Fong Sip Chee
Singapore
“These include the flyovers at Paya Lebar Way, Aljunied Road, and various pedestrian overhead bridges. Their design and erection procedures were all found to be safe. The PWD will in future require all contractors to adopt erection procedures with two or more independent safety systems.”
“Sir, the Museum has been out of the fishy business for quite some time already. Since the establishment of the Science Centre, I believe that all the natural history exhibits have been transferred to the Science Centre in Jurong where they are properly displayed in a better environment. The role of the Museum has changed.”
“Mr Ho See Beng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry, with reference to his recent speech regarding increase in water consumption and the possible increase in water rates, whether there is no way of reducing water consumption without raising water charges, and whether he is aware that, as the Public Utilities Board has not ruled out t…”
“The Member for Thomson is absolutely right in his call for the insurance companies to be more active in the area of workers' protection rather than be the most passive party by writing out insurance policies. The Government does the legislation and enforcement. The insurance companies just write out policies.”
“We have also conducted a three-month health education programme, between November 1980 and January 1981, for deep-sea fishermen to educate them on the hazards of using compressed air and the precautions to take. A total of 352 fishermen have undergone this programme. The Ministry will continue to monitor the situation.”
“Sir, the proposed functions of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health are training, consultancy and research in industrial safety and health. A study of how such functions are discharged in some developed and developing countries started in April 1980.”
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“Mr Speaker, Sir, I must thank the Member for Moulmein for his personal compliment given me. But I feel that my staff who have spent so much time and effort in this should be congratulated for controlling industrial accidents in Singapore. May I at the outset take this opportunity to clarify one or two points. There has been some misconception about the term "industrial accidents". Various figures were quoted in the press from time to time. In fact, "industrial accident" means those accidents reportable under the Factories Act only, and not all other forms of accidents involved during employment which I will broadly classify as "occupational accidents". Industrial accident is not that serious as one would imagine if one were to compare the figures with the number of occupational accidents. In fact, there had been occupational accidents in Singapore ever since Sir Stamford Raffles set foot on Singapore soil. I do not know whether any accident occurred during his landing. Sir, I am pleased to note that the NTUC has strengthened the Occupational Health and Safety Committee. This will indeed be a strong arm which can assist the Ministry to combat the common problem of industrial accidents. Unfortunately, the NTUC and the Ministry of Labour happen to be the orlly two organised bodies that are really tackling the problem. There seems to be an absence of a similar form of organisation on the part of employers, although much lip-service has been paid by employers all this while. The Member for Moulmein is quite correct in stating that in the construction industry the accident rate is high. I am afraid I have to agree with him, much to the dismay of the irresponsible employers.”
“The Ministry of Education stands indicted, For those who are still in doubt that the Ministry is actually in such a bad shape, further evidence is herewith provided. SBS was in such a mess that we had to move in a Government Team of Officials. The Ministry of Education has just received a Government Team of top Administrators. With this injection of new vigour and fresh blood, I am sure Hon. Members in this House and all parents will share with me the hope, even that vain hope, that the Senior Minister of State, who by his public confession is an administrator and not a politician, will have the stamina to continue his good work in clearing up the mess, so that the parents, teachers, principals and the students can be spared the agony of being guinea-pigs for so many years to the fantasies of the arm-chair idealists, May I conclude on this lighter note: `A new broom sweeps clean, but the old one knows where the dirt is,' 6.52 p.m.”
“Fact: There is now better living and study environment, HDB flats are going up every 30 minutes or so, better nutrition, better teaching aids, educational television, extra-curricular activities, better syllabus (so it is claimed) and better text books. Why and how come? Question (4): The parents have not done their bit? Fact: This generation of parents are better educated than the previous generation. They can offer better help and guidance in their children's work, But what happens to the other half of the day when the child is not in school and supposed to be at home? Both of his or her parents are at work contributing to the GNP, What about a full-day session to keep them off the streets and confine them to an environment more conducive to study? At the moment, a number of schools are running on a one-session basis and below the normal enrolment. Perhaps, this is one pilot project the Ministry of Education can attempt. Question (5): Once out of school, the children will revert back to their dialects, how can they improve their literacy? This is a very common question being asked all the time. Fact: This has been so for the last 1 50 years since the first school was built in Singapore. Did not the Ministry take this into consideration when they decide on the contents of the school syllabus? Question (6): Are we going through a transitional period in our educational development? Fact: In a recent informal conversation with an Education Ministry luminary, I was told that our educational system is going through a transitional period, I salute him for his courage in defending his Ministry, but after 17 years since 1959, are we still in transition? I wonder when this transition will end. Conclusion: As in Mathematics, the Q.E,D, to these questions is obvious.”
“Let me quote two minor examples: Hygiene was removed from the curriculum to save time for other subjects; but it had to be reintroduced later under the name of Health Science after the outbreak of a number of infectious diseases; Civics was regarded as a complete waste of time but suddenly someone rediscovers its value, and of late it has also acquired a new name -Education for Living. Sometimes I mistake it for "Education for the Living". This on-off-on-off merry-go-round must stop. May I liken to a little note which I wrote recently to describe a certain situation, It says: `Re the cancellation of the last order, please note that this cancellation has now been cancelled.' What has gone wrong? It is easy to attach blame on others, but let us examine the following to see how our educationists fared in exonerating themselves: Question (1): Are not the principals to be blamed? Fact: This generation of principals are put there in their places by our own administration. They are often only the executors of policies decided by the Ministry headquarters. They are not consulted in the policy formulation process. This situation is compounded by having to implement without detailed guidelines on the new policy. Question (2): Are the teachers to be held responsible? Fact: The bulk of the teaching profession are graduates of our own Teachers' Training College or what is now known as the Institute of Education (another `change soup no change medicine' exercise). If they failed in their job, is it not possible that we have not trained them properly and adequately? Question (3): Is this generation of students hopeless and helpless?”
“PPP and other educational novelties may well serve the needs of those countries from which we had copied the systems. We cannot afford the luxury of experimenting to satisfy the whims and fancies of the idealistic educationists, who had presented these imported systems as their own innovations. We have no time for trial and error. We have only two million digits to juggle with whilst the originating country of these ideas has hundreds of millions from which to choose their leadership, executive personnel and workers. We cannot afford the high casualty rate in experiments. Perhaps in this debate we may hear from the Minister his views as to why everyone else - the principals, the teachers, the parents and the students, but not the Ministry of Education - must be blamed for this sorry state of affairs. It has never occurred to the top hierarchy in the Education Ministry the need for a thorough examination of their own proposals, management system, the contents of the syllabus and most important, the whole purpose of education itself. It would be unfair for me to say that the education system as a whole has failed altogether. We have succeeded in producing the professionals, the managerial personnel, and the skilled workers. But it is important that in the process, we must also inculcate the night kind of values and social responsibility which provide the cultural ballast, as the Prime Minister has often said, for any community to move on to higher planes. I appreciate the need for some changes when a new leadership takes command of a situation, because if the system left behind by the previous incumbent is allowed to continue, then he fears accusation of being deficient in innovative thinking. But to change simply for the sake of changing can be disastrous.”
“Had we been exposed to all these conflicting experiments, our educationists would have come close to producing their first "Frankensteins" in frighteningly great numbers. But they may yet succeed finally, if they persist My fear is not unfounded and it has been confirmed by the Hon. Senior Minister of State for Education. Hon. Members will remember his announcement in this House that he intended to incorporate the Primary Pilot Project into the formal education system. "Trial-and-error" has been a convenient excuse for failures, but in the case of our educationists, it has become a practised virtue, The Playway Method (PPP) is nothing new. It was introduced many years ago and was then known as "The Activities Method". This scheme was subsequently dropped, I suppose, for good reasons, The departure was temporary, however, as it re-emerged under a new name, but care was taken this time to call it a "Pilot Project" in case of another failure. In the event, it too became a failure. I congratulate the Senior Minister of State for his courage in incorporating a "Tried failure" in the formal education system. The Chinese language has an idiom to cater for this kind of situation, it says: "change the soup but not the medicine" (huan tang bu huan yau). In modern medicine, it means: change the flavour of the pill's coating, but not the medicine. I do not intend to subject the House to detailed illustrations of the multiplicity of systems which I have enumerated. Hon. Members who are in the teaching profession will no doubt be able to enlighten us better. But I must remind the Ministry of Education that it is about time that it gets out of the twilight zone and begin to distinguish between fantasy and reality.”
“A young worker of today, say, between the age of 23 and 25 years, is the product of our education policy and system. He is the show-piece of our education planners' fantasies. But others may even look upon him as a social liability; he has a soft mind, supported by a heart which easily falls prey to the temptations of the good things; he is not even proficient in his first language, being the victim of our so-called bilingual education policy. He shuns meaningful jobs which draw better pay, opts for more cosy employment, and he wants to start life at the top. Further probe into his profile reveals an equally sad picture. He has been trained in the technical skills to meet the needs of the economy, but he has not been taught in his school days the correct attitudes and values of work. The syllabus in school provides the skill training but not the associated work values. He might even have gone through the moulding mill in National Service, where he was posted to a Hokkien platoon, having found that his bilingual education was of no help to him in understanding his sergeant. May I remind Hon. Members at this stage that most of us in this House are the products of a primarily mono-lingual education, many are today effectively bilingual or even tri-lingual. Those who are not, as yet, are extremely proficient in at least one language. Fortunately for these people, they have been spared the agonies of the Playway Method or the Primary Pilot Project (PPP), the Multiple-Level Teaching Method, the Group-Teaching Method, the still-born Restructured Education System, or the new Restructured Education System, which is a reversion to the old vocational school system. Gentlemen, we are back to square-one.”
“For the workers, the question of whether higher productivity will mean that they will have to work harder, or if they will enjoy the fruits of their labour, is uppermost in their minds. The economist's definition of productivity is the sum total of all the rational considerations for an efficient order of things. However, in a society like ours, where monetary rewards and returns become the only incentive for one's effort, the attitudes of the workers and the employers naturally prevail. The Economic Survey has pointed out that the increase in our GNP was only about 3% to 4%. Various attempts have been made to rectify the poor performance, but all efforts seemed to centre on what have been mistakenly considered as the two most important factors, that is to say, the various ad hoc modifications to the system of production and the amount of effort put in by the workers. Unfortunately. the entire exercise has been no more than skimming the surface without knowing the root causes that have led us to this sad state of affairs. Exhortations on harder work find little reception in our workers and these are only effective, if at all, during the time they are being lectured to. In short, this is nothing more than a half-hearted salvage operation of a situation which is unacceptable to us but which we had helped to create for ourselves. The root of the matter lies in the work ethic - values such as job satisfaction and pride of employment. These are precisely the very values which our education system, or more correctly a combination of many short-lived systems have failed to inculcate in the minds of our present generation of workers. Let us have enough courage to face up to this painful truth.”
“For our citizens, the sooner we get ourselves out of the euphoria of the past few years and get down to appreciating the hard facts of life, the better we will be prepared in gearing ourselves for the lean years ahead of us. The years of plenty have gone. There is little we can do to alter the course of the ups and downs of the world's economic order. But we are not completely helpless. There are a number of ways within our control which we can positively exploit. One of these is to increase our productivity. 6.35 p.m. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] The question of higher productivity has been the subject of frequent exhortations by many concerned quarters. Ironically, whilst both the employers and workers are agreed on the need for higher productivity, neither party seems to be able to offer any tangible solution. There are several ways of measuring the level of productivity. An economist would determine productivity by the value added per man-hour: that is, the gross value of output minus the value of all intermediate input, such as the cost of materials, wages and overheads, and divide it by the number of man-hours put in. This method of measurement appears to be rather impersonal and does not consider other factors like the sources of input, quality of the products, prices, and markets for the output. From the employer's point of view, the practical gauge for productivity lies, of course, in the margin of profits. The employer is naturally ever conscious of the need to reduce costs in terms of materials and wages, and when opportune, through increase in the prices of their products.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it will be a breach of etiquette if I do not join other Hon. Members in their chorus of compliments to the Hon. Minister for Finance for his "painless and no-shock" Budget Statement delivered on 1st March, 1976. However, I do so not without some reservation. "No-shock and painless" indeed it was, for it has become a common budget delivery procedure for several years now, that the pain and shock always take place in between budget statements. The latest shock was delivered on last New Year's Eve, Perhaps it might as well be so, because intentional or not, the timing of the announcement of the new taxation measures for motor vehicles provided excellent opportunity for active exchanges of dismay and disgruntlement over dinner tables at numerous New Year's Eve parties. That was one perfect way to generate discussion at a convenient time. I must congratulate the Minister for his choice of the timing in administering this shock treatment, although at the same time it also betrayed his political insensitivity. Nevertheless, the wound has begun to heal under his tender budget dressing. Eventually, the scar may not be visible and may even emerge as a new status symbol. It serves no useful purpose, therefore, for us to revive discussion on the subject. Due credit must be accorded to the Hon. Minister for his elucidating assessment of the state of the Republic's economy. This ought to have a sobering effect on the population, and Hon. Members will no doubt apply themselves to debating the more crucial issues on Singapore's economic well-being in the difficult years ahead.”
“Sir, this Bill is in an advanced stage of drafting, and as soon as it is ready it will be tabled in this House for the consideration of Members. ANSON COMMUNITY CENTRE (Alternative site) 2. Mr P. Govindaswamy asked the Minister for Culture if the Anson Community Centre is affected by urban redevelopment and where the alternative site for the Centre will be.”
“This news item of atrocious brutality was a sensational news item in that country and every full stop and comma of this news report was reproduced in one of our local newspapers. What was it they hoped to achieve by quoting this article? Was it meant to reflect the comparative security of Singapore or was it meant to introduce or give ideas to our local criminals? Therefore, there must be certain principles which the editors must adopt in the choice and publication of news items. Mr Speaker, Sir, the main objective of this Bill is to ensure that newspapers should reflect the views and aspirations of our citizens. It cannot be denied that the newspaper is also an educational medium for the public and it has also a duty to educate and enlighten the community. Through its circulation, it can positively help in our efforts in nation building and in the maintenance of law and order. In short, the newspaper must work in the interest of the country and the people rather than for the sheer profit to fill the pockets of a small group of individuals. Sir, I support this Bill. 3.42 p.m.”
“Likewise, a journalist should have his own professional integrity, personality and character. It is a pity that there are people who are only interested in fees and circulation and therefore seek to publish news or views that will cause public sensationalism. I had the opportunity to discuss this matter with one of them who remarked that "Whilst in business, let's talk business." I bluntly told him that if what he really wanted was mere business, then he should find it more profitable to launch into some other kind of enterprises and certainly not the newspapers because a newspaper should not be only a money-making proposition. I further added that there are many other ways to make money other than irresponsible writing in the newspapers. In fact, writing is a very hard way to make a living and if money is what one is after, then certainly the newspaper is the wrong place. The Member for Henderson commented on certain reports which my colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs, did not seem to agree to. I will give just one example to illustrate what effects the choice of news reports can make in the community. There was quoted in a certain newspaper a robbery case in a foreign country. A clipping of that newspaper was sent to Singapore for publication. At the risk of being accused of creating an uproar in this House, let me briefly describe the contents of this news report as I think it is a very serious matter. The report said that a gang of robbers entered into a house and on failing to find anything valuable, they became furious and castrated a child whom they found in the house.”
“None of those who branded Singapore with all sorts of mischievous names could state in black and white that they, and they alone, could guarantee that peace and order in Singapore would not break down. What happened in the event of a chaotic situation that they helped bring about? Far from being able to assist, they would just make quick exit from the country and then retire into their bedroom to write articles on the situation and continue to earn their fees. Is that the kind of contribution they could make to Singapore? Even in Australia there was a time when members of the public were stirred when they learnt that a foreign newspaper tycoon was attempting to take over a certain local newspaper there. As I said earlier, there are those who view us in a different light and through their tinted glasses. Whatever we do, they react with scepticism. They seem to have strange imaginations about everything that we are trying to do for the good of our people. What we desire is a situation where the wishes and thinking of the people can be expressed truly through the newspapers, in short, the press should reflect the aspirations of Singaporeans and not foreigners. There were some newspapers who supported the views of other countries against their own viewpoints. This, perhaps, was intended to net in a wider readership. The question of the Straits of Malacca was a good example in point. This showed that we do have parasites even among our own journalists who are prepared to repeat what others say and echo them without considering the effects or consequences as a result of their toeing the policies of other countries. A journalist is just like anybody else. Everyone has his own character and personality.”
“They viewed Singapore with a foreign standpoint and through tinted glasses. The result, of course, was that events were distorted and consequently confused the views of the people. These foreign journalists judged local events according to their own philosophies, standards and their own mental makeup. What may be acceptable to them, perhaps, would be a situation obtained in line with their own liking. What they failed to understand, and we are very conscious, is that our way of life, philosophy and attitude towards life are quite different from their own and since they do not see any similarity between Singapore and their country, they simply equate the situation as the non-existence of democracy and that ours is a "one-party monopoly" - or other evil things like that. Of course, not all foreign journalists are ignorant of the facts of life in Singapore, some were even appreciative of the situation here but there were others, awareness of the facts not- withstanding, deliberately behaved in a manner as dictated by their "behind-the curtain masters". It is not my intention to place all foreign journalists in this category but even they would accept that there were a few black sheep among them. It is understandable that foreign journalists have to make a living by selling their articles and news reports. There were articles specially written to criticize the method of governmental administration, implying high-handedness on the part of the Government in exerting pressure on certain newspapers and the journalistic circles. All these were calculated to create a confusion of mind and subvert the country's peace and order. It must be emphasized that when the chips are down, it was Singapore that would be responsible to ensure peace and order in our society.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope the air of light-heartedness will not diminish the gravity of this Bill. Two years ago, when I was still in the Ministry of Culture, I dwelt on this same topic in this House - perhaps, the newspapers at that time did not give a fair description of my views then. But this is a trivial matter. Several Members have expressed their views on the influence of newspapers on culture, the very freedom of the press itself and foreign influence making inroads into Singapore. They also rightly commented on certain activities of the newspapers that were irrelevant as far as our people were concerned. But I feel that our main consideration for the passage of this Bill is based on national interest and security. We have to explain to the people the measures we now take lest they may feel that the introduction of this Bill is merely to exercise control over the English, Chinese and other newspapers. It must be made clear and the people must realise that what we are doing is in the interest of our country. What is important is that if a newspaper is in the hands of foreigners - as we all know the newspaper is a very effective public medium - and acts against the interest of our country, we must be vigilant against this manoeuvre and must necessarily nip it in the bud. Certain foreigners had publicised their own thoughts and ideas through our newspapers. Articles were written on what was labelled as "one-party monopoly" and on the question of parliamentary democracy in Singapore, lamenting the fact that there was no opposition in Parliament. What they advocated was the simplistic view that since there was no opposition in Parliament, there was no democracy. All these talks were nonsensical utterances.”
“Sir, I think here is a case of divided loyalty on my part. I am the President of the Arts Council, but I have to speak as a Member of the House and not as the President of the Council.”
“I beg your pardon, Sir,I do not think I am being fair to the Minister for not giving him time to reply. But just let me elaborate a little on what I am going to say. The provision of car parks at the City fringes, I think, is one of the solutions, but they should not be unimaginative, simple and plain. A car park of such nature should be a complex so that people can make use of it. Then we can encourage them to use it. So the question of a shuttle service may not even arise.”
“I will cut short, Sir, so that the hon. Member for Serangoon Gardens may present his views to the House. Sir, the Minister touched on car parks so that private vehicle owners can park their vehicles in certain areas in the periphery of the City.”
“It is typical of the Government, Sir, to try to strike a compromise between the two - a service, and at the same time, a viable business proposition. It is not difficult to achieve this if all of us co-operate and I urge Members of this House that in their "Meet-the-People" sessions, it is better they sound out the people, because I think that is the first salvo from the Ministry for more stringent measures to be introduced. I had a discussion with some civil servants who are very much concerned about the transportation problem. My sample of their opinions perhaps gave me the courage to speak this afternoon. Sir, restriction on private cars travelling in the city area may well be the only solution. I would imagine, if this scheme is implemented, there would be some degree of hue and cry [Interruption]. Thank you for that - here is a Nanyang University graduate who is getting on very well with the English language. Sir, I would imagine that some kind of fee might be imposed on cars travelling into the City centre. This might create the impression that if you can pay, you are free to go in; but if I cannot afford as I am a poor man, I am out. I think there is no intention to favour the rich, or make the rich richer and the poor poorer. If it has to be done, it has got to be done. But why do we not, Sir, in the meanwhile, maybe in the next month or two, agree to the rule that newly registered cars be automatically restricted from entering the City area during peak hours? This will not involve any cost to the Government. Perhaps the new car will have a special alphabet in the number plate, also at no cost to the Government at all. So if there is any favour, we will first favour the old rich, and the new rich may have to suffer a little inconvenience.”
“Even if the MRT can solve our problem, I think it is a long-term project, because even if we approve it today in this very House, it will take a minimum of five to eight years for the whole system to be completed. By then, as the Minister has said earlier, the pattern of development, concept, principle, and data on which the MRT is mooted will be so much changed. You will remember, Sir, in the old Master Plan, the idea of the flyover from Kim Seng Road to China Street in town was first conceived as early as 1956. That flyover is not there today because the situation has entirely changed. I said sometime ago that if we want to introduce MRT it must at least conform to a few principles. I will repeat what I said earlier. It must be fast enough, it must be cheap enough, and it must not interfere with the surface traffic. It must also not be a source of pollution, whether it is noise or air. But I would imagine, Sir, quoting the figures I gathered from the newspaper, that the MRT will cost anything between $500 million and $1,000 million. At current prices, I will put it at around $750 million, may be even $850 million. Let us take the minimum figure and, say, three years from now, we implement this system. This $500 million includes the possible fluctuation upwards in three years' time. If we put this money in the bank, we get an interest of $50 million a year. With this money, we can subsidise the bus service. We may even have air-conditioned buses. So the MRT is not the only solution. As I said, we should look at the traffic problem as a whole, not only the bus problem. One must decide whether the bus service is going to be a service or a business proposition.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, being a Member on the Government side, it is extremely difficult for me to join Members, the Backbenchers, in some of the views they have expressed though I would go a small way to agree with them. The Minister today has given a wonderful performance. The problem as I see it, Sir, is not a problem of buses, bus services or commuters. We must take the problem in a wider context. We call it a traffic problem, but some Members said it is the "transportation problem". So it is not buses or commuters. The problem is that we should dwell on it at that level. I think we should delve deeper into the problem, that is, transportation, traffic pattern, and how it affects the society and the economy. I think we should look at the question with more depth and see a little bit further beyond the horizon than the rear of the bus exhaust. Sir, it is not without some reservation that I stand up to speak. I agree entirely with the Minister on the statistics and examples which he quoted. His officers have dealt with this matter for several years now and I was told that some of them even have got degrees on Road Engineering and Traffic. Sir, I must confess to the House that I have not got that kind of qualification, but I think that does not prevent me from speaking objectively on the problem. Perhaps a layman might be able to see the whole situation in a better light. Some years ago, I cannot remember exactly when, I spoke briefly in this House about the question of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system. Some Members think that the MRT might solve our traffic problems.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope you will not hold me responsible for confusing the debate. The Ministry of Education has placed an age ceiling of 55 years. This requirement is stipulated by the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Labour, as an agency for recruitment, will have to select candidates that fall within the requirements of the Ministry wanting the services of these persons. So the age limit is 55 and not more. Sir, I feel strongly that even if a person is 60 years old, but is fit and has a good vision, he should he given a job.”
“I beg your pardon, Sir. My Minister of State has corrected me. It is two months, and I apologise for innocently misleading the House. By the time this person is called for an appointment, he is no longer interested because in the meanwhile he had found an alternative job.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I think I can help the House. I realise the difficulties of the problem raised by the Member for Jurong. The job of a school crossing patrolman does not require much physical exertion, and the person doing this job is paid on a daily-rated basis. So we have decided to reserve these jobs for the older people, hoping that the younger people can be diverted into the various industries. There should not be any difficulty at all in getting school servants or school crossing patrolmen. But, as you know, Sir, nowadays our job seekers are quite different from those of 10 years ago. More often than not, the problem is to satisfy the job seeker and to post him to a particular school or location which he asks for. I do not see any difficulty at all if the Member for Jurong were to send his request to me. It might help the House if I were to elaborate a little on the set-up in the Ministry of Labour. We do our best and as quickly as we can to select candidates to fill the vacancies in the various Government Ministries, because we do not wish to hold up recruitment and thereby reduce the efficiency of the particular Ministry or department. As far as the Ministry of Education is concerned, we encountered some difficulty in the past. It took us an average of two or three weeks - it could be even less - to select a candidate, and then pass his name to the Ministry of Education. But it took the Ministry of Education as long as four months to call this person up. By the time this person is called--”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, wherever vacancies exist for school servants, male or female, or school crossing patrolmen or patrolwomen, they will have to be channelled to me in the Ministry of Labour. The recruitment is conducted through the Ministry of Labour. In this respect, I might be in a better position to inform the Member for Paya Lebar as to the number of vacancies available for school servants. If the Member knows of people who are interested in this job, would he please direct them to me. I shall see to it that if they possess the necessary qualifications they will get a job without any difficulty, provided they do not do it part-time.”
“Sir, if it came to my knowledge that a hawker serves as a part-time school crossing patrolman, I shall see to it that he does not get the job. I am in charge of recruitment. Sir, the situation is this. The job of a school crossing patrolman, which is rather a light one, is normally offered to older people, who are not able to get employment elsewhere. But these people, in view of their advanced age, must be physically fit and, most important, without any impaired vision. So having got a job as a school crossing patrolman or patrolwoman, he or she might during the spare time in between school sessions become a hawker; but certainly not a full-time hawker and a part-time school crossing patrolman. I would rather that he be a part-time hawker and a full-time school crossing patrolman.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a statement was made to the effect that a hawker can be a part-time school crossing patrolman. Sir, was that statement made earlier by a Member here? I just want a confirmation of that statement, because I am in charge of this.”
“I assure you, Sir, that I would not make your job any more difficult. I just want to answer a few points. It was out of modesty that I regarded myself as a second grade sportsman only, never the first grade. That is one point, Sir. Secondly, had I been out of order, I believe you would have put me in my proper place earlier. So I do not think there is the need for the Member for Sembawang to take over the functions of Mr Speaker.”
“Instead of merely catching on a trip - I think the Members for Kim Seng and River Valley said that trips were paid for, or that there would be reward trips and so on, I do not think that is a good thing. Sir, because this vacant seat in the aeroplane could well be given to a young sportsman who could be trained, rather than sending someone who had never even touched a racket or a bat, or even went as far as the water's edge. I do not know how we can make ourselves answerable to the sports public that one who has never involved himself in the sport and knew nothing about it could get himself involved in heading an overseas trip for that sport. I would like to listen to some arguments afterwards so that when I leave this Chamber at the end of this debate, I can walk away with some fresh ideas as to how sports can be promoted, other than getting a few well-known personalities to accompany the sports team, because that is surely not the way to improve sports.”
“Very well, Sir, if it pleases you, I will put it this way. May I in doing so repeat what I have in my mind earlier, and that is, that Members should be active and positive in their approach towards this subject physically rather than merely making utterances in this House. I believe it is of no use if some Members of Parliament headed some sports associations. I know one Member, Sir, who is involved with the Boxing Association and this Association is doing well. They produce good boxers. But I cannot see the logic that a certain Member of Parliament led teams of, say, table tennis and swimming overseas, when he himself did not in the first place contribute much to deserve those trips. Secondly, what were the experiences of these two trips? 3.15 p.m. As regards the results of the matches, whether we brought home duck's eggs or chicken's eggs as one Member referred to, I think is immaterial. The two trips should be sufficient enough to provoke anyone, including The Member in this House, to get himself involved in these two sports more seriously. What I intend to put forward is that it has become rather ridiculous and a mockery to the sport itself a Member leading a sports team or accompanying the team overseas, while he himself knows nothing about the sport. I used to involve myself in these two particular sports before, but I felt I could not positively contribute towards the sports and I declined a proposal made to me several years ago, to head a certain sports association. I did not believe at that time that my involvement in that particular association, either as an official or just to lead a team overseas, would do much good to that sport. We should view this with a more balanced and logical mind.”
“Sir, whichever way you want to interpret it, I think I will leave it to your ruling.”
“Sir, I am just trying to seek clarification. That is the lead for me to develop my argument. I do not know why the Member for Sembawang is so self-conscious. Probably he suspects that my argument would be leading in such a way that it is not in his favour. Sir, I think that is prejudging. It may be a bouquet for him. May I be allowed to carry on?”
“Sir, I am trying to prove my point. And I hope Members can be equally active and positive in their physical actions towards sports, as they are vocal or championing the cause in this House.”
“I do not wish to put the entire blame on my generation. But I feel that the Members who have spoken - I hope all Members in this House - can be equally positive, physically, in promoting sports as they are vocal on that subject in this House. I was rather impressed by the argument of the Member for Sembawang. This is a rare occasion, Sir, that I agree with him. I believe that when credit is due, it must be readily given. I was quite impressed by the rather balanced argument in the first part of his speech, but disappointed towards the end. Sir, when the Member for Sembawang stood up, I recall that he had also on a few occasions got himself involved or perhaps someone else involved him in some kind of sports - I do not know whichever way it was. He was the leader of the table tennis team that toured Seoul, South Korea. Am I correct? Sir, before I go on I would like to seek clarification. If it is not true, then I would divert the subject. Did the Member for Sembawang lead a table tennis team to Seoul and a swimming team to Rangoon in Burma?”
“Our forefathers rather preferred us to spend more time digging into our books than going round kicking a ball, unfortunately, at the wrong place too - in a backlane. The situation has changed now. We cannot afford to have a population digging into books with total disregard for physical fitness, particularly in a highly urbanised society as in Singapore. Sir, I have the advantage of seeing a few highly industrialised cities in this part of the world. I find that the population there has a rather significant peculiarity in that they are small in build, fair, and rather timid in nature. I think this is due to the fact that the country is so highly urbanised that the people have got to live in small houses. There is no chance for them to stretch their muscles. The working rhythm and lack of nourishment are contributing factors. And, most important, they are not sports conscious. In that situation, I am afraid it is almost impossible to produce good sportsmen because of insufficient facilities for the promotion of sports. In the end, they produce a young generation who are small built. Sir, I mention this not with the intention of throwing any reflection on any Member in this House. I say that we have to accept what nature has given us. But I think we can improve on our physical make-up by better nourishment, facilities for sports and exercise. We do not need to develop ourselves into a highly urbanised and civilized society but with soft knees and soft elbows. We may have good brains, but I think we also need the muscles and the stamina to make our brains work. Sir, I think the Members have put forward very positive arguments. In my younger days, I was only a second grade sportsman; I never reached the first team in the school. Probably I did not do enough.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to speak as I am provoked by the very sincere though very vigorous arguments put forward by the Member for Kim Seng. From the impromptu utterances in this House, one can actually sample the true feelings of the Members here. The Member for Kim Seng has put up a pretty balanced argument, although the Member for River Valley's argument might appear to be lopsided. Probably it is because he was an exponent in water polo in his younger days. I hope he still is. But I would take his argument very seriously, Sir, because I believe the Member for River Valley, as well as the Member for Kim Seng, know what they are talking about because they were sportsmen before. Sir, I think we in Singapore are faced with a rather difficult situation in that our population is not sufficiently sports conscious in as much as they are not sufficiently culture conscious from the arguments we heard yesterday. A solution might well appear to be to broaden the sports base. The best approach would be to train our young students in the schools. It is indeed a very heartening sight nowadays, if we drive around or near the locations of the schools, to see young students sweating themselves, running along the road and unfortunately, at the same time, breathing in rather polluted air. Sir, we have to face the fact that our population here is of migrant stock. We carry with us a rather different thinking on matters like sports. Sir, I remember that when I was a young lad, any extra-mural activities on my part, like trying to kick a football in a back-lane, would always end up with a few strokes of the rotan at the most tender part of my body. That was unfortunately the opinion or idea of our older generation on sports.”
“I must apologise to the House for having to burden hon. Members with these rather detailed accounts. I only hope to reiterate the point that had everybody taken a little more interest and concern, it would have been a very much happier situation. With the new influx of foreign workers swelling the ranks of our industrial workers, we must be conscious of the fact that these foreign workers, inasmuch as they contribute positively to our economic well-being, are not properly inducted into our philosophy of life, or orientated to the new system of work. We will have to carry them along with us in the same pace and discipline in our march towards our goal. Finally, may I say that our strife for a better living need not be accompanied by pain, sorrow, miseries and sufferings of those who pioneer the efforts. 3.29 p.m.”
“The licence was reinstated later only after a written assurance was made to the effect that there would be full compliance with the safety regulations. Again, many of the accidents could have been prevented had there been proper planning and layout of the factory buildings concerned. I am given to understand that plans for factory buildings were only submitted to the relevant authorities since October last year, not earlier. Certain dangerous production processes, which can trigger off accidents, were not separated or isolated, and sufficient precautions were not taken to ensure safety. In some factories, the fire-fighting equipment provided were nothing more than ornaments merely for the purpose of satisfying certain regulations of the authorities. In an interview with a group of workers in a certain factory, I found that, to my dismay, none of them could operate the fire extinguisher which was, incidentally, strategically hung at its location. In some factories, the nozzles, which should have been attached to the hose-reel, were removed by the management and kept under lock and key for fear of theft. I had a rather frustrating experience during a visit to a factory. I witnessed a number of workers flushing the floor with jets of water from a hose-reel which was installed solely for the purpose of fire-fighting. Shortly after, my attention was drawn to a thick and voluminous black smoke emitting some distance away. On enquiry, I was told that a fire broke out at that moment in a nearby factory. On rushing over to the fire-site, I was confronted by a rather hysterical plant chemist who complained that although the workers did try to operate a hose-reel, there was no water at all. Nobody knew where or how to turn on the water supply!”
“Many of the accidents which occurred could have been prevented. It is a common sight to see workers precariously clinging on to the scaffolding, instead of using the safety belts provided. For these acts of sheer defiance, I hope the workers will realise that they may have to pay very dearly in the end, even with their lives. Hon. Members will appreciate that the enforcement action in this particular respect is extremely difficult, in view of the environment at the construction sites. Compliance is only effective, for as long as the Ministry's enforcement officers are present. Further, due to the shortage of this category of workers, any discipline imposed by the more enlightened and the more conscientious contractors or site overseers are futile, as a worker can easily down tools in protest, then walk across to the adjacent site and find himself a job almost immediately. Perhaps, a solution might well be the formation of a co-ordinating body comprising those parties concerned, such as engineers, contractors and developers, to iron out a unified standard or code of practice to be adopted by all, so that it will prove to the defaulting workers that it does not pay to play merry-go-round or to shift around from site to site. The Ministry is, in the meanwhile, considering revising the existing regulations concerning the issue of licences for building operations, with a view to incorporating more stringent measures to compel compliance with the safety standards. But I must warn that the Ministry shall not hesitate to invoke punitive measures and actions against those recalcitrant defaulters. At least one licence for work at a construction site was immediately cancelled when found to have been lacking in safety standards.”
“The Inspectorate had stepped up its enforcement action on industrial safety, resulting in a total of 234 prosecution cases in court as against only 52 in 1971. The Labour Inspectorate is in no happier situation as far as personnel is concerned. Its present establishment strength of 20 has been stagnant for the last decade. Despite this, it carried out 6,425 inspections, an increase of 2,248 over 1971. Prosecutions in court trebled from 33 to 100 cases. It must be pointed out that with the very limited personnel, enforcement actions will have to be sufficiently stringent to serve as a deterrent not only to the defaulting party, but also as a reminder to others. The Ministry is conscious of the fact that legal action has always been our last resort, and in most cases unpopular. The safety and health campaign organised by the Ministry last year was intended as a means of mass education and persuasion, but regrettably this method of persuasion has not proved sufficiently effective. The total number of accidents in both the industrial and other sectors rose to a new high figure of 10,675 in 1972, of which 186 were fatal. Accidents do not happen, they are caused; as Members will agree. In some of the factories I visited, the working environment left much to be desired. In a night visit to one factory. I found no less than half a dozen accident traps, one of which is deadly. There are many causes for accidents - poor housekeeping in the production areas, inadequate safety precaution and equipment, tidak-apa attitude of the management, and most important, ignorance, negligence, carelessness and even defiance on the part of the workers themselves. A glaring example of the combination of these factors can be seen in the building construction industry.”
“- quality of work. I do not think I should burden the House further as to what transpired in the Members' Room. May I be permitted to proceed? Of the new posts, the net increase, really, is only 49. It is because 18 posts were transferred from the Public Health Division to form the new Industrial Health Unit which was also successful in securing another 10 of the new posts provided, thus making a total of 28 in this new Unit. The Industrial Health Unit is a new section performing duties, which hitherto, was the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. Hence, the net effective increase is, as I have mentioned, only 49 or about 20 per cent. Of these, 25 are assigned to the Ministry's headquarters, 15 for the expanded Statistics and Research Section, five for the Work Permit Office, two allotted to Industrial Relations Unit and the remaining two, both of whom are not field officers which we so badly need, to the Factory Inspectorate. To begin with, the existing number of established posts in both the Factory and Labour Inspectorates are grossly inadequate. The situation is further aggravated as both the Inspectorates have been operating below the establishment strength for many years now. With a rapidly expanding industrial sector, and the many new commercial establishments, it has been extremely hard-pressed for the two short-handed sections in having to cope with the increasing workload. The officers have been stretched to the limit. For the purpose of illustration, may I enlighten the House with some statistics as an indication of the workload that these two sections have to bear. The Factory Inspectorate, operating with a reduced capacity, conducted a total of 11,076 inspections during 1972, close to doubling the previous year's figure of 6,368.”
“As one of the many people directly concerned with the climate of labour-management relationship in the Republic, albeit for only a short period of time in my case, I find it fitting that the Minister devoted his last comments to acknowledging the importance of co-operation and collaboration between management and labour, for, given all the other ingredients required to maintain and accelerate our economic growth, it is, in the final and crucial analysis, the understanding between management and labour that holds the path to success. The Estimates for FY 1973-74 provide for 77 new posts as against the deletion of two in respect of the Ministry of Labour. These new appointments represent roughly 30 per cent increase to the overall staffing position in the Ministry, a fairly high figure percentage-wise, but unfortunately this percentage is derived from an already small base. Last year we had, from the Minister down to the peon, 267 posts. As the Minister for Education is so fond of quipping in the Members' Room, he said that one of his departments is larger than my Ministry. Unfortunately, we do not count on building an empire. We are more dependent on - An hon. Member: Quality!”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion standing in the name of the Minister for Finance. In so doing, may I also be allowed to express my thanks to him for that portion of his Budget Statement delivered in this House On 26th February, 1973. We have the unique advantage this year of first reading a portion of the Financial Policy Statement in the local press, and later listen to the remaining instalment in this Chamber. Sir, the result of and the reaction to this unprecedented arrangement may not be quite the same as what the hon. Minister had expected, but I find this innovation rather refreshing, because the conventional procedure would have involved the hon. Minister in what would otherwise be a laborious exercise in this Chamber; hon. Members will then read about it in the local press the following day, I hope without distortion, and finally, dwell further into the verbatim report, yet another day later. Sir, whatever uncomplimentary thoughts hon. Members might think aloud in this House over the new arrangement, I think their grouses ought to be more than submerged by the very tranquilising Statement, including that portion published in the press, of course. That no new tax was introduced is welcome, and the new tax reliefs are indeed consoling, in that it goes to prove that humane gestures are still possible when financial consideration permits. Sir, may I now invite hon. Members' attention to the penultimate paragraph of that portion of the Minister's Statement in this Chamber-I think the distinction here is necessary for hon. Members might mistakenly refer to the other portion published in the press in advance.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my question is whether the employees of the NTUC are members of any union at all?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would just like to get some information from the Members for Telok Blangah and Moulmein. I want to know how many employees of the NTUC are members of trade unions, and which unions do they belong to. Are they getting the 13th month payment?”
“Even with the relaxation of the rules as proposed by the Minister, there is one fact, I think a painful fact, which all Members must agree. However relaxed we are in the rules, we cannot ensure so-and-so that he would get a son instead of a daughter. The Minister is totally helpless in a matter like this. If hon. Members can find a solution, as a result of the relaxation of the rules, that perhaps after having four daughters the next child is guaranteed to be a son to inherit the family line, then I think that might well be worth considering. But in the absence of any solution or a breakthrough in medical science, I think none of us here can be of any help at all to ensure that everyone can have an offspring or a child to continue the family line.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I beg your indulgence in allowing speeches to be made on a Ministerial Statement although the Standing Orders only provide for questions to be asked? With your permission, Sir, since you have been lenient with other Members, may I be allowed to add my own comments although I know it is against the Standing Orders. Sir, one must be very realistic in the situation that we are in. There are many basic factors that none of us can change and through no fault of our own; for example, our land area, our human resources, our financial capability, our vulnerability to factors outside Singapore. Having a large family is, and I do not like to use the word "feudalistic", I think basically a rural psychology or philosophy - the larger the family, the more hands to work in the field. Naturally the advantage is evident in a situation like in old China and in India, and even in the greater part of agricultural countries in Southeast Asia where the female offspring is normally regarded as a loss and economically non-productive, particularly in some of the older fashions of the Indian community where a handsome dowry has got to be paid when they marry off a daughter. But that is applicable in a rural agricultural society. It has no relevance to Singapore, which is cosmopolitan. The less people we have, the less tension we will create. Maybe in the next 10 or 20 years, for the next generation, we have a duty to see that the kind of society we leave behind for our children and their children in the next 20 or 50 years would be a place worth living in, a place which we can show to the world that our human energy is not only confined to producing people of our own kind but that we are quite capable of creative thinking.”
“In pointing out all this, I am merely attempting to show an example that sometimes satisfactory plans or solutions to a problem very often neglect to cater for the ramifications which may be brought about by the very solution or plan. Over the years our experience tells us that once a problem is solved, it does not necessarily mean that that is the end. New problems keep cropping up. While we move forward and progress, we must at all times maintain our vigil and understanding of our own position in relation to, the degree and level of development of our neighbouring countries. As the Chinese saying goes, "Know yourself, know your enemy, and in a hundred battles you will have a hundred victories." Some people only understand themselves but do not understand others. So half the battle is lost. My point is this: Our success can be provocative to others. This is what I mean by the residual problems arising out of the solution to the major problem. Sir, I beg to support the motion. 3.30 p.m.”
“In some of the open spaces of Housing Board estates, plants and shrubs have been planted to enhance the environment. These shrubs and trees no doubt add colour to and break the monotony of the open spaces, but the children who live in these estates do not make sufficient use of these facilities. In fact, it is argued, would it then be better for them to live in China town, because they could then play in the shaded alleys? A family of seven or eight would, in any case, be too congested in their confined home environment. But when these families shift to their new homes in the estates, their new neighbours arc complete strangers. One would find his neighbours are Hokien, Cantonese, Teochew, or Hainanese who come from the various corners of Singapore. There is, therefore, a certain feeling of isolation and a barrier among them. So each one of' them adopts a secluded attitude by keeping to his own family and cares not for others. There is no social intermixing among the neighbours. The parents would prefer their children to remain at home during the day as it is too hot outside, or it is too dark in the night. [Interruption] My colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications, may have an extraordinary experience of exposure to the moon or gallivanting at night. He may be quite an expert on this. His experience may not be beneficial to the House. I think he should await a more appropriate occasion for its disclosure! The result of all this is that children in Housing Board flats have not much of an opportunity to stretch their muscles, quite contrary to the intention of the Board in providing such recreational amenities. This is by no means a criticism against the Government.”