suggested, we can put the special schools next to mainstream schools so that they can share certain facilities. I hope the Ministry would consider giving more support and incentives to our public institutions, particularly our primary and secondary schools, to improve their infrastructure and facilities to be accessible by the disabled and to increase the number of schools already existing in mutual co-existence. 3.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to take a leaf out of the two preceding speeches, that of Dr Amy Khor and Ms Denise Phua. Augmenting their points, I would like to begin with a fundamental question about the status of a Singaporean child. The question is: is every child equal in the eyes of the State? The answer must be yes. Time and again, the Government has pledged that it will, to the best of its ability, support and nurture each child to the highest of his or her potential. For this purpose, we have the various Ministries working together with our families to take care of the various aspects of a child's development, ie, the Ministry of Education for his education, the Ministry of Health for his health, and so on. So, when does a child's education end up being the responsibility of a VWO, a voluntary welfare organisation, which falls under the purview of the MCYS? That happens when a child has a disability. Every child is different. Each is born with different physical traits, personalities and abilities. We accept this. We recognise that a child does not have a choice in these matters. And we work with what we have. After all, our objective is to develop each child to his highest potential. The education of children, regardless of their abilities and disabilities, should be under the direct purview of MOE. Why? Simply because MOE is the provider of public education in this country. As my fellow MP, Ms Denise Phua, had said before this Budget debate, "Education is not social service and is the business of educators." The VWOs and NCSS should only play supportive roles in this respect, providing specialised services and resources, additional funding, and so on.”
“My clarification is this. Given that the IRs have become a new national flagship and that anything allowed within the IR maybe accorded the same status, what will MTI do to prevent risky entertainment from entering the IRs given the recent failure of Crazy Horse?”
“In reply to MOS Iswaran, the arguments I made was not mere extrapolation. Even if the MOS genuinely believes it was, how many Crazy Horse failures would he require before extrapolation becomes proof? Two or three? MTI must appreciate that there is an issue of much bigger significance here. In market talk, the casinos are synonymous with IRs. If risky entertainment is allowed this will similarly become synonymous with the IRs.”
“A well conceptualised resort should be able to attract tourists and visitors on its own core merits. This may sound like Mission Impossible since many casinos in other parts of the world, which we know well about, are not just associated with gambling but with a string of vices. But this is not what our IRs should be about? And this is not what the Singapore Tourism Board should be about. Have faith that we can achieve it, just as we have succeeded in being one of the cleanest governments in the world. It would take political will, good planning and intelligent design, but it can be done. Families can come to our IRs and not worry about having to shield their children from embarrassing displays. In fact, a "clean" IR is a unique proposition and can be a huge attraction simply because such IRs are not easily found elsewhere. It is therefore "Mission Possible". Tourists can come with their families and enjoy clean wholesome fun with the casinos being only an option among many others. I have been told that where there are casinos in cities, there is also an accompanying rise in organised crime and vice activities, such as strip shows, burlesque performances, prostitution and drug sales. We must avoid going down that road. Being a geographically small country, we are especially vulnerable to how easily the forces of moral corruption can spread. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, how much money is going to be invested into making sure the IRs do not bring in sleazy entertainment and are not accompanied by vice activities. Energy Market Authority”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, coincidentally my point augments Mr Liang's argument. After only one year of operations, the Crazy Horse cabaret show in Singapore has ended. There has been much discussion about the reasons for its failure here, considering its successful track record in Paris and Las Vegas. The franchisee insisted that it was due to advertising restrictions. Others cited its pricey tickets and its poor fit with our entertainment scene as contributing factors. Some members of the public attribute the failure of the Crazy Horse here to simply the lack of demand. Singaporeans and visiting tourists are just not that interested in watching high-end strip shows however artistically staged or choreographed. Perhaps it is our uniquely Singapore culture; perhaps tourists expect a different form of entertainment from clean and green Singapore. Whatever it is, here is a clear signal to the Ministry handling the Integrated Resorts that strip shows are not a popular form of entertainment here. Hence, for both ethical and commercial reasons, we should not allow the IRs to bring in such shows in the future. Such performances are not consistent with Singapore's reputation and image. They do not gel with the uniquely Singapore brand. Quite simply, visitors do not come to Singapore for strip show entertainment. These are not quality associated with Singapore. Tourists are here for our food and shopping. They come to experience the unique Singaporean way of life, the green city, the safe environment, the world class hotels and the many tropical attractions. I think it is possible for us to have successful Integrated Resorts which are clean and profitable, with minimum sleaze and vice. We do not need to resort to scantily dressed women to pull in the crowds.”
“Sir, I agree with DPM and the Senior Minister of State that we should be proud of our Singapore Police Force and our officers in the SPF. I would like to raise a point in clarification about recruitment statistics. 10% of applicants for junior officers are eligible. I think the other statistic that DPM gave was that 16% of senior officers are eligible. My clarification is: can recruitment be targeted at investigation officers? I say this for three reasons. First, I think it is peculiar or particular to IOs that they have unpredictable hours; secondly, their work load is heavy; and, thirdly, they are required to multi task. Take, for example, a situation when I was in court and the IO who was assisting me in court had to also investigate a crime simultaneously. So he had to go to and fro. Will this be considered by the Ministry?”
“My first question is this: I would like to ask the Ministry when and if it would consider reviewing the remuneration of their officers and increasing their wages and benefits to attract and retain the best in this field. Now, more than ever, we need the best people we can get in the Force as terrorism rears its ugly head. Higher retention of capable officers will translate into safer streets and communities, and better preparedness against terrorist attacks. Having more manpower resources will help to ease the stress on officers arising from erratic working hours and the impromptu and emergency calls to return to work. This is because it is impossible to predict when a crime will be committed. I have had first-hand experience of this when working with an SIS Team which was investigating into a murder, committed just after a midnight on New Year's Day, which we eventually prosecuted and went to trial for. It will also help to reduce the attrition rate of burnout officers. I am particularly concerned with the possible increase in crimes and vice activities that will come with the completion of the Integrated Resorts. Therefore, besides remuneration, there is also the extremely important issue of manpower. Hence, my second question is this: I would like to ask whether the Ministry will be recruiting more officers to ease the manpower pressures. Home Team”
“Our Police force plays an essential role in the enforcement of law and order. Thanks to our Home Team, Singaporeans are assured of a safe and secure environment. We can put our trust in our police officers and rely upon them for assistance and protection. Our Police force is one of the best in the world, in terms of efficiency, incorruptibility and professionalism. I know this because I have worked very closely with them and I have very high regard for the officers. In a public perception survey commissioned by the Singapore Police Force and conducted by Forbes Research, an independent research company, most Singaporeans gave feedback that the SPF had done a good job in keeping the country safe and that our Police are respectable, well-trained, disciplined and capable. A large majority, 96% of the respondents in the survey, said that the general security in Singapore is good, very good or excellent and more than nine in 10 felt that security was better in Singapore than in most other countries. Today, these qualities still hold true. Our Home Team is as good as the people in it. Police work is highly labour intensive. We need good capable men and women. Unlike other public sectors, such as education and health, this is a field where it is difficult to import foreign talent or to sub-contract out. The integrity of the Police force, like our Armed Forces, is dependent on good Singaporean men and women. From this select pool, we must recruit and retain good police officers, especially those who are involved in investigative work for their "institutional memory" and experience.”
“While the current system is effective and minimises delays and inconvenience to the average motorist and traveller, my concern is that it is not foolproof and may not be enough to prevent more illegal firearms and ammunition from entering our country. The unfortunate fact is that our stakes are much higher now. In addition to petty criminals, we have to guard against the growing threat of terrorists. I would like to ask the Minister about the measures or controls we have in place to further reduce the possibility of firearms being brought into Singapore. Do we have enough manpower to handle the increasing traffic flows at the causeway checkpoints? With the new Budget Terminal, second causeway and the increase in tourists which the IRs will bring, we can expect a lot of travel in and out of Singapore on a regular basis. We must therefore plan for how we will deal with this increase in traveller traffic. Therefore, my ultimate question is: are we investing enough in the latest technologies and in the training of the Home Team specialists to handle such modern screening and security equipment? Ambulance Services”
“Sir, Singapore enjoys the excellent reputation of being one of the safest cities in the world, thanks to our ever vigilant Home Team and our stringent security measures. One of the key factors contributing to our safety is our policy on the possession of firearms. Other than authorised personnel, the possession of firearms is strictly forbidden. In addition, we have a "zero-tolerance stance towards firearms offences", as our Minister said in this House last year. The Arms Offences Act prescribes heavy punishment, including the death penalty, for those convicted of trafficking in arms and committing or attempting to commit crimes with firearms. Yet, we still have cases of unlawful possession of firearms in Singapore. A recent example is the fatal shooting of a nightclub owner by the gunman dubbed the "One-eyed Dragon". In his testimony, he claimed that he had contacted a friend in Thailand who delivered a semi-automatic Beretta .22-calibre pistol to him in a Johor hotel for RM15,000. So the question is: how did he manage to bring it into Singapore undetected? Where are the vulnerable points in our screening systems? Naturally, the Minister will not be able to disclose this. But one cannot help but wonder if there are other weapons out there which have been smuggled in through similar means. Presently, we have many metal detectors at the airport and every single piece of luggage is screened. One can extrapolate that it is very unlikely that the firearm entered our territory via this entry point. But what about our causeways and ferry checkpoints? Do we have sufficient checks over there?”
“Can I ask Minister Teo why is it that the preferred method of pegging a civil servant's pay to market rate be through the tool of performance bonus? Why not choose the method or joint method of increasing the basic pay or raising the band the civil servant is in? I would submit that this will translate into a better chance of retention because the civil servant is able to predict what he will get whereas he is unable to predict what performance bonus he will get.”
“I accept that we have made a decision on the IRs and that we have to proceed with this project. However, we must be fully prepared, in terms of funds and resources, to contain the accompanying damage. There will be social costs of broken and dysfunctional families and the impact of new moral norms and alternative lifestyles will only become evident in another 10 to 20 years. The Government has promised to set aside enough funds to ensure that such problems will be contained and minimised. These include deploying more police officers and investigators, anti-vice squads and family counsellors. The question is: how much will be spent? And the question preceding that is: how much money will the Government need to spend to help compulsive gamblers overcome their addiction? After all, many will probably have difficulty paying for their counselling sessions. In addition, do we really have enough trained counsellors? Recent press articles have highlighted the personal sacrifices such professionals have to make, due to their low pay and high burn-out rate. Will we have enough funds to keep such services going, as the number of addicts increases? In addition, I am highly concerned with vice activities. These can spread rapidly from the casino into our heartlands due to our small geographical size. In addition to the previous questions, I wish to ask: how much money and resources will the Government be willing to spend in curbing the vice activities which the IRs' casinos will inevitably bring? With this, Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to conclude with my congratulations to the Second Minister for Finance, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and closing with my support for the Budget. ADJOURNMENT OF DEBATE Resolved, That the debate be now adjourned. - [Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam].”
“A few years ago, we decided that we should inject more buzz into our city state. Our integrated resorts are supposed to fit into this new game plan. We aspire to be a global city, with our own blend of cultural attractions and nightlife, to compete with cities like New York, London, Paris and Shanghai. My concern is how entities like the new glitzy casinos will impact upon our social environment. As we have observed in other cities where there are casinos and centres of “adult entertainment”, they often attract other vices - prostitution, alcohol and drug abuse, illegal moneylending and a whole host of other social ills. It is like opening Pandora’s box. How do we keep the rise of vice activities, which will come with the IRs’ casinos, in check? At present, even without the casinos, we are already seeing more and more cases of loanshark activities. Cases of illegal moneylending and harassment have been on the uptrend over the last few years. Once the casinos open, we can expect the number of such cases to increase. Will the change in our environment undermine our key and unique selling points of being a wholesome environment to bring up a young family and a safe place for investors to do business? We have heard time and again that safety, a “culturally clean” environment, our health and education systems are some of the main reasons many families choose to work, live and even settle in Singapore. These are also reasons why investors choose to invest money in Singapore. It is not hard to imagine that these factors will have a great influence on the decision-making process of any organisation deciding on its geographical location of its offices.”
“There is a saying that in a completely rational world, the best amongst us would be teachers and the rest would have to settle for other jobs. Therefore, it is important that we treat our teachers well, not only in terms of their remuneration, but also their working conditions. We must intensify our effort to inject more “Wow”, ie, “W” for well-being, into the GROW package. I have received feedback that our teachers today have very long working hours and undertake a wide range of duties. When teachers have to undertake many responsibilities beyond their actual job, I worry about the impact on their core responsibility, ie, teaching. More resources have to be deployed so that our teachers will not suffer from burn-out, fatigue and disillusion. Many teachers have given their feedback to schools, the teachers' union and the media that they do not have enough time to rest and focus on customising a day's lesson for their classes. Much time is spent on administrative duties and other miscellaneous work until it shifts their attention away from their main job. I would like to ask the Government what are the resources that will be spent to ensure that our teachers are not overworked. Are we employing enough administrative assistants so that our teachers can focus their attention on teaching and guiding students? Mr Speaker, Sir, I will continue my speech in English. (In English ): Integrated Resorts Sir, my fourth point is that on the integrated resorts. Singapore is perpetually in the process of re-inventing herself to stay relevant and competitive in the global market. Over the years, we have succeeded in building a reputation for safety, clean governance, efficiency and reliability. We have an image as a wholesome nation.”
“Considering that our economic situation has improved and banks in the private sector offer a higher interest rate, I urge the CPF Board to consider increasing the interest rate paid to members in their Ordinary Accounts. A higher interest rate will help the sandwich group, that is, the middle class which is sandwiched in between. They did not get as much benefit as the low-income earners. For most Singaporeans, CPF savings form the biggest component in their personal savings. A more competitive interest rate paid on the Ordinary Account will make a big difference to their retirement funds. My question is: can the CPF Board explain why such a low interest rate is still maintained? Next, I would like to speak on education. Education is one of the most important areas for the nation's development. We are now living in a knowledge-based economy. The quality of our education will determine our *Cols. 1783-1786. survival and our future. However, a good education will require a huge expenditure. We have to invest in teaching infrastructure, physical facilities, effective and updated curriculum and, most importantly, manpower - our teachers. In September last year, the Ministry of Education announced that it would spend $250 million over the next three years to, I quote, “ensure that the teaching profession continues to attract, motivate and retain good teachers, capable school leaders, and dedicated specialists.” This was the GROW package, which means Growth, ie, personal and professional development of our education officers through better Recognition, Opportunities and Well-being. I feel that it is very important for us to recruit and retain the best talent in the teaching profession.”