Lau Teik Soon
Singapore
“So, in fact, you can have a situation where a new solicitor who has three years' practice can have one person who has not got three years' practice to be a partner, both of whom have of course not gone through the legal practice management course. I do not know whether or not that is desirable.”
“Sir, first, I would like to thank the Minister for his positive reply. May I ask the Minister that, in view of the unique structure of the food centre, his Ministry officials consult the Management Committee of the food centre with regard to the actual requirements concerning the roof?”
“Sir, in the event the Ministry concerned is not going to pull down the homes after full compensation has been paid and therefore the homes are left vacant, will the Ministry then consider allowing them to stay on at nominal rates? Because the homes are just being left vacant. Assoc. Prof.”
“And more than that, under the revised scheme in June 1996, owners of acquired shophouses who are doing business in the shophouse will also be entitled to ex-gratia payment. So I hope the Member will appreciate this.”
“Will the Minister review the situation in view of the fact that we are here discussing moneys which are rightfully that of the home owners and it is with a statutory board, not a commercial bank, and also that the home owners will return the money to the CPF after they have received the total compensation?”
“Sir, I agree with the Minister that if it is a charge by a commercial bank, the home owners will have no choice. But in view of the fact that this charge is by the CPF Board, which is a statutory board, and it is a matter of time that they will eventually return the moneys to the CPF Board, will the Minister reconsider his decision?”
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“Sir, I would like to clarify one point. This is with regard to the responsibilities of Immigration Officers. It is incorrect to say that they are all white-collar workers. There are Immigration Officers who have to brave the high seas to board the incoming vessels to check on illegal immigrants. There are Immigration Officers who are posted to Sultan Shoal and they have to do their job whatever the weather. They have to apprehend and detain illegal immigrants, some of whom are even armed. So their job is in a way not very different from the Police officers or the Prison warders.”
“I would like to urge the Minister to relax such regulations on permanent residents because their next-of-kin or members of their families are in Singapore. If they are deprived of their rights to reside here permanently, it will be a big setback to their families here.”
“Thirdly, they are unhappy with the salary scale which has not been revised for a number of years. I understand that at one time the salary scale of the Immigration Officer was superior to that of the Prison warder and the Police constable. But the position now is different. There have been revisions of the salaries of the Prison warders, Police constables and Assistant Narcotics Officers who were, in terms of entry qualifications into this post, comparable to those in the Immigration Department. But now their scale is inferior to these three categories that I have named. In view of the very important role that the Immigration Officers have to perform, it is essential that we have the officers committed to their jobs. I hope that the Minister will look into the matter and maybe recommend to his colleague, the Minister for Finance, to improve the working conditions of these Immigration Officers. Mr Ng Yeow Chong (Mountbatten)( In Mandarin): Sir, I heard the Member for Punggol saying that when a permanent resident makes a trip to Malaysia, and if he had not applied for a re-entry permit, then upon his return to Singapore his identity card will be detained by the Immigration Officer and instead given the white Special Pass. This is unfair because permanent residents would have already been residing here for quite some time. Those who go abroad by air or by ship, the tourist agency will tell them that they must get their re-entry permit at the Immigration Office before they leave the Republic. To these people there is no problem. However, for the thousands of people who go to Malaysia through the Causeway, they are ignorant of such formalities and regulations.”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on this subject. For effective enforcement and control in the Immigration Department, those at the ground, namely, the Immigration Officers must be committed to their jobs. Besides those in the headquarters, these Immigration Officers man seven immigration checkpoints. There are others who board vessels arriving in Singapore. These Immigration Officers must be committed to their jobs. They have a variety of responsibilities including checking travel documents, taking down details, issuing special passes and even detaining illegal immigrants. Hence the responsibilities of the Immigration Officers are very significant. Yet, Mr Speaker, Sir, I understand that the Immigration Officers, those in Division IV, are not happy with their working conditions and this, of course, undermines the effectiveness of enforcement and control in the Immigration Department. 5.45 p.m. There are a number of grievances and I would just name a few which have been brought to my attention. First, there is the problem of the distance that many Immigration Officers have to travel from their residence to the various checkpoints. I understand, and I have seen the figures, that they pay between 7-15% on bus fares; 7-15% out of their take home pay. This, of course, is a very considerable amount, considering the fact that they are poorly paid. Secondly, I understand there is the disparity of treatment between Immigration Officers at headquarters and those in the field, particularly those at the various checkpoints. Disparity of treatment in terms of promotion and recruitment into the elite force which is known as the Task Force. I understand that those recruited into the Task Force are almost assured of a promotion.”
“Point of clarification, Sir. It is not a request. It is to revert to the original bus service, which was there before the rationalisation.”
“Sir, may I just reiterate the point that I made with regard to the rationalisation of the bus service. I agree with the Senior Minister of State that it is not possible for the SBS to provide direct services from one place to every part of the city. But when I quoted the case of Serangoon Gardens, I was referring to a service that was already provided before the rationalisation of the bus service. What has happened is that as a result of this introduction of the feeder service, the direct service from Serangoon Gardens estate to High Street/North Bridge Road area was removed. This, of course, has caused great inconvenience for many who had used that particular service for a number of years. I am not asking for a new service. What I am saying is that in the process of rationalisation, what has already been in service should not be removed. An hon. Member: Correct!”
“For example, in Serangoon Gardens estate the previous fare for a journey from the estate to the Shenton Way area was 50 cents. With the introduction of the feeder service, an additional 10 cents has to be paid by each passenger. This should not be the case. Secondly, there should be frequent and regular feeder buses especially during the peak periods so that there is no loss of travelling time for the total journey. For example, in Serangoon Gardens estate the interval between one feeder bus and another is presently about 10 minutes. This should be reduced to every five minutes especially during the peak hours. Thirdly, the SBS should maintain or even increase the services to various parts of the island as a result of rationalisation. Again taking the case of Serangoon Gardens estate, before rationalisation there was a bus service from Serangoon Gardens to the High Street/North Bridge Road area. But with the rationalisation, this service was removed and this has caused great inconvenience to the residents of Serangoon Gardens estate. Finally, Sir, I would like to raise the question whether the SBS would become a private limited company and, if so, how this would improve the public transport system to the benefit of the commuting public.”
“Firstly, there should be no increase in the total fare for a journey, i.e. the charge of the feeder service plus the fare for the main journey should not exceed the original fare. An hon. Member: Hear, hear! Workers support it.”
“Sir, there has just been an increase in the Additional Registration Fee on private motor cars. This move is seen as a further deterrent against car ownership and congestion on the road. Singapore cannot be in a position like other cities where the roads are jammed up with cars and where commuting from one place to another is a real hazard. In fact, the achievements of the Government as a result of the Additional Registration Fee and the Area Licensing Scheme have made Singapore a model for other cities plagued by road congestion. The goal then is to curb the expansion of car ownership. However, the goal of limiting car ownership will be more meaningful if there is an alternative public transport system which is convenient and efficient. Unfortunately, Sir, the present alternatives, namely, the buses and the private taxis, do not meet these standards of convenience and efficiency. There is widespread dissatisfaction with these services. Something has to be done quickly to ameliorate the difficulties of the travelling public. I would like to hear from the Minister whether there is any comprehensive plan to provide an adequate, convenient and efficient public transport system for the people. For example, is the MRT system being considered and, if so, when is it likely to be implemented? In connection with the Singapore Bus Service, I would like to bring the Minister's attention to a matter which affects certain HDB and non-HDB housing estates. It concerns the rationalisation of the bus services. This process has involved the provision of a feeder service to and from the main terminal, and the re-routing and re-allocation of certain bus services. In the process of rationalisation, the Minister should ensure that the SBS takes the following points into consideration.”
“So I appeal to the Minister to withdraw his proposals to increase tax on telephone bills and to discontinue the tax remission for the maintenance of private gardens. 5.57 p.m.”
“Before I conclude, Mr Speaker, Sir, may I just comment on the increase in entertainment tax, tax increase on telephone bills and the removal of the garden tax remission. In the Budget debate last year, I called for increased taxes on certain entertainment establishments, especially the nightclubs. On this point, I would like to oppose the Minister's proposal to increase cinema duty. This move is grossly unfair to the majority of the people who are cinemagoers. On the other hand, I support the Minister's proposal to increase the tax on such establishments as nightclubs. In fact, he should consider a higher tax on such places, lest the present proposal may not be sufficient to deter our people, especially the youths, from patronising such places. Sir, presently, one out of six Singaporeans has a telephone and it has become not a luxury but a necessity to the majority of the people. Households having telephones are already paying Government tax and there is no reason to increase their burden by the additional tax. Then, on the garden tax, I cannot agree with the Minister's argument that since our objective of clean and green city state has been achieved, there is no longer any need for this remission for the maintenance of private gardens. Mr Speaker, Sir, just as there are disincentives for undesirable social practices like having big families, taking drugs, owning more than one car, there should be incentives to promote desirable ones. Maintaining a private garden is a desirable habit and should be encouraged. Moreover, it is not just a matter of maintaining a private garden; it is also the inculcation of values such as the appreciation of our natural environment and our clean and green areas.”
“The gradual implementation of the Agreement of Tariff Arrangements from August, 1977 among the Asean countries and the continuing interest in the promotion of the industrial projects, augur well for intra-regional trade and the industrial development of the Asean countries. I hope that the Asean governments will take advantage of the Japanese offer of financial assistance of US $1 billion for the industrial projects. Further, I call upon the Asean governments to provide incentives for the private sector to participate in these projects. The normalisation of relations between Asean and the Indo-China states will create peace and stability in the region, which is essential for the economic growth of every Southeast Asian state. Singapore's role will be crucial and pivotal in the promotion of economic cooperation and I hope that every effort will be made to support Asean economic cooperation and economic ties with the Indo-China states. The Asean countries should achieve progress in their economic relations with the OECD countries. Thus, every effort must be made to present a cohesive front in all negotiations between Asean governments and Japan, the United States, the EEC, Australia and New Zealand. As far as the Asean-US discussions are concerned, the Asean governments should urge the American public and the American Congress to reject President Carter's proposal to abolish the tax deferral for US companies abroad. It should be impressed upon the US government that such a move will be a backward step in Asean-US relations, and that it will retard the economic growth of the Asean countries which is vital for the peace and stability of the region.”
“These conflicts all occur in regions where the major powers have vital interests and hence, if they were to escalate, could lead to disaster for the rest of the world. It is hoped that with the statesmanship and leadership of the leaders in those states affected and the constraint of the major powers, these issues could be resolved. This in turn will promote a better international climate for trade and industrial development for both the developing and industrial states. In the OECD countries, especially in Western Europe, there are political and economic developments which may have implications for our relations with these states. The international recession, domestic unemployment especially among the youths, and the weakening American dollar may lead to radical changes in the political and economic systems of these countries. The intensity of industrial unrest, continuing inflation, the trend toward protectionism and the rising tide of Euro-communism may have unfortunate consequences for developing countries such as Singapore. Thus for example, the OECD countries may revise their system of Generalised System of Preferences in favour of restricting imports of manufactured products from developing countries. Thus, we have to be constantly alert to these events so that adjustments can be made to offset any reverses. Our prospects for growth are boosted by the encouraging developments within the region, in particular the economic cooperation among the Asean countries and the normalisation of relations between the Asean and Indo-China states.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion moved by the Minister for Finance on the financial policy for FY 78. Sir, despite the unfavourable international trends in 1977, Singapore achieved a growth rate of 7.8% which is higher than the 7% achieved in 1976. This growth was obtained together with an increase in external trade by 18%, expansion in international banking, relative price stability and a fall in unemployment to 3.9%. In this year's budget, to stimulate further growth in our industrial and trade development, the Minister has provided considerable incentives, like the Capital Assistance Scheme and the investment credit scheme, to the export-oriented manufacturers, the bankers and the foreign investors. Further, by the revision of the personal income tax structure, the Minister has provided rewards for higher skills, productivity and talents. Thus, it is hoped that with the various proposals, Singapore can advance and maintain its present growth rate. Sir, Singapore is a global city state and we need to be reminded of our inter-dependency with other countries, especially those on whom we look to for markets, capital investment and high technology. In this respect, we should be aware of the foreign and international developments which have implications for our economic growth. Certain political and economic crises persist in the international environment and our growth rate will be affected by whether they turn for the worse or the better. These international events involve the major powers, including the OECD countries. These seemingly insoluble issues include the Palestinian problem, the Jewish settlements in occupied territories, the Ethiopian-Somali War over the Ogaden desert and the future of South Africa.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Senior Minister of State consider making necessary adjustments if there are cases where public employees received salaries below what they should receive as a result of the consolidation exercise? Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have given the assurance at the beginning of my answer to the question that no such cases should exist. If, however, there are specific cases, I would appreciate the Member bringing it to my attention and they will get the necessary attention and adjustment if warranted. CHANGI VILLAGE (Tourist stopover point) 19. Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Finance (a) whether he will request the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board to arrange with tour agencies for more east coast tours to include Changi Village, as the present number of tours per month is inadequate to enhance the shopkeepers' business in the Housing and Development Board flats in the Village; and (b) whether he will request the STPB to arrange for some cultural performances in the park near the HDB flats as entertainment for tourists.”
“I would like the Minister's comments on a further remark on the part of William Shawcross, and I quote: 'There is speculation in Singapore that he (Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew) has decided to rid himself of an independent international press in the way he disposed of domestic press criticism.' May I ask the Hon. Minister what the proper role of the foreign correspondents should be and would he advise the foreign correspondents here.”
“It is coming up, Sir. We welcome foreign correspondents but we expect them to play a proper role, as the Hon. Minister has mentioned; they should be straightforward newspaper men. In this connection, may I quote -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to ask a supplementary question. When I asked the Hon. Minister whether foreign correspondents in Singapore have any role to play in the formation of our foreign policy, I implied that they really have no role at all, and I think the Minister's answer confirms that. However. I think we do welcome -”
“(9) That the sum to be allocated for Head W be reduced by $10 in respect of item (c) of subhead AAA 3020.”
“In view of what the Senior Minister of State has said, my only concern is that there have been considerable statements with reference to the person concerned. I shall specifically mention to him the name of the person, and I hope that the Senior Minister of State will seriously look into the matter. With that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood on the Order Paper Supplement -”
“Sir, may I have your permission to interrupt? I was not referring to her at all.”
“To many teachers, it stands not for "Deputy Director" but for other things. By his actions he seems to assume the image of overlord of the teaching profession. According to The Mentor, (Vol. 5. No. 3) the journal of the Singapore Teachers' Union, the D.D. has been quick in making suggestions to teachers on how they should perform their duties; suggestions included the following: teachers should take turns to go to school on Sundays, they should help pay school fees, they should buy their own textbooks, they should eat with their pupils during recess and teachers should be tested in their teaching subjects before their own pupils. Further, Sir, there have been considerable remarks in the teaching community that the D.D. delights in humiliating, harassing and, worse, intimidating teachers, especially primary school lady teachers. Sir, isolated or periodic rumours should be dismissed, but if they persist, there must be an element of truth in these statements. In my view, the key officials of the Directorate must show an example of good education and good character to say the least, and when the leading educationists demonstrate a lack of these qualities, then something is seriously amiss. Sir, I earnestly urge the Hon. Minister to examine the state of affairs in the Directorate and, if necessary, remedy the ills that have existed for the past few years.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. That the sum to be allocated for Head w be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead CAA 1101*. (* The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr J. F. Conceicao). Sir, in relation to the teaching profession, the role of the Directorate is most crucial. The responsibilities of the Directorate would include. I think, the following: to define the specific duties of primary and secondary school teachers, to suggest improvements in teaching methods and to create rapport between the educationists in the Ministry and the teachers in the schools. To undertake these responsibilities, I would expect that besides being able administrators, the top men in the Directorate should be persons with a wealth of teaching experience and persons with pleasant personalities who can communicate easily with the teachers and impart to them their profound knowledge on education. Sir, I am certain that there are many in the Ministry who have these qualities but there are one or two very senior officials who do not seem to possess them, and unfortunately, the latter seem to have an impact on the teaching profession. To be specific, Sir, there are one or two high officials who have been found wanting: they have shown by their deeds and words that they are incapable of making positive suggestions on how teaching could be an interesting and worthwhile profession. Instead, Sir, they seem to have made ridiculous suggestions and even humiliated certain teachers, and in the process, created an atmosphere of anxiety and loss of morale among the teachers. Sir, lest I be accused of generalising, let me give you an illustration. There is one senior official in the Directorate who has been referred to as the D.D.”
“Sir, there have been cases of martial art instructors who have been registered with MACU without the approval of the Federation of Controlling Bodies in consultation with the Singapore Sports Council. I shall personally bring these cases to his attention, and I hope he will consider them. In view of his explanation. I beg to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting - (11) That the sum to be allocated for Head V be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead BBA 8102 The Chairman: Mr Ng Kah Ting is not here. The sum of $152,438,440 for Head V ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $19,522,000 for Head V ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. 5.48 p.m. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] Head W -”
“Secondly, such a nonchalant attitude by MACU will only encourage the existence of more illegal martial art clubs. Thirdly, MACU should be the department of final authority as far as the control of martial arts is concerned, but the officials are simply evading that responsibility. Further, Sir, in view of the Government's sports-for-all policy, I would think that MACU should assist in facilitating the teaching of martial arts as widely as possible. Thus, I am surprised that MACU has not acted against those martial art clubs which are registered with the Registrar of Business Names. Sports should not be a profit-making venture and, therefore, business-oriented martial art clubs should be registered with the Registrar of Societies and not with the Registrar of Business Names. Sir, I am happy to note that for FY 77, for the first time, there is provision for the employment of permanent staff to man the Martial Arts Control Unit. This I hope will establish MACU as an effective unit. However, may I suggest that to assist the Controller of MACU, particularly on aspects pertaining to the martial arts, that an advisory Committee of Martial Arts Organizations be formed, comprising representatives from MACU, Singapore Sports Council and the national organizations. Such a committee can work immediately on defining more precisely the nature of various martial arts and expediting the approval of applications from trainees and coaches.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head V be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead LAA 1101. Sir, in March 1974 this House passed the Martial Arts Instruction Bill, 1974, and under section 32 of the Act the Controller of the Martial Arts Control Unit (MACU) is empowered to investigate any report of malpractices or irregular activities on the part of martial art clubs. Sad to say. Sir. MACU to-date seems to be a dormant department because their officials seem to be unable or unwilling to investigate and take necessary action against such illegal martial art clubs. Let me elaborate. Under the Act, only the controlling or national organizations of the various martial arts have the authority to grade students, and therefore, any grading exercise conducted by any martial art club would be illegal. However, Sir, there was the case of an illegal grading exercise reported by a national organization but MACU did nothing about it. This happened when the Singapore Taekwondo Federation brought to the attention of the MACU that a martial art club, viz, the American School Taekwondo Club, had graded their students without MACU or the Federation's approval. Sir, MACU ignored the complaint on the ground that the American School Taekwondo Club was not a registered club and, therefore, nothing could be done. This is just one example but there are other cases which received the same treatment. Sir, in my view this is simply ridiculous. In the first place, under section 5 of the Act, any martial art club which is not registered with MACU is an unlawful association, and yet MACU which is a department in the Ministry of Home Affairs states that it can do nothing about it!”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I seek clarification on a point? The Minister of State has mentioned that work permit holders who have worked for five years need not undertake the bond of sterilisation, Now, at the moment, as I understand it, there is rigidity in the calculation of the five-year period, i.e, the work permit holder must have served five years in one work-place. Would the Minister of State consider approving a work permit holder who has worked for five years, irrespective of whether or not he or she has worked in more than one work-place? I am not encouraging job-hopping, but merely to refer him to the plight of such work permit holders.”
“Sir, in view of the fact that the Senior Minister of State has preempted my comments and answered some of those questions that I would have raised, I do not wish to move my amendments, The sum of $26,125,650 for Head M ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. Head N -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister mentioned that in 1976 out of the number who failed to take the oath of allegiance, about 34 of them had reapplied. May we know from the Minister how many of these 34 who reapplied were successful, and whether there were any rejections, if so, on what grounds were they rejected?”
“0 * Numbers in Armed Forces, excluding reservists and para-military forces. Source: The International Institute for Strategic Studies. The Military Balance 1976-77, London, 1976. pp 79 and 81 Finally, Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope that the small tax increases on tobacco. cigarettes and intoxicating liquors will achieve the objective of discouraging the habitual smokers and drinkers from continuing these undesirable practices. To derive more revenue, I suggest the Minister should look into the possibility of imposing new or increased taxes on certain entertainment establishments, especially the nightclubs. Such an imposition will not only tax those who can pay, namely, the rich tourists, businessmen and executives on expense accounts but hopefully, it will also deter Singaporeans from frequenting such places. In conclusion, I would like to join my colleagues in the House in supporting the Motion standing in the name of the Minister for Finance. 5.26 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is noticed that the Defence Ministry has the highest allocation for the financial year 1977-78, and this may lead critics to question the need for such expenditure for defence I think the need for a viable defence system for the Republic is imperative in view of the uncertain political developments in the region, and the Government must shoulder the responsibility to maintain a level of defence sufficient to meet any eventuality. And as far as the expenditure is concerned, it is high in terms of per capita GNP, but it should be pointed out that, in terms of the absolute amount and the size of the military manpower, the Republic spends the least for defence and has the smallest military force in comparison with other countries including all the ASEAN states, This is evident if we examine the Tables# below showing the comparison of defence expenditures and military manpower of the ASEAN states for the years 1972 to 1976. In view of this fact, there should be no hesitation on anyone's part to support the expenditure for the Ministry of Defence. #The Tables read as follows Table I Comparisons of Defence Expenditures 1973 - 1976 (US$ millions) 1973 1974 1975 Total 1973-1975 1976 Indonesia 452 601 1108 2161 N.A. Malaysia 287 311 385 983 353 Philippines 172 312 407 891 410 Singapore 210 363 344 817 340 Thailand 358 430 542 1330 N.A. * Exclude foreign military assistance to Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand Table II Comparisons of Military Manpower 1972 -1976 (in thousands)* 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 Indonesia 317.0 322.0 270.0 266.0 246.0 Malaysia 50.5 56.0 66.2 61.1 62.3 Philippines 31.0 42.7 55.0 67.0 78.0 Singapore 17.1 20.6 21.7 30.0 31.0 Thailand 150.0 180.0 195.0 204.0 210.”
“In this connection, I welcome the ASEAN initiatives to hold separate discussions between the regional organisation and the United States, Japan and the EEC. The reality of economic life of ASEAN is the fact of interdependence between them and the industrial states. ASEAN depends on the industrial countries for capital. technology and equipment and the industrial countries depend on ASEAN for primary commodities and certain manufactured products. Besides consolidating trade with the industrial countries, ASEAN should explore other markets in other parts of the world, including West Asia, Latin America and South and East Asia. On this point, I would like to support the Minister's appeal to the manufacturers, traders, businessmen and if I may add, bankers, to devote more efforts to develop new markets for Singapore's products. Within the region, the recent initiative of the Government in concluding preferential tariff arrangements with the Philippines and Thailand should provide the impetus for the expansion of intra-ASEAN trade. According to the study mentioned above, the overall intra-regional trade in 1974 amounted to only 13% of the ASEAN total trade. I am certain that with the Singapore initiative and the move towards liberalising the present intra-ASEAN trade arrangements. Intra-ASEAN trade would improve, and this would benefit all the members of ASEAN. This would be in line with the ASEAN strategy to develop collective and national resilience to meet the problems confronting the states in ASEAN.”
“the two-tier price system may not hold but any compromise solution would be "somewhere in the middle" between the 10 plus 5% decreed by eleven of the OPEC members and the one time 5% raise imposed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Another complicating factor is the Arab-Israeli conflict and the commitment of the OPEC countries to provide assistance to the Arab confrontation states. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have mentioned these matters merely to reiterate the need for caution in our expectation of high economic growth. Our economic future is determined not only by the Government financial policy but also by the political, social and economic developments in the world at large. The Minister mentioned in his Budget Statement the "modest beginnings in ASEAN economic cooperation" and he gave the examples of the five ASEAN industrial projects and the Preferential Trading Arrangement. I am not quite certain what the stage of implementation of each of these projects is; nevertheless. I am in full support of all these efforts. However, there is one area of ASEAN activity which the Minister failed to mention, namely, ASEAN's economic relations with other countries, in particular the industrial states, namely, the U.S., Japan and the EEC. According to a recent study, the ASEAN countries in 1974 took up only 2.9% of the world trade: the ASEAN countries exported 83% of the world's natural rubber, 80% of its palm oil. 68% of its' tin and 67% of its copra and coconut products. In that year, 61 .9% of their total exports and 57.5% of their total imports were with the industrial countries. Thus, it would seem to me that there is scope for the expansion of trade between ASEAN and the world, and that there is need to consolidate and expand ASEAN's trade with the industrial states.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Finance concluded his Budget Statement with the remark, "The weather is getting fine and fair and our Ship of State is in good shape." I cannot agree more with him about the condition of our Ship of State but I am not as optimistic as he is with regard to the weather ahead. In fact, the Minister did hint of impending dark clouds in the horizon which could jeopardize his forecast, although he did not elaborate on them. But I think it is necessary to mention the problems and not just the prospects; and to point out the possible danger spots in the year ahead so that Singaporeans would not be caught unaware if a situation turns for the worse and a crisis develops. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister has indicated that the Republic is likely to achieve a growth in GNP of between 6 and 8%. In his calculation, I wonder whether certain factors have been taken into consideration. Our economic growth is tied very closely to the performance of the OECD countries. Hence, it is in our interest to take note of a recent report in The Economist which states that, "there are reasons to suspect that prospects for the world economy are not as mildly rosy as the consensus predicts." The OECD countries are only likely to achieve growth rates of between 0 and 7%: Japan 7%, U.S. 4 1/2 - 5 1/2%, Germany 2 1/4 - 5 1/2%, France 4%, Britain 1 1/2% and Italy 0%. And even these expected performances have to be measured against the effects of certain events, including growing unemployment in Western Europe, continuing high inflation, economic strain between the EEC and Japan. slowdown in the oversea investments and the most severe winter in the history of the U.S. Further, there is the prospect of another increase in the oil price. According to the President of OPEC.”
“Secondly, there is presently very little historical content in Education for Living and children leave primary schools without any understanding of national history, especially of the critical periods that Singapore experienced since World War II. Without such awareness, how are they to understand the implications of certain of their actions or the dangers of communist infiltration and subversion? I suggest therefore that the Ministry of Education considers the extension of Education for Living to the secondary schools and that the historical development of Singapore, in particular. the periods of crises and hardships be included in the curriculum. Education for Living with History should be taught as a compulsory subject in the secondary schools. Finally, Mr Speaker, Sir, it is very clear from the President's Address and in the Addendum on the various Ministries that Singapore faces uncertain economic and political conditions ahead. It is evident that all Singaporeans must make the necessary sacrifices for the sake of the country. It is axiomatic, therefore, that we are constantly guided by this precept, which has been stressed by the President. `From each his best, to each his worth'.”
“I think this is very necessary because we need to learn the science and technology of the West and to broaden our industrial base. However, in view of the security threat and the susceptibility of our youths to the pernicious values of the West and the persuasions of the New Left, the Ministry of Education should focus on these aspects of education, namely, the education of youths to maintain and develop their traditional values and, more important, to understand the crises and hardships that Singapore went through and to recognise the security threat that faces Singapore. Then they will be better geared to counteract the massive and persuasive influences of the West and the New Left. The Addendum on the Ministry of Education states that the aim of the subject. Education for Living, is to inculcate social discipline and national identity and to imbue in pupils moral and civic values. I think this is a commendable effort, but I would suggest two modifications. Firstly, it is my belief that the target group that needs moral and civic education is the secondary and pre-University students. Presently. Education for Living is being taught to children from six to eleven years, which is the age group that needs it less because they are young enough to listen to and follow the instructions of their parents and they have less opportunities to socialise out of their school or family environments. This is the reverse in the case of the adolescents who are beginning to become independent of their parents and, more important, who are beginning to be exposed to western values through the advertisements, the cinemas and other information media. At this stage too, the values that were taught in the Education for Living lessons in the primary school could well have been forgotten.”
“The electorate in the recent elections have voted for the retention of the Internal Security Act which empowers the Government to detain the subversive, anti-national and disloyal elements without going through the process of a public trial. Our people recognize that such anti-national elements are merely tools of the communists and that they are a threat to the political stability of the country and their means of livelihood. Hence, they deserve to be detained. Further, I suggest that these anti-national elements be deprived of certain rights and privileges, such as housing and medical facilities which are enjoyed by our law-abiding citizens. Mr Speaker, Sir, policies in one Ministry cannot be isolated from policies in another Ministry, especially when they affect national security. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may implement policies designed to prevent interference in our internal affairs, the Ministry of Defence may move towards total involvement of all men and women in our defence, and the Ministry of Home Affairs may prevent continuing subversion of our youths. Such policies will achieve greater effectiveness if our men and women are convinced of the need for them. Mr Speaker, Sir, the President's Address mentions that there are the small misguided groups who fall prey to the Marxists, Trotskyites or the New Left. The Addendum on the Prime Minister's Office states that the young have only faint memories of the crises and hardships of the last 20 years and this can be a source of weakness in terms of their ability to meet the challenges ahead. The Addendum on the Ministry of Education mentions that greater emphasis will be placed on bilingual education and on technical education.”
“I hope the Ministry of Defence will review the training of volunteers in the People's Defence Force and to expand this unit which is especially useful. For where else can adults volunteer for military service in times of crises except in the People's Defence Force? If these suggestions are taken, it will be a move towards near total involvement of every man and woman in the defence of our Republic. Mr Speaker, Sir, bearing in mind the uncertainties of the future, it is absolutely necessary to maintain political stability and guard against the forces, of violence and chaos. It saddens me to note that there are some among us who are susceptible to the propaganda and persuasion of the communists. For example, they become members of the communist united front and support the strategy of the Euro-communists. They are naive to believe that the Euro-communists are different from Asian communists; they forget that the latter had formed united fronts or coalition governments with non-communist parties but subsequently when they achieved power, they exerted totalitarian rule and removed all opposition. Those Singaporeans who support the united front commit the highest form of treachery against the nation. It is unforgiveable that they should lend support to those who seek to destroy the very society that has brought benefits to them. Such disloyal elements deserve the severest form of punishment. The Addendum on the Ministry of Home Affairs mentions that the Ministry will continue to seek out and destroy communist underground organisations and it will neutralize those whom the communists use as united front leaders.”
“The ultimate objective of the CPM is the overthrow of the constitutionally elected government, and their means of achieving this are through armed violence, infiltration and subversion. The struggle against the CPM and their front organizations is a continuous one because the CPM will never give up their objective to overthrow the government. Hence, all loyal citizens must do their part to prevent the communists and their united front from seizing power or subverting the people. The recent General Elections in December 1976 have shown that there is overall acceptance of national service and the need for everyone to be involved in the defence of the country. And it is this sense of involvement that should govern our national service policy. In this connection. I support whole-heartedly the suggestion contained in the Addendum on the Ministry of Defence that national service be extended to women, for a start, on a selective basis to fill up non-combat posts. It is good that our women have a greater opportunity to play a role in the defence of our country. However, may I suggest that two other possibilities be considered to ensure adequate manpower and to economise defence expenditure. Firstly, is it not possible to fill the non-combat posts by calling up those who have been exempted or deferred on some minor medical or financial grounds? From their year of exemption or deferment, many of them in these categories should have improved their physical and financial conditions sufficiently enough to take on their responsibility which their colleagues had shouldered earlier. Secondly, is it not possible to call up those in the volunteer force to perform certain security duties and thereby release the full-time national servicemen or regulars for other roles? On this point.”
“At the same time, we seek to avoid actions which can bring about the dominance of the region by a single great power. In the region, we seek to cooperate with our ASEAN neighbours and to effectively implement economic cooperation in accordance with the agreement reached at the Bali Summit. I firmly support all these policies. Moreover, what strikes me as a forward and bold statement is the view expressed in the Addendum that regional cooperation should not merely stop at ASEAN. Within the region, there are other states which are not members of ASEAN. Differing political and social systems can coexist and cooperate for their mutual interests. Presently there are difficulties between countries in the region, which must be prevented from escalating into open warfare. Some ways must be found so that consultations can begin among the concerned parties. I hope that the Government will endeavour to encourage the other Southeast Asian governments to cooperate in social and economic matters on a bilateral basis, and possibly, hold joint discussions on issues that affect the peace and security of Southeast Asia. I suggest that the idea of a Southeast Asian Forum be considered and hopefully convened so that all Southeast Asian governments can not only discuss matters of mutual interest but also reaffirm the general principles of peaceful coexistence. If mutual fears and suspicions can be removed through this exercise, then it would have been worthwhile indeed. Mr Speaker, Sir, Singaporeans must constantly be aware of the threat to our national security. The President's Address mentions that the specific threat to the Republic is the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM).”
“Mr Speaker, Sir,I rise to support most firmly the Motion of Thanks moved by the Member for Ulu Pandan. The President in his Address has rightly emphasised that the Republic's economic and security prospects are dependent upon, among other factors, the developments and changes occurring in the international environment. Significant events are taking place in great power relationships and their policies towards various states, and these have profound implications on our national security and economic development. For example, the withdrawal of the United States from the region and the American efforts to establish official relations with Vietnam will have impact on our foreign and defence policies and on our economic relations with countries in Southeast Asia. We have, therefore, to be constantly aware of the political realities in the world and accordingly respond to them so that our national security and economic development can be maintained. The Government, under able and dynamic leadership, has pursued imaginative policies and tough measures which have been tested and in the main proven to be the most appropriate in ensuring our national security and economic growth. Such policies have been explained in the Addenda on the various Ministries to the President's Address. It is my contention that it is upon these policies that the Republic will progress and prosper in the years ahead. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Addendum on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clearly reiterated the sound and effective policy of the Government in the Republic's relations with other countries. In our contacts with the major powers, our policy is to remain non-involved in their conflicts.”