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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“It is about building up a certain political environment that has served Singapore well. Thus, I fully support the move to amend the Films Act to allow for only certain types of party political films – that which are factual and objective, and do not dramatise or present a distorted picture of our political reality. By allowing such fact-based films, even if their content may prove controversial, they can serve as a starting point for rational discussion and debate. I hope film-makers will use this opportunity and this liberalisation to make more films of this nature that will promote reasoned political debate and add insight. With greater activity and focus on such films, it will, hopefully, also marginalise the kind of sensational and outrageous political videos that we now find on the Internet which is why I now support this amendment. In response to what some Members say – that it is no sense having this Films Act because it can be circumvented on the Internet – my argument is that it is an important signal and it will, hopefully, serve to marginalise the kind of videos that we now see on the Internet. A look at some Singapore political videos on the Internet show that a rational political environment is not dominant. The content of the political videos is designed to appeal to people’s volatile emotions rather than their reason. They distort with visual innuendoes. They oversimplify with no regard to context. One such video on the Internet, for example, showed an opposition politician preaching civic disobedience and using his young innocent children to win public sympathy for his campaign. It is highly emotive. Such political films find refuge in the Internet and their makers enjoy a certain underground notoriety that wins them a following.”
“Sir, over the years, as the political landscape changed and became more stable, film censorship has become more sophisticated and relaxed. Our population has also become better-educated. Our literacy rate is now 96 per cent. Almost everyone owns a television set, and many also have a DVD player. Indeed many have their own home theatres at home. The greatest change in recent years, of course, is the pervasiveness of the Internet, which has radically changed the way political battles are fought the world over. Despite these changes, however, two underlying premises regarding film and political debate remain unchanged. The first is that, because the medium is audio-visual, it can evoke a visceral response in the audience. It follows that political films that intentionally distort the truth, that mislead the public and incite them to rise up in misguided anger should be kept out. The second premise is that political debate in Singapore should be rational, responsible and reasoned as far as possible. Hence, sensational political films that appeal to the baser instincts of people and that confuse and trivialise political debate should be discouraged. Sir, first, I would like to make clear that I agree with the broad principles. While we want to widen the political space in Singapore, it should be done in such a way that it reaps an overall benefit for our society and its political development, and not lead to its detriment. This is not, as some critics might say, to preserve the PAP’s power, rather it is to preserve the rational political environment that we have painstakingly built up over the years in Singapore, and which has served Singapore well. And it is not about laughing at ourselves or, as Ms Sylvia Lim said, the ability to take criticism.”
“Sir, I welcome the liberalisation of the Films Act. This marks a nuanced shift by this Government in relation to film censorship. It is a recognition of the need to adjust to the changing media landscape and the people’s desire for more political space. Sir, it is important to have a sense of history and media trends to understand the significance of this shift. Film censorship did not start in 1980 with the Films Act as some Members of this House seem to think. Film censorship, indeed, had existed during the British colonial days and it had always been stricter than that of publications for the simple reason that film, being audio-visual, had a greater impact and reached more people, compared to publications. Publications at that time reached out to only the literate and better-educated people which formed a far smaller group than the film-goers. In 1959, when the PAP came into power, the literacy rate was only about 50%. Before TV was introduced in Singapore in 1963, films were screened in cinemas and outdoor theatres. Until 1963, film censorship was under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was at the time focused on containing the Communists and their propaganda. Film censorship was transferred to the Culture Ministry with the advent of TV. In those early years, among the political films which were banned were those which extolled Communism, and for good reason. Communism was on the march in the region, and the Malayan Communist Party was a ruthless force to be reckoned with. While rational political debate was the PAP’s first weapon of choice, the same could not be said for the Communists, who believed in the violent overthrow of government.”
“Sir, I am heartened to hear that there are many jobs in the pipeline. But I just want to ask the Minister what is the time taken now to place workers in these new jobs because I see an increasing number of PMETs coming to the MPS session looking for jobs and they said it is hard now for professionals to find a job in the market.”
“Sir, I want to thank the Minister for the plans to improve our hardware and I think we have come a long way as a first class transport city. I just want to make clear that we can have the best transport system but if the behaviour of the commuters is less than gracious, it can be still a very stressful experience. Can I ask the Minister whether there are plans to introduce any campaigns to improve the behaviour of commuters – especially those rushing to MRT trains, not giving way to the elderly or the pregnant women on trains – and try to make sure that even while we enjoy a first class transport system, we can also behave like first world citizens?”
“I want to thank LTA for the cooperation given, especially in producing education brochures that give cyclists clear indications of the etiquette – how to ring the bell and how to give the right of way to pedestrians at all times. And my final point is that the trial has just ended and I just want to say to Members in the House that this is a trial just by Tampines so no need to be too worried about it.”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for making clear that bicycles can go on bus lanes. But my speech is more on making the bus lanes as bike-bus lanes, to designate it as such with clear legends and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said that doing so might confuse people with too many legends. I wanted to flash a picture but I was advised that it is not that easy so I will do an "Ang Mong Seng" and show a picture of a bike-bus lane in Paris which I took when I was there and I do not think it will confuse anybody to have a bike-bus lane. In fact it makes it clearer that the bicycle can share the lane and then the drivers will be trained to look out for bicycles because I think it will be quite clear that the bicycles have a right to be on the lanes. And the second point is, I just want to clarify a point by hon. Member Cynthia Phua, my good friend. I share her concern that pedestrians and cyclists must share footway safety and the education and enforcement must be a part of it. But I just want to clarify that in the Tampines trial, the reason we started it was because cyclists were already using pedestrian walkways. Cyclists and pedestrians were already having conflicts on the walkways. It is not that because we started it in Tampines and therefore cyclists are starting to use the pedestrian walkways in other parts of Singapore. All along, cyclists have been using the footways and our trial has been to try and see how we can make it safe for both sides and we have done a lot of work on the ground. The grassroots leaders have worked very closely with LTA.”
“One way is to turn bus lanes into shared bike-bus lanes and clearly designate this on signs and on the road with painted legends on both bus and bicycle. Instead of calling it a bus lane, call it a bike-bus lane. Bike-bus lanes are actually quite widely used and common in French and German cities. The German Federal Ministry of Transportation reported that cyclists are safer using bus lanes, and bus operations are not negatively affected by this arrangement. For safe sharing of bike-bus lanes, bus drivers must be professionally trained to coexist with cyclists and cyclists be given guidelines on sharing the bus-lanes. An increasing number of city planners recognise the merit of such lanes. Early last year, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced that the city would provide training to all bus drivers prior to rolling out bus-bike lanes. Other cities employing shared bike-bus lanes include Toronto, Vancouver and Philadelphia. London Telegraph reported recently that on lanes where bicycles share bus lanes, bicycle crashes were reduced 44%. I would urge LTA to work with Traffic Police to educate both motorists and cyclists on safe sharing of roads, especially when sharing bus lanes and on observing traffic regulations. Having such designated shared lanes will also help change the mindset of motorists towards the place of the bicycle on our roads. Cycling in HDB Estates”
“Sir, we have come a long way from the days when cycling was not even recognised as a mode of transport in Singapore, but only as a form of recreation. After years of debates in and out of this House, I welcome the Transport Ministry’s clear statement, made just in August last year, of its policy shift on this matter, and I would like to commend the Minister for this. Given its clear position now, I would like to ask MOT for its plans to integrate cycling into the transport system on a nation-wide basis. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Matthias Yao Chih) in the Chair] There is an increasing number of cyclists on the road; also a rising number of accidents involving cyclists. Most alarming are the collisions between a bus and a bicycle. In such accidents, the cyclist has almost no chance of survival. The problem is especially acute on bus lanes, where the bus driver believes he is king of the road. He does not feel a need to look out for bicycles. I know that, already, cyclists are allowed to share bus lanes. But going by the behaviour of some bus drivers and motorists, I am not sure if they are aware of it. It is not uncommon for a bus to tightly sandwich a cyclist between itself and the kerb, leaving little room for the cyclist to move, or to try to intimidate the cyclist off the road by bearing down close to the cyclist. There were reports of road rage, with the bus driver shouting and gesticulating at the cyclist on bus lanes. But it is even more dangerous for the cyclist to move to the middle lane, and be squeezed between the bus and the car. This would leave the cyclist with nowhere to go except to the hospital bed or the mortuary. Sir, we have to think of ways to make the roads, especially our bus lanes, safer for our cyclists.”
“Sir, I agree with the Minister that we should invest in our defence in a steady manner. The Minister likened it to an insurance policy. If I may use the analogy, can I ask the Minister whether he agrees that there are many insurance policies in the market and it is up to us to choose which policy we want commensurate to our needs and risk assessments. We know that in the market, just talking about insurance policies, there are some which are very expensive fetching very high premiums, depending on the needs and insurance forecast and your risk assessments of the person. Similarly, there are the middle-of-the-range ones and very cheap ones. I think our Defence, as in insurance policy, would be considered a premium one. I think we pay quite top dollar for it, and I think there is good reason to defend that policy. But can I ask the Minister to please explain the rationale for wanting to pay top dollar and to make sure that we have bang-for-the-buck, to use a popular term without trying to make it sound like an explosion, but to make sure that there is an assurance to the people that the money is prudently spent and there is a good reason why we are buying the premium insurance policy for our Defence. And the other question is regarding the statement that there are three categories that the Defence Ministry may spend on – the people, operations and exercises, and lastly, capital expenditure. Can I ask the Minister whether there has been an increased emphasis on capital expenditure in terms of acquisitions of hardware, because in the newspapers, we tend to read a lot about how we have acquired F-15s and new naval helicopters, and so on, and whether that has skewed our Defence budget?”
“I would like the Minister's assurance that there is a constant reappraisal of our defence spending needs and that proper scrutiny is being applied. Defence Expenditure”
“Our situation today, and also the size of our GDP, is different from that in 1965 when we had to build up our defence from scratch and take an aggressive approach in our spending. In this more mature stage of Singapore's development, why should not the Defence budget be decided like that of the other Ministries – constantly reappraised so as to take into account the needs, expectations, changes in the internal and external realities, while keeping the long-term commitment to steady investment. Let me be clear. I am not arguing that we cut the Defence Budget as a matter of course in a recession. I am asking that we review the basis of our principle of committing 6% of our GDP to the Defence Ministry, regardless of external or internal realities. This review should be beyond the numbers. It should also include a review of our threats and the sort of conflicts and wars that the future will likely bring. The changing security landscape in Asia will have a profound impact on our security. Beijing said its defence spending would rise 17.6% this year to 417.8 billion yuan. That is equivalent to about 1.45% of China's GDP. The US, by contrast, spends 4.6% of its GDP on defence and Britain, 3%. While China's military spending, along with that of Russia and South Korea, is expanding rapidly, that of Japan is declining on a GDP-relative basis. In other words, a de facto balance of military forces is emerging in this region. What will this mean for our SAF? I would like to ask the Minister to look at how we can strengthen our SAF but, at the same time, review our Defence budget to see how we can optimise our spending and make sure that we are more strategic in building up our arsenal and alliances.”
“Sir, some Members inside and outside this House have asked if defence spending should be cut during this economic recession. Similar questions had been asked in previous years and, each time, the Defence Minister's stock reply was that we should not take a feast-and-famine approach in our defence spending. Sir, I agree that a feast-and-famine approach should be avoided. The principle of steadily building up our defence capabilities with a long-term horizon is a sound one. The question is: should the Defence Ministry be having a feast while the other Ministries, indeed, the entire economy, suffer from famine? In this Budget, this House has been told that the economic recession is quite extraordinary, so extraordinary that we have to draw on our reserves for the first time. During the debate, we have been scrutinising the tight budgets of the other Ministries while their demands have been rising. We need more affordable Eldercare centres and nursing home. We need more funds to beef up our people sector, such as the Family Service Centres. We need more affordable housing for the lower-income, and so on. Despite their increasing demands, all Ministries, which also need to take a long-term view, are not recession-proof, except for the Defence Ministry. As a policy, it can spend up to 6% of GDP no matter what happens. I know that, in practice, defence spending has been kept lower. Nevertheless, it is valid to ask if the principle itself, of making the Defence budget recession-proof, is itself a defensible one. It is worth revisiting, with an open mind, the rationale for the magic number of 6%. Why 6% and not, say, 4%, 7% or 9%? Why give any number at all?”
“This includes renovating its building, so that it is at least on par with the standard of our National Museum and Library. We also need a strategy for national knowledge management: for saving and storing our present for future generations. Sir, I have been doing quite a lot of research in the Archives in recent years and have never forgotten my excitement at dealing with some historical documents which brought to life the struggle for Singapore's independence by our modern founding fathers. But there is also frustration. Our archival collection of our modern founding fathers, for example, are quite piecemeal. There were times when I searched in vain for missing documents which could not be located, despite the best efforts on the part of the Archives. This present Government should also be conscious of the need to capture historic moments and decisions. Future generations may be equally fascinated by our present struggle to overcome the economic crises of today. Fifty years from now, they may want to know why the Elected President decided for the first time in history to unlock the reserves. They will search for a written statement or film footage of the President announcing his historic decision to turn the second key. We hope they will not have to search in vain. Economic Crisis and its Impact on the Arts and Culture”
“It will be ideal if this cluster be near the National Archives at Fort Canning Rise, another important institution. There are old shophouses and a carpark nearby which can be converted to be part of such a heritage cluster. The archives and heritage centres show us, and future generations, how we came to be what we are as a nation, a community or an individual. They are a hidden national asset of documents, photographs, maps, systems and radio broadcasts that constitute the primary record of our past, the very essence of our heritage. We should do more to develop especially our National Archives and ensure it has the resources to keep up with the expanding demands. Its importance was highlighted recently during the dispute over the sovereignty of Pedra Branca. In awarding Singapore sovereignty over the island, the International Court of Justice noted that the strength of Singapore's claim lay in a letter sent by the State Secretary of Johor in 1953 to the Singapore Government. This letter, and many other historic documents used to back up Singapore's case, was uncovered by the archives staff. Despite its importance, the archives still fail to attract interest as part of our heritage, and suffer from under-funding and neglect. Yet, why should the loss of a contemporary artwork, or the demolition of a single historical building, provoke more attention than the loss of an irreplaceable archive collection? Archives have long remained one of our few untapped treasures. MICA should set up a task force to look at how we can explore how the nation's archives can be turned more fully to advantage, and to seek ways of ensuring continued investment in and support for this neglected legacy.”
“A project sounds very task-oriented and superficial – that it is something that has a start and an end date, that it is something you have to do; they might be even have homework, and it is not something that you want to do because you believe in it. I also ask why we need to link it to big events like the Youth Olympics or APEC. We are not being gracious to please somebody else or to make sure that our tourists are happy or that tourists will spend money. We are being gracious because we want that kind of society for ourselves, and we want to build a great society. Sir, the last time we had a campaign like this, it was at the World Bank and we tried to get everyone to smile. I think it was successful for a time. But we notice that it is a behaviour that has sunk in as a national trait. If we do want to make graciousness a part of our culture, we have to go to the root of it, the principle, the values that guide our behaviour. Plans for the Arts and Heritage Sectors Madam, on my second cut. Despite the recession, it is important to continue to invest in Singapore artists and arts groups, to create distinctively Singaporean content as well as to encourage collaborations with artists of other countries. This will position Singapore for the future as a thriving global arts city. How have these investments been bearing fruit since the first phase of the Renaissance City Plan (RCP) started in 2000? This is important as we need to invest in our heritage sectors. Singapore has a rich heritage and history which deserve to be preserved and showcased better. I would urge MICA to identify a suitable site in Singapore to develop a cluster for private museums and art galleries, and to promote greater interest among Singaporeans of their programmes and exhibitions.”
“It cultivates an atmosphere of goodwill that makes it easier for everyone to co-exist with one another. Establishing a culture of reciprocity is also important. It is harder to give up your seat in the MRT train if your experience is that, every time you do, the person just sits down without a glance, with no "thank you". It is harder to open the door for the person behind you, if every time you do, a stream of people just breeze by as if you are the doorman. When I talk to Singaporeans who migrate to other countries, one reason they often cite for their decision is Singapore is too pressurised a society and the people are not gracious. They want to live in a more gracious environment. And this is what we want for ourselves too. In the end, it is the people that make up the heart of any city and which defines its quality of life. We have had many campaigns on being gracious before? What will make this work better and stick better than the previous ones? I would suggest a fundamental change in approach which focuses more on values and redefining society's idea of what it means to be "great". I would propose the campaign slogan "Great to be gracious" showing scenes of how we want life to be, to redefine our values as a great society which will bear fruit in gracious behaviour. That graciousness is something which starts with oneself, at home and in the community. I would urge the Minister to pay special effort in reaching out to our younger generation. Given that being gracious is rooted in one's values, I have reservations with the name "Project Gracious", which is being recommended by MICA.”
“It is a phenomenon known as "ng kam wan ". It is a peculiar thing in Singapore and I think we have to change this deep-rooted mindset if we are to be successful in our aim of inculcating graciousness as a Singapore trait. 5.30 pm It is not difficult to be gracious for a short period. But to make it as part of our lifestyle, as our culture, will require changing the mindset of Singaporeans towards the intrinsic value of each person and our attitude towards the anonymous other. Each person, no matter what station in life, deserves respect, consideration, their feelings matter. You value a person’s intrinsic value as a precious human being, regardless of whether you know them or will see them again. You derive satisfaction from the act of being gracious. Madam, imagine if we live in such a Singapore: You go to the lift in your HDB block, and a neighbour holds the door open for you. He smiles and says, "thank you." You return the favour by letting them get out of the lift first and you press the "open" on the lift button. You go to the MRT station. People stand to the side so that those who need to alight from the train do not feel that they are in a bull fight having to fight their way through. Then people enter the train without pushing and shoving. When they see an elderly or a pregnant woman in the train, they get up and offer their seat. Those who accept their kind offer smile and say, "thank you". You go to your office building. The person in front of you holds the door open for you, you say, "thank you", and you do the same for the person behind you. I can go on. Sir, these are just some examples of the easy and simple things which will make life so much better for ourselves and those around us. They make Singapore a better home for ourselves.”
“I am pleased that MICA is working with Singapore Kindness Movement to launch a national drive to promote graciousness in a more all-embracing way. We live in a beautiful city, with world-class public transport, lovely parks and stunning buildings. By most standards, we enjoy a high quality of life. But if we look at the behaviour of most Singaporeans around on the streets, life seems to be full of stress. They are so stressed that when they enter a bus or MRT station and they find a seat, they immediately fall asleep or they become very busy with their phones. Strangely, they cannot see the elderly standing in front of them or the pregnant woman who is bulging in front of them. But they get very alert when it is time to shove through the crowd to get out of the station. They are in such a hurry that, when they go through a door, they do not think of holding the door open for the person behind but just let it slam. Then they go to the office, they write an angry letter to their MP that their neighbours are so noisy and ungracious. We are all familiar with such situations. But why are we like this? Some people say it is because we are a competitive or kiasu society with each man for himself. If you hold open the lift door for someone and give way to someone else, it means that you are letting someone else get ahead of you. If you give up a seat, it means you are being stupid. If you are driving and allow someone to overtake you or to cut in the queue, it means that you are allowing someone else to put one over you, or to use local lingo, you feel " buay tahan". And sometimes what happens is that – I find out when I became a new driver – when you put on your indicator because you want to overtake, the car in front just speeds up.”
“I urge the Minister to marshal all our resources to play a role as a catalyst and an opinion leader in shaping the consensus towards greater liberalisation and to strengthen the institution of APEC. I would also like to ask the Minister what strategic issues will likely be at the forefront given that many world leaders will be here and many will be having meetings from the sidelines, including with Singapore. 12.15 pm Bilateral Relations with US, China and India”
“Sir, the APEC meeting in November will come at a time when many countries will feel the domestic pressure to be protectionist, given the global recession. Just witness the debate on the "Buy America" plan in the US right now. The meeting in Singapore will also come at a time when Singaporeans will be very worried about their jobs and the country's economic prospects. Singapore, as APEC's Chairman this year, can play an important role in helping to bring together the world's three largest economies – the US, Japan and China – to discuss how they can jointly boost global economic growth and facilitate transpacific trade at this challenging time. The 21 economies of APEC together constitute 55% of the world's GDP and 50% of world trade. We expect world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, to gather in Singapore for the meeting. We must make full use of this opportunity to give a renewed impetus to further trade liberalisation. Much will depend on the new ideas and the direction that the countries, especially the host Singapore, will deliver. Can I ask the Minister what progress can Singaporeans expect from APEC besides the road closures and traffic jams? If there is a way that we can make sure that APEC will hit a high note for Singapore during this downturn, I am sure Singaporeans will support fully the organisation of the APEC and help to make it a success. On the part of the MPs, I am sure that we also support MFA and are proud that we are hosting the APEC meeting this year. I would like to ask the Minister on how Singapore intends to position itself as an important partner in APEC, despite its small size, especially during its chairmanship this year.”
“Sir, I appreciate that, because of the compression of time, there may be a rush in seeking in-principle approval from the President of a drawdown of the reserves. Can I ask the Minister whether the process can be refined and improved further, so that, in future, we can make sure that the process is more transparent and the public knows that the institution of the President is one that is strong and he can exercise an independent turn of the key. In any request for a drawdown of the reserves, we can expect it to be an emergency. Therefore, before we ask for an in-principle approval, it must be clear what is the sum that we ask the President to approve. Because in this case, I understand that no finalised figure was given until after the fact when the in-principle approval was given.”
“Sir, I also want to make clear that the Nominated Member should be assured that there is certainty of help. It may seem to be ad hoc, but there is certainty of help. If any resident comes to us who needs help, he can be certain there will be help given to him in time of need. There is no uncertainty about that. 5.54 pm”
“" What is our cherished culture as a people? They must be those common to all, something we, as Singaporeans, believe is worth upholding and fighting for. If our island were to someday be in the position of Maldives, where we have to worry about whether our island will vanish down into the water, will we think of finding a homeland for ourselves as one people, or will we want to break up into our separate races and return to where our forefathers came from? Sir, no society is immortal. As Rousseau said, "If Sparta and Rome perished, what state can hope to endure forever?" Even the most successful societies are at some point threatened by internal disintegration and decay and by more vigorous and ruthless external forces. In the end, will Singapore suffer the fate of Sparta and Rome, and other human communities? Historians have noted that some societies, confronted with serious challenges to their existence, are able to postpone their demise and halt disintegration, by renewing their sense of national identity, their national purpose and the cultural values they have in common. During this time of crisis, let us make sure we get our fundamentals right, not only in the economic sense, but also in our sense of self as a nation.”
“We should build up such capabilities on the ground, leveraging on our multi-racial grassroots organisations. Sir, I am not arguing that there is no role at all for ethnic-based self-help groups in our many helping hands approach. They have a role but it should perhaps be more in outreach, communications and in certain programmes which tackle specific ethnic-related problems, than in running the programmes that deal with the problems generic to all, such as job-matching or financial assistance because the person is retrenched. The programmes for helping residents in a downturn, funded from our scarce reserves, should be uncompromisingly multi-racial. Sir, in pre-independence Singapore, our forefathers who came from distant lands had no choice but to rely on their own communal groups for validation and support. They knew they could not turn to the colonial government. The different groups were also segregated. Those were the days of divide-and-rule under the British colonial government. There was no sense of national identity. Since the PAP took power in 1959, it has worked hard to integrate the people of all races, to provide for their needs while giving them opportunities to progress together. We should not regress to pre-independence days of emphasising ethnic-based assistance. We should instead progress single-mindedly towards our vision of a united people, regardless of race, language or religion, and use such times of crisis to reinforce this vision. Sir, when reading up about the problems of Iceland, I came across one report in a Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail, which said, "However Iceland plays its cards, its hand is a bad one. Perhaps its best hope lies in its sense of itself as a people united by a history of survival and a cherished culture.”
“In fact, I know some of them and I have the highest respect for them and they are not to be faulted for wanting to do their best for the organisation that they are in charge of. But please allow me to sound a note of caution. We must realise that the Chinese, being the majority, often have greater access to resources and connections. The minority races may not say it out loud, but we have to be mindful of what sort of message we are sending out. If I remember correctly, the ethnic-based self-help groups first started to help level the playing field for the minorities. In any case, is it not the job of CDCs to provide a one-stop centre for all races – from job matching to financial assistance? Why the wasteful duplication of resources? If the CDCs are less than effective, is it not better to fix that problem, rather than encourage an ethnic-based approach to fill up the gap? Sir, it is a fallacy to believe that people will only help people of their own race or work harder at helping them. It is wrong to perpetuate this fallacy. I know many Singaporeans do not subscribe to this thinking, and this is confirmed from my own experience on the ground. The Chairman of my Malay Activities Executive Committee (MAEC) is Mohd Azahari. He is also the Chairman of a Residents' Committee. He has tied up with a VWO called TOUCH Young Arrows, to provide free tuition for needy families at the RC. This is open to all races, and he is proud of it. And I am proud of him and his RC for taking this multi-racial approach. The RC leaders identify children of low-income families by various means, such as the RC's walkabouts and through its events. I also refer cases to them from my meet-the-people sessions.”
“Yet, I want to point out that the Nominated Member has asked why the Government is increasing funding to the CCC ComCare Fund to only $7 million a year for the next two years but giving $9 million more to the ethnic-based self-help groups. If we look at the numbers, we have 84 CCCs on the island, compared to the five ethnic-based self-help groups – CDAC, Mendaki, AMP, Sinda and the Eurasian Association. Sir, I have voiced my views on ethnic-based self-help groups since my years as a journalist, long before I joined politics in 2001, and they have not changed. But recent events have reinforced my concerns. I noticed that some self-help groups have expanded their programmes, duplicating the roles of our Community Development Councils (CDCs), and they seem to be competing with one another. I am not sure if this is a healthy trend, whether it unites us as a people or divides us. For instance, the CDAC has launched a scheme to subsidise kindergarten fees for needy Chinese families. This is on top of MCYS' subsidies through the Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme. On the face of it, this is a good scheme. As an MP, I can now apply to CDAC for my Chinese residents for such subsidies. But what about for my Malay and Indian residents? Similarly, CDAC has launched a one-stop centre called CDAC@Bukit Panjang. Built at a cost of $275,000, the centre will provide tuition and enrichment classes for children, job matching and career counselling for adults, and courses to keep the elderly actively engaged. Sir, I have no doubt about the intentions of the people behind these projects. They are good, they are laudable.”
“Our social reserves come from the bonds that we build across the different races, the mutual support we give one another, regardless of race, language or religion, from the experiences that we go through together, but the tough times that we survive together and learning that we can count on one another. One of the founding principles of Singapore is equality for all citizens, regardless of race, language and religion. And we work very hard to promote community bonding across the races in an effort to create a unique Singaporean identity we can all be proud of. A champion of this approach has been the various CCCs which operate in every part of Singapore offering community support to all citizens regardless of their backgrounds. Through our ComCare and other social programmes, the grassroots have organised many schemes and reached out to citizens who need help, not caring for the colour of their skin. This builds a sense of solidarity, of being one big family, that we can count on one another in times of need. Surely, this race-blind approach in giving assistance is far better than ethnic-based ones. In an economic crisis, communal divisions can open up and be accentuated unnecessarily if problems that arise from the economic recession are viewed through an ethnic prism. We have to be clear that this is an economic problem, and not an ethnic one. During such times, the opportunity arises for us to show our multi-racial strength, to help anyone who needs help, regardless of race, language and religion and thereby strengthening our national identity and Singapore spirit.”
“Its President has said that his government will start saving to buy a new homeland in case global warming and sea level rises cause the Maldives to disappear. Now, I would think that it would not be cheap to buy an alternative homeland. And even if they have the money to do it, it is unlikely that another country will cede territorial sovereignty over land purchased by the Maldives. But Singapore, too, is an island. We too are not spared the effects of global warming and sea level rises, although I have been assured that we will not sink at least within the next 100 years. But being farsighted, it is prudent for us to take measures to protect our coastlines, as I am sure we are, and we can be assured that for as long as possible Singapore will still be here. But even so, I would urge the Government to work through all the worst-case scenarios when the use of our reserves would be most critical to Singapore’s survival, and make sure that our reserves are more than sufficient for these various life-and-death scenarios. After setting sufficient funds aside for these scenarios, we can then allocate a proportion for exceptional economic emergencies, as at present. Sir, the financial reserves are clear and quantifiable. But what of the other kind of reserves that we will all need to sustain us through the economic gloom. I mean, of course, that unquantifiable, intangible quality of human resilience and solidarity, without which the financial sums might not be used most effectively, or what I would call our social reserves.”
“Or are we quite comfortable at the rate that the reserves have been accumulating over the years, providing more than enough for any life-and-death contingency? This is also the first time that we have asked the President to exercise the second Key. In this respect, I agree with Nominated Member Mr Siew Kum Hong that we should lay down a procedure where the President makes clear his decision why he agrees or disagrees to turn the second Key to release our hard-earned reserves. It must be made clear that the President exercises his decision independently on advice of his advisers and not a rubber stamp for the Government. Sir, we cannot assume that we may not face mortal threats. What has gotten us here thus far is essentially our human capital – capable, farsighted and honest political leaders, a hard-working and resilient people and a strong united Singapore spirit. We cannot be sure that we will always have all three factors in place. If we take the example of Iceland, no one would have foretold that Iceland would become technically bankrupt today. Just a year ago, it was ranked by the United Nations Human Development Index as the most developed nation in the world, and its per capita GDP was twice that of Singapore's. In less than a generation, Iceland had transformed itself from Europe's poorest country into one of its richest. But just as quickly, it had descended into the abyss of bankruptcy. If this rapid change of fortunes can happen to Iceland, what is there to prevent Singapore, another small country, very exposed to external forces, from also facing such life-and-death situations in the future? Then there is the sinking scenario faced by Maldives.”
“But I would like an assurance from the Government that its decision to draw from the reserves was made carefully and was not an over-reaction. Some analysts seem to think that the Singapore Government might have been overly conservative in its forecast. Sir, the latest report of Asian Intelligence, published by the Political and Risk Consultancy, noted that "the Singapore government is the most pessimistic of any government in Asia when it comes to projecting how its economy will perform in the coming year." It added, "We do not think this is an indication that Singapore’s economy is that much worse off than other economies of Asia as much as it is an indication of Singapore having one of the most conservative governments when it comes to telling its population what to expect in the coming year." Sir, I would like the Finance Minister’s views on this. I have always been under the impression that the reserves would be drawn only in a crisis of catastrophic proportions, when it has to do with our survival. Once, many years ago, I remember being told that our reserves were just about sufficient for sustaining our population for about six months – should the need arise, such as times of war. True, we may never need to go to war. But just like we continue to spend a significant chunk of our budget on the Defence Ministry despite the recession, we should make sure that we continue to build up our reserves for those possible life-and-death situations. Can I ask the Finance Minister for an estimate of how long would it take for the Government to reinstate this projected $4.9 billion drawdown from the reserves?”
“To use an analogy, it is like a hyperactive builder securing the house before a gale comes so that the people living within the house can sleep soundly and have a roof over their heads. But because they do not feel the devastating effects of the gale, they think the builder has not been doing enough. He should also prepare food and pay for the curtains. We have to be careful not to breed a crutch mentality and the what-about-me mentality. Sir, in this respect, I want to take issue with the Nominated MP Mr Siew Kum Hong's assertion that the Government is not doing enough for the retrenched and those who have just lost their jobs. If he has worked with us on the ground, he can see that we have approached it with the many-helping-hands approach from the grassroots, working with the VWOs, working with many different agencies to deliver help to those who need help. And we always assure our residents that if a person needs help, he will get it. We are increasingly seeing a number of them coming to our meet-the-people sessions asking for financial assistance and we never turn them away if we know that they have just been retrenched and they need financial assistance. Sir, I can assure the Nominated Member that we share with him the sympathy for the retrenched. On our part, we are doing our best to meet their needs. He should say three to six months, but we also go beyond that on a case-to-case basis. Sir, I agree fully that it is always good to prepare for the worst, to protect our workers as much as we can, and to use this crisis to position ourselves to ride the crashing waves that will come, as we always do when we face an economic crisis. It is not for nothing that this Government is known for being farsighted.”
“Sir, one historic decision in this year's Budget is the drawdown of our hard-earned reserves for the first time. We have been prudent to accumulate such a resource in good times, so that we can draw from it in critical times like this. This is possible because of the hard work and sacrifice of the previous generations of Singaporeans. The first generation, who survived the trauma of separation and the resulting economic challenges, are slowly disappearing from the scene. They were exposed to a suffering that transcended any anguish about lost jobs and threatened homes. They knew that if they did not pull together as one people, Singapore would not survive as an independent state and might very well lose its sovereignty on worse terms. They demonstrated a certain moral strength and the determination to succeed against all odds. They have seen through various cycles of economic downturns, and understood that Singapore has to live on its wits. Sir, in contrast, I feel that our younger generation today has largely grown up believing that the good years are the natural course of things – and almost as a matter of right. They expect a continuing bonanza of the good life. Some exhibit a low threshold of pain and expect the Government to come running with help at the drop of a hat, and not caring much if others, such as the elderly, might be suffering more than them and deserve more help. This crisis will be a test of their resilience and their sense of community. Sir, in some ways, the Government might have been too effective in minimising the effects of the economic downturns thus far. Its reflex is to step in to pre-empt problems and to put in place effective measures so that the people will not suffer the worse effects of a recession.”
“Sir, the Minister painted a very grim picture of the economy with Singapore entering a recession. Can I ask the Minister for his assessment on when he thinks Singapore can get out of the recession? We are aware that much depends on the global situation. But can I ask the Minister for his sense of the economic projection?”
“Sir, according to feedback from residents, sometimes it is the HDB officers that are not responding to calls that they made to the number provided. Can I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to please look into this? The other question is on the issue of downgrading and getting a rental flat. What happens is that when HDB wants to compulsorily acquire a flat, the residents want to find a way to go to a rental flat but usually the answer has always been "there is a long queue for rental flats and therefore you can't have one", or "we might consider your case at a future time when there are flats available". But the situation is when their flats are already acquired by HDB, then what is the option for them?”
“Can I ask the Minister for an assurance that the help that the Government has given and will be giving is not only to the lower income but also to the middle income who feel the squeeze as well as to tell Singaporeans how is the Government going to make sure that such volatility will not impact on the lives of Singaporeans to the extent that they feel incapable of coping in a very reasoned way?”
“Sir, I agree with the Senior Minister of State's reply when he said that we should not over-react to the sudden surge in prices. But can I submit that Singaporeans have been very restrained? In other countries, when there are such increases in prices, especially electricity price increase of 21%, there will be protests in the streets and there will be riots. Can I ask the Minister to be more mindful that Singaporeans feel the pain, and they need to find a way to be assured that the Government is really trying to attend to their needs and their concerns? In my meet-the-people sessions, I see an increasing number of residents, including the middle class, who say they feel an incredible stress because of the spate of price increases.”
“Sir, there seems to be a stark 'us and them' mentality at play here. Can I ask the Acting Minister whether he agrees that, in fact, Singaporeans are not very different from foreign workers here, except that Singapore has advanced within the last 40-50 years from a third-world country to a first-world country, whereas the foreign workers come from countries which still remain as third-world countries? Yet, 40-50 years ago, Singaporeans had the same low level of skills and education, and our social behaviour was no better than the foreign workers that we have with us today. Can I ask the Minister whether we should do more to educate Singaporeans that foreign workers are indeed a very integral part of our society in terms of helping us grow? And while we might want to make sure that they do not cause our social fabric to fray, we have to regard them as really our guests.”
“Sir, much has been said about the problems that foreign workers pose, in terms of accommodation. Can I ask the Minister whether he agrees that as a decent society, it is our duty to provide the foreign workers in our midst decent and humane housing, so that they can come here and earn an honest wage and not feel like modern-day slave in Singapore? Can I also ask the Minister whether he agrees that if MND were to build trees in housing the foreign workers in the estates, the trees should be built to give them a better environment and not to block them from the sight of Singaporeans?”
“Singaporeans have been shocked by how reputable banks in foreign countries like the US and UK have been collapsing. Can I ask the Minister what is the position of Singapore in terms of bailout of Singapore banks if they collapse? I think Singaporeans would like to hear what the Singapore Government's view is considering how other countries like the US and UK have reacted to similar problems. Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Mr Speaker, Sir, our approach and our principles were highlighted in my answer earlier where I explained that we do not look at bailouts and deposit insurance as the main lever. We start off by preventing problems from arising and that means proper supervision, proper capital adequacy ratio, good business models, good lending practices and controls – all that is covered in my answer earlier. All this goes to make sure that our banks here are stable. Our banks here have a good business model. They have a stable deposit base for which they conduct their lending operations. They are not so highly leveraged like other banks in other countries. They are not vulnerable because they are not dependent on the wholesale interbank market. And, therefore, during this liquidity crunch, they do not come under pressure like other banks overseas. So our banks are in a very strong position because of all these conditions and regulations, and we intend to keep it that way.”
“Sir, while we encourage a gracious behaviour on the part of Singaporeans, can I ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether she can assure us that it will not mean that our older workers are deprived of jobs as cleaners because many of them turn to these jobs for a living?”
“Can I ask the Minister to clarify what he means by "sustained period of time" because, sometimes, the traffic will fluctuate as well, especially the Singapore River Line where motorists complained that actually there was no real congestion?”
“I thank the Minister for a very capable answer. I just want to ask the Minister, despite the Government's explanation on the need for ERP, there are some people who continue to believe that ERP is a revenue generating exercise of the Government. It causes hardship for motorists, rather than to reduce congestion in some locations. Can I ask the Minister how he arrived at the optimal speed level of 20 kph to 30 kph before ERP is imposed? Would the Minister consider allowing congestion to be a major problem and a significant inconvenience to motorists before ERP gantries are erected? This would help to persuade motorists that there is indeed a major congestion problem rather than pre-empting the problem by putting up gantries that are below 20 kph.”
“Sir, given that Singapore is a low-lying island, can I ask the Minister whether there are further moves to study from the Dutch about building dykes, given that we are very vulnerable to flooding? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, there is an inter-agency task force led by MND to review existing infrastructure adaptation measures as part of the overall Government's response to climate change. This task force will look at measures for Singapore to adapt to the sea-level rise through the protection of foreshore and coastal areas. But as I have mentioned earlier, our reclaimed land today is well above the highest recorded tide, so this will provide some protection against any sea-level rise due to global warming. But this is based on current information. So the task force, when they review their adaptation measures, will consider the findings from the vulnerability study which I have mentioned earlier. The study is not over yet. Once it is over, we will look at it and see whether we need to enhance existing measures or introduce new ones. At the moment, I think the task force is looking at all options.”
“On the GC officers, the same procedure took place and the Commissioner of Police also looked at the GC officers beyond the two guards and the conclusion of the disciplinary body is that there was no need to go any further.”
“Sir, ascribing culpability is not an exact science and I agree with the Minister that we have to make sure that we are just. In the interest of transparency and justice, can I ask the Minister, since the COI has found that the ISD OIC is not responsible for the lapses, why are we then relieving him of his duties and making it plain that his career is now at stake or there will be some impact in his career? While I know that there are some members of the public who want to see heads roll at the highest levels, can I ask the Minister whether he can assure the public that these measures taken are, in fact, based on objective facts and we are not doing this as a political exercise because, if it is a political exercise, then sometimes, the danger is that some heads are rolling for the wrong reason? Can I also ask the Minister whether the Gurkhas are also investigated in terms of their accountability in the role of the lapses? My final question is: with the replacement at the top at WRDC, can I ask the Minister to assure us that they are more than equal to the task, especially in tightening security, as well as taking on the new challenges that the Minister has spelt out in the last Parliament sitting? Mr Wong Kan Seng: Even though the OIC of ISD was found to be not culpable by the COI, I decided to replace him because he has a statutory function to ensure the smooth functioning of the WRDC. So, in terms of institutional responsibility, as far as that role is concerned, I decided that I should find another person to do the job. For the officers who replaced those who have been moved out or who have been dismissed, I believe that the Director, ISD, will choose people very carefully to ensure that they are equal to the task.”
“Does the Senior Minister of State agree that the Myanmar junta's earlier response towards humanitarian relief has been hard-line and struck a discordant note, especially given the ASEAN spirit and the ASEAN Charter that we are all going to sign on? Can I ask the Senior Minister of State whether he thinks that the lack of responsibility on the part of Myanmar to assist its own people, in fact, makes it harder for ASEAN to function as a grouping with moral standing on the international stage and whether the Senior Minister of State will see to it that when Myanmar does sign on the ASEAN Charter the ASEAN members will put pressure on Myanmar to make clear that such behaviour is really not to be tolerated?”
“I would like to thank the Deputy Prime Minister for the open and candid way he is addressing the questions. It gives the House some confidence that the Government is serious about getting to the bottom of the issue. I want to ask the Deputy Prime Minister about the lenient and even very courteous manner that the detainees are treated in the centre and whether this whole approach will be reviewed, especially in regard to different levels of risk of the terrorists that are being detained. From what the Deputy Prime Minister told us, he said that this approach is to make sure that they would cooperate with the investigations. But from what the Deputy Prime Minister said, Mas Selamat had not cooperated and did not respond to the rehabilitation programme. So can I ask whether the whole operating culture, the whole approach of dealing with detainees under ISA, will be reviewed, especially with regard to when it is co-located to the Changi Prison? Will it mean that the processes and the courtesies that are being extended today will be removed? Another question is with regard to the woman case officer. First of all, I congratulate the Deputy Prime Minister on the statement that there will be equal treatment to both men and women, in terms of recruitment. Can I just ask what is the SOP for woman case officers, in terms of entering the male toilets, in times of emergency, or when there is something to investigate? Is it her own initiative to seek the help of a male case officer, or is it something laid down in the rule book?”
“Sir, on cycling, other than the ad hoc trials and the measures announced, can I ask the MOS whether the Ministry has gathered any specific data on bicycle traffic and look at trends and see how a more bicycle-friendly culture can be fostered? I am happy that the Minister of State has said that it is open to the experience of other countries. Can I stress that it will be more useful if the Ministry conducts a serious study into how other cities which experience road congestion, like Paris and London, have managed to use the bicycle as one of the options to solve the problem, especially in our quest to be more eco-friendly. And, finally, I just want to cite an anecdote. There was a letter in Today on the Singapore airshow from a couple who was trying to catch the show. They drove and got stuck in the road congestion. They then drove to a bus station to catch the public transport, hoping that it would get them to the airshow but they found that the queue was long and the buses were all full. So they drove all the way to a bicycle rental kiosk at East Coast Parkway and cycled all the way, 14 kilometres, to get to the airshow. They got there, beat the traffic but, of course, missed the show. The point I am trying to relate is that it is an option and if our planners have that in their heads and look at the bicycle with fresh eyes, it can be a solution rather than a problem on our roads.”
“On the usual response that our weather does not encourage cycling, it must be noted that other countries, which experience inclement weather and tougher road gradients, have encouraged employers to provide facilities for staff to change and shower. In other words, our weather should not be used as an excuse for not doing more to create a bike-friendly culture. I would urge the Minister to review LTA's approach towards cycling and to increase its investment in bike-friendly initiatives. Mr Seah Kian Peng mentioned the BMW approach, ie, Bus, MRT and Walk. I would suggest a MERC approach, ie, "M" for MRT, "E" for ERP for cars, "R" for ride buses, and "C" for cycle. Cycling”