Ho Peng Kee
Singapore
“In this way, new appointees can also cultivate that important X-factor - a judicial temperament. Second, structured in-house seminars where latest developments and emerging areas of the law can be fully ventilated and experience shared. NUS law staff can be enlisted for this purpose.”
“An increasing volume of recent legislation introduced in this House has been adapted not only from the UK but also from Australia and New Zealand. The GST Bill is a good example. Finally, Sir, the ad-hoc appointments of Judicial Commissioners is also a laudable move.”
“Sir, I am concluding my speech. My other point is this. It may surprise Members to know that despite our functions, which are all public oriented, CASE to-date has not yet been granted status of a charity under the Charities Act, despite our asking for it, writing in, and so forth, to the relevant departments.”
“Sir, there may be light all around but some people, nevertheless, still see no picture. When we talk about the big picture, we do not need details. When we talk about the small picture, we need details. The big picture, Sir, is very clear. GST is linked to the reformation of our tax structure. It helps us to bring down our corporate tax.”
“Correct, Sir. Sir, it is important under the Bill, as a matter of policy, that the matter of profiteering should be looked into. As I mentioned earlier, Sir, it has been mentioned many times by not one Minister, but many Ministers, on not one occasion but many occasions, that CASE has a role to play.”
“It also reviews and advocates for legislation on consumer-protection and operates the Good Retailers Scheme in conjunction with STPB and, like many other consumer groups worldwide, publishes its own flagship magazine, The Consumer. Sir, like the hon. Member before me, I see that there is a glimpse of impatience on your face.”
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“I hope that this balance can be struck between the deterrent effect and the reformative effect. Perhaps, one suggestion is that, instead of emphasising one at the expense of the other, we could have a graduated scale, starting off maybe with doing community service in privacy first. If the person is still recalcitrant, then we move towards a position where we expose him and humiliate him in public. I will humbly suggest that we should not at the outset just expose him to public humiliation, but work towards a position where, if the person does not want to reform, then we expose him fully and make him lose face in public. On this note, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill. As Dr Chen has mentioned, this Bill is a landmark Bill in that for the first time in Singapore there is introduced to the arsenal of possible sanctions open to the court, what is called in literature "the community service order". Here, it is in the context of littering. Perhaps, with this beginning, the possibility of introducing such an order for other offences may be considered. I have been talking to people. Looking at the problem of road bullies, is it a possibility that for road bullies, such an order be made available and road bullies be made to do short stints in hospitals so that they come in touch with the people they hurt? They will see at close quarters what sort of pain their actions, very often done in the heat of passion, can inflict. Just now, we heard two viewpoints. One viewpoint was the effect or benefit of such an order in terms of deterrence. I think from that point of view it makes sense for the recalcitrant litterer to pick up litter in public. There is nothing worse in the Asian context than to be seen doing this in public. On the other hand, as the term suggests, the Corrective Work Order, or the larger phrase, the community service order, is linked to doing service for the community. We look at not just wanting to punish him, but also to correct him. Therefore, I would urge the Minister, when carrying out such a new sanction, to put emphasis also on the role of counselling, to inform and counsel him so that this benefit of correcting the person is not just effected through actions, but reinforced through words, through pictures, through slides, as to why littering is terribly anti-social and incurs high social cost.”
“Is that not putting another obstacle in his path? Sir, I hope this can be considered. Now, again, seeing things in context, this is not indeed his last chance. Mr Ling says that this is his last chance. He dramatically puts up an argument on that point. We know that it is not his last chance because he can go on appeal to a Court of Appeal of three minds, three judges. And should there be a dissenting judgment at that stage, an appeal can be lodged also to the Privy Council. And mind you, even before the trial is heard, before it is set down for hearing, there is what we call a preliminary inquiry for the lower court to ascertain whether or not the trial should proceed. So this is also another safeguard. I think that is an important point. The last point I want to make, Sir, is this. This amendment brings into focus the need for us to also consider the taking of evidence in our courts. With a single judge, the law requires him to take down evidence personally. But as a single judge, he also needs to observe the witness to follow the proceedings. Therefore, perhaps, the courts can be encouraged to look into means whereby the judge can be freed from having to take notes. Maybe we can look to the US as an example where they have gone on-line, they have got video, audio recordings, they have got stenographers who can instantly translate shorthand into longhand which the judge can refer to in court at the same time. On these points, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Therefore, it is not just a matter of more time or less time but the fact that incarceration of an innocent person, when we can prevent it, is also a weighty point. What about at the trial itself which has been done? The Minister has said that several steps have already been introduced to improve the delivery of justice. But having tried these other measures, I think, the CJ and his brother judges feel that this is a step which has to be taken despite some objections, a point which Dr Beng has raised. But on the whole, it is one that should be taken. Some will indeed argue that two minds are better than one when dealing with capital offences. But, here, we must again look at things in context. Circumstances have, indeed, changed from 1960 to 1969. One, many cases are now heard before the courts, compared to 20 years ago. Some of them are very complex and require a lot of judicial time. Two, we now have a wider and larger pool of experienced local judges and Judicial Commissioners who are tuned to local circumstances. And, therefore, we can have a single judge trying a capital offence case, a local judge who knows local circumstances, that is important. If it is a criminal case, that is a point that we have today which we did not have in 1960. Therefore, we must see things in context. Things are evolving because circumstances have changed. I have just one or two suggestions, if I may, to put forward. I feel that perhaps the proposal by the CJ to have two DPPs should be reconsidered. I will agree that we should have two defence counsels and I think that is good. It gives the assurance to the accused person that his case will be better prepared and arguments will be put forward on his behalf. But why pit two DPPs against him?”
“Sir, I support this Bill. As the Minister has said, it is important to see this Bill in context. Since assuming office, the Chief Justice has introduced several innovative measures to improve what he sees as a serious problem in our judicial system, and that is, the delay in the administration of justice. And these measures have been bold ones, including the introduction of night courts, employment of law justice clerks, and the requirement for written submission for appeal. An important aim of this exercise is to clear the backlog of cases existing and to ensure that new cases are heard early. Like my colleague, Dr Arthur Beng, has mentioned, the Chief Justice is to be complimented for wanting to introduce this amendment in this House. The other point is that he and his fellow judges are the people on the spot, they live with the problem, they are serious-minded people who have grappled with it, they have talked about it and they have reached a unanimous decision that this is the better way. That, I think, is an important point. But like what Dr Beng has said, it is important for us also to consider whether justice will be done. I agree with Mr Ling on this point. Is justice done? It is important that the rights of the accused person be protected. Again, we have to know that a clear benefit of this amendment is that trials will be heard earlier. And I do not think we should deprive or think lightly of this improvement for, indeed, we all know the axiom that justice delayed is justice denied. Hypothetically, surely, Mr Ling, if he were the accused, would not want to be incarcerated in prison for several years, only at the end of the day to be found not guilty. I think that is also a serious problem.”
“I am not moving, Sir. The sum of $119,999,030 for Head R ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $67,780,800 for Head R ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head S --”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his comprehensive reply and I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“It sits on a hill and faces the sea. It is near the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Haw Par Villa. Its fengshui (geomantic omen) is good. I wonder whether the Government would consider acquiring this site and develop it into a Singapore Cultural Village.”
“If we can have these individuals and groups properly organised, perhaps we could even organise a Singapore Cultural Troupe to perform and exhibit in other countries, so that people from outside Singapore would understand that Singapore is not a cultural desert. Give them a chance to appreciate the collective culture of Singapore as a whole. This will help to sell Singapore. In fact, if we want to go all out to promote and accelerate our cultural development, the most basic thing to do is to look for some suitable venue or buildings and rent them out to these cultural organisations or individuals at cheap rental, so that those who have hitherto been unable to find a suitable venue for their cultural activities such as music, art, drama etc, will have a place where they can maximize their potential. I have two questions for the Minister. First, has the National Arts Council been doing enough in the promotion and development of the traditional cultures of the various races in Singapore? Can the Minister consider having all the cultural and arts bodies and individuals to be registered with the National Arts Council, so that their predicament and needs would be better understood and that the better talents among them can be more easily identified? At the same time, we will be able to foster better relationship among the cultural and arts workers. Secondly, I wonder if the Minister would consider setting up a "Cultural Village" to offer a sort of permanent accommodation for the professional or amateur artistes and cultural bodies, and to develop and manifest the traditional cultures and arts of the various races in Singapore. I have a suggestion. The locality of the existing National Youth Leadership Training Institute (NYLTI) is very ideal.”
“I think these will increase and some guidelines will be helpful. A related question: what is the Ministry's position on the screening of dialect programmes on subscription TV in the future? Secondly, Sir, what does the Minister see as future developments in the cultural and arts scene? In particular, what is the role of the National Arts Council? Thirdly, in what ways can the business community, professional associations, community groups and the people of Singapore in general give in terms of greater support to the arts and culture? Mr Choo Wee Khiang (Jalan Besar GRC)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, from what I understand, cultural organisations in Singapore are having a lot of problems in their effort to maintain and promote cultural and artistic activities. For example, very expensive rental; secondly, the lack of suitable venue for performance; thirdly, lack of good facilities; fourthly, lack of funds and difficulty in getting individual or corporate sponsors. Sir, not many organisations in Singapore have the ability to organise a Children's Performing Troupe like the one which is very successfully run by the Hokkien Huay Kuan. Because of the abovementioned factors, the Ministry of Information and the Arts should give more support to our cultural organisations. Undoubtedly, those who are active in promoting cultural organisations, whether they are amateurs or professionals, have contributed substantially to our cultural and artistic activities in Singapore. At the same time, they could be our cultural ambassadors. When tourists come to Singapore, they will have the opportunity to appreciate their talents.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R be reduced by $10 in respect of Code RF 1500 of the Main Estimates. Sir, the arts and culture in Singapore is undergoing a renaissance. There is a long awaited and welcome breath of fresh air. The National Arts Council has in a short six months been catalytic in initiating new activities and raising Singaporeans' awareness of the arts to greater heights. All these augur well for Singapore, for culture and the arts are windows to the soul of a nation. They have a unifying effect, a rallying call. When we speak of enhancing the quality of life of Singaporeans, an avowed aim of the Next Lap, the development of culture and the arts is a vital component activity. As a university don, I have long recognised the abundant creative talents in Singaporeans, particularly our youths. I am extremely pleased that this talent is increasingly becoming evident, having the space to flower and bloom. But, Sir, what does all this mean for the average Singaporean, our Mister or Miss HDB? I feel it is important that appreciation and enjoyment of the arts is not seen as a prerogative of the well-off or educated. It must not become a divide among Singaporeans, as golf once used to be. Arts and culture should unite us, not divide us. I therefore like to ask the Minister what steps have been taken to make enjoyment of the arts open to all. I also wish to ask him three other questions. Firstly, what is the Ministry's position on cultural and artistic offerings in the dialects? We read in the papers of a certain group wanting to hold a large-scale international Cantonese opera in Singapore, and another group wanting to outdo the first group by holding a subsequent one on an even larger scale. A Teochew week has been held in Singapore.”
“You mean, we sell our soul for a few yen? It is absurd, isn't it? If this is the kind of people we are, then what chance have we in an emergency? And I contrast their attitude with the late Haji Ya'acob. He was from our constituency, so I visited him a few times. He used to have this oil painting in his living room of the raging waves crashing against a rocky shore, and below he had the word, Teguh -- steadfast. This was the kind of spirit he had when he had to break off from UMNO and he worked to build an independent Singapore. In other words, however strong the waves, from whichever direction the wind blows, we stand firm. And to stand firm, you need that cultural depth, the sense that we are an ancient people, however young we may be as a nation. 1.30 pm”
“In this way, even though we are a young nation, our people have a sense that they are an ancient people. It is a very important point. Yes, we concede that we are a young nation, that everything still looks very new and fresh, but our historical memories are long, and that we are an ancient people. Because when there is a crisis, our debate will no longer be about health costs, about reserves, it will be about life and death. And when that happens, our cultural depth will be decisive. And it is for this reason that this is an area in which we must not too lightly dismiss as consumption. It is one thing to buy expensive rare art objects and say, "Ah, this is all part of gracious living like shopping for designer goods." I think it is not just that. Indeed, it is very difficult to justify spending public monies on rare art objects, purely for aesthetic appreciation. I think what we are interested, in the end, is making sure that Singaporeans have a deep sense of the past. And it was for this reason that in MITA we coordinated a series of commemorative events to mark the 50th anniversary of the fall of Singapore to remind ourselves and a younger generation of Singaporeans that we forget at our own peril. The British were prepared to write off Australia at the end of 1940 when they themselves were under attack from Germany. Because they must calculate, right? British Empire, save Britain first, everything else is peripheral. So if we depend on other people to defend us in an emergency, we are finished. And in the end, we must depend on ourselves, and national security, national service becomes very important. Sir, I was profoundly saddened to read this statement by PKMS that we should play this down so that we would not offend the Japanese.”
“In Taiwan, we have to fight for every one of these things. But in Singapore, it happens almost as if it is in the natural order of things." But he ended on a sceptical note. He said, yes, we have done well in Singapore. But he is not sure if, as Singaporeans, we have cultural depth. And I think this is a very important point which we should be mindful of. In good times, when the reserves are ample, when the economy is doing well, when there are no regional conflicts, yes, it does not matter whether or not we remember our heritage. And all of us can worry about the present, whether living standards have risen from year to year, whether wages have gone up, whether more consumption is possible. When times go bad, as they would at some point in the future, then our weakness, the lack of cultural depth, will come in, and may become a fatal flaw if we are not careful. I think this is something we have to be very concerned about. And it is for this reason that the Government intends to form a National Heritage Board to put the museums under a statutory board and to promote heritage interest in general. We will do this by building museums and stocking them up and also encouraging community and ethnic groups to build up museums. So there will be a Singapore History Museum which would cover the events which Mr Ho Peng Kee talked about, to remind Singaporeans of their past. And not just of the past in Singapore, but of their past as reflected in ancestral cultures in Southeast Asia, in East Asia, in South and West Asia so that we are not just studying the civilisations in Southeast Asia, we are also studying the Chinese dynasties, the dynasties in India, and the history of Islam.”
“The recent television docu-dramas on Maria Hertogh and Between Empires could not have been produced without the support and the help provided by the Archives and Oral History Department. So too was the book written by John Drysdale on the Struggle for Survival and Dennis Bloodsworth's book on the Tiger and the Trojan Horse. I would like to move on to the concerns of Mr Yatiman Yusof about archaeological objects which may be buried under, because we are too quick to redevelop our land or to reclaim land from the sea. The present law does require the discovery of such objects to make a report, either to MITA or to the receiver of wrecks. But of course the moment you make such a report, then a general survey will be con- ducted, excavation work may be done, and their project will be delayed. So even though the law requires it, there is often an economic incentive not to report such findings. We will seriously consider the possibility of changing the law to enable the National Museum to conduct surveys of sites which are of suspected archaeological interest. But we must do it with a sense of balance because we cannot, in our enthusiasm to preserve the past, impose too heavy a burden on the present and the living. We must find an appropriate balance here. Let me now move on to the point raised by Mr Ho Peng Kee on the importance of our heritage, not just preserving it but developing our heritage. A few months ago, Taiwan's China Times did a feature article on Singapore. In fact, they did a series. In one of them a reporter, a young man in his 30s, praised Singapore -- everything so marvellous, he said, without we having to clamour, roads without traffic jams, clean MRT stations, parks, libraries, everything in order. He said, "It is most remarkable.”
“We have heard about countries fighting to claim for their national treasures and individual fortune hunters looting the seas in the region. Sir, history plays an important role in instilling a sense of loyalty and nationhood to our people. I think MITA should take a proactive role in protecting, discovering and utilising such artefacts. They are our national treasures after all. Our citizens, our children, our grandchildren and our great grandchildren should know of their existence. In this respect, I would like to suggest that a law be passed requiring any developer involved in developing areas which may contain national heritage such as those near the Singapore River, Chinatown, Kampong Glam, or the nearby seas, to consult the National Museum for necessary action. May I have the Minister's comment on this? BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Sir, let me first answer Dr Vasoo's question on our archives and oral history. They are not really for the generalists. The Archives and Oral History Department are for the specialists. In fact, specialists from the media, academics, students, writers, television programme producers have been making extensive use of our Archives and Oral History Department. It is not really for the casual browser or the casual reader. What can be reduced to be of interest to the casual reader or the casual browser, we will provide either in the National Museum or in the National Library. Our plan is when we redevelop the National Library, we may consider putting the Oral History Department and the Archives together in the National Library, so as to improve their general accessibility. They have done good work.”
“The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Encik Yatiman Yusof): Sir, sometime ago, a number of workers were digging the ground within this Parliament House, just a few metres away from this Chamber, when they stumbled on something very valuable which had been buried here for almost a century. Similar findings were made at Fort Canning. While the first finding was purely accidental, the second one was as a result of deliberate effort on the part of the National Museum. The Museum conducted preliminary diggings at Fort Canning in 1984 before it was then handed over to Dr John Miksic, an American archaeologist, for an annual excavation work, each lasting between two weeks to one month, with the help of volunteers. Sir, I mention the incidents to drive home the point that in our eagerness to develop the country's infrastructure, we have overlooked the importance of discovering and preserving our past. Most of these treasures, in terms of artefacts, were possibly being buried forever under the asphalt, concrete, cement and earth used for reclamation. Take a look at the map on our land utilisation in Singapore, we will see that almost 60% of the entire island consists of built-up areas. In the city centre itself and the southern coastal areas, almost 90% are either reclaimed or built-up areas. Unfortunately, these are also areas of historical significance to us because they contain artefacts which could be hundreds of years old. Our costal areas and seas are known as strategic routes. For centuries, ships belonging to the Chinese, Indians and Arabs, later the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Spanish and the British plied in these areas carrying cargoes. Some of the ships were caught in storms or were burnt by pirates before being entombed under the sea.”
“The young look eagerly to the future, some scorn the past. Older Singaporeans, especially those who are over 60 and 70, look back with yearning to the past and many are anxious about the future. Here again, as in many areas of life in Singapore, I think a balance has to be struck. And Singaporeans, regardless of age, should both know the past and look forward to the future. As I have pleaded for more to be done to enable younger Singaporeans to grasp the significance of the past, I also plead for more to be done to help our older folks better understand and prepare for the wave of the future. Will it be possible, say, for community centres to conduct computer classes for our senior citizens? Here, perhaps, younger Singaporeans can reciprocate by helping to explain to our older folks the intricacies of the computer world. Therefore, the older generation can share the past; the younger generation can explain the future. Who knows, by being able to play computer games with their grandchildren, older Singaporeans may find that there is more in common with these younger people and their discomfort, anxiety, and so forth, may evaporate. In Singapore we are quite concerned about possible effects of income gaps, and I think we should also bear in mind any problems that may be caused by the age gaps. Sir, the last point is this. We should take steps to preserve various attributes of our heritage, things like food, traditional games and pastimes, fashions, occupations and trades, ceremonies, and so forth. MCD has done a good job in producing video docu-dramas on the various ethnic customs and festivals. My question is whether something can be done along these lines for the various aspects that I have mentioned. I would like to ask the Minister these points.”
“Sir, a nation's past holds special lessons for its future. Any nation that ignores its past does so at its peril. Japan is learning this painful lesson as the Pandora's box refuses to remain closed even after 50 years. Sir, my concern is that many younger Singaporeans do not know enough of our past. First, as a nation, and secondly, as a confluence of several great civilisations. First, our history. Every Singaporean should know of the important events that have shaped the Singapore today. Just as important, they should know of the people behind these events, and not just politicians, but artists, community leaders, sportsmen and so forth. Therefore, I think that their works should be recorded. Singaporeans should be encouraged to know of these works. To some extent, this is done in our various museums. But are they enough? 1.15 pm Let me illustrate with a very simple example. My Hall decided to name the blocks after past Singaporeans and others who had contributed to the nation. So we chose names like Manasseh Meyer, Oei Tiong Ham, Malcolm MacDonald. And the response of the students were: who are they? I feel that there is a need for us to, not glamorise, let Singaporeans know of ordinary Singaporeans in the past who had contributed towards what Singapore is today. Secondly, a short point. Singapore is a confluence of several great civilisations. I think we cannot also forget that, indeed, this is what we are, a macrocosm of the world, and our history confirms this. The global democratic patterns confirm this. My question here is on the progress of the community museums. What has been done? What can Singaporeans look forward to? Sir, my other point is this. I think the past and the future evoke different feelings in different groups of Singaporeans.”
“May I suggest, Sir, that there may be a third category -- the hardcore. These are people who may have started off as being curious but even though we know the axiom "curiosity kills the cat" in this case, curiosity feeds the appetite and therefore from being merely curious they become regular visitors to these shows. Worse still, some of these people may have started off with being mature, but again here they become addicted to it and hence join the group of the hardcore. We all know that the show "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" has been showing for a long time now, more than three months. It will be interesting to see how many of these people who go to these shows are actually repeaters, people who go more than once. Although we cannot find it out, it will be interesting to see, if they do that, what is the motivation for doing so. Is it out of artistic appreciation or are they motivated by something more basic and instinct? On this point, I just want to suggest whether some study can be done to see whether or not there is some nexus between the lowering of censorship rules with the incidence of violence and sexual crimes. I note, for example, last year, other offences all went down, but the incidents of murder and outraging of modesty went up by 11% and 5% respectively. Question: is there any nexus? The second area would be the relationship between what we have done in terms of censorship rules and secret society activities and, thirdly, it will be interesting to see whether there is any correlation between that and the incidence of extra-marital affairs in Singapore. I would just like to ask the Minister whether he can update us on the progress of the Censorship Review Committee.”
“There is a significant number of teenage abortions in Singapore. We read of Singaporeans keeping second wives in Batam. Are these indications that something is amiss, and that more has to be done in this area? The media can help. Here I would just focus on the media in the written form. While I recognise that the newspapers and magazines must sell enough copies to remain profitable, a balance again must be struck. I have observed that it has become fashionable nowadays for magazines to carry one or two articles centred on a sexual theme - some serious and helpful, others sensational and quite frivolous. In this regard, I must compliment the Straits Times in not flowing with the tide. I have found the articles mainly helpful, many purveying positive attitudes. However, I just want to join my colleague, Mr Peh Chin Hua, in expressing regret on an article entitled "Single and a Parent" in the Life! section of the Straits Times published on 4th March. While accepting that the article attempts to be balanced and to present different viewpoints as to the reasons for and the problems of single motherhood, it, nevertheless, does give the impression that single motherhood is a socially acceptable and viable option to marriage and having children. I just want to ask the Minister for his views on the need for the press to be more careful not to purvey harmful values to Singaporeans, particularly our young. Sir, my third cut is a short one. It is on censorship. Yesterday, my colleague, Dr Vasoo, has already brought up this point and the Minister of State, Dr Ker, has replied and I am glad to hear that we are not about to further relax the rules on censorship. Dr Ker said that there are two types of Singaporeans who go to view R(A) movies -- the curious and the mature.”
“Sir, may I suggest the following as possible themes for the next Courtesy Campaign: Affirming and encouraging each other and the slogan could very well be "Courtesy as an expression of our appreciation" or "Be courteous to express our appreciation." I end this cut by asking the Minister's assessment of the annual Courtesy Campaign. Sir, my next cut is on the role of the press in the Next Lap. The media plays an important role in shaping the values of Singaporeans, all the more so, in a fast changing Singapore where traditional values are in danger of being challenged. If left unchecked, Singaporeans can become less cohesive, less communitarian in outlook, less thrifty, less hardworking and less conservative in our sexual behaviour in the Next Lap. What is the role of the press in helping to shape positive values in the Next Lap? In particular, my focus today is on sexual immorality. Is it on the rise in Singapore? Are we going the way of the US when we hear stories of promiscuity such as date rapes, sexual harassment on campus and at the workplace, casual sex, sex escapades of political and religious leaders, extra-marital affairs and so on. Will these phenomena emerge in Singapore? Or have they already taken a foothold? I do not think so. However, Singapore is a global city open to the influence of the world. We are not impervious to world trends. I am concerned that in a Singapore that is becoming more pressurising immoral sexual behaviour and the pleasures they may bring may become an escape valve. Recently, Singaporeans read about the happening at Gay Beach along East Coast Park. Divorces, we hear and read, are also on the rise in Singapore, possibly reflecting a rise in the number of extra-marital affairs.”
“Thank you, Sir. My first cut is on the Courtesy Campaign. The Courtesy Campaign has been on for 14 years now. Question: Are Singaporeans more courteous? The Next Lap hopes to build a more gracious Singapore society. How can this be done? The promotion of culture and the arts is certainly important. I would like to suggest that a gracious society is also one where the people have a sense of appreciation, an affirming attitude towards each other, as being co-travellers in a journey heading towards a common destiny. Sir, my estimation is that the Courtesy Campaign has had uneven success. The overall tone of Singapore society may be more pleasant but there are still many areas of concern, particularly discourteous behaviour on our roads. I feel that part of the reason is that the thrust of this campaign is directed at outward action rather than inward attitude. Sir, it is said that action reflects our thinking, our attitudes, our mindset. We can teach a child to say "thank you" but if he does not know the significance of that act, then we have not really taught him well at all. The annual Courtesy Campaign is good only if we consider it as a regular reminder of the need to inculcate good attitudes in our young. The inculcation of positive attitudes in our young, indeed in all Singaporeans, has to be on-going. In my view, an important attitude, therefore, is that of wanting to affirm fellow Singaporeans, to build up each other. Let all Singaporeans at every level be involved in translating into reality Government's intention to maximise every Singaporean's potential. This is not just the Government's responsibility. It is everybody's responsibility. And we can start by learning to be appreciative and affirming, then the "thank you" and "sorry" will flow naturally.”
“Sir, I have three cuts. Can I take them together?”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“The idea is to present Singapore to the world not purely in economic terms but a total presentation, that we are not just economic animals, but we are a cultured people with a soul, with a sense of history, with a sense of what it means to be upright citizens of the world. And that is very useful because the results are long term. We cannot expect that the SIF will bring advantages to Singapore immediately. But in the long term, we can create a network of Singaporeans and friends of Singapore worldwide. Then we will have transcended the single most important constraint on our economic growth and on our national development, which is the constraint of geographical size and population. The idea is that wherever Singaporeans are in the four corners of the world, they have an instinct to relate back to Singapore, to link up with each other, to help each other and, just as importantly, to link up with an outer circle of friends, maybe Chinese people, Indian people, Malay people, Asians, non-Asians, who enjoy our food, because many of our people overseas meet over food, but who also enjoy the tolerant way of life that we practise here in Singapore and which we carry with us as ambassadors when we are overseas. That is very precious, because to be successful as Singapore Inc., we must be like the Swiss and the Dutch, be able to recruit human talents who are non-Singaporean and to befriend them in a way which makes them feel that they suffer no loss of dignity and find us honest, dignified. That is a very precious asset. If the SIF can help us achieve this over 10-20 years, then we would have made a very good achievement and really created much more space for Singaporeans worldwide.”
“As there is a danger that competitive Singaporeans may become selfish and individualistic, the setting up of the SIF is the Government's call for individual Singaporeans to check these negative traits in themselves. Underlying the concept of the SIF and SVO is a generosity of spirit that Singaporeans as individuals can do with large doses. I think this is especially important at this time, when more able Singaporeans are asked to come forward, step forward to serve the country. In my view, this is the most critical issue facing us today. How to encourage more of these able Singaporeans to come out of their shells, to come forward and help less able Singaporeans? Therefore, the symbolic message of the SIF has lessons to be learnt and is very timely in our present time. Some Singaporeans may begrudge the $25 million that the Government provides for the SIF. However, I urge these Singaporeans to take a long-term broad view. Please do not be myopic. Singapore is looking outward not at the expense of Singaporeans' immediate concerns. In particular, younger Singaporeans will find special appeal in the SVO. It shows that Singapore and Singaporeans have a heart after all. We are not just merely interested in making money. I conclude by asking the Minister on his assessment of the work done by the SIF and how more Singaporeans can chip in. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: The SIF was formed on 1st August last year and it has done a lot of work since. They established the organisation, recruited some very fine people. They sent a team to the Philippines to help the victims of Mount Pinatubo, they are organising a project in Nepal under the very capable leadership of Mr Lee Seng Wee as Chairman and Prof. Chan Heng Chee as Executive Director. They have a full programme ahead of them.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R be reduced by $10 in respect of Code RA 1500 of the Main Estimates. Sir, the Budget Statement says that more emphasis will be given to the arts, sports, recreation and programmes to enhance the quality of life in Singapore. I welcome this statement. I am sure other Singaporeans who are eager to see a higher quality of life in Singapore will join me in this. But, Sir, in all things in Singapore a balance needs to be struck between the quality of life in terms of the arts, and matters of the stomach, health care, housing and education which have occupied the energies of the Government since the elections. In this regard, in uplifting the quality of life in Singapore, I applaud the Government's initiative in encouraging the setting up of the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) and, in particular, the Singapore Volunteers Overseas (SVO). To me, this is a significant development. Its impact may not be immediate but will take a while to register. Why is it significant? It is so because it signifies a more outward looking and self-assured Singapore, that is ready to stretch out a helping hand to other less fortunate fellow human beings. It signifies an emotional coming of age for the country. Of course, one should not be naive and think that it is all altruism. A balance is struck between pragmatism and altruism. This is a balance that all Singaporeans need to strike for ourselves, being self-caring and others caring, being pragmatic and altruistic. Therefore, a very important effect of all this is that Singapore Incorporated as an entity has set an example for individual Singaporeans to follow.”
“I think these activities may be useful in establishing closer links between the old boys and their alma mater, and hence their sense of loyalty to the school. The third issue raised by Mr Peh is an interesting issue, that is, sex education in school. The Ministry of Education agrees that sex education should be taught in conjunction with the teaching of moral education. If sex education is being taught merely as a health science, then it will not be effective in guiding the students on how to properly treat the problem of sex in future. Sex is quite a personal matter. In the past, people were reluctant to teach this subject and to discuss it openly. But now we realise the importance of sex education. We have to teach it as part of life and family education, so even in the primary school there is some mention of sex education to the pupils. In the secondary schools we will be introducing more topics relating to sex education to the students. But this will not be taught as a subject. It will be incorporated in other moral education or civic lessons to the pupils. Of course, we would also emphasise the importance of moral education when we teach sex education in school. Mr Peh expressed concern on whether pornographic video-tapes would be used as a teaching aid for sex education. I can give him the assurance that the Ministry of Education will never allow the use of pornographic video-tapes as a teaching aid. 1.00 pm”
“However, when we relocate an old school to a new site in a HDB new town, we surely cannot move the old school building there. In preserving the old buildings, of course, the Ministry of Education would also take into consideration the cost of renovation, and whether it is worthwhile to do so. Sometimes, the renovation cost could be even more than the cost of constructing a new school building. The other limb of this subject is on the frequent transfer of school principals and teachers. Whenever possible, the Ministry of Education will not transfer the principal and teachers of one school to another. However, sometimes, such a transfer cannot be avoided because there may be vacancies in certain schools which need to be filled urgently, or teachers for certain subjects are lacking in some schools and we have to source for such teachers from other schools. Sometimes, it is the teachers themselves who ask for transfer because of some personal reasons. As far as the Ministry of Education is concerned, we try our best not to transfer the principals and teachers, whenever possible. Mr Peh mentioned that when old boys went back to the school they could not find the familiar faces of their old teachers. Perhaps, he might have forgotten that we all grow old with every passing year. Principals and teachers have to retire when they reach a certain age. Then, of course, you cannot go back to the school and expect to find the principal or teachers who taught you during your school days. As far as the inculcation of a sense of loyalty to the school is concerned, I think we should have more organised activities. I remember that in the past, some Chinese schools had this combined school sports meet or inter-school debates, swimming carnival, etc.”
“Their love and concern for the school will go a long way in helping the school to develop and progress. For the old-boys to care for their alma mater, they must first of all have good sentimental feelings for the school, and that the school is also concerned about them. The Member for Jalan Besar GRC put forward two points - first, preserve the old school buildings and, secondly, avoid frequent transfer or changes of principals and teachers. Let me first deal with the preservation of old school buildings. According to my survey, I find that very few schools are being built at their original site where the old buildings were demolished. Up to now, there are only five schools which were built at their former sites. At the moment, there are two schools, namely Raffles Girls' School and Crescent Girls' School, which have been moved temporarily to other places pending the completion of their new school buildings at their original sites. New schools are mostly located in new HDB housing estates because there is generally a lack of enrolment in the older residential areas as young people have moved out to set up their families in new towns. Therefore, new schools have to be built in new housing estates to cater for the rising demand for student places in new housing estates. However, in order to maintain the feelings of the old boys for their alma mater, these "new" schools in the new HDB estates retain the old names of schools moved in from elsewhere. Ai Tong School, as mentioned by the Member for Jalan Besar GRC, belongs to this category. It was built at a new site, not at its original site. As far as possible, the Ministry of Education always tries its best to preserve the old school buildings.”
“As a matter of fact, the parents should help their young children, particularly those in Primary 1 and 2, aged 6 or 7 years old, decide which books should be brought to school and which could be kept at home. Personally, I have a young child. I asked him why he was bringing all his textbooks to school. He told me, with some embarrassment, that he had lost the time table. That is the first point. Secondly, there is only one period of health education in a week. But he brings the health education book to school everyday, so that it is always there when he needs it. He does not know which book ought to be taken out, and which book has to be brought to school. If the parents can spend some time to help them decide which are the books to be brought to school, and which are the ones that could be left out, then it will help to reduce the weight of the school bag. At the same time, I hope that the teachers would not penalise or punish the school children simply because they forget to bring a particular book to school on a certain day. In fact, the teachers should allow them to share the book with their classmates. In this way, the problem of heavy school bags may be alleviated, although it cannot be resolved completely. If there are constructive and practical suggestions or recommendations to resolve the matter, the Ministry of Education will be only too pleased to consider and adopt them. The second subject is how to inculcate a sense of loyalty to the school. A sense of loyalty to the school is very important because whether a school can be developed well or not depends not only on the students, their parents, but also very much on the former students or old boys of the school.”
“However, I tend to agree with the Member for Jalan Besar GRC that it is, in fact, a rather important matter, especially to the younger children. Every day they have to carry their extremely heavy school bags when they go to school. It may well have some adverse effect on their physical development. As far as the Ministry of Education is concerned, we agree with his view and we have advised the publishers of school textbooks to reduce the thickness and weight of the textbooks. Nowadays, all the primary school textbooks are divided into two volumes, one for each semester. This will help to reduce the weight of the textbooks. As for the installation of lockers in every classroom, I agree that this is a good suggestion. However, at the time when our present schools were built, there was no provision to equip the classrooms with lockers. Therefore, owing to space constraint, we are unable to equip the classrooms of our present schools with lockers for our primary school students to keep their books. However, the Ministry of Education will further study this matter and see whether something can be done to overcome this difficulty in future, or whether some alternative method can be worked out. Of course, to keep the books in school lockers has its advantages. However, on the other hand, it may also be useful for the students to bring their books home because they may need these books when they revise their lessons at home, and their parents can lend them a helping hand at that. So, if they leave their textbooks in the school lockers, they may forget to bring certain materials required for their revision at home. This may give rise to some problems too.”
“With respect to extra-curricular activities (ECA), I suggest that the Ministry of Education include community service as part of the ECA programme for our secondary and junior college students, in order to encourage our secondary school students to participate in community service. This suggestion is in conformity with the Government's promotion of love and care among our fellow citizens. The Workers' Party has, since 1972, been advocating a "Caring Society" to remind Singaporeans to show more care and concern for the less for- tunate in our society. From newspaper reports, we learn that many charitable organisations are having difficulty getting volunteers to help them. Whether a person would voluntarily show care and concern for others, has a lot to do with his contacts and his experience in life. The cultivation of love for others should start from young. If the students, taking an active part in community service through their ECA involvement, can come to realize the true meaning of community service, and the fact that there are still many people in our society who are less fortunate than us, then they will value all the things they possess. It is possible that they will become volunteer social workers in future. I think this will have a positive effect on the development of the students' character, and the improvement to the general mood of our society. The Minister of State for Education (Dr Ker Sin Tze)( In Mandarin): Sir, the Member for Jalan Besar GRC has raised a number of issues, and they are all important issues. I would like to reply to his questions concerning the heavy school bags, loyalty to the school, and sex education. The question of school bags being too heavy may sound like a triviality.”
“My message is therefore simple: if employers want better employees, they should pay greater attention to the ECA record of job applicants. To fellow parents, just a short appeal. Let us not be over-protective of our children when it comes to ECA. It is natural for us as parents to be concerned. I am too. But I am sure parents will join me in saying that when we were ourselves school children, our parents were not so protective. And I do not think we have come out the worse for it; in fact, probably better. I wish to seek the Ministry's views on the importance of ECA as a ballast to academic pressure. Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang)( In Mandarin): Sir, as we all know, reading is a habit. It is a very important way to gain knowledge. But we often hear comments that Singaporeans do not have this habit of reading. The Government is also trying to encourage people to read more. I think the habit of reading should be cultivated from young. The school is the important base for the cultivation of this habit and the school library is the important bridge to cultivate the reading habit. However, in the Main and Development Estimates of the Ministry of Education, apart from funds allocated to libraries of junior colleges to be computerised, I do not see any budget provision for the expansion of school libraries. Does it mean that our school libraries are so well-equipped that there is no room for improvement? I would like to know how much has the Ministry of Education allocated to the school libraries to purchase books and what specific plan it has to encourage the students to make full use of the library, and to cultivate the habit of reading.”
“However, instead of apportioning blame, I feel that the more productive approach is to see how various parties, each playing a part, can help to alleviate this pressure - the Ministry of Education, parents and a third party, in my view, which is important, is the employers. Collectively, if each of us can do something, I think a lot can be done. The Ministry of Education has made a start by revising the testing system for the Primary 3 children. In my view, the junior college principals have also made a start, putting aside the method that they have employed. I think we must not lose sight of the statement that they are trying to put across to Singaporeans: "Please do not judge our schools by academic standards alone." We have to look at this substance and not get lost in the clamour as to the correctness of the method. NUS has also made a start. We try to allow each undergraduate at least one year's stay in the hall of residence. In my mind, ECA can restore some balance to the system. Therefore, may I make an appeal to employers and parents. First, to employers. I urge all employers, and Government should take the lead, to include ECA as a factor for consideration in assessing job applications. In a way, the message will be received loud and clear on the ground. In a survey conducted last year, some employers opined that the graduates from a local university do not compare favourably with those who returned from overseas. Why is that so? It is because the criteria they chose for comparison, such as the ability to adapt to corporate culture, initiative, confidence and willingness to speak up, social skills and so on, bear no direct relation to paper grades. They are qualities which are best developed through active involvement in ECA.”
“Sir, I declare my interest as Council Chairman of the National Police Cadet Corps which is the schools' ECA. Sir, the involvement in ECA is very important for the all-round balanced development of students in our schools, polytechnics and universities. This is especially so today with the emphasis on a fit and healthy lifestyle and the strengthening of communitarian values. Why are ECAs important? There are many reasons, but let me just focus on one which I think is important. This is that students learn and practise leadership and teamwork. They develop group identity and community spirit. In short, ECAs nurture the qualities of bonding and commitment which are essential for community life. This point is crucial in the context of today's Singapore. Bonding and commitment to each other as individuals, to the school and university as an institution, and to Singapore as home. This is why many SU and NUS graduates, who were active in ECA when they were undergraduates, feel an affinity to the institution. The more active you are, the prouder you are to be an alumnus. This, in my view, is an important key to developing strong alumni ties. ECA balances the pressure for academic excellence. This issue surfaced recently in two episodes - I think we know about them - the revision in the testing for primary school children and the junior college principals' agreement not to release their schools' results until after two weeks. There has been a lot of acrimony in the Straits Times as to the cause of this pressure and the focus has been on the schools, the school system and parents.”
“Can I just make one point of clarification? I think I was misunderstood on one point. Just now I was talking about those people who have done national service, but do not do reservist training because they were exempted for medical reasons. I think the Minister for Defence has covered that point, which I take. I did not actually argue a case for not giving tax relief for those who have completed reservist training. I fully agree that those who have completed reservist training should enjoy some form of tax relief, which is the case here.”
“With these comments, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Government's financial policy for the year 1st April this year to March next year. 1.20 pm”
“As an active reservist myself, I must confess it came as a surprise, although a pleasant one. As a tax relief, the actual benefit a reservist gets varies with his civilian income, and not directly with his contributions to the SAF. However, I understand that it is administratively more convenient in the form of a fixed quantum tax relief. As reservists, we appreciate the tax break given to us. The amount may not be large but it is significant relative to the personal tax and earned income reliefs. But what reservists really appreciate, which go beyond dollars and cents, are the recognition and status which the Government is according to reservists who have given time and sweat to the defence of the country. The Government is planning to table a White Paper on a comprehensive goods and services tax in Parliament in the second half of this year. Most workers and lower-income Singaporeans view this with some anxiety, and rightly so because consumption taxes everywhere tend to be regressive. I hope the Government will take the opportunity to do a comprehensive review of all income taxes together with the introduction of the consumption tax so that our lower income group's purchasing power can be maintained. The Finance Minister has also announced that with effect from 1st June this year, the Government will restrict the eligibility of duty-free privilege for liquors only to travellers who spend not less than 48 hours away from Singapore before their arrival. This restriction, however, has been perceived by the lower income to impact them unfairly as they are the ones who do not have the financial resources to travel too far away and for too long. Perhaps the Minister would like to comment on this perception among the workers.”
“Companies welcome the reduction of one percentage point in the corporate income tax rate to 30% with effect from Year of Assessment 1993. This reduction will help to offset some of the operating cost increases, including the increase in CPF contribution. But more importantly, I think it will help to attract more foreign investments to Singapore, which in turn will provide more job opportunities for our people. Next, the individual income tax. Although there are no changes to the individual's tax schedule, we welcome the one-off rebate of 5% across the board for personal income tax for Year of Assessment 1992. Last year, at the same debate, I had argued for personal tax rates to be lower for Singaporeans than permanent residents or foreigners. The differential need not be too wide, but at the same time, significant enough to convince non-citizens that there are privileges in being Singapore citizens. I am pleased to note that this year's budget has taken a step in this direction. Citizen householders staying in rental and owner occupied 1-, 2- and 3-room HDB flats who pay little or no income tax will have the service and conservancy charges paid for by the Government on their behalf to the Town Councils for the month of December 1992. This is a very generous gesture by the Government. In fact, it is a hand-out which is not characteristic of this Government. It is a one-off payment which I hope will not be taken for granted. The other benefit for Singapore citizens goes to those who have done national service and reservist training. This means that almost every household in Singapore would have one person enjoying this benefit. It comes in the form of a tax relief of either $500 for non-active reservists or $1,000 for active reservists.”
“The employee's CPF contribution rate will be reduced from 22 1/2% to 22%, down 1/2%. I must confess that the unions and workers view this adjustment with some disappointment. Many still remember the 15% cut in the employer's CPF contribution in one fell swoop back in 1986 when the economy shrank by only 1.6% in 1985. They also agreed not to demand for 15% restoration when the economy improved later, but only asked for 10%. However, they had not foreseen that the restoration would take so long, even though the economy had performed well since 1987, with GDP growth rates of 8.8% in 1987, 11% in 1988, 9.2% in 1989, 8.3% in 1990 and last year, it was 6.7%. These are very good growth rates, considering that Japan was only averaging 4.5% at the time when their GDP was around this level. Our forecast for the medium term growth rate is 5% to 7%. Taken in that perspective, I would like to urge the Government to restore the remaining 2% of the employer's CPF contribution as soon as possible, and not wait until 1996 to do so. Our relative unit labour cost in manufacturing against the other NIEs is still competitive, at around the 1982-83 levels. The sooner the employers accept the 20% CPF share of contribution as the norm, the sooner they accept that wages must go up every year in response to market forces, the sooner they will upgrade and innovate their production processes, the sooner we will be able to improve the industrial relations climate between workers and employers in Singapore. The Government should continue to help businesses in their transition without compromising the principle of free market competition. Next, I would like to touch upon corporate income tax.”
“And this has proven to be a sound financial policy. Our strong reserves have kept the Singapore dollar up, inflation low, which, in turn, enhances the purchasing power of our workers. This year's Budget is no exception. It is a cautious one in view of economic uncertainties, both in the world and at home. It is estimated that there will be a budget surplus of $1 billion which will be set aside for the Edusave scheme. I am pleased to note that we do not need to draw upon reserves that were accumulated in the past to start schemes like Edusave and Medifund. Future contributions to these two funds will also come out from future budget surpluses. I support this policy. At this juncture, I would like to respond to Mr Ling How Doong's call yesterday to give more and more subsidies to education. The Government is already spending 4% to 5% of GDP on education. This is very close to the norm of the industrialised countries. This amount is enough for the schools to provide every student with a good education at minimal cost. We should remember that a dollar more for education is a dollar less for health care or other deserving public expenditure, such as housing or the building of roads. The expenditure on education and health care may be noble and desirable, but we must continue to do so in a manner that is sustainable in the long run. Hence, I would be the first to object if anyone advocates that we should dip into our past reserves to provide more and more subsidies for education. Next, let me comment on some of the revenue and tax changes proposed. First of all, the CPF contribution rates. The Finance Minister has announced that with effect from 1st July this year, the employer's CPF contribution rate will be increased from 17 1/2% to 18%, up 1/2%.”
“As a reservist, I join fellow reservists in welcoming this relief. It is something that will act as a motivation. Of course, it will not fully compensate for the anxieties, for the sense of uncertainty, discomfort and disruption to family life that reservist training brings about. I just want to ask the Minister for Defence one point on this scheme. It is clear that reservists who are currently performing reserve duties and who have completed their reservist liability are eligible. The criteria for eligibility, however, also include those who have completed National Service (NS) but who have been exempted from reserve duty. My question is: should these people enjoy this tax relief, ie, people who have finished NS but do not do reserve duties because they are exempted? The answer would depend on the basis for granting this relief. Is it for completing National Service, or is it for one's contribution to reserve service? If my understanding is correct and it is for the latter, for one's contribution to reservist duty, then the answer should be "no", these people should not enjoy this tax relief. I hope the Minister can clarify this point. Finally, Sir, just a brief word on the SC & CC charges. I want to join my fellow MPs in welcoming this move. I hope the beneficiaries will pause for a moment to appreciate the sentiments behind it. It has not been done before. It need not be done now, but the Government has paused a while, and made it possible for them to also enjoy a bit of the booty. Sir, on this note, I support the motion in the name of the Minister for Finance. Mr Lew Syn Pau (Tanglin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has always been conservative in its fiscal policy. They have built up budget surpluses every year to add to our reserves.”
“Secondly, perhaps we should also do a study on the social consequences of having a large number of maids in Singapore, in terms of their presence in Singapore and in terms of when they leave Singapore. Is it a mitigating factor, for example, that these maids live in with their employers and are not living in clusters of their own? In fact, in some families, the maids become a part of the family whilst they are here, and if the parents are careful and make sure that the children do not imbibe values from these maids, when they leave, there are no deleterious long-term consequences. Thirdly, perhaps some measures can be taken to see how foreign maids can better adjust to our lifestyle whilst they are here. I am not saying, go all the way and make them feel so at home, but maybe treating them as elements that are helpful to our economy. Steps can be taken to see how they can better adjust to working here. And finally, maybe Singapore employers can be encouraged or educated as to how they can become better employers. Not everyone, in terms of employing a foreign maid, knows what is best to be done in all circumstances. There are cases of errant employers being punished but that is when they come to light; for one case that is disclosed, there may be other cases that are not disclosed. Once upon a time, Sir, we debated on the wisdom of having MNCs in Singapore in large numbers. We also questioned whether tourists should be allowed in Singapore in large numbers. Here is a situation where we are also now wondering whether maids should be allowed in Singapore in large numbers. My plea is simply this: maybe a comprehensive study should be undertaken so that Singaporeans are convinced that this is indeed the right approach. Next, just a brief point on reservists.”
“For example, some have young children, others have aged or ill parents; some mothers work, others may not, and even if they work, their level of contributions to the economy may differ. Secondly, whether a family succeeds in employing a maid may have knock-on effects on family lifestyle decisions, with implications at both personal and national levels, such as quality and quantity of leisure time; whether or not granny or grandfather lives in; whether or not baby is fostered out or put into day care, the effect on baby in those situations and the travelling required in those situations. Thirdly, a large number of maids may cause social problems, at family and national levels. At the family level, in the upbringing of Singaporean children who may imbibe foreign values, or who may be over-pampered. At the national level, the presence of a large number of such foreigners living in Singapore, and the impact of adjustment, should the availability of such maids cease. Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a complex matter. I am not saying the current approach is not right, or may not be right, but my plea is that perhaps a more comprehensive study should be undertaken. And in this study, I think these points should be considered. Firstly, the alternatives to employing a foreign domestic maid, what are these alternatives, are they viable? For example, for children who are infants, or toddlers, is it as viable an alternative to put them in day care centres as opposed to older children, when the body's health immunity system may not be as developed as in older children, and living in close proximity with other children on a daily basis may not be such a good solution. Or what is the effect of having children fostered out in terms of their upbringing?”
“The present approach is essentially a fiscal one - the imposition of a fixed sum levy across the board. Despite a series of increases from $120 in 1984 to currently $300, the number of maids has continued to rise. The Minister for Labour's position, and rightly so, is that if not for these levy increases, the number would be even larger. No one can dispute that. All aggrieved Singaporeans have also been reminded, and again rightly so, that these levies should not be viewed in isolation but together with other measures to alleviate the hardship of working mothers, both financial and non-financial types. However, looking and thinking ahead, the question to ask is whether the Government will continue to take this fiscal approach without more. As I mentioned earlier, it is exactly such an approach that generates loose talk on the ground that the Government is making money out of the people. I am sorry that I missed the Minister for Labour's remarks in this House yesterday. In any case, I think this matter requires and deserves deeper and more comprehensive study than currently undertaken. Why do I say this? This is a matter that is sui generis. It has special features and stands on its own. It concerns many households in Singapore and impacts on the quality of life enjoyed by such households. As the Next Lap seeks to enhance the quality of life of all Singaporeans, it is legitimate for some Singaporeans to ask why the Government is placing an obstacle to their quest for a better quality of life by making it difficult for them to have a live-in domestic help. What are the special features of the maid issue that require further consideration? Firstly, the needs of employers are very different.”
“Mr Ling How Doong has asked why not subsidise education more. This is exactly the mentality that the Government should watch out for, one that shouts from the heart, "give me more or meet my needs". There is a need to pause a while, and use the mind; a lot is already given, how much more is more, can more be given without jeopardising other areas? Mr Speaker, Sir, permit me now to touch on three points arising from the Budget Statement - foreign maid levy, reservist tax relief, which I would deal with at some length, and a brief comment on the service charge and conservancy charge (SC & CC) rebate. Foreign maid levy. Much unhappiness has been caused by the latest increase in the foreign maid levy. The Minister for Finance says, in his Budget Statement, that in certain areas, and these include foreign domestic maid, significant market imperfections and non-economic considerations require market forces to be tempered by Government intervention. He goes on to say, and I quote: "... although the markets in these cases are not perfect, the most efficient solutions are still found by harnessing market forces to the greatest possible extent." Sir, I wonder if the most efficient solution has been found in the case of foreign domestic maids. The Statement says that for road transport, the use of market forces ensures that COEs go to those who value them most. While this is true, the other point left unsaid is that COEs go to those who not only value them most, but are also able to afford them. I hope the same situation will not happen in the case of foreign maids. It is possible that not everyone who needs or values a foreign maid, because of special circumstances, will be able to afford one, if the consideration is essentially financial.”
“I think better packaging and marketing of these three phenomena is called for. Of late, we have heard much of the need to market and package policies well. Let us apply that not only to policies but also to approaches which we are talking about here -- the need to limit and distribute certain goods, the need to deter criminal conduct, and why the fine may be more appropriate than other forms of punishment, and the need to remain efficient and competitive as statutory boards begin to privatise. Help the people to see beyond dollars and cents. Accumulation of money is not an end in itself but a means to an end, the advancement of a social cause. Therefore, even if there is a need to package and market substantive policies well, there is also a need to package and market basic philosophies or methodologies well. In this regard, I welcome the announcement that the Ministry of the Environment intends to introduce the community service order as a form of punishment. It will be a welcome addition to the arsenal available to our judges and shows that the Government does not want just to fine people. But please explain the aims and rationale for its implementation well. Another point is the much publicised announcement of massive profits by our statutory boards. While it is good to be profitable and totally justifiable to feel proud of a good bounty, Sir, I feel we should be sensitive in doing these things. Surely it is not the case that the CEOs are out to outdo each other in order to please their political masters. But some people may feel this way. Also, please take pains to assure people that the profits are not derived simply at their expense. To me, therefore, Sir, subsidy in itself is not a dirty word, creation of a crutch mentality is.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, yesterday the Member for Bukit Gombak made several points in this House. The Minister for National Development has effectively debunked his main point - the upgrading of older HDB estates. There are other points deserving of rejoinders. However, in view of the time factor, I will confine myself to only one point. In doing this, it is not my intention at all to put the hon. Member down. It is just that I feel Singaporeans deserve the benefit of another viewpoint. Sir, this relates to his call for more subsidies. In my assessment, the Government is not against subsidies as such. It is a question of: for what, how much, and why? What is anathema to the Government is the development of a subsidy mentality, one that undermines the will to work, and worse still, provoke a slide down the slippery slope into a crutch situation. In appropriate areas, subsidies have indeed been given, and heavy ones too. Education, health, basic housing -- three vital areas of people investment as opposed to areas of consumption. I hope Singaporeans will know and appreciate this. Mr Ling himself agrees to this approach. It is important to dispel the myth that when the Government espouses free market policies, it is out to make money from the people. This is not only untrue, but it is damaging. It hinders Government-people bonding and should be demolished. To do that, we have to see why the myth exists. I think there are three possible causes. First, Government's use of the quota system and price mechanism in regulating goods such as cars; secondly, the imposition of heavy fines as a form of punishment; and thirdly, accumulation of large surpluses by statutory boards. Sir, please do not get me wrong. I am not advocating that we abolish all three approaches.”