Gerard Ee
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am just wondering whether the Minister's answer just now that, because the tenderer is aware that existing shopkeepers' rentals will be adjusted upwards, it would therefore create an infinite loop.”
“Mr Charles Chong also raised the question about the interpretation of the term "undesirable activities". The term really is meant to protect any child who may be used by adults for activities, especially illegal ones, which are detrimental to the well-being of the child, eg, illegal lotteries, illegal hawking, gambling or activities of su…”
“The present situation allows for some package deals to cloud the judgement of the buyer. In many cases, a consumer wrongly believes that a COE has been guaranteed only to find that he has to pay an additional sum of hard earned money to buy the car he has committed to.”
“The first approach will require all successful bidders to pay the same lowest successful price. The second approach will adopt the successful bid price, as that for registering Category A vehicles, and the price for registering a larger capacity vehicle would be on a multiple of this base price.”
“Having the basics under their belt, they can go straight into a higher level of training. They would thus require less time to be fully trained soldiers and can be released sooner to complete their tertiary education.”
“This will alert the readers of the accounts that such exemption has been granted and the reasons behind it so that they can form their own judgement and react to the exclusion. It is also a relief that public listed companies have to hold their AGM within five months of the financial year end.”
The complete record
Every one of 103 lines we hold for Gerard Ee, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 3.
“Sir, I would like to ask whether allowing the continuance of carriage of workers in open trucks is a contradiction of trying to build a gracious society in terms of how we treat foreign workers.”
“Rather than taking them away from their parents who are busy by putting them in boarding schools, I would prefer them to spend whatever time that they have with their parents at home.”
“Their success will be the nation's success. Boarding schools provide the vital environment to help children through the difficult stage of teenhood. Proper care is always at hand. In the boarding school, their time is organised and they only have to concentrate on learning and developing. Boarding schools can be the alternative for parents who cannot cope with their parental role. I urge the Ministry to consider this. RAdm Teo Chee Hean: Sir, while Mr Ee has quoted one particular tenet of S21, there is also another tenet of S21, which I consider equally important, and that is, the family as the basic unit of society. I would not want to undermine that by creating boarding schools so that dual-income families can discharge their responsibility to their children by placing them in boarding schools. In other countries, there are quite different circumstances. For example, boarding schools in England were the places where colonialists who came out to the Far East and elsewhere, sent their children back home to get an education. That is quite a different environment. In fact, one of our objectives of having boarding schools in Singapore is really to provide places for Singaporeans who go overseas and work overseas and who may want to have their children come back to Singapore for secondary education, and we provide for that. Singapore is a small country. Children do not live very far away from their schools and the boarding schools are expensive. I would not want to spend educational resources on providing boarding schools for children when I think they will be much better off spending time at home.”
“Sir, there is no doubt that the responsibility for guiding and establishing right values in children lies with parents. This responsibility cannot be delegated to others, such as school teachers, social workers, etc. Yet, if there are children who are not receiving the right nurturing, or perhaps none at all, what should be done? Should the void be left alone and the development of such children be left to chance? With dual-income families, single parents, or circumstances where parents are unable, unwilling or just unknowing about how to go about bringing up their children, there is a need for support from the community or even the system. Every child has the potential to become a successful individual with the proper guidance and help. I am urging the Ministry of Education to consider setting up boarding schools to supplement those which exist in Singapore. The track record for properly operated boarding schools has been good in Singapore and elsewhere. There is a long history of such successes in other countries, especially in England. There is, of course, the fear that parents would be encouraged to take the easy path and send their children off to boarding schools, instead of making the effort to bring them up themselves. This is a valid fear and no doubt, it will be the motivating reason for some parents. However, whatever, the underlying reason for the children to be sent to a boarding school, at least these children can be assured of guidance and assistance. At least as a nation, we are assured that our precious children are being cared for and not neglected. For every Singaporean to matter, our children must be given a fair chance at life. We must make sure that they have a fighting chance of becoming successful adults.”
“I would like to ask the Minister whether designated sites to house foreign workers in the economic sectors, like the construction industry, are subject to licensing and how often are they inspected on-the-spot basis?”
“I would like to ask whether the PPD has ever offered a bounty on crows and leave it to the creativity of the community to think out new ways to trap them.”
“Sir, I just like to seek clarification on the subject of premium on road tax. I have always thought that the ERP was introduced to deal with congestion, and the vehicle quota system to control the car population. Having introduced these two measures, is there still relevance for a premium on road tax, other than penalising those who cannot afford to buy a new car and have to keep their cars for a further 10 years? Assoc. Prof. Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I believe the premium that Mr Ee spoke about is for people who want to retain older cars. The reason why that is in place is that we want to ensure that we have a relatively young car population in Singapore. That is the policy that we have adopted. But, certainly, in view of the call now to consider whether or not there is provision for older cars in Singapore, we will consider all these factors in our review on the feasibility of having a classic car scheme.”
“Sir, could the MOS address the question whether with more stringent annual vehicle inspections, he could consider removing the premium on road tax for cars older than 10 years? Assoc. Prof. Yaacob Ibrahim: We will certainly consider all these suggestions given by Mr Gerard Ee on whether or not such a scheme will be viable. But again, we want to remind Members that we have to balance this against the need for us to maintain a car population which is of a certain age and to also ensure that our roads are well-utilised and not congested.”
“As a bonus, Singapore will have its own pool of heritage cars that would, in time, be viewed as vintage cars. We will have on our roads a living history of the evolution of cars used in Singapore. For your consideration, Minister.”
“Whilst whether a car is in good condition can only be determined by a thorough inspection, an effective alternative measure would be that if it is still running well, in spite of being over 20 years old, it must have been reasonably well-looked after. I urge the Minister to: 1) introduce a more thorough annual inspection scheme for vehicles older than 10 years and remove the road tax premium on such cars; and 2) introduce a special scheme for cars older than 20 years for restricted usage. The main aim of such a scheme would be to reduce the ownership cost of keeping a car beyond 20 years. Without proper maintenance, it is very unlikely that a vehicle would be retained beyond 20 years. There are many well-manufactured cars that, with proper care, can be used on the roads for many decades. This will avoid wastage where serviceable cars are scrapped and worse, if it is replaced, our foreign exchange reserve will be drawn on to pay the foreign manufacturer. A special scheme for older cars would benefit the retirees. We are making the call for active ageing. If we want older persons to remain in the workforce or volunteer their services, we should, at the very least, make it affordable for them to retain their personal mode of transportation. The average person would make a major upgrade when he or she is around 45 years old. 20 years on, the person would be 65 years old and approaching retirement or retired. The person will have less use of the vehicle but would like to keep it. After working hard and contributing to the Singapore's economy all these years, it would not be asking much to make it affordable for him to retain his vehicle if he so wishes. He will be subjected to the ERP, like anyone, and would likewise have to use the vehicle discriminatingly.”
“There is belief that older vehicles would have a higher tendency to break down. Well, new cars do break down too. In any case, cars being retained beyond their 10th anniversary are subjected to a revalidation of the COE, premium on the road tax, which amounts to 50% from the 15th year on, and an annual vehicle inspection. That is a lot to pay for any person. Whilst it is easier to explain about the revalidation of the COE, given that it has a validity period of only 10 years, it is almost impossible to sound convincing about the premium on road taxes since cars older than 10 years are subjected to an annual inspection. Of course, the inspection is to check on certain main safety aspects of the vehicle and cannot give much comfort on the overall reliability of the vehicle. Vehicles can break down minutes after passing a vehicle inspection. Thus, as motorists, we bear with the costs. However, except for the ERP, which is usage based, other policies are non-discriminating. A person who uses the car occasionally for essential purposes only is equally penalised on cost as the person who uses the car indiscriminately, such as driving to the provision store just five minutes away. With the COE, the growth in the vehicle population is controlled. It cannot grow faster than the number of COEs being released. With the ERP, vehicles are kept away from the main arterial roads to keep them relatively congestion-free. It is time that those who keep their cars in good condition are rewarded. A badly maintained car will break down even if it is just a year old.”
“Sir, Singapore is probably the most expensive place in the world to buy and own a car. It all started many years ago when the car population exploded and there was a need to dampen the demand for cars to deal with congestions, which carries a high economic cost. We introduced the ARF, and then PARF, CBD, COE, RPS and ERP. There was a time when COE for bigger cars fetched a price of $100,000. In spite of the high cost of owning a car, demand for COEs remains in excess of the supply. This is partly due to the aspiration to own a car and to a great extent, due to convenience, bordering on necessity. Much has been done and is being done to extend the network of public transport. Undoubtedly, we already have a public transportation system that we can be proud of. However, we only have to look at the queues of vehicles outside the schools to see but one important and indispensable use of the car. Many mothers have made the sacrifice to care for their young children and part of their daily routine includes the ferrying of their children to and from school for classes, ECA activities, and to tuitions. For the mothers, having a car is not a convenience, but a necessity. The alternative would be that their children would have to wake up before 5 am and prepare for the school bus, and what about the activities outside school hours. We now have an effective means of dealing with congestion. We have in place the Electronic Road Pricing system that is unique in the world. Its effectiveness has attracted attention and I believe that there are interests shown by other countries to implement a similar system. As a result, the ARF has been reduced and the scale for road tax has been smoothened. A broken down vehicle inevitably causes congestion.”
“Sir, the self-help groups were originally set up to assist the youths who were having problems with their studies. What is the scope of expanding the self-help groups into umbrella bodies to reach out further into the communities?”
“Sir, I would like to find out from the Minister the status of the Falungong group in Singapore. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the Falungong group is registered in Singapore as the Falun Buddha Society. As long as they do not, like I said, breach the law or do anything that is against public law and order, their activities can continue in Singapore.”
“In which case then, by calling it the ElderCare Fund, are we placing a mental ceiling and whereby even if the Fund builds up, we will continue to restrict step-down care only for the elderly? Perhaps, the Minister could let us know the rationale for this. My next concern is the sweeping exclusion from the definition of "step-down care" of medical or health care provided in any maternity homes or premises used or intended to be used for the accommodation of pregnant women or of women immediately after child birth. I can accept that post-natal care is excluded from the definition of "step-down care". However, I am sure there is a range of health complications arising from pregnancy which can be adequately dealt with by the professionals at a maternity home or similar premises. My concern arises from the first-hand knowledge of a lady who suffered from a stroke whilst pregnant. The health insurance policy taken out for her covered medical care for strokes, but because her stroke was deemed to have arisen from her pregnancy, she found that her medical costs were not covered. A less sweeping exclusion directed at medical and health care for normal pregnancy, including Caesarian births, would be preferable. This would ensure that only premises set aside to deal with special pregnancy cases would qualify. Larger families are being encouraged in the light of a rapidly ageing and shrinking population. No one would wish for a complicated pregnancy. The medical cost for a normal pregnancy is sufficient financial burden to many. Some help is well deserved by those playing their part in replenishing and expanding our major resource, our citizens.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. Firstly, I would like to declare my interest as the Chairman of the Medifund Council since it was set up. Over the years, the Medifund has helped many thousands of people to meet their hospital and medical expenses. It worked well because of the flexibility built into the rules for the Medical Endowment Fund. With a basic set of rules supported by guidelines, Medifund committees were able to exercise judgement, especially in border line cases, to balance between the resource available and the help that can be provided. And I am happy to see that even more flexibility is being considered under the reconstitution. The same spirit of flexibility is being suggested for the ElderCare Fund. It is certainly timely to establish such a fund to provide subventions to approved providers of step-down care. It will be a great help to existing providers of step-down care who qualify as well as encourage the establishment of newer facilities. I have two areas that I would like to seek clarification. One in particular relates to the ElderCare Fund. The definition of "step-down care" suggested means "accommodation, personal care and health care for persons suffering or recovering from any sickness, disability or injury; personal care and health care during the day for any such persons; or such other forms of health care or care arrangements". If I look at the definition of "step-down care", I do not see it as something that is strictly restricted to the elderly. It could well be something beneficial to someone that is young. So I am not sure why we are restricting ourselves to the elderly. It could be just to start it off and as the Fund builds up, maybe it will be expanded.”
“A committee of inquiry should consider every occurrence of a discharge of firearms or where a prisoner is injured by the use of a weapon. I am not sure whether the committee of inquiry under new section 7A(2) of the Prisons Bill is intended to cover such occurrences, because it states, "any matter connected with discipline, administration or functions of any prison or affecting any prisoner .". Perhaps the Minister could clarify on this. And if it is not intended to cover such occurrences, whether there will be someone who will look into such occurrences.”
“Sir, I rise to support the Bill. It is a positive move to introduce home detention. Whilst it is new to Singapore, it is not new to other countries. It is a tested system and it can work well in the Singapore environment. I hope that with the introduction of home detention, more studies can be made to extend the scope whereby home detention could be considered as an alternative sentencing. Detention in prisons or any institution of detention should be prescribed only where the offence calls for it. Where an offender can be sufficiently punished by restriction of freedom, perhaps home detention should be prescribed. More studies should follow because I am not sure that there can be any easy answer as to whether the home environment is better for rehabilitation, or that the prison environment is preferred where the home environment is considered hostile. I think the permutation would vary and it requires studies. Home detention is a new method. It is new to Singapore. I do not think we should rush into making conclusions. Earlier speakers have suggested the possibility that home detention could be used for people who are suffering from, say, some disability or even a state of pregnancy. I would have thought that the mode of punishment should suit the offence rather than the individual's condition itself. I am not sure that it is so clear cut that one could just come out with a guideline in a moment without more detailed studies. The existing Prisons Act and amendments to the Intoxicating Substances Act and the Misuse of Drugs Act permit the use of any weapon including firearms. I am concerned that there should be adequate safeguards to ensure that weapons, especially firearms, are used only when absolutely necessary.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. I see the formation of the Agency as a consolidation of our resources in the defence industry. As maintaining a strong defence capability is crucial for Singapore's continuing peace and security, I am happy with its evolution and the successes that occasionally appear in the news media. Whilst the formation of such an Agency is a natural progression, I am filled with some unease. Perhaps, I have been watching too many science fiction movies that portray renegade defence agencies carrying out unethical experimentations and developments. Quite naturally, the work of a defence agency must generally be kept secret. Clause 32(3) provides the Minister with the power to certify any information as of a secret nature and as stated in the clause, such information or matter shall not be required to be disclosed to Parliament or any such person. There is no provision for a Committee to monitor the works of the Agency to ensure that it does not breach any universal ethical rule. Since defence development may involve ethical issues, such as the development of land mines, biological weapons, etc, I feel that it would be too much to keep it purely within the Ministry of Defence. Sir, it is my belief that there is a need to have a monitoring body, comprising at least the Prime Minister and two other Ministers from other Ministries, and in fact, it would be my preference to include an independent person, such as the President of the Republic of Singapore. The setting up of such a Committee is critical since defence matters, by nature, cannot be discussed openly without compromising the national interest. As pointed out earlier by Mr Ravindran, there is really a need for secrecy to be independently verified.”
“I am glad that finally in MITA's programmes, we have a plan to promote fun in Singapore. As many of our Western friends might say, "Come on Singapore, loosen up!" Sir, I support the motion.”
“In conclusion, Sir, let me say that hitherto, the Government in all its policies has over-emphasised, dare I say, "achieving prosperity and progress" and left out "happiness" for the most part. The Chinese version of our pledge refers to "happiness" as xin fu ( ) which, loosely translated, can mean "blessing". Blessing is a state of contentment, much deeper than happiness, and it comes from spiritual and emotional well-being. Even happiness itself cannot come simply from material prosperity and progress. Happiness comes from fond memories of Singapore, our home. Our hearts must beat, as the President said in his Address, for Singapore - for its foods and smells, for its sounds and colours, its history, its landmarks and its people. We must learn to restrain our urge to demolish every building we see that does not fit into our plans. We must stop removing the landmarks of our history. Architectural merit must not be the only consideration for preservation. I regret, for example, the demolition of my alma mater many years ago in the past, the first school in Singapore with a very, very large history, because it was not economical or distinctive enough architecturally to save. Is the National Library building at Stamford Road really not possible to save and refurbish for future generations to mark our history? Happiness too, Sir, comes from making life more meaningful for others, especially those less fortunate than ourselves. That is active citizenship. Happiness too comes from having fun. We say that every Singaporean counts. His welfare counts. For him, we need to make Singapore a fun place to live in, not just because it helps us to make a quick tourist dollar, but because it is what we have pledged to do.”
“So afraid that we teach them Primary One things in kindergarten! I am so glad that the Senior Minister of State for Education has declared that henceforth this will stop. I do hope that the Ministry will next stop the hideous practice of ranking schools purely on academic performance. Rank if you must, but do not forget to give high scores to schools which give their students a balanced education, rounding them up with sports, arts and character-building programmes. The President's Address has clearly stated that school curricula will be revised to cater for these. I am deeply appreciative, as many Singaporean parents would be, with that promise. With the one year that we save in not having examinations, we should send our children for sports and music camps perhaps, or SIF overseas volunteer programmes, student exchange programmes, Operation Raleigh projects, Outward Bound School. We should challenge them to climb Mt Everest, Mt Kinabalu or at least Mt Ophir. Presently, they do not even have time to climb Mt Faber! We cannot allow this to continue. At the end of the day, we must not forget that we have taught them to pledge, "to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation." They cannot learn about a democratic society by suffering six major examinations in 12 years of schooling. They must leave their books and visit Parliament, the courts, the civil institutions. They cannot learn about justice and equality from textbooks and endless assessment papers. They must experience these from interaction with their classmates, multi-racial classmates at that, and with their community.”
“If we set aside two months to prepare for each examination, we would have wasted a full one year doing nothing but cram. We would have lost productivity in the economy too, because parents have to take leave from work to rehearse the children for their examinations. Perhaps school in the future will not be examination-interrupted but examination-terminated. One graduation examination, the 'A' levels. I am thrilled therefore that the Minister for Education is taking a step in that direction by considering dropping the 'O' level for some students. We want "thinking schools". For that not to be an empty slogan, we must allow students time to think; time to be creative; time to sieve good from bad, gold from dross. On the Internet, there are lots of information, and misinformation. Our children must learn how to choose and discern what is harmful and what is not. If school is full of examinations and cramming, how would they find time to think? Ian Buruma condemns us as a nation afraid to think. Actually, our problem is that we have no time to think. To my knowledge, only a certain Member without a constituency is afraid to think, as I noticed that he plagiarised a whole chunk of Buruma's article and passed it off as his own analysis of Singapore in his speech during this debate. Our children are so busy that they have no time to be children, no time to play. I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Peh Chin Hua that we should stop driving them from class to class, tuition to tuition, enrichment programme to enrichment programme. To everything, there is a season - a season for study, a season for play; a season for stress, a season for de-stress. Play is productive, even creative. Why are we so afraid to let our children play?”
“That is why we must be well-informed. If we hit hard, we must expect to be hit hard. As Mr Singh said, in moving this motion, this Government is not known for the subtlety of its replies. Perhaps as time goes by, all of us will learn how to modulate our blows in debate, though the calibration is an art to be learnt from experience, not a science that is acquired from the books. While we call on the Government to be more thick-skinned when criticised, we must not apply double standards. The active citizen must learn to be thick-skinned too! Ask Mr Simon Tay, or perhaps Prof. Walter Woon. No active citizen should throw in the towel and proclaim that he has stopped because he is now cowering in fear. If he fears his own shadow, the public forum and its floodlights is not a place where he should be found. The President in his Address offered another set of buzzwords: Singapore as a "knowledge-based economy". Sir, permit me next to say a few words on this topic. Knowledge is acquired, usually from education. This is probably why many Members before me have majored on educational reform. Our educational system has traditionally been knowledge-intensive, pressed down by dedicated drill masters. In the Information Age, however, knowledge has a very short shelf life. What you learn in school may become obsolete a short six years after you graduate. It is not productive in such a world to cram our children with knowledge. We must equip them with skill sets which will help them acquire useful knowledge all through their lives and sound values for them to discern between good and evil. Education in such a world should not be examination-interrupted as it is currently. There are important examinations at the end of Primary 3, 4, 6; Secondary 2, 4 and Junior College.”
“To paraphrase the Senior Minister who said this before in this House, if what Members say in here do not resonate outside, we are done for. The debate on the President's Address is not a school debate with thrust and counter thrust. In the past, many ideas were floated in these debates, some of which were later picked up by the Front Bench and incorporated into the Government's programmes. We do not wish it any other way. My second point on active citizens is that we must learn to disagree without coming to blows. Robust debate is not necessarily a personal attack. Passion must not be mistaken for aggression. As Mr Singh asked, "Can we take the heat?" If we cannot, we should not stay in the kitchen. When I was a student in America, and again in England, I often saw my friends argue with each other (and even with the Professors) until their faces were blue. And yet, they never became enemies. Here, in our culture, the moment you contradict someone just a little too vigorously, you have lost a friend. For active citizens to benefit from active debates, we must learn to take as well as we give, and adjourn for a happy drink together afterwards. "Defeat" can be accepted with grace, not a feeling of humiliation. Disagreement does not mean division. Once we have learnt that we can agree to disagree, it would not make headlines anymore every time a Minister appears to disagree with another, or a Member of Parliament does not align himself with a Government position. It does not mean that the PAP has begun to split, nor that the Member in question is embittered and is "hitting out". Such is the grist of active gossip, not citizenship. When we have occasion to disagree with the Government, we must have the conviction that we are right and are ready to defend our stand.”
“One, the President's Address is a ceremonial speech outlining the Government's programme. It is not a politician's speech. The passion within it is understated. Surely, she does not expect him to punctuate his Speech with shouts of "Merdeka"? Has she never seen the Queen of England deliver similar speeches in stately fashion? The Constitutional convention allows for passion only in politicians' speeches! Two, Miss Chua certainly has not seen Parliamentarians debating in the Lok Sabha in India. There, as here, Parliamentary time is short, the opportunities to speak limited and the agenda long. Parliamentarians need to espouse the views of their constituents; they have to push the interests and promote programmes for the well-being of those they represent. So, in the Lok Sabha, it is a common sight to see several MPs all talking at the top of their voices at the same time. Would they be listening to each other, I wonder? On the other hand, you have the fine example of Congressmen in the US House of Representatives. I visited that august institution in 1985 when the House was in session. In a chamber that sits 435 people, I saw a handful seated and one standing and speaking. At first, I thought he was rehearsing his speech, until I saw the Speaker of the House move to make a ruling on something. In the US Congress, the more important work is done in its hallowed halls - and thus the word "lobby" - not in the debating chamber. Not many Congressmen were listening to his debate to counter it. This House, Sir, I am glad to say, is more orderly than the Lok Sabha and more diligent than the US House of Representatives. We have many points to push, many petitions to plead, and some pet projects to promote. We do not do it for show, but to air the views of our citizens.”
“At the same time, as Mr Singh has noted, those who propose alternatives must be prepared to defend them in the robust arena of debate. I would add that the debate, to be meaningful, must also be well-informed and have realistic expectations. Otherwise, the debate will end up with no greater merit than the bar brawl over a drunkard's view of the world. For example, those who argue for more financial welfare for the poor, along the lines of western social systems, lose their credibility if they do not know why the very societies which have these systems are trying to ditch them. As Mr Lim Boon Heng pointed out on Monday, welfare and minimum wage levels in these countries are predicated upon providing the poor with shelter and basic needs, with the bulk of the aid going to the cost of shelter. In Singapore, 90% of our people already own their own homes. Demanding the same level or model of welfare would be uninformed, unrealistic, unwise and an altogether unfair debating point. As another example, journalist Chua Lee Hoong has expressed her dismay that MPs in this House are not following up on each other's points, affirming, elaborating or countering. She totally misunderstands the purpose of a Parliamentary debate to thank the President for his Address. Procedurally, the debate is on Mr Singh's motion, whether or not to thank the President. It is a device for Members to explore the issues raised by the President's Address and the Addenda. If we were to debate Mr Singh's points alone, this would be a very narrow debate indeed! She has probably also not informed herself of how debate is carried out in other Parliaments. Her criticism is thus unfair, as unfair as her comment that His Excellency the President's Address is devoid of wit and passion.”
“The challenge is to help people of all milieus see that S21 is for them and that they all have a role to play. The people who keep our environment clean and healthy must see that they too are contributing to the well-being of our nation and are just as important as those generating exports. It is only when everyone at every stratum can feel that they are playing an important role in the progress of our nation that the spirit of S21 can take root, be nourished and grow. Social cohesion must be the foundation, the canvas upon which we sketch and paint our vision for tomorrow. Without social cohesion, we have little chance of completing the picture of Singapore in the new millennium. The sketching presented will end up as just blotches of paint with clashing colours and shades, to be passed on as 21st century art. It may belong to everyone but only a few will appreciate it. Assoc. Prof. Toh See Kiat (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion standing in the name of Mr Davinder Singh. The President in his Address promised that the Government will be promoting active citizenship "to get Singaporeans to play a full part in shaping our future." Mr Singh has waxed lyrical about active citizenship and I cannot match his eloquence and wisdom on the subject. I wish merely to add two points to help us understand the full import of these two simple words. First, active citizens must have realistic and informed expectations and opinions. Second, active citizens must learn to disagree without being divisive. Let me elaborate. As Mr Singh pointed out in his speech, we have a new generation of Singaporeans who expect to be consulted and to have their voices heard. The Government has promised to hear them.”
“Yet, if they are more alert, they may spot the elderly hunched lady dragging home her precious cart of cardboard materials at the bewitching hour whilst most people are in sweet slumber. Sir, whilst everyone will accept the importance of education and the need to invest time and effort into it, some children have to cope with helping out at the family's business and some may even have to adopt the parental role and be both mum and dad to their siblings. These children are handicapped in their educational pursuit. Whether one is cosmopolitan, a heartlander, or a bit of each, one's view of things and expectations will be significantly influenced by the milieu that he or she belongs to. In the call to work together and to commit not just to Singapore, but also to one another, there must be recognition that there are different milieus in our society. There has first to be an awareness of this divide and there must be genuine empathy for each other's fears, difficulties and aspirations. The concerns of the milieus cut across races - it is the same for each milieu, whatever their race. Perhaps, it is the desire to be sensitive that we do not want to recognise this divide. But in so doing, we become less sensitive to each other's needs. There cannot be social cohesion if any one milieu feels, rightly or wrongly, that it is being treated unfairly. It is only by conscious effort that such misunderstandings can be minimised. There is a need to find ways to explain policies in the language and in the context of each milieu. Much attention was paid to involve a cross section of Singaporeans in the development of the S21 vision. However, at the end of the day, the intelligentsia are the ones who packaged and presented it to the people.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak on the motion standing in the name of Mr Davinder Singh. Many speakers have extolled the merits of the vision sketched by the President and some reservations have been expressed. I share in the excitement over the vision as it promises much to look forward to. I see it as an extensive home improvement programme. Sir, the President's Address is but a sketch of what Singapore can be - a progressive nation with its citizens playing an active role in his journey into the next millennium. The devil is in the details, the parts to be painted in - the choice of colours and shades. Not everyone will have the same view of the completed picture. Not everyone will see the sketch the way it is nor will they have the same interpretation of the picture being painted. Whilst it will be impossible to cater to everyone's expectations, there must be an understanding of what they are. Sir, broadly speaking, there are three milieus in any society - conveniently termed as lower, middle and upper income groups. Each milieu will see things differently as their priorities in life are different. A "need" for one group may be inconsequential for another group. Some can afford to spend a weekend at golf whilst others must scrap for a better living, sometimes a matter of survival for them. A long time ago, as one of the pioneer counsellors for ex-drug addicts, a counselee said to me, "It is easy for you. With your educational qualification, you do not have to worry about getting a decent job. My future is different from yours. So how can you truly understand what I feel." Many people feel that there are no longer any truly poor in Singapore.”
“Question No. 2, Sir. The Senior Minister of State for Education (Dr Aline K. Wong): Mr Speaker, Sir, the number of Primary 1 students who did not attend kindergarten classes in 1997 was 397, or 0.8% of all Primary 1 students registered in mainstream schools. The corresponding figure for 1998 is 319, or 0.6%. Another 499 (1.0%) for 1997 and 329 (0.7%) for 1998 did not provide information on their kindergarten status, even after repeated reminders. Even if we include this group of children as not having attended kindergarten classes, the percentage of Primary 1 students registered in our mainstream schools, who did not attend kindergarten classes, is altogether less than 2%. Prior to 1997, information on kindergartens attended was not captured for Primary 1 students registered in mainstream schools. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION CONVENTION ON EQUAL REMUNERATION AND MINIMUM AGE (Ratification) 3. Mr Ong Ah Heng asked the Minister for Manpower whether his Ministry will consider ratifying the International Labour Organisation Convention (ILOC) Number 100 on "Equal Remuneration", which deals with non-discriminatory payment of women and men's salary for work of equal value, and ILOC No. 138 on "Minimum Age", which protects children by establishing a minimum age for certain types of work.”
“Sir, could the Minister clarify whether other meats are exposed to the danger of these viruses, such as beef, chicken and duck?”
“I would like to propose the establishment of a classic car category. The definition should be based on age, and I would suggest an age of 40 years. No car can survive that long without proper care and attention. Thus, there is no danger of such cars breaking down frequently and causing congestion on our roads. To help the enthusiasts with the cost of maintaining such cars in good condition, I would like to suggest that for a restricted use of 90 days per calendar year, they be exempted from paying the PQP and the road tax be paid only for the days of use. The registration fee should also be retained at $140. The restricted use for vintage cars should be revised on the same basis as that for the classic cars. Sir, as motoring is clearly an important subject for Singaporeans, it is right to allow the creation of a living record of our heritage in motoring. As in our historic buildings, before we lose more of our classic cars, we should take immediate steps to preserve what is left. Sir, I urge the Minister to give this proposal serious consideration. Only the enthusiasts and people willing to invest time, effort and money would bother to keep such cars. It is safe to say that there are sufficient measures such as the PQP and premium on road tax payable in the initial years to ensure that only the better cars will be kept up to and beyond 40 years. In the hands of enthusiasts, these cars will be better maintained than a much younger car in the hands of the average motorist.”
“Sir, I am urging the Minister to consider the setting up of a classic cars category so that there will be a population of home grown older cars as a record of our heritage. Currently, there is a category of vintage cars. These are cars manufactured prior to 31st December 1939. There are 92 such cars in Singapore, and most of them are on special terms of restricted use to enjoy a lower cost of keeping them in Singapore. Vintage cars on restricted use can be put on our roads 28 days per calendar year. In return for the restricted use, they are exempted from the VQS, ie, owners need not pay the PQP to retain their registration. Road tax is paid on a day basis to cover those days when they are on the road, and the fee to register a vintage car is only $140. But the car cannot be sold or transferred in Singapore. In recent years, there has been much emphasis placed on reclaiming our heritage. Much effort and money are allocated to the conservation of buildings. Very often, when there is a need to showpiece the history of motoring in Singapore, members of the vintage club are approached to participate and to parade their cars. Sadly, nothing is being done to enable people to retain better old cars. In wanting to keep our population of cars young and therefore relatively trouble free, we overlook that there are people who maintain their cars in excellent condition. Enthusiasts spend a lot of energy and money to keep their cars in pristine condition. To quote an example, I refer to the 130 Minis owned by 135 members of the Mini Car Club. All the Minis are in extremely good condition, their members having made great effort to trace and import original parts to preserve their Minis in almost as good as new condition. It is merely their enthusiasm that keeps them going.”
“I suggest that at the very least, the contribution from the Medisave accounts of the immediate family members should be made an automatic process through legislation. This way, the burden of family members who chip in with the cash payments would be lessened, and where taxpayers' money is used, at least we know that all immediate family members of the individual to be helped had made a contribution.”
“Sir, on 1st April 1993, the Government set up Medifund with an initial contribution of $200 million from the consolidated revenue account. As at 31st March 1998, the capital sum of the funds stood at $600 million. The number of Medifund applications approved in FY97 was over 56,000, amounting to more than $13 million. Medifund is a safety net for qualifying individuals who cannot afford their healthcare cost. The individual Medisave and those of their immediate family members will be called on first and Medifund is applied to the shortfall. Medifund has provided relief to many needy people in dealing with their health cost. I am raising the following as a matter of principle. I notice that there are cases where family members object to contributing their share, be it cash contribution or the use of their Medisave. Very often, they cite that they have been estranged from the sick member. I have no doubt that in some cases, a parent may have neglected the child, and, therefore, the child begrudged being called upon for assistance. Perhaps, there has been a serious family fall out. Whatever the reasons given, I am questioning whether it is then right to leave the burden to the other taxpayers to carry. It is my premise that it cannot be right. In times of need, family members should rally round and forget the past. If one cannot forgive one's own family member, who else can one forgive? In some cases, a family member who refuses to help out is also the wealthiest in the family. 3.00 pm It would not be a practical solution to suggest that family members bring the matter to the Family Tribunal. The process can be protracted and painful.”
“The statistics would hardly be affected if $10 million could be found to act as a safety net fund against which people in desperate need could apply for some help. This would be a one-time contribution and such a fund, if administered purely as a safety net, would go a long way to helping a lot of families and could last until the economy turns around. I urge serious consideration for this appeal. EXEMPTED BUSINESS (Motion) That the debate on the Budget Statement be proceeded with beyond 4.30 pm and the proceedings thereon be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Debate resumed.”
“There are people who, because of their age, lack of paper qualification or some other discriminating reasons, are forced to live off their savings, if any. Their family members are affected by the sudden loss of income. With just one of the schools in which I am serving, there has been a request for financial assistance from nine pupils in just the first two months of 1999. The Ministry of Education does assist with waiver of school fees but assistance is still required for things like supplementary fees. In some cases, help is being sought for bus fares, books and meals. We are right in investing in our people for they are our resources. However, whilst we focus on the future, we should not lose sight of the present. For all those who are having difficulties making ends meet, the future is but a vague dream. It is heart breaking to hear of students who decide to abandon their education and leave school to find work to help the family deal with finances. There have always been people with difficulties and they are being helped by a network of voluntary organisations. The current economic downturn has added stress to the operational capabilities. Many VWOs have had their budget slashed by at least 10% across the board because of the difficulties in raising funds. During these difficult times, there are people who have contributed to our economy in the past and who are now pleading for help, help to survive the present and thus creating hope for the future. In helping people to survive the present, we are but investing for the future. It is clear that something extra is required. The total budget expenditure is $29.1 billion of which only 1.66% is allocated to Community Development, or 0.34% of GDP.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget Statement presented by the Minister for Finance. In his review of the economy, the Finance Minister stated that while the Government was deliberating over policy options, they identified that the critical issues were to maintain the framework for continued economic activity; help companies tide over the crisis and minimise unemployment; and enhance our capabilities and competitiveness for future growth. In his Budget speech, the Finance Minister stated that the expenditure would be focused on fostering future growth by investing heavily on developing our human resources, in economic infrastructure and other areas which yield lasting returns. I agree with the issues identified - the need to invest for the future and the basic thrust of the Budget. And I take comfort that the proposal is to maintain the same level of expenditure on defence and to increase expenditure on education. My concern is principally on whether enough is being done to help those who are now in a desperate financial situation. I am concerned about those who have tried to help themselves and are now at wits end. Last year, some 28,000 people were retrenched, and expectation is that another 20,000 people will be retrenched this year. The number of people joining the rank of the bankrupts is growing. The rebates on rental and S&C charges will certainly be a big help to many. However, there is a need for direct assistance to those in a desperate financial position. Some of these people are those who have lost their jobs and are having difficulties getting re-employed. It is too easy to sweepingly assume that those who remain unemployed are being fussy.”
“I am very sure over the next few months, some public accountants will be arguing and debating over the amendments. The question that remains is: who then regulates the accountants in commerce? After all, they cause financial statements to be prepared and often are the ones who prepare the financial statements themselves. I think there is a need also to control the conduct and the standard of accountants in commercial practice. If the work of both the commercial and public accountants is of a high standard, they become complementary. But, as it stands now, in some cases where the standards do differ, the respective positions of the commercial accountants and the public accountants can then be adversarial to the detriment of all parties. In conclusion, I do support the Bill, Sir.”
“Perhaps there is a need to add that compliance in these two areas is assumed unless there is evidence to the contrary. I am glad that there is going to be an amendment to the amendment because I was quite concerned over the inclusion of the condition of insolvency and of a composition with any creditor for a public accountant to be struck off. Especially in current times, a public accountant having bought a home with a bank overdraft, and with the fall in the property market, may well find himself to be technically insolvent. But I think it is now water under the bridge as there is now a proposed amendment. So overall, yes, I find it is more stringent on the public accountants but it is a profession, the stature is respected and should be maintained. I am particularly glad with the amendment in section 48 which now allows non-accountants to practise as tax consultants. For some time now, I feel that it does not make sense that a person, who has passed all the vigorous examinations of the Institute of Taxation, and perhaps even with experience practising taxation, or perhaps has been in employment of the Inland Revenue Authority, cannot come out and practise as a tax consultant. I think now this addresses that issue. However, having opened it up, there is a need perhaps for regulation to control and maintain the standards of tax consultants in the interest of the public. It would be a sad day if the public is represented by someone holding himself up to be a tax consultant and who is not competent, and therefore results in huge losses. With the amendments to the Accountants Act, the public accountant is well regulated, and I am sure some will feel that we are being over-regulated.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. I would like to declare my interest as a practising public accountant, as a Council member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore, and as someone who has participated in some of the discussions earlier on over some of these amendments. Today, I would like to state that I am expressing a personal view. When I first read the Bill for the first time as an individual, as anyone else would have been looking at the text of the Bill, I had this feeling that the amendments were rather draconian. Then I read it a second and third time, but this time as a practitioner, as a public accountant, and I realise that the amendments really were to bring the Accountants Act in line with other Acts regulating the other professionals. In some respect, because it is a more recent amendment than the Act regulating, say, the solicitors, we have actually improved on it. We have included composition for very minor offences as well. I am quite convinced that the amendments have been made not to make life more difficult for public accountants, but to help public accountants maintain their stature. I am in support of the Bill but there are some areas of concern that I feel need to be addressed. Section 15(5)(a) on continuing professional education and section 15(5)(b) on the appraisal of the public accountant's professional conduct and practice are two of the areas for compliance that will be considered by the Board for the annual renewal of their certificate. I think there will be some problems here because Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is being monitored for compliance over a 3-year period. The practice review to appraise the public accountant's professional conduct and practice is also done in cycles.”
“It is now essential to ensure proper implementation of the recommendations and to continue monitoring our competitiveness and fine-tune the system as Singapore regains its footing and get back on track for continuing economic growth.”
“I fear that, without care, suspicion may arise that one party or the other is not bearing a fair share of the pain, and this will have an impact on social cohesion. Our enterprises will have to carry on the best they can. There will always be a need to supplement our workforce with skilled foreign workers. There is an urgent need to reduce the levy for skilled foreign workers substantially. I do, however, question the appropriateness of reducing the levy on unskilled foreign workers. We should not encourage the import of unskilled foreign workers. Jobs, usually filled by such workers, should be kept for Singaporean workers who, due to the lack of appropriate skills, have to be retrained and are temporarily requiring a job, any job, to survive. As for the foreign workers, we should require employers to hire from among the pool of retrenched foreign workers, instead of forcing them to be repatriated. Many of these foreign workers cannot and do not want to return home because of the heavy debt that they incur in getting to Singapore. It would be a humanitarian policy which will also help see the continuing need for foreign workers without resulting in an increase in their numbers. To help our enterprises seek new markets and establish offices overseas, we should set up Singapore Trade Centres in the cities where business opportunities exist. These centres should offer a one-stop business support service where Singapore businessmen can rent temporary office facilities at low cost and obtain help to transcend language and cultural barriers. In conclusion, I support the recommendations made by the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Report of the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness is comprehensive. If only we had the benefit of the findings and recommendations two years ago. For a long time now we have heard grumbling about the high cost of operating in Singapore. I have often heard disbelief expressed over the BERI's Report. For a long time now employers have grumbled about rapidly rising labour costs unmatched by an increase in productivity, disloyalty of labour, poor attitudes of new entries to the labour market. In this current economic downturn, some employers have expressed their hope that people's expectations will be moderated, more realistic. The Committee has done an excellent job of identifying the issue and I am generally in agreement with its recommendations. My concern is with the details, the implementation of the recommendations that, if mishandled, can cause much pain without providing the cure. I share many of the areas brought up by earlier speakers and I shall not repeat them. I shall focus on a couple of areas that I feel have not been raised. We must realign our wage structure to be competitive. The question has been raised as to whether the targeted 15% cut in wage cost is enough. Concern has been raised on the impact of such a cut on the lower paid wage earners and there has been a call to make a bigger cut for higher wages to help the lower paid workers. I would like to caution that higher paid workers may not necessarily have such a large advantage over the lower paid workers. Many do not benefit from large housing subsidies or other subsidies. Many are heavily mortgaged on their home. These people will not have a benevolent Town Council with patience over late payments of conservancy charges.”
“Their vocabulary will remain limited and they are unable to express themselves. Those kindergarten children who progress in reading and writing, generally have strong home support and supplementary tutoring. Without proper development of the three `R's - reading, writing and arithmetical sense - a pupil will face an uphill task in learning other subjects. It comes a time when the subjects are learned without understanding, merely by rote and with the one aim of passing the examination with little or no understanding. There is a saying which is also a truism, "When we are young, we learn to read. When we are older, we read to learn." The greatest skill to master in school must be that of reading, writing and arithmetics. With the three `R's, one can engage in self-study in any subject. When mastered at an early age, the rest of the school curriculum would be merely an extension of knowledge. Add to this the thinking skill and creativity, learning becomes an experience to be enjoyed. Sir, I hope that Primary 1 pupils are made to master the three `R's. The curriculum should be focused towards achieving this objective. With a proper foundation for learning, not only will the pupils do well in school, but they will be capable of keeping pace with the rapid changes around them.”
“Sir, with a rapidly changing world, knowledge has become the buzzword for education and business alike. Knowledge is the asset that provides the competitive advantage for any individual or corporation. It is with this realisation that we see the urgency in cramming knowledge into students and workers. Sir, there is no doubt that Singaporean students have a wide knowledge base. Just look at the number of GCE `O' and `A' level subjects that they have to study and be examined in. To prepare students for the long gruelling process of achieving an education based on a large number of subjects, the cramming begins at an early age. I am relieved to hear the Minister say that there has been a revamp of the curriculum and that the workload of students is being reduced. Up till now, Primary 1 pupils are taught a wide range of subjects. This is being done while they learn to read, write and develop their arithmetical sense. Whilst being grounded on a foundation for learning, Primary 1 pupils have to cope with learning a wide variety of subjects. Under such circumstances, there are a number who will only get by with some skills in reading and writing and without developing their arithmetical sense. Such pupils will eventually find themselves unable to cope with the learning process and eventually drop out of the school system. Sir, I know of a number of pupils who left the school system after Primary 5 who cannot read. There is a need to go back to fundamentals. Primary 1 must be the place where pupils are given the foundation for learning. It is too easy to say that many children already go to kindergarten where they learn to read. Whilst children in kindergarten do learn their ABC and some can read reasonably well, they do not have the maturity to master such skills.”
“Room must be made for the mature students, the experienced workers with few or no GCE passes at "0" or "A" levels. Only then is it an Open University.”
“Sir, the Open University Programme should have a more flexible entry requirement to provide a second chance to those who did not see the need for a higher education when they were younger. Back in the 60s, many people aspired to complete just the Cambridge examinations. It would have been sufficient for them to secure a good job and earn a living. As Singapore advances, it became necessary to gain good `0' level results. Subsequently, the standard increased and one needed "A" level passes. Today, one will pursue for a diploma, degree or a professional qualification. Some people will go on to earn a Masters degree. The Open University concept in the United Kingdom caters for anyone who wishes to upgrade himself or herself by studying for a degree. Anyone without the requisite "0" and "A" levels can enrol for a foundation course where the necessary skills for the pursuit of a degree are taught and examined. On passing the examinations or the foundation course, one becomes eligible to continue with the degree course. This way, all adults have a chance of studying for a degree, irrespective of their past study track record. Their working experience would have equipped them to embark on this journey. In Singapore, those who have targeted entry into one of our main universities stand a better chance to qualify for admission to the Open University Degree Programme. Sir, there is a danger that it would become the University with easier options for the students of today. The Open University Programme must set for itself higher ideals than just being equal to our two major universities. It can be recognised as an equal while catering for different segments of our society.”
“Just as it is desirable to maintain different categories of COEs for motorcars, it is desirable to create different categories of COEs for motorcycles. The same principle of social equity surely must apply here.”