Irene Ng Phek Hoong
Singapore
“Mdm Speaker, elder abuse may be more common than is recognised, particularly amongst seniors with dementia or other cognitive impairments. Does the Minister agree that the barriers to recognising and reporting elder abuse should be addressed? One of them is the lack of a clear definition of elder abuse.”
“I am heartened by the Minister's reply. In my duties as a Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) Member for Defence, I have interacted with many women officers, including commanders in combat units, and they hold their own in a male-dominated workforce.”
“Madam, my condolences again to the families and friends of those who lost their lives at the Sabah Earthquake. I thank the Minister for his reply and we support the Ministry's approach to outdoor adventure learning and its continuance.”
“Thank you, Madam. It is heartening to see how readily Singapore responded to the disaster in Nepal. I would like to ask the Second Minister: now that the disaster relief phase is coming to an end, how would Singapore contribute to the long-term reconstruction phase that follows?”
“This will help to sustain the practice and tradition and increase appreciation of their artistry within the community and beyond. We should also conserve the unique tools of traditional art forms, such as the last remaining dragon kiln in Singapore, and protect it as part of our heritage.”
“I would like to ask about the stress levels on the students. I welcome the Ministry of Education's (MOE) shift to go beyond grades. But, on the ground, Page: 123 the reality is that there is increasing pressure on the students to chase good grades, given the very competitive system and also the high expectations of parents.”
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Every one of 931 lines we hold for Irene Ng Phek Hoong, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 16 of 19.
“But, Sir, those who persist in spreading rumours about SARS should be dealt with firmly by the law. They should be treated like those who are guilty of bomb hoaxes. Both spread fear by scaring the public with false alarms. The maximum fine for transmitting a hoax message in Singapore is seven years in jail and a $50,000 fine. We should send a strong message to all those who spread rumours on SARS, just as we send a strong message to those who break the HQOs: Stop it, or you will be dealt with by the law. Finally, I believe that our battle against SARS can be turned into a positive thing. Let me explain. First, we already see heroes emerging among us. Other than the healthcare workers at the frontline of the battle, we have also seen community leaders and volunteers working so hard at helping us to build confidence on the ground. Their work is often unnoticed, unglamorous but very important. If I may give an example of the Chairman of my constituency's Hawkers and Merchants Association, Mr Soh Peck Kiat. His father had just died from a heart attack, and Mr Soh had not slept for the last few nights because of the funeral wake. In fact, I just went to his father's wake on Monday night, and I saw him looking very tired. His eyes were all red. And I told him, "Please don't worry about our grassroots work. Let us handle this SARS outbreak - we will take care of the need to spread the message to the residents ourselves." So I appointed somebody else to take over. But Mr Soh shares our concern about containing SARS and insisted, even though he is in deep mourning, even though he has hardly slept, on coming down at 6.”
“The Health Ministry should explain to them very clearly the reasons for the HQO and why it is necessary that they obey it and stay at home. Many of those served with HQOs so far are the older people and the lower-educated. They may need more help to understand the need for the HQO. They should not be made to feel like criminals - until they break the HQO. Can I ask the Minister what is being done to make sure that those on HQOs have easy access to food and other daily necessities that they need to purchase? We also need to address the fears of their neighbours. Some residents know that their neighbours are on HQOs and they do not know how to react to it. Often, they react to it with fear. I know of some residents who have moved away to stay with their relatives in other parts of the island just to escape living in the same block of those who have been served with HQOs. Can I ask the Minister what is being done to allay the concerns and fears of residents who are living next to those served with HQOs? Sir, we must also stop the rumours flying about on the spread of SARS. Almost daily, there are SMS-es and e-mails spreading rumours of SARS infecting a certain department store, a certain school, a certain supermarket or, a certain person. Such rumours fan the fears of people and they complicate our efforts to get people to live their lives as normally as possible. People hearing the rumours can over-react and they avoid the places. Unlike some other countries, Singapore's Government has been very open and transparent with the new cases and the spread of the infection. This should minimise rumours. The public should also be able to verify rumours by calling up the SARS hotline.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the measures proposed in the Bill are harsh but necessary. I commend the Health Ministry for all its good work in trying to contain the spread of SARS, and plugging all the holes so that we can be kept safe from SARS. Sir, we need to go all out to break the chain of infection in Singapore. What one individual does, if he is exposed to SARS, or what he does not do, can affect the entire nation. We cannot risk the spread of SARS into the wider community, especially given the fact that Singapore is such a small and compact place. It is a good sign that Singaporeans are flowing back into the streets, going out to restaurants and cinemas. I took my parents to watch a movie last weekend. We went to the Cineplex in town and found that the 7.30 pm and 9.30 pm shows were almost sold out by 7.00 pm. None of the people thronging the Cineplex or the shopping complex was wearing a mask. This is all a sign of confidence that we are on top of the situation. We must build on this confidence. But people will only feel safe going out and carrying on with their lives if they are sure that those who are sick, those who might have SARS, are at home and not going out. If they believe that it is easy for those who are on Home Quarantine Orders to break it and roam about, then their level of confidence will be shaken. We cannot allow that to happen. We cannot allow fear to rule our lives. That said, it is important that we do not treat those on HQOs like criminals. They did not ask to be exposed to the SARS virus, and it is a frightening time for them. Their fear is real, as they have been exposed to SARS suspects. They deserve our understanding and compassion. Although regular checks are made on them, they must be treated humanely.”
“Sir, I have three questions for the Health Minister. Two taxi drivers so far have been infected with SARS by their passengers. Can I ask the Minister that, since the ambulance service was introduced to transport suspect SARS patients to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, have members of the public been ready to come forward to call for this service and to use it? And how prompt is the ambulance coming to pick up the suspect SARS patients? From reading the press reports, it would seem that they take several hours to come and that is why the family of eight went to the coffeeshop to have some drinks and then went to a Chinese herbal medicine store, causing the risk of infection to the community. And, third, I share Dr Wang's concern that the public has this fear of Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Can I ask the Minister to do more to allay the concerns on the ground about going to Tan Tock Seng Hospital?”
“The clarification is that if the student has great sporting talent but does not meet the minimum qualification, and he is not from the Express stream but from the Normal or Academic stream, can he make it to the Sports School? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, as I mentioned in my reply, we will look at such cases on a case-by-case basis. Ultimately, it is sporting talent that will become the first criterion but, yet, at the same time, the academic standards of the particular child will have to be considered. Because, at the end of the day, we also want the child to be able to study in school, and to balance both sports and studies. So, if there is a child that does not meet the academic criterion, as I said, we will consider it on a case-by-case basis.”
“Point of clarification, Sir. The Minister said that for Sports School, it would look, first at sporting talent and then the academic qualifications. Can I ask the Minister whether it means that if a student has great sporting talent ---”
“The athletes also get help to make sure that there is life after sports. One of our main concerns is that if we train them in sports, would they have a life after sports, whether they can get jobs? So I am saying that the AIS is not an academic institution but, however, there is help to make sure that they have life after sports, they have to take technical or academic course or find suitable full-time or part-time employment. I would urge the Minister to consider setting up a sports institute to help us make our mark in the world of sports. 1.15 pm”
“It aims to raise the level of sports excellence achievements in Singapore, and the stated hope is that this will help us to reach the Government's goal of becoming one of the top 10 sporting nations in Asia by 2010. Sir, with this aim in mind, I feel that the Sports School should not be run like an academic institution which puts grades first, where there must be some criteria for academic qualifications. We should allow Technical and Academic stream students who excel in sports equal opportunity to enter the Sports School and to maximise their sporting talents and to contribute to Singapore in this way, not on a case-by-case basis, but as a rule. That said, I think that if we are serious about producing world-class athletes, we should take sports excellence a step further. We should go all the way and set up a sports institute for elite athletes. This will be where all the sporting needs of elite athletes will be taken care of. It is like the Sports School, but for national athletes who are recognised by the relevant national sporting bodies, elite or potential elite. A good model that we should look at is the Australian Institute of Sports (AIS). It leads the development of elite sports and is widely acknowledged in Australia and internationally as the world's best practised model for elite athlete development. It offers scholarships annually to about 700 athletes. The Institute was set up following the disappointing results from the Australian team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. But since then, since the development of AIS, Australia has made great strides in its sporting talents. Indeed, in the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games, the athletes that came from the Institute contributed to more than half of the medals that were won in the Sydney Olympics.”
“Sir, when I read about the Government's world-wide advertisement campaign to promote Singapore, I immediately looked up the posters published in some of the British and American media. The campaign profiles seven personalities. It includes jazz singer and actress Jacinta Abisheganaden, fashion designer Andrew Gan, SSO Music Director Liang Shui, and some of the other personalities from the science and technologies field. I looked in vain for a sports figure but there was none. Apparently, we have none to boast about to the world. Sir, we have made some steps towards sports excellence, one which I applaud is the move to set up the first Government Sports School to develop budding talents in the sports arena. But the announcement of the minimum criterion that it needs an academic criterion, which is Express stream as a minimum admission criterion, to me, does not seem to be a step forward. If you use this yardstick, sports talents such as Fandi would not have made it. He was from ITE. Sir, each of us has different gifts and talents. Some who excel in sports may not be good in their studies. Of course, some athletes can excel in both their studies and sports but, more often than not, for most top athletes who are serious about excelling in sports, something has to give. And, if they chose to excel in sports, it often means that what will give are their other aspects of life, including being good in their studies. We must be quite focused about what we hope to achieve in the Sports School. The stated mission of the Singapore Sports School is to develop Singapore's promising sportsmen and sportswomen to their fullest potential.”
“Sir, going by the latest figures on rental flats, about 66% of those who stay in 1- and 2-room rental flats are singles, widows and divorcees. Most are above 40, with a higher proportion being above 60. All are considered lower income, with household incomes below $800 a month. Sir, one of the greatest problems faced by ageing lower income singles, which I include widows and divorcees as well, are loneliness, depression and the fear of dying alone. They suffer from low self-esteem and a sense of exclusion. The job market in this knowledge-economy often shut the door on them. The marriage option is not always open to them. Most of the singles in this group often find it hard to find a partner, unless they venture further afield to Vietnam and China. But even this has its attendant risks and problems. Sir, it is little help preaching to them to get married. Few of these low income singles mix around beyond the neighbourhood coffeeshop, mainly because of money and transport problems. We need to zoom in on the plight of older singles, many of whom lead depressing and isolated lives. The isolation of older singles, especially the lower income, will become increasingly more prevalent as the population greys. I would like to ask the Minister what is being done to reach out to this group of ageing singles, to make sure that they are integrated into the mainstream community.”
“However, we have been so farsighted in identifying the impending demographic challenge so early and recognising the need for across-the-board cooperation between multiple agencies that need to act together to have convened the Inter-Ministerial Committee in the first place, it will be a shame to lose this good start, especially in danger now, as we face the toughest times that we have had to weather since the earlier days of our history as an independent nation. I am concerned that in the midst of addressing pressing economic issues, we sideline and neglect to push onwards with the implementation of the recommendations. We should persist even while dealing with the current hardships. It is important because many of the policies and measures involve interlocking components of our infrastructure on the one hand, and attitudes and mindsets on the other, that will take a long time to do, to change and to take root. Although we say that it will hit almost 20% of over 65s only in 2030, the truth of the matter is that our rate of ageing will increase exponentially from 2010, which is not so far away. Sir, would the Minister, who has the unenviable task in MCDS of coordinating our efforts on the elderly, give us an update and his assessment of progress in the implementation of the IMC recommendations, and what are the priorities and main challenges for the next few years? Particularly important, I believe, will be the efforts directed to helping caregivers cope, as this will be a growing group which deserves our attention and support.”
“I would also like to highlight another trend of singles, especially women, bearing the main responsibility of caring for their elderly parents. Some are finding it very hard to cope. They say that they get little help from their married siblings. They need support. I would urge MCDS to look into this growing trend and see how we can support singles who care for their elderly parents. Dr Jennifer Lee (Nominated Member): Sir, it has been three-plus years since the IMC on the Ageing Population published its report with 78 recommendations covering six broad areas in which attention was required to ready us for the successful greying of our population. Various Ministries and agencies have moved at different speeds to act on the recommendations under their purview. The Health Ministry has launched many initiatives, but I believe significant fine-tuning will need to be done as it monitors whether the desired progress and outcomes are being achieved. The Transport Ministry has responded in part, but has made it quite clear that the requirement to move the masses efficiently must take precedence over the needs of the small numbers of the elderly. The Ministry of Manpower has already so much it needs to do with refocusing CPF back to the original intent of taking care of the basic retirement needs of account holders and, at the same time, facilitate continuing employment of older workers. It does not want to open another front on special accounts for homemakers. So its response is simply that this should be achieved through the current provision of voluntary contribution. I can understand all their reasons and priorities.”
“Sir, increasingly, I see elderly residents coming to my meet-the-people session asking for a 1- or 2-room rental flat, because they feel unwanted by their adult children. Many of these elderly people have several children, but they claim that their married children have no place for them, or that they all could not get along. Some would break into tears when they relate how difficult life is at home with their children's families. And several say that if they cannot get a rental flat, that they would rather jump down from a HDB block than to carry on living with their children. Sir, perhaps it might be better for them to live apart if it means a happier life for them all. But I am also concerned that this might point to a trend in which children, valuing their own privacy and space, have been making their elderly parents feel unwanted, and are looking to pass on the responsibility of caring for their parents to the State. Rental flats, as we know, are heavily subsidised by the Government. I feel there is a need to educate children from young, but also those who are adults now, on the need to support their aged parents without being forced to do so by the law. And we need to strengthen the values of filial piety in this society. We must try to check this trend early to make sure that we do not see more and more elderly parents coming forward to say that they feel unwanted by their children, especially given our greying population. At the same time, we need to step up our services for the elderly, so that they can spend their days enjoying programmes at these service centres and perhaps return home only at night. This might minimise the friction at home. Sir, can I ask the Minister what is being done in this direction?”
“I covered that case when I was a court reporter for the Straits Times, and I learnt that her boyfriend left her when she told him about her pregnancy and he did not help her. She hid her pregnancy from her mother by wearing baggy clothes. And when her mother found her in a pool of blood in the toilet, the teenage girl called out her boyfriend's name and asked her mother to take revenge. Sir, we need to act now to make sure that our system can address the multi-faceted problem of babies being abandoned and left to die.”
“But if we have to choose between a dead baby dumped in the open and to being abandoned safely with no medical records, the choice seems obvious to me. In some states in the US, any information provided by the parent is on a voluntary basis. She does not have to give her name or answer any questions, but medical forms will be offered to her. She may fill them up at the safe haven or she may take them home and return them by mail. All information will be kept confidential. Mothers who abandon babies are typically young, unmarried and pregnant for the first time. They are often afraid that others will find out about their pregnancies and they want utmost secrecy. Often, mothers may see abandoning their child as an alternative to abortion. In Singapore, we may have a complication if the mother abandoning the newborn is a foreign maid. Then we have to decide which is more important to us - saving the life of a baby or punishing the maid for her foolishness and deporting her. If a foreign maid knows she will be punished, she will not come forward to leave her baby in safe hands. For me, the choice will be to save the life of the baby. Sir, teenage births have risen from 704 in 1997 to about 850 last year. We need to step up our social programmes aimed at pregnancy prevention, pre-natal care and counselling for at-risk girls. We must also reach out to the boys, perhaps more so to the boys. We must teach the boys the consequences of their actions and the need to take responsibility for them. Girls will not get pregnant if the boys are responsible. Sir, I know a case of a teenager who gave birth alone in the toilet and stuffed her baby down a pail. The baby died and it became a Coroner's case in 1987.”
“Sir, so far, eight babies have been found abandoned here since February last year, and two were found dead. In Singapore, it is a crime to abandon a baby. The parents can be jailed up to seven years, fined or both. I know that, in Singapore, the Government has been quite flexible and has not prosecuted some mothers who have abandoned their babies safely. But, obviously, the fear of breaking the law has caused many to abandon their babies unsafely. This opens the baby to the risk of death. Sir, we should consider adopting the safe haven baby abandonment laws found in many states in the US and several parts of the developed world, which allow a parent to anonymously drop off an unharmed infant at certain identified places - no questions asked. Such safe drop-off points are identified clearly in the laws, and they can include places like hospitals, fire stations, police stations and child welfare agencies. One reservation that some of us may have is whether such laws might promote irresponsible parenting. I would argue that the intent of these laws is to save the lives of the babies. The important issues of teaching responsibility and good values should be dealt separately with other programmes. In any case, consider how we legalise and even facilitate abortions. We do not go into a moral tizzy and say, "Oh, we should not make it easy to abort so that we don't send the wrong message about irresponsible parenting." But when we try to save the lives of abandoned babies and making it easier, this concern arises. Another reason why our authorities seem uneasy with the "no questions asked" rule is their obsession with getting the medical history and biological heritage of the abandoned baby. To get that, they need the details of the mother and the need to interview her.”
“Contrast this to the childcare centres for children above 18 months, where the ratio is one teacher to about eight children. It costs mothers about $400 a month to put a child into a childcare centre. Sir, in my constituency, we did our sums and found that it would be expensive to set up an infant care centre. To be viable, the minimum charge to care for a baby would have to be at least $700 a month. This would be too much to bear for most couples who need infant care services for their babies. Presently, the Government provides childcare subsidy of $150 for working mothers and $75 for non-working mothers. It does not differentiate between infant care and childcare. Sir, I would urge the Minister to consider giving grants to help community-based organisations to provide infant care facilities and to provide higher subsidies to mothers for infant care.”
“Sir, young married couples often worry about who will take care of their babies when they go to work. This is one major reason why they put off having more babies. They cannot afford to live on a single income. So both husband and wife need to go back to work, and not all of them have mothers or mothers-in-law to turn to for baby-sitting help. 6.15 pm This has led to the present situation where infants are being fostered out to strangers untrained in baby-sitting, and with some babies being brought home only on weekends, or being cared for by foreign maids. This is less than ideal. We should provide couples with affordable and quality infant care centres in the neighbourhood that offer full-day care, so that working parents can take their infants home and spend time with them after work. I believe this is important for parent-child bonding and for the development of the child. At the same time, working parents would have their minds at ease during the day, as their infants would be cared for by professionally-trained and caring nannies. Recently, I did a survey in my constituency to check the demand for infant care, and I found that there is a need for such an infant care centre. There is now a dearth of infant care facilities, and the very few infant care centres available charge very high rates. Some of such centres had previously closed down, because they were losing money. Infant care, for babies aged two months to 18 months, requires a higher staff-child ratio as well as special facilities. And to provide good quality care to infants, we need to provide a ratio of at least one well-trained babysitter to about three to four babies, to make sure that each infant gets the close attention that he or she needs.”
“So, instead of shutting the door of the Studio Apartment Scheme on singles, can the HDB consider modifying the studio apartments for singles above 35? This would mean building a certain number of studio apartments without the elder-friendly features. This would also mean offering a longer lease period. The HDB announced that it would pilot integrated studio apartments to encourage greater integration and interaction among the elderly and younger residents, and also to achieve a better mix. Singles also want to live in a block where there are families and a mix of flats to promote more interaction between the old and the young. The not-so-old singles can also be a ready source of volunteer help to look out for the elderly in the block. One of the greatest fears of singles is dying alone and nobody finding it out until there is a stench. But if we can build more such studio apartments to allow middle-age singles to grow old in an integrated block with other families, it will make for a more cohesive community and a better Singapore. It will also increase their sense of belonging to Singapore. I would urge the Minister to relook at the Studio Apartment Scheme to modify it to attract another rising target group that has already been identified by the Prime Minister, ie, the singles.”
“Madam, I am glad to note that the HDB has conducted a survey recently to find out if the Studio Apartment Scheme has met its objectives. It shows how responsive the HDB seeks to be to its target groups. The original target group of the Studio Apartment Scheme, when it was launched in 1998, was the elderly. But in his National Day Rally Speech in 2001, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong widened it by announcing that a housing option being considered for singles is studio apartments. Studio apartments, customised for the elderly, have always been offered only to Singaporeans who are at least 55 years old. After the Prime Minister's announcement, singles thought that there was hope at last for more affordable housing directly from HDB for singles aged 35-54. Presently, their housing options are limited to resale flats, private housing and rental flats. But, recently, after the review, HDB announced that the Studio Apartment Scheme would not be extended to singles aged 35-54. This is because, after polling about 300 singles aged 35-54, only 12% picked the studio apartments with the current 30-year lease as their first choice for housing, but about 30% preferred a longer lease period. So, HDB has decided not to extend the Studio Apartment Scheme to singles of this group. But has the HDB paused to consider why the Studio Apartment Scheme is not the first choice of most singles polled? Presently, it comes with elder-friendly features, such as support handbars and the 30-year lease. If you are a 40-year-old single, you may well expect to be around after 70, and I think that is a reasonable expectation. And if we are 35-54, I do not think we need support handbars yet.”
“The trends I cited stem from social problems, for example, marriage break-ups or family problems, but they are often not in the control of those affected. For instance, it is no good telling the divorcee that she should have stayed married, or telling those hit by the recession that they should not have bought such a big flat in the first place. They need solutions to their housing problems. The more readily the rental flats are available, the more it would help them. We do not want a society where Singaporeans, especially those who cannot afford it, need to have their cash tied up with property, leaving nothing for their old age. If they want to live prudently and if that means living in rental flats, we should give them that option more easily. I would urge MND to review the criteria, especially the income ceiling. Also, can the Minister review the situation of rental flats to see if there are enough flats to meet the demand?”
“Madam, going by the appeals I get from my meet-the-people session, there seems to be a rise in the demand for HDB 1- and 2-room rental flats from three groups. First, the elderly who want to live apart from their children for various reasons, chief of which is that they could not get along, causing much unhappiness within their family. Second, the single parents, especially those who are recently divorced and need a home of their own as their matrimonial flat will have to be sold. And third, those hit by the economic downturn and who have to sell their flats to downgrade to rental flat. Often, these are urgent cases requiring an affordable roof over their heads. I would also foresee that, as more lower-educated men stay single and as they age, they too will look for rental flats. As we know from statistics, for the men, it is the lower-educated above 40 who make up the majority of men who are still single and who are likely to remain single. But HDB policy for rental flats is presently quite strict. To qualify for a rental flat, the total household income must not exceed $800, and those who have sold their flats in the open market will be debarred from renting a HDB flat for 30 months from the date of the sale. Also, there needs to be a family nucleus. I am aware that HDB exercises flexibility on a case-by-case basis, and I am grateful for the occasional positive responses from HDB to my appeals, on behalf of my residents. But I do think that there is a case for reviewing the criteria, especially the income ceiling which is presently I think too low. I would suggest raising it to at least $1,000 to capture those, as my colleague Mr Ong Kian Min said, who fall between the cracks.”
“Second, they have more experience in skills that the employer does not need to spend too much time or money to train them. And third, they have more realistic expectations when it comes to wages. This is his own experience because he finds that the older workers have gone through a lot in life, so they know the value of a secure job. Sir, we need to highlight more of such enlightened employers who hire older workers, not because of good-heartedness or charity, or because there are so many out there that need to be absorbed for the nation, but it is because it makes good business sense. Sir, the Government said that the move to lower the employer's CPF contribution rate for those in the 50-55 age group is to enhance their employability. I would like to ask the Manpower Minister to conduct a study to find out if this would indeed help older workers to be more employable. If not, we might want to consider reviewing it. If they only just reduce the pay of all those above 50 without any effect on their employment situation, as the experience of my grassroots leader highlights, the affected older workers will learn, can learn and must learn how to adjust their salary expectations, without the Government giving a blanket pay cut via the CPF for all workers above 50. This will indeed hammer home the message of personal responsibility.”
“Sir, I fully support the Manpower Minister's emphasis earlier on personal responsibility on the part of workers. The key responsibility must be on the worker to find jobs, to identify the right training and to make the necessary adjustments. I know the Manpower Minister has tried very hard to help older workers to stay employable, but no matter how much personal responsibility the older worker takes in applying for jobs, those above 50 continue to find it hard to get a job. As the latest labour market survey shows, more than half of the retrenched, aged 50 and above, could not find re-employment within six months last year. This is really quite alarming. Even the employed, those who have jobs, above 45, are now beginning to feel insecure. They are worried about losing their jobs because they know it would not be easy to find another job again. They feel that they are at the mercy of employers and of the harsh market which discriminates against older workers. They have to fight the battle of proving that they are still productive workers, capable of giving many more good years of service, and that they are worth their salaries. Sir, we need to help employers understand that older workers can be a plus in their operations. If I may cite an example. One of my grassroots leaders runs a restaurant business , the Village Wok. One restaurant is in Thomson, the other in Geylang. In his recruitment advertisements for workers, he would always state that he prefers workers above 40. So I asked him why. He cited three reasons and these are based on his own experience. First, they have a good attitude to work. They are more committed to the employer and they will not leave at the whiff of a better opportunity.”
“Only a handful of the employers bother to provide such an arrangement. Sir, the anxiety and despondency of being retrenched, especially for those who have heavy family responsibilities to worry about, can affect their social, psychological health. Hence, bringing in the assistance of professionally qualified social workers and counsellors, for instance, as part of the overall process during their retrenchment exercise is to be strongly encouraged. The helping professionals can listen to the employees and offer them comfort. They can work out with the retrenched employees on how to mobilise social support and community resources and how to make necessary changes and adjustments in their lives. In this way, the unwelcome blow of retrenchment can be mitigated and a heavy burden lightened. This would also help boost the psychological state of mind of retrenched persons and help provide the necessary motivation, among other matters, for them to press on with finding jobs or to go for training. Sir, my query to the Minister then is: how can MOM encourage more employers to provide counselling and social service assistance to their retrenched staff, either through their own human resource department or by inviting Family Service Centres and the CDCs, for example, to be on site at the workplace, during the time when the retrenchment exercise is on?”
“This led PSA to expedite the process and conclude the negotiations as soon as possible. But it raises the question of what makes a good practice in terms of giving a notice of retrenchment. How long should it be? To clarify the matter, I would urge the Manpower Ministry, together with its tripartite partners, to work out guidelines on how to deal with retrenchments, including the matter of giving appropriate notice. This could form a Code of Practice on good industrial relations for retrenchment exercises. Assoc. Prof. Ngiam Tee Liang (Nominated Member): Sir, I would like to add on to what hon. Member, Irene Ng, has said. As retrenchment is generally a painful and traumatic experience for affected employees, it is the manner in which employees are retrenched and the attitude of some employers that I wish to raise. As Ms Irene Ng has informed us, some organisations are very caring. They go beyond their statutory responsibilities in providing whatever retrenchment benefits are required of them to the employees. They take pains to inform and prepare the workers. They arrange for MOM and the trade union to be present at the workplace during the period when retrenchment notices were served, to help with alternative employment opportunities and to offer comfort and support. They make referrals to social service organisations, for example, Family Service Centres, for those who need counselling and advice on personal and family matters. A few conscientious employers would even invite Family Service Centres or other social service organisations to the workplace during that period to offer on-site information, referrals and counselling service to their retrenched staff. Unfortunately, as we have just heard, the majority of retrenchment exercises do not go that smoothly.”
“An example of a good retrenchment practice is that conducted by Beecham Pharmaceuticals in 1996, where it gave about one year's notice to staff of its impending retrenchment exercise. The time allowed them to make alternative plans regarding their financial commitments and to look for a job. Indeed, Beecham and the union, the Chemical Industries Employees' Union, arranged for staff to attend courses during their working hours. Nearer the retrenchment date, the company provided counselling and even allowed its workers time-off to go for job interviews. By doing this, it treated the departing employees with dignity and respect, and kept morale high among the remaining employees. A question that arises from the recent PSA retrenchment is that it is an example of a good retrenchment exercise or a bungled one. People are divided on this issue. Some say yes, this is a good example, because PSA management made a general announcement on the estimated numbers to be retrenched on 17th February and gave a notice period of about one month so that unions could start formal negotiations with management to work out a fair package. This was better than to spring it suddenly on the unions and workers, which would then have no time to consult each other and to find ways to help the workers. Others, including some in the media, say no. The media reported that many workers had been anxious to know who would be retrenched and that morale was down because of the uncertainty.”
“Sir, let me start by relating the experience of a man who has been retrenched three times and he is only 39 years old. His first retrenchment was in 1982. He worked as a pipe fitter and he got retrenched after about 11/2 years. Then, he worked as a marine assistant in Jurong Island and after 13 years, he was retrenched. His third retrenchment was last week, from a paint factory where he worked as a warehouse assistant. You would think that, after being retrenched twice, he would have been better steeled for his last one. But no. For him, his last retrenchment was the most traumatic. This was because of the way the exercise was conducted. He went to work, like any normal day. Then, after lunch, a dozen of them were asked to go to the boardroom, and they were told that they were retrenched. Just like that. They were given their cheques on the spot, told to pack up, return anything that belongs to the office and leave that very day. He was so upset that he threw his company uniform into the dustbin in front of his supervisor. Sir, his experience holds some lessons. No, not only that you have to be prepared to be retrenched several times in your working life, but also that some companies just lack the experience and knowledge on how to conduct retrenchments in a humane and proper way. With retrenchments on the rise in Singapore, I feel that it is necessary to lay down some guidelines on what constitute good industrial relations practice on conducting retrenchments. Sir, we do not want to make it so hard for companies to retrench in so hard a way that would affect the flexibility of our labour market and our attractiveness for investment. But we cannot allow it to be so freewheeling that companies can discard workers like so many expired canned food on a shelf.”
“You sign up for this training programme, if you do not get a job or if I do not help you to get a job within 120 days, your money back. So, I think we could get the jobless to pay a certain amount, go for a training programme, we help him to find a job and, if not, money back. But for this, MOM needs to tie up with employers who have job vacancies. Start with that, and then work downwards, ie, what sort of training is needed and who can be slotted into these programmes. I think MOM can also start looking around at companies with a lot of foreign workers, and persuade these companies to leave these jobs for Singaporeans instead, and that they will train a pool of Singaporeans for these jobs. Right now, the standard approach is that you train first and then we try to place them into jobs later. To be effective, it should be turned the other way around, ie, place first and train later. For employers, it will mean cost savings, because they do not have to put up job advertisements, and they will have a pool of workers all trained for the jobs. For workers, it will mean some certainty that, after the training, they will have jobs to look forward to. For the Government, it will mean reducing the unemployment rate, especially structural unemployment, and keeping faith with our jobless people.”
“Sir, one in three of the unemployed could not find a job for at least six months. The danger is that the longer they are left without a job, the harder it is for them to get back into the workforce. And we know that the problem is particularly acute for workers above 50. I note in the latest labour market report by the Ministry of Manpower that more than half of the retrenched aged 50 and above could not find re-employment within six months. Sending them for more training will not solve the problem. Some have gone for retraining and still cannot find jobs and, as Mdm Halimah Yacob has noted, even those who have signed up for the People for Jobs Traineeship Programme, some of them also find that they could not find jobs. If this sentiment is allowed to spread, a sense of hopelessness will set in, and the jobless will see training as a waste of their time and effort, and they will become increasingly disenchanted with this Government. However, if there can be a promise or a guarantee of a job at the end of a training programme, it would be more useful. The Ministry of Manpower has all the information of where the job vacancies are, it knows what sort of training is needed for these jobs, it has the information on the unemployed looking for jobs, it knows who among the jobless have not found jobs for at least six months. The Ministry of Manpower should give urgent priority to this group. They are more desperate for a job and, hence, should have more realistic expectations. I would urge MOM to tailor a package deal for such jobless workers, ie, training, with a guarantee of a job at the end of it. It is not such a radical idea, because I was surfing the Internet and I found that there are some private companies abroad who offer such a training programme.”
“Today, there is a big controversy about whether cyclists could use zebra crossings. So I think there should be some effort mounted to educate cyclists on road safety. And I worry now, because of the outcry about cyclists on pavements, cyclists will now feel compelled to go onto the roads without being prepared to take on the dangers of competing with the big vehicles for space on the roads.”
“Indeed, in Tampines, we are looking at how to build cycling lanes and cycling tracks to connect to the park connectors. But, in the end, we still have to seek the approval of the LTA. And there is a lot of red tape involved. The park connectors are under the National Parks Board; the roads are under LTA; the common areas in town councils are under the town councils. I would think that the right agency - the lead agency - in building bicycle lanes should be LTA. LTA should be the one planning for and providing bicycle lanes as part of the public transport for Singaporeans. At the same time, as more Singaporeans take up cycling, I feel that there should be a concerted effort to educate them on road safety. I think, very frankly, many cyclists do not know the traffic rules very well. But you cannot really blame them, because they do not take driving theory tests, like the way that drivers have to. But I am not saying that they should take tests. I am saying that there should be education mounted to teach cyclists what are the rules. Frankly, at one time I was cycling to work everyday, from Upper East Coast Road to Kim Seng Road, never mind the weather - very hot, but I cycled to work because I enjoyed cycling and I was training. One night when I was cycling home, I was knocked down by a taxi in a roundabout. Frankly, I was not sure whether I or the taxi driver was in the wrong. But later when I took up driving and I had to go through the theory tests, I realised that the taxi driver was in the wrong; so, I felt better.”
“Sir, there has been a spate of complaints by pedestrians on what they call the "bicycle menace" on pedestrian footpaths. I can emphathise with them. Just last night, I was almost hit by a cyclist racing by from behind. But I can emphathise with cyclists too, as most roads are too dangerous for them, especially the main roads. Cars and buses often zoom by very closely to the cyclists, endangering their lives, and taxis are particularly treacherous as they swerve suddenly to the kerb with little notice, to pick up passengers. Sir, pedestrians angry with cyclists on pavements are really barking up the wrong wheel. They should be directing their unhappiness at the wheels of bureaucracy of LTA. The LTA does not factor in the need for bicycle lanes in its road planning. With more taking to cycling, they should widen the roads and build an extra lane for cyclists in certain areas, separate from the pavements for pedestrians. Indeed, in Tampines, it is not uncommon to see cyclists, especially women, transporting their children to school on bicycles. The Government has replied that there are already park connectors, but these tracks so far mainly only link our major parks and nature sites. And the purpose for the park connectors is for leisure cycling and not as a means of transport. Sir, we need to connect them to roads to allow residents to ride to places that they frequent, for example, schools, markets, shops and to their homes. The Government has also said before that town councils should be the ones to look into providing cycling tracks within their HDB estates. I agree that town councils, especially with the support of their MPs, should be the right channel to advise the LTA on the areas that need bicycle lanes.”
“Madam, I would like to echo what my GPC Chairman said that we need to engage a wider range of new players in Indonesia beyond the top leadership in politics and military sectors in Indonesia. Singapore's perceived obsession today with picking winners to nurture makes little sense in a fluid political environment where the absence of strong leadership would be normal in the short to medium term. So we have to put more emphasis on conducting dialogues and building greater ties with its emerging leaders in both NGOs and academia as well as in political parties. I have taken part in some dialogues in Jakarta involving civil society activists, academics, young politicians and the media. I find it useful because I have found that their perceptions of Singapore tend to be less than flattering, and most of their perceptions are based on stereotypes which can be corrected if you engage them in dialogue. Of course, they might use the opportunity to score some points. But, I think, at the end of the day, if the exchange is frank and we depart with a greater understanding of each other's position, it is a dialogue worth pursuing. With the rise of new social and political forces emerging in the democratic post-Suharto era, I would like to ask the Minister what efforts has the Government made to build ties with the range of new players and have our efforts been useful in establishing greater understanding between the two countries.”
“Indeed, even at the height of the dispute between the two countries over the outstanding issues in January this year, amidst talk of war in the Malaysian media, our Minister for Foreign Affairs took pains to stress that their common bilateral interests exceed their differences. Can I ask the Minister how he sees cooperation between the two countries being stepped up for mutual benefit?”
“The outstanding bilateral issues between the two countries have yet to be resolved. They include the price of water and its continued supply, the location of Malaysia's Customs, Immigration and Quarantine facilities, among other issues. The twists and turns of the negotiation process over the issues as a package highlight the lack of trust between the two countries in each other's intentions and actions. The experience also highlights how different the two countries are in their approach to international diplomacy. As long as this deep mistrust stays, it is hard to move forward and improve our bilateral relationship in a meaningful way. It is like a plane trying to take off with a broken wing. It is not much good loading up the plane with good stuff when it cannot get very far on the runway. The question is how to build the trust needed. I would say, slowly. But there must be an attempt made in this direction. And perhaps we can start with the smallest problem that can be resolved first, or embark on bilateral cooperation projects that can be easily implemented, and that will reap real benefits for both sides. For example, both countries could jointly embark on road shows to woo tourists to both countries as a package. With a series of small win-win successes under their belt, perhaps both countries can then feel more confident of tackling the more complicated issues that require good faith and trust from both sides. Ahead of the general elections in Malaysia, bilateral relations are expected to take another beating, as politicians tend to resort to the well-worn tactic of using Singapore as a bogeyman to whip up nationalist sentiments. Whilst such swings complicate the relationship with Malaysia, Singapore has made it clear that it values its relations with Malaysia.”
“This will ensure that the ARF remains practical and relevant to its members. One other aspect about the ARF is that it enables quiet bilateral discussions without the glare of publicity. For example, in 1995, the ARF provided the occasion for then-US Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, and then-Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen to meet, following the downturn in US-China relations over the visit of then-Taiwan President Lee Tenghui to Cornell University.”
“Banding together the Southeast Asian countries into a community of 500 million people has provided the critical mass for ASEAN to better stand up to global and regional competition. ASEAN-10 also contributes to increasing our influence and bargaining power vis-a-vis other states and regional groups. Madam, I will now turn to the questions on the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) raised by Dr Ong Chit Chung and Ms Irene Ng. Formed in 1994, the ARF was intended to be a forum to build confidence and trust in the region through confidence-building measures. It was never meant to be a formal decision-making or problem-solving organisation on security issues. This is to encourage member countries, including the major powers, to engage each other frankly and constructively. Over the years, the ARF has allowed sensitive issues, such as the South China Sea and the situation in East Timor, to be discussed in a non-threatening environment. More recently, the ARF has initiated discussions on the implications of terrorism and considered practical ways in which the ARF can support international efforts to counter terrorism. A series of ARF counter-terrorism workshops have been conducted. The ARF itself can be considered a confidence-building measure. Today, the ARF remains the only multi-lateral security forum in the Asia Pacific. It has helped create a more predictable and stable pattern of relationships among the major powers, and between the major powers and Southeast Asia. Through the ARF, ASEAN has played the role of bringing together all the diverse members in a comfortable environment. ASEAN will continue to play its role. However, we remain aware that the ARF cannot move too fast. It is important that members feel comfortable with the pace of development.”
“As a small but more developed member of ASEAN, we have to manage expectations of us. Within our capabilities, we have contributed ideas, vision and training resources to help build up ASEAN and maintain its relevance and focus. More than 50% of our technical assistance funds have gone to our ASEAN neighbours. We are one of the biggest investors in their economies. We strive to be a reliable partner and the business hub of the region. Dr Ong Chit Chung asked whether ASEAN has expanded too fast in terms of membership. To answer this question, we need to remind ourselves why ASEAN was formed. Founded in 1967, its primary objectives were, and still are, firstly, peace and stability in Southeast Asia and, secondly, economic growth and prosperity through mutual cooperation. With the end of the Cold War and the resolution of the Cambodian issue, the Indo-Chinese states of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were eager to join ASEAN to enhance their stability and catch up with economic development. Myanmar had opened up and was also keen on ASEAN membership. With the four new members, ASEAN fulfilled the founding vision of ASEAN-10, a community of 10 Southeast Asian countries living and growing together in peace, harmony and stability. Like other regional organisations, the expansion of ASEAN presents problems of disparity and integration. The newer and less developed members need assistance to close the development gap and more time to open up their markets to foreign investment and competition. Nevertheless, they have been very positive in wanting to catch up and integrate with ASEAN and the global community. An expanded ASEAN has its advantages.”
“Security and stability are vital for investor confidence in ASEAN, which has good potential as an alternative business location to China. Aware of ASEAN's strategic importance and economic potential, the US, China, Japan and India are seeking to strengthen economic ties with ASEAN through FTAs or closer economic partnerships. The ASEAN-China Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation was signed at the 8th ASEAN Summit last year. The objective is to create an ASEAN-China Free Trade Area within 10 years. Not to be outdone, Japan has proposed the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The US came up with its Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative, starting with a series of bilateral trade and investment framework agreements. India, Australia and New Zealand are also seeking to enhance economic cooperation with ASEAN. ASEAN continues to provide the framework under which peace has prevailed in the region. Despite some bilateral problems, such as the Thai-Myanmar border disputes, recent Thai-Cambodian tensions, and our problems with Malaysia, ASEAN has continued to focus on common objectives to enhance cooperation, both internally and with external powers. This is one of ASEAN's strengths. ASEAN Ministers and officials meet regularly on a wide range of issues and responsibilities. They build up friendship and understanding in the process. There is a conscious effort to put aside bilateral problems and move ahead with cooperation for the common good. Singapore continues to place strong emphasis on enhancing our ties with other ASEAN countries, both bilaterally and as a group. Our fortunes are inextricably linked with those of the region. Except for our current difficulties with Malaysia, our relations with ASEAN are excellent.”
“It envisages the free flow of goods, services, technology and skilled manpower within ASEAN as an integrated economic grouping. ASEAN officials are studying and defining the AEC concept for report to the ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting in September. It would then be presented to the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting in Bali in October. The AEC embraces both economic integration and economic competitiveness aspects. While much has been achieved to free up the flow of goods and, to a lower extent, services within ASEAN, further liberalisation and integration are necessary for ASEAN to compete effectively with China as a single market. To help ensure that the newer members of ASEAN are not left behind, PM Goh proposed in year 2000 the Initiatives for ASEAN Integration (IAI). Its emphasis is on training and capacity building. It helps to mobilise resources from within and outside ASEAN to close the development gap among ASEAN members. Besides enhancing internal cooperation, ASEAN must remain outward-looking. ASEAN's combined strategic weight has enabled it to play a significant role in regional initiatives, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). Through these forums, as well as the dialogue process of ASEAN+3 and ASEAN-Plus, ASEAN has engaged and strengthened ties with powers outside the region, including the US, EU, Japan, China, the Republic of Korea and India. 5.30 pm Post-September 11, ASEAN's strategic importance has increased. ASEAN members are cooperating with one another and with other countries to combat the global threat of terrorism.”
“In year 2000, as signs of recovery emerged, unfortunately the IT bubble burst, hurting investors and denting consumers' confidence in the major export markets. Meanwhile, the rise of China has sucked away much foreign direct investment. Then came September 11 and the shock of global terrorism. Despite these setbacks, ASEAN has gradually regained its footing. Political stability has improved. There has been some economic growth, partly driven by domestic demand and by increased revenue from oil exports, even though the global economic environment has remained unfavourable. However, the outlook has become more uncertain with the Iraq crisis. Faced with severe challenges, it is vital that ASEAN remains united and outward-looking. During the Asian financial crisis, ASEAN strove to regain investors' interest and confidence by accelerating the pace of economic liberalisation through the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA). Since 1st January 2003, the original six members of ASEAN have lowered the tariffs on all the products committed under AFTA to between 0% and 5%. This includes more than 98% of all tariff lines that exist in the original six ASEAN countries. What remains is to reduce non-tariff barriers, prevent backsliding in some sensitive products such as automative components and eliminate tariffs further across the board. In November 2002, at the 8th ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, PM Goh proposed the vision of the ASEAN Economic Community. It will provide a tangible end-point to the various economic initiatives within ASEAN, such as the AFTA, the AIA and the Roadmap for Integration of ASEAN (RIA). In many ways, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) could be regarded as the economic component of ASEAN Vision 2020.”
“These middle and smaller powers have the most to gain from some capacity to shape and influence the security environment and they should put deliberate effort to put this capacity into place. I would like to ask the Minister whether Singapore, on its part, is working towards a stronger ARF and if he thinks that ASEAN, in its weakened state, can remain in the driver's seat in this process. The Second Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Madam, Dr Ong Chit Chung and other Members have noted the perceived decline of ASEAN post-Suharto and asked about ASEAN's continued relevance and measures to strengthen ASEAN. As Prof. Jayakumar has said, post-September 11, the major powers have rediscovered ASEAN's importance in maintaining stability in Southeast Asia and countering terrorism. The US, China, Japan and India are also seeking closer economic cooperation, including free trade arrangements with ASEAN. They recognise the strategic and economic importance of ASEAN as a stable regional grouping and a growing market of 500 million people astride the trade route between Europe and East Asia. After the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the fall of Suharto in 1998, it is true that ASEAN has lost much of its lustre as one of the fastest growing regions in the world. In 1997, as short-term portfolio investors fled the region and regional currencies fell sharply against the US dollar, Thailand and Indonesia had to turn to IMF and the World Bank for financial rescue. Malaysia had to introduce capital controls to stabilise its financial and stock markets. The region went through a period of economic contraction and political instability in 1998 and 1999.”
“Madam, the only multilateral security institution in East Asia is the ASEAN Regional Forum, set up in 1994. It provided an important forum for dialogue and for confidence building between states. One critical characteristic of the ARF was that it was launched by ASEAN for the purposes of engaging and influencing the postures that the major powers adopted towards Southeast Asia. China's participation in the ARF provided the opportunity for difficult issues, such as the dispute over the Spratlys, to be broached. In the year 2000, North Korea joined the ARF, allowing the Foreign Ministers of the US and North Korea to have a dialogue for the first time under the Bush administration in July 2000. Notwithstanding these pluses, the ARF has not met up with promise. It has been nothing more than a forum for dialogue. It did not contribute meaningfully to the resolution of the East Timor conflict. It does not have any influence on the current escalating nuclear crisis in North Korea, nor has it contributed to the present debate over a war against Iraq. Indeed, it is not clear that the Bush administration views the ARF as essential, or even important, in its own security calculations. A key challenge of the ARF is to persuade the US not to continue with its unilateralist approach to international relations but to offer support to multilateral cooperation in its security approaches in the region. We need to strengthen the ARF to take on the challenges of living in a dangerous and unpredictable world. After all, the middle and smaller powers of the region are arguably the most vulnerable to any serious deterioration in the regional security environment that results from major power rivalry and the free movement of strategic powers.”
“At the same time, ASEAN states must also have realistic expectations of each other. A common complaint that I hear when I visit ASEAN countries is that Singapore is not doing enough to pour money into their economies to help them. They continue to see Singapore as a selfish rich kid, which should open up its purse-strings to invest in their countries, never mind the investment risk is high, because of their social and economic problems. Such high expectations from our neighbours can fuel tensions when they feel that Singapore is not being helpful. But, Madam, Singapore too is undergoing great economic uncertainties and, as you have heard in the recent Budget debate, our own Singaporeans are also clamouring for more from the Government. I would like to ask the Minister's views on how ASEAN can be strengthened, given the circumstances. And, at the same time, I would like to ask the Minister whether he feels that the expectations of Singapore's neighbours have moderated in these difficult times.”
“And the third, but not least, is the hegemony, and like what the Foreign Minister said, the pre-eminence of the US as the power which sees the world in black and white - either you are with us or against us. The US-China-Japan's strategic balance that has long underpinned East Asian growth and stability is a fluid one, and this has implication on the security of our region. The competition between the major powers for economic, political and strategic influence in Southeast Asia has started already and can be expected to intensify. You can see this in the FTAs that China and Japan are pursuing with ASEAN. Unfortunately, ASEAN cohesion has taken a beating in recent years. Historical tensions and rivalries within the grouping have not been addressed and resolved in a substantive way. Disputes between neighbours continue to hit the headlines such as the quarrels between Cambodia and Thailand, and between Malaysia and Singapore. ASEAN is therefore not as well positioned as it might have been to cope with the shift in the strategic picture. What would happen is that the heightened uncertainty about the stability of the wider region will legitimise the continued modernisation of the Armed Forces. This will fuel local rivalries even more. Moreover, there will also be a significant difference among ASEAN states in the nature of the balance they seek in their relations with major powers. It is clear that ASEAN has reached a low ebb. Whether it will remain this way depends, to a great extent, on efforts by political leaders of all ASEAN countries to sustain the strategic importance of the relations for the region as a whole. This would mean that they should try to resolve whatever issues they face and not at the expense of ASEAN.”
“Madam, the raison d'etre of ASEAN was to build a region of stability and peace. It took a united stand against the communist threats from the northern Indo-Chinese countries. It adopted a common response during the Cambodian conflict and played an important role in isolating Vietnam at the UN. The end of the Cold War and the Cambodian settlement made possible the enlargement of the Association to include all 10 Southeast Asian countries and the establishment of the ASEAN Regional Forum. However, ASEAN today is a pale reflection of its own self and seems almost irrelevant in tackling the severe challenges facing us today. As the Foreign Minister did say just now, the world is a messier and more dangerous place today. ASEAN took a united stand against terrorism, but even then the emphasis was on bilateral cooperation than on a concerted regional approach. And now, the Southeast Asian cooperation against the US-led war against terrorism may be undermined as leaders from the different ASEAN countries take different positions on the US-led war against Iraq, which some in the region see as anti-Islam, including some ASEAN leaders. They will also find it increasingly hard to stand against domestic public opinion as resentment against US' unilateralist approach builds up. The peace and stability in Southeast Asia will encounter some profound challenges in the decades ahead. The core reason for this, in my view, is that the prevailing relationship of power and influence will undergo significant change. The first of this is the rise of China. The second will be the maturation of Japan into a more normal and multi-faceted player seeking to compete on more equal terms with China.”
“There can be serious consequences if the war were to go ahead without UN sanction: instability across the Middle East, an end to hope for the Palestinians, a boost for terrorism, Europe divided, an outraged Southeast Asia, and a weakened UN. 4.15 pm Clearly, our stand on this critical issue would have to be based on principle and on our national interest, and not on mere expediency or on who our friends are. The challenge to us lies in summoning the intellectual strength to think independently for ourselves, rather than accepting wholesale, without question, the conclusions and precepts presented and packaged elsewhere. The question we must ask ourselves is whether it is in our national interest to support a war against Iraq. I would like to ask the Minister if he sees Iraq as a real threat to international security and order, and is it in our national interest to have a war against Iraq. Does he believe the US stand that Iraqi non-compliance with the arms inspections constitutes a "material breach" of Resolution 1441, thus allowing the US to invoke the "serious consequences" clause?”
“Despite all the flurry in the UN, it seems clear that US President George Bush has decided to go to war against Iraq, with or without UN sanction, and that the war will be waged soon. Iraq is clearly seen by the Bush administration as a premier source of weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups in the future. And although it poses no imminent threat to the US, the US is determined to disarm Iraq to prevent it from becoming one. What does our Foreign Minister make of the new doctrine of pre-emptive strike - one which says that if you think a country that does not like you is going to attack you one day, then you have a legal and legitimate right to attack them now? Is this a legal and legitimate right of the US? If so, then is it not also legal for Saddam to launch a pre-emptive strike to pre-empt the US' pre-emptive strike, if it is able to do so? Madam, we all have contempt for Saddam Hussein; we abhor his brutality. He has attacked four countries. He has used chemical weapons against his own people. He has refused to abide by the Security Council's demands that he disarm. The idea that ridding Saddam would help to nurture a more progressive Iraq that could spur reform across the Arab-Muslim world is seductive. But none of us relish the prospect of innocent lives being lost in the war. None of us will welcome the potential damage to Muslim opinion, especially in this region, or the blow to the international coalition against terrorism. None of us would like to be put in the position to have to choose between following the international community and the UN on the one hand, or the US on the other.”
“As we know, the SAF Overseas Scholarship scheme has produced a number of outstanding leaders, some of whom sit here in the Front bench. The SAF Overseas Scholarship route can also be an important route for women to join the Front bench, and that route is presently closed. I would urge the Minister to review this.”