E.W. Barker
Singapore
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." This is a simple Bill which seeks to amend section 33 of the Land Acquisition Act on the amount of compensation payable to owners of land compulsorily acquired under the Act.”
“For the five-year period from 1st July, 1981 to 30th June, 1986, the HDB demolished a total of 8,098 units. As the HDB's new accounting system was only implemented from 1st April, 1985, the Board does not have ready information on the value of flats demolished prior to 1st April, 1985. RELOCATION OF CREMATORIUMS 4.”
“The HDB did not allocate any MP's office to the previous PAP MPs for Anson and Potong Pasir constituencies. NUMBER OF H.D.B. UNITS DEMOLISHED 3.”
“I would not know. Why don't you ask them? I don't know. Sir, to put things in a nutshell, it is the legal profession amongst all the professions that help in the administration of Singapore. Doctors help to cure you of diseases.”
“I am not saying it's wrong. I am not telling you stories. I am relating. So they decided to take us on. When we went into Select Committee, the first day and the later part of the second day, there was confrontation between the Committee and the lawyers.”
“As the Member for Anson would know, the Minister for Law is not in charge of prosecutions or the conduct of any criminal proceedings in court, nor does he give any directives on these matters.”
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Every one of 2,152 lines we hold for E.W. Barker, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 27 of 44.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, some building inspectors are over-zealous and do their job by applying strict rules, as a result of which complaints come to Members of Parliament. But whenever a house is rebuilt or repaired, one question arises and this sometimes leads to difficulty as to whether or not the landowner's permission and signature should be obtained. The landowner is only too happy to get rid of his tenant or occupier and, in most cases, he will not sign. So we have not applied the rule rigidly here. Members can tell their constituents that, for minor repairs to temporary dwelling houses, these can be approved without the landowner's signature. In addition, applications for reconstruction of temporary houses which are dilapidated - in other words, demolish and rebuild - can also be made and approved without the landowner's permission. But there is one danger to this. In many cases, they say that they are rebuilding the same house, but they do not and then they are in trouble. They do not need the landowner's permission provided they rebuild the same house on the site. If the room is 10 feet by 10 feet make it 10 feet by 10 feet. In that case, you do not need the landowner's permission. But if you are extending the house completely, then you will need the landowner's permission.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am aware of this problem. But responsibility for the drain depends on where the drain is. If it is along a public road, then it is to be maintained by the Government, either the Public Works Department or in some cases, the Ministry of Health, Cleansing Unit. But there may be drains which run through private property, then it would be the duty or the responsibility of the owner of the land to keep them clean and the water flowing. Action can be taken by the Ministry of Health against owners whose drains are clogged and breed mosquitoes. But that is merely a punishing action. To get more positive results perhaps Members of Parliament who have these problems can make applications direct to the Urban and Rural Services Committee which will consider and approve the applications if the funds are available.”
“The Member has made a valid point. In fact, the Urban and Rural Services Committee agrees with this view that when you make up roads to kampong standards, it is better to tar them, even if this costs a little more, than merely to gravel them and spend less, but then you see your money washed away in 18 months. The policy now is to spend more money and tar these roads rather than just make them up with gravel.”
“Street lights in certain areas which are controlled by photo-electric cells may come on and off depending on the darkness or the brightness of the sky. As the times of sunset and sunrise vary during the course of the year, so will those lights come on and off accordingly.”
“I will first deal with the Member for Bukit Panjang. I understand practically the whole stretch of Woodlands Road has been lighted, work having been done towards the end of last year. Apparently now that there are lights, there have been requests for the lights to be made brighter. Perhaps there are not enough lights, but these requests are being considered and brighter lights will be put in when the needs of other areas for street líghts have been satisfied. The Member for Jalan Kayu grumbles about street lights coming on at any time. He has a point, because I myself wonder why sometimes the street lights were on before sunset. Apparently the answer is this. All street lights in Singapore are at present controlled by two types of automatic switches. First, those controlled by electric time clocks are set to switch on at 6.45 p.m. in the evening and switch off at half-past six the next morning. Some of the older type of electric time switches cease to operate when electric supplies are interrupted due to breakdowns, and this affects the time device. Consequently, these clocks have to be reset manually after electricity supplies have been restored. In such circumstances, street lamps may be on when they should be off or vice versa until they are reset. Hence the Member's query and mine. There are apparently 20,000 such time-clock switches in service, and it would cost about $100,000 to replace them with a more modern type of time-clock switch which is not affected by failure of electricity supply. The second type of switches are those controlled by photo-electric cells which are switched on automatically when night falls and switched off with the advent of daylight.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, no doubt the Public Utilities Board and the Public Works Department are under the same Ministry, called the Ministry of Law and National Development. I can assure the Member that these are two separate Ministries - the Public Utilities Board being under the Ministry of Law and the Public Works Department under the Ministry of National Development. The only connection is the Minister. It is not that nothing was done. I told the House just now that even before I was appointed as the Minister in charge of National Development, my predecessor, Mr Lim Kim San, had called a meeting in order to co-ordinate road digging. The Singapore Telephone Board is not under my Ministry, but you can rest assured that the Minister for Communications has given me full powers to deal with the Telephone Board as far as road digging is concerned. In the ultimate result, I am responsible for road digging. As for malpractices, I have not heard of any - there may have been - but if there are, they are dealt with by the Public Works Department. Where the contractor is at fault, he is either suspended for a suitable period or liquidated damages claimed against him. I am afraid I know of no specific cases in the last year. There may be, but I am not aware of any.”
“But if we can meet the question of costs, I would agree with the Member for Sembawang that if all road work can be done at night - and I am told that not all road work can be done at night - inconvenience to the public will be lessened.”
“This happened in the past. I understand from my colleague, the previous Minister for National Development, that when he took over the office of National Development, he had occasion to call a meeting of all the road-diggers - if I may call them such; and he gave them certain instruc tions and asked them to co-ordinate. Apparently they did it with some success, but not sufficient, as far as I was concerned when I took over the Ministry. About two years ago I also had occasion to call a meeting of all the road-diggers. They posed certain questions to me. I directed that once a road was newly surfaced or built, no one was to dig it without the permission of the Director of Public Works. Then the queries came: "What happens if a water main bursts? What happens if an electric cable short-circuits? What happens if there is a gas leak? We cannot wait for the permission of the Director of Public Works to attend to these matters." Anyway, we have settled that, and I have directed that no department is to dig any newly-built road without the permission of the Director of Public Works. Of course, if a gas main is leaking, or water is running out of a pipe, these can be repaired immediately. This has led to some measure of success. So if you see a newly-built road or a newly-surfaced road, and someone comes and digs it the following week, please let me know. The Member for Sembawang also wants road repairing to be done at night. This entails certain problems. It means double pay, and not all types of work can be done at night without bright lights. But there have been certain cases where, to avoid traffic jams in congested parts of the city, work has been done at night. This has been done at the barest minimum.”
“, the P.U.B., and the S.T.B., there was chaos at one time. The P.W.D. would build a road and metal it. Then the following week the P.U.B. would come along and dig it to lay a water pipe; they would then fill it up and metal it. Then on the following week the S.T.B. would come along and dig it up again.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, if I may first deal with the Member for Bukit Ho Swee. He mentioned the constituencies of MacPherson and Mountbatten. I am inclined to ask: What about Toa Payoh or Bukit Ho Swee? Apparently the problem is this. Most of the existing bus shelters were constructed many years ago at a time when traffic conditions were not as bad as they are today. In those days buses were able to stop on the metalled carriage-way without seriously interfering with the flow of traffic. But now we have many more vehicles on the road, and buses cannot stop on the metalled side without blocking vehicles behind them. So as a result they go onto the side of the road. This has caused land adjoining the edge of the carriage-way to be damaged, resulting either in ruts or holes, so that, as the Member said, passengers get wet when they step into puddles. However, the Public Works Department is now constructing more and more proper bus bays and also carrying out rather urgent minor widening of certain parts of the roads for these bus bays. This will convert the land between the bus shelters and the edge of the road into a proper carriage-way, and you can see some in Queenstown and Toa Payoh. We hope to increase them and lessen the plight of passengers on rainy days. If I may now deal with the Member for Sembawang. He grumbles about roads and asks whether there is co-ordination within the P.W.D. about the building or digging of roads. He must not blame the P.W.D. alone, because it is not the P.W.D. alone that digs these roads. The Public Utilities Board also digs roads. They dig roads to lay water and gas pipes or electric cables. Another board that digs roads is the Singapore Telephone Board. They are quite busy in extending telephone services in Singapore. So between the P.W.D.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Car Parks Division has provided some 50 loading and unloading bays at its 174 parking places comprising over 10,000 parking lots. Invariably, all licensed godowns fronting parking places are provided with loading and unloading bays, whilst other individual requests are considered on the merits of each case. On receipt of an individual request, a census is taken to ascertain the frequency of loading and unloading activity and traffic conditions in the street. In areas of exceptionally high frequency of loading and unloading activity, no parking lots are drawn. But I will pass on to the Superintendent of Car Parks the suggestion of the Member for Kampong Kapor.”
“Sir, if it is blackmail and illegal, why appeal to me? Surely a taxi can go into the hotel grounds to bring passengers. Sometimes, it is the other way round. Some taxi drivers extort from passengers. This is one case where the hotels are extorting from taxi drivers. As for parking lots, I think the Member is aware that taxis are not allowed in hourly parking lots. This is prohibited under the Motor Vehicles (Parking Places) Rules, 1959. However, this prohibition has been relaxed in certain circumstances where taxis find it necessary to park within a parking place on payment for reasons other than the purpose of plying for hire during such period. For instance, letting down tourists in shopping areas and having to wait for them. But then when we allow them to do this, cases of abuse arise and, from time to time, have been reported and action has been taken where taxi drivers have tried to ply for hire from parking places. As for providing more taxi stands, we will look into it. But as I have said just now, it is not only a question of parking spaces for taxis but parking spaces for the general public. With the increasing number of vehicles on the road, we need more and more parking spaces.”
“Sir, like the Minister for Communications, I am not aware of this $40 a month fee which has to be paid.”
“Some of my officials think that we should keep cars out of the city and stop them perhaps somewhere near Kallang Park and ask their occupants to come by buses. But I am going into deeper problems and if I do not stop, I will go on to mass transit.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member for Changi asked for more parking places for taxis in hotels. The Ministry of National Development is not in charge of hotel grounds. It is the proprietor of the hotel that is in charge of the grounds. But if there is space outside the hotel on the main road, then we will provide spaces if available. I do not know whether the Member for Changi has specific instances of any particular hotel in mind. But if particulars are given to me, I will ask the Superintendent of Car Parks to look into the matter in order to provide more parking spaces. The Member for Kampong Kapor wants to know whether the policy of providing car parks is to make money or to ease congestion. The answer is the latter. To give you an example. We have to impose a very small parking fee for motor-cycles and scooters. This is not to make money but because motor-cycles and scooters were parked all over the town in a haphazard fashion, even along passage-ways and under buildings. There were not enough parking spaces for scooters in the central area of the city. As a net result, we had to impose fees for parking. The object is to see that they are parked in an orderly way. Certainly the five or ten cents charge has not been put on as a tax measure. But with the growth of traffic in the city and the increase in the number of vehicles, I am afraid we have to extend the places where we allow cars to park. The underground car park at Raffles Place is full every day, and so is the multi-storey car park in Telok Ayer. We intend to build a few more car parks and we are hoping that private enterprise will also build some. The whole object is to provide adequate parking spaces and to ease traffic congestion.”
“Since 196l, a charge of half a cent has been made for vaccinating each day-old chick. This charge was merely extended from a day-old chick to adult birds from the 1st January this year. This is a small charge which I think the farmers can well afford to pay. The charge of half a cent for vaccinating poultry at the premises of the farmer is really not an exercise to make money, but to encourage the farmers to do the inoculation themselves and not to rely on the Department. In fact, a short course has been conducted to train all farmers who wish to learn the inoculation technique, but some of them perhaps cannot be bothered about the course and hence the small charge. 4.15 p.m.”
“If supply exceeds demand, prices go down. You do not need to be an economist to know this. But when the price of eggs goes up, I have to answer questions in Parliament from Members who want to protect the consumers. Consumers grumble that the price of eggs has gone up. When the price of eggs goes down, I have to answer questions from Members who represent the farmers. I am afraid there is not much the Government can do to regulate the price of farm products. We have tried co-operative societies, but they have been a dismal failure. Do farmers need subsidies? If so it is the Minister for Finance who will have to decide whether or not a subsidy should be given and, if so, how much should be given. The Government is not abandoning the farmer. As far as possible, we want to be self-sufficient in food. I say "as far as possible", and we render considerable assistance to farmers. I think Members know that the Primary Production Department is concentrating its efforts on developing intensive farming techniques such as hydroponics, mushroom culture, broiler production, intensive pig production and so on, because of the shortage of land. I understand that many farms have now increased their production without much additional land. I can assure both Members that the effort to encourage farming will continue, but I would agree with them that there is still room for improvement. As for chickens, half a cent per dose of vaccine was charged for vaccination of chickens with effect from 1st January this year. In addition, a service fee of half a cent per chick will be charged for carrying out the inoculation at the farmer's premises with effect from 1st April this year. The charging of a fee for chick inoculation is not new.”
“The Member for Havelock also wants to know why work stopped at the Jurong Abattoir on the 5th and 6th of August. This was due to a misunderstanding between the officer-in-charge of the Jurong Abattoir and some private butchers. In order to prevent vandalism and mischief in the abattoir, no private butchers or workmen were allowed to enter the grounds until a few hours before slaughtering began. Owing to a misunderstanding on the agreed time for entry, some private butchers and workmen who came earlier, were refused permission to enter, and so they made a big fuss. As a result, their colleagues decided to stop work. The misunderstanding was subsequently settled and the abattoir resumed operation on the 7th August. I will now deal with the Members for Jurong and Sembawang who proceeded to tell us so much about farming. May I say at the outset that there is a shortage of land in Singapore. Land is getting scarcer and scarcer in spite of our efforts to reclaim land, and it is for this reason that when we resettle farmers it is not possible to allocate to them more than two acres. Both the Members, of course are rather concerned with the plight of the farmers. The Member for Jurong says that they have suffered in silence for ten years. I disagree. The Member for Sembawang has pointed out that they export annually to the tune of $250 million. If that is true, they cannot be suffering. If they are, they are certainly not suffering in silence, because they have good spokesmen, for example, the two Members here. The Members main grouse is the price. In answer to their questions, I have said before and I am afraid I have to repeat myself if they want to repeat themselves here, that prices are regulated by demand and supply. If demand exceeds supply, prices go up.”
“Sir, may I first deal with the queries from the Member for Havelock. The Jurong Fishing Port and Production Market began operation in February 1969, a little more than a year ago. All the 65 licensed fish merchants previously operating in Ellenborough and Clyde Terrace Markets had removed to Jurong. The Fisheries Office at Telok Ayer Basin was also removed to Jurong on the same day. I am happy to say that both the Fishing Port and the Auction Market are now operating very smoothly. All the fish merchants have formed themselves into one association. Meetings are held regularly between the association and the Primary Production Department to ensure that any problem that may arise is given prompt attention. Generally, the fishermen, the fish merchants and the retailers have adapted themselves very well to the new environment. They have organised themselves in groups to travel daily to Jurong. Each night about 3,000 to 4,000 of them congregate at the fish markets from one o'clock in the morning to about six o'clock the same morning to conduct their business. A new car park will be opened next month to reduce the problem of traffic congestion. Since the opening of the port, many foreign vessels have landed fish for sale in Jurong and many more joint fishing ventures have been launched to catch fish for sale. Ice plants, cold storage and processing facilities are being provided in an area of about 40 acres to serve the fishermen and fishing vessels. There has been a marginal increase in retail prices of fish, but it is hoped that with the increased landings, the prices of fish will return to normal and may even be lower than before, if an abundant supply of fish is available.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, all I can say is that before a petrol station is sited anywhere, the Traffic Department of the Police is consulted. The Member for Delta seems to be getting heated over her constituency. May I point out that most of the Housing Board flats in Singapore have been built in Delta Constituency. If she is looking for more playground for the children, then she should apply to the Chairman of the Housing and Development Board. This is being done in Queenstown where the Board is providing a park and five swimming pools, and also in Toa Payoh 3.40 p.m.”
“Our Party Branch is just across it and I am quite familiar with the locality. There are already four petrol kiosks in that area, all near together within a short stretch of Havelock Road. The traffic along Havelock Road is congested. Who can say that it is not? There have already been four cases of children who were run over by cars. Is this not a traffic problem?”
“We are now in the process of developing Covent Gardens. Most of the people have shifted. There was an unfortunate case of a fire there which took place during the rather dry spell Singapore had to undergo in February when we hardly had any rain for 32 days. It was a fire from a rubbish pile. The evidence does not show who started this fire, whether it was the squatters remaining there, or the contractor as alleged by the Member for Delta. But she feared that the people might think that it was the Government that was aiding and abetting the contractor to start the fire. Surely the Member should know better. These are rumours circulated by our enemies. During Chap Goh Meh there were dozens of fires in Singapore. Surely the Government did not start every one of them! But I will look into the complaint by the Member for Delta and try to ensure that no other fire takes place in Covent Gardens. Madam Chan Choy Siong(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to clarify one point. This is about the plot of land which has been used for a petrol kiosk. The Minister has said that the Government can make use of any piece of land whenever it wants to. Naturally it can. When it wants to make use of a piece of land, it can take it at any time. But then it should not forget that when it came to power, one of its fundamental policies was to provide more recreational grounds for our children. I would like to ask the Minister whether, if a petrol kiosk is built there, there will be a recreational ground for the many people who are now living there in high-rise flats. Of course, no one will oppose the Government's action to make use of the land there. But what I want to say is that land in that area is limited. Has the Minister seen that piece of land?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I first deal with the last point raised by the Member for Delta. I have not been able to follow her line of argument. She referred to one petrol station. She said that it was built on land used by children to play on and, in the same breath, she said that the P.A.P. was breaking its promises to the people. One piece of land and Government is breaking its promises! I do not see the logic of the argument. These are the facts. The Member for Delta and certain of her constituents did appeal to the Ministry of National Development not to allow a petrol station to be built on a small site of land. They raised two objections. First, on traffic grounds. Secondly, they alleged that when they purchased the houses, it was on condition that that land would be reserved as a children's playground. Investigation has shown that there were no traffic problems and, second, there was ample other space for the children to play on, and that there was no promise or undertaking that that piece of land was to be reserved for recreation. The appeal was rejected and I have already written to the Member for Delta. I am surprised she has not received the letter. Probably it is on the way to her. She asked why the Government did not consult the people when it wanted to sell its own land. Why should the Government consult the people when it is the owner? May I point out to the Member for Delta that the money from the petrol station goes towards the subsidy of Housing Board flats. It does not go into the pockets of members of the Housing and Development Board. It is used to subsidise rents. The Member also referred to Covent Gardens. I remember answering her question in Parliament as to when the Government was going to develop Covent Gardens.”
“A number of my constituents came to see me last week, saying that the only open space which can be utilised as a recreational ground had been sold by the Housing Board to an oil company for the construction of a petrol kiosk. After listening to this complaint, I made investigations, and I feel that such a small space should have been reserved for the people in the area for the purpose of recreation. 3.30 p.m. Children can walk and play around there because there is no other better open ground in that particular area for recreation. Since the density of the population there is high and there is a lot of traffic, that place is not suitable for a petrol kiosk. The Ministry of Law and National Development has sold the space to a petrol kiosk and, in doing so, it has taken away a small piece of ground which the people could have used for recreation. Mr Speaker, Sir, this is the people's fundamental right and the land should not have been sold to the petrol kiosk. It should have been reserved for the use of our people. The Government did not seek their views when it sold the piece of land. The building of a petrol kiosk there constitutes a danger to the lives of the people. They would like to have that piece of land for their use. They have appealed to the Citizens' Consultative Committee to help them in this matter and they have asked me to convey their views to the Minister. But until today they have not received any reply. They do not know what the Ministry of Law and National Development is going to do. I hope the Minister will answer in great detail the two points which I have raised just now.”
“After the fire in my constituency, I saw certain officials in the Resettlement Department and they promised to look into this matter. They have spoken to the sub-contractors and have warned them that if they persist in starting fires, they will be punished and fined. I would like to know whether the Ministry has made investigations, because there is evidence that the fires were started by these sub-contractors. I hope the Minister will give a detailed explanation so that I can report to my constituents. Sir, another point I want to raise concerns recreational grounds for people staying in housing estates. When the People's Action Party came to power, it was one of the Party's aims to provide these facilities for the people in housing estates, because they were then staying in "pigeon-holes" and were restricted in their movements. This is not the best environment to build socialism and cannot be permitted by our Party which professes to be a socialist Party. Therefore, we resolved to do away with the then Singapore Improvement Trust and set up what is now known as the Housing and Development Board. The main function of the Board is to provide houses for our people, and its housing achievements have brought honour and won praise for our country from most of the countries in South-east Asia. Many of our people are now living in flats built by the Housing and Development Board. Formerly, we had many empty spaces or grounds near housing estates which could be utilised for recreational purposes. But in the last year or two, these grounds have been sold to oil companies for the construction of petrol stations. The promises that our Party and our Government made to the people during the elections have been forgotten or changed.”
“The place at which this took place is a historical spot in Singapore called Covent Gardens, and it has a history going back more than 100 years. The Housing and Development Board has plans to develop this area. Many attap houses in this area were demolished and the people had to move out. But there are still a small number of people who for various reasons have not moved out as yet. The Housing Board has already awarded the tender to sub-contractors to clear this area. The sub-contractors have taken the good and usable articles from the area and have burnt the unwanted household furniture and articles. These sub-contractors are only concerned with making money and are not bothered with the lives and property of the people. When these unwanted articles are burnt, the people who are still staying in this area are in danger of losing their lives and property if there is a fire. Sir, this is only one example from my constituency. I understand there were two or three such incidents caused by the burning of unwanted articles on the site. These fires endangered the lives of the people living in the area. Although we may regard this as a small matter, our citizens may consider it as a matter of great importance. They are not so much concerned with the sub-contractors as with the Government. They think that this is a deliberate attempt by the Government to set fire to the houses on the site which is required for urban renewal so that the Government can proceed with urban development. So many fires of this nature have taken place and I have not seen the Minister taking action against the sub-contractors whose actions have endangered the lives and property of the people. This is not a small matter. It is a matter of great importance.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I did not say that it is the duty of the Member for Paya Lebar to evict these people. I asked for his assistance. The trouble with Paya Lebar Road is that most of the squatters there do not want to move. All they want to do is to move backwards from the road. They still want to be on the road front. In many cases, we have allowed them to demolish part of the premises and reset their houses backwards. But, in some cases, there are already houses behind them whose owners will not move. So we reach a position where the squatters will not move. But wherever possible, we allow these people to reset their houses backwards so that they are still on Paya Lebar Road. This also happened in respect of the widening of Upper Serangoon Road. Mr Tay Boon Too(In Mandarin): Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply and the decision to allow the residents at Paya Lebar Road to reset their houses backwards. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Madam Chan Choy Siong (Delta)(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head 1201 be reduced by $100*. (* The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr Low Yong Nguan). Sir, under this amendment, I wish to raise two points. Firstly, a few unpleasant developments have taken place in the implementation of our urban renewal schemes. When the Resettlement Department takes action to resettle people, there are some residents who are not resettled. According to the usual practice, sub-contractors are asked to tender for the demolition of shacks, and the clearance of the area. This has given rise to some unpleasantness. Let me quote an example which took place not very long ago.”
“We do issue departmental circulars insisting that civil servants treat members of the public fairly and urgently, certainly without rudeness, but I cannot do anything, neither can the Permanent Secretary do anything, unless specific allegations with full particulars like date, place, names of persons involved are brought to our attention. In this connection, may I refer to the statement made by the Member for Punggol, who is not here now, when during the debate on the Estimates of the Ministry of Finance, he referred to a case of rudeness in the Public Utilities Board. I have looked into it. Apparently this happened more than two years ago. There was a small incident which was due to some misunderstanding. The Member for Punggol turned up at the Public Utilities Board the next day. The matter was settled to the satisfaction of all parties, including the Member for Punggol. I am surprised that the Member should have come here two years later to complain of a little incident that had happened in the Public Utilities Board such a long time ago. 3.15 p.m. I think Members will remember that when the People's Action Party first came to power, civil servants were so afraid to move because of pressure put on them by politicians. But I put it to you that if the Director of Public Works and the General Manager of the Public Utilities Board have to deal daily with complaints from 58 Members of Parliament, they will not be able to do any other work. So I would suggest that if you gentlemen have any complaints, you address them either to me or to my Parliamentary Secretary (National Deveopment Division) or my Parliamentary Secretary (Law Division).”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member for Paya Lebar has for some time now been very concerned about the widening of Paya Lebar Road from its junction with Bartley Road to its junction with Airport Road. I think he admits that there is a need to widen the road and, as a result, people must shift, but we have not evicted any of the persons occupying houses along the road without any notice. We have given them ample time but some squatters are still there. As a result, the road has been widened in parts but the widening has not been completed yet. If I may cite the figures, 298 squatters or occupiers were served with notices of eviction, of whom only 144 have been cleared. Another 154 units of houses still remain to be cleared. No one likes to shift, so they approached their Member of Parliament. He has written me several letters and these have been given careful consideration by the Ministry, otherwise those 154 squatters would not be there today. I appeal to the M.P. to use his good influence and see what he can do to help evict the 154 squatters. The Member for Paya Lebar also complains about rudeness in the Land Office. I have said time and again in Parliament that for Back-benchers to come here and make general allegations of rudeness does not get us anywhere. If the Member knows the facts of a certain case where a civil servant has been rude to a member of the public, let us have the full particulars and the matter will be inquired into, and that civil servant will be dealt with if he is wrong. But to make general allegations of rudeness here takes it no further.”
“Under our system of government, they are completely independent of the Executive. Our laws are printed in English, and the English word "Judge" or "Magistrate" is still being used in many other countries - Malaysia, India, Ceylon. So I do not think it has a colonial flavour; at least not the English word. The Member has also suggested that more publicity should be given on T.V. and over the radio to certain Bills passed in this House, e.g., the Abortion Bill. Somehow I feel this query should have been directed to the Minister for Culture. But, I, for one, feel that sufficient publicity is already being given in four languages on Television Singapore and over Radio Singapore. You get it in the news bulletins, and there is a special half-hour where all the proceedings in Parliament are reported. What I fear is that if we have much more publicity on T.V. and over the radio, resulting in a cutting down of entertainment time, then people will get fed up and turn to some other channel or station.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I first deal with the queries from the Member for Mountbatten? He cited a few cases of resettled persons having to be resettled again. It is true that a few dispossessed families have been subjected to clearance action for a second time. This is indeed regrettable, but, unfortunately, not always avoidable. The Housing and Development Board does take care not to rehouse dispossessed families in an area likely to be affected by development. To do otherwise would be foolish and only add to the already considerable resettlement problems of the Board. The Member can rest assured that there is co ordination between the various departments of the Board over matters pertaining to rehousing and redevelopment. But as I said just now, sometimes a second resettlement is unavoidable. To give an example. Before we separated from Malaysia, we rehoused certain farmers in Choa Chu Kang and Jurong. As a result of our separation and the build-up of our armed forces, more land has had to be acquired for purposes of the Ministry of Defence, e.g., S.A.F.T.I. As a net result, farmers whom we had settled years ago have had to shift and be resettled, much to their annoyance, of course, as it causes a lot of inconvenience. This is one example where such resettlement for a second time was unavoidable. Sir, if I may now go on to certain queries from the Member for Delta regarding the Ministry of Law. I understood her to say that the Chinese translation Kuan - I hope I have pronounced it correctly - of the English word "Judge" or "Magistrate" has a colonial flavour. Not being a Chinese scholar, I cannot agree or disagree with her. But I would like to point out to Members of this House that Judges and Magistrates do not come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Law.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, at present the entire length of Jalan Bahar, that is to say, from its junction with Jurong Road to its junction with Choa Chu Kang Road, has a 24-foot wide carriage-way and this carriage-way is considered adequate at the moment for the present volume of vehicular traffic. The second carriageway reserved will, therefore, not be constructed for the present or in the immediate future. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1970, TO 31ST MARCH, 1971 Order read for resumed consideration in Committee of Supply [5th Allotted Day]. Resumption of debate on Question (24th March, 1970), "That the sum to be allocated for Head 1201 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 100l."-[Mr Ho Kah Leong]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 2.33 p.m. Head 1201 (contd.)-”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, active consideration is now being given by Government to extend the parliamentary premises, and the P.W.D. building would be an ideal building for such extension. But in that event the Attorney-General will have to move out again. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1970, TO 31ST MARCH, 1971 Order read for resumed consideration in Committee of Supply [4th Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 2.38 p.m. Head 0902 -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, arrangements have been made for the Attorney-General's Chambers to occupy the entire first floor of the Public Works Department building at High Street, when that Department moves to its new office at Mount Erskine sometime this year. This move will enable the Attorney-General and his staff to be provided with better and more adequate office accommodation.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Primary Production Department is essentially a technical department whose efforts are directed towards assisting farmers to produce better livestock and better crops. Export promotion is not one of its functions. However, the Department is in constant touch with the Economic Development Board, Intraco, and exporting firms to encourage export of our livestock products. The most important prerequisite of export promotion is, of course, to maintain a high standard of our products. Towards this end, the Primary Production Department insists on certain veterinary health standards to ensure that poultry and other livestock products are wholesome and that processing and canning factories comply with certain hygienic standards. As a result, our poultry products are allowed entry into and exported to several countries, like Australia, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S CHAMBERS (Office accommodation) 4. Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Minister for Law and National Development whether there are any plans to provide better office accommodation for the Attorney-General and his staff than the offices they are currently occupying.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there are plans for extending the length of the runway. In the long term, there is also a plan to build a second runway parallel to and to the west of the existing runway. This proposal was recommended by the Airport consultants to be constructed by 1982. This is still under examination as there is also a proposal to extend the Airport at Changi. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1970, TO 31ST MARCH 1971 Order read for resumed consideration in Committee of Supply [3rd Allotted Day]. Resumption of debate on Question (20th March, 1970), "That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1001."- [Madam Chan Choy Siong]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 2.41 p.m. Head 0701 (cont.) -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there are no immediate major development proposals in the Paya Lebar Constituency other than proposals for extending and improving Paya Lebar International Airport.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the hawker centre of Jalan Pipit costs $312,000. It is not being demolished but renovated at a cost of $55,000. This is to provide an increase in the number of stalls from 174 to 220, provide mosaic tiling to the ground floor as the cement floor cannot withstand severe wear and tear, and introduce a closed-drainage system as the present open-drainage system is not very satisfactory. The Housing and Development Board is also building another single-storey cooked-food centre adjoining the present two-storey hawker centre at a cost of about $200,000 to provide 40 cooked-food stalls. This is part of the Board's programme to provide sufficient permanent accommodation for hawkers within housing estates. PAYA LEBAR CONSTITUENCY (Development proposals) 4. Mr Tay Boon Too asked the Minister for Law and National Development whether and what development plans the Government has for the Paya Lebar Constituency, especially the area bounded by Airport Road, Kim Chuan Road and the Upper Paya Lebar Road.”
“Unless the cesspits are cleared from time to time, the manure will overflow into the streams. So this is a continuous maintenance problem called an anti-pollution measure. It has nothing to do with the Government pollution measures which we are thinking of now -- air pollution, water pollution and so on. This is pollution which has been in the farms in Seletar for many years. We build the reservoir and we use water from the streams. We therefore have to ensure that the water is clean. It may interest the Member for Kallang to know that these eight streams can supply on an average of two million gallons of water a day for Seletar Reservoir. These are only the eight streams. The water, of course, also goes into the main catchment area. It may interest the Member further to know that Seletar Reservoir has, during the last nine months, provided 4,000 million gallons of water for use in Singapore. The Member also raised the question of - 6.35 p.m.”
“Sir, the Member for Kallang had just one simple question to ask, and whilst asking this question he took the opportunity to tell everyone his own views about pollution. The facts are simple and, as the Member himself puts it, the Minister for Finance does not just dish out $176,000 to every Tom, Dick and Harry. The newly-constructed Seletar Reservoir impounds water not only from its own catchment area, which is a protected area, but also from eight neighbouring streams. They are Sembawang, Sembawang Kechil, Simpang Kiri, Bukit Mandai, Mandai, Mandai Kechil, Pang Sua and Peng Siang. Water from each of these eight streams is pumped into the reservoir. I say "pumped" because the streams are at a lower level than the reservoir, and in order to get the water in the streams up into the reservoir, pressure by way of pumps is used. The catchment area of these eight streams is about 8,000 acres and this area is completely unprotected and is inhabited by farmers and squatters. A considerable amount of vegetable farming and pig and poultry rearing is done. As a result, the water from these streams could be polluted, so that when Seletar Reservoir was constructed, we had to build 2,778 water-seal latrines and 2,297 cesspits. A total of 361 pigsties were resited and 692 pigsties demolished in the eight catchment areas. The pigsties could pollute the water in the reservoir. Hence the water-seal latrines and cess pits. The sum of $176,000 provided under subhead 2352 will meet 50 per cent of the cost of purchase of 16 galley emptiers which are needed to dislodge pig manure from the cesspits and dispose of it at the nearest sewerage treatment works. The other 50 per cent of the cost will be paid by the Public Utilities Board.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, traffic conditions are getting worse in Singapore. This provision looks after damage to private vehicles caused by Government vehicles. As the Member for Katong will be interested in the figures for last year, the Government paid a sum of $49,739 as compensation for damage caused by the 607 Government vehicles which were involved in accidents. But these vehicles are knocked, too, and the Government recovered as compensation for damages caused to Government vehicles a total sum of $23,375. The Member can rest assured that circulars are sent out to Government departments to make sure that drivers take care and follow road regulations. Where an accident occurs as a result of the negligence of the driver employed by the Government, and if the Attorney-General thinks that a prosecution should be brought, it is brought. On the other hand, the facts may not warrant a prosecution but may warrant disciplinary action to be taken against drivers of Government vehicles. In that case, disciplinary action is taken. But I would agree with the Member that drivers of Government vehicles should set the example in Singapore.”
“And the Board has suggested that the Member of Parliament for the constituency, a representative of the Board, and a member of the Citizens' Consultative Committee of the constituency, should sit as members of this committee. I hope that Members of this House, in whose constituency there are many housing estates, will give every assistance to the committee about to be formed.”
“I would remind Members, firstly, of the sports complex at Queenstown, which is at the moment under construction. The Board is spending $2,000,000 on this complex. It will be completed by July this year and will have five swimming pools. Another particular item is the reservation of 40 acres of land at Toa Payoh for the construction of another sports complex. Work has not yet started, but it will be done so that the younger children will have more playgrounds, and the older ones will have basket-ball courts. The Board has been very conscious of the needs of the people living in flats, and in every housing estate places are reserved not only for shops but markets and stalls and even cinemas. Sometimes light and clean industries are provided in order to provide employment. Now we come to the little details about keeping common corridors and lifts clean. It would be very expensive, from the Board's point of view, to provide a liftman. I am sure Members will agree with me that this is a process of education, but one thing we have done, and which has resulted in cleaner homes and cleaner estates, is the sale of the estates. A man who owns his own home sees to it that it is clean. He sees to it that the common corridors are clean. He sees to it that the lifts are not dirty. Hence, one of the reasons for encouraging home ownership. To meet the specific suggestions of both the Members for Bukit Panjang and Katong, the Board will soon be creating committees of representatives in two or three blocks in each and every one of our eleven housing estates. 3.45 p.m. There will be one committee for one block.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first, may I thank both Members for their kind words and then attempt to meet their criticisms or perhaps suggestions. Sir, may I say that the Housing and Development Board has been very conscious of the social conditions which have come about through living in flats, some of which are high-rise. In 1966, a sample survey was taken in some estates and the net result was a report prepared by Mr Stephen H. K. Yeh and Mr Lee Yoke San in 1968 on housing conditions in Singapore. This report dealt with all the trends and implications, and I would commend it to both Members. Perhaps I could touch on some of its conclusions. Sir, I quote at page 28 of the report: `For the first time in Singapore, living in these high-rise fiats has created a new way of life for a significant proportion of the population. Social change, as reflected in people's lives, is the result of the inter-play of physical, social and individual factors and, therefore, both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of living have to he studied together, if comprehensive knowledge is to be gained. Second, at the present time, there are some 200,000 people living in the congested central area of 3 1/2- square miles, most of which is scheduled for slum clearance, and the population reallocated to public housing in the interest of sound land-use policy, better social welfare and general economic development. In addition, the social structure of slums deserves attention And they go on and on. The Housing and Development Board is acting in accordance with the recommendations made in this report and has made some plans to improve the living conditions of tenants in the Housing and Development Board estates.”
“Mr Speaker. Sir, electricity supply to the area between 1 1/2 m.s, and 1 3/4 m.s. Jalan Ulu Sembawang is included in the Mandai-Tekong Village scheme which covers a large area in the three constituencies of Bukit Panjang, Nee Soon, and Sembawang. Construction work commenced early last month and the whole scheme is expected to be completed before the end of the year. CLEARANCE AND RE-SITING OF HAWKERS (Particulars) 8. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Health how many hawkers were cleared and re-sited in 1969; which are the areas involved; whether any expenditure has been incurred by the Hawkers Branch; what and where are the areas, if any, at which his Ministry intends to re-site those hawkers; and whether any assistance will be given, and in what form.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the four blocks of three-storey former S.I.T. flats comprising 72 units of three-room flats along Old Airport Road will be demolished for the development of a two-storey Hawkers' Emporium with 300 stores to relocate the hawkers on both sides of the road and around the market. A high-rise block of 288 units of three-room flats will be built above the emporium. It is proposed to offer these flats for sale. The 72 families affected by the demolition of these four blocks of flats are being offered alternative accommodation in accordance with, as far as is possible, their choice. So far, nine families have purchased flats from the Housing and Development Board and 27 families have been rehoused in alternative accommodation in Housing and Development Board flats. All the families affected will be given priority to purchase the three-room improved flats to be built on the site. There is at present no other proposal to redevelop Old Kallang Airport Estate. ELECTRICITY FOR JALAN ULU SEMBAWANG 7. Mr Teong Eng Siong asked the Minister for Law and National Development whether and when it is proposed to supply electricity to the area between 1 1/2 m.s. and 1 3/4 m.s. Jalan Ulu Sembawang in the Sembawang Constituency.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Prime Minister, I name the 17th March, 1970, for the Second Reading of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Housing and Development Board is prepared, subject to certain conditions, to allow the down payment for the purchase of a flat by a civil servant who is approaching retirement to be deferred and to be deducted from the gratuity payable to him on retirement. However, section 11 of the Pensions Ordinance, 1956, does not allow the assignment or the transfer of the gratuity except for certain specified purposes. With the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, it is proposed to form a working cornmittee of officials to formulate a scheme to enable civil servants on the verge of retirement to make use of their gratuities in order to purchase Housing and Development Board flats. 3.30 p.m.”
“The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law and National Development (National Development Division) (Mr Ho Cheng Choon) (for the Minister for Law and National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, up to 31st December, 1969, 20,357 farms with a farming population of 53,291 persons were registered under the Farm Licensing Scheme. Out of this, 37,025 persons were working full-time on the farms and 16,266 persons part-time. Licensed farmers affected by clearance are given monetary compensation but not always allocated land. This is because of the scarcity of suitable agricultural land.”
“Sir, the first case was in 1967 in Changi, where a scheme to get electricity supply to a kampong at Siak Kuan Road, off the 9th milestone, Changi Road, was approved under stage 6 of the rural electrification programme. However, as a result of the landowner's objection, section 15 (2) (a) of the Public Utilities Ordinance, 1963, had to be invoked before the scheme was implemented. The second case was when a landowner at Jalan Payoh Lai objected to overhead mains being strung within his property. A notice under the same section of the Ordinance was subsequently issued and work was completed in December last year. In the third case, a land-owner of a coconut plantation, off Holy Innocents Lane in Punggol, refused to give permission for the installation of overhead lines but agreed to the laying of under-ground cables. The matter was reported to the Urban and Rural Services Committee and the Citizens' Consultative Committee, Punggol, to use their good offices to secure the necessary way-leave but without any success. A notice was therefore issued under the relevant section and work has now been completed. FARMING LICENSING SCHEME (Land for farmers affected by clearance) 16. Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for Law and National Development how many farmers in the Republic have been registered under the Farming Registration Scheme up to the latest convenient date; and whether those farmers will be considered for land allocation when they are affected by clearance.”