Ho See Beng
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State whether he is aware that each time re- settlement takes place, the business houses or firms suffer a terrible loss. Although the HDB could provide them with alternative shop premises, they have to rent them from the HDB.”
“Sir, I want to ask a supplementary question with vested interest. This concerns a teacher who upgraded himself or herself and got admitted into the University, but the teacher has got to forgo his or her salary. In the case of an SAF officer, if he is sent to the University, he does not have to sacrifice his salary.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask whether the Minister will consider giving incentives to consumers who read their own meters?. I ask this question because it will save PUB a substantial amount of money by way of salaries for meter readers, if the PUB succeeds in teaching consumers how to read their own meters.”
“But before I could explain the relevancy, I was interrupted by the Member for Anson, who stood up and denied that he had ever said anything about supplying me with such a list.”
“Sir, as I have said, I intend to appeal to the Minister for National Development whether he will consider giving priority allocation of flats to the Blair Plain residents who will be resettled by PSA soon.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, when the House adjourned at 8.00 pm last night, I was reminding the Member for Anson that I have yet to receive his list of Blair Plain residents whom he claimed to have attended his meeting and approached him for assistance on the matter pertaining to resettlement.”
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“It is worth while, I believe that given the shrewdness and acumen of our present political leadership, the project will definitely become viable against the background of the growing prosperity and political stability of Singapore, for the simple reason that with the steady increase in our population, the underground railway will be used more and more by the people. Sir, the Japanese are known to be the shrewdest businessmen in the world. As they have much confidence in our distant political and economic prospects, they have made a huge investment in the development of a petrochemical complex on an offshore island as a joint venture with Singapore. In the circumstances, can we be lacking in self-confidence? Sir, in traffic improvement, passive reorganisation and punitive measures will yield very little result. A well-run MRT system will make available a convenient, fast and safe means of transport to the greater prosperity of our people. Only the develop- ment of the MRT system would provide the basic solution. Let us hope that the authorities concerned will make an in-depth study of the project and then move ahead with the greatest determination to bring about a long and lasting solution for the benefit of the people of Singapore.”
“Hence the one and only way to solve the problem is to construct an underground railway. Mr Speaker, Sir, underground railways have been in use in Asia and Japan for a long time. Hong Kong adopted this system recently. Singapore is very interested in this system and intends to follow suit. But it is worried as to whether the cost can be recovered within a specified number of years. Nevertheless, Sir, in the interest of the people of greater Singapore in the future, it is advisable for us to be farsighted and bold enough to lay down a strong foundation for the construction of a transport system. This will be more beneficial, with less trouble and money saved, than to implement some stop-gap measures. Sir, a further point is that when the Government embarks on an undertaking and makes a financial commitment, it is concerned only with how it will benefit the people and what improvement it will bring to society as a whole. So long as the money is well spent, it can go ahead with the project. The Government is assured of peace of mind so long as the money is used for the benefit of the people. This is different from investment. Investment is a business enterprise which is primarily concerned with the recouping of the capital within a given period and the reaping of profits thereafter. Otherwise it does not make good business sense. Sir, admittedly the underground railway is very costly because it is a colossal project. However, for the greater prosperity of the country in keeping with the expected growth of extra-regional trade of ASEAN in the future and for speedier land transport for our people, the money should be spent.”
“Sir, I would like to speak on the subject of the proposed MRT system for Singapore. It appears that our Government is lacking in self-confidence on the building of the MRT because it is worried whether the cost can be recovered within a specified number of years. The authorities concerned have made strenuous efforts to improve our traffic conditions all these years. But a careful study will reveal that the measures taken are only stop-gap measures and not permanent solutions. The reason why I am talking about finding a permanent solution to the traffic problem is that I foresee by the mid-80's, that Singapore's population will be very much more than the present 2.2 million. By then, Singapore's trade will be a more thriving one and the number of ships in our port will be greater. She may even become the centre of ASEAN external trade. This is because of Singapore's geographical position. Singapore has grown in importance as a result of the tussle for supremacy among the three world powers. By the mid-80's, Singapore's land transport will have become so busy that the question will arise whether or not the existing zebra crossings, highway code and the traffic rules and regulations aimed at restricting vehicular movement will still be effective in easing traffic congestion and reducing road accidents. This is why it is necessary for us to make an overall plan now to improve the land transport system of a greater Singapore. In order to make provision for the development of a city of six to seven million people in a greater Singapore in future, we should now quickly build an MRT system to alleviate traffic congestion. The existing land transport system in Singapore has been utilised to its saturation point and there is no way to increase its efficiency.”
“Sir, it was alleged at one time that there were no takers for HDB flats, and that was why the Government devised a way to assist the HDB by allowing applicants to use the CPF contributions to buy HDB flats. But as for the HUDC flats, because the design, locality and the materials used in the building of these flats are comparable to the private sector, therefore, they feel that HUDC flats are very popular and therefore they cannot allow applicants to use CPF funds to buy these flats. Can the Minister comment on this?”
“If they have not changed, for example, he is still unemployed and he has not the means to maintain himself, then his application will possibly be rejected again. I would advise those who have had their applications rejected to wait until their economic circumstances have improved and then re-apply. Then they may have a better chance of being granted citizenship. The Member brought up the point about the Registry of Citizenship wanting docu- mentary proof of birth in Singapore before granting citizenship. I think the Member may not have understood the issues here. If a person was born in Singapore and there is conclusive documentary proof that he was born in Singapore, then he is a citizen of Singapore by birth, in which case he need not apply for citizenship.”
“Sir, point of clarification. I said "it appears to be unequal." Mr Chua Sian Chin: I thank him for the clarification. The Member for Khe Bong said, "It appears to be unequal." May I say in reply that, as far as Singapore is concerned, all citizens are equal and they are treated equally. But I do not think there should be equality between non-citizens and citizens of Singapore. That is the crux of the problem because there is also no equality between citizens and non-citizens in other countries. Therefore, as I said, the grant of citizenship is a privilege. Before we grant citizenship, we must be sure that the applicant will be an asset to Singapore and not a liability. Once he is granted citizenship, then we treat him equally with our citizens. The Member for Changi asked another question whether there had been a revision in the criteria for granting citizenship. My answer is that there has not been any change with regard to the criteria. Generally the criterion for grant of citizenship is that the applicant must not be a liability to the State. He must, therefore, have an adequate income to maintain himself and his family. He must also have roots in Singapore and he must be of good character. These are some of the general requirements and we have not revised them. The Member for Changi complained that some of his constituents, after having had their applications turned down by the Registry of Citizenship, were told by the Registry that they should apply again. I do not know how the Member obtained such information, because to me it is not rational and it is a waste of time to ask a person to apply when his economic or other circumstances have not changed.”
“Sir, I do not wish to speak on this amendment because the matter which I intend to raise here has been resolved. But I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers and men of the Traffic Police, through the Minister concerned, for their efficient services rendered to the people of Singapore. The Chairman: The Member for Toa Payoh has an amendment on the same Subhead. Mr Cheong, would you like to speak now?”
“Sir, I quite sympathise with the Minister for Home Affairs. He says that he has got no money and he cannot raise money like raising money for the building of community centres. May I offer him a suggestion? Why does he not issue more martial art licences? Because martial art pugilists can help him contain the gangsters, and there may be a lot of gangsters in Punggol! If there are more martial art societies in Punggol, that may satisfy the Member for Punggol.”
“Sir, has the Minister any information how many of these joint ventures were successful?”
“How can the Minister who sits in an airconditioned room in his Ministry be aware of the living conditions of the rural folk?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. Sir, I would like to draw the attention of the Minister for Labour to the arbitrary decision of the Central Provident Fund Board to impose a penalty by way of interest on the innocent employers who are alleged to have made late payments in respect of their employees' CPF contributions. The CPF Board charges an interest of 5% or $5, whichever is the greater, on an employer who pays his contributions later than 14th of the month after the due date. In one instance, an employer had paid his contribution for his employee on 11th February, 1980. But he wrote on his cheque "2-11-1980" in figures, instead of "11th February, 1980". When the CPF Board received the cheque, the officer-in-charge interpreted the date as 2nd November 1980. Under these circumstances, if the officer-in-charge had any commonsense he would have sent the cheque to the payer for alteration or banked in the cheque and let the bank decide whether to accept or reject the cheque. But the officer did neither. Instead, he kept the cheque for one week before posting it back to the payer with a covering note asking him to alter the date and month in the proper order. The employer did as he was told and returned the cheque. One week later, he received a pink notice asking him to pay an interest of $5 for late payment. My point is this. Had this officer the commonsense to return the cheque in time, the question of late payment would not have arisen, Since the employer was not at fault, I would like to ask the Minister to look into this matter and, if the fault lies with the officer-in-charge, will the Minister ask him to withdraw the notice?”
“And what is more disturbing is the fact that there is discrimination between those on the dole who have not served the Government, and its former employees who gave of their best while in Government service. This is a most invidious and inequitable attitude. This, Mr Speaker, Sir, I find most unreasonable and I would urge the Finance Minister to take immediate steps to revise the pensions of all those receiving small pensions, as he did several years ago. However, notwithstanding the criticism, I must congratulate the Hon. Minister for his better-than-last-year Budget which gave no tax relief to the lower income group, while this year's Budget grants tax concessions across the board. Hence, Mr Speaker, Sir, the Budget gets my support. 4.12 p.m.”
“I fail to understand the attitude of the Minister in refusing to treat civil servants, past and present, equally. Serving officers annually receive the benefits of the National Wages Council in view of acknowledged inflation. But those who had served their time - I believe they served the Finance Minister also - and are now apparently of no economic value to the Government, are cast aside like squeezed lemons. The Government has no further interest in them. This is a sorry state of affairs and underscores our departure from socialistic principles and human values. Several years ago retired civil servants in the lower income group were granted a small percentage increase in their pensions to meet the rising cost of living. Since then the Minister for Finance has obviously refused to consider all pleas of the pensioners that with their small pensions they are encountering difficulties in making ends meet because of the problems brought about by inflation. On the other hand, Sir, the Government has deemed it fit to raise the quantum of public assistance for those who receive support from the Social Welfare Department. These increases, after only four years, although not over-generous, are nevertheless significant in percentage terms. They range from 20 to 50%. But what really matters is the principle underlying the decision to give this increase, namely, the acceptance of the fact that the allowances paid to these unfortunate people have been overtaken by the rising cost of living. Thus, on the one hand, while the Government is willing to accept the fact that the cost of living for those on the dole has increased, on the other hand the Government apparently refuses to accept the fact that the cost of living of its ex-employees has also increased.”
“If one adds up the quantum of inflation since 1948, it will be staggering, and yet personal relief remains stagnant. It would thus mean, Sir, that the taxation policy is designed to favour those in the upper income bracket and not those in the lower income group. I am sure no one will object rewarding those who demonstrate high levels of performance and output but, at the same time, one must not ignore the lower income group who, after all, form the bulk of our citizens. While still on the subject of income tax concessions, Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to refer to the magnificent gesture made by the Finance Minister during the Budget session last year when he announced that pensions would be exempted from income tax. I had hoped that when he made this announcement, he would follow it up by stating that, having regard to the inflation, those who had retired many years ago when salaries were low and who were consequently getting small pensions would receive some form of special increase to enable them to keep up with the rising cost of living. Mr Speaker, Sir, in the ultimate analysis, it will be seen that the removal of tax on pensions really benefits those in the upper income brackets, because the retired Division IV public servants - the postmen, policemen, clerks etc. - receive pensions which are so low that they are, for the greater part, not taxable. These are Government servants who served the Government faithfully until their retirement, and now due to circumstances beyond their control, namely, inflation and rising cost of living, they are hardly able to keep body and soul together. And what does the magnificent concession of tax-free pensions mean to them? Absolutely nothing, because they do not benefit in any way from it.”
“' Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, I would like to ask the Minister whether any research is being done or has been done to find out how many self-employed professionals have incorporated themselves into companies in order to sell their personal services to legally avoid paying taxes at more than 40%. Are figures available, because I am sure the House would like to know the basis of the Hon. Minister's decision. Secondly, Mr Speaker, Sir, in the past few years there has been a considerable hike in the salaries of professionals and executives working in the public sector. These hikes, as will be recalled, were made on the recommendation of a high-powered committee to bring public service professionals and executives more or less at par with their counter-parts in the private sector. It should also be remembered that professionals and executives in the public sector enjoy certain privileges and have a greater degree of security of tenure than their counterparts in the private sector. It was recently announced that the taxation policy of the Government bears review from time to time, and I will urge that this time this particular amendment be reviewed in the light of present-day circumstances. In regard to personal relief, I would once again make a plea that it be reviewed and revised upwards. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Finance Minister has conceded that there is inflation in Singapore. In fact, it is for this very reason that the Government has deemed it prudent to set up the National Wages Council to provide guidelines to both the public and private sectors to enable them to adjust salaries in view of the rising cost of living. The consumer price index last month, for example, showed a 7.4% increase over January last year.”
“Thus, it can be said that very rarely does the Government keep recurrent expenditure down to the minimum with the provision made in the budget for expenditure and revenue. For example, even though it has been stated that the increase in mad taxes and registration fees is to discourage people from buying new cars, nevertheless these produce revenue and are in the form of indirect taxation. Mr Speaker, Sir, in the 1978 Budget session, I expressed unhappiness at the Finance Minister because he had refused the numerous pleas for an increase in the personal income tax relief which was fixed at $2,000 in 1948, at the inception of income tax in Singapore. I pointed out that this figure had remained stagnant since then, despite the inflation that had taken place during the past three decades. I also pointed out that this plea was on behalf of those in the lower income bracket, but all our appeals fell on deaf ears, and various inconsequential excuses were given to reject any increase in the personal relief. On the other hand, Mr Speaker, Sir, the Finance Minister in that year raised the tax relief for those in the upper income bracket, namely, those earning around $50,000 per year and above. The rationale for the concession for those in the higher income bracket deserves repetition, and I quote [Vol. 37, col. 638]:- 'Aggravating the problem of equity or fairness in sharing the tax burden is the ability of many self-employed professionals to incorporate themselves into companies in order to sell their personal services, and thereby quite legally avoid paying tax at more than 40%, the company rate. Professionals and executives working for the public sector on salaries are unable to take advantage of this loophole in the law. Nor do they enjoy the perks of tax free "expenses".”
“It is apparent to everyone that, simultaneous with the increase in the car population, roods have been widened and new roads built. This could well mean that, on an average, the number of cars per square metre of road has not really increased. Thus, if we look at the overall picture, it could well be that the number of square metres of road now exceeds the square metres of road occupied. This, Mr Speaker, Sir, has already been pointed out by a correspondent to the local press on the 6th of March this year. The writer has given a clear picture of the situation, and I only need to quote two headlines, namely, "Vehicle growth picture would be more accurate if based on numbers per kilometro of road lane" and "Lack of integrated planning behind traffic congestion." Mr Speaker, Sir, coming down to a few specifics, I would like to refer to the Minister's statement that the Budget has been formulated on the basis of financial prudence and development of objectives. He states that "we shall continue with the prudent policy of keeping Government recurrent expenditure down to the minimum and within the revenue expected to be collected within the fiscal year." Mr Speaker, Sir, this is difficult to accept because we all know that during the past few years despite such assurances additional taxes and levies, not mentioned in the budget, have been introduced during the course of the year to produce the revenue which the Ministry of Finance needs to balance the budget. In other words, in the course of the year, revenues not expected to be collected within the fiscal year are raised to augment the resources of the Ministry of Finance. The Supplementary Supply Bill of $25 million is further testimony to the fact.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Budget time in democratic countries is traditionally regarded as the most exciting session of Parliament; often the fate of Government is decided at Budget time. But the practice of the Minister for Finance over the past few years has reduced Budget time to almost a public relations exercise. Budgets tend to be generally unexciting, and concessions are granted to certain sections of the community with the aim of keeping everybody happy. But obviously, Mr Speaker, Sir, there is no need for the Minister to make Budget day exciting or unpalatable, because most of the unkind cuts are introduced before or after Budget day. Thus, we have a happy Budget day, but have to be prepared for new taxes and levies through the year. Let me illustrate this tactic. Only recently came an unkind cut in the form of substantial increases in road taxes and registration fees levied on owners of motor cars. The registration fee for a private or hired car has gone up from $15 to the astronomical figure of $1,000 and for a company car to a more astronomical figure of $5,000. Never in the wildest dream of motorists could they imagine that registration fees would increase by so many folds. It would appear that our Government is trying to enhance its reputation for being "first" in many areas of activity. Mr Speaker, Sir, it has been reported in the press that alarm bells would ring in the Registrar of Vehicles office when the car population hovers around the 140,000 mark. It is true that there has been an increase in our car population during the past few years. But so has there been an increase in the human population and the mileage of roads in Singapore.”
“If it is to serve the public, all of us will also benefit from it.”
“This MRT is a service to the public. Since it is a service to the public and the Government can afford it, does the Minister still grudge it?”
“Sir, in his opinion is this MRT a justified project, assuming that the Government can afford to build it?”
“Sir, in so far as the MRT is concerned, it is meant to serve the people. Therefore, the Government should not always think of getting a dividend from any kind of project. So I still say that the policy of procrastination is wrong.”
“Sir, it seems the public is concerned about the cost of building the MRT. Is it not true that the longer we procrastinate, the higher will be its cost?”
“Sir, I think the Finance Minister did not get my point right. I want to know how to advise an employer who makes a good profit and wants to pay his employees more in terms of reward? Can he pay more than the annual wage supplement? An hon. Member: Pay hong bao!”
“Sir, if the employer pays higher wage increases, these increases will be incorporated into the employees' wages and it will mean a higher recurrent expenditure for the employer. Let us say in 1979 an employer makes a good profit and he wants to reward his employees, only for that particular year when he has made a good profit. But for future years, whether the employer will go on rewarding his employees will depend on whether or not the company makes a profit.”
“Sir, where a company has not got any incentive scheme, is there any way for the employer to reward his employees as a result of a good year of business? The company has made a good profit. In what way can the employer reward his employees in the absence of an incentive scheme?”
“They are doing business under the nose of the Ministry! Mr Chor Yeok Eng( In Mandarin): Sir, I have already told the Member that we will be paying attention to all these complaints and take any appropriate action under the relevant regulations, when necessary. MEMBER FOR BOON TECK (Surrender of passport) 5. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Law and Science and Technology why the surrender of the passport of the Member for Boon Teck was not made one of the conditions of his bail bond after he was charged in Court in accordance with the usual practice.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thought the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said in his reply that any food establishment which extends its business outside its premises will be warned. Now he says it depends on whether it is a private or a public establishment. I know that MacDonald's hamburger restaurant is carrying on business outside its premises, and that empty space is a public place. Why is it that no action has been taken against them? Mr Chor Yeok Eng( In Mandarin): Sir, at present, the most that we could do is to give warnings. But, in future, when we take appropriate action against them, we will take all these complaints into consideration. Mr Ho See Beng( In Mandarin): Sir, I am asking whether the Ministry has issued warning notices to them. Mr Chor Yeok Eng( In Mandarin): I do not have the information with me, and so I cannot say whether we have issued them with warning notices. But when we implement our regulations, of course, they will come to our notice. Mr Ho See Beng( In Mandarin): I would like to ask whether he is aware that they are doing business there in a public place? Mr Chor Yeok Eng( In Mandarin): Whether or not they are doing business there, our staff will have to carry out an investigation. We cannot just issue notices to all and sundry.”
“Sir, is the Senior Parliamentary Secretary aware that there are food establishments in Orchard Road which extend their business outside their premises? Could he tell us why these food establishments have not been issued with warning notices? Mr Chor Yeok Eng( In Mandarin): Sir, this depends on whether the place belongs to the public or to private establishments.”
“Sir, if the food establishment extends its business outside its premises but not on to the five-foot way, will the Ministry still object to it? Mr Chor Yeok Eng( In Mandarin): Yes.”
“What happens after the five years? Can he withdraw as and when he wants?”
“Sir, this is not a supplementary question but a point of clarification. I would like to know whether the additional CPF contributions can be withdrawn only six months after the member ceases working.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, what will the employer benefit by paying this levy of 2% if his company does not require skilled workers?”
“To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Raffles Centre development project will lead to acquisition of schools along Bras Basah Road as well as the playground of St. Joseph's Institution, the grounds of St. Andrew's Cathedral and the Padang in front of City Hall. 29.”
“Does the Minister mean to say that the merit or performance does not matter?”
“Sir, on a point of clarification. If Government's recognition of the service of its officers is based on merit or performance, why is the annual increment of an Honours degree graduate twice as much as that of the general degree graduate?”
“Sir, has the Ministry official ever tried to help the cultural asso- ciations to reduce their noise level on the one hand and, on the other hand, also tried to give them other alternatives so that these cultural organisations can be allowed to continue with their activities? Has the officer ever tried to help them?”
“Sir, when the Minister receives complaints from neighbours that their sweet dreams have been disturbed by the sound of music from such clans and associations, has he tried to help by calling them to reduce the volume so that the complainants could continue to enjoy their sweet dreams? Also, is the Minister aware that the cultural activities of the civic organisations could in this way be fostered and further developed? Or does the Minister just assume a bureaucratic attitude and orders all those cultural organisations to get out?”
“Sir, I would like to know from the Minister how much money will go to waste in the end, if this MRT project cannot materialise?”
“Sir, the penalty for drug trafficking is different from that for drug taking. Can the Minister inform this House which penalty has achieved the greater effect of reducing the drug crime rate?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a supplementary question. If a request for subsidy is not approved, will the Government consider giving a loan to the Building Fund Committee to be repaid in instalments? If a loan can be granted, it will not only help to combat inflation but it will also help certain constituencies to build community centres which are most urgently needed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to give my full support to this very comprehensive and lucidly presented Report on the current state of educational affairs in Singapore. The Report has provided me with a valuable insight into a very complex field of Government responsibility in the Republic. The problems are multifarious and the solutions by no means easily found. Nevertheless, the first positive step has been taken. 4.16 p.m.”
“The high attrition rate of pupils is one of the main concerns of the Education Study Team and, in this connection, the problem of teacher-shortage becomes even more pertinent and calls for a thorough investigation into its cause or causes. The Report also touched on the need for moral education to be incorporated into the curriculum and for such lessons to be formally carried out. This is a sound suggestion, and it does not preclude the need for the inculcation of right conduct and correct values in our growing citizens in informal ways such as through school activities like scouting, and perhaps even through the mass media. To have the subject of moral education formally on the school time-table serves as a constant and useful reminder to both teachers and pupils of the importance of this aspect of education to the continued progress, stability and strength of our nation. It is mentioned in the Report that the subject of moral education is currently under study by a Committee of Parliamentarians headed by the Minister for Communications and Acting Minister for Culture. It is further noted that in the Prime Minister's reply to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education in an exchange of letters upon completion of the Report, the Prime Minister dwelt at some length on the kind of moral education that would be of particular relevance to the Singapore situation. The Prime Minister's thoughts on moral education as contained in his reply to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education are very pertinent indeed, and it is my suggestion that they be used to form the terms of reference for the study that is being undertaken by the Minister for Communications and Acting Minister for Culture and his Committee.”
“Teachers should be given a better deal than they are receiving at present not only to make the profession more attractive but also in recognition of their contribution to our social and economic progress and in adherence to a corner-stone of the Republic's economic philosophy which is "from each according to his ability and to each according to his contribution." Unless terms and conditions of service for teachers are improved, there is little hope that much can be achieved in our efforts to provide quality education for our children; and what is worse, the teaching profession will become what it is already in danger of becoming - an occupation of last resort. Such an eventuality will be disastrous for a nation like Singapore whose continued well-being and progress lean heavily on the quality of its human resources. Another point to note about the Report is that it is surprisingly silent on the issue of teacher-shortage. I believe the shortage of teachers is a recurrent and perennial problem of the Ministry of Education and every year many relief teachers are recruited to teach in the various primary and secondary schools. While it is acknowledged that these relief teachers provide a useful service, it must be pointed out that most of them are not likely to be as effective and committed as regular-trained teachers. Relief teachers, as I have been told, may not be asked to carry out extra-curricular activities and are free to leave the service any time they like so that pupils under their charge suffer disruption in their studies. This is surely a very unsatisfactory state of affairs which leads me to wonder just to what extent the shortage of regular-trained teachers has contributed to the high attrition rate of pupils in the past.”
“Perhaps a proper survey of teachers' morale may take the form of issuing questionnaires to teachers in all primary and secondary schools and requesting them to answer the questions without having to reveal their identity. While still on the subject of morale, it may perhaps be interesting to know how many trained teachers have resigned from the teaching profession over the last ten years. Doubtless, a high attrition rate of teachers arising from resignations would represent a great loss to the cause of education in the Republic. Towards the end of the concluding chapter in the Report, several suggestions were made with a view to bringing about some improvement in the terms and conditions of service for teachers. This, I am sure, is welcome news for teachers and a step in the right direction in ensuring the successful implementation of the new education system. Perhaps, herein lies also the solution to our problem of teacher-shortage. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is my firm contention that for the Government to be able to draw citizens of calibre into the teaching rank and to motivate those already in the profession to be dedicated and give of their best, it must be able to hold out for the profession the prospect of a satisfying and meaningful career. Zeal, dedication and conviction do not thrive for long on mere exhortations and, in a merit-orientated and highly materialistic society such as ours, we would be indulging in self-deception if we expect teachers to dedicate themselves selflessly to "the cause of nation-building" while their other fellow citizens indulge in self-dedication and enjoy all the fruits of social and economic progress made possible through a collective effort.”
“According to the Report, a survey of 140 teachers from 16 primary and 12 secondary schools in the English Stream led the Education Study Team to conclude that, "the claim that the teachers at present have low morale is more apparent than real." It is my opinion that the conclusion of the Education Study Team drawn from the said survey is not valid as the views and feelings of a handful of teachers out of a total teacher-population of about 20,000 can by no means be considered representative. Based on my own association with the ground, among whom many are teachers, it is my contention that a sense of low morale does prevail in the teaching profession. Further, it is my strong suspicion that the problem of low morale is more prevalent among the non-graduate teachers and particularly so among male teachers. The question of the morale of teachers is a very pertinent one as it ultimately affects the success of a nation's education policies and programmes. A well-formulated or a well-planned education programme will not be fully successful or may even fail completely if the people at the final stage of implementation - the teachers - do not have the enthusiasm or dedication to put in the required efforts. No amount of good planning or of the most up-to-date facilities and techniques will automatically lead to the attainment of set objectives if teachers do not or are unable to give of their best. The Ministry of Education should therefore take proper steps to objectively assess the state of morale of our teachers and investigate into the relevant causes if, in fact, the morale is found to be low, and seek the necessary solutions.”
“And I foresee a very real possibility of excessive parental non-compliance in the case of children considered not academically inclined and only suitable for a monolingual course of education. I suggest therefore that there should be only two streams of education in the primary school, one for the above average and the other for the average and the slower pupils. The above average pupils may complete their primary school course in six years while the average and the slower pupils may be given up to eight years to complete the same education course. All pupils, however, are required to sit for a common examination at the end of their respective courses to qualify for admission into the secondary school. Those who fail to qualify can then be channelled into another stream of education which provides them with an opportunity to be reasonably proficient in one language and to learn a skill or trade. This scheme may perhaps help to reduce the extent of parental interference. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to state that the fundamental aim of any education system should be to produce citizens who are able to contribute in their own ways to the growth, progress and well-being of the nation and, at the same time, enable all citizens to find their rightful place in society whatever their capabilities or individual differences. In my view this fundamental aim of education is manifest in the Education Report submitted by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and his Study Team. Mr Speaker, Sir, my next point concerns the morale of teachers.”
“The problem perhaps lies in the fact that children not only have varying abilities but that the development of body and mind in different children takes place at different rates during different stages of their growing up. It seems that late-developers have been found at as late a stage as the university level. I wonder if any have been found to begin developing only after graduation. The problem, as I see it, is not so much when to stream pupils but whether in so doing we make provisions for corrective actions to be taken in the event that pupils are found not to have been channelled into the appropriate stream. Several hon. Members of this House have criticised the measures provided in the Education Report which enable pupils to switch from one stream to another as lacking in realism and therefore not likely to be effective in practice. The criticisms, though valid, do not negate the case for streaming. They only serve to emphasize the need for a thorough study on how streaming can be carried out so that the pupils' welfare will not be gravely jeopardised as a result of flaws in the process of streaming. I view with mixed feelings the suggestion by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education that parents be given the final say in deciding the educational stream into which their children are to be channelled. Whilst it is correct to decide that parents should have the ultimate say in matters affecting the welfare and future of their children, it is also my fear that the Education System recommended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and his Study Team may not work smoothly and effectively should there by excessive parental interference.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there is a Chinese phraseology called kai men jian shan ( ) so I shall come straight to the point instead of talking about Indian mythology and Chinese folklore. Mr Speaker, Sir, during the current debate on the Motion before the House, many words of caution have been sounded, many views have been aired and alleged weaknesses in the "Education Report 1978" pointed out. And this is as it should be, for on a very important issue such as the one before the House, no effort should be spared in ensuring that the public are kept fully informed and the views on every side adequately represented. However, it will do us well also to remember that it is usually easier to find faults than their solutions and, in this exercise before us, let us hope we are able to match criticisms with concrete and practical proposals. I detect a sense of unease both inside and outside of Parliament on the issue of streaming pupils according to their varying abilities. There seems to me to be a little contradiction on the stand taken by those who do not appear to favour the principle of streaming. I believe we are all in agreement, however, with the fundamental recommendation in the Education Report that pupils of varying abilities should not be subject to a single system of education if they are to be given the opportunity to realise their full potential. If this is so, then some form of streaming cannot be avoided. The question perhaps is not whether there should be streaming but how and when pupils should be streamed. No one in this debate, so far as I can recall, has suggested an age or an educational level when streaming may be carried out with minimum risks or detriment to the pupils' interest.”
“In view of the reply, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment by leave, withdrawn. The following amendments stood in the name of Mr Cheong Yuen Chee: (7) That the sum to be allocated for Head S be reduced by $10 in respect of Object Group 1210 of Subhead Code SF-02 of the Main Estimates. (8) That the sum to be allocated for Head S be reduced by $10 in respect of Object Group 1210 of Subhead Code SF-03 of the Main Estimates. (9) That the sum to be allocated for Head S be reduced by $10 in respect of Object Group 1210 of Subhead Code SF-04 of the Main Estimates.”