Ivan Baptist
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, what prevented the Ministry of the Environment from hastening the flood alleviation work in Potong Pasir? Owing to the delay, Sir, much hardship has been caused to my constituents, especially in the Jalan Potong Pasir and Meyappa Chettiar Road areas.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a supplementary question. What is the Hon. Minister's reaction to a report in the Straits Times on Friday, 9th June, concerning the Singapore Tobacco Company's parent company in Britain, the British American Tobacco, and I quote: "STC's parent company in Britain, the British American Tobacco (BAT), the world's largest tob…”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the amendment to section 75, by clause 16 (c), still poses problems for consumers, both local and overseas. If a licensee has for sale in addition to duty-free goods those that are duty-paid, consumers could still be hoodwinked.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, does the Hon. Senior Minister of State realise that at the present moment there are many occupational health and safety hazards at the Nelson Road Mails and Parcels Centre? I had occasion to visit it sometime ago and I have since made recommendations to alleviate these hazards, but nothing seems to have been done.”
“But on this particular measure, I strongly oppose this increase of the fees at the A & E Departments. Nobody would like to be referred to a hospital, and it is not a pleasant place to visit either. The Minister for Health (Dr Toh Chin Chye): I see the Member there so often!”
“Sir, I do agree that a new Postal Complex is being built. But he has said that this new Postal Complex is being built in place of the old one, and at the present moment the old one is posing a lot of hazards. So I want to know what he is doing about the old one.”
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“There was, as I said, no intention to provide monetary compensation for reduction of medical leave alone for any employees in the public service. However, in the negotiations with the unions, compensation for reduction of medical leave was included as part of a package settlement. Because of this settlement, representations were also made by the Education Ministry, by the Teachers' Union, and also by the Member for Moulmein (whose services have not apparently been entirely appreciated) for the concession of monetary compensation for reduction of medical leave alone to be extended to teachers who are also enjoying school holidays. I must stress that this suggestion was not initiated nor desired by the Treasury, and there was indeed very considerable reluctance of my Ministry to accept it. But finally we accepted it with reluctance. This was a matter subsequent to and separate from the proposal for leave allowance in lieu of reduced vacation leave, and therefore it was thought appropriate that a different effective date for implementation should be used. As the scheme for reduced medical leave for teachers was accepted by the Teachers' Union sometime in September 1973, the effective date was to be 1st October, 1973, in accordance with the normal Treasury practice of adopting the first of the month following agreement as the date of implementation. In the case of the main scheme for the public service, 1st January, 1973, was adopted as the effective date because general agreement on the scheme was reached in September, 1972, following consultations between officials of my Ministry and those of several trade unions representing employees in the public service.”
“Sir, the Singaporean is worried about inflation. Government is worried about inflation. CASE is worried about inflation. The trade unions are worried about inflation. And so am I! I am just wondering how far will this go, and will Government assist us Singaporeans to cushion the effects of inflation? I am wondering whether the Minister can tell us whether he will, in the few months to come, increase taxes on petrol, motor vehicles and other items, or whether he will assist us by lifting tariffs on more consumer commodities. The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Sir, there are quite a number of questions to be answered, particularly from the Member for Anson, but I will answer them in the order in which they were posed. The Member for Paya Lebar asked why the scheme of allowance in lieu of medical leave for employees in the civil service and statutory boards was implemented on 1st January, 1973, whereas for teachers this was made effective only from October, 1973. He wanted to know the rationale for this. First of all, I want to make it quite clear that there has never been an allowance in lieu of medical leave, as such. The proposal which Government made to the unions was for the payment of leave allowance in lieu of reduced leave. That means reduced vacation leave. 3.00 p.m. The purpose and objective of this proposal was to solve the growing problem of accumulation of vacation leave by employees in the civil service, most of whom have very little likelihood of ever being able to use up their accumulated leave. There was no such problem with teachers who enjoyed a different leave scheme and still enjoy it, and who have their own school holidays. Teachers were, therefore, excluded from the proposal from the beginning.”
“Yes. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the present traffic situation on the road endangers pedestrian life immensely. Statistics will show that about 50 per cent of the road users killed every year are pedestrians. Apart from the need for higher standards of roads, traffic markings, improved vehicle design and driver training, there is a need for pedestrian training. The National Safety First Council has done a great deal towards promoting the awareness of pedestrian safety with the help of the Traffic Police, the National Trades Union Congress and other interested parties. But pedestrians keep dying on the roads. It appears as if pedestrians are still unaware of the dangers lurking on the asphalt jungle. Organising pedestrian safety campaigns in itself must be lauded. But are we achieving the results we want? I believe this lack of knowledge among pedestrians can be corrected through education and campaigns. But the devil-may-care attitude of some pedestrians cannot be erased without the introduction of sterner measures. The Government is failing in its responsibilities if it does not take cognisance of the terrible tragedies that are caused on our roads and come up with an effective answer. The Government needs to protect those who seem not to want to protect themselves. Suicides are against the law. Why is jay-walking permitted? When will legislation be introduced to help pedestrians protect themselves and other road users?”
“Thank you, Sir. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the present traffic situation on the road endangers pedestrian life immensely. Statistics will show that about 50 per cent of the road users killed every year are pedestrians.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, since two hon. Members have touched on Police, I would like to bring up something on a matter of policy too.”
“Sir, I was not talking about one pig, two chickens and three ducks. I was actually not talking about animal farming at all. I was talking about vegetable farming, not on just one square metre of land but about 0.5 hectare of land tilled by the farmers in Potong Pasir. They are not considered bona fide farmers although vegetable farming is their only means of livelihood, and in addition licences were issued to them by the Primary Production Department. I was wondering whether the Minister could enlighten me as to why they are not receiving any compensation as farmers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, some of my farmers in Potong Pasir are affected by urban renewal. It is strange that those farming some 0.5 hectare of land, or less, were not considered bona fide farmers by the Primary Production Department. Because of this, they did not receive compensation normally paid to bona fide farmers, either in the form of cash, a free HDB flat, or alternative land to cultivate. I cannot fathom the rationale governing the Primary Production Department's determination of bona fide farmers and the necessity to differentiate farmers. Is one of the reasons that of avoiding paying compensation? I would be most pleased if the Hon. Minister could enlighten me. To my mind, a farmer is bona fide, whether he tills 0.5 or 1.0 hectare of land. He should not be discriminated against for being poorer. He sweats and toils, just tilling the land, perhaps harder, to provide Singaporeans with fresh, green vegetables. He has no other means of earning a living. The Primary Production Department merely confuses the poor hardworking farmer by telling him that he is not a bona fide farmer. How can he figure this out when, in actual fact, his occupation is farming? Imagine the farmer willing to assist the Government by moving out of the land, which provides him with his livelihood, to spend the rest of his days in the confines of a HDB flat, and yet he is denied the right of compensation as a farmer. Why is the Government denying him this right to live and enjoy the just rewards of his hard work by refusing to compensate him as a bona fide farmer?”
“On a point of elucidation. Sir. At the present moment, food in the restaurants costs more than five times what one has to pay for in the SILO canteen.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, sometime ago the Government did come up with a plan to construct pre-fabricated houses. Can the Minister enlighten me as to when these pre-fabricated houses will be built or if they have already been built? These pre-fabricated houses will alleviate the housing problems that we are facing at the present moment, especially housing for the lower income group.”
“Sir, I do believe there is an amendment submitted by the Member for Jurong under Head KB subhead AC 1201.”
“Point of order, Sir. The Member is speaking on the wrong subhead. I think Standing Order 47 (1) provides that.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I also support the Member for Kampung Kembangan and the Member for Jalan Kayu. I feel that colour TV should not be introduced into Singapore until such time when the populace - I am talking about the lower income group - and the various community centres are able to afford installing such television sets. In addition to that, there is a technical point too. At the present moment, colour TV does not cover the whole spectrum. Many countries in the world, like Japan and the United States of America, are going to step up development to have colour TV that would cover the whole spectrum. This would most certainly be an advantage because at the present moment colours in real life are not faithfully reproduced on colour TV.”
“Sir, I would like to congratulate the Minister and the Hawkers' Department for having finally implemented the Sale of Food Act to the advantage of the consumers. Now consumers can be assured that they have wholesome and healthy food.”
“Sir, my fears have been allayed by the Minister, and I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I believe that DHF can be suppressed if the mosquito population is lowered appreciably. There are various ways of diminishing the mosquito population. One of these is the oiling method. It appears, and if I am wrong I stand corrected and hope for clarification, that there has been some slackening of suppressive methods of diminishing the mosquito population by the Ministry of the Environment when they ceased oiling the construction sites. The construction sites, at the present moment, are being oiled by the contractors themselves. This is far from satisfactory because the contractors, not being directly involved in public health, do not have the know-how and have little to gain but something to lose in financial expenditure. 6.00 p.m. Health hazards of such a potent nature in such large areas, like construction sites, should be obliterated by the Government. It is imperative that the Ministry again implements, as a matter of urgency, this oiling process in construction sites and charge the contractors for this service, and be ever vigilant in other areas of known mosquito breeding, utilising whatever methods available to curb the breeding of these pests. Would the Minister, considering that the lives of the people are precious, accede to my humble plea?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head IA be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead BL 1109. Sir, the dreaded dengue haemorrhagic fever has hit Singapore rather heavily and many needless deaths have resulted from it. The monthly figures of DHF cases from 1969 to date, stating the number of suspected cases, confirmed cases and deaths, would give a clearer picture of the situation. I would appreciate these figures from the Minister. Knowledge of these figures would enable Government, Singaporeans, trade unions and other organisations to be more vigilant.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, could not the Minister give these figures in metric, as the Government policy today is metrication?”
“Fortunately, the Ministry of Communications, at least through the ROV, had gone to the extent of supervising the administration and operation of the SBS, made policy statements, authorised the increase of bus fares, so much so that it has given us the opportunity to attack the SBS in Parliament. If it had not been so, I would have found it most difficult to discuss the affairs of SBS. I have never proposed that as a firm condition the bus service should be directly subsidised. The point I have taken up is: should the SBS be nationalised? That is, should the Government take over the rights and interests of the SBS? Subsidy is another thing. If you have to subsidise a public service, if there is a necessity to bring about reasonable standards and efficiency, it is up to the Government, the Parliament, and the public to decide. Taking the rights and interests of SBS is the point I wish to make at this moment. Whether or not we will debate on public transport at great length, and whether or not it should be nationalised, I think we all look forward to that day, if it is all the more necessary. 6.45 p.m.”
“There should be provision for these monthly tickets to be obtained from all bus terminals. These monthly tickets will cut down to a certain extent both commuter and conductor inconvenience. Encik Abdul Aziz: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, since some Members have taken pre-emptive steps to discuss whether SBS should or should not be nationalised, I wish to join in at this juncture just to make my stand quite clear. I have questioned the wisdom of Government's policy in allowing a private monopoly to control a public service. It is my conviction that to achieve a desirable social objective public transportation must be in the hands of the Government either in its own hands or jointly with private individuals or groups. Pragmatism should not go beyond the point where it counters achieving a desirable socialist objective. Carry on supervising and improving the present service as much as possible, but what I am interested is whether or not public transportation will finally be in public hands and, if not now, will it be later or never at all? I will always disagree with the Government if nationalisation never comes at all. The formation of a strong Government-backed corporation will ensure the job security of drivers and conductors. They will always be needed. There is no fear that they will be jobless. I am sure the interest of the public will be taken into account. That is what the Government is for. Public transportation is a public utility and must be run as a service. The administration and operation of the service will be directly accountable to Parliament. Now we are debating the administration and operation of a private company.”
“Furthermore, the back of the seat must be shaped to provide adequate support to the lumbar region. Automatic gears, and power-assisted brakes and steering assist the reduction of physical fatigue in drivers. Attention should also be paid to the necessity to limit total driving time for each shift and to ensure that individual spells of duty are not too long. Furthermore short breaks should be allowed within each spell of duty. In order to combat boredom the morale of drivers must be kept high by providing sources of pride in their jobs. I would also like to stress that drivers should receive pre-employment medical examination and should also be examined routinely at regular intervals, with increasing frequency as age advances. Fourthly, the display boards on buses are too small. One can see many a commuter squinting his eyes as he tries to discern the number on these display boards to ensure that he flags down the right bus. At night, due to the dimunitive size of the board, the darkness and the blinding headlights of the bus, it is impossible to flag down the right bus. Many a commuter flags down every bus until he gets lucky. This irritates the bus drivers and causes unnecessary time loss. I will just leave it to your imagination, Sir, the unmentionable words these irritated drivers use. Is the Minister taking steps to increase the size of these boards and the size of the numbers on them? Will the Minister also consider making it obligatory for all buses to display, in words, their exact destinations? Finally, I would like to urge the Minister to give more publicity to the monthly tickets that can be obtained by commuters from the SBS. At present, these monthly tickets can be obtained only at the SBS office in Changi.”
“I have even seen many a passenger with hardly a toe-hold on the bus hanging on precariously for dear life because to hang on is the lesser evil than to jump off as the bus rockets from the bus stop ignoring commuters' safety. Time and again the buses do not use the special lanes constructed for them at some bus stops. This not only causes great danger on the road but also sparks off a race among commuters who dash towards the bus in forlorn hope that they may get a place on the bus, and be early for work or an appointment. I am sure the Minister is working closely with SILO to strengthen this worker discipline, and I would like to know of the plans which are afoot to obtain a satisfactory solution. The third point is also tied up with the workers and plans to improve their working conditions. Working conditions are tied up with occupational health and safety, and I am wondering if the Minister is taking into consideration that fatigue and boredom can be potent causes of accidents. One of the disadvantages of modern driving is the boredom produced in many drivers. Fatigue can accentuate boredom and boredom can feed `fatigue. Is there any plan by the Minister to ensure that the workers are adequately protected from this? I must stress that particular attention should be paid to general working conditions to ensure that bus drivers do not suffer from fatigue and boredom. Some of the things to be looked for would be to have controls readily accessible and dials of instruments in constant view without the driver having to change his position. The driver's seat must be comfortable and adjustable backwards and forwards, and upwards and downwards, to provide for individual variation of the length of the driver's legs and body height.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to jump on the buses too? Sir, much has been said about the public transport system in Singapore, especially over the last two weeks and this evening by many Members. However, the discussions were centred around the improvement of the public transport system in relation to the provision of more buses on the road, less breakdown of buses, Government takeover, etc. The Minister has given answers to all these. Sir, there are also other aspects which have a cumulative effect in the deterioration of the public transport system. I would like with your permission, Sir, to elaborate on them, and I ask the Minister whether he intends to adopt some of my suggestions or give reasons as to why they cannot be adopted or utilised. Firstly, there is this business of commuter discipline. I would not go into the sordid details of the law of the jungle that persists at bus stops during the rush-hour. Unless some commuter discipline is introduced, it will be utterly impossible for the public transport system to improve. I would like to know what plans the Minister has to introduce this commuter discipline, and when will it be introduced? Next is the matter of strengthening worker discipline. The workers on the public buses sometimes adopt a devil-may-care attitude. Some conductors treat commuters rather shabbily and some drivers skid along the roads at breakneck speeds emulating grand -prix drivers, causing grave danger to the bus commuters, pedestrians and other motor vehicles. On more than one occasion, I have noticed buses moving off bus stops when all the passengers have yet to alight.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this has nothing to do with the policy of the Ministry.”
“(10) That the total sum to be allocated for head GA in respect of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. The sum of $6,730,170 for Head GA ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $900,000 for Head GA ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head HA --”
“(8) That the sum to be allocated for Head GA be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead JA 1111.”
“(7) That the sum to be allocated for Head GA be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead IA 1109.”
“Sir, the Minister intimated just now that there is an increase in staff in the Industrial Health Unit. According to the FY 74 Estimates, it is still maintained at 28, as it was last year.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I believe the second part of my question has not been answered by the Minister of State, i.e, the inclusion of industrial dermatitis and noise-induced deafness as part of the Sixth Schedule (section 60).”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to refer to Part VII, section 62, of the Factories Act. This part deals with Health, Safety and Welfare (Special Provisions and Regulations). Section 62 empowers the Minister to make regulations for the medical supervision and medical examination of workers employed in factories where cases of illness have occurred or risk of injury to health of the workers employed are present. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would be most grateful if I could be informed whether this section has been utilised by the Minister, as very clearly it should have been, due to the increasing consultations and investigations made by the Industrial Health Unit regarding problems related to chemical hazards and dust. In addition, Mr Speaker, Sir, I am sure that the silica dust hazard faced by sand-blasters and other workers in the vicinity during sand-blasting necessitates regulations for medical supervision and examination of these workers. In rapidly industrialising Singapore, most certainly many health hazards are faced by workers. Two of these, occupational dermatitis and noise-induced deafness, are gaining prominence in industry, although figures are not easily available due to the lack of investigations on them. To ensure that workers are safely guarded against these hazards. Sir, they will have to be incorporated in the Sixth Schedule (section 60) to the Factories Act, as notifiable industrial diseases. In this way, it would be possible for the Government to take the necessary precautions to ensure that workers are safeguarded and for employers to be aware of their responsibility to minimise the occurrence of such diseases.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the expenditure for Defence keeps going up from year to year. We are spending much more money every year. From time to time I have been wondering why we need to increase our Defence expenditure when, in actual fact, we have friendly neighbours around us. Is it necessary for us to increase our Defence expenditure, when the money could be utilised in many other ways to promote better relationship among the citizens in Singapore? Bigger countries in the world today are lessening their expenditure on defence, but a small nation like ours keeps on increasing it as the years go by.”
“Sir, can the Minister tell us when this Committee was first formed?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, most certainly, because hawking does affect the environment in the present place in which the hawkers are situated. BUS SHELTERS AND BUS BAYS (Construction costs) 6. Encik Abdul Aziz Karim asked the Minister for Law and National Development (a) what is the total cost to date for the construction of bus shelters and bus bays; (b) what is the current value of the lands on which bus shelters and bus bays have been constructed; and (c) if in future expenditure of public funds for the purpose of constructing bus shelters and bus bays will only be incurred when the Government has direct or indirect rights and interests in the bus services.”
“The question is, will these hawkers be put into hawker centres, or whether a hawker centre will be built at Alkaff Avenue in Potong Pasir? Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not know what is the intention of the hon. Member. But as far as the Hawker's Department is concerned, the position has been regularised by now, i.e, most of the hawkers have been issued with licences to hawk at allocated places. In the case of the place which the Member has mentioned unless the hawkers are affected by redevelopment projects, I do not think the Hawkers' Department will disturb them, unless there is a good reason for the Member to suggest resiting them to any other place.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government is doing a wonderful job in resiting the hawkers into various hawker centres. I wonder if the Minister realises that the hawkers at Alkaff Avenue in Potong Pasir should be resited, because they are selling their goods at reasonable prices and they are well supported by members of the community.”
“One such way is to improve earning opportunities of workers in industry which pay low wages because they are not as efficient as they can be. Before the present Government came to power, a great deal was heard about the necessity for doing justice to the lower paid workers, but not enough has been done. But, to be fair to the Government, we must accept that Singapore has moved some way towards implementing this justice. Unfortunately the Government is only doing the slow foxtrot. What is needed is a quick step without a twist. It is therefore high time that the vague easily misunderstood talk in favour of the lower paid was replaced by action, directly understood, to leave them enough to live on in decency. 6.00 p.m.”
“A direct way to help the lower paid worker is to raise the level at which earned income is exempt from taxation in order that lower paid workers should pay either less tax or even no tax at all. I ask for a system that should be one of giving relief by way of taxation to low-paid workers. The lower paid worker is still paying too high a share of taxation. The system, at present, is regressive at the lower levels of income. It is the very essence of a capitalist society which we have come to reject. It is conceived in inequality and misery and its product even today is still unnecessary poverty among pensioners and lower-income groups. There could be some loss of revenue and alternative taxes may be an unavoidable consequence. With a desire to reduce the heavy burden of income tax on low earnings, the alternative taxes must show a preference for higher direct taxes on those with higher incomes as against any further marked shift to indirect taxes which take very little account of the ability of people to pay them. A clear example is purchase tax which bears proportionately much more heavily on working class households. Let me once again stress that if more money is needed by the Government to offset the cost of increasing the personal allowances, let the Government take it from those who can best afford to pay in order to assist those who most need it. I recognise, of course, that tax relief can only be a partial answer to the financial problems of the lower paid workers. I recognise, for example, that tax reliefs are not of much help to those low-paid workers who already pay little or no tax at all. But there are ways of improving social equity.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister was indeed most eloquent and adroit in diplomacy when he presented his painless budget to the House on the 4th instant. But it was as expected, for was not the pain inflicted on the populace during the better part of 1973 and earlier this year when time and again Government upped costs for the citizens in petrol taxation, Housing Board flats, electricity, and so forth? Goodness knows how Government was also responsible for the inflation that hit the Singaporean these last 12 months~ In these hard times, Mr Speaker, Sir, the Singaporean was eager to hear the euphony of a reduction in taxes, especially income taxes. 1 would like to elaborate on income tax reliefs which were rather skimpingly covered by the Member for Katong and expanded on by other Members. I too believe that the present high cost of living demands more realistic tax reliefs. Funny but true, a wife in these times is worth only $1,000 tax relief, and the first two children, $750 and $500 respectively. Most certainly it costs much more in these hard times to maintain them. Singaporeans are understanding and do not ask for maintenance; just additional tax reliefs to make it possible to manage, after having cut down much expenditure. The grave concern is that the pay rises over the last eight months are being more and more diminished in value at the time of payment because of inflation and because the income tax personal allowances have not materially changed. There must be a more equitable system of taxation. There must be a radical extension of the existing degree of exemption to workers of low earned incomes, and more realistic personal allowances and bands of income chargeable at the reduced rate of tax, in order to provide substantial relief to those most in need.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my supplementary question is connected with Question No. 2, and I did not have the opportunity to raise it then. Does the Minister know that there is some talk to the effect that the only thing wrong with the public transport system in Singapore is that one exists? I disagree, and in disagreeing I would humbly ask the Minister whether he has plans to improve the public transport system by introducing some commuter-discipline. At the present moment, at bus stops it is the law of the jungle, and not first come first served.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister did say that he would consider increasing the quantum of compensation for people affected by urban renewal, and he also said that he would consider it when the time is ripe. I feel that the time is ripe now. Will the Minister consider increasing the compensation especially for those people who have just been affected by urban renewal sometime in August, as they will be obtaining their flats after January? The increased compensation can help them meet the extra costs that are to be charged for Housing Board flats with effect from 1st January, 1974.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore provides quarters for their staff. Would a retiring officer from the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore be given priority?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, permit me to echo the sentiments of the Members for Sembawang, Toa Payoh and Kim Keat regarding the bus transport system in our Republic. I would, however, like to add that the state of the buses in Singapore is atrocious indeed. They are rarely kept clean and their smoky exhausts pollute the environment. I would urge the Minister for Communications to consider these matters and let us know if plans are ahead to ensure that the buses are kept clean and pollution-free. I hope the Minister, in considering the matter, will not peeve the Chairman of the Public Utilities Board by using too much potable water.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the terrible toll in the number of accidents in factories in Singapore is causing great concern to the NTUC. I am sure the Minister realises that the four E's towards accident prevention is a necessity for his Ministry to uphold. The four E's are: (1) Engineering, that is, the safeguarding of machinery and assurance that safety equipment are being used by workers. (2) Enthusiasm, the creation of enthusiasm of the workers and employers towards industrial health and safety. (3) Education, which is a means to ensure that accidents actually are limited. (4) Last, but not least, enforcement. The Member for Sembawang has touched on enforcement, and I would like to ask what steps the Minister is taking to improve Education and Enthusiasm to ensure that workers do not continue to suffer in this terrible way where industrial accidents are concerned. 4.30 p.m.”
“The World Health Organisation in 1968 defines "rehabilitation" as "the combined and co-ordinated use of medical, social, educational and vocational measures for training or retraining the individual to the highest possible level of functional ability." Our sick and injured workers when well again need to be of use to the society they are living in, and the Government should make efforts to provide them with this need. 3.40 p.m.”
“Government functions in this field should include: (1) the education of the workers in occupational health and safety; (2) constant vigilance to ensure that progressive techniques of guarding of machinery, etc, be employed to safeguard the workers; (3) provision for better legislation and stricter enforcement; and (4) the creation of enthusiasm among workers and employers alike in high standards of occupational health and safety as a direct contribution towards productivity and prosperity. There should also be consideration for pre-employment medical examination of workers, testing their fitness for employment, as an essential feature of any form of preventive action designed to protect their physical and mental health. This medical examination should be conducted with a view to adapting the worker to his work and at the same time to preventing any deterioration in his health that might be connected with his job. Whether it is directed towards vocational selection or towards appropriate guidance, the aim of fitness testing should be to seek a balance between the man and his work in order to provide better protection with less strain on the worker. As the fitness of a worker can correspond to only one phase in the relationship between his state of health and his work, both of which are highly subject to change, any assessment of fitness for employment is constantly subject to review; hence the need for periodic medical examination. The question of rehabilitation of injured or sick workers should also be the business of the Government.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, again the Minister for Finance burdens the lower-income workers by ignoring them under the tax policy and changes in the Annual Budget Statement. What relief does a worker, who earns $3,000 or less a year, obtain if he supports dependent parents, grandparents and handicapped children? Why is the Government widening the disparity that at present exists in our society by not compensating these people? I urge the Government to rethink its policies with the objective of substantially narrowing the gap between the haves and have-nots. In addition, Sir, the lower-paid workers are painfully disturbed by the rapidly deteriorating bus transport system. They are bounced around and harassed by vehicles that constantly break down, leaving them stranded on the streets, apprehensively watching full busloads pass by them while waiting for an empty bus. I do believe that the Minister for Finance should have considered this most urgent requirement of public transport in his Annual Budget Statement. Sir, I suppose in his anxiety to mechanise and improve work methods for higher growth rates, the Minister for Finance in his Annual Budget Statement did not consider the still rising trend of accidents in industry. No realistic budget provisions have been made. Notice, Mr Speaker, Sir, that here again the lower-paid workers are penalised. Occupational health and safety must be stressed due to the constant increase in the number of industrial workers and the upward trend in industrial accidents.”
“Clearly, any policy which is designed to assist the lower-paid worker must attack the problem from a number of different directions, but of course always aiming towards one common objective; help for the lower-paid. But help for the lower-paid would mean that those who are more highly paid will need to pay more. I do not think it would be right to pretend that it is solely a question of being kind to the lower paid. There may be a price to be paid, and this should be borne by those who can afford to bear it. In these times of growing interdependence and complexity within our economy it is right, certainly in my view, that the Government should regard a fairer price system as part of the process of regulation and control, which is its responsibility. The Government must seek changes in the system which will favour the weakest among us. The basic principle of our Government must be to protect and promote the interests of the underprivileged in our society. The Consumers' Association of Singapore is painfully aware of the increase in cost to the consumer of a wide variety of goods and services, a reduction in our living standards, and once again a burden on those less able to bear it. CASE is doing its utmost to make life bearable for the consumer, but Government is committed to assist. In assisting, the Government is fulfilling its responsibility to the citizens of our land. There is no apparent solution as to how to beat the price hikes. Rigid control is not the answer, although in certain instances, it may be. Sir, the answer lies in education and subsidies: consumer education by organisations like CASE, and Government subsidies for essential commodities to cushion the pockets of the consumers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, much has been said with regard to the Budget Statement by the Minister for Finance, and I appreciate the depth of feeling expressed on the many issues. To my mind, Sir, the Budget Statement was tolerable; tolerable because it was good for some but a vacuum for those who need most. I do believe it was Oscar Wilde who said that "discontent is the first step in the progress of a mind or a nation". I can assure you, Sir, that after waiting for more than 15 years for an egalitarian society, the lower income strata of our Singapore society is becoming well and truly discontented. It would seem that from the moment of the original proposition of egality, so many years ago, men in power and authority have developed the fine art of paying lip-service to an ideal which they support in theory but rarely in practice. A close scrutiny on price movements of all commodities shows a clear rising trend of between 15 to 20 per cent on the average. This most certainly will affect the lower income groups more than the others. It is disappointing to note that the Minister has taken no steps to relieve this situation. The rising trend continues, and action must be taken to ensure that, in fact, it will not continue and stifle any possibility of a reasonable living by these people. Mr Speaker, Sir, I view with concern that despite the efforts of the Consumers' Association of Singapore, pay-rises won over the past few years by the NTUC and its affiliates have been diminishing more and more in value because of the consistent rise in consumer items. CASE recognises the need for constructive action and calls upon the Government to alleviate the heavy burden on workers, especially in the lower income brackets.”
“I believe that when a flat or a house is constructed, the cost of the meter is charged to the householder when he moves in and he has to pay for it.”
“Just a point of clarification, Sir, Mr Speaker, Sir, at the present moment there are two meters, one for lighting and the other for power. So there will be a necessity to remove one of the meters so that this new tariff can be implemented. I wonder whether the PUB will refund to the consumer the cost of the meter.”