Kenneth Chen Koon Lap
Singapore
“All right, Sir. I would like to ask the Minister of State, in view of the fact that the employer has no control over the runaway maid - and when the maid runs away they suffer both inconvenience and financial loss - can the Ministry consider, in genuine cases, whether they can lower the amount of the forfeiture?”
“Recently, there seems to be a let up on the effort made to press home the importance of the save water message to the public. As the demand and supply of water is interlinked, and while we can ensure more water supply in the future, it is equally important to limit the demand as much as we can now.”
“Therefore, I would like the Minister to inform us what new initiatives have been introduced, apart from increasing the stringent checks on the checkpoint at the Causeway, constant patrolling of our shores, and the tough laws against illegal immigrants as well as those who harbour them.”
“I have often come across cases in my meet-the-people sessions where even after the victim has received court judgement, he still requires the services of a lawyer to take follow-up action to ensure that the court order is being enforced when the other party defaults, and the victim is at a loss as to whom to turn to and how to proceed in…”
“Sir, I cannot help feeling that there still exists this perception of a great divide between the private and public sectors. This is not healthy, nor is it desirable. I would like to continue seeing all Singaporeans, be they in the public or private sector, working together for the good of the nation.”
“May I ask the Minister, now that the number of applications for HDB flats has lessened and the waiting time is less, can HDB give a more accurate completion time?”
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“Sir, I do not want to enter into a lengthy debate with Mr Chiam. I was simply saying that since he said the pre-requisite of economic progress is a democratic system, I have just proven him wrong.”
“The comforting sign is that we have weathered this crisis well as a nation and that there is no reason for us not to be confident even if things get worse that our Government would be able to lead us through the crisis.”
“Of course, in the field of arts, with all the great masters like Michelangelo da Vinci, Picasso, and in music they have Beethoven, Wagner, Strauss. They also have great poets and writers like Shakespeare, Keats, Tennyson. The list goes on. These countries have thousands of years of history, culture and tradition behind them and that enabled them to find fulfilment in the intellectual and spiritual fields even in the face of severe economic hardships. Therefore, we should seek this opportunity of the slowdown to intensify the promotion of the arts, stimulate our awareness of the richness in the less materialistic aspects of our life. Our Government, especially the Ministry of Information and the Arts, should intensify its programmes to promote our cultural pursuit, organise more art activities, concerts and dramas to stimulate the intellectual inspiration in us. We should promote our local artists and writers. We are usually overwhelmed by the pace of our economic progress. Perhaps, it is timely for us to turn our focus on cultivating a more gracious society, something we have always been aiming to achieve, instead of always being branded as too rigid and materialistic. More importantly, when confronted with such economic adversity, we could have something else to focus on, to draw inspiration from. Otherwise, our whole world will just collapse around us if we only live for our material possessions. The recent news from our neighbouring countries is not encouraging, especially in Indonesia. The cautious optimistic prediction of our economic crisis being bottomed out may not materialise. The volatile situation can explode suddenly and Singapore may inadvertently be right in the middle of it.”
“Many of those retrenched are professionals or executives. They are likely to have a sizeable account well above the Minimum Sum in the CPF and because of their temporary setback, they may not be able to meet their mortgage obligation on their homes or their children's education. I would ask whether the Government will consider for this period only, and on a case-by-case basis, whether a portion of their CPF can be withdrawn for these two particular purposes so that they would not inadvertently lose their own properties or having to terminate their children's education, especially those who have children studying overseas. I would like to conclude by moving away from the economic aspect of the Budget Statement. For decades now, Singaporeans have spent much energy and placed much emphasis on economic progress. Even with the crisis, Singapore is one of the leading examples of how a nation can achieve economic success and bring a better life to her people under most challenging circumstances. But in doing so, we have lagged behind somewhat in the development of our culture, the arts and other intellectual pursuits such as music and literature. Understandably so, perhaps this period of slow growth will give us an opportunity to catch up in this area of our national development. Most western countries, especially in Europe, have gone through periods of economic recession and even depression. But somehow, the population spirit and morale have never been severely hampered. I think it is because during times of adversity, they can turn their attention to other less materialistic aspects of their life and derive much enjoyment and inspiration in the arts, music and literature.”
“This will give some breathing space to the private developers. At the beginning of the recession, the Ministry of National Development has indicated that as a result of accelerating education programmes, many new schools would have to be built and that they will be farmed out to the private consultancy firms to do. Sir, I want to declare myself as a practising architect. But to-date, I was informed that few, if any, of the firms have received such commission even though the economic situation has deteriorated rapidly. Perhaps, the Ministry should speed up the process instead of holding back. All these decisions will help towards easing the difficult situation somewhat. As for the individual, the projected unemployment figure is not encouraging. Last year, there were a total of 28,300 retrenchments and this year's figure is projected at, at least, 20,000 and that the unemployment figure will be higher because this does not take into account the new entries to the workforce each year. Although there are many avenues where financial assistance can be obtained - from MCD, CDCs and various grassroots organisations, of course, from Andy Gan - however, more can be done. For example, HDB has been very amicable in restructuring mortgage payments, some from 15 to 20 years longer. In most cases, HDB also allows the owners to pay instalments for the arrears they owe. However, if the sole breadwinner is retrenched, he or she would have no income and therefore the above concession would not solve their problem. Perhaps, in such cases, HDB can consider suspending payment for a period of time until these flat owners can meet their obligation after they have been re-employed. The retrenchment problem is not confined to the lower middle income group.”
“By now, they would have depleted this reserve and even if the economy should turn around, as generally predicted, many may not be able to ride through the next two rough years of 1999 and 2000 to enjoy the recovery. Therefore, the Government, having put in place all the strategies and points to take advantage of the economic upturn when it comes, should address the short-term difficulties these individuals as well as the companies are facing. There is no quick fix to these problems and it is not expected of the Government to guarantee every company's survival and find a job for each and every individual. The cost cutting package and, significantly, the introduction of the Local Enterprise Finance Scheme have to a certain extent given hope to many SMEs and local companies to survive. But the Government can still do more to assist those who are affected to tide them over this difficult period. The Government can ease the pressure of competition from many GLCs on the local enterprises. I am not suggesting that GLCs should give concession to local businesses. But many of these GLCs, whose original objective is to mainly compete in overseas markets and to spearhead the building of the second wing, somehow became very aggressive and competitive in the local market. Although we have always been assured that they compete on a level playing field, somehow the perception is that because they have such superior strength, in terms of human as well as financial resources, they can kill off any private company they choose to compete with, especially during these trying times. The decision by JTC to suspend most of their industrial building projects in the next few years so as to ease the over supply situation in the industrial property market is a move in the right direction.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion. First, I would like to say a few words on Mr Chiam's comments. Hong Kong is as free a market as one can get. If what Mr Chiam said that economic progress solely depends on the so-called democratic system is true, then Hong Kong should do much better than Taiwan. I do not want to comment on how Hong Kong is doing. Even Mr Chiam can see it. Mr Chiam is being too simplistic and naive in generalising such a complex subject of economics in such a shallow manner. Sir, many have described the Finance Minister's Budget Statement as a non-event, as expected, or even boring. But notably, hardly anyone has expressed disappointment. Unlike Mr Chiam, it is because everyone has come to expect the Government to take a prudent and long-term view when faced with a crisis and therefore share a sense of confidence towards this year's Budget Statement. Most Singaporeans agree that this is not the time to over-react, but rather to act sensibly and purposely. In the end, the right policies, carried out with determination, would ensure that perseverance will prevail. However, while the population is comfortable with the macro and long-term strategies, there is a feeling of deep concern at the more micro and individual levels. Many are faced with short-term financial problems. For individuals, the possibility of retrenchment looms over most employees. Company-wise, many are struggling to stay afloat. Although the off-Budget measures have to a great extent helped, 1999 would be a real test. While 1998's performance was not good, many businesses are still buffeted by the spillover businesses of the better years of 1996 and 1997 and are managing to survive on the reserves accumulated.”
“How he had wished that he has at least some basic working knowledge to build upon in acquiring a higher proficiency in the very important communication tool in order to help him in dealing with his counterparts in China. I am sure now he has a torrid time to make himself understood or to understand his counterparts in China when he is over there doing business. I suppose now he will have to find a way to re-immerse himself into the task of studying this very complex language. How? I do not know. Therefore, I think the latest move by the Ministry will definitely improve greatly the chance of us achieving our national objective, and at the same time, ensuring maximum opportunity in giving to each student to exploit his potential to the fullest according to his ability and pace of learning the Chinese language. I would like to conclude by sounding a word of caution. One can have a perfectly correct policy and a very clear objective and even a well worked out system in reaching our goal, but without the correct implementation programme and a team of highly efficient teachers to carry out the task, all the effort and time spent in drawing up the blueprint will be wasted. The teaching of Chinese, more than any other subject, needs creativity and flexibility. How to sustain the interest in learning this very complex and difficult subject is a challenge in the Education administration and the teaching profession. I hope that with the latest improvements made, it will bring us nearer to our goal of achieving a truly bilingual education system that can carry us towards the next millennium.”
“With great regret, we had to advise him to drop the subject during the `O' level examination in order that he could concentrate on other subjects as it was obvious that in no way he could obtain a pass in Chinese in the `O' level at that time when the Chinese syllabus was quite heavy, the teaching method very rigid and the examination process uncompromising. But the greater consideration was that we had to ensure that he would not be unduly pressurised into doing something that would have an adverse effect on the progress of his other subjects. It has proven to be the right decision as after being released of the unnecessary pressure, he managed to obtain fairly good results in all his other subjects. Unfortunately, because of the lack of a pass in Chinese, he was unable to be admitted to a junior college. Until today, he still carries a certain amount of bitterness in him and an anger towards us. Because at that time, he just could not accept the unfairness of it all that some of his classmates were admitted into JC with 15 or 16 points, whereas a 8 pointer like him was refused admission and deprived of his chance of going into a local university, all because he could not master a subject which he considers of no apparent relevance to his future career. I must say that he was lucky because we were in a position to send him overseas to complete his higher education. He is now a qualified professional with a Masters degree in architecture. I wonder how many less fortunate bright students have missed out the opportunity to further their education because of this. However, the twist of the whole story is that now my son has to go to China to do business.”
“The proposal to increase the percentage of students in taking up Higher Chinese should be welcomed as it offers more opportunities to those who have proven to be competent and have the inclination and interest to take up the challenge of learning the Chinese Language in greater depth. Here, I do not want to elaborate on the benefits from being able to study Chinese at a higher level. The introduction of CL `B' to those less endowed with this special skill will enable them to have at least the opportunity to acquire a certain working knowledge of the language without being pressurised, to study something which they perceive for whatever reasons they are incapable of. This would ensure that they can concentrate their best effort on other subjects of their choice. This basic working knowledge will also be able to provide them a foundation that will allow them to improve their proficiency in the language at a later stage in their life should a need arise. At this point of time, I would like to share a personal experience regarding the study of Chinese Language. My son's academic achievement in school had been quite good, but, for some inexplicable reason, he developed a mental block towards the learning of Chinese. I do not think it is because of his family background because both my wife and I are more or less effectively bilingual and our daughter has managed to get through the `O' level Chinese without much problem. But after much effort and frustration, we tried to remove this mental block.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not think that many Singaporeans will argue against the bilingual policy adopted in our current education system. The objective of such a policy is very clear. It is necessary for a multiracial society to possess a common language that will bridge cultural differences and ensure a mode of communication between ourselves and the rest of the world. Yet, at the same time, our roots and Asian heritage should not be sacrificed in lieu of this practical necessity. But while we are very certain that our objective and goal is to achieve an acceptable bilingual ability in all our students, the implementation of this goal and objective may not be as straightforward a task as one may assume. In fact, it has proven to be the most complex and difficult task for the Ministry of Education. Everchanging circumstances in this world call for a dynamic and fluid education system which our population can benefit from. Language has always been a very emotive issue to tackle in a multiracial society like ours. I must compliment the Ministry for its tenacity and single-mindedness in pursuing the best solution towards the attainment of our national objectives. But such is the immense nature of this mammoth task that the results of its effort may sometimes turn out to be less than perfect. What is comforting to note is that the Ministry has not been afraid of changing course when the situation has called for it. The change that is being proposed by the DPM's Ministerial Statement is therefore another effort in fine-tuning the existing bilingual system in order that some of the problems can be addressed. It recognises that not all students can be proficient in two languages and these include even some of the more academically above average students.”
“We can make a vision statement and set objectives, but if we cannot stay focused and have definite plans and programmes for the realisation of this vision, and all participating parties do not follow certain parameters set out in the Report, it will remain as an academic study and not an effective and dynamic document to get us into the next millennium.”
“They have a different role to play. I understand from some of the local businessmen that they are puzzled as to why some GLCs started to do business which is totally unrelated to their core business and begin to compete in the very limited market with the local businessmen. Although time and again, they have assured that the GLCs would do business on a level playing field, they think it is a case where the playing field may be level, but the distance between the goal posts may vary because these GLCs have their own network and connections, and therefore render the competition a little bit skewed. It may be a perception. It is important that if we have to strengthen our base of the SMEs, we have to give them space and opportunity. We must assure them that they have the full support of the Government. I believe that the SMEs, GLCs and MNCs can work together with each other and benefit from each other's strengths and weaknesses, just as we need to nurture the talented and experienced CEOs like Walt Disney's, Michael Eisner to help run multi-million dollar corporations. We also need entrepreneurs like Bill Gates who can build a business empire out of nothing. While the corporate CEOs and the private entrepreneurs are very much different in their approach and ways of conducting business, their contributions are of equal importance and one cannot totally displace the other. Now that the Committee has identified all the steps we have to take in order to achieve the objective of making Singapore one of the most competitive and vibrant business centres in the world, it is important that a detailed plan be drawn up for implementation.”
“This I have no doubt that we are able to do so, because from our track record, the Government and people have year after year been able to achieve a surplus to add to our reserves. Mr Speaker, Sir, on the long-term strategy, the Committee has rightly identified the manufacturing and services sector as the twin engines of growth in the future, and that it is important to build world-class companies as well as strengthening our base for small and medium enterprises. It further identified that the Government should continue to play an active role in supporting and facilitating the private sector. One of Singapore's success is its ability to attract MNCs to set up businesses in Singapore. This not only brings in the economic benefit but, more importantly, it helps Singapore companies to benefit from the latest technological advancement and be the forerunner of our own R&D development in the region. As we are a small economy, most of our enterprises are small and medium in size and the GLCs have always provided the leadership in establishing the model for world-class companies, for example, SIA, Singapore Technologies, Sembcorp and PSA, etc. However, in order to realise the objectives of strengthening our own local enterprises and at the same time build world-class companies, GLCs and local SMEs should work in tandem and not against each other. Therefore, the GLCs should stay focused by sticking to their core business as much as possible and maximise their strength in having vast resources both in finance and talent. If diversification is required, one should confine to areas which can provide synergy to the core business. They should not be distracted by short-term gains and diversify into unrelated small businesses in competition with our local companies.”
“For in good times, the wage increase in the private sector normally goes beyond that of NWC recommendation and during this difficult time, in certain sectors, wages might have to go well below the NWC recommended level in order to avoid more severe retrenchments. And a reduction in the cost of living is the only way to lessen the pain created by the loss of income in the average Singaporean household. We should also consider other charges like the town council's conservancy charges, transportation charges, and even education charges like school fees should be reduced. By the logic that all wages and other charges are reduced, these costs would definitely be lower and it should be passed on to the workers. However, even if we can achieve the objective of cutting business cost and lowering the cost of living, we will not be able to address the sharp economic slowdown completely. Our economy must be given a boost. I know that tampering with our national reserves is a very sensitive issue. Personally, I am most reluctant to suggest touching our reserves under any normal circumstances. Having said that, in a situation like now, it would be necessary for the Government to look into ways to make available a certain amount of our reserves to stimulate the economy. If one believes that one of the reasons for accumulating a healthy reserve is to prepare for a rainy day, now is the time that we need the umbrella very badly. So it would be prudent for the Government to have a well-established plan to apportion some of our reserves in order to undertake projects that can stimulate our economy provided of course that we should have plans to replace such reserves or have the confidence to add on to it when our economy is on track again.”
“I have no doubt that the recommendations by the CSC Report on the reduction of business costs, if followed, would definitely be effective, although the extent of the reduction cannot be fully ascertained as items such as reduction or rebate on Government taxes or charges have not been fully determined. Many Members have expressed that the Government should be more generous in this area, especially in the reduction of foreign worker levy. They should be more drastic than that being recommended and it should also be extended to foreign maids. I would like to add that, in considering reducing PUB, telecommunications and transportation charges, the Government departments and statutory boards should discard this notion that they have to be revenue positive, especially some of these statutory boards should not be bogged down by the fact that they have been or are in the process of being privatised and therefore they have to be profit-orientated. It is crucial to change the mindset for at least this critical period and take a more long-term outlook. Many Members in this House fear that the reduction in business costs will invariably bring hardship to the employees, especially to the blue collar workers. Therefore, it is important for the Government to take appropriate action to ensure that the cost of living should be reduced simultaneously. It is of utmost importance because it will help to cushion the reduction of wages and CPF. While the CSC recommended such costs to be reduced by 15%, in the private sector especially, this may not be possible.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Minister's motion. Recently, most international magazines have commented on the regional financial crisis. Nearly all of them have concluded that Singapore with its good governance, sound fundamentals and preparedness to take quick and decisive measures will be able to weather the storm and place herself in the best position to surge forward when the region recovers. I suggest that the MP for Hougang and the NCMP, Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam, read this report. Maybe then, they would not be taking cheap shots so freely at the Government and the Ministers for being not good enough to handle the recent financial crisis. What is comforting to know is that Singapore can indeed be considered the oasis of the region. Nevertheless, the fact remains that we have felt the full impact of the current crisis and that we have to take appropriate action to deal with the difficult times in front of us. On hindsight, the two tasks of addressing the present economic crisis and the question of competitiveness in Singapore, the future Singapore, I feel that they should have been taken up separately. The task of addressing the current crisis should have been taken up earlier. Because, as early as the 1998 Budget was presented, it was obvious that the economic crisis would deteriorate very rapidly. And if we had taken these recommended measures earlier, it would bring much relief to many companies and businesses and perhaps even lessen the number of workers being retrenched.”
“Because we have to face the fact that those who have been caught taking drugs the third or fourth time would have very little chance to be cured even when they are confronted with the most severe punishment. Mr Speaker, Sir, I believe I have not come across many anti-drug campaigns being carried out recently. Anti-smoking and anti-crime campaigns seem to be taking the limelight. I would therefore suggest that the Ministry carry on with more active public education on the awareness of the harmful consequence of drug abuse. Although the introduction of more severe punishment of repeated drug addicts is a step in the right direction to deter hard-core addicts from further indulgence in this habit, the most effective way to combat this social ill will still be deterring the would-be drug addict from following this vicious cycle. After all, prevention is always better than cure.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill. Although the overall drug situation in Singapore remains under control, in fact, since April last year, there has been a decrease in the number of drug addicts being detected. However, as the Minister said, the percentage of hardcore addicts remains high, and this problem has to be addressed urgently, as these addicts not only become a menace to the society, and causing untold anguish to the family, but very often they turn to criminal activities in order to support their habit. It is also recognised that early conversion of these addicts has a higher rate of success in helping them live a normal life. The longer these addicts get into the habit, the chances of recovery would decrease dramatically. Therefore, the introduction of section 33A(1) and (2) on the enhancement of punishment for this category of third and fourth time offenders is timely. Since notice was given two years ago, I understand that there has been a drop in the number of third timers. The reason is that the second timers know that if they persist in their drug taking, they will be faced with a much harsher and more severe punishment. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out this severe punishment as much resources are being committed to help the first and second timers to rehabilitate themselves. And to those who refuse to be helped, the law should come down on them hard. But I would like to urge the Minister to continue to spare no effort in the rehabilitation of this group of addicts so that more of those who are unfortunate enough to be exposed to this deadly habit would have the chance of living a normal life.”
“I would therefore like to ask the Minister in what way the Ministry can advise the applicants to be more realistic in choosing the type of flat they want to apply so that they are more comfortable both with the need and the financial affordability. Perhaps some guidelines can be introduced requesting applicants of larger flats to have a minimum number of occupants or set a minimum combined family income for those who want to apply for such larger flats.”
“Sir, the number of applications received as at January 1998 for HDB flats stands at 47,218 applications for 5-room flats, 39,369 for 4-room flats and 2,635 for 3-room flats. And in Punggol 21, the queue for the period ending 31st January 1998, the number of applications for 5-room flats is 20,300, whereas for 4-room flats it is 12,900. The proportionately high 5-room applicants do not quite correspond with the demographic nor the economic profile of the applicants. The high number of 5-room flat applications may not be a true reflection of the demand or special requirements of the applicants nor necessarily coincides with the economic ability to purchase the flat. Many apply for the 5-room flat thinking that there is an advantage to apply for a larger flat now instead of upgrading at a later date when the need arises. That is why there is such a high percentage of first-time applications for this type of flat which means that, first, they not only have to bear a higher purchasing cost but also higher maintenance cost, other utility and upkeeping expenses. Worse, in times of economic downturn, they would definitely feel the economic strain in acquiring the extra space that they do not need, as my colleague, Mr Ong Kian Min, stated that many have already asked to be downgraded. Second, from the national point of view, it would be a tremendous waste of resources because the built-up areas are not being used to the maximum. Already in Singapore, the ratio between the built-up area and each occupant in a residential unit is one of the highest in Asia.”
“Sir, as my parliamentary colleague, Encik Harun Ghani said, despite the Environment Ministry being extremely vigilant in keeping mosquitoes, especially the Aedes mosquitoes, under control, dengue cases still persist. In fact, it has increased. Recently, the Ministry has encouraged owners of landed properties to do away with the provision of gutters in their premises and request all Town Councils to take away all the covers of the open drains. Have these measures been found to be effective in reducing mosquito breeding grounds? Or is the Ministry contemplating introducing any new measures so that we can lessen or even eradicate this serious nuisance? How does this decision to remove all covers of the open drains reconcile with the earlier decision to cover all drains, especially in the catchment area in order to maximise the collection of water for recycling? I would also like to know the latest profile of dengue cases. Is East Coast still the most vulnerable area?”
“I would like to know whether the Ministry of the Environment has done any study on the effect of global warming, how does it affect our general weather condition in Singapore, and in what way can we condition our environment so that the effect of this warming condition can be reduced.”
“Sir, since 1984, the world has generally experienced higher temperature. During this period it recorded 13 years of the warmest weather in history. It is predicted that the world will be getting warmer and warmer in the future. In Singapore, in the last few weeks, we have experienced some of the highest temperatures in the last 50 years. Some have attributed this unusual condition to the El Nino phenomenon. As Singapore is a hot and humid country, if the mean temperature goes up by even 1 or 2 degrees, it will greatly affect our comfort level and make our hot and humid air that much more unbearable. The decision to make Singapore a Garden City by extensively greening our city has created some positive results. Not only psychologically we feel that we are living in a more pleasant and cooler environment, it is also estimated that our mean temperature might have gone down by one or two degrees. Are there plans to further intensify this environmentally friendly measure to our city? For example, can we introduce more water-scape into our public area, because water is a very effective cooling agent? As heat intensifies in hard concrete surface, can we limit the extent of open paved area in our city and provide as much lawn area as possible? The concept of huge open paved plaza is environmentally unfriendly to a tropical country like ours. In Hong Kong's CBD area, the buildings are connected by either underground passages or overhead bridges which are environmentally controlled, so that one can walk for miles without having to be exposed to the external weather. We should have more water-protected people movers connecting our buildings. All these, together with keeping our air pollution free, should help to lessen the warming effect in our weather condition.”
“They could also conduct public seminars and talks to better educate the public on how to lessen the negative effects of this problem, and provide technical advice such as recommending special filters to all air-conditioning units, provide more information on all available air purifiers or the type of masks, if any, that can reduce the effect of the smog and harmful particles, or any other measures that can make our population safer. Because, at this moment, the health and well-being of all Singaporeans should be of the utmost importance.”
“Sir, it looks like we are bracing ourselves to be hit by another few months of health-threatening haze condition, and it is predicted to be worse than what we had suffered last year. Despite all the international and regional efforts in trying to deal with this hazard, very little headway has been made. And I do not think it is as simple as Mr Chiam says, just to be tough with the Indonesians. Because, I believe, the Ministry of the Environment and the international environment organisation are fully committed to battle the serious problem in this region. But, realistically, we have to resign ourselves to the fact that there is nothing much that can be done, at least for the coming months. Therefore, it is important for us to make preparations to deal with this problem ourselves internally. Last year, we made improvements in the early warning system and much has been done to alert our Singaporeans on the impact and condition of the haze daily. But most of the average Singaporeans are still at a loss on how to react when the condition worsens. I would suggest that the Ministry draw up a comprehensive plan on what action can the average Singaporean take when the haze hazard strikes, especially measures to be taken by schools, old folks' homes and any other crowded public areas. For example, the Ministry can advise every school, old folks' home and public premises where there is no air-conditioning to at least provide one room equipped with air-conditioning, so that those who are more sensitive to breathing problems can take refuge.”
“Sir, with all the traffic measures such as the introduction of speed traps, red light cameras, speed cameras, demerit points and the extremely heavy fines imposed on traffic offenders and the LTA's constant efforts to improve our road design and conditions, the number of traffic accidents still remains high, especially fatal accidents. I would like to ask the Minister whether the Traffic Police could make a study on the main causes of the various accidents that occur. Is it due to speeding or reckless driving? Or is it due to the lack of skill and experience of the drivers? I understand that there is a high percentage of motorcyclists involved in traffic accidents. At times, I marvel at the dare-devil way motorcyclists weave their way through motorcars at high speed on expressways. I wonder whether they realise how close they are from encountering fatal accidents every time they do so. I would like to ask whether the Traffic Police would consider lowering the speed limit for provisional drivers and motorcyclists if they are found to be usually involved in the many traffic accidents. I hope that the Traffic Police Department can take the necessary measures to monitor the situation so that our roads can be made safer and unnecessary loss of lives can be kept to the minimum.”
“Sir, the recent drug bust resulting in the arrest of seven drug traffickers is certainly a feather in the cap for the narcotic officers. In fact, a number of successful cases in recent months have been highlighted with large amounts of prohibited drugs being recovered. Unfortunately, this success story brings with it more worries than comfort. Because, if there is still such a great need for the supply of these drugs, then one can conclude that there must be equally greater demand. Therefore, I would like to know from the Minister why, despite our all-out efforts to combat this social menace and the heavy punishments we impose on drug traffickers, there are still so many drug trafficking cases. Would the Minister enlighten us on the latest number of new cases of drug addicts? Are they on the increase? And what about the repeated cases? If so, does it mean that our rehabilitation programme is not effective as we have anticipated? I understand that the repeated drug addicts are subject to caning. How effective has this form of punishment proved to be? I also understand that these drug addicts are being treated with a drug called Naltrexone. Since this is a very expensive drug, has it been found to be cost effective and how is the recovery rate after they have taken this drug?”
“Sir, at a recent press conference, the Criminal Investigation Department assured the public that the number of murders, 15 in total, in the first two months of this year is not unusually high. In fact, there were two periods at the peak which exceeded the total of January and February this year, ie, between October and November 1994, there were 15 murders, and between September and October 1993, there were 16 cases. This is of little comfort because in the past years, the average yearly number of murders was 45 cases. It works out to be an average of four murders a month. During the first two months of this year, the total number well exceeded the average. And if this is seen together with last year's trend, it shows that, although the number of crimes committed is lower, what is significant is that the reported cases for murder and rape cases increased. It is indeed an area for great concern as these are the two most feared and serious types of crime. The recent two brutal double murders really shocked all Singaporeans. One of these murders occurred in my constituency. In fact, the whole neighbourhood was really shaken. Whatever the causes, it is not something that we should consider not out of the ordinary, as has been stated by the Criminal Investigation Department. We should never be complacent just because we have achieved a lower crime rate and Singapore is perceived to be a very safe place for us to live in. While I compliment the police department for doing an excellent job in keeping the crime rate low, I would request the department to put in greater efforts to address our concern, especially in the case of murder and rape.”
“Frankly, I believe we have no choice. I have every confidence that the Minsiter would be in a position to assure us that effective steps would be put in place to control the influx of illegal immigrants into Singapore, dealing with them firmly but decently. Singaporeans would need to know why we need to take such firm steps. Quite simply, it is to preserve our way of life, to protect all that we have worked for over these years, that is, in short, what is at stake.”
“This is perhaps the most effective way to minimise illegal immigrants to Singapore because if they cannot find work here, there is no reason for them to take the risk of being caught. I hope the Ministry can give the assurance and enlighten us on what other plans it has to keep Singapore a safe and peaceful place for all of us to live in. Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung (Sembawang): Sir, other Members in the House have already spoken about the expected influx of immigrants from neighbouring countries. Today, we have heard that over 300 illegal immigrants have been picked up in one operation alone last night. Yesterday, The Straits Times reported a story from Newsweek that an official from a neighbouring country made the remark that even if 10 million people were to leave for neighbouring shores in their boats, they will not be stopped. That is a very scary statement. Even if 1% of that 10 million were to gain entry into Singapore, we would face very serious problems. Crime control measures may have to be increased to levels as yet unknown and could adversely affect our social life. I believe that all of us in this House would very much like to know what are the steps that are needed to ensure that this does not happen. Do we have the resources? More importantly, do we have the will to deal firmly and sternly with those who intend to come in illegally? It may be very difficult to be strict. We naturally sympathise with those who are in extreme distress. We remember the anguish of the world for the Vietnamese boat people. It is natural to want to help people in distress. But I believe that in Singapore, we have to stand firm. We already have around 450,000 foreign workers who are working here legally. Land and resources are in short supply.”
“Sir, in addition to the usual illegal immigrants we have from time to time from the traditional foreign workers market, we can expect a big influx of illegal immigrants for the next few years from our neighbouring countries who have been badly affected by the current economic turmoil. It will no doubt cause a great strain to the Police Department's resources to deal with this situation as Singapore is an island and the task of patrolling our shores would be much more difficult. As illegal immigrants not only cause social problems, but more importantly, they will present security problems that involve the safety of all Singaporeans, I hope the Ministry can take early preventive measures to tighten security and coordinate with perhaps the armed forces who can patrol the outlying areas and the forest areas, the navy who can help to patrol our shoreline, and other law enforcement agencies like the Immigration Department could tighten control of the influx of these immigrants to prevent anyone from entering Singapore illegally. For those who may have slipped through our first line of defence, I suggest that, apart from continual raids or even intensified vigilance on construction sites, factories and other workplaces, the Police Department can work with the various grassroots organisations, especially the Neighbourhood Watch Groups to alert residents in the HDB estates to notify the Police as soon as they detect any strangers who behave suspiciously and, more so, speak no local languages. They should also send continuous reminders to contractors and factory operators of the serious consequence if they are found with illegal workers.”
“I would also like to request the Minister to look into the existing $800 ceiling for anyone who is qualified to seek help from the Legal Aid Department. For example, a wife with two or three kids and earning around $1,000 wants to seek legal aid for whatever reason will never be able to afford to engage a lawyer from the private practice. Nor can a breadwinner with a family earning the same amount and who encounter any legal problems do the same. They would have no option but to seek legal assistance from the Legal Aid Department. Therefore, I suggest that certain flexibilities be exercised to deal with these cases. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 4.40 pm”
“Sir, the Legal Aid Department is providing an invaluable service to those who cannot afford to seek help from the private lawyers. However, due to the educational background of those who seek assistance plus the fact that most speak only dialects or mother tongue, such as Malay and Tamil, sometimes there may be problems in communication between the officers and the clients. Although the Department does provide translators, but because legal cases often involve legal terminology, many have complained that they could not quite follow what has transpired between the various parties involved, especially when they receive official letters in English. Another common problem is that after they have received the court ruling, the officer involved often consider the case closed. However, there may be follow-up action to be taken. For example, a divorcee may have problems in collecting the maintenance or receiving the proceeds after the common property has been sold. They are often at a loss as to what to do as they would be told that as far as the Legal Aid Department is concerned, they have obtained the court ruling and the case is considered closed. I would therefore like to request the Minister to look into these two problems, and perhaps assign more bilingual lawyers to the Department and alert the translators to be more patient and take greater care in explaining every detail to the users. As for follow-up action, the officers can explain to those who seek their help that they will be attended to even after the court ruling and that they will be provided with continuous assistance should they encounter any further problems.”
“We have to ensure that in coping with the inevitable crisis in our economy during the next few years, we must do everything we can to keep the infrastructure in all our businesses, manufacturing and professional sectors intact. It has taken us the last 20 to 30 years to build up this infrastructure and much has been invested in time and money to build up the hardware and software as well as to develop to the fullest the human resources. If we allow it to disintegrate, the implication can be extremely negative. Not only all this talk about the advantages we have over our neighbours in being able to jump start our economy when the region's economies recover will be neutralised, but our achievements in the past three decades may be just mere history and our vision for the future may never be a reality. Therefore, it is essential for the Government to act now to induce greater confidence into the already depressed business climate. Much more can and should be done in terms of tax reduction, rebates or any measure to reduce the cost of doing business. We must help to lift the sentiment and restore confidence in the market. We must position ourselves as a strong economic force to ride the wave of recovery. Otherwise, we will have to join our neighbouring countries to struggle to rebuild our economy long after this crisis is over. I have full confidence that, with sound and decisive Government action and our resilient population, we will be able to ride through this storm. All we need is for the Minister to provide some high octane fuel to keep our economic engine running.”
“Some have gone into restructuring where they combine retrenchment and overall pay reduction in the hope that they can preserve as much as possible the existing organisation structure. Although this is a move in the right direction, how long and to what extent they can last remain a very pessimistic question. Although it should be the Government's responsibility to ensure the success of private enterprises, in times of very unusual crisis like this one we are confronted with, the Government can be instrumental in assisting them to survive through this difficult period. It is not a question of propping up the interest of a few individuals but rather how to ensure our long-term national interest can be safeguarded. For example, if the Government introduces measures to stabilise the property market, it should never be seen as an act of helping a handful of developers. Their individual survival is inconsequential, but for the reason that a complete collapse in the property market will not only affect nearly 90% of our people who are home-owners and the implication of such fall-out will also have a very serious negative domino effect on our economy. One only has to look at what is happening in the property market in Indonesia and Thailand to realise the serious consequences. We have always taken comfort in the fact that we have built a strong foundation in Singapore through having good governance, developed a world-class infrastructure and cultivated a highly educated and skilful workforce. This is the reason why we have achieved phenomenal economic success in the last decade. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to preserve this irreplaceable asset, be it in the private or public sector.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is always difficult to be the last speaker on such a well-responded debate, with so many eloquent and capable speakers before me. Every aspect of the Budget is covered in such great depth and detail. Nevertheless, being from the private sector, I have to join in with those Members who appeal to the Minister for more speedy and positive response to the current economic turmoil. The tax incentives given to the financial sector are most generous but will only yield results in the long term basis. The business sector needs more immediate stimulation. There is a Chinese saying, "Yuan shui bu neng jiu jin huo" [ ] - roughly translated, "Distance water cannot fight close fire". Sir, I am alarmed at how fast and unpredictable events have deteriorated during the mere one week after the Minister has introduced the Budget. Conflicts have surfaced between the Indonesian government and the IMF. The possibility of IMF withdrawing its rescue programme is very real. The rupiah has plunged to more than 12,000. The whole region's currency and equity market is going into another tailspin. In Singapore, our banks' profits drop sharply and the international investment services have lowered the ratings of our top six traditional solid banks, from stable to negative. Corporate results released are disappointing. And the likelihood of us going into a recession in all probability may become a reality. In the building industry which I have very close contact with, the situation is far from stable. Some construction companies are already in danger of going into liquidation and have assigned their existing work for others to carry on. Most of the consultancy firms in this industry are actually engaging in retrenchment exercise.”
“These are buildings that will have a great number of people gathering in them at some time or another. Therefore, the provision of CD shelters would be of utmost importance. Secondly, although a lot of existing buildings such as MRT stations and community centres and, I believe, certain underground car parks are already provided with CD shelters, I wonder how many Singaporeans really know that such CD shelters exist. For example, in our community centres, most of our CD shelters are being used for various purposes such as gymnasium, senior citizens' corner, conference room, etc, as they should be, because it is important for us to maximise the use of all built-up areas and not leave them idle to serve a purpose which hopefully would never be required. However, it is obvious that all Singaporeans must be aware of the existence as well as the location of such CD shelters. I would suggest that locations of these shelters be made known to all Singaporeans through wider publicity and the provision of clear directional signs. It can be similar to those provided for MRT stations, community centres or some important public buildings. I think it would also benefit everyone if a logo could be popularised to denote such a shelter. Thirdly, since developers already have to bear additional costs to construct these shelters in their developments, although I do not think any of them would object to such a provision, I would suggest that the area occupied by these shelters should not be included in the gross floor area (GFA) of the development so as not to lessen the buildable area which they are entitled to by the given plot ratio.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill. It is always very difficult to appreciate, especially in peacetime, why we put so much emphasis on the defence of our nation for any eventuality of war. Even in this House, questions have always been asked by Opposition Members as to why we are spending so much on defence and why we require our National Servicemen to undergo such intensive training. But we live in a very unpredictable world and anything can flare up at the snap of a finger. Therefore, it is prudent to always expect the unexpected and never be caught unprepared. The security of our nation not only requires the ever preparedness of our SAF, every Singaporean has to share the responsibility of ensuring our nation's stability and safeguarding the life of our people. The proposed Bill to require various premises to be provided with CD shelters is definitely one of the necessary measures that has to be taken. It will not only provide the physical protection to our people in times of war or civil commotion, it will also give everyone a sense of security now that there are safe places to take refuge in times of need. However, I would like to comment on three areas where I hope the Minister can respond. Firstly, this Bill covers new houses and flats and new buildings which are subdivided into flats to be provided with CD shelters. It also empowers the Commissioner of the Civil Defence Force to require CD shelters to be provided by new buildings or buildings owned by statutory boards. But what about commercial buildings such as shopping centres, offices and entertainment complexes, and also educational buildings such as schools, tertiary institutions or any such civic buildings? Are they not required to provide the necessary CD shelters?”
“It was found that India and Indonesia have the highest number of cases, and 70% of those who brought the disease into Singapore are foreigners. Is there any way to minimize these cases being brought into Singapore? And since it did not mention the number of malaria cases originated from Singapore, can the Minister enlighten us on the status of the local malaria cases and how serious it is?”
“For example, recycled paper costs more than ordinary paper now. But we should not be so shortsighted and look at everything in terms of cost. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister whether his Ministry has any programme to encourage more extensive recycling, so that we can make recycling part and parcel of our daily life. Sir, my second topic is on vector control. Being in the tropics, it is difficult for us to completely eradicate the problem of mosquitoes. Apart from being a nuisance, mosquitoes also bring deadly diseases like dengue and malaria. Our Ministry of the Environment has been extremely vigilant in keeping vector cases under control. Stringent measures have been taken against those found to be breeding mosquitoes, whether in commercial sites or domestic homes. However, there will always be an outbreak of such cases from time to time and the statistics for these outbreaks fluctuate. I would like to know, apart from the constant inspections and monitoring of the situation, what steps the Ministry of the Environment has taken to further suppress the occurrences of these deadly outbreaks, especially taking a long-term view and not just by stepping up actions whenever there is an outbreak? Is the Ministry satisfied that the frequent checks on households and commercial premises such as construction sites are adequate? Is there a necessity to further enhance the fines for those found to be breeding mosquitoes? I would like to take this opportunity to ask the Minister whether the Ministry has unravelled the mystery why the number of dengue cases is higher in the East Coast area. This is where I am staying. And what has been done to rectify this abnormality? Lastly, there was a recent report on imported malaria cases in Singapore.”
“Sir, we are used to confronting problems facing us in the short or medium term, but we are somehow reluctant to confront problems in the distant future, no matter how serious these problems are. More than any other country, Singapore being devoid of any natural resources, should realise the serious consequences we face when the resources in the world are being depleted so rapidly. It will only get worse when at the same time our population increases at such a mind-boggling speed and our insatiable desire to consume more and more of these precious resources. Once in a while, we hear the desperate cries for preservation of our forests, our minerals, our water and other essential resources, but these are mainly voices from some concerned environmentalists. Sometimes, it does draw some token response from world leaders. But it seems that it has never been an issue that warrants the serious attention that it deserves. It has always been recognised that recycling would help to preserve some of our precious resources. In Singapore, we did embark on some recycling programmes, but the question is: are we doing enough? It is commendable that the Ministry of the Environment is recycling our refuse as fuel to generate power and has also encouraged companies to engage in recycled used wood particles. Can the Ministry let us know how successful are these projects? Not too long ago, there were some efforts to promote the use of recycled paper, and I used to receive letters from Government departments using recycled paper. There were also attempts made to recycle unwanted cans, bottles and other recyclable materials. I remember there were some bins placed along Orchard Road for this purpose. Somehow this did not gather momentum. Perhaps it is because the cost of recycling is too high.”
“Sir, hawker centres are part of our lives. Apart from being unique in our local food scene, it is also a cheap and convenient source for tasty food for all Singaporeans. The privatisation of hawker stalls is in line with our Government policy of encouraging Singaporeans to own a stake in our country. Will the Minister inform us how his privatisation scheme is progressing? And is the Ministry monitoring those hawker centres which have been privatised, whether the standard of hygiene is being maintained and, more importantly, whether the price of cooked food has escalated? I would also like to urge the Minister to keep certain number of hawker stalls for rental and evenly distribute them throughout the island. This will not only enable the Ministry to maintain certain hygiene standards but also serve to stabilise cooked food prices. This is important since more and more husbands and wives are now in the workforce and hawker centres serve as the only place for them to eat economically without having to cook at home. I would also like to know what plan has been made for the relocation of Newton Hawker Centre. Can the Ministry consider retaining some of these well established hawker centres? Because there are so few left in Singapore, and when these hawker centres are relocated, somehow their characteristics and flavour would be lost.”
“Sir, it is good to know that the trend of drug abuse cases is going down. But it is still a very serious problem and we have to eradicate it at all costs. The recent enhancement of punishment meted out to repeated drug abusers is a move in the right direction. Can the Minister let us know the result of this move? And would the Minister enlighten us on whether there is plan to further enhance this punishment should this be found to be effective? I am also concerned about the high number of hardcore addicts who have no apparent chance of being rehabilitated. I would like to know what is in store for them and how they are being dealt with.”
“Action has to be taken immediately before these gangs can take root and become as notorious as the secret societies of the past.”
“Sir, the ban on teenagers below the age of 16 entering premises that sell liquor has received very positive response from parents, especially in view of the increasing incidence of reports where youngsters got beaten up by gangs and the increase in cases of teenagers being arrested for rioting. However, I wonder how effective this measure would be to prevent our youths from joining gangs and creating trouble, as they can always find other places to engage in such illegal activities. In fact, the source for recruiting generally innocent youths into gangs often happens in places such as void decks, shopping malls, schools and other such public places. By the time they caused problems in these places, such as pubs and discos, the damage has already been done. In Singapore, very often both parents are working and are not able to spend sufficient time to monitor their children's activities. Once I was asked to give assistance to my constituents. Both husband and wife are professionals. They were shocked to discover that their son was arrested for rioting and being a member of a teenage gang. They have absolutely no prior knowledge of their son's activities. The son, being extremely timid, was intimidated into joining the gang by friends while hanging out in one of these areas. In the past, secret societies have effectively been wiped out. I am sure our Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is more than capable to do the same by tracking down the ring leaders of such youth gangs. Once these ring leaders are immobilised, all the so-called followers, most of whom are misguided youths and not hardcore criminals, would not be able to cause trouble on their own.”
“In some countries, I understand, issuing summons for illegal parking or minor traffic offences is being privatised, or they engage retirees to carry out this task. As for clerical and administrative duties, those who are engaged in the Police Force need not be from the uniformed group. They can be drawn from the civilian work force. This would mean that those who join the Police Force and have undergone vigorous training will be deployed only for active police duty, so as to maximise their effectiveness in the uniformed group.”
“Sir, I do not know why the NCMP always refers to Britain. Why do we always have to follow Britain? I think the British have their own problems. Thank you very much, we can manage ourselves. Sir, the latest announcement by the Ministry on the pay review of the Police Force is anxiously awaited. I hope it will be positive. It will no doubt help to boost the morale of the Force but, more importantly, it will attract more aspiring young Singaporeans to make law enforcement as their career. The Police Force has always placed human resource as its top priority. It constantly upgrades the skill of the officers and reorganises the Force, in order to be more effective and to keep up with the ever changing situation in crime fighting. The recent move to form Neighbourhood Police Centres, by integrating the NPPs would go a long way to enhance the effectiveness of our men in uniform. On this, I am more optimistic than my colleague, Mr Chng. However, no matter how one reorganises, the Force will always require more able and dedicated recruits and with the scarce human resource in Singapore and with so many sectors competing for so few, it will always be difficult to attract young, dedicated people to the Force. I would therefore like to suggest that since not all posts in the Police Force have to be trained so vigorously to serve as law enforcement officers, it would seem a waste to deploy all those who have undergone such training to serve in duties which do not require such discipline and skill. I am referring to those officers being deployed to tasks such as issuing parking summons for minor traffic offences, clerical or administrative duties.”
“One such example is that contact and working between official channels will invariably encounter a lot of red tape and bureaucracy and sometimes take a great deal of time as well as energy to come to a final agreement. Very often, a highly feasible project would become a non-starter. The private sector has the advantage of being more flexible and able to fully exploit the personal relationship - quanxi - to cut through this red tape and bureaucracy and therefore achieve better and faster results. The private sector will also be able to take more calculated risks. The worst that can happen is for our Government-linked companies and the private sector to harbour distrust for each other and view each other as competitors. The existence of such a negative mindset should be eradicated. I would therefore like to see better coordination and cooperation between the Government-linked companies and the private sector, especially in overseas ventures. They should share resources, information, and cooperate, where possible, and project themselves as a single unit. It has to be acknowledged that if the private sector's venture is successful, it will bring as much benefit to Singapore as the successful Government-linked company's venture. Because all the resources and the gains will be brought back to Singapore to strengthen our national economy. We have to always remember to turn our weakness into strengths. Our smallness can, therefore, be a plus factor as it lets us work as a more compact unit and move a lot quicker than others. But this also means we must be united. The Government-linked companies, the private sector and the Government should all work in unison. I support the motion.”
“I hope the Government will respond positively to their recommendations and take appropriate measures to help the business community to increase their competitiveness against our neighbouring countries. The Government's effort in building up our second wing economy in order to sustain our continuous economic growth is slowly showing positive results. The rationale of having this second wing economy is well recognised. The Government has taken the lead in opening markets in and around the region by making the necessary contacts to pave the way for Singaporean investors, manufacturers and entrepreneurs to venture into these areas. Projects such as the Suzhou and Bangalore Industrial Parks as well as numerous medium and small ones in other parts of China and Vietnam are some such examples. Many of these ventures are spearheaded by the Government-linked companies. The advantages of Government-linked companies are obvious with their strong financial backing and abundance of human resources and networking. The Government also encourages the private entrepreneurs to move into these places and explore all investment possibilities. It is important that the Government-linked companies and the private sector should work as one unit in order to maximise their combined efforts. Each sector must recognise its inherent strengths and weaknesses. While the Government provides the opening and the official connections, the Government-linked companies and the private sector can then concentrate on the implementation. But we must recognise the special characteristics in dealing with countries like China, Southeast Asia or the Indian sub-continent.”