Chua Sian Chin
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to speak on this Bill as a person who had been in Government for many years and before that in legal practice for more than eight years and now back in legal practice. While I was in Government, I had cognizance of the shortcomings of the legal profession.”
“It is 62 members out of a total of 1,335 practising lawyers. This has brought about a situation which no responsible government can let it pass in the public interest. The Government has good reasons to deal with this situation firmly. In fact, the present amendments have only made a small inroad in self-regulation.”
“At the same time, a minority group of activists has also chosen to take on the Government by calling an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Law Society to pass fierce resolutions against the Government. This group comprised only 62 members.”
“Though he has only limited Constitutional powers and acts on the advice of the Cabinet, he is the symbol of the unity, loyalty and aspirations of the people of Singapore.”
“- to hold classes for children of his constituents. What right has he got? The PAP MPs equally have no such rights. It is the right of the Government, if they think so, to have such classes. In fact, through the People's Association, they have been holding kindergarten classes in the community centres.”
“It is the Government who says that, and the Government has the right to say it because they are responsible for the Government of Singapore. And it is not what I say or what you say. Let me turn to the Member for Potong Pasir. He also produced some exhibits which are equally bogus.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,639 lines we hold for Chua Sian Chin, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 33.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not think it is prudent on my part to reveal in public the name of the nearby country in which he was last heard of. However, if the Member for Anson is curious about it, he can write to me and I shall give him the information in strict confidence, just to satisfy his curiosity. It is not prudent for me to mention it in public, because it may hamper the efforts of Interpol and the Police to apprehend him. As far as the date is concerned, it was quite some time ago. I do not think I should also reveal the time when he was last heard of. With regard to the second question, i.e. whether the Police have got information as to whether he has been in touch with his family, the answer is no. We have no such information. If we have, we would have followed it up.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, he was last known to be in a nearby country without extradition arrangements with Singapore. There has been no further development. There is an alert for the apprehension of the fugitive issued by Interpol HQ. It will remain in force until he is apprehended. His options are to fester in exile, away from his family and friends in Singapore, or face the charges against him.”
“Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for National Development if he will furnish a statement of all fees other than the service and conservancy fee of whatsoever kind and for whatsoever purpose or service charged to or levied on tenants and owners of Housing and Development Board properties whether commercial or residential showing in each case the fee charged and the purpose, service or transaction for which the fee is charged or levied.”
“The other 76 are still on OJT and will enter the open market for construction jobs by March 1983. 916 trainees from the third, fourth and fifth intakes are presently at HDB worksites receiving their 9 months' on-the-job training. On completion of 18 months employment with HDB contractors, the Construction Brigade trainees will be liable for reserve service in the Civil Defence Emergency Response Units. The skills and experience they have acquired on HDB worksites will stand them in good stead in civil employment as well as in their role as Civil Defence reservists. The first batch of Construction Brigade trainees will go into the Civil Defence as reservists in mid-1984. To give value to the trade training at VITB and the work experience, Construction Brigade trainees are eligible to take a trade test - the Certificate of Competency Test - one year after commencement of VITB training. So far, the first, second and third batches are eligible to register and sit for the test. 50 out of 94 trainees of the first intake were tested, of whom 43 passed. 257 out of 636 from the second and third intakes have registered for the trade test. They will sit for their examinations in the next few months. These certificates of competency will enhance employment prospects of the trainees after their release from the free market. Under discussion with HDB is a proposal to introduce cash awards for the best Construction Brigade Trainee On-the-Job for each intake and the most Safety Conscious Trainee for the month. These will be incentives to Construction Brigade trainees to excel in their performance. FEES LEVIED ON TENANTS AND OWNERS OF HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD PROPERTIES 3. Mr J.B.”
“Since October 1981, when the Construction Brigade had its first intake of 94 National Servicemen, the strength of the Brigade has to date grown to 1,657. There is an intake every quarter. So far, there have been 6 intakes. Construction Brigade trainees spend the first 3 months of National Service on basic training at the Civil Defence School and VITB Centres. They are paid a basic allowance of $90 during this period, similar to what other National Servicemen in the SAF and Police are getting. Civil Defence School gives them training in basic discipline to work as a member of an organised force. VITB training provides the vocational qualifications for on-the-job (OJT) training at HDB worksites during the next 9 months. Those with the necessary qualifications and aptitude are taught specialised trades such as electrical wiring, lift mechanics and prefabrication. The others take up building trades such as bar-bending, brick laying, painting, tiling, pipe fining, carpentry and plastering. Altogether, 10 trades are available for the trainees to specialise in, although only 8 trades were available when the training scheme was first implemented. While on on-the-job training, the trainees are paid a monthly National Service allowance of $110 plus a food and transport allowance of $10 per working day. As at 31st December, 1982, 342 out of 418 trainees from the first and second intakes had completed on-the-job training and had been disrupted from full-time National Service and are employed by HDB contractors to work in construction sites. They are paid market rates of wages and CPF benefits like any other construction worker. Their take home pay averages $25 (between $23 to $28) daily, comparable to what other construction workers of equivalent skill are earning.”
“His agitation for the release of Mr Tan Chay Wa is not purely out of gratitude for harbouring him and aiding his escape. It is another matter to be clarified by interrogation of Mr Ho. As in other cases like the SPLO, the Workers' Party may have provided Mr Ho with the cover for things less innocent than providing constitutional opposition. REFUSAL TO ISSUE OR TRANSFER LICENCES (Yellow Top Taxis) 3. Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour for what reasons the Registry of Vehicles refuses to issue new vocational licences for yellow top taxis or to permit the transfer of existing licences from their present holders to others.”
“Thus on Polling Night, on his own initiative he immediately went into hiding. On Polling Night, 23 December 1976 when the police went to find him at Block 48A, 123X Dorset Road, Singapore 8, the address he had registered as his place of residence, they could not find him there. The police then looked for him at several other places he frequented including No 64D Nanyang Avenue. But he had managed to flee. The police wanted Mr Ho to answer questions relating to the speeches he had made, and to determine whether he was acting alone or in concert with more dangerous and violent men. In Mr Ho's letter which was published in the Straits Times on 14 October 1982, he said that he had championed the cause of Mr Tan Chay Wa, a communist terrorist tried and convicted for possession of a firearm and seven rounds of ammunition by the Malaysian courts, in his appeal for reprieve against the death sentence. Mr Tan was a district committee member of the underground Malayan National Liberation Front, a satellite organisation of the Communist Party of Malaya. This is an indication of Mr Ho's political sympathies and possibly, also his affiliations. No 64D Nanyang Avenue was one of Mr Ho's hideouts. It was next to No 58D Nanyang Avenue which was the official address of Mr Tan Chay Wa. Mr Tan was then wanted for arrest for involvement in Malayan National Liberation Front activities. The police subsequently ascertained that Mr Ho frequently went to Mr Tan's house. When he escaped from the police who went to look for him, he sought refuge in Mr Tan's house for two days. He subsequently telephoned a member of Mr Tan's family through a pre-arranged code to indicate that he had escaped safely. The above facts require clarification through the interrogation of Mr Ho.”
“The Government cannot give the assurance requested by the Member for Anson as it is tantamount to a request that Mr Ho Juan Thai be given immunity from the law. The Internal Security Act (ISA) is part of the law of the land and there is prima facie evidence on what Mr Ho has said and done to justify his possible detention under the ISA. Mr Ho Juan Thai, the defeated Workers' Party (WP) candidate in the 1976 General Elections, had played up gut issues on Chinese language, education and culture during his election campaign. At four different rallies he accused the government of "killing Chinese education" when he knew that the government's policy had all along been to give equal treatment to all four language streams and to encourage bi-lingualism. During a WP rally at Fullerton Square on 14 December 1976, he said in Mandarin: "And before they tried to kill Chinese education, they put forward the idea that English is very important in this industrial society. We do not deny the importance of the English language. But this should not be done at the expense of the destruction of Chinese language . . . " Again, during a WP rally at Marsiling Road Car Park on 19 December 1976, he said in Mandarin: "What is PAP's another achievement in education? Their achievement is to kill Chinese education." He was out to incite the Chinese-speaking population and to stir up communal and chauvinistic emotions. Mr Ho knew the well-established and clearly stated policy of the government that action would be taken against those who exploit sensitive issues of race, language and religion that would pose a security threat in our multi-racial society. He also knew from the 1972 and 1968 elections that such action would be taken by the government after the elections.”
“The issue of passports to Singapore citizens for travel abroad is governed by the Passports Act, 1970, and the Passport Regulations, 1971. The issuance of a passport to an applicant by an officer of the Immigration Department is subject to the Passport Regulations and is also subject to any specific or general instruction given by the Minister. Applications for passports may be refused, or passports may be endorsed not valid for travel to Malaysia, in circumstances prescribed in Regulation 5A(l) of the Passport Regulations, 1971. Such cases involve persons who have been convicted in Singapore or Malaysia for any of the offences set out in the Second Schedule of the Regulations or has been admitted to an approved institution under Section 33 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1973. Examples of such cases include drug trafficking, drug addiction, kidnapping, abducting, causing hurt in committing robbery or committing gang robbery with murder. Other cases where applications for passports may be rejected include situations where the applicants are under investigation, or awaiting trial, for serious offences or where applicants are involved in activities prejudicial to the security and public order of the Republic. VOCATIONAL LICENCES OF TAXI DRIVERS (Appeal Tribunal) 3. Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour whether the Ministry of Communications will consider the setting up of a tribunal to hear appeals against the decision of the Registrar of Vehicles to cancel or suspend vocational licences of taxi drivers to enable the taxi driver to challenge the case against him upon which the order to suspend had been made.”
“Mr Goh Chee Wee asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (a) how many companies in Singapore have implemented the 12-hour shift system; and (b) if the Ministry of Labour has examined the merits and demerits of such a system and whether or not the health and safety of workers have been taken into consideration. The Minister of State for Labour (Dr Wong Kwei Cheong) (for the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour): Mr Speaker, Sir, according to information available to the Ministry of Labour, five companies have implemented the 12-hour shift system in certain sections of their companies. Another five organizations have indicated interest in this shift system. The advantages of the 12-hour shift system are: (i) It may help to overcome workers' reluctance to work on the late night shift and reduce our dependence on foreign workers. (ii) The system saves transport costs for the workers and enable them to enjoy more rest days. (iii) It optimizes the use of expensive plant and machinery. The disadvantages are: (i) It may affect the social activities of workers during the days they work. (ii) Employees are more susceptible to fatigue if the work requires strenuous physical effort and high concentration. Hence the 12-hour shift may not be suitable for such industries. According to the experience of the five companies which operated this system, they have not reported any significant increase in the number of industrial accidents. There is also no indication that their workers' health is affected in any significant way except for fatigue in the initial period.”
“'B' Division has been chosen for this purpose and architects are already working on plans for nine police posts, one in each of the constituencies in the division except Boon Teck which will have two posts. They will be built mainly in HDB void decks. The evaluation phase will be one year. The Neighbourhood Police Post System requires a radical change of attitudes of our Police officers to be more community-oriented. An orientation programme for the serving officers has begun. New police recruits will not only be trained on neighbourhood policing methods, but will also be inculcated with the spirit of good police-community relations. A team of Japanese experts has been in Singapore for the last two months to conduct training courses for our instructors at our Police Academy. They are imparting their personal experiences and knowledge of the Koban System to our officers. Japanese experts will also be helping us in the preparation of the evaluation phase as well as to evaluate its results. An elaborate programme is being drawn up to brief community leaders and grassroots organizations on the new Neighbourhood Police Post System. The discussion with the community leaders will centre on the workings of the system, how they could be involved in it so as to maximize the benefits to the community. Initially this will be confined to the constituencies under the evaluation phase. Once the system is ready for full implementation, the other constituencies will be involved. With the implementation of this new Policing System, policing in Singapore will take on a new dimension by being an integral part of the life of the neighbourhood. We should then be able to drastically reduce our crime rate in all our neighbourhoods. 12-HOUR SHIFT SYSTEM (Implementation) 7.”
“The British Study Team also came to the conclusion that a community based scheme of policing such as the Koban system is feasible and can be phased into our reorganized policing system. Recommendations were also made by the British Study Team for a new deployment strategy involving:- (i) the re-demarcation of police divisional boundaries; (ii) the addition of police stations; (iii) the upgrading of the communication system; and (iv) the increase in the establishment of police officers. The Government has accepted the recommendations of the two Study Teams. We are therefore pressing ahead with the implementation of the recom- mendations. The British Study Team had recommended that there be 10 Police Headquarters Stations by 1985, 13 by 1991 and 15 beyond 1991. Preparation work has already begun on six new police stations. They are for the proposed two new police divisions and four replacements of existing old stations. The six stations are as follows:- (i) Woodlands (for new division) (ii) Clementi (for new division) (iii) Bedok (replacement for Joo Chiat) (iv) Ang Mo Kio (replacement for Paya Lebar) (v) Cantonment (replacement for Central) (vi) Geylang (replacement for Beach Road) The boundaries of our police divisions will be re-drawn to be contiguous with constituency boundaries. No longer will Members of Parliament have to deal with two or three OCs as at present because their constituencies cut across police divisional boundaries. Before implementing our new Neighbourhood Police Post System modelled on the Koban system, we will first carry out an evaluation phase. This is to evaluate operational procedures and gauge public acceptance of the system. The evaluation phase will be carried out in one police division in October next year.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Members will recall that two years ago in this House, the Member for Punggol raised the issue of the building of new police stations. Other Members were also interested to know why there was a delay in the resiting of old police stations and the building of new ones when there had been a shift of population concentrations to HDB housing estates. I had explained then that the Police could not proceed to build more police stations as there was a divergence of views between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs over the concept of police stations and the policing system. Although the Ministry of Home Affairs had proposed in 1976 to increase the police divisions to 10 with each having a Police Headquarters Station, it was not able to obtain approval for this. To break the impasse, it was decided to bring in foreign experts to study our policing system and to make recommendations. During the Budget debate this year, I disclosed to this House that a Japanese and a British team were studying our Police Force. The Japanese Study Team was invited to study the feasibility of introducing Koban type of policing system in Singapore with the object of improving police-community relations. The Japanese Study Team recommended that the Koban system could be introduced here, subject to modifications to suit local conditions. A network of 91 police posts was recommended with each constituency having at least one post to work closely with the CCCs, CCMCs and RCs. The larger constituencies would have more than one Police Post. This Police Post System would provide the police presence in housing estates.”
“Sir, love letters may solve the problem of lovers but do not solve the problem of traffic violators.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there is not just one way in which we can solve the problem. Traffic violation is a problem which requires a multi-disciplinary approach in solving the problem and enforcement is only one of them. As I have said, there is education. Perhaps the Member for Kaki Bukit can help us to educate some of his constituents who have been violating traffic laws not to do so. Of course, for those offenders who remain recalcitrant there is no way out but to take enforcement action against them. As I have explained, we must have a two- or three-pronged attack on the problem - enforcement, education and perhaps even retraining if they happen to be drivers or riders of motor-cycles.”
“With regard to noise pollution caused by motor-cyclists, Members will recall that on 16th March 1982 an answer was given to the Member for Delta on the question of noise pollution. In 1981, the Traffic Police conducted 63 operations at regular intervals and at different times of the day against motor-cyclists causing noise problems. During these operations, 1,500 machines were impounded for inspection by the ROV and action taken against 1,147 of them for having noisy exhausts or illegal modifications under the provisions of Regulation 90 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Rules, 1974. Further, motor-cycles have to satisfy certain noise control standards before they are registered by the ROV. When they are on the road, enforcement action against noisy machines is a matter of detection and prosecution. This action will continue. As far as hell drivers are concerned, I think I have mentioned about it in last evening's debate. Encik Saidi Haji Shariff: Sir, I wish to thank the Minister for the very elaborate information on the efficiency of the police in taking enforcement action. My point is this. No matter what enforcement action has been taken - in my Kaki Bukit Constituency, I was told that last month 600 summonses were issued the problem is still not solved. It appears to me that enforcement action is the only solution that is taken by the police. The Minister has given many reasons why traffic offences are being committed. My point is: is there an alternative method other than taking enforcement action to solve the problem?”
“The police are also preparing an illustrated booklet on safe driving on the expressways and, when ready, this would be made available to the public. We hope that through the efforts put in to educate road users, there will be better and more careful drivers on the roads and expressways. Turning to the Member for Kaki Bukit, he has made some points about booking traffic offenders, whether it is for illegal parking or speeding by motor-cyclists, and whether we have done enough enforcement to curb violations of the traffic law. May I inform him that, in 1981, a total of 166,931 vehicles were booked and summonses were issued for various parking offences. These were: parking on grass verge, 1,554; causing unnecessary obstruction, 15,975; parking against white/ yellow lines, 128,774; other parking offences, 20,688, making a total of 166,991. In other words, we have been enforcing the illegal parking law, contrary to the impression that we have been lax in that respect. In the same period, Mobile Squad officers issued 6,129 warnings for parking offences, 2,404 for obstruction. 3.45 p.m. Some probable causes of illegal parking are: members of the public do not wish to pay for the parking and would rather take the risk of being booked; inadequate parking facilities in some areas; and existing HDB policy which limits night parking to season ticket holders only. As far as the police are concerned, they will continue to take enforcement action against illegal parking, particularly when there are complaints. However, it must be appreciated that with the limited manpower that it has, the police cannot place priority on this aspect of enforcement.”
“This education programme was launched from August to October last year. During that time, intensive publicity, followed by enforcement, was implemented. All the newspapers publicized the campaign. At regular intervals, articles on the proper use of expressways were publicized in news- papers. As for enforcement, they were carried out by a specialist squad of Traffic Police who concentrated on offences, such as careless driving, speeding, road hogging and illegal parking along the East Coast Parkway and the Pan Island Expressway. Errant drivers were not only booked but they were also given a pamphlet containing tips on how to drive safely at high speed. Following the campaign, 1,514 motorists were booked, 284 were warned for various traffic violations on the expressways. As a result, there was a better appreciation among most motorists on the use of the highway. However, there is still a large group of drivers who do not know how to use the expressways properly. Therefore, a similar education campaign or programme on the proper use of expressways will be repeated later this year when the Expressway Rules are brought into force. I believe the Second Reading of the Bill which was just passed in Parliament to amend the Road Traffic Act would enable the Expressway Rules to be brought into force. The main features of the Rules are that stopping and parking at expressways will not be allowed and that learner drivers and pedestrians will be banned from using the expressways. The only exception to the Rules of not stopping are vehicle breakdowns in emergencies and maintenance. The Traffic Police, together with the PWD and the National Safety First Council, will be conducting a wide publicity on expressway usage.”
“High-risk drivers will be identified and rehabilitated through participation in a comprehensive retraining programme. As I have stated yesterday, a study team has been sent to Japan to see how the Japanese managed to reduce by half the accident rate over the last 10 years even though the number of motor vehicles has increased by 2 1/2 times. On their return, the information will be processed and new measures will be incorporated in a national road safety plan which is now being finalized. It is true that we had no National Safety First Campaign last year. But we had one the previous year, that is, in 1980. Therefore, we are planning to have one National Road Safety campaign in September this year. Ultimately, the solution to the traffic accident problem lies in the adoption of an overall strategy and not ad hoc, piecemeal measures. This strategy should encompass enforcement action, road engineering and the education of all road users. I come now to expressways. I agree with the Member for Alexandra that expressways are a new phenomenon in Singapore. Because they are designed for faster commuting, vehicles move along these expressways at high speeds and drivers cannot afford much room for error. These drivers and other road users must anticipate well in advance of what other road users in the expressway intend to do. Otherwise there is bound to be an accident. The main causes of road accidents on expressways are poor lane discipline, road hogging, failure to give way and inconsiderate driving. When the first expressway was opened, many drivers did not know how it should be used. They treated expressways as normal roads when, in fact, they are not. The police launched a campaign to teach the "dos" and "don'ts" to users of these expressways.”
“In other words, there was no let-up in the education of children. It is a long term plan. We cannot get overnight results on this score. With regard to motor-cyclists, we have conducted safe riding courses for them. In order to promote road safety consciousness among motor-cyclists, the Traffic Police organized four safe riding courses for motor-cyclists in 1991 to improve their riding skills. There were voluntary courses for motor-cyclists. Applications were made through the Residents' Committees and community centres. Altogether, 240 motor-cyclists took part in this programme. We also took measures to upgrade the skills of the motor-cyclists. With the taking-over of the drivers' licensing function of the Registry of Vehicles in September 1981, the Traffic Police are studying schemes to upgrade the skills of motor-cyclists through a more comprehensive training programme for learner riders. We are considering the suggestion of the Member for Alexandra that before motor-cyclists are allowed to be on the road, there should be some form of training. On that score, we propose to test all present holders of motor-cycle provisional driving licence (PDL). We are trying to test as many of them as possible. The objective is to phase out all PDL holders. Only those with qualified driving licences will eventually be allowed on the road. We propose to build a riding circuit for use for learner riders at Ang Mo Kio. These are some of the long-term plans we are working on. We are also finalizing a new system of Improved Points Demerit System to replace the present Points Demerit System. This new system will emphasize correction rather than punishment. As I have said, it will be called the Improved Points Demerit System.”
“Since pedestrians and motor-cyclists are the most vulnerable road users, remedial measures are constantly directed towards alleviating this problem, that is, to concentrate on this category of road users. The measures are, first, the provision of pedestrian bridges and signalized crossings, Currently there is an on-going programme to build pedestrian bridges and signalized crossings which the Government is giving very high priority. All these facilities will be included in the new towns and housing estates and are in addition to the following projects completed last year:- (i) Sidewalks to segregate pedestrian traffic at eight locations. (ii) 40 pedestrian bridges. (iii) Pedestrian crossing signals at 13 locations. Although there was no National Safety First or Road Safety Campaign last year, there were many on-going campaigns in the constituencies at grassroots levels. Because of our concern for the predicament of the aged pedestrians, the Help the Aged to Cross campaign was conducted in eight constituencies since February 1981. Perhaps we will have one in Alexandra. A total of 26 road safety exhibitions were held in 1981, and these included six exhibitions at community centres, two at shopping complexes, three at factories, eight in schools, four in HDB estates and three in SAF camps. With regard to education, a comprehensive educational programme is being directed towards inculcating road safety awareness in school children through lectures and traffic games at the Road Safety Park in East Coast Parkway. Since the opening of the Park in January 1981, 82,000 students between the ages of nine and 12 years have undergone road safety training. In addition, a total of 63 talks on road safety were given to primary and secondary students in 1981.”
“Sir, may I answer the Member for Alexandra first? He quoted figures of accident rates and the number of fatalities on our roads, and he said that 1981 was a bad year. I agree with him entirely. But it is not for want of effort on the part of the Police to curb traffic accidents and death on our roads. They have done everything within their means to do so, both in terms of education as well as enforcement. It is also true that most of the fatalities on the road involve pedestrians and motorcyclists. These two groups, i.e. the pedestrians and motor-cyclists, account for 68% of the fatalities. In the group of pedestrians, most of those killed on the road are below 15 years old, i.e. children, and old people above 60 years old. These are the two most vulnerable groups of pedestrians on the road. The Traffic Accidents Study Section conducted a statistical study of pedestrians and motor-cycle related accidents last year. The findings are as follows: 1. Pedestrian-related accidents. Most accidents occur on straight roads and in light traffic, contrary to the belief that accidents occur only in crowded streets. 2. Accidents usually occur as a result of the misjudgment on the part of the pedestrian or as a result of excessive speed or lack of attention on the part of the driver. 3. Unaccompanied pedestrians were more prone to accidents than those accompanied. With regard to motor-cycle related accidents, the causes of such accidents are: (a) usually excessive speed, inattention and lack of skills; (b) the riders who are involved in serious or fatal accidents are mostly in the age group 20 to 29 years old, i.e. young people; and (c) causes of death are usually head injuries or multiple injuries. 3.30 p.m.”
“Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1st April, 1982 to 31st March, 1983, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, I have already stated that they must not violate the rules which they are to enforce, otherwise they would be showing a bad example.”
“Nevertheless, Traffic Police officers often give the benefit of the doubt to the motorist who slows down on the right-hand lane near a junction. However, if he persists on driving in the overtaking lane for long distances, he will be booked. With regard to goods vehicles, laden and unladen, they have to have a speed limit of 40 kph. It is a popular misconception that it is dangerous for goods vehicles to speed only if they are loaded. Loaded vehicles have greater momentum and take longer to come to a complete halt. There is also the danger of the load becoming unbalanced or falling off. However, there are also dangers associated with fast-moving goods vehicles which are not loaded. Because they are lighter than their intended operational weight, their road-holding is reduced, making them more difficult to control. Indeed unladen goods vehicles may be more dangerous than securely-loaded goods vehicles at high speeds. The problem of obstruction would not arise if slow-moving vehicles keep to the left instead of hogging the road. Mr Tan Soo Khoon rose -”
“In line with the national energy conservation campaign, the fuel consumption of all machines is closely monitored, and whenever it is found unsatisfactory the machine is immediately sent for inspection at the Force Transport Branch. May I answer the Member for Bukit Batok. It is the general rule that the right-hand lane is for faster-moving traffic. However - this is important - roads in built-up areas where there are many intersections, traffic moving on those roads is usually slow-moving. Therefore, the problem of which is the fast lane should not arise. The right-hand lane in many intersections is usually for traffic intending to make a right turn. At every road junction there are arrows painted on the road to guide motorists on which lane to use. There are usually three sets of arrows at 30-metre intervals, with the first set at 100 metres from the junction. Motorists should use the lane with arrows pointing to the direction in which they wish to travel and avoid using the wrong lane. That is the most important: not to use the wrong lane. On fast major roads and expressways, the right-most lane should be used only when overtaking. As far as possible, motorists should keep to the left. The Traffic Police has laid down the guidelines for traffic turning right on such roads. Directional signboards are erected 30 metres from road junctions. Motorists should move carefully to the right lane i they wish to turn right at the junction. They should then filter into the turning lane and slow down within this lane which is about 100 metres long. As the turning lane is separate from the main road, vehicles slowing down in this lane would not obstruct fast moving traffic.”
“Only after this induction course the new officers are assigned to more seasoned officers for a period of on-the-job training. Only after this exhaustive process are officers actually deployed on the road for normal duties. The officers are always reminded that, as guardians of the law, it is their paramount responsibility to set a good example for other drivers. We have taken great care to train and instil in them road courtesy. With regard to the cylinder capacity of motor-cycles used by the Traffic Police or policewomen, the Mobile Squad has a total of 174 motor-cycles and 27 scooters. The breakdown of motor-cycles is as follows: Engine Capacity Number 80 cc 2 450 cc 11 500 cc 79 550 cc 67 650 cc 11 750 cc 1 1,000 cc 1 1,100 cc 2 We have only four high-powered ones. But we must have them because we have hell drivers. We must save them from hell. Different situations require different enforcement strategies. The duties of Mobile Squad officers are somewhat diversified. The four high-powered motorcycles of 750 cc and above are used, as I said, to catch hell drivers and to track down speedsters. You cannot use a smaller machine to catch a speedster. The larger machines are more stable on the road and capable of higher speeds. Effective law enforcement demands that the resources of the law are at least as sophisticated as those of the law-breakers. The medium-powered motor-cycles are ideal for normal patrol duties. Similar machines are used by the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Japanese National Police Agency. The women police officers use scooters because patrols are confined to CBD where the return of offences committed does not require the police to engage in speedy pursuits because in the CBD you cannot go very fast.”
“Sir, in answer to the Member for Ang Mo Kio, may I say that the Mobile Squad comprises a total of 187 officers out of a Police Force strength of 6,318. Since 1st January, 1980, there have been only five complaints against six officers for errant driving. Out of this, no fault was disclosed in two cases. A warning was issued in one case and investigations are still in progress in the remaining three cases. The alleged misdeeds involved speeding, indiscriminate parking and technical violations. For the same period, traffic violation reports were made against only three Mobile Squad officers and all were given offers of composition. In other words, there is no preferential treatment as far as bookings are concerned between Mobile Squad Traffic Police officers and ordinary members of the public. The Mobile Squad of the Traffic Police is a specialist unit. It emphasizes professionalism. High standards are set and expected. Only regular officers having a minimum of two years' experience are recruited into the squad. Officers who are selected for the Mobile Squad must undergo a course at the Police Driving School. Those who are not in possession of Class 2 licences attend a course for two months' duration where defensive driving techniques are emphasized. This is a full-time course and participants attend lessons for 7 1/2 hours each day. The course is centred around practical riding skills. Officers who already possess Class 2 licences undergo a conversion course of up to six weeks' duration. Having completed the course at the Police Driving School, the officers then undergo a one-week induction course at the Traffic Police. This comprises lectures on traffic enforcement patrols and patrol as well as practical skills, talks and film shows on safe driving are featured.”
“I do not have to mention bicycle thieves again! [Laughter].”
“Officers on bicycle patrols are hand-picked for their initiative and ability to relate to the community. Each selected officer is kept on bicycle patrol for at least six months for him to get to know the residents and be known to them. It is too early for me to draw firm conclusions about the scheme's impact on preventable crimes. However, the preliminary indications are that the crime rates have gone down in the five housing estates since the introduction of bicycle patrols. I am sure there are less bicycle thieves around! [Laughter] Most significant is the indication from residents of their satisfaction with the scheme. They have expressed the view that bicycle patrols encourage personal contact between residents and policemen. Many residents have taken the initiative to talk to the policemen on bicycle patrols. Some have also asked for crime prevention advice and literature which are provided with minimum delay. Whether the scheme can be extended to other estates depends on the physical construction of the estate. As I said, they were started on five private housing estates with bungalow or semi-detached houses. In most HDB high rise estates, foot patrols may be more useful than bicycle patrols, as it may be troublesome for the policemen to park their bicycles every time they visit an upper floor flat. An hon. Member: More bicycle thieves!”
“Sir, I cannot agree more with the three Members on what they have stated about wanting the presence of the police. I think I have answered part of the question in the debate on the Subhead moved by the Member for Punggol. The solution which we are considering at the moment is to have more police posts along the lines of the koban system. If we implement that system, then all the neighbourhoods will not only see the police presence but also be more secure, no matter what the Member for Anson says. 7.30 p.m. Now when we have police posts, as is now being proposed, the police officers that would be deployed to the post would be deployed on foot. Being deployed on foot, they will have closer contact with the residents. At the moment as they are deployed in team policing cars, there is less opportunity for such contact. They will also visit households regularly within the area of the police post, to strike up friendship and cooperation between the residents and the police officers who are operating the police post. With regard to the bicycle patrols of which the Member for Chong Boon is enamoured and also by the Member for Thomson from a medical point of view, the idea is that they will be fit and, of course, when you are fit it will contribute to higher morale. In October 1981, the Police introduced bicycle patrols as a pilot project in five private housing estates. The estates were Golden Hill, Seletar Hills, Sembawang Hills, Sennett Estate, Kamuning Estate. The objectives of the bicycle patrols were: (1) to show a visible police presence and foster better rapport with residents; (2) to provide simple advice on crime prevention to the residents in these estates. On an average day, 18 men are deployed on bicycle patrols in three shifts, with three 2-man teams per shift.”
“These are modern police posts. As I have said, we cannot go back to the past. We now have a different social and economic situation. We have high-rise buildings. 70% of the population live in high-rise buildings. So we cannot go back even if we want to because the old kampongs and old Chinatown district have disappeared. Is that not a simple thing to understand?”
“Sir, now it is a debate on who has misunderstood whom. We can carry on with it till the cows come home. May I say that we are not going back to the old police posts. An hon. Member: Modern police posts!”
“Sir, on a point of order, The Member has made a serious imputation and if he knows the Standing Orders, he should not impute or make such imputations. Will he withdraw that?”
“It is goodwill. They sent the study team and it was financed by the Japanese Government, which we are thankful for. The Member asked about the morale of the police officers. He appears to be championing the low-ranking police officers. I think their morale is quite high. [Interruption.] Is the Member saying that I should take a census? I do meet them, but I do not meet them as some lawyers do when they have got into trouble. Of course, when they have got into trouble and see their lawyers, then they give a different picture of the morale of the police force. But I do meet the vast majority of them. Their morale is high. If the Member for Anson says otherwise, then let him take a census as he is so fond of suggesting it. As regards the report, once we have considered it and it is released, I think it will raise their morale even higher because, as I have said, in Japan the police officer, even the ordinary constable, is highly respected. They are given a high social status. Does the Member disagree with my adopting that system and giving them respect? Does he agree with the suggestion that we give them higher social status? Mr Jeyaretnam rose -”
“- representing housing estates, including myself, want the presence of the police because they are the guardians of our human rights, the right of the citizen to be free and not to be abused by criminals. And if the criminals get into trouble, they get lawyers to defend them. The Member asked another question. How much have we paid to the Japanese experts to come here? Maybe he has some suspicion that we have squandered public funds. May I tell him that we have not paid a cent. An hon. Member: Goodwill!”
“I am not interested in reverting back. We are not reverting back. This is a new situation. The Member for Anson may have misunderstood the whole thing. But I am glad when he says he is not suspicious. 7.15 p.m. Let us get this straight. The point is this. There is a contradiction here. If we do not have more police posts, then we have less presence of the police in all the neighbourhoods of the housing estates. If we do not have the presence of the police in all the housing estates which the people welcome, then how can we have a close relationship between the police and the residents of housing estates? The Member for Anson may not want the police to be around in the housing estates but I believe the majority of MPs - Some hon. Members: All!”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I answer the Member for Anson? The Member for Anson wants to know why we have asked the Japanese team to come and give us expert advice on the koban system. I have already stated quite categorically that the reason why we have asked for their advice is that in all industrialized countries in the world, there was a rising crime rate, but Japan is the only country or one of the few countries that has a falling crime rate. Do we want a rising crime rate, or do we want a failing crime rate? If we have a rising crime rate, then the majority of people will be insecure. There will be more criminals. It is not good for business or for the majority of the people, except lawyers. The other point I want to make is that he appears to be very suspicious and he seems not to agree that we should have more police posts throughout the island of Singapore. At the same time, he has asked how do we propose to foster policecommunity relationship.”
“If we accept the recommendations of the Japanese study team, it would mean that not only will many of our satellite towns have police posts, but some of the bigger ones will have a police headquarters station.”
“Thus, the Japanese team has been asked to study and recommend to us how the Japanese koban system could be implemented in Singapore so as to achieve, first, closer contact between the police and the public; secondly, better rapport with the community through grassroots organizations, such as the RCs, CCCs, etc. and thirdly, greater confidence in the Police Force amongst the public. I am glad to say that we have just received the report. In summary, they recommended a new policing system based on the koban system of police force but adapted to the Singapore situation. They have recommended the establishment of 91 police posts with at least one police post in every constituency. The bigger constituencies will have more than one police post. For the proper supervision of these posts, they have recommended an immediate increase from eight to 10 headquarters stations. I hope that will gladden the hearts of Members. However, for the effective supervision of these posts there should be 15 headquarters stations. They have also made recommendations on manpower establishment and training programme that emphasizes interaction with members of the public. We are now studying the report. As for the British team, we have asked them to study other professional aspects of police work. We have turned to them for assistance because they have a criminal justice system similar to our own, and there are certain other aspects of police work which we can learn from them, such as communications network, modernization of present radio network and other mechanical devices, including modern investigative techniques, particularly in highly specialized areas such as computer crime and so on. They will complete their studies and submit their report in April.”
“They had a sense of solidarity and provided assistance to one another when required. This camaraderie provided protection against crime. This is lost when people, as a result of living in highrise flats, become impersonalized. Through the RCs and Neighbourhood Watch groups, we are now trying to recreate a sense of community in these housing estates. In this new social environment we have to fundamentally reorientate our policing system and strategy so as to achieve police and public cooperation in every neighbourhood. This has to be settled first before we come to consider how many headquarters stations, substations or police posts we need to build and what manpower we require. Police stations are just infrastructure facilities. They are the necessary support of the policing function. It is, therefore, necessary to have, first, teams of experts to study our situation and advise us as to what the new policing system and strategy should be. For this, we have appointed two teams of experts, a Japanese police team and a British police team. We have appointed the Japanese team because, as I have said, the Japanese policing system has managed to keep their crime rate down whilst in other industrialized countries, including the United States, the crime rate has been going up. This has been largely due to their excellent community relations through their koban system or the system of police posts. The road accident rates of the Japanese was half in the ten years between 1970 and 1980 despite a 22 '-times increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. The Japanese police officer is generally held in high esteem by the public and has a high social status.”
“Not just to refresh my memory but to give a report of the progress we have made since then. I am glad to say that much progress has been made since then. The Singapore Police Force is being modernized and revamped to gear itself for the challenges of not only today but of the 1980s and beyond. New strategies are being conceived and the emphasis is on community relations in policing work. This point was brought up by the Member for Punggol. We also emphasize that point. Cooperation between the police and the public is crucial towards fulfilling the role of the police as guardians of law and order and the protection of lives and property. Our society has rapidly become highly urbanized. As you know, 70% of our population live in highrise flats. In the past, people live in the same kampung or in our Chinatown district. They knew one another and were able to assist one another for mutual protection against intruders and criminals. I think you still see some of these in Punggol.”
“Sir, it is true that last year in this House there was considerable interest shown on the question of police work and police headquarters stations. I am very grateful to the Member for Punggol to have brought this matter up again to enable me to give -”
“In December 1981, the Police sent a working group to Japan to give detailed briefings on a wide range of social, cultural, economic and policing matters to the Japanese Police Team that was due to come to Singapore. When the working group was in Japan, they observed the activities of koban officers, or what is the equivalent of police posts, the public reaction to kobans, the location of kobans and facilities offered, and the system of training for koban officers. Last week another Police team left for Japan to study traffic control and enforcement systems. They are now gathering information on the training of motorcyclists and car drivers, legislation on drunken driving, points demerit system and elimination of bad driving habits. Amongst other things, the team is concentrating on how the Japanese train learner motor-cyclists and drivers, in particular, they will see how riding and driving circuits are designed and administered, how courses are planned and how the learners are tested. The team will also look at retraining for bad drivers and riders. What they learn will be incorporated into a comprehensive national safety plan that is now being finalized.”
“Sir, this item is a provision for advisers, experts and consultants. In October 1981, I led a delegation comprising senior officials from the Ministry and the Police Force to visit Japan to study: (1) The system of reacting to natural and civil disasters in connection with the post-formulation of our Civil Defence lan- (2) The Japanese policing system. Sir, the visit was most fruitful. We not only obtained all the information we wanted but also - and this is more important - a deep insight into why the Japanese have been so successful in organizing their civil disaster plan and policing system. Because it was a high-level team, the Japanese authorities took us very seriously and prepared a comprehensive programme that gave us a deep insight into their system. We found that the main factor of their effectiveness was the active support and cooperation given by members of the Japanese public through voluntary organizations, whether in civil disaster plans and operations or the policing system. The Japanese have built up a tradition of service to the community. Thus, whether in police-public cooperation on crime prevention, earthquakes or fire evacuation drills, the voluntary associations have been most active. We met the leaders of these voluntary organizations and were most impressed with their positive attitude in work. This is something which is worthwhile for us to emulate. From what we have seen during our visit we are gratified to know that in establishing the Residents' Committees in HDB neighbourhoods and the organization of the Neighbourhood Watch groups, we are moving along the right direction and should be able to re-establish the tradition of service and cooperation on the part of our people.”
“Three of the cases were because the licensee had reached 60 years of age. The fourth case was because there was no longer an imminent danger to the licensee's life. There are no cases of a licence being revoked before its expiry date. I hope my explanation of the policy is clear.”
“Sir, the issue of licences to possess firearms is under strict control. This is to prevent the proliferation of guns which may be used for criminal purposes. The Member for Khe Bong has asked what is the policy behind the issue of licences. Licences to possess firearms are issued by the Police for three categories of uses: (1) for sports, i.e. target practice at authorized ranges; (2) self-protection of applicant and of immediate members of the family; (3) protection of life and property by Government departments and statutory boards and banks. 6.45 p.m. The policy on the issue of firearms licences for self-protection, Sir, is that the applicant's life or the lives of the immediate family must be in imminent danger. The criteria for use of licences for sporting purposes are as follows: (a) The applicant must be a member of the Singapore Rifle Association or the Singapore Gun Club. (b) The firearms must be used only at the authorized ranges and it must be stored at the armoury at the ranges, and the applicant must maintain a keen interest in the sport and practice regularly. The licence to possess a firearm is valid for one year. Whether the licence is renewed will depend on whether the circumstances justify the licensee's possession of the firearms. Under the Arms and Explosives Act, the Police need not give reasons for cancelling licences. Normally licences are not renewed for the following reasons: (i) The lives of the licensee or his immediate family are no longer in imminent danger; (ii) He has reached 60 years of age; (iii) He has breached conditions of his licence; (iv) He has shown a decline in interest in shooting as a sport by failing to maintain a good attendance record at the ranges. In the last two years there were four cases of cancellation.”
“And she is not your client? Mr Speaker, Sir, on this subject, I have a letter signed by Mr Jeyaretnam himself with his very big signature. [Copy of letter handed in to Mr Speaker.]”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member for Anson says that the letter was signed by his assistant and he has no personal knowledge of it. Is that so? I take it to mean that.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I take the Member for Anson's answer to mean that he has no pecuniary interest and that he has raised this matter only as an MP but not as a lawyer or in the name of his firm. May I refresh his memory that he has done so in his capacity as a lawyer and not as an MP? May I produce a letter from J.B. Jeyaretnam & Company in which it is stated: 'We act for the abovenamed who is a Malaysian citizen. Our client [not a voter] has been residing in Singapore for more than 10 years. On the 17th of May 1981, our client married Mr Latib Bin Ali who is a citizen of Singapore by birth at Johore Bahru by Muslim rites. She now resides with the husband . . . We would urge you on compassionate and humanitarian grounds to grant our client an entry permit for permanent residence in Singapore. We would stress that our client's husband is a citizen of Singapore. As such if our client were to leave Singapore it would cause a break-up in the family. . . .' It is dated 5th February 1982. Can this letter be shown to the Member, Sir? [copy of letter handed in to Mr Speaker.]”