David T E Lim
Singapore
“Our entrepreneurs need to feel that they are heroes and not left-behinds, and be motivated by this feeling to attempt great things. We need a civil and a civic society, where people believe that this is where their heart and home is. Such outcomes are helped by the right economic policies.”
“As the CRC process demonstrates, the views of the public are widely canvassed when developing censorship policies. Likewise, we have many advisory and review and appeal committees. The public inputs are obtained to guide the implementation of censorship rules.”
“With Members' support and working closely with partners from relevant Government agencies and the private sector, MITA will endeavour to develop the design and media industries, and we will endeavour to make the creative industries a cornerstone of our economy.”
“Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to Monday, 25th November 2002." - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at Six minutes past Seven o'clock pm to Monday, 25th November 2002.”
“He receives this amount whether or not he appeals to the Land Acquisition Appeals Board. Once he vacates the premises, he receives the remaining 80%. We have no knowledge of any land owner who has been made a bankrupt by the mortgagee bank because of the compensation amount awarded.”
“Sir, Dr Khor's question is whether we could consider sub-titling. We have said that we would explore this. But sub-titling means that it is no longer signing. It is put into a form that is in a regular language, so to speak.”
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“Sir, indeed, a number of other countries have adopted the CPP system. In Singapore, the adoption of MPP has not hindered the growth of the industry. In fact, we have one of the highest rates of mobile phone usage in Singapore. Our penetration rate is higher than 70%. I think the latest figure shows that it is about 71%. So this has not hindered the growth of the industry. But for the reasons I cited earlier, switching from one system to the other does have implications for the marketplace. So we want to take time to study this issue carefully. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2002 TO 31ST MARCH, 2003 (Paper Cmd. 3 of 2002) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [6th Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head K (cont.) - Resumption of Debate on Question [20th May, 2002], "That the total sum to be allocated for Head K of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Dr Wang Kai Yuen]. Question again proposed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Mr Chiam has changed his question somewhat. I thought he asked me whether I would consider a neighbourhood library or CCL in his precinct, and for that, I have answered his question by saying that yes, you can do so if you can make a case for demand and support, and that we can make that to the NLB. And if you want to be part of the NLB network of library systems, the NLB must have a say in this. It costs quite a lot of money to run a good library and I do not think that NLB would be prepared to invest that sum of money unless they could be assured that they have got a partner that is able to assure them that they would deliver benefits and is able to bear that part of the burden. As to whether you want to wall up the space, that is an HDB matter - it has nothing to do with my Ministry. You can take it up with HDB. CONTRACT MARRIAGES (Regulations for approval) 8. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon asked the Minister for Manpower, in view of the Government's many measures to encourage Singaporeans to marry and set up families to arrest the declining population, whether his Ministry will consider relaxing the regulations requiring approval for contract marriages.”
“Sir, we have got to take this issue one step at a time. I think first, you have got to establish that there is a case to build a CCL before you talk about walling up the space. Walling up the space in a HDB void deck, well, that will entail a whole host of other issues, which is whether you have a suitable space, whether the residents would have adequate space for other uses in void decks. That is a separate issue. The first issue is to establish whether there is demand and whether there is support.”
“Sir, I think how Mr Chiam makes his case is really up to him, whether he wants to do a survey or whether he has got some other means to do so. I think what NLB would want to be satisfied with is that there is demand to support a CCL. And that there is not just demand, but also a broad-based community organisation that can ensure that they would provide the on-going support for the CCL. It takes quite a lot of money to run a CCL. From our experience with other CCLs, there is a contribution of a start-up capital cost. Then, there is also a contribution of an annual operating cost. So if you can satisfy these conditions, then NLB would consider.”
“Sir, CCLs cater for young readers. The rationale here is that for young readers, that with an added convenience of having a library in the neighbourhood makes it easier for the parents to bring their children down to the library. So it caters primarily for young readers, up until about Primary 4 or 5. Mr Chiam See Tong: If we want to apply for facilities to build a CCL, we have to take a survey to see the number of children in that estate. How many children are required before we can apply?”
“Sir, I cannot give him the detailed procedure. If he would like the information, I can provide the information to him. We do take this matter very seriously and very sensitively, in particular, the reporting to the next-of-kin. For example, we will not release information to the media until the next-of-kin has been notified. But if the Member requires further or more detailed information on that, then I will have to look up the procedures. PIRACY ATTACKS IN STRAITS OF MALACCA 13. Mr Chay Wai Chuen asked the Minister for Communications and Information Technology what steps are being taken bilaterally or multilaterally to address the concerns of shipowners and crewmen regarding the increase of piracy attacks on vessels passing through the Straits of Malacca, bearing in mind the significant maritime and commercial interests of Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, when I say that we are doing "fairly well", I look at anecdotal evidence, I look at how much recognition there is for the term "Singapore 21", and how people raise issues under this banner and argue their case and their cause in the name of active citizenship, on the principle that everybody does matter or can make a contribution. And I think we see these arguments being made from time to time. As to indicators, I indicated in my reply there are several agencies that already seek to monitor various social indicators. I do know that MCDS is working on a more comprehensive set of indicators but, perhaps, it would be more appropriate for them to explain that. POLICE WARNING TO MR JAMES GOMEZ AND MR KEVIN LIEW (Justification) 14. Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Home Affairs what offences were committed by Mr James Gomez and Mr Kevin Liew on 10th December 2000 to justify the warning given to them by the police.”
“It becomes a reality only if the whole community takes an active part in building our future society. If each one of us lives according to these principles, then, over time, we will be able to see and to feel the progress that we have made.”
“It leaves it to each person and organisation to respond in ways they feel appropriate because the success of Singapore 21 depends on its values being internalised by Singaporeans and manifested in their lives. This approach has worked fairly well. Singapore 21 has become a familiar term to many. Good ideas are often raised, and activities are often organised, in the spirit of Singapore 21. Many people-sector organisations, like CDCs, or self-help groups and other NGOs have organised outreach activities to explain Singapore 21 to their members and constituencies. Some private companies are now helping their employees to balance their work, family and community commitments. The public service is also cultivating a spirit of openness and responsiveness amongst its officers to take in ideas from the public, as well as encouraging them to be active citizens. The Committee has deliberated on how we can track the progress of a long-term goal like Singapore 21. It noted that many Ministries and agencies, such as the Ministry of Community Development and Sports, already have indicators that measure aspects of Singapore 21. The national volunteerism rate, for example, is an indicator of the level of active citizenship. Most of these indicators do not fluctuate significantly on a year-to-year basis, so it may not be very meaningful to measure our progress in the short-term against them. Ultimately, what we are aiming for are qualitative and emotional results, such as a deeper sense of identity, ownership and commitment that cannot be measured by counting events and keeping scores. Indicators are useful, but we should not over rely on them to track the progress of Singapore 21. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Singapore 21 vision cannot be realised by a committee alone.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I, before I give the reply, thank Mr Tay for his question and opportunity to briefly update this House on Singapore 21. Realising the Singapore 21 vision, or S21 for short, is a long-term process. To briefly recap, Singapore 21 is made up of five key ideas. These are: 1. Every Singaporean matters, and can contribute to our society's development; 2. Strong families are the foundation of our society and our future; 3. Nurturing the Singapore heartbeat is important, because it makes us proud to be and want to be Singaporeans; 4. We want to make Singapore a centre of opportunities for all; and 5. Everyone should be an active citizen, and play a part in shaping our future. These ideas are not new. But they collectively set a direction, and affirm the foundations on which we build the future. When the Singapore 21 Report was published in April 1999, the Government considered how best to take the vision forward. An implementation committee best guaranteed results, but ran counter to the S21 notion that Singaporeans should take greater responsibility for shaping the future society they want. To do nothing, however, risked the Singapore 21 vision dying a premature death. We therefore decided that a facilitative approach would best create awareness and ownership of the Singapore 21 ideas. The S21 Facilitation Committee decided that it could play its role by raising public awareness of Singapore 21 and by encouraging individuals to play an active part in realising S21 goals. It maintains a S21 website, publishes a monthly newsletter, and organises an annual public conference to highlight significant contributions to the vision and to discuss S21 issues. However, the committee does not prescribe how individuals and organisations should respond to S21.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, nothing so severe as that. The use of the State flag is governed by the Singapore Arms and Flags and National Anthem Rules 1960. Anyone guilty of an offence under this rule is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000. As far as I know, no one has been prosecuted to date for displaying the flag in an undignified manner. SINGAPORE 21 (Progress) 13. Mr Simon S. C. Tay asked the Prime Minister what progress there has been on Singapore 21 and ways in which such progress can be measured.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, yes, we would like to encourage Singaporeans, on appropriate occasions, to fly the Singapore flag, and appropriate occasions would include our National Day celebrations, or when we go for international sports meets, especially when we win, we get to fly the flag and I think that gives a tremendous boost to the nation's pride. But, as I said, if there are occasions outside of these where Singaporeans would like to fly the flag, please put in an application and we would consider it. It is better that we have fewer rules than more rules because more rules only make it more complicated. Now, it is very straightforward. You put in on a case-by-case basis. So long as we feel that the dignity and respect of the flag can be safeguarded, I think approval can be forthcoming.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there are many ways to demonstrate our loyalty to the nation. But if grassroots organisations or other organisations have occasions to feel that they want to display the Singapore flag, they can make an application to my Ministry, MITA, and we would be happy to consider the application on a case-by-base basis.”
“Under this arrangement, MITA's Translation Service Section focuses its resource only on its core responsibility of providing translation services to Government leaders, and translating MITA materials meant for public consumption. But I agree with Mr Goh that we should upgrade our professional translation standards, and MITA will raise this with PSD and work with it to see how the scheme of service for translators and interpreters can be made more attractive. Mr Goh has also suggested that MITA standardise the translation of certain terms, especially the names of titles and programmes in the Government. I agree with his suggestion, and MITA will consider Mr Goh's suggestion to formalise and appoint a Translation Standardisation Committee.”
“Last year, it awarded grants for 35 short films, bringing the overall total to 66 grants made since 1988. The Commission also believes in the importance of nurturing local talent. To this end, it has awarded two overseas scholarships and 11 bursaries, and has invited eight well-known film makers and experts to conduct special seminars, master classes and scriptwriting workshops in Singapore. I agree with Dr Ho's suggestion that getting film makers to produce their movies in Singapore will generate spin-offs for the economy in general, and the local film industry in particular, and MITA will encourage the Film Commission to continue their work with EDB, STB and other industry experts to make Singapore a regional hub for film production. Finally, I turn to Mr Goh's comments on the need for a Central Translation Bureau and standards of translation in Singapore. I agree with Mr Goh concerning his observations that we need to do more to raise the standards. Mr Goh has pointed out the difficulty of hiring highly proficient translators in the civil service, and this is a need that needs to be seriously addressed. Mr Goh has proposed that we set up a Central Translation Bureau. This may not solve the problem. The translation and interpretation services in the Government were decentralised in 1981 and reviewed in 1985. We felt that this decentralised arrangement is better, as translators and interpreters need to be aware of the relevant policies and the use of correct terms. So placing them out with the different Ministries and Organs of State is better.”
“Some parents, therefore, prefer to bring their children to the community libraries and regional libraries because of the wider variety of books and facilities, and also because it is free. Others prefer the convenience of having a library near their homes, so they take them to the CCLs. So CCLs can only work well if we have the support of the community where they are located. If there are sufficient numbers of parents in the locality who want this facility and a critical mass can be formed, then there will be enough scale to make a success of the project. But CCLs that lack community will not succeed even with more Government funds. Let me now move to Dr Ho's query on the film industry in Singapore. Dr Ho will be happy to know that, over the last three years, from 1998 to 2000, Singapore produced 17 feature films, or an average of about six films a year. One, "Eating Air", has been shown at the Deauville Asian Film Festival in France just recently. Another five are in production or have been completed, and should be released this year. The Film Commission has also given out six letters of intent so far for feature film investment. One film, "Chicken Rice War", which you may have caught, has been released. One is in production, three are looking for top-up funds, and the last one withdrew because it already has enough funds. But compared with the early 1960s, the heydays of our film industry, we are still some way behind. Then, we produced 18 films a year; now, we are only doing about six. To give a boost to this industry, the Commission takes a more generous approach when it comes to giving grants for short films, because it is on short films that film makers cut their teeth.”
“In addition, under this approach, the NLB maintains control over design integrity, through the schematic design, while the contractor, being responsible for detailed design, will be able to enhance the construction buildability, design efficiency, and construction methodology to boost productivity and also, thereby, to reclaim whatever cost savings that may be possible. Such arrangements are in line with the Building and Construction Authority's Construction 21 strategy to upgrade the professionalism of the construction industry. NLB called the tender on 19th January this year, and expects the new NLB building to be completed in 2004. Since the tender has not yet been awarded I cannot give you specific cost data and whether or not there will be savings. On the subject of libraries, let me now turn to CCLs. NLB has a special commitment to our young readers, and we do believe in inculcating the reading habit from a young age. And, because of this, we have set up special children's sections in both regional and community libraries, as Mr Ravindran has pointed out. But Mr Ravindran and Prof Toh have raised quite different points of view. Prof Toh thinks we should put more money in; Mr Ravindran thinks that, perhaps, some CCLs should not be built because these facilities are duplicated in the regional and community libraries. The issue is not just one of money. CCLs are intended as complementary facilities, but, when we locate them in void decks, we brought the library closer to the homes of young children. In doing so, however, we limited the range of books and facilities that we can offer, and that is because they now serve a much smaller catchment, so you cannot have them on a same scale.”
“By sheer hard work, I think they have achieved international attention and recognition, and I am glad to say that Singaporeans can look forward to a new National Library building in the year 2004. Let me turn to Mr Chew's specific question about the NLB building. The NLB tender for the new NLB building was originally intended to be awarded as a design contract and a separate construction contract. The design contract was awarded to a consortium led by Swan & MacLaren Architects. As the project progressed, however, the NLB became dissatisfied with the consortium, as they were unable to assign adequate resources to the project and the project had begun to slip behind schedule. However, the consortium had already completed the architectural schematic design for the new building. So, NLB then decided to complete the project under a develop-and-construct arrangement, in order to avoid further delays and slippage to the project schedule. This arrangement is a variation of the design-and-build approach. Under design-and-build, the contractor undertakes design responsibility, in addition to the construction and completion of the building. In this instance, however, there was no need for a re-design of the building, since the schematic design had already been done. For NLB's develop-and-construct approach, a main contractor will undertake detailed design, based on the completed architectural schematic design, and construct the building. This saves time and costs.”
“Thank you very much, Sir. I shall try to be brief, in view of the fact that time is running on. I will take the cuts first on the questions on the National Library and the Community Children's Library (CCL). But before I do so, I would just want to make a point about public education. In a speech on Monday, when this House debated the Minister for Finance's Budget Statement, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua spoke of the psychological divide between those who understand and accept change, and those who do not. I think that this is an important idea that we should give some attention to. What challenges and divides us are not just the things we have or do not have, but the understanding and rapport we have or do not have with each other. Her plea was that the Government should do more to close this divide through public education and, specifically, that more should be done to explain Government policy. I agree, but public education is a broad concept that applies also to raising the general level of awareness and knowledge, not just of public policies or technical subjects, but also of the arts and of general knowledge. In our society, where we will become more diverse in interests and viewpoints, a broader knowledge of the world around us will give people more common points to relate to each other. It is in this context that our libraries contribute significantly to this broad goal. I thank the speakers who have acknowledged the accomplishments of our Library Board. They have achieved a revolutionary breakthrough in their mission to enhance interest and capacity for learning among Singaporeans. They have tried out innovative ideas like the Library@Orchard, and the use of radio frequency technology to facilitate the loan and return of books.”
“And, finally, being mindful of examinations, RSAF scales down its local flying activities during the end of the year school examination period, and coordinates closely with the Ministry of Education to make sure that when students are doing their oral examinations, aircraft is not flying overhead.”
“Sir, first of all, may I empathise and sympathise with the Member for Bukit Timah. MINDEF is aware of the problem of aircraft noise, as I am sure is the Ministry of National Development and I am also sure that they do take this into account when planning new housing estates. The RSAF has done what it can to reduce aircraft noise over the years. It has taken many concrete steps. A significant reduction in the noise problem has been achieved when the RSAF relocated some of its flying activities overseas. However, the RSAF still needs to conduct day and night flying to familiarise our pilots with the local airspace environment and to maintain operational readiness. Due to our country's limited airspace, it is inevitable that RSAF aircraft has to fly over some residential areas. In particular, night training is important because it gives our pilots an important edge and it gives the RSAF combat options that it otherwise would not have. I know that night flying contributes particularly to noise disturbances, because at night the ambient noises are low, and the RSAF aircraft noises are therefore accentuated. The RSAF has introduced other measures to reduce aircraft noise. Where possible, flight simulators are used for training. A hush house was built in 1984 for the conduct of engine runs by RSAF and ST Engineering Aircraft. To further reduce noise pollution, the aircraft departure and recovery procedures and routes have been amended, and minimum height requirement has also been imposed on all RSAF aircraft over built up areas. So if the Member's residents can still see the faces of the pilots, please let me know. There are also strict regulations prohibiting night flying after 2300 hours, unless there are valid operational reasons to do so.”
“This review is chaired by a Permanent Secretary. We will continue to improve our controls and educate our staff to be more careful and vigilant in discharging their responsibilities. We will also continue to inculcate in our staff the importance of striving for zero defects. In conclusion, let me thank the Members for their concerns raised, and ensure them that MINDEF will continue to be vigilant and prudent in its financial management.”
“Let me again assure the House that in none of these other cases were there any moneys lost or any moneys unaccounted for. But let me just touch on one other case that Dr Ong has raised about our cook houses. I would like to make mention of this because of the particular wordings in the Auditor-General's Report that may mislead some Members as to the severity of the discrepancies. In the Auditor-General's Report, words to the effect that some of the mistakes had been "covered up" had been used. This really referred to two discrepancies in the cook house records. One was that in keying in the data into the system, a clerical error had been made by referring to the wrong list of items. This resulted in an overpayment of $3,478 out of a total contract value of $434 million. In context, this is a relatively small amount but, nonetheless, it was an error. The second concerned human errors in keeping records in the cook house. When Audit queries were raised, some personnel made the corrections on the records with correction fluid instead of following the standard practice of cancelling the errors and initialling against the amendments. Therefore, they literally covered up their mistakes. It is a very serious criminal offence to cover up. MINDEF investigated the cases cited by Audit and is satisfied that there was no evidence of cover up or falsification of any documents. It was a case of inappropriate response to the errors or omissions pointed out by Audit. In any case, it does not make sense for anyone to attempt to cover up an error after it has already been detected by the Auditor-General. 5.15 pm Sir, let me say also that since last year, MINDEF has embarked on a comprehensive review of the major administrative processes involving finance, procurement and logistics.”
“The account holder has been charged and was sentenced to 15 months' detention and fined $3,000. He also returned a sum of $84,000 to MINDEF and MINDEF will recover the balance of $9,400 from him. The supervising officer has also been charged for negligence in discharging his responsibilities and fined $1,500. These two cases would be widely publicised internally as a deterrent measure and also as a lesson for all staff, especially supervisory officers, to take their responsibilities seriously. In their audit on contracts with advance payments, the Auditor-General had reported that MINDEF did not inform his office of 90 contracts with advance payments totalling $1.1 billion. The Auditor-General had therefore stated that it had no assurance that MINDEF had accurate information on the total amount of advance standing to its credit at any point in time. Let me assure the House that the $1.1 billion was fully accounted for at all times by MINDEF. All contracts are individually monitored and tracked by procurement officers who keep a record of the outstanding advance payments. The errors in the report to the Auditor-General occurred because the data on advance payments had to be complied within the two-week deadline set by the Auditor-General at the onset of the audit. As a result, a number of contracts were inadvertently omitted during the compilation process. So this was a compilation error. We have since adopted the Auditor-General's recommendation that quarterly consolidated reports on outstanding advance payments be submitted to the Permanent Secretary. The other irregularities observed in the Auditor-General's Report were due to administrative lapses. MINDEF has taken actions to rectify them.”
“May I, first of all, thank Dr Ong Chit Chung for pointing out that allowances may attract CPF contributions. I had spoken too quickly. Indeed, what I should have said was that treating NS allowances like an employment salary and introducing CPF contributions would involve a major change in the philosophy and principles of the NS allowance which, as you have agreed, is an allowance and not a salary, and that is the principle that we defend. I thank the Members for the questions on the Auditor-General's Report and the opportunity to clarify the issues and the steps taken to deal with them. The Auditor-General's Report for FY1999/2000 contains seven observations on administrative lapses, and two cases of fraud committed by one serviceman. The two cases of fraud are the more serious and let me deal with that first. Sir, these two cases involve two accounts. One is a petty cash account and the other is the unit welfare account. The supervising officer of these accounts had failed to check all payments of proper documentation and invalidated all the supporting documents after payment in accordance with MINDEF's procedures. As a result, the account holder was able to misappropriate about $93,400 from the two accounts through fictitious claims and recycling of invoices and receipts. The investigations also revealed that another $44,000 was unaccounted for due to improper documentation. MINDEF intends to take the account holder and other officers responsible for these losses to task. Sir, it is important that we note that these two cases were not the result of systemic failure in the internal system of checks and controls. These were in place. Rather, they were due to negligence and fraud.”
“Increasing NS allowances to facilitate earlier marriages is not appropriate, as it goes against the principle of national service being a duty. A full-time national serviceman should not be compensated for this reason. But the Government does help young couples in other ways. For example, there is a CPF Housing Grant Scheme to help young couples who are first-time applicants purchasing HDB flats and I think we should leave it at that. Finally, let me touch on the general point about families that may face financial hardship because sons or spouses are called up to do national service. MINDEF is mindful of this and we have a number of schemes to help NS men whose families face particularly difficult financial hardships. We offer both grants as well as loans and there are a number of such cases every year. If any Member of this House knows of such a case, please refer it to MINDEF and we will look into the matter.”
“The allowance, therefore, covers things like transport and some incidental expenses. 5.00 pm MINDEF reviews this NS allowance regularly, taking into account inflation and cost of living. Their allowances were last adjusted in 1996 by between $40 and $60. A review was conducted again in 1999 but no adjustment was made then because cost had not gone up significantly since the 1996 review owing to the economic downturn. MINDEF, however, will review the NS allowance again this year and on an annual basis to keep pace with changes in the cost of living. The current review will be completed and its outcome known by the third quarter of this year. So I hope we will have some news for you then. Mr Thomas Thomas and Dr Jennifer Lee also asked whether we could make CPF contributions, even if they were allowances. This crosses the line on the principle that CPF contributions are really made only for salaries and not for allowances. Nevertheless, full-time national servicemen can still benefit from CPF top-ups. And indeed, during the Share Ownership Top-up exercises and the recent CPF top-up exercise, MINDEF has assisted full-time national servicemen who might not have enough money to open CPF accounts and offered interest-free loans to those who are eligible, so that they could make their own contribution to CPF in order to receive the CPF top-up. As to the issue raised by Dr Jennifer Lee about the impact of national service on marriages and starting families, this does take two to two and a half years away from more time socialising and finding partners. But these are two separate issues. National service is for our national security. Strong families are also for our long-term development as a society. Both are important, but we should not mix the two up.”
“Those who fail to meet the fitness standards are brought in, as per schedule, and are put through a rigorous Physical Training Phase before they join their fitter counterparts in Basic Military Training. Those who pass do not have to undergo this Physical Training Phase, and they then have their NS period reduced by two months. In conclusion, may I reiterate that the 2 to 21/2 years of National Service brings a fresh recruit to the required level of military proficiency to be a part of an effective fighting force and is necessary for the operational effectiveness of the SAF. Sir, I now turn to the matter of allowances raised by Mr Ravindran, Dr Jennifer Lee, Mr Thomas Thomas and Dr Ong Chit Chung. They have asked whether a review will be done for the allowances that we pay to full-time National Servicemen. The short answer is yes, but, before I go into the longer answer, let me restate the principles. The fundamental principle is that National Service is a duty to be performed by all male Singaporeans. It is a duty that is necessary, as Dr Jennifer Lee has pointed out, to safeguard our country, our home and our families. As a service rendered to the nation, it cannot be equated with a regular salaried job. But it is their commitment and sacrifice that ensure our continued peace and stability. So, because National Servicemen are not salaried employees, they are not paid market wages. They are given an allowance for personal upkeep. Most of them stay in-camp, they are given a comfortable bed, as Dr Ong has pointed out, and rather good food now. In fact, the food has improved so much that some of the canteens have started to complain because their business has gone down. So their basic needs are taken care of.”
“Mr Gerard Ee has suggested that participation in certain uniformed groups, in particular, the NCC and the PCC, could help to shorten the training period during National Service, full-time. MINDEF recognises that participation of school students in uniformed groups prepares them for the rigours and discipline of military training. It creates a certain mindset in them; once they wear a uniform, and they are subject to discipline. But we do not think that we can shorten the period of NS because of such participation, as military training deals with substantially different skills. Even for the NCC or PCC, the kind of training that they undergo is quite different from the military training during NS, which is at a standard and level much more demanding than that expected or possible within these uniformed groups. During Basic Military Training, recruits are taught a wide range of basic military skills, apart from handling a rifle and shooting, field-craft, drills, manoeuvres at platoon, company and battalion levels. Beyond BMT, they are assigned to operational units, where they learn to fight as a team. Development of esprit de corps amongst themselves is also part of the unit training. But we recognise that, wherever possible, we want to keep as short as possible the time in National Service. So MINDEF has a scheme where we reduce by two months the National Service duration of males who have attained a certain level of physical fitness, and this be set at the silver standard for the NAFA test. This scheme encourages students to keep fit through various means, including participation in CCAs, such as sports, athletics or uniformed groups.”
“MINDEF, MOE and the local universities will announce details of this soon, once they have completed their study. Finally, Mr Charles Chong has asked about the new golf course and why this is necessary. RECORD III made this recommendation because it recognises that the existing SAFRA Resort and Country Club is very well utilised. SAFRA Resort and Country Club was opened in 1994 to recognise the contribution of NSmen to Total Defence. Today, it has 10,000 members, which, compared to private clubs, is several times the order of membership that a club normally has, given the number of holes in the golf course. Furthermore, the utilisation rate of this course has increased from 79% in 1994 to 91% in 1999. So, golfing facilities today are heavily utilised and there is often a very long waiting queue for people who want to play. It is in this context that RECORD III recommended that another golf course be built for NSmen. Sir, if land is going to be allocated for golf courses, then NSmen should be given priority in recognition of the important role they play in Total Defence. The new golf course could be developed at a suitable location where land use would be optimised. MINDEF will examine this proposal in greater detail before announcing its decision. Sir, once again, I would like to thank Members for their interest and support for RECORD III's recommendations, and to note that MINDEF would continually strive to improve NS management and administration, as well as the NS training system, to better recognise and enhance the contribution of our NSmen. Sir, if I may now turn to the issue raised by Mr Gerard Ee and also touched on by Dr Ong Chit Chung on NS training periods.”
“During the two and half years of his service, there are many opportunities for a person to demonstrate qualities that will help indicate whether he can successfully undertake and benefit from a university education. What RECORD III is proposing is that if a person has performed well in National Service, and has displayed such qualities, then this is one of the factors that the universities should take into account in deciding on his suitability for admission. This should help the universities obtain a more holistic appreciation of the applicant's abilities. The bonus points awarded for NS will be given in proportion to how well they do and how much they contribute during National Service. Of course, the universities would have to balance the various factors. Thus, MINDEF will consider RECORD III's recommendations for bonus points, but on the basis that such points should be subject to the overall cap that the student could earn from CCA in school. With this, Members can be assured that the recommendation seeks to recognise good performance in National Service, and it will not disadvantage the others. Both, those who may not do National Service or girls, have the opportunity to participate actively in the schools in the CCAs and, where they show the qualities of leadership and teamwork and the other qualities that the CCAs attempt to measure, they will also be eligible to get the maximum number of bonus points so that it would not be unfair to them. But, for males who serve full-time National Service, they enter the job market later than their female counterparts. Awarding NS bonus points to them is a way to recognise their contribution and sacrifice. It also recognises that NS develops desirable qualities, just as those that the CCAs try to promote in the schools.”
“RECORD III has recommended that the NS training cycle for NSmen studying in institutes of higher learning (IHL) be reviewed, to help them manage both their academic studies and NS responsibilities. NS call-ups could be synchronised with specific vacation periods, when no academic programmes would be conducted, so that NSmen can go for NS training without affecting their studies. In addition, the longer NS call-ups could be confined to the vacation period during the second year of studies, so as not to clash with the more intensive third and fourth years. So the idea is that we would agree with the three universities, to take a time slot in the second year, so that NSmen can all go for their training during this period of time. MINDEF is now working with these universities to implement this recommendation, and we target to introduce this new arrangement by next year. Sir, a number of comments have also been raised concerning the award of NS points for university admission. RECORD III has recommended awarding NS points for university admission, in recognitiion that NS contributes to the development of desirable qualities, eg, leadership and teamwork, in the same way that co-curricular activities (CCAs) in the school do. This is in line with MOE's new university admission system, in which university admission bonus points will be awarded for students' participation in CCAs. Mr Charles Chong and Dr Ong asked whether the awarding of such points would be unfair to the females. Let me say that we are now working closely with the Ministry of Education and the local universities to evaluate this recommendation. It will not be unfair to the females, but it would be fair to the males. Sir, National Service is an important period in a person's life.”
“The passports of Singaporean males who are between 11 and 161/2 years old be extended by two years, or up to the age of 161/2, whichever is earlier. These are for pre-registrants. 2. The passports of Singaporean males who are above 161/2 years old, up until the time when they are enlisted, be extended by one year. These are the registrants. 3. The passports of full-time national servicemen be extended by up to 10 years. 4. A standardised multiple-trip exit permit be introduced to replace the various types of exit permits. 5. Singaporean males who are 11 years old and above, and have yet to enlist for full-time National Service, be bonded by deed, rather than monetary bond, when they accompany their parents on overseas employment. MINDEF recognises that, with increased travel, both for work and leisure, these are practical measures, and we agree in principle to these recommendations. The implementation agencies, including Singapore Immigration, CMPB and MHA, are now working out the implementation details and we hope to be able to put these measures into effect within a month or two. Sir, Mr Charles Chong has also raised the issue of the NS training cycle for NSmen who are in universities. It is true that we had tried to schedule NS training, in-camp call-ups, during the university vacations. But with changes in the educational system, more and more project work being introduced during vacation period, NSmen often write in for deferments so that they can do their projects or take on special tasks and assignments. This is disruptive, especially when we try to keep our NSmen together in the same unit as they progress through their 13 years of in-camp training cycle so that we build up the bond and camaraderie amongst the men.”
“Sir, we have heard this afternoon arguments reiterated as to the importance of the SAF, in particular, given the uncertainty facing us in the security outlook in the region, and we have also heard that National Servicemen are an important backbone of the SAF. Our National Servicemen are not reserves. They are frontline soldiers. They are trained in a spectrum of operations and, if called upon, they must be able to undertake whatever missions or tasks that are given to them. It is for this reason that we convened, once again, the committee to look at how we can recognise and enhance the contribution of National Servicemen to defence. RECORD III was convened last year. It comprised members of the public from grassroots organisations, NSmen themselves, as well as their spouses, and some hon. Members of this House. We took a consultative approach, we even had people email ideas and suggestions to us, and we had focus groups talking to National Servicemen to seek their inputs. This process culminated in a set of recommendations, which were announced last month. I would like to put on record, as Chairman of the Committee, my thanks to all who participated in this process. MINDEF, together with the relevant ministries and organisations, is now studying RECORD III's proposals, and announcements will be made as and when details have been worked out. We hope to implement as many of the recommendations as possible. However, let me take the opportunity this afternoon to deal with a number of issues that Members have raised. On exit control measures, RECORD III has recommended the relaxation of exit control measures to make it convenient for NSmen and their families to travel overseas for work and leisure. Some of the recommendations are that: 1.”
“Sir, the presence of US Armed Forces in this region contributes to the stability and security of the region. I think this is something that is welcomed not just by Singapore but also by the other Southeast Asian countries. ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [23rd February 2001]. "That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1st April, 2001 to 31st March, 2002." - [Minister for Finance]. Question again proposed. 12.40 pm”
“If they break our laws, yes. If the US personnel in Singapore break Singapore laws, then they are subject to our laws and they may be prosecuted if the Attorney-General decides that there is a case.”
“Sir, this depends on whether our personnel who are stationed overseas are conducting military exercises.”
“Sir, if I understand Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam correctly, he is asking whether our personnel in the US are subject to the laws in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as I have said, the salient facts of the agreement have already been made public. I do not know what Mr Jeyaretnam is pressing for.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the salient facts of that MOU have already been made public.”
“And at the apex of SAF is the Overseas Scholarships Scheme to attract some of the brightest school leavers to join the SAF. The Overseas Scholarship Scheme is second only in prestige to the President's scholarships, and it is instrumental in ensuring that each year we have a fair share of the national talent pool. Besides the overseas scholarships, we have arranged for other local and overseas awards also to attract bright students to take up military careers. So, Dr Ong can be assured that upon joining the SAF, military personnel can look forward to a challenging and rewarding career. Dr Ong also mentioned his concern that there may not be enough time for commanders to spend time in specific commands because the routes of advancement and their careers are rather short. I would like to assure Dr Ong and Members of this House that this is an area that Mindef pays particular attention to, and routes of advancements are carefully designed to ensure that commanders have sufficient command as well as staff responsibility before they move on to a higher level of command.”
“Sir, Mr Sin Boon Ann raised a matter of the annual report and suggested that certain external members be appointed to look through this report. The Defence Science and Technology Agency Act already provides for the Prime Minister to appoint a Committee to receive and to examine this report, and I think we can leave it to the Prime Minister to ensure that persons of integrity will be appointed to this role. Mr Sin also suggested that the Auditor-General should be appointed to audit the Defence Science and Technology Agency rather than an auditor to be appointed by the Minister for Defence. I think the issue is not so much whether it is the Auditor-General who audits or whether it is any other auditor, but that again this task is done conscientiously by men and women who are independent and take their jobs seriously. I can assure Mr Sin that the people who will be appointed to this task will be such people. Sir, there was another cut by Dr Ong Chit Chung about manpower in the SAF. As my Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence has already noted, wars are not won by technology or by machines but by people. Manpower is our most important asset and Mindef spares no effort to ensure that we are able to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of good people for the SAF. As the Deputy Prime Minister mentioned, the new partnership schemes that were announced recently for military officers and warrant officers are examples of some of the measures that we have undertaken to ensure that the SAF is able to compete effectively in the job market for limited manpower. In addition to this, we have in place many schemes to attract talented people to join the SAF. For example, we offer scholarships.”
“Sir, by its very nature - and the Members have noted this - matters of defence and security must be kept within the realm of secrecy, and cannot be subject to open discussion in public. Public disclosures of details of Mindef's procurement and the SAF's operations will compromise security. It will be prejudicial to the national interest. For this reason, Mindef has always kept details of its finances secret. Mindef has also never published details of its defence procurements. This practice, which is also the case in many other countries, will therefore continue. Nonetheless, Mindef is very conscious of the need to maintain high standards of prudence and accountability. And as I have just mentioned, measures exist to ensure that the defence budget voted by Parliament to Mindef is well used, and that the SAF continues to be an effective force able to defend the country. Within Mindef, there are comprehensive processes and controls to ensure that every defence dollar is well spent. There are also internal checks provided both by Mindef's internal audit department and this is in addition to the external checks by the Auditor-General. Ultimately, the Prime Minister and Cabinet being responsible for Singapore's defence and security will ensure that defence money is channelled to the right projects and procurements. These various checks are a safeguard to ensure that the defence budget is used prudently and responsibly. Sufficient safeguards therefore exist to provide a check and balance for defence spending. The public can rest assured that Mindef and the SAF will continue to maintain high standards of accountability in its operations and processes.”
“When fully implemented, this system would ensure that only trained and certified competent personnel are appointed to handle financial matters and payments can only be made if the claims are handled by certified personnel. In the area of accountability, procurement agencies are now providing annual declarations that they have observed and complied with all procurement policies and procedures. This is in line with the Ministry of Finance's requirement. Sir, in conclusion, I would like to reiterate that there are strong and sound systems of control in place in Mindef. As a large organisation, occasional administrative lapses may happen from time to time. Nonetheless, Mindef is committed to complying with Government procedures in procurement and financial management. We continue to simplify and clarify our internal guidelines, and to take various measures to further strengthen our systems. Sir, Mindef is mindful that it has a big responsibility to ensure that defence funds are fully accounted for and well spent to build up a strong SAF and defence capability. I would like to thank Members for their continued support, and assure them that Mindef will continue to be vigilant and prudent in its financial and procurement activities. Sir, I now move on to the cut by Mr Zulkifli on defence expenditure and also by Mr Sin Boon Ann on accountability and secrecy in the SAF. Both these Members have expressed that they would like to see greater disclosure on the part of Mindef. Mr Zulkifli has suggested that without compromising secrecy, we should have more disclosure on things such as the cost to send troops overseas for training or for in-camp training or to maintain good military relationships with other armed forces.”
“The Auditor-General felt that it was irregular for Mindef to second 19 full-time national servicemen to two companies that were not gazetted as designated organisations for national service under the Enlistment Act. Mindef referred this matter to the Attorney-General for advice. The Attorney-General has confirmed that the secondment and loan of the servicemen to the external agencies were lawful. However, Mindef has returned all payments received for the deployment of the servicemen to the two organisations since the servicemen were in the employment of SAF at the material time. Sir, the Auditor General also reported on several instances of non-recovery of various types of monies, and the failure of Mindef to refund deposits and clear other long outstanding accounts. Mindef has replied to the Auditor-General on these matters. If Members are interested, I will give them a full account upon request. Mindef has investigated these cases and rectified the matters raised. Sir, Dr Ong and Mr Ravindran have also asked what measures Mindef has taken to ensure that such lapses do not recur in future. Mindef has implemented various programmes to enhance the financial and procurement management in Mindef and the SAF. In the area of education and training, Mindef has launched new communication channels to quickly disseminate lessons learnt and best practices to the relevant Mindef and SAF personnel. In addition, all audit findings are circulated to the various commanders so that they can take steps to prevent similar problems occurring in their units. Mindef is also stepping up training on financial and procurement procedures. For finance appointment holders, our aim is for such officers to pass a proficiency test before they are allowed to perform their duties.”
“The project engineer had issued a post-dated acceptance certificate before he physically accepted the goods. The report pointed out that this was a false declaration. Sir, the issue of a post-dated acceptance certificate was a wrong action on the part of the officer. It was not done so much to help the contractor, but it was done for reasons that only the project officer would know. Perhaps it was to expedite payment towards the end of a financial year. However, Mindef has investigated this matter, and found that all the goods under this contract have been delivered and certified to be in good order and condition. We also noted that payment was made only after the goods had been physically inspected, certified and accepted. Mindef has issued instructions prohibiting post-dating of the certificate of acceptance. The Auditor-General also observed that the computation of employer and employee CPF contributions was incorrect. This was due to the different rounding-off method used by Mindef because of a different interpretation of the guidelines. Following the Auditor General's input, Mindef has since amended the computerised payroll programme to apply the rounding-off method adopted by the Central Pay Office. The earlier rounding-off method adopted by Mindef had resulted in an overall net over-contribution of CPF by Mindef of about $613,000 over a period of five years, from 1993 to July 1998. Essentially, for some servicemen, there were over-contributions of about $1 to $2 per serviceman per month. As it was not cost-effective to recover the net over-contribution, Mindef has requested the Ministry of Finance for permission to write off this amount.”
“The Auditor-General reported certain irregularities in contracts that Mindef have entered into with a related company, DSO National Laboratories (DSONL). For example, it said that one contract was signed before the company was incorporated, and that Mindef officers signed several contracts on behalf of the company. It also said that Mindef officers, who were appointed as the company's directors, were also involved in decisions leading to the award of the contracts to the company. These observations imply that because Mindef officers were acting for both parties to the contracts, the dealings were not at arms length. 4.30 pm Sir, these irregularities occurred during the transitional period when the Defence Science Organisation was converted from a Government department to a corporate entity. The formation of a corporate entity meant that extant or existing projects in the department had to be converted overnight into formal contracts between Mindef and the company to ensure the continuity of projects. Mindef officers were involved on both sides of the contracts because DSONL was set up specifically to serve Mindef and the SAF, and Mindef officers were therefore appointed to hold key positions in the company. There was no collusion to award contracts unfairly to the company, nor to bypass tender or other procurement procedures as these contracts were made to regularise work that was already being done by DSONL before its corporatisation. I can therefore assure Mr Sin Boon Ann that this was not due to any cosy relationship between Mindef and DSONL. Sir, the Auditor-General's Report said that Mindef had made a full payment of $976,000 to a supplier for goods that had not been received by Mindef. This matter concerned the purchase of computer equipment.”
“The SAVER fund board had decided that the SAVER funds were to be invested in bonds, equities and cash instruments. Separate accounts would be opened for each category of instruments. At the material time, accounts had been opened with the approval of the Accountant-General for bonds and cash instruments. The funds in question were earmarked for the cash account for investment in cash instruments, that is, this $180 million. They were placed instead in the bond account. However, they were not invested in bonds because the bonds manager at that time had not yet been appointed. Instead, they were invested in fixed deposits, that is, in a cash instrument for two months. The officers in charge had done this because, at that particular time, the bank operating the bond account was able to offer a much more attractive interest rate for fixed deposits compared to the fixed deposit rates offered by other banks. The higher rate earned Mindef more than $400,000, in additional interest over the two months. But the placement of funds earmarked for the cash account into the bond account was wrong. The officers who authorised this transfer have, therefore, been reprimanded for this. However, Mindef would like to point out that the officers were able to transfer the funds into the bond account, instead of the cash account only because both accounts were properly set up with the approval of the Accountant-General. These accounts are subject to the usual financial controls adopted by the Government. The funds in question were, therefore, at all times, accounted for within Mindef and could not have been siphoned off to any unauthorised account outside of Mindef. Secondly, irregularities and contracts awarded to DSO National Laboratories.”
“Sir, I would like first to take the cuts on the Auditor-General and financial procedures in Mindef. I would like to thank Dr Ong Chit Chung, Mr Ravindran and Mr Sin Boon Ann for raising their concerns regarding the Auditor-General's report on Mindef and this opportunity to clarify the issues raised. Mindef takes the Auditor-General's report very seriously. Firstly, I would like to emphasise that in all the breaches raised by the Auditor-General, there was no loss of funds due to the misuse of public funds or fraud. All the breaches have been rectified and all monies were at all times accounted for. Most of the breaches were the result of administrative lapses. Mindef appreciates the Auditor-General's observations and help in discovering these lapses and measures have been taken to ensure that the same problems will not recur. However, in some instances, Mindef felt that the breaches did not have the severe consequential effects noted in the Auditor-General's report. Sir, I would now like to take some time to give a more detailed explanation of the key issues raised by the Auditor-General. Firstly, bank account for deposits of $180 million opened without approval. The Auditor-General's report said that the bank account for three fixed deposits, totalling $180 million, was opened without the approval of the Accountant-General. It is said that this is a serious breakdown in control as funds in the bank could be siphoned off for unauthorised use. This is a fairly complicated case. Allow me to briefly explain the transactions and assure the House that the funds were, at all times, fully accounted for and could not have been siphoned out of Mindef's accounts for unauthorised purposes. The funds in question were part of a SAVER fund.”
“Where public messages by the Government are concerned, Ministries can, within their own budgets, buy air time for advertisements for their own public education programmes and campaigns.”