Ho Kah Leong
Singapore
“Sir, the Member is right that the sewerage fees comprise two components, a fixed fee and a variable one. The sanitary appliance fee, which is the fixed fee component, is based on the number of sanitary appliances. It is a charge towards the cost of providing the sewerage infrastructure which I think the Member should have no quarrel.”
“Sir, we do not require canned food to be date marked because they are sterilised during canning and will not spoil over a long period of storage. These foods have a long shelf life. Sir, My Ministry does not intend to date mark all foods since there is no need to, from public health considerations.”
“After months of hard work and with the full cooperation of the Joo Chiat residents to spruce up the neighbourhood, the situation showed immediate and impressive improvements. The number of premises found breeding Aedes mosquitoes dropped. Correspondingly, the number of dengue cases also dropped from 28 in 1993 to 11 in 1994.”
“Yes. The Member also touched on malaria disease. Although Singapore has been declared free from indigenous malaria by the World Health Organisation since 1982, Singapore will always be under the threat of malaria because we have many visitors and foreign workers from malaria-endemic countries in the region.”
“My Ministry will continue to educate the public on how to prevent the Aedes mosquitoes from breeding in their homes and properties. My Ministry will also continue to seek out breeding grounds in public places and tighten our control, surveillance and enforcement measures.”
“Let me now turn to the Member for Jalan Besar GRC. Let me first tell the Member that in the business called "promotion of the arts", even if you have done a lot, there is still a lot to be done.”
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“No, Sir, I support their views, but I have my own points to make. At the first sign of daybreak we can hear music broadcast over the radio. Of course, music is meant to soothe our mind and body, and to provide some entertainment for us. More important, music is supposed to lift up our spirit and to stimulate a greater sense of one's upward orientation. I regret to note that what we are subject to nowadays consists merely of an unhealthy and decadent type of music. Although we are awake, after listening to this kind of music we become drowsy again. How can we be roused to work in this mood? This is what we are subject to at home. If we go out into the street we can hear music of the unhealthy and sickly type, music which consists of nothing but shrieking, screaming and shouting. Many of us share this feeling. When foreign singers come to Singapore and sing pop songs and dance in the latest style, our audiences blindly follow them and popularise their songs and dances. However, if we put on a serious concert or show with classical music or art songs, it is very difficult to sell even a small number of tickets and those who buy them merely do so to oblige the organisers. For the last few years the youth of our country have been exposed to influences from foreign countries. Many of them have taken up the songs of the Beatles and their dances and the Western soul-dance. The men keep long hair, wear a long beard, and sport bell-bottoms. The girls wear jeans. It is very difficult to distinguish between the males and the females. Most of them are like hippies. This is a most undesirable tendency. It corrupts the body, mind and spirit of our youth.”
“Sir, I would like to speak on amendment (3) * which stands in my name, for what I am going to say is related to what has been said by the Members who have spoken just now. * The amendment reads as follows: That the sum to be allocated for Head 0901 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1211.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“I must also pay tribute to those people who have stoutly supported and sponsored Nanyang University, and to those who have been running around raising funds for the University to build a college of research, a commercial college, and a students' hostel, etc. Sir, on the grounds of supporting the idea of cultivating the people of Singapore, I hope the Government will lend greater financial support to the further development of Nanyang University. I believe it will be an asset to Singapore if our universities can turn out all the people that our country needs. And i hope that Nanyang University will carefully make use of the funds donated to it, because ultimately these funds come from the taxpayers. I cannot understand why many people still have the pro-foreign thinking with regard to tutorial staff. They think that "scholars" recruited from abroad must be very good. I am not against recruiting genuine scholars. However, I regret to note that recently certain unlearned so-called foreign "scholars" have come to our higher institutions of learning to make a living, and they are highly paid. This only results in a waste of the taxpayers' money, and the students will suffer. I want to stress that we must encourage more local people to fill the key posts in the Universities because only they have a sense of national consciousness and loyalty and thereby they can really contribute their best to the country. Sir, Nanyang University should continue to be a national university with the special characteristic that its graduates are bilingual. We must not allow it to be made into a non-Chinese language university, because this will disappoint many people. I hope the Minister will caution the University authorities about this. Mr Lim Kim San rose -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 0801 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2109. Sir, allow me to discuss some questions relating to Nanyang University under this amendment, We know that Nanyang University was established at a time when there was a pressing need to imbue the people with the spirit of nation building. Like other institutions of higher learning, the financial position of Nanyang University was very difficult in its initial stages. The main source of financial support came from the rank and file of the people of Singapore. Thus the development of Nanyang University has been made under conditions of financial paucity. Sir, since its reorganisation, the Government has undoubtedly given great financial assistance to Nanyang University; for instance, the building of a library, the provision of annually recurrent expenditure and equipment, and the proposed building of a sports complex. All this is concrete evidence to show that Government is lending great support to Nanyang University. Furthermore, a few years ago, the Government has also given recognition to Nanyang University degrees, thus enhancing the status of the University and its graduates. However, Sir, Nanyang University does not have a long history behind it. In its initial stages it has to depend on financial as well as human resources to meet its various requirements. But in view of the greater development programmes ahead, the University needs more financial assistance. Sir, I endorse whatever programmes the University has to contribute to the development of society and to nation building.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister of State for his detailed explanation, and I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 0801 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1401. Sir, in moving this amendment, allow me to ask the Minister certain questions. Technical education has been promoted in Singapore and has been in existence for two years. I would like to ask the Minister whether its progress has been satisfactory. The second question is about the workshops in our schools. How many schools have their own workshops; and how many centralised workshops are there in Singapore? Are these workshops adequate to accommodate the technical students? Another matter is this: under the vote for subhead 1435 I see that there is only provision for one Assistant Inspector of Schools. If it is so important to have technical education, why is there a vote for only one Assistant Inspector of Schools? Does it mean that it is not necessary to supervise these school workshops? Is the provision sufficient for this purpose? Another question is the in-service graduate teachers who are being trained at the moment as technical teachers. During the day they have to teach in school and in the evening they have to go for training. They complain that the lessons are rather burdensome. Certain courses or lessons are not quite suitable. I would like to ask the Minister whether these allegations are really true. Another point is that although technical education has been implemented for two years, parents at large still do not understand what it is. So, many are not willing to send their children to receive technical education. Is the Minister prepared to launch some sort of publicity campaign to enable the parents to understand the true meaning of technical education? 7.45 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am quite in agreement with what the Member for Katong has said. Last year during the Second Reading on the Institute of Education Bill, the Minister for Education talked a great deal about it. He said that the setting up of the Institute of Education would raise the level of the teaching profession in Singapore. Today, however, we are sad to note that he is going to reconsider the setting up of the Institute of Education. This news will prove to be quite a blow to those aspiring for higher qualifications among our teachers. I hope the Minister will consider the question very carefully. I would like to ask him whether he is going to consult the opinions of the Teachers' Unions before he takes the final decision. He has said just now that he respects the opinions of the Teachers' Unions. The Minister has also mentioned that the T.T.C. will eventually take over the School of Education in the University of Singapore. I would like to ask him whether the T.T.C, is going to grant degrees to participants in the course, not only the Bachelor of Education degree, but also Master or even Ph. D. degrees in Education. Another point I would like to ask the Minister is this. We know that in the past certain courses in the T.T.C, were not suitable. For example, Science teachers undergoing training have to take a course in the teaching of the Chinese language, and vice versa. I would like to ask the Minister if he is going to review the courses available at the Teachers' Training College. Another question I would like to ask him is whether all trainee teachers are going to have a smaller work-load in schools, and how many periods is this reduction going to be?”
“In view of the answer given by the Minister, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister has not answered another question. I have asked him whether the Ministry of Education is prepared to conduct courses so that teachers will be taught how to run extra-curricular activities better than they are now doing.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I did not mean that. At first the marking system was in a state of confusion, but after adopting the suggestions of the teaching organisations, the system has been improved. What I mean is that the Ministry has not been paying much attention to the marking system of various schools. The situation should be improved.”
“I feel that only those persons who have knowledge and experience and proper training should be allowed to take charge of physical education and sports activities of the students, and not allow such matters to be put into the hands of inexperienced school principals. Only then will we be able better to implement cur policy in the field of sports and athletic activities. 6.00 p.m.”
“In the past few years, the inspectorate in charge of physical education has divided the whole of Singapore into districts, each district with one sports council and with the school principals in the district as ex-officio members. Whenever the council meets, these school principals wou1d do all the talking and planning, leaving out the sports teachers, who are in actual charge of sports. They could only sit behind the principals to observe and listen to what their principals have to say, instead of speaking their minds on the subject with which they are more conversant. There is no doubt that some principals have some knowledge of sports and physical education, but by and large most of them know very little about it. So if sports and physical education is to be left in the hands of such principals, it is like trying to catch a fish up a tree, i.e., attempting the impossible. Sports activities, as laid down by the council, normally are dealt with superficially, and the teachers, therefore, will always be confronted with some technical problems in the course of implementing these activities. As a result, the reaction from the students cannot be properly checked. Each time a sports meet or some kind of competition is held in any district, the students who form the spectators are very small in number. Very few would want to see such games or sports meets. It is just a case of competitors and officials performing for themselves with hardly any spectators. Mr Speaker, Sir, in order to take immediate remedial action on this.”
“This is because there is no definite scheme or standard set by the Ministry. I hope there can be some guidance to enable the teachers to know how these extra-mural activities should be conducted, and how they could help them. The third point is about the distribution of work-load in respect of extra-curricular activities. There are some teachers who need not have to be burdened with this, while others arc made responsible for many such activities. They cannot complain to anybody because the right to assign the work is in the hands of the principal. They can only stomach this complaint because there is the confidential report on them by the principal. I hope the Minister will take measures to remedy this. Mr Tay Boon Too(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the standard of athletics of any country depends mainly on the students' efforts. Whether or not it reaches international standard again depends on the students themselves. At the present moment, sports and athletic activities in the primary and secondary schools are directed by the Extra-curricular Activities Centre of the Ministry of Education. But from the athletic meets and competitions held every year in primary and secondary schools, we find that the interest of students in physical education and sports seems to have declined, and their performance is not so ideal as we would expect it to be. This is because the officers in charge of implementing the extra-curricular activities have not adopted a positive attitude. They think that as long as they have organised some sports or games for some schools to take part they have discharged their duties, and are not worried about the standard of performance or results.”
“Mr Speaker. Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated or Head 0801 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1131. Sir, extra-curricular activities have been implemented in our schools for many years, but there are certain aspects which are not satisfactory. I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to raise this question for the consideration of the Minister. First of all, concerning the allocation of marks for extra-curricular activities, the system of marking was originally not quite reasonable. Later, because of the opinions advanced by the various teaching professions and organisations, this system has been improved and been found to be more reasonable. As marks earned by students for extra-curricular activities may be taken into consideration when they apply for admission to Pre-University classes, they therefore pay very great attention to this system of marking, although the Ministry of Education does not pay too much attention to it. I say this because the Ministry has not sent anybody to the various schools to see how these extra-curricular activities are carried out or how the marking is done. This invariably leads to a situation where some schools, in order to enable their students to join Pre-University classes, award more marks to them. This is very dangerous because it will lead to anomalies and unfairness. I hope the Minister will pay attention to this matter. Secondly, in many schools there are extra-curricular activities of an academic nature. In almost every school there is a certain set of characteristics or features and these vary from school to school. So the students do not know which one to choose. And finally when it comes to extra-curricular periods, you will find that actually they are not being made full use of.”
“Sir, perhaps due to the interpretation, there has been some misunderstanding. What I meant was that because the teachers in charge of physical education very often are called away for meetings or to take part in certain activities, the time they have left to teach physical education is very limited. Therefore, the students do not have enough time for physical education. In this way, how can we expect them to become rugged? Mr Lim Kim San: Sir, this is more an exception than the rule. Probably he has one or two isolated cases in mind. It is not the policy of the Ministry to interfere with the school time-table that is already set out, or to call up teachers for meetings when they should be teaching physical education. But if any principal does such a thing, he will not remain a principal for long.”
“This shift system also increases the work-load of other teachers, and it is not entered in the records of the Ministry of Education. Sir, I think the scope of work of the teachers should be properly defined and enumerated, and measures taken to reduce the workload of the teachers. During the last budget debate I suggested that we should not ask the teachers to complete the same particulars of the students in attendance register every year, and to match these with the certificates or other evidence which parents are required to produce. This wastes too much time and causes too much inconvenience to all concerned. Since there are 12,000 class teachers involved, each having to spend about six hours on this job, it will result in 3,000 working days in a year being wasted. One year has lapsed since my suggestion was made, and I would like to know what steps the Minister has taken to deal with this matter. I have only one last matter to bring up, and that is, the Government has at long last decided to extend medical benefits as from 1st September last year to the teachers and staff in the aided schools. But members of their families have not been included yet. I hope the Minister can extend these medical benefits to them soon.”
“It is only when the policies cannot be carried through that the Ministry gets in touch with the teachers to seek solutions. This attitude should be corrected. Sir, if we recognise the fact that teachers are communicators of knowledge and that they have the necessary professional qualifications, we must allow them to carry out their duties and he responsible for them only within the scope of their duties. We should not give them too heavy a work-load. They should be allowed time to carry on with their own studies. We should not give them chores, such as the collection of fees and filling up endless forms. We should give them reasonable working conditions and a proper scope of work. At the moment the allocation of the number of teachers to a classroom is based on a quota formula - for every primary class 1.1 teachers, for every secondary class 1.25 teachers, and for every Pre-University class 1 33 teachers. This quota is allocated according to the school time-table, and results in a heavy burden on the teachers. In addition to this, teachers have homework to correct and they are allotted various other duties, such as extra-curricular activities. All this increases their workload beyond the quota provided. Thus, many teachers have to be in school one or two days more per week for these extra-curricular activities. This is not in accordance with the time-table, and thus invalidates the quota system. Moreover, school principals allot teachers the responsibility for various other matters of which they have to take charge. From these numerous additional duties, it is clear that the teacher's workload has gone beyond the staff quota stipulated by the Ministry.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I share the sentiments of the Member for Moulmein. As the Minister for Education said on the 16th of March in this House, a good teacher does not take his salary too much into consideration. I agree with what he said, but we should not forget that teachers are also human beings. Today when the prices of so many goods are increasing, the meagre salaries of the teachers cannot catch up with such increases. Therefore, their salaries should be readjusted. Because of their poor working conditions, their morale is low. This is also the cause of some teachers leaving their posts. The Teachers' Unions in the various language streams submitted their representations to the Ministry of Education some five months ago. I hope the Minister can give an early reply. 4.15 p.m. Sir, the vote for Education is quite a considerable sum in our budget. Of course, the aim is to educate the 25 per cent of our population who are students to become useful citizens. In order to achieve effectively the purpose of education, we must have a correct and definite education policy. But our Education Ministry has been hesitant on many issues. Perhaps this is because they have too much confidence in the so-called "experts". I would like to advise the Minister that when he formulates his policy he should not just pay heed to the opinions of only a handful of experts, but also give regard to the opinions of those in the teaching profession, especially the teachers, because they are the implementers of education policies and, being closest to the students, they understand the needs of the students best. But in formulating its policies or before carrying out any major reforms, the Ministry has never consulted the teaching profession.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, although we cannot rely entirely on agriculture and fishing alone as we must also look after other industries, we must, however, not neglect these two industries because a large number of our people are engaged in them. 4.21 p.m.”
“The report of the Primary Production Department shows that in 1968 there were 3,861 fishermen, whereas in 1969 there were only 1,314. The kelong industry has also declined, because the fish available in the off-shore areas is limited. The fishermen, therefore, have to go far out to sea to fish, thereby running great risks. But they have not been offered any protection from the dangers of the high seas. Should they lose their bearings, they might be blown off-course and land in a foreign country where they may be subjected to humiliation. If they do come back alive, they can count themselves lucky. The Government should come to some sort of agreement on fishing rights with our neighbouring countries, and to provide adequate protection for our fishermen who are engaged in deep-sea fishing. But if Government intends to promote deep-sea fishing without providing this protection, then nothing much can be achieved. Furthermore, I do not understand why the pioneer industry status for deep-sea fishing has been withdrawn. How can we encourage our investors to invest their money in deep-sea fishing if the Government is doing all this? It should adopt a positive attitude towards deep-sea fishing and not indulge in empty talk. Another point is that the Government has not set aside a piece of land for a fishing village to accommodate those fishermen affected by resettlement schemes. This is because they are not classified as farmers, and are therefore not entitled to a piece of land. As a result, they can only be settled in Housing Board flats. But most of these flats are at a great distance from where they keep their fishing boats. Because of this, many of them are forced to change their occupation.”
“With such assistance they will be able to purchase new farming equipment and so maintain or raise their production level. This assistance is especially needed because we are trying to develop small-scale concentrated farming activities. We also have to look after their production facilities in terms of hygiene. All this will cost money, and the Government should, therefore, help them at all times. Government assistance should not be limited only to times of disaster. We know the Government is aware of the exploitation of farmers by middlemen. The prices of agricultural products are subject to violent fluctuations, but the Government has not done anything to control this. Nor has it set up a co-operative scheme for the farmers, or helped them to find new markets overseas. As a result, they have to go on their own. Naturally the results are not encouraging. There is another point. The Government is spending a large sum of money each year to collect statistics of agricultural activity for research. But the findings have not been made available to the farmers. We have been told that research has been made on intensive farming schemes, but there is no evidence of an implementation of such intensive farming techniques. There is also the problem of land. We know that land is a scarce commodity and yet much of it is being used for military purposes, for industrialisation, and for urbanisation. The land available for farming is becoming less and less. Sir, we must also take a look at the fishing industry. In 1967 our fishermen caught 17,921 tons of fish. In 1969 it dropped to 12,100 tons. The number of fishermen has also dropped tremendously, and we cannot blind ourselves to this tact.”
“We can say that the Government has looked after the industrialisation programme very well. For example, the Economic Development Board provides local and foreign investors with assistance in their plans. The Jurong Town Corporation provides prospective investors with suitable factory sites. The Development Bank provides the necessary loans or any financial assistance. INTRACO (International Trading Company) provides new markets overseas. On the other hand, if we look at the agricultural sector, we can see that the Government has not done enough. In the Finance Minister's speech, there is very little mention of it. The most that the Government has done is the establishment of the Primary Production Department which is supposed to provide technical assistance to farmers. However, whether this technical assistance is efficiently transmitted to the farmers is rather open to doubt. The farming operations in our country are becoming smaller and smaller. The number of people who are engaged in farming is also on the decrease. If we do not take steps to stop this trend, we might find that we will have to spend something like $200 million for our requirements of agricultural products. We have nearly 200,000 farmers and their families who work all day long and who earn just sufficient to keep them going. If their crop is a failure or if the prices of their products fall, they will lose their capital outlay. If they wish to start afresh, they have to borrow money at high interest rates from middlemen or from tontines. As a result, they are forever in debt. The Government has not provided adequate assistance to them. I think it should set up a farmers' bank to provide low-interest loans to them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, all the people in Singapore were greatly relieved after they had listened to the speech made by the Minister for Finance on the 8th of March in this House. The reason is that the Minister was not going to introduce new taxes or increase the existing tax rates. From the people's point of view, naturally they hope that each year the budget will be balanced without having to introduce new taxes, otherwise they will have to tighten their belts no end. In recent months - I think the Minister is also aware of this -prices of commodities have risen tremendously. Although the price increases are often disguised by such terms as "price adjustments", "price standardisation" or "price unification", the people know that it amounts to a rise in many of their daily consumer goods: coffee, sugar and bread; even bus fares are on the increase! It is only the wages of workers that have not shown a corresponding increase. We are in a situation where wages are forever lagging behind prices. It is no wonder that the people are distressed that the cost of living is increasing every day. Their life is becoming more and more difficult. I think it is not necessary for me to remind the Minister that P.A.P, is supposed to be a socialist party. Therefore, the Government and the party should have the welfare of the lower income group more at heart, and prevent the income gap between the haves and the have-nots from becoming wider. The Minister is also one of the originators of our industrialisation plans. Today, industries are playing an important role in the economic growth of our country. In Other words, the structure of our economy has been transformed from that of an entrepot trading port to an industrial economy.”
“Sir, I have been asked by Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon to raise question No. 3. Mr E. W. Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, construction work on the proposed bus bay at Tiong Bahru Road between Seng Fob Road and Jalan Membina will commence in May 1971. Funds for this purpose have been provided in the budget for the next financial year. SHIN MIN PUBLIC SCHOOL (Alternative site) 4. Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for Law and National Develop-merit if Shin Min Public School will be affected by developments in the Sin Ming Road area, and whether and when an alternative site will be provided for the School.”
“As a result of the rapid expansion of our economy and the growth of industrialisation, it is true that a certain number of farmers have been affected by resettlement. But, on the whole, our farmers have contributed to our Gross National Product to the tune of 2.9 per cent. In terms of monetary value, their annual production exceeds $100 million. This, then, is the fact which goes to show that the picture painted by the Member for Jurong is based upon his subjective point of view. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That Parliament do now adjourn. Adjourned accordingly at Fourteen minutes to Seven o'clock p.m. to a date to be fixed. COMPARISON OF THE EXISTING AND NEW NATIONAL SERVICE POLICY (cols. 359-368)”
“The maximum compensation is based upon the maximum number of fruit trees which can be cultivated in an acre of land. The fixing of the maximum figure also ensures that corruption does not take place. Similarly, in regard to compensation for buildings, if the owner can produce documentary evidence to show that he has followed legitimate procedures in applying for building approval, he will receive compensation at the rate of $2.50 per square foot. In addition, I wish to mention that special cases which were brought before the relevant department by Members of Parliament have been given special consideration after due investigation. As regards the problems of damage to roads, blocked drains and larger houses for farmers, all these problems can be solved administratively by the various departments concerned. Mr Speaker, Sir, although our resettlement areas cannot be compared with those under the Housing and Development Board, at least most of them do have roads, drains and supplies of water and electricity. Furthermore, a certain portion of the resettlement area is set aside for schools and other purposes. However, the construction of schools is not the responsibility of the resettlement department. If the Ministry of Education can support the building of schools in the resettlement area, then our resettlement department will be willing to offer assistance. On the question of temples, those which were affected by resettlement projects have been relocated in various resettlement areas. There are also community centres in these resettlement areas. Sir, before I conclude, I wish to point out that for the last few years our farmers, under the care of our Government, have made a considerable contribution to our country.”
“But what I am worried about is that once we have used up these areas, we have to review the policy of reallocation of land for farmers. The Member for Jurong has also alleged that certain farmers were resettled for a second time. These are the facts. When we were in Malaysia, the problem of national defence was in the hands of the central Government. When we became independent, national defence became our primary concern. En order to train our Army, the Ministry of Defence required large areas of land for training purposes. Because of this, certain rural areas, including certain resettlement areas, were affected by this plan. Actually, resettlement is not an easy task. Sometimes, because of practical necessity, we are compelled to carry out resettlement. Strictly speaking, our resettlement department can be said to be an agency for various Government departments in clearing out areas designated for development so that all our national development projects may be carried out smoothly. If one day there is nothing for the resettlement department to do, then our development will also come to a stop. The Member for Jurong is unhappy about the reallocation of land for farmers and about the maximum compensation of $1,500 per acre of fruit trees. Sir, on the question of reallocation of land, our policy is this. If the person is a genuine farmer, he will get between half an acre and two acres of land. As land is becoming increasingly scarce in our country, there must be certain limitations imposed on our policy of reallocation of land. On the question of the maximum compensation of $1,500 per acre of fruit trees, this figure is much higher than that prevailing before 1964.”
“If we classify the farms according to their sizes, the small farms comprise about 85 per cent. The rest are medium-sized farms. By small farms I mean those which have less than 100 pigs or less than 1,000chickens, or farms which are partly engaged in other farming activities. According to these data, most of the farmers on the small farms are part-time farmers. Meantime, they are also engaged in other activities to maintain their livelihood. As regards these small farmers, whether or not they are affected by resettlement, they are still part-time farmers. The Member for Jurong has alleged that these farmers have become poor because of resettlement. This is incorrect. However, I do not deny that when a farmer is resettled in a new area, he will have to put up with some inconvenience and hardship. My department understands very well the existence of these problems and we have always given these farmers our careful attention. We have tried our best to reduce their difficulties in building their new homesteads. This is the experience we have gathered over the years and, as a matter of fact, because of our enlightened and reasonable attitude in tackling these problems, our resettlement policy has been carried out smoothly. I do not agree completely with the Member for Jurong when he says that in the implementation of resettlement, certain aberrations exist. In point of fact, the selection of a resettlement area is dependent on a number of factors. The most important factor is that the selected site must conform with the utilisation of the area as specified by the Master Plan for Singapore. The majority of the resettlement areas are delineated in the Lim Chu Kang and Choa Chu Kang areas. That is the reason why farmers from Jurong must be resettled in these areas.”
“It can be said that the farmers, who are already poor, after moving to the resettlement area, will become even poorer. Sir, ours is a country which professes democratic socialism and advocates the narrowing of the gap between the rich and the poor. Judging from the distressed condition of dwellers in the resettlement areas, the gap between the rich and the poor has grown wider. The Government seems not to care for the farmers. It seems to be satisfied with merely rapidly removing the farmers from their homesteads and allotting the sites thus vacated to foreign capitalists for investment. The authorities concerned seem not to have planned and developed the resettlement areas well to make them suitable for people to live in and enjoy the modern amenities of life. The Government has been vociferous in claiming that it is much concerned with the welfare of the resettlement dwellers. It should not merely pay lip-service to it, but should show its concern for them in practical terms. 6.35 p.m. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law and National Development (National Development Division) (Mr Ho Cheng Choon)(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, regarding the problems mentioned at length by the Member for Jurong, my feeling is that they are general resettlement problems and only one or two deserve an answer. All the rest can be solved administratively by the departments concerned. Sir, according to data collected by the Primary Production Department, there are about 19,000 farms which have been licensed. The number of people engaged in farming is about 180,000, of which those who are engaged in full-time farming number only 36,000, those engaged in part-time farming number 14,000, and those not engaged in farming number 23,000. The rest are women and children.”
“Sir, at present farmers who are not yet affected by resettlement have two to three acres of land on an average which is used for agricultural cultivation or livestock rearing or both. They mobilize all hands in the family and utilize all the available land. In this way, they manage to scrape up three meals a day. When they are removed to the resettlement areas, they are allotted not more than one and a half acres of land. A great majority of the households get only one-half or three-quarters of an acre of land. When the area of arable land is reduced, the amount harvested will, of course, be reduced proportionately. Further, there will not be a harvest rightaway. If fruit trees are planted, it will take several years for them to bear fruit. If the income from their agricultural activities is not enough to maintain their livelihood, members of the family seek work in the industrial areas. Then, in view of the great distances travelled, after deducting transport expenses, the income received will still be very limited. The farmers who are resettled not only get a reduced income but also incur increased expenditure. Because a house is newly built, it will attract a higher annual assessment value. The property tax is thereby increased. To settle in some far-away place, the farmers have to pay more on transport expenses than before. In addition, sanitary amenities will have to be installed, hygienic pigsties and chicken sheds have to be built, better breeds of livestock and farming implements have to be bought. All these need money. When the school nearby is full up, the children will have to be sent to far-away places for schooling, and more transport expenses will be incurred.”
“Some temple managements, after lengthy negotiations with the authorities, were fortunate enough to get small plots of land allotted to them. To these rural people, religion is a part of their lives, and this lack of land is most inconvenient. Secondly, what amazes me is that no reservation has been made for sites in the new resettlement areas for educational purposes. Many resettled farmers have been troubled by the problem of their children's education. The Government should not think that once the farmers are successfully resettled, the undertaking is completed and the livelihood, education, recreation, etc., of the farmers can be disregarded. I assert that this attitude is not correct. In Resettlement Areas 117 and 118 the situation is thus. The settlers in these two resettlement areas came mainly from Lokyang Village in my constituency. The Management Committee of Lokyang School, which was originally in Lokyang Village were notified that the school would be demolished. They applied to the authorities for a lot in the resettlement area and made preparations to remove to the new school building. At the same time, local keen supporters of the cause of education also set up a school building committee. But this enthusiasm for education on the part of the villagers did not meet with any encouragement from the Government. They did not even allot a piece of land for a school. The schools near the resettlement area already have a full enrolment and settlers are continually being added to the settlement. I really do not know where the children of these settlers will go for their schooling. I request the Minister to give the House a satisfactory answer.”
“Sometimes the dwelling houses, the chicken sheds or pigsties of the original dwellers happen to appear on the demarcation lines or have been given to others, thus putting the original dwellers in a dilemma. It has often happened that before the compensation for the affected property of the original dwellers has been properly settled, the same land is allocated to new settlers, thus causing no end of confusion to the old and the new dwellers. Mr Speaker, Sir, what troubles the farmers in the resettlement areas even more is that when they have been resettled in a place for not more than a few years, they are requested to remove to another place. In every removal they will incur great losses and suffer inconvenience. I am against this moving from place to place. This puts the farmers in a very distressing and helpless position. At times after they have been resettled they will, all of a sudden, receive a notice saying that their pigsties and chicken sheds will have to be demolished in order to make way for the building of a new road. They have to pull down the structures which they have put up. This upsets them very much. All this goes to show that there has not been prior planning in resettlement. Moreover, the resettlement problems have not been considered carefully in advance. Many farmers have been asked to resettle on another occasion, causing great losses and inconvenience. I would like to request the Minister to study for himself the plans for resettlement so that such things do not happen again. I now come to another matter. Many rural people are religious and there are many temples in the areas affected by resettlement. In the new resettlement areas, there is no provision of land for the building of temples.”
“It is also stipulated that, subject to the possession of documentary evidence to show that the house was built before the Second World War, or the plans of their house if built after the war, every square foot of cemented land is to be compensated for at $2.50. Otherwise, the compensation is $1. Sir, in the rural areas many attap houses had been in existence before the war. However, the rural folks did not know very much about the cumbersome procedures of the Government. So they did not prepare plans to apply for house numbers. As a result, many farmers whose houses were actually put up before the war or were built more than ten years ago had to settle, willy-nilly, for a much lower rate of compensation because they could not produce documents or plans to prove such facts. In such cases, it is reasonable to accept their claims as true, provided the village leaders can confirm them and provided they are countersigned or confirmed by a Member of Parliament. The farmers affected by the scheme are usually resettled at far-away places. But this is not all. The worst of it is that they cannot rebuild their homesteads immediately. Some of them are allocated low-living areas where they have to spend several thousand dollars of their own money to fill up the land. Some have been resettled in places where the original dwellers are still staying, and this has caused even more trouble. This has happened because the officers who plan such resettlement merely stay in their air-conditioned rooms and have not gone to the spot to see the actual situation of the farmers for themselves.”
“, only one piece of land will be allotted to the licensee, irrespective of how many households there are on that piece of land at the moment. It has happened that sometimes 30 to 40 people are resettled on a small piece of land. But what is even worse is that the authorities have stipulated that only one dwelling house can be built on one piece of allotted land. Furthermore, these dwelling houses are not permitted to have a building area of more than 1,000 square feet. It requires little imagination to visualise the over-crowding and inconvenience when 30 to 40 people are crammed into a house of 1,000 square feet. I suggest that, to be reasonable, each independent household should be allotted a separate piece of land. Mr Speaker, Sir, when the Government resettles the farmers, they will receive compensation for having to give up their dwelling houses, pigsties, chicken sheds and fruit trees, etc. However, the rate of compensation is very low. It is usually not enough to build a new house. I have no intention to argue with the Minister on the amount of compensation. However, there are two points in this connection which are considered most unreasonable. The first relates to the stipulation of the maximum compensation. According to it, the compensation for an acre of fruit trees and other crops cannot exceed $1,500. To a diligent farmer this is simply a kind of exploitation. It must be understood that these fruit trees and crops are the result of long years of toil on the part of the farmers. How can they not be compensated with a fair amount on resettlement? The other point relates to the compensation for the house. This is based on the size of the cemented area.”
“Some of them have failed in their agricultural pursuits as a result of an epidemic in livestock. As they cannot for the time being secure enough capital, they have to look for some jobs in the industrial area in order to maintain their livelihood. The net result is that, after one or two years, the authorities will conduct a census and when they find that the farmers' cultivation has decreased and that someone in the household has gone out to do some odd job, they will transfer the original farming household to the register of non-farmers. Moreover, these people will not be considered for the allocation of farm lots. These villagers live partly by agriculture and partly by other work. When they are required to remove, the lucky one will be allotted some 3,000 square feet of land to build a house and some will have to go and live in HDB/JTC flats. Their new living space is small. Hence, they have no more opportunity to engage in agricultural activities. If they go and work in the industrial area, they have to travel long distances, and this means an increase in expenditure. They will, therefore, lead an even poorer life. The Government should allot agricultural lands to these farmers. Mr Speaker, Sir, in the villages, the family unit system is still prevalent. Sometimes, on a piece of land on Temporary Occupation Licence, there may be several households, some on a father-and-son relationship, some on a brother-and-brother relationship, and others are just relatives. Several of the households may be separate and independent. However, when allocating lands, the authorities in charge will not take this into consideration. For one T.O.L.”
“Every assistance should be given to them to resume their normal livelihood within the shortest possible time after they have removed to the resettlement areas. Otherwise the burden of our industrialisation programme will fall mainly upon them. This is not fair to them. Sir, the authorities concerned seem to have much leeway in respect of the time limit set for development of the delineated areas. Sometimes, certain areas may he designated for development soon. But after several years of waiting by the farmers, nothing happens. As a result, the affected farmers are in a quandary. The roads in their areas deteriorate and are never properly repaired. They are also notified by the authorities not to carry on with their agricultural activities. On the other hand, the period of waiting sometimes turns out to be two or three years. During this waiting period the farmers generally dare not undertake any large-scale planting of fruit trees or rearing of livestock. Thus, their income is reduced and they have to make use of their savings in order to survive. This kind of life is most intolerable to them. I hope the authorities concerned will give them a definite date for their removal. Mr Speaker, Sir, Jurong Constituency is a developing area. Some parts are already developed. Sometimes, in implementing the development plans, the authorities will choke up the drains, thus causing frequent flooding of the vegetable gardens in the surrounding areas. For example, in my constituency around Kian Teck Village and Chung Keng Pah, such incidents did happen. In order to avoid any losses the farmers have reduced their cultivation. Some have gone to look for jobs in the Jurong industrial area so as to supplement their income from farming.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore is faced with two major problems, namely, urbanisation and industrialisation. In the process, they inevitably involve the question of resettlement. Resettlement problems usually involve the human factor. Hence, many episodes of human interest have occurred. My constituency has been selected as the major area for industrial development and, therefore, many of my constituents are affected by resettlement. If I do not mention in this House some of the problems arising out of resettlement of some villages, I will be failing in my duty. Mr Speaker, Sir, we do not deny that resettlement is a thorny problem. It is not just a matter of cutting down fruit trees and dismantling of houses. It also involves the removal of the people and their livestock to another place. This, of course, affects the normal life of the people. Most of the farmers have built up their homesteads after many long years of effort. For them to remove elsewhere is, of course, not easy. It is a painful matter to them. During all these years, our farmers have shown great understanding and have co-operated fully with the Government. Within the stipulated deadline they have bravely put up with great inconveniences. They have parted for good from the homesteads which they have built up through toil and labour. They have gone to the resettlement areas where they have to start everything afresh. In my opinion, since they have been very co-operative with the Government. The Government departments concerned should not let them have the worst of it. They should adopt a sympathetic attitude towards them and, as far as possible, try to lessen their pain and inconvenience.”
“C, is taken into the Institute of Education, its many good features should be incorporated into the Institute and its shortcomings rectified so that the Institute can become a centre for the training of the "engineers" of our national mind. Mr Speaker, the course of education is a long process and knowledge in education is increasing rapidly. Teachers should improve themselves by attending courses and seminars. The Ministry should encourage teachers to improve themselves. There are teachers with a B.A, degree who, after attending courses, are able to get a Master's degree. But in spite of this additional qualification, they are given the pay of an Honours graduate. This is unreasonable. I have received petitions on this matter from more than 10 teachers. Mr Speaker, Sir, teachers in secondary and primary schools have limited opportunities for promotion. Some of them, faithful to their duty, remain teachers throughout their whole lives. The Ministry should think of ways and means to give primary school teachers an opportunity for further study and obtain higher academic qualifications to become qualified secondary school teachers. Teachers in the secondary schools should be given an opportunity to do research in education to acquire a higher degree. They should be given fully-paid leave while doing their research. I would like to ask the Minister whether the Institute of Education will give them such opportunities. Mr Speaker, Sir, education is a lengthy process, and about three-quarters of our population are school children. What will become of them will depend on the 20,000-odd teachers. The setting up of the Institute of Education will help raise the quality of teachers which, in turn, will enhance the quality of the population. Let me reaffirm my stand.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as a teacher, I rise to support this Bill. I welcome it because, under it, an Institute of Education will be established to provide for teacher training. An opportunity will also be given for research in education, which is in great demand. Mr Speaker, Sir, the task of teacher training has all along been entrusted to the Teachers' Training College, which has been able to train about 20,000 teachers for the Republic. Perhaps due to the heavy work undertaken by the T.T.C, and the great number of teachers it has to train, there is still much room for improvement in the formulation of curricula. Most of the trainee-teachers have one common feeling-that it is a drudgery for them to undergo training at the T.T.C. The curricula at the T.T.C, are very complex and varied. Some parts are not practical. Most of the student teachers are in jitters trying their best to meet the requirements of their lecturers, hoping to go through the mill as quickly as possible in order to gain a certificate to make a living. However, many of them feel that what they have learnt at the T.T.C. cannot be put into practice in the classrooms. What the lecturers advocate in the T.T.C, may not be the same as what is demanded by the inspectors of schools. So the teachers do not know whom to please. However, it must be admitted that there are many good teachers and lecturers at the T.T.C. However, these teachers are sometimes transferred to the Ministry of Education to do administrative work, or they may be appointed as principals in secondary schools. We know that we need good lecturers to train good teachers. We hope the Institute of Education will be able to recruit capable teachers and lecturers and devise methods to retain the services of these people. When the T.T.”
“If there are other ways out, they will not take to an occupation which is considered illegal. So in handling the pirate taxi problem, the Ministry of Communications must not only look into the legal aspect but also the humanitarian aspect. Tolerance is the key word to a problem of this nature. When our country is prospering, we must ensure that everybody has a share in the prosperity. We do not wish to see part of our population living below the standard of the majority of the people. We are practising democracy and our Government is elected by the people. So the livelihood of the people is the responsibility and the obligation of the Government. Mr Speaker, Sir, I propose that the Ministry of Communications should set up a special committee for the conversion of the employment of pirate and school taxi drivers. All these problems are worthy of consideration. The people concerned should not just be written off. This is not the way for an elected government to do things. We must take positive steps and adopt a positive attitude and regard pirate taxi drivers as part of our citizenry. So for the conversion of the employment of pirate and school taxi drivers, I think we can give them special priority for the application of legal taxi licences or bus drivers' licences. Sir, I hope the Minister for Communications will give consideration to my proposals. 7.26 p.m.”
“If each of them has to support four persons, then about 20,000 people will be affected by the reorganisation. On the other hand, the White Paper also shows that in the reorganisation, about 6,500 new job opportunities will be created. On the face of it, it is not difficult for the pirate taxi drivers to switch employment, but there are other problems which require consideration and solution. Sir, it is a fact that pirate taxis have been in existence for more than a decade. This shows that they serve a public need and that there is value for their existence. All these years, pirate taxis have been providing an essential transport service to our people, particularly the middle, and lower-middle classes. The fares they charge are reasonable. They take our workers to factories and offices, and in the newly-developed housing estates, they perform a very important service. In new housing estates, it takes time before buses can operate. So pirate taxis provide the only reasonable and cheap form of transport for the estate residents. Furthermore, they have also made a valuable contribution to our city and industrial development. Take, for example, the Jurong industrial town. In the early days, there were no buses and there were very few factories which provided transport for their workers. The pirate taxis were the only means of transport for the workers. It is undeniable that they have made a contribution. The White Paper says that after July next year pirate taxis will not be allowed on the roads. What will happen to the 5,000 pirate and school taxi drivers? The employment and livelihood problems of these people should receive priority consideration of our popularly elected Government. Sir, all human beings have their own dignity and self-respect.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with urban development and the growth of population, it is quite natural that transport will become an attendant problem. Big cities all over the world face transport problems of this nature. We all know that transportation is an essential factor in our daily routine. Everyone has to travel daily. So the earlier we solve this transport problem, the better it is for our people. It means that they will be able to enjoy the fruits of a comprehensive and well-organised transport system. Mr Speaker, Sir, the problems facing Singapore at the moment as a big city are quite natural. As early as ten years ago when the Government started planning for urban renewal, adequate thinking was not given to the question of transport. That is the reason why we have traffic jams at present. The transport service is not satisfactory. Public transport is inadequate and this has led to the growth of pirate taxis. This situation is, of course, an anomaly and should be rectified. The bold and far-sighted Minister for Communications presented to this House a White Paper on the Reorganisation of the Motor Transport Service of Singapore last month. The White Paper shows that the Ministry of Communications is determined to overhaul the public transport system within a short period of three years so that a lot of time will be saved for the public. The intentions and the determination of the Minister are praiseworthy. Of course, the present transport system is an accumulation of past ills and a continuation of past maladministration. The reorganisation is therefore timely and necessary. In this plan of reorganisation, I am afraid that the people who will be greatly affected are the 5,000 pirate and school taxi drivers.”
“My first supplementary question is this. Regarding the advertisements of cigarettes on these overhead bridges, cannot the Minister try to cancel them in order to discourage cigarette smoking? My next question is on the tenders for the construction of another three overhead bridges. Can the Minister inform the House where they will be built?”
“From the answer given by the Minister, we know that the installation and dismantling of the traffic lights, though it cost only $450, was undoubtedly a waste. Can the Minister say that from now on, before the authorities concerned set up similar traffic lights, even on an experimental basis, sufficient consideration should first be given?”
“Is the Minister prepared to set up a police station in Jurong Town?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, can the Parliamentary Secretary inform this House when these executive flats will be completed?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I fully support what the Member for Changi has said, because a supply of water is very essential to the people in the rural areas. The Member has said that if there are few dwelling houses in a remote rural area, then the Urban and Rural Services Committee does not consider it worth while to lay water mains in that area. In the Development Estimates, there is a provision of $1 million for the extension of water supply. I hope the Parliamentary Secretary will consider extending the supply of water to remote rural areas. 7.15 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for his explanation and beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 93 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 206*. (* The same amendment also stood in the names of Mr Hwang Soo Jin and Mr Ng Kah Ting.) Can the Minister inform us how the Agricultural Statistics Unit is carrying on its work? In what way are the statistics on the farmers collected by this unit used to assist the farmers?”