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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“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill standing in the name of the Minister for Communications. The Bill seeks to transfer the responsibility concerning the testing and licensing of drivers and driving instructors to the Minister for Home Affairs. In this connection, I would like to raise with the Hon. Minister a number of questions. First, I would like to ask the Hon. Minister whether the Ministry of Home Affairs has the manpower to take on this added responsibility. Or is it the decision that the ROV officers responsible for the testing and licensing of drivers and driving instructors be transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs? Mr Speaker, Sir, the Hon. Minister mentioned the Japanese system of reward and punishment. I would like to seek clarification whether, in introducing this amendment, there is not also a system of reward for drivers and driving instructors and not just one of punishment. The purpose of the amendment is to achieve the integration of both regulation and enforcement, hopefully to reduce road accidents in Singapore. May I know from the Hon. Minister the number of road accidents including fatalities over the past few years?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek the Hon. Minister's clarification with regard to the new proposal as to whether it is a Singapore initiative or whether it is an ASEAN proposal? If it is the letter, what caused the initial difficulty between Singapore and the Indonesian governments?”
“Sir, the Hon. Minister mentioned the proposal for a comprehensive political settlement. Would the Minister comment on the prospects for the implementation of the comprehensive political settlement?”
“Sir, I thank the Hon. Minister for Culture for his reply, and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $19,003,810 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $20,422,100 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.”
“Specifically, I would like the Minister to inform the House the selection process of the various oral history projects, the themes to be chosen, the persons to be selected, and whether or not there exists a committee to advise the Director of the Oral History Project on the selection of themes and persons. 4.30 p.m. The quality of work which will emerge will depend very much on the quality of the personnel staffing the Oral History Unit. May I ask the Hon. Minister whether the interviewers and others involved in the projects are professionally-trained in oral history methodology and, if they are not, whether there is a scheme to train such persons abroad. Finally, Sir, the compilation of the oral history project will go to waste if it is not eventually used for the benefit of the public. For maximum benefit, the documents accumulated should be made available. What I would like to ask the Hon. Minister is to inform the House of the guidelines or stipulations concerning the release of such documents, and whether the Unit will undertake the publication of these documents for the information of the public.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead JF-03 of the Main Estimates. Sir, the allocation for the Oral History Unit for Fiscal Year 1981 is $474,310 and this is an increase of 82.1% over the estimate for FY 80. Hon. Members will agree that this is a hefty increase for the Oral History Unit, but, even so, I think more should be done in terms of finance and manpower to develop this very important unit within the Ministry of Culture. The stated purpose of the Oral History Unit is, among other things, "to document and record the past from living memory for future reference." Sir, I have stated before that a sense of history and awareness of the past are essential towards the formulation of our national identity. Who are we if we do not know our roots? Who are we if we do not know the sacrifices and the contributions of the early immigrants who built Singapore? Many of us, particularly the younger Singaporeans, are not aware of those who built Singapore in the early years. I have stated earlier, with regret, that the Ministry of Education has neglected the study of History in the schools. Maybe the Oral History Unit can fulfil the requirements which have been omitted by the Ministry of Education. Oral History is first-hand information, the revelations of the men and women who have contributed to the development of Singapore. What I would like to ask the Hon. Minister is to inform the House whether the finance and manpower allocated would be sufficient to develop the oral history project.”
“Sir, I agree with the Senior Minister of State for Culture that national culture is not something that can be produced out of a factory. It has to evolve naturally. But I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State the name of the factory which is producing the community dances.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Hon. Minister has mentioned two basic criteria regarding censor- ship. First, films relating to violence and the other films relating to sex. May I ask the Hon. Minister whether politically sensitive films as well as those which are culturally or religiously sensitive films are also censored?”
“Sir, I am sure Members of the House are pleased to learn that we have achieved diplomatic successes on the three fronts: the United Nations Resolution, the question of economic cooperation among ASEAN countries and the Non-aligned Movement. I hope that the Hon. Minister in his discussion with the United Nations' representative will impress on him the urgency to convene an international conference as soon as possible so as to resolve the Kampuchean problem. On that note, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn.”
“Over the past years, ASEAN has developed into a strong, cohesive and united organization, particularly when the members are confronted with international crises or when they negotiate with external powers. But I am afraid that, in the course of ASEAN development over the years, Singapore and the other governments may have forgotten the original rationale for the formation of this regional organization, that is, to promote economic cooperation. I would, therefore, like the Minister to express his view on the state of economic cooperation in ASEAN and his view as to the prospect of the organization becoming an economic body in the near future. 6.45 p.m. Finally, Sir, I would like to touch on the non-aligned movement. We have seen how the non-aligned movement has been subjected to the manipulation of members who favour the Soviet Union. If this continues and the non-aligned movement becomes a vehicle for the expression of Soviet interests, I see no purpose in Singapore continuing to be a member of this organization, I would like the Hon. Minister to comment on the tendency on the part of the non-aligned body favouring Soviet policies, and what is his view with regard to the state of the organization.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head O be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead OA-01 of the Main Estimates. Sir, our continued economic growth is dependent upon internal and external factors. Among the external factors which are crucial to us is the peace and stability of South-east Asia. The House has heard very little about the prospects of peace and stability in Southeast Asia, and hence I would like the Hon. Minister to comment on some issues which affect the peace and stability of the region. The most complex problem facing Singapore and the ASEAN countries is the Kampuchean problem. Together with the ASEAN neighbours, we have succeeded so far in getting the large majority of the inter- national community to support the ASEAN resolution at the United Nations, particularly to oppose the Vietnamese occupation of Kampuchea. But it has now been more than two years since the Vietnamese troops marched into Kampuchea and installed the Heng Samrin puppet regime. The Vietnamese have continued to occupy Kampuchea and only just recently the Heng Samrin regime has held its first general elections. The danger of a long delay in the implementation of the ASEAN resolution is that the international community may lose interest in the issue and consequently withhold their support for the ASEAN position. If this were to happen, the Vietnamese occupation may become a permanent feature. I would, therefore, like the Hon. Minister to inform the House whether he is satisfied with the progress concerning the implementation of the ASEAN resolution. What is his view of the prospect of a continued or better support for the ASEAN resolution in the near future? Another issue I would like to raise with the Minister concerns the regional organization, that is, ASEAN.”
“Sir, unlike the Member for Punggol, I am not satisfied with the answer of the Minister with regard to the MRT system. This year, as he has stated, about $7 million will be utilized for a comprehensive survey. I expect that for the next two years or so more money will have to be requested for further comprehensive studies. He stated that these were all preparatory work. In the event the decision is positive we will go ahead with the MRT. But if the decision is otherwise, it means therefore a loss of all these millions of dollars. So the question really is, can the Minister inform the House whether a decision will be made in, say, a year's time, two years' time or three years' time? One reason given for the postponement of the decision is that in the future a breakthrough in technology may reduce relatively the cost of implementing the MRT. I would like to ask the Hon. Minister what is the basis of the expectation that there will be a major breakthrough in the system, and whether in fact there will be relative savings in the cost?”
“Minister to inform the House when and how soon it is possible to come to a firm decision as far as the MRT is concerned. May I, with your permission, Sir, deal with the recent increase in bus fares. I agree with what the Member for Punggol has just stated. I think the way in which the Hon. Minister has informed the public of future price increase is in my view akin to a slow-torture. The Minister has informed the public that there will be future increases in bus fares and they will come at, maybe, regular intervals. I wonder whether it would not be better to think in terms of a reasonable increase in bus fares on a longer-term basis than to advise the public that the price increases would be forthcoming at more or less regular intervals.”
“Sir, I would just like to add another voice of dissatisfaction with the way the Government has been procrastinating as far as the MRT system is concerned. I get the feeling that there is a consensus of view that the MRT is desirable and that it is even feasible to implement. The Hon. Minister has on many occasions stated that it is all a question of costs. But if there is a consensus that the MRT is desirable and feasible, then implementing the system at a future date will only mean a greater escalation of costs. I think that it would be advisable, therefore, to think in terms of implementing the MRT system as soon as possible. The hon. Member for Punggol has already mentioned the considerable sums of money that have been expended on feasibility studies. I think it is time that a decision was made. What I would like to ask the Hon. Minister is whether, in this case as in other cases which we have heard in the House concerning other Ministries, there is a conflict of viewpoints between either the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communications, or whether there is a conflict of viewpoints between Ministers. What is the real reason for the procrastination? This indecisiveness on the part of Government is untypical of the way in which Government has gone about formulating and implementing policies. 2.45 p.m. It could be that the Hon. Minister has to look at an option thrusted upon him, the all-bus system. I recall an answer he gave in this House that even if the all-bus system were to be implemented, it would be viable up to the 1990s. If that is the case, then the period after that would require another consideration of a more viable transport system, which means the question of MRT once again. I would like the Hon.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, when I moved this amendment concerning the supplementary role of the Marine Police, I did not realize that the House would be treated to so many revelations. We now know that the Hon. Minister and the Member for Punggol are fishermen, and being fishermen they must be very patient. They have their differences and I hope that both of them will now decide to solve their problems at sea and that they go out fishing together in the same boat. Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. 4.15 p.m.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head Q be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead QC-03 of the Main Estimates. Sir, we have just heard a very interesting exchange between the Hon. Minister and Backbenchers about policemen who work on land. I would like now to deal with an issue concerning policemen who are at sea, or the Marine Police. Members of the Marine Police, of course, play a vital role in ensuring our security and safeguarding our territorial waters. It would seem that the Force has done well in pursuing those objectives. The Marine Police is a vital component of our defence system. So I hope that members of the Force are being provided with up to-date equipment so that they can perform their functions effectively. An indication of their effectiveness would be to inform Members of this House of the number of cases of illegal immigrants and contraband smugglers who have been encountered by the Marine Police. From the figures given, it would not be possible to estimate the number of other cases of illegal immigrants and contraband smugglers who have managed to slip the net of the Marine Police. In that respect I would be interested to know what measures the Ministry is contemplating taking to reduce the number of cases connected with illegal immigrants and contraband smugglers.”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Minister of State whether in other constituencies there are such CCC logos and signs constructed on exterior walls of community centres?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the request is for the CCC only and not for other community organizations”
“I would like that, but I know that it is not possible. May I ask the Senior Minister of State whether it is permissible to put up the logo of the CCC - of a small size - on the exterior wall of the building? The point he has made is that the building belongs to the PA. After 20 years of existence, I think Singaporeans know that the community centres belong to the PA. And having the CCC logo in the community centre will not detract Singaporeans from that belief in any way.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I must say that the Hon. Senior Minister of State has been most unfair to attribute to the CCC members the psychological reason for wanting to have the CCC logo on the building. Certainly, they do not have a sense of insecurity. The Hon. Senior Minister of State knows that some of the key leaders of the Serangoon Gardens CCC are professionals and successful businessmen. So how can they feel insecure? The question really is that the CCC members feel that having contributed so much towards the construction of the building, their request for the logo to be put up should be acceded to. I take the point that the sign should not be as prominent, should not be as big -”
“Prime Minister is whether or not some recognition could be given to the other community organizations which have contributed in the way of providing or raising funds for the construction of the building. 3.00 p.m. Specifically, a problem has arisen over the question of whether the CCC sign should be constructed or located at a prominent spot in the community centre. Here, I would like to appeal to the People's Association to adopt a more accommodative approach, be less selfish and less petty and allow the CCC to construct their sign on the exterior wall of the building. The objective of the People's Association has always been to promote good citizenship and I think the People's Association should show an example by demonstrating its goodwill to other community organizations.”
“Sir, the People's Association was established in the early 1960s with the major function of providing activities to mould our citizenship, and over the years, they have been very successful in organizing social, recreational and educational activities. Today, however, there are other community organizations, particularly the Residents' Committees, which are involved in the same task of moulding good citizenship and of providing social, recreational and cultural activities. Over and above these community organizations, there is the Citizens' Consultative Committee which is not only responsible for providing for the well-being of the physical environment but also participates in the activities of the Management Committee of the community centre as well as those of the RCs. What I would like to ask the Hon. Prime Minister is whether or not there is today a confusion as to the area of responsibility between the three major community organizations, namely, the CCCs, the CCMCs and the RCs. Aside from confusion, I also fear that conflict may arise because of competition for financial resources and manpower. I would like the Hon. Prime Minister to clarify this. In the effort to provide facilities for the community centres, the Citizens' Consultative Committees of the various constituencies have played a major role. In fact, in some constituencies, the CCC members form the bulk of the Building Fund Committee. I would like to cite, for example, the case of my constituency where practically all the members of the Building Fund Committee come from the CCC. What I would like to raise with the Hon.”
“Specifically, Sir, there are likely to be increases in cinema charges and bus fares. These will follow higher duties on entertainment and petrol. The issue of bus fare concession to senior citizens has already been well discussed in public, but I would like to suggest a concession in cinema charges for senior citizens. I hope the Minister will look into the possibility of providing such concessions and I am sure that if he is willing he can look for more concessions for the senior citizens elsewhere. 4.27 p.m.”
“The question I would like to raise is whether the Minister could give information concerning the various measures which the Government departments and statutory boards should implement to conserve energy. Maybe, this is the responsibility of the Ministry of National Development, which has established the Inter-Ministry Committee to study ways of the efficient use of power and encourage energy conservation in the public sector. Mr Speaker, Sir, needless to say, the various revenue and tax changes announced by the Minister have been well received by most Singaporeans. In the present economic situation, in which the industrial countries are suffering from recession, inflation and unemployment and in which the developing countries are facing serious problems related to their basic needs, these concessions have been very bold indeed. These concessions are but the result of the mutually satisfying relationship between Government and people, one which has seen the country through many difficult times and ensure the progress and prosperity of the people. I have, however, one complaint against the Minister and that is, he has not granted any concession to our senior citizens, including the pensioners. In his concluding remark, he stated, "For our society to remain durable, the old must take care of the young, and the young the old." Unfortunately, Sir, I regret that the Minister has not lived up to his words in the Budget statement. I cannot fully support his statement. In material terms, I am not sure that the old need to look after the young; in fact, I think the young know very well how to take care of themselves. But certainly, Sir, there is need, increasing need, for the young to take care of the old.”
“May I ask the Minister what assurances he can give to our manufacturers that higher tariffs and import quotas would not be imposed on these items in the future, when they become competitive against those of the industrial countries and threaten the employment of the industrial workers of these countries? The Ministry has attempted to assist our manufacturers to promote their exports by encouraging them to participate in overseas trade fairs, trade missions, and to establish promotional offices in overseas markets. But, again, they do not seem to have been very successful and, therefore, much more should be done to promote our exports. In this connection, I would like to know whether the Trade Development Advisory Committee has taken up seriously the suggestions of the private sector to improve the package of trade incentives. Mr Speaker, Sir, another matter I would like to raise with the Minister concerns the formulation of the energy policy, which is the responsibility of his Ministry. During the course of last year, the oil price was raised four times, to US$32 per barrel - the last price was 35% higher than the price in January. The tendency of OPEC to raise the oil price periodically and the political problems in the Gulf area, including the war between Iran and Iraq, are likely t6 push the oil price higher. It is, therefore, urgent for the Ministry to reduce our dependency on oil by conserving energy and diversifying our energy sources. In this connection, I am happy to note that the Ministry has set up the Inter-Ministry Coordinating Committee to ensure that policies on energy conservation are pursued in all sectors of the economy and that it is looking into the feasibility of coal to supplement oil to generate electricity.”
“The trade deficit must be a matter of considerable concern not only in terms of the ever-growing gap between the value of exports and imports, but also the difficulty of checking this tendency; it would seem that the various steps taken to promote exports have not been very successful. According to the Minister's forecast of uncertain economic and political problems in the world, the trade deficit is likely to grow larger in the 1980s. The recession, inflation and unemployment in the industrial countries and the world political problems, particularly in the Gulf area, will certainly aggravate the problems connected with international trade. Further, the Minister mentioned that the two contributory factors for the trade deficit in 1980 were, firstly, the increased cost of imported oil and, secondly, the larger import of machinery and equipment. Both these items - import of oil and machinery and equipment - are likely to increase, and this will further enlarge our trade imbalance. It would seem that various efforts on the part of the Ministry to improve the situation have not been very successful. I would like to ask the Minister what he proposes to do to narrow the trade gap. In particular, I am interested in the Ministry's efforts to improve our trade balance with our major trading partners, viz, Japan, the United States, the EEC, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. The Minister has suggested that a long-term solution to the problem would lie in the restructuring of our industries and the production of higher value-added commodities. In his view, such items would be less vulnerable to protectionism.”
“We have to preserve our multi-racial harmony, tolerance and understanding. We must preserve our diversity in our way of life. We must promote common areas of social and cultural activity. We need an awareness of our history, for without it, we cannot have an identity. We need to have a cooperative relationship between people and people, and between people and Government. There must be a role for all in the kind of society we want. Towards the formulation and implementation of the Social-Cultural Development Plan in order to fulfil the social and cultural goals and thereby enhance our quality of life, the Government should involve the various community organizations like the Citizens' Consultative Committees, the Community Centre Management Committees, the Residents' Committees, the communal and cultural groups, the leading personalities in our literary circles and performing arts, the mass media and other individuals. It should be an involvement of as many Singaporeans as possible so that this kind of society envisaged in the Social-Cultural Development Plan has the support of all, if not most, Singaporeans. Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a debate on the Budget statement and economic policy of the Government and so, to be relevant, I shall deal with a few points concerning them. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have two matters to raise with the Hon. Minister concerning his statement on Singapore's economy in 1980. I would like to question the Minister on the trade deficit which has been increasing year by year. In 1976, the trade deficit was $6.5 billion and in 1980 it was $9.9 billion. The trade deficit in 1980 was 34% above that of 1979 which was $7.4 billion.”
“This is all the more surprising because all our Ministers are aware that economic objectives must accompany social and cultural objectives which enhance the quality of life. The Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry himself has stated in the Budget, a quotation which has already been made by the Member who spoke just before me. 'Economic growth, desirable as it is, is not an end in itself. It is the means which enables us to forge the kind of society we want.' In my view, this is the motivating force as well as the final goal behind all these revenue and tax changes. Members who spoke before me have suggested various activities which can be organized to enhance the quality of our lives. I think it is time that the Government gave serious thought to this subject, a question which has already been raised: what kind of society do we want? Toward this end, may I humbly suggest that the decision-makers give as much time, energy, thought and resources to the formulation of a long-term plan for our social and cultural development, a plan which may be called "Singapore's Social-Cultural Development Plan for the Eighties." This plan must be formulated and implemented side by side with the Economic Plan. May I suggest that foremost among the goals of this Social-Cultural Development Plan could be the following: (a) real growth of the national identity; (b) physical expansion of the social and cultural facilities; (c) full development of the individual's potential and creativity; (d) lower crime rates, juvenile delinquency, drug addiction, etc.; and (e) healthy balance of Government censorship and individual freedom. Mr Speaker, Sir, we are a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural society.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Hon. Prime Minister in his reply to the Member for Mountbatten stated that the Government aspires to achieve certain values and goals of the Japanese society. For those of us who have been to international conferences, we are aware that Singapore has been referred to as either a newly industrializing society or a mini-Japan. This label has been given to us because of our success in industrialization, good rates of growth, high per capita income, full employment, and so on. Some of us may resent this label, others may not. Our Government wants us to learn from the Japanese certain positive aspects of their way of life - among these are good management-labour relations and their cultural values. But more than anything else, the Government wants to achieve the Japanese level of economic growth. Mr Speaker, Sir, on pages 10 and 11 of the document "Highlights of Singapore's Economic Development Plan for the Eighties", the targets for Singapore are stated as follows: (a) real GDP growth of 8-10% per annum to reach present Japanese per capita GNP by 1990. (b) productivity increase of 6-8% per annum. (c) full and better paid, higher skill employment. (d) lower than world inflation. (e) healthy balance of payment. The document states briefly the scenario of the 1980s, the strategies to be adopted and the resources required to fulfil these targets. It is hoped that by the 1990s, Singapore will be a highly industrialized and technological society, providing full employment, high wages and a better material life for all. There is, however, a major omission in that document, a point which has already been made by some Members who spoke before me, Mr Speaker, Sir, there is no mention at all of the social and cultural objectives of the Development Plan.”
“Sir, I would like to thank once again the Hon. Minister for his reply, and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Hon. Minister for his reply, but there is one further point of clarification that I would like to seek from him. This is in regard to the fund-raising activities of the community organisations and civic organisations that run homes for the aged. I understand there is a maximum imposed on the amount that can be raised for the provision of funds to run these homes. Can the Hon. Minister clarify this point? The difficulty for many of these organisations is that in budgeting for a particular year they have to decide the amount of funds to be raised, but this amount is limited to a certain percentage of their annual budget. They cannot raise beyond that amount. So they have made representations to me saying that they would prefer to raise an amount over and above the annual budget, preferably, say, for three years in a row, so that they do not have to hold frequent fund-raising activities.”
“The Government should give incentives for the charitable and civic organisations to provide such recreational and vocational facilities. Such incentives can be by way of grants or material assistance. I would like to seek the Hon. Minister's comments on the points I have made.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head W be reduced by $10 in respect of Object Group 1100 of Subhead Code WA-01 of the Main Estimates. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like the Hon. Minister to enlighten the House with regard to the Government policy concerning the provision of homes for the aged, taking into account the increasing number of old folks over the years. Presently, the Government has only the Woodlands Home and Woodstock Home for the Aged, while a good number of homes are being managed by charitable and civic organisations. With the increasing number of aged in the future, it is necessary for the Government to take on a greater role to provide more space for the aged who do not have anyone to depend on. The Government cannot expect the private sector, which is already carrying a heavy burden, to continue to provide a major share of the space that is needed. Many of the aged would have served the country in various capacities and the least the Government can do is to provide them with a roof over their heads. Of course, the Government should encourage more charitable and civic organisations to maintain and provide more space for the aged. In this connection, I would urge the Ministry to assist these organisations in the implementation of their plans to establish new homes. More than that, I hope the Hon. Minister will consider providing a grant to charitable and civic organisations to encourage them further to establish such homes. Besides the mere provision of space for the aged, the Government should consider providing certain basic amenities in these homes, including recreational facilities, vocational work and hobby-crafts. Then the residents can occupy their time with some work and leisure.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Hon. Minister for the many assurances he has given and for his detailed answers. I am sure all the Members who have spoken, maybe with the exception of the Member for Whampoa, would be happy with his reply. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn.”
“At the moment, there is no polyclinic or outpatient dispensary, and so residents have to travel all the way to Jalan Kayu outpatient clinic to be treated. There is no library located there; so a request has been made for the mobile library to make a visit there occasionally. There is no proper bus interchange, and this has resulted in long queues at the temporary bus terminal and congestion along a certain stretch of Avenue 3 in Ang Mo Kio. There are no traffic lights located at the main intersections, for example, between Avenue 3 and Avenue 8, and between Avenue 3 and Avenue 10. There is no sports complex located in this new town, so a temporary football field has to be located at a vacant piece of land. Even where certain facilities have been provided, for example, the traffic light system between Avenue 1 and Avenue 3, and between Avenue 1 and Avenue 8 and the bus shelters along Avenue 1. these have been provided only after representations have been made by the Citizens' Consultative Committees to the relevant authorities. Surely, if a coordinating committee exists, such problems would not have arisen. I hope the Hon. Minister will clarify this matter. Mr Speaker, Sir, in view of the prospect of higher prices for HDB flats and higher rentals, I hope the HDB would at least provide the basic services efficiently to the residents, particularly the maintenance of their flats and environment. Time and time again, Members of the House have come across complaints of cracked walls and ceilings, leaking pipes, clogged drains, dirty corridors, filthy lifts, and so on. One source of these problems is the inefficient system of supervision over contractors, who have been negligent in their duties. Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope the Hon. Minister will look into some of these problems.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head T be reduced by $10 in respect of Object Group 1100 of Subhead Code TA-01 of the Main Estimates. Mr Speaker, Sir, by the end of this decade more than 70% of our population will be resident in HDB new towns. Since such a large majority of Singaporeans have no choice but to live in HDB flats, it is my view that the Government has the responsibility to provide most of the necessary amenities of life to those residents in HDB new towns. Such amenities should be provided even before the residents move in so that the inconveniences and adjustments for the flat dwellers would be minimal. Thus, I would like to request the Hon. Minister to enlighten this House whether or not a coordinating committee comprising representatives from relevant Ministries and Departments exist which has, as its primary function, the planning and implementation of the various projects connected with the establishment of HDB new towns. Such amenities should include markets, shopping complexes, schools, polyclinics, traffic light system, bus interchange, entertainment and recreational facilities. Even if it is not possible to have all these ready by the time the residents begin to move in, it should be possible to have them completed when the majority of the residents have moved in. I raise this question because many Members of the House have brought the attention of the Hon. Minister to the numerous complaints of HDB flat dwellers concerning the lack of various amenities in various HDB estates. For example, take the case of Ang Mo Kio New Town, a considerable part of which comes under my constituency.”
“Minister and the Ministry would counsel the management of the newspapers here on matters like the issues that I have raised.”
“But, unfortunately, they have given Indonesian editors the wrong impression that all the spectators were for China. On the first day of this friendly match, China managed to draw with Indonesia. And the same reporter attributed the Chinese efforts in the following terms: 'And it was largely the strong vocal support that the local crowd lent to the Chinese that made this possible.' Sir, this is pure nonsense. China played according to their own ability - they did not need our support - and we should not claim credit for the Chinese efforts. But because of this statement, others have been left with the wrong impression. Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member for Anson has mentioned the relationship between politics and sports. Often politics and sports are sometimes inseparable. In the case that I have just mentioned, the reports of a friendly badminton match in the Straits Times and the Sunday Times have been construed by the Indonesian news editors as proof of the empathy of the Singaporeans for China and, conversely, the unfriendliness of Singaporeans towards the Indonesians. This conclusion, in my view, is of course unfounded. But can we blame the Indonesian editors, judging by the way in which the event has been reported in our press? What I would like to reiterate, therefore, is that newspaper editors in Singapore should be sensitive to issues which may have implications for the nation-building process and particularly for our image as Singaporeans. I hope that in the training programme for reporters, the management of newspapers (such as the Straits Times) would introduce a course which will deal with the subject of news presentation and its impact on sensitive national issues. Sir, I am not for total press control. But I hope the Hon.”
“The report of the Sunday Times, 9th March, 1980, on page 36 stated "Sensational Singapore" and "Great Wall of China crashes." The headlines are, of course, exaggerated. No doubt, the victory was a tremendous achievement, but I fail to see how the victory of Singapore over China in a football match has led to the crash of the Great Wall of China. Anyway, I am sure that the Chinese are unperturbed by the headlines. Then there was the friendly badminton match between China and Indonesia. The Sunday Times, of 24th February 1980, gave this headline, "'King' falls and Indonesia crumble." In this case, the headline is most unfortunate. The reporter was ignorant of the sensitivity of the event. 4.00 p.m. We are all aware that, for the Indonesians, badminton is a matter of national pride. The Indonesians are the unofficial world champions in badminton and Liem Swie King is the All-England champion. In the friendly match here, not only did Liem Swie King lose his match to the Chinese players but the Indonesians lost in the men's event. The report, unfortunately, rubbed salt into the wounds of the Indonesians, when it stated, after the Chinese had won their winning point: 'Pandemonium broke out in the hall soon after the Chinese had seized the winning point, and staunch supporters stampeded onto the court to congratulate the Chinese pair, who were lost for words.' Then in summarizing the friendly badminton match, the report concluded: 'But the climax of the entire night's proceedings must surely be Liem's dethronement. The crowd broke loose and swarmed the court to chair the now champion. The King was dead. Long live the king.' Sir, such emotive statements are unnecessary.”
“The newspapers have their contribution to make. The newspaper is read in nearly every home. For many, the day starts with the reading of the morning newspaper. And through the newspapers, the national identity can be enhanced or undermined. The headlines of newspapers are especially important because they highlight the news items and catch the immediate attention of the readers, who may or may not read the contents or details. And headlines are often sensationalized or exaggerate comment on the news items. Often, they do not bear any relationship to the actual significance or impact of the events. Unfortunately, however, as these headlines are immediately reed, they may create lasting impressions on the readers. And these impressions may not be correct ones. On the matter of news presentation and its impact on the national identity, I would like to caution newspaper editors that they should be sensitive to certain issues which have a bearing on our efforts in nation building. Sir, the hon. Member for Kolam Ayer has said that perception is an important aspect of our nation building process. It is important to remember that the way in which foreigners, and especially our neighbours, perceive us is as important, if not more important, than the way we perceive ourselves. In other words, we say we are Singaporeans but our neighbours may not think so. And our neighbours' perception may be unwittingly assisted by the way in which our newspapers present certain news headlines. Let me quote examples from recent reports of two sports events which have already been referred to. In the pre-Olympics football competition, Singapore beat China with a score of 1-0. This, of course, is a matter of great pride to us.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I share most of the sentiments expressed by my colleagues who have spoken before me. I would like to reiterate a point which has been made, that is, nation building. In the matter of notion building, the Ministry of Culture has a vital role to play. As stated by the Member for Punggol, one of the objectives of the Ministry should be to inculcate in Singaporeans a sense of national pride and consciousness and an awareness of national values and sentiments; in other words, the Singapore way of thought and action. We all know that it is very difficult to define exactly what the Singaporean national identity is. But every effort should be made now to speed up the process of establishing and enhancing national identity. The process of nation building can be left to the community organisations, cultural groups and clan associations. However, there is an obvious disadvantage if it is left to these organisations alone because of the self-interest involved and the traditionally-bound ways of the cultural and community organisations. A more effective way would be for the Ministry of Culture to introduce programmes which are aimed at inculcating notional values and consciousness. The hon. Member for Jurong has suggested that a magazine be produced. I support his suggestion. I would like, however, to make another suggestion. Every home has at least a radio or television and the Ministry, through the SBC, therefore, is able to bring the message to nearly every Singaporean. I would suggest, therefore, that the SBC introduce a weekly programme which will expedite our efforts at creating a national identity. Sir, I would like to deal further with the point that has already been raised, namely, the role of the press in nation building.”
“I would like to thank the Minister for his reply, especially his assurance that we will have a better SBS service in the near future. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn.”
“May I clarify that, Sir? Many school children take buses to school. They have to queue at bus stops and compete with other bus commuters. The queues normally occur before school hours when they have to go to school, and after school hours when they have to take the buses home. As I have said, hon. Members must have seen the crowds of school children. It is a very dangerous situation prevailing at the moment, when there are school children crowding at bus stops competing with other commuters for the bus. One suggestion is for the SBS to provide a separate bus service for the school children during these hours so that, when the buses come to the bus stop, only school children can take these buses. In other words, the SBS should put in additional buses on the road specifically for school children.”
“Sir, the point that I raised is that as SBS is the only alternative for an efficient land transport system until the MRT arrives, it has to improve its services. The Minister has stated that with affluence the tendency is for people to own more cars but at the same time the policy is to control the ownership of cars. Therefore, more and more Singaporeans would have to look to SBS. I am happy that he has taken note of the suggestions that we have made. 3.30 p.m. However, I would like two clarifications from the Hon. Minister. The first is the point that I have made with regard to a separate bus service for school children before school hours and after school hours. I am sure hon. Members have noticed crowds of school children waiting at bus stops and often spilling over to the main road. This is highly dangerous. I am sure parents would like to be assured that no harm comes to their children. Secondly, the Minister has made the point that more and more buses will be put on the road in the near future. He has given figures of cases of reckless driving, an increase of 68% over the past year. However, with more buses, the question of greater vigilance on the part of the SBS has to be considered. I would like the Minister to comment on these two points.”
“However, many improvements have to be made before this is possible. I hope the Hon. Minister will see to it that the SBS shows improvements at least in those areas that I have outlined above.”
“At the moment there are too many old buses, and congestion is frequent. 2. There should be more buses to provide greater frequency for various services. Presently, queues of people have to wait for various services. 3. More and better bus shelters and bus stops must be provided. A case in point is Ang Mo Kio Now Town along Avenues 3 and 8. There are no bus shelters at all along those two long stretches of road. Bus commuters have to brave the sun and rain in order to take the buses. 4. Separate bus services should be provided for school children, especially during the hours before and after school. Separate bus stops should also be provided for the school children. I have seen groups of children crowding the bus stops and rushing to catch the buses. Often, the school children have to stand on the main road to wait for the buses. I dread what will happen if an unattentive bus driver were to crash the bus into them. 5. A bus interchange with facilities for the convenience of commuters should be built in every new town. The case of Ang Mo Kio has already been brought up to the attention of the Hon. Minister. Members of the House need to observe only the crowd of people waiting for buses outside Block 322, Ang Mo Kio, to see the terrible condition of the temporary terminal. I hope the Minister will act speedily to build the interchange. 6. Last but not least, the bus drivers and conductors should be more courteous. Some bus drivers drive recklessly, fail to stop at bus stops, overtake at high speed, brake suddenly, weave in and out of the traffic, and so on. Such a driver is a menace on the road. Sir, more and more Singaporeans will have to turn to the SBS to provide them with an efficient means of transport.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head I be reduced by $10 in respect of Object Group 1100 of Subhead Code IA-01 of the Main Estimates. Sir, the Hon. Minister has informed the House that it would take more than a decade to complete the Mass Rapid Transit system. Hence, for the next ten years or so, Singaporeans have to rely on either private transport, taxis or buses as a means of land transport. Sir, the Hon. Minister for Communications seems a mild mannered person, but this is deceptive. Judging by his actions of late, he can be an aggressive Minister. He is determined to succeed in his car population control policy and, towards that objective, he has surreptitiously over the years injected car population control pills into Singaporeans who would otherwise produce, I mean buy, more cars. The enormous increases in registration fees, additional registration fees, road taxes and other measures are bitter pills to swallow, but Singaporeans have to, if they want to own cars. I hope, however, that the Hon. Minister will not introduce more increases in taxes in the near future. Sir, the Hon. Minister has over the years focused his attention on one side of the coin. He has looked at the problem of traffic congestion on our roads but, unfortunately, he has ignored the other side, namely, an efficient transport system for Singaporeans. I wish the Hon. Minister would give equal attention to this problem. In this respect, the SBS may be an alternative efficient system. But they need to improve their services and facilities for the bus commuters. There have to be improvements in a number of areas, I would like to list some of them. 1. The SBS buses must be spacious and comfortable.”
“In many new estates where these resited hawkers will be residing, we always ask them where they will be living, at the same time saying that they will be resited in new hawker sites in the new market or centre. But some hawkers are not willing to move in to such places. According to our past experience, usually hawkers have the opinion that when a market is new the business will be poor. After the market has been in existence for some time and when the business becomes better, then the hawkers want to move in but, by that time, there would have been no more vacancies. That is one of the difficulties. There is another and even worse problem. At present, where there are new markets or food centres being built, two-thirds of the vacancies are meant for hawkers dealing with daily goods, vegetables and the like, and one-third for food stalls where demand is higher. This year, perhaps because many young working couples find difficulty in getting domestic help, therefore, they prefer to go to the nearest food stall to eat. There is a greater need and demand for food stalls and a lesser demand for daily goods. This is the general situation in recent months. I hope we will be able to make adjustments to improve the situation. As regards another point raised by him, I think we will pay careful attention to this. If, for instance, there are two stallholders in two different estates who want to privately exchange sites so that they could have their stall nearest their home, we will give serious consideration to it. In my own opinion, I will agree to this suggestion.”
“As long as people stay within the proper confines, there should be no worry. He gave a disturbed picture of the situation, a cloudy scene with certain adverse effects, and also about cigarette butts strewn carelessly around bus-stops in Jurong or other places. All these are mere exaggeration. The picture described by him is too serious. He further added that when there was no need for the officers to do certain things, they would overdo it; so we are too harsh. When there was a need to do certain other things, these officers would not care; so we are too idle. That i% also an exaggeration. The real situation is not exactly like that. What does he expect us to do? We must have our direction or we will lose our way. The Member for Serangoon Gardens also mentioned about hawkers wanting to change their stalls or sites. Administratively, all markets and food centres within an HDB housing estate are handled by the HDB. In principle, we have agreed to allot stalls nearest to the holders' homes. My Ministry cannot reserve hawker stalls in an HDB estate for licensees who move into the estate. This is because we do not know in advance the number of licensees involved and the articles of sale. Stalls cannot be allowed to remain vacant for too long. This will affect the viability of the market or food centre. However, where vacancies are available, my Ministry has granted licensed hawkers shifting to a HDB estate a stall within that estate. In certain new estates, like Ang Mo Kio, the problem is that the vacancies are being used mainly to accommodate those hawkers who have been resited. Therefore, many vacancies have to be held to accommodate those roadside hawkers and resited hawkers. We have this general arrangement.”
“Provided there is no obstruction to pedestrian walkways and if the hawkers have got the permission from the private owners or the proprietors who could provide adequate health facilities, then we will be prepared to consider their application. The Member for Khe Bong mentioned about a woman hawker who was not allowed to change her trade or to renew her licence. He knows only one side of the story. The actual situation is not like what he has said. The woman hawker has a licence to sell yu tao ko, or yam cake which is sold in wrapped packs. This does not involve the use of bowls or dishes as the yam cake can be easily taken in or out of the eating place. It is not so with laksa because it requires the use of bowls, dishes and a washing area. The place which the Member mentioned was already very short of space for such facilities. So the real reason was the shortage of space for such a changed trade. If this hawker wants a change of site and if the new site has the required facilities, then we will give her or any other hawker the licence. Mr Ho See Beng( In Mandarin): Sir, can I seek further clarification? I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether laksa could be wrapped in packs? Mr Chor Yeok Eng( In Mandarin): Of course, not. Dishes and bowls must be used. So, as I said, there must be adequate facilities to wash the bowls and dishes. If they have such facilities, then we will give them the licence. Perhaps the Member has not heard me correctly before. But that is the real situation. The Member also said with seeming seriousness that a lot of people would be unemployed because of our strict application of our regulations. But Singapore is short of labour. So we are not worried about this implausible situation.”