Lee Yock Suan
Singapore
“The position will be clear when the regulations have been drafted. Right now we are debating it in the absence of actual wording of the regulations. The regulations will be fair, they are meant to maintain a level playing field, and we should wait for the regulations before we pass judgement. The intention is not to go after everybody.”
“I think the Member will be aware that Internet is a very dangerous place. We can have all kinds of poison letters and they will just spread like wild fire. So we must have some means to try and minimise this and make sure that everything is orderly and fair.”
“The other Members have no problem supporting the Bill, including Mr Chiam. I think the position is about 95% clear. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Lee Yock Suan].”
“Then we will have to see the actual situation. But, as I said, the intention is to go after the popular sites, the main sites of parties and non-party political sites. If it is an individual, eg, a young man posting up his own site and saying "These are my views", we are not going to go after those people.”
“The intention is to make the rules clear for the main parties involved in the contest, in other words, the party websites. These are the areas we are mainly after.”
“I thank Mr Chiam for reminding me about his question. On listening to his speech, I was under the impression that he was asking whether this ban on opinion polls applies to the mass media. The answer is yes, it applies to all media, not just the Internet but also newspapers, TV and so on. Thank you for pointing this out.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,595 lines we hold for Lee Yock Suan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 32.
“Sir, I think it is very important for Indonesia to make sure that its laws are clear and there are sufficient teeth to take action against the culprits. Unfortunately, at the moment, I think the laws are not really water tight. I read of reports in newspapers and elsewhere that they have to actually get the evidence and find out who started the fires, and they have taken video pictures and so on. There is also a need for them to make clear the structure of enforcement. Is it the BAPEDAL, the environment agency that is responsible, or is it the forestry and plantation people who are responsible? Or is it the local provincial officials? All these have to be clarified and, of course, on the legal side, the Attorney-General could well play a part. To the extent that we can help them in these areas, I am sure we will be happy to do so within the ASEAN framework. On his second question whether it is timely to take action like a code of conduct for companies, our stand has consistently been that we separate trade from other matters like environment and labour. I think that is an important distinction for us to make and we have done that during the WTO meeting here and other WTO forums. I think we will be very reluctant to depart from that position. On the other hand, if Singaporeans find the haze intolerable, on their own they might find it not worth their while to support companies that are causing the fires in Indonesia. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2000 TO 31ST MARCH, 2001 (Paper Cmd. No. 2 of 2000) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [5th Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head T (cont.) - Resumption of Debate on Question [11th March, 2000].”
“Dr Keraf also revealed that on the ground, district fire fighting teams have been mobilised in all regions where hot spots have been detected, and that law enforcement teams have been despatched to the field to investigate plantation companies on whose land fires were detected. We also welcome Dr Keraf's public warning that his government would revoke the licences of forestry concession holders and plantation companies if they are found to be responsible for any illegal burning activities. Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid himself has also reportedly said that his government would take all steps possible to stop the plantation fires, and that he had personally "instructed the Cabinet Ministers to take measures to handle the problem." All these are positive developments that demonstrate Jakarta's anxiousness to do its utmost to avert another regional haze disaster. Indeed, Jakarta has since announced that enough evidence has been gathered against four large plantation companies in Riau, and that the authorities were prepared to prosecute them for flouting the law. I hope that all those responsible for the catastrophic situation in Riau recently will be brought to task soon.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am very much encouraged by the response so far by the Indonesian government, by President Abdurrahman Wahid and by the Environment Minister, Dr Sonny Keraf. I think they are trying their best to resolve the problem which, of course, is a very difficult issue. They have threatened so far to prosecute and suspend the licences of four companies which have been found to be causing the fires. I think it is very important for Indonesia to show that it has the political commitment and the will to tackle this problem and to prevent it from becoming a disaster for the region again. Not only will it affect the people living in Pekanbaru and other areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan near the fires, where the haze has caused the index to shoot up at some point to about 1,000. Over here, when it was close to 200, we could already smell the smoke and it was causing health problems. Right there, near the fire locations, the fires are really causing health problems to the people living there. And, of course, it is burning up Indonesia's resources as well. It may be helpful here if I inform Members about the response of Dr Keraf to my letter. I am pleased to inform the House that he has responded and informed me that ground checks had confirmed that hot spots detected by satellite pictures were largely due to land clearing activities using fire. He has assured me that his government is taking comprehensive measures to address the situation, including strengthening its national strategy in controlling land and forest fires.”
“For now, because of the prevailing wind directions, Singapore's air quality is not likely to be badly affected by haze originating from fires in Sumatra. However, if the fires and haze there persist in the months ahead, our air quality can be significantly affected when the winds blow in our direction. My Ministry will continue to work closely with the Indonesian authorities to urge them to take immediate actions to avert another major haze episode. We will also continue to participate actively in regional and international efforts by working closely with our other ASEAN neighbours as well as international agencies and donor countries on programmes that would help Indonesia improve its ability to deal with the problem. To this end, ASEAN Environment Ministers will be meeting in early April to review the situation.”
“They also intend to round up the plantation companies and conduct a dialogue to remind them not to use fire to clear land. On our part, Singapore has been providing Indonesia with National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite pictures to alert them to the locations of hot spots since the beginning of the latest spate of fires in Riau. Recently, at the request of the Indonesian authorities, we have also started to provide Jakarta with higher resolution pictures acquired from the French SPOT satellites. These are pictures that can pinpoint the locations of fires up to a resolution of 20 metres. We hope that such information would be helpful to the Indonesian authorities in their efforts to act against the errant plantation companies. Besides satellite pictures, Singapore has also been providing other forms of technical assistance to Indonesia. To date, we have provided them with communication and computer equipment to facilitate fire detection and enforcement, air monitoring equipment, as well as training for their local officials in the area of satellite imagery and air quality monitoring. We will continue to offer such assistance if requested by Indonesia. I have since written to the Indonesian State Minister for the Environment, Dr Sonny Keraf, to express to him Singapore's concern over the fires in Sumatra. I have also sought the co-operation of his office to undertake prompt and firm enforcement actions against plantation companies that use fire to clear land. My counterpart in Malaysia has likewise expressed his concern to Dr Keraf. The current La Nina event is expected to weaken in the months ahead. Weather experts have predicted that the El Nino dry conditions may return in the later half of this year or in 2001.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, at the last ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Haze held in Singapore in August last year, ASEAN Environment Ministers agreed that plantation fires are the root cause of the regional haze problem. The Indonesian Government was urged to enforce against plantation companies that use fires to carry out land clearing activities, and to put in place the necessary regulations to enforce a zero-burning policy. Indonesia has since announced its draft Regulation to implement the zero-burning policy. In January this year, the Indonesian Government held a dialogue with about 60 plantation companies in Sumatra to notify them of this impending Regulation. The plantation companies were also told of Jakarta's determination to enforce against illegal burning activities. Indonesia has also stepped up its awareness-building programmes in fire-prone provinces such as Riau and South Sumatra to alert local populations to the threat of another haze disaster. All these are positive efforts on the part of the Indonesian Government. On the ground, unfortunately, political and economic problems have continued to hamper Indonesia's ability and effort to prevent plantation fires. In fact, as we know, there are already large-scale burning activities taking place in Central Sumatra. As a result, the Riau province is affected by severe smoke haze. My Ministry has been in constant contact with the Indonesian authorities to track the situation in Riau. To date, Indonesian officials have confirmed with us that most of the recent fires were started by plantation companies to clear land for cultivation purpose. The Indonesian Environmental Impact Management Agency (BAPEDAL) has since despatched teams of officials to investigate the fires in Riau and to take measures to suppress the fires.”
“Mr Speaker Sir, each year an average of 320 stall holders, or 1.7%, give up their stalls and another 50, or 0.3%, change their trade. The vacant stalls are tendered out and an average of 300 stalls are filled each year in this manner. The decision to tender out vacant hawker stalls to the general public instead of allocating them to hardship cases was taken in 1990 for several reasons. Operating a hawker stall is a business that requires a financial investment and good culinary skills. Many "hardship" cases allotted stalls in the past were unable to operate their stalls profitably and their businesses failed, leading to more financial hardship. Some resorted to subletting their stalls illegally. The hawker business is best left to people with adequate resources and culinary skills whilst "hardship" cases should seek other forms of employment or assistance.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, pork stall holders appear to be generally happy with the use of chillers to retail fresh pork. Some have indicated that their volume of sale has increased. They are now able to sell fresh chilled pork obtained from approved farms overseas whereas in the past they could only sell fresh pork slaughtered in the abattoirs in Singapore. The public have also taken the chilled meat system well. They have found the chiller system to be cleaner and more hygienic. VACANT HAWKER STALLS 2. Mr Harun A Ghani asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give some indication (a) how many stall holders have given up their stalls; (b) how many have changed their trade; and (c) whether his Ministry will consider allocating vacant stalls for hardship cases, especially those stalls which have not been taken up by tenders.”
“But I am not sure, at this point in time, to what extent the laws are watertight, whether they can catch these people, unless they have actual on-the-spot evidence. So far, they have been able to blame it on the small farmers clearing the land and causing the fire. We have to work with them. I will be meeting my counterparts within ASEAN in Brunei in early April, and we will have to do our best on the Government side, as well as the NGOs, to see how we can resolve this problem. My fear is that we are going to enter into another dry spell very soon. The expectation is that the next El Nino phenomenon may occur this year or early next year, and if this situation continues, we will have a haze like 1997 and, in that case, if you are asthmatic, you had better put some filters on your air-conditioner. There is really no escape from the haze. The particles are so fine, they go into your house, they go everywhere. I dread to think we have to tolerate a few more months of such conditions.”
“Sir, I take Mr Heng's comments about the masterplan. We will have further discussions with him about exactly what he has in mind. Of course, we already have a green plan which we are updating and some of the ideas could be incorporated into that plan. And as I mentioned in my reply, we have already involved various community groups and others and it is our intention to continue to involve as many people as possible in this community effort. In terms of the incentives, we already have green awards, we have incentives for people to conserve energy, reduce pollution and so on. I take it that we should take stock and think of whether we can do more in a total plan. On the haze situation, we had a respite last year because of the wet weather, wetter-than-usual weather. Unfortunately, we are coming to the tail end of this wet weather phenomenon and now, we find that whenever it is dry over in Sumatra or Kalimantan, they will start to burn and these are not only the small-scale farmers but also the big plantations. The satellite pictures show very clearly that these are plantation owners. The Malaysian Minister and I myself have written to the Indonesian Environment Minister, expressing our concern. He had a meeting with the President and the Cabinet and I believe that they are doing the best they can to try and resolve this problem. It is a very difficult issue because there are so many fires. They must have the political will and really punish a few of these plantation owners. So far, they have threatened to suspend or cancel the licence of these plantation owners. And it is obvious from this satellite, you pinpoint the location, which is the particular place.”
“As for the Malaysian vehicles, and they used to be very bad polluters, all the motorcycles coming in with their two-stroke cycle engines, and the heavy trucks, we catch them at the location near the Causeway when they come in. For them, we have to test them and fine them on the spot, because you cannot go and take record, send them letters and hope they will respond. So for motorcycles and vehicles from Malaysia, our teams will spot them, stop them and test them. And if they fail the test, they will be fined on the spot. In fact, if the HSU limit exceeds 50, they will be fined. If it is above 80, their vehicles will be turned back to Malaysia. And this is, of course, a very heavy penalty for the goods vehicles which are carrying all the goods down from Malaysia. I propose to leave the other questions to be answered by my Senior Minister of State, Mr Sidek Saniff.”
“So far, the cases that come, the lawyers tell them that there is no case, that they better pay up. Because it is very clear, it is all on record. My officers will give the benefit of the doubt to those who are borderline cases. If it is clearly very black smoke, you cannot run away from it. But if it is slightly smoky, you just tell the person, go and maintain and clean up, and go for a test, and there is no fine. Recently, because of the appeals from MPs and others, we have reconsidered the level of the compound fines, especially for motorcycles. The previous fine level of $150 for the first offence was rather heavy for some of these low-income people. So I decided to lower it to $70. And it is not correct to say that the first offence would incur a penalty of $500, as one Member has mentioned. The actual level is $150 for heavy vehicles for the first offence. For motorcycles, it used to be $150, but I have lowered it to $70. Dr Tan Boon Wan asked how is it that they were fined, and when they went for a test they passed the test. It is a fact that it is possible to arrange the engines such that you can pass the test, because the testing is under idling conditions. So if you rev up your engine, you do certain things to it, you will pass the test. But when it is running, it is under load, you will get smoke. We are planning to counter this problem by introducing what is known as the chassis dynamometer test. This is a test, CDST, which has already been introduced in Hong Kong, Canada and the US. This allows you to set the load level and then test the machine. So there is no running away from this system. There will be no dispute. We intend to start doing this from September this year.”
“We decided that we should do it ourselves because pollution is more our problem and they have other priorities. When we took over, we decided that the best way is actually to use a video camera, because you have a record of the black smoke or the blue-and-white smoke that comes from the motorcycles. For the two-stroke motorcycles, if the owner adds too much lubricant to the engine, the result is pollution - blue-and-white smoke. And this smoke cannot be tested by the normal machine, which is HSU-based. Under the regulations, if there is visible smoke, then it is an offence. There is no doubt about that. The limit for this HSU test, or the Hartridge Smoke Unit test, is 50 HSU, that corresponds to visible smoke. So what we do is we have CISCO police shoot the exhaust of these vehicles, and based on these records, there will be a panel of officers within the Ministry who will decide which cases are bad. For those cases, they will be issued with summonses to pay up a fine as well as to send their vehicles for testing. In the past, the Traffic Police have to actually test on the spot. And basically the HSU tests the same thing, whether there is visible smoke. The problem with the past was that you have to stop traffic, and it was very troublesome. Many vehicle owners just depended on the Government to catch them. It was a cat-and-mouse effort. If I were caught, I would go and maintain my machine, clean it up, and then send for testing, and when I pass, everything would be fine. Now, we say that if you are caught on this video camera, you will be fined, and after that, you must still get your vehicle properly maintained and re-tested. If the person affected is not happy, he is invited to come to my Ministry to view the record.”
“Mr Ang asked how many public toilets are there. Speaking from memory here, I think there are something like 30,000 public toilets, in coffee shops, hawker centres, bus stops, cinemas, and the rest. Those are the difficult ones. I think for the hotels, the 4- and 5-star hotels, they are generally very good. The shopping centres are generally good too, but there is room for improvement. And there are these small places where sometimes the facilities are somewhat old and lacking and upkeep is below expectation. Our surveys have shown that there has been an improvement overall, but there is still room for improvement. Last year, the Ministry, together with the experts, consultants and others came up with this guide book, "Better Public Toilets, Design and Maintenance" [indicating]. Hopefully, one day, all our public toilets will look like this [indicating]. This will be a desirable goal. But if it is a toilet belonging to a coffeeshop owner, I am not sure whether you can use the force of law to say it must spend $100,000 to upgrade its toilet. I think there we have to use persuasion and maybe incentives. So this is an area where we will be looking into and the Environment Ministry is chairing a committee, involving several other Ministries (HDB, NParks and so on), to try and give this a special push. Something as mundane as the toilet actually plays a very important part in our lives. When people renovate their houses nowadays, they pay a lot of attention to the toilets, and I think rightly so. Several questions were asked about vehicle emissions, the use of the video camera to catch the heavy vehicles and motorcycles which emit smoke. This was done up to August last year by the Traffic Police.”
“I think Members should be careful not to stir up a lot of irrational fears because this is an area of the unknown and where it is unknown people tend to be very fearful. This is an area which is going to have so much impact on mankind that so much attention is being focused on it. When you eat an ordinary food product, you do not know what goes into it. You look at the label, so many chemical components. Have you asked yourself: Are these components safe, and how safe is the world anyway? So we have to be careful, but at the same time we must be rational. 5.30 pm There is quite a bit of interest in clean toilets. I agree fully that the measure of the culture of a country is the cleanliness of its toilets, putting on both my hats (MITA and Environment). Mr Ang Mong Seng mentioned some places in Korea where they are so proud of their toilets that they even have tourists visit the toilets. And they say that you can have tea in the toilets. Whether we can reach that standard, I am not sure. If you go to some hotels, they are very clean and beautifully done up, and you have flowers, paintings and, of course, you have regular cleaning. And it is very important for hotels to have clean toilets, because the first thing that turns away the guests is to see an untidy toilet. So we hope to do the same thing in the other sectors. Where it concerns the Government toilets, that is an easy matter. The Environment Ministry is already doing it. We will be upgrading the public toilets in all 34 hawker stalls which are managed by Environment. So far, three have been completed at a cost of about half a million dollars. We hope to complete the rest by 2004 at an estimated cost of $4 million. HDB, on its part, has also upgraded 23 of its hawker centres.”
“We want to make sure that it does not pollute the environment through introducing genes that would lead to unknown results. Whether it is time to label, I think this is a question we have to consider very carefully. There is a committee set up known as the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee. This is chaired by Prof. Lim Pin and it consists of all the relevant Ministries, including my Ministry, PPD and so on. MTI is, of course, represented. So we will have to follow what is happening in other areas in the international scene and then decide for ourselves what is best for Singapore. The assessment has got to be rational. It must not be coloured by all these hue and cry and posturings overseas. Look at the basics. Assess for ourselves, is it really safe, what you want to do about it. At the moment, it is still premature for us to start labelling. The cost of labelling, if you want to be very stringent about it, can be prohibitive. Take soya sauce, if you trace all the way back to the producers and whether the producers are using gene-modified crops, it is going to be a tremendous effort, and I am not sure whether it is really practical. Recently, they had a meeting in Montreal where they reached an agreement known as the Cartagena Protocol. This was really a conference on biodiversity, but somehow the 130 countries which were represented managed to talk about this area as well, what they call living modified organisms. Some countries seem to have got the point that countries should be allowed to have the control, should be allowed to stop the imports of LMOs, or they should be in a position to ask for labelling, and so on. But, to my mind, there is no consensus yet, and we are monitoring the situation.”
“As a result of this, people are fearful of the unknown. At the same time, it promises us solutions to the hunger problem, to diseases and all that, but it raises many ethical questions. It raises doubts. That is why the Government is following this very closely. It is a potential area for us to develop. We are putting a lot of resources into research. We hope to be a centre of life sciences, not only in terms of R&D, but in terms of manufacturing and so on. It is important that we monitor how the international community is reacting to all this. It is not a straightforward question of wanting to know. It is also a question of trade protectionism. If you were a big country like the US and 50% of the crops, soya beans or corns are from these sources, and your scientists have already done all they can to make sure that they are safe and if you compare that the qualities are the same and so on, then you are fearful that if you start labelling, you put people off the crop. That is why there is this big battle between the Europeans and the US over whether they should label. The Europeans on their part have not had a good record. They have handled badly many instances of the mad cow disease and dioxin and so on, that the public has lost confidence in the European governments. Therefore, under pressure from the NGOs, they are now very forceful, and also pressure from their farmers who are affected by all these crops. They are asking for labelling, they want to have their right to ban imports and so on. The US says, "Okay, you can do all that, but is it WTO consistent? Is it a trade barrier?" That is why in Singapore we have to monitor all this. At the same time, we want to be a centre for this area. We want to protect our citizens against some unknown health hazards.”
“The purpose of the plant is to test the technology and costs for consideration as an alternative source of reclaimed water. The reclaimed water from the plant will be used for non- potable applications such as watering of lawns and golf courses and for industrial use. Of course, in extreme cases, if you look just at water scientifically, it can be shown that the quality is as good as water from natural catchments. It can even be used for drinking but there is the psychological barrier we have to overcome. It is a fact that in some countries water is in fact recycled many times. If you are living along the banks of the Thames River, for example, by the time you receive the water downstream, I do not know how many times the cycle has gone through. Of course, the natural system is that sunlight brings up the water and it comes down as rain and you are quite happy with that. But when you use the technical treatment to get clean water from the sewerage effluent, you can use it for industrial purposes. I think we still have to pause and do proper education if we ever want to put it back, say, as a source of raw water. So these are the possibilities we are experimenting. Of course, we are also doing work on reverse osmosis processes for the desalination of sea water. In Singapore, there is a good case for us to put in all the efforts and allow research into various means of reclaiming water, both from the sea and from other sources. The subject of genetically modified food is, of course, a very controversial subject. It is the result of the tremendous developments in gene technology where it is possible to take genes from insects, for example, and plant them into crops and so forth, and get qualities which were not there before.”
“We have offered it to grassroots leaders and some of them are reluctant because they have to meet their neighbours and there is always this fear that if you are too tough you might get a bloody nose, or something worse. Mr Kenneth Chen mentioned an interesting point, and that is the condominiums seem to be cleaner. I think this has to do with the mindset. He has a valid point there, although Mr Low Thia Khiang seems to think otherwise. It is a fact that somehow when they move into a better environment they have this feeling of responsibility. I think within condominiums and private housing they have a greater sense of ownership. So the residents are more careful. For example, in private estates the lifts are generally cleaner. Whereas for many years, the HDB lifts are terrible. Every time I went for my house-to-house visits we just had to bear the stench in the lifts, so much so that we have to depend not only on public education but also on installing the devices in the lifts to actually catch the people who urinate in the lifts. So we can come out with new ideas, not just educating people, using peer pressure and so on, but maybe new devices, new methods, new perspectives. Next, I want to touch on this point raised by Prof. Low Seow Chay about the recycling of sewerage effluent. He is correct. We are in the process of setting up a pilot plant of 10,000 cubic metres per day capacity at the Bedok Sewerage Treatment Works. It is currently under construction and will be in operation in May. So it is not quite operating yet. Thereafter physical, chemical and micro-biological tests will be carried out over a two-year period on water samples from the plant.”
“But also we have these booms which trap the rubbish. These are placed at various locations draining into the Singapore River. Even now, every day my Ministry has to collect some two tonnes of rubbish. We must continue to press on with our efforts to make sure that the environment is kept clean. I want to assure Prof. Toh that we do pay special attention to the Singapore River and the civic areas. Of course, these are very crowded places, especially where there are food centres. It is important that these areas are provided with adequate facilities to handle the volume of rubbish. We have our inspectors go around to make sure that they do not throw rubbish into the river. Unfortunately, as it was mentioned, the river is not spotlessly clean all the time. We do have to be vigilant. Prof. Toh mentioned that some vehicles keep their engines running in Chinatown when they drop the tourists off. If possible, they should shut off their engines and reduce the volume of pollution. But it is fair that before the tourists go on board they cool down the bus a little bit. So for a few minutes, they should run their engines and cool down the buses. Otherwise they should shut down the engines and avoid polluting the atmosphere. Mr Low Thia Khiang seems to say that our fines are too heavy and CWO is not working. I am not so pessimistic. The data is a bit difficult to interpret because it partly depends on where our officers are, whether they happen to catch the people and also the amount of manpower we have to deploy. This idea of empowering more civilians is a good one. Of course, I do not know how many individuals are willing to do it.”
“Therefore, I am happy to announce that we have this year formed a private group known as the Anti-Littering Steering Committee which is chaired by Mr Wong Yew Kwan, the former Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Department. The Committee consists of some 20 civic-minded individuals from both the private and public sectors as well as non-government organisations. So far, they have had two meetings this year since its formation and I am hoping they will be able to come out with some fresh perspectives and fresh ideas on how we can tackle this problem. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 5.20 pm Fortunately, for us, there are also other people who are similarly civic-minded and I would like here just to mention a few groups. One, of course, is the Singapore Environmental Council on which several Members are involved, including Mr Simon Tay. I think they are playing a very useful role in areas, for example, like the haze problems and other areas, the green plan, for example. Also, there is the Waterways Watch Society, which consists of members who come together and patrol the Singapore River in the Society's boats on a regular basis every Sunday to look out for stretches of the river that are polluted. They will then provide the feedback to my Ministry and to the Marine and Port Authority to take action. Fortunately, after all these years of cleaning up the river, we have achieved a tremendous result. And if you compare the condition of the river at the time when we were children, many of us were schooling in town, the river was just terrible. We had to hold our noses when we went by. Now it is clean and fish is able to breed. We have not only cleaned up all the unsewered areas, but we have sewered them. We have cleaned up the rivers, provided drainage and so on.”
“Sir, I wish to thank all Members for bringing up a wide range of environmental issues. This gives me an opportunity to clarify the situation and also to explain some new initiatives on the part of the Ministry. I was very happy to note also that the debate has been very lively and it seems to have provided a lot of room for humour. First, Mr Heng Chiang Meng's point that environment is everybody's concern, and it is unfortunate that the present situation of our clean streets and low level of littering is mainly due to the work of our cleaners. Ideally, we should evolve to a stage where people just do not litter. The schools are teaching the students this. Day-in day-out they are teaching them not to litter, how to clean toilets and so on. Unfortunately, this message still has not been internalised. I think this could be partly due to the fact that a lot of people moved from the kampongs and the villages in the past. In those days when you were in the village, it did not matter, you just threw your rubbish everywhere. If you were living in a low rise attap house, it did not matter if you threw out your TV set, if you wanted to. But nowadays if you are living in a highrise building, you may kill somebody. In fact, some years back when I first started as an MP, I think HDB had to station teams to catch people who threw bags of curry powder out from their windows and caused a lot of problems. Hopefully, this situation has now improved. Unfortunately, littering is still a problem. If Members have good ideas on how to overcome this problem, I would be most grateful. Of course, we are also trying to involve the community, and as mentioned by my predecessor, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, we should have a civic group to help us in this area.”
“The Movement will not disparage Singlish as there are Singaporeans, especially from the older generation, who did not have the opportunity to learn English formally and therefore cannot speak it well. As such, the Movement's initial target audience will be Singaporeans under 40 years old, including school, ITE, polytechnic and university students, working adults and parents. Mr Peh Chin Hua asked for more control to be exercised on R(A) films, publications and the Internet. MITA shares Mr Peh's concern over the impact of undesirable materials on the young. Our position on censorship remains unchanged. The controls over R(A) films remain strict. Explicit sex, violent scenes and objectionable themes continue to be disallowed in R(A) movies, and R(A) cinemas are still not allowed in HDB estates. We also conducted 281 raids last year against uncensored and pornographic videos. Some one million uncensored and pornographic VCDs were seized and the distributors charged in court. If Mr Peh could inform us of the children's publication he mentioned, we would be glad to follow up. It has been the practice for MITA to be slightly more relaxed in relation to films shown in the Singapore International Film Festival as it caters for a small audience. Even then in this year's festival, out of 300 films to be screened, only 14 are in the "Sex in Asian Cinema" segment. They will be shown for one or two viewings to small groups. Sir, I will leave the other points to be answered by my colleagues, Mr David Lim and Mr Yatiman.”
“There will be competition between different media, as well as within one particular class of media. Competition is still possible within a small market. However, we need to consider how best to structure the industry so that our companies can be more competitive locally, grow regionally, and compete effectively against global media players. Our local media companies will then be in a better position to hold their local audiences and contribute to our nation-building efforts. MITA is studying this issue and we expect to reach certain conclusions this year. Mr Ong Kian Min, Mr Ravindran and Mr Low Thia Khiang have asked if we should not lift the ban on satellite dishes now and allow them to provide the competitive push, since it is increasingly untenable to continue the ban. In the Budget debate last year, my predecessor BG George Yeo said that we would allow wireless subscription TV service into Singapore to compete with SCV when its monopoly ends in 2002. As part of our study into the media industry, we are looking at all possibilities, including the pros and cons of introducing another free-to-air or pay TV operator, be it terrestrial or satellite-based, into the market. I have asked my colleague, Mr David Lim, to answer the other questions concerning the media. Sir, MITA will launch a Speak Good English Movement next month. It will be known as a Movement because we hope to make it a grassroots effort. It will also take a more light-hearted approach to encourage people to speak good English. The Movement will be led by a Committee comprising individuals from both the private and public sectors. Col. (NS) David Wong, Senior Advisor, Ernst and Young, has agreed to chair the Committee.”
“In the deluge of foreign content entering Singapore, especially via the Internet, Mr Chew Heng Ching rightly asked if we should examine how local media can retain their nation-building role, yet compete effectively against foreign media. MITA shares his concerns. We have been studying this issue of creating a functional and competitive industry with great care. Whatever media structure emerges, Singaporeans must have our own media which continue to report on local highlights and viewpoints, and anchor Singaporeans to Singapore. Our local media should continue to cover local events and news attractively. They should also not be disadvantaged when they cover the events at home compared to foreign media allowed into Singapore to also report on Singapore news. We must judiciously create a level playing field. During election time, the same campaigning rules must apply to foreign media as to MediaCorp or SPH. We are working on the necessary guidelines and procedures. Several Members asked whether we should introduce more competition by granting new licences for newspaper and TV stations. One thing is certain: our media companies must gear themselves up quickly to face increasing competition and to seize opportunities presented by the Internet. When companies have to compete for customers, it quickens the pace of innovation, and spurs management to try out new ideas and take risks. The media industry is both a local industry and a global one. There is no shortage of competition globally and, increasingly, this is being felt here through the Internet and cable TV. For the local market, we need to recognise that we are a small market, and have limited talents. There are only so many hours of time each person will spend on TV, Internet and reading newspapers.”
“NAC has been organising a number of activities as part of its outreach programme. Programmes such as the fringe activities under the Arts Festival see tremendous turnout. NAC will continue to explore what further can be done in this area. In response to Mr Yeo's query on workers, he may be aware that concessions such as a 10% discount for performances under the Singapore Arts Festival are extended to NTUC members and NTUC Income policyholders. I want to reassure Members that MITA has always emphasised the need to reach out to our heartlanders. This is acknowledged in the Renaissance City Report. Arts and culture cannot just be for an elite few, not if we want to be a society and a nation. Prof. Chin Tet Yung has raised some points about the ASEAN Cultural Centre. I think it is something worth considering and given the opportunity, I will raise this with my ASEAN colleagues. Sir, let me now turn to some information and media matters. The media landscape is changing rapidly. The recent merger of AOL and Time Warner sent a loud wake-up call around the globe. No one could have dreamt that an Internet company with limited physical assets could buy up one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. Wireless broadband technology will take off in the near future. It will enable personal digital assistants and cellular telephones broadband access to the Internet anytime, anywhere. The convergence of traditional media, such as broadcasting and print, with the Internet has changed the way people obtain information and are entertained. The challenge for Singapore is to ride the wave of media convergence and globalisation while enabling a Singapore identity to flourish among Singaporeans.”
“While still modest compared to the levels of funding in more developed countries, it is an important step in the right direction. Over the next few months, MITA and its agencies will implement the recommendations in collaboration with our partners in the cultural community. Other Members have raised specific comments on what we can do to promote arts and culture in Singapore. I agree with Mr Seng Han Thong that we need to broaden and vary the form of recognition for artists and arts patrons. MITA has identified a list of artists who could be invited to attend suitable state events. The National Arts Council also facilitates opportunities for arts groups to perform at the Istana. 3.45 pm Mr Ravindran asked if we could look into providing more facilities for arts groups. NAC has been administering an Arts Housing Scheme to provide arts groups and artists with rehearsal and administrative spaces at below market rental rates. NAC has also been working closely with community organisations and the People's Association to co-locate arts facilities in residential heartlands as part of its aim to bring the arts closer to the masses. NAC will continue to explore opportunities for new arts housing spaces in the heartlands. NAC would be happy to match-make arts groups to be housed with community centres, as well as with private commercial spaces. Creative Technology's gesture in housing a drama training programme is exemplary and we hope other benefactors will follow suit. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked what we are doing to bring the arts to the workers, while Mr Ravindran was interested in what more can be done to bring the arts to the people. Audience development and outreach programmes are very important in our efforts to promote the arts.”
“4) Provide good infrastructure and facilities. The provision and maintenance of good infrastructure will continue to be an important factor in supporting culture and the arts. 5) Go international. In order for Singapore to be a cultural centre in a globalised world, we must promote our arts and heritage in the international arena and encourage international collaboration between Singapore and overseas talent. 6) Develop what we call an arts and cultural `renaissance' economy. We need to invest in programmes that will add to the excitement and attraction of our cultural scene, and do this in such a way that positions Singapore as an international city of culture. MITA has projected that we will need additional funding of $50 million over the next five years. The Government has generally accepted the recommendations in the Report and is prepared to provide the additional funds. A few of the recommendations, particularly those relating to tax incentives would, however, require further study before they can be considered for implementation. This sum of $50 million is over and above existing Government arts funding. It is not inclusive of capital and operating expenditure for infrastructure projects for which funding will be separately considered. Mr Chew Heng Ching is right to note that our expenditure on arts and culture is below those of Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Australia. On a per capita basis, Government operating expenditure on the arts in Singapore, which is currently about $7, is about half that of the state of Victoria in Australia, and less than a third that of Hong Kong. The additional $50 million over 5 years will raise our per capita operating expenditure to about $10.”
“We have used the term "renaissance" to embody the wide and diverse range of attributes that I have just described. This is by no means a desire to hark back to the post-medieval days of European Renaissance. Rather, it is the spirit of creativity, innovation and multi-disciplinary learning and of socio-economic, intellectual and cultural vibrancy that we want to help create. In the era of the knowledge-based economy, such qualities take on an added imperative because they contribute to innovation, imagination and the creation of new knowledge - key inputs in the future economy. To develop our arts and cultural scene, the Report has adopted two approaches: Firstly, to nurture audiences with a deep appreciation for the arts and keen sense of aesthetics. Secondly, to attract, develop and support both local and overseas creative talents. MITA will pursue six strategies. They are: 1) Develop a strong arts and cultural base. This involves enthusing Singaporeans with an interest in culture, particularly through arts education programmes, and supporting study and research in our arts and heritage. 2) Develop major arts companies. Currently, only the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Singapore Chinese Orchestra receive a level of support that allows them to focus on raising their levels of professionalism and producing works of an international standard that Singapore can be proud of. The Report's main recommendation in financial terms is that a substantial amount of additional funding be made available to support and groom up to eight more of such companies. 3) Recognise and groom talent. This calls for initiatives to discover, groom and recognise promising artistic talents that can contribute to the arts and cultural scene in Singapore.”
“In order to strengthen Singaporeans' sense of national identity and belonging, we need to inculcate an appreciation of our artistic and cultural heritage. We need to strengthen the Singapore heartbeat through the creation and sharing of Singapore stories, be it in theatre, dance, music, literature, film or the visual arts. The need to articulate a vision came about because we wanted to explain how culture and the arts can contribute to the national picture and how they can enhance individual lives. We asked ourselves what kind of society we wanted Singapore to have. How do we want to position Singapore in the international context? And what part does culture and the arts play in all of this? The result was a vision that is described at the level of the individual, the society and the nation. At the level of the individual, we envisage a Singaporean who is well-rounded, has an inquiring and creative mind, a passion for life, and is a civic-minded active citizen. He appreciates and cherishes his heritage. His graciousness is underpinned by a fine sense of aesthetics. At the societal level, our Asian heritage is enhanced even as we evolve a Singaporean identity. We encourage and reward experimentation and innovation, whether in the arts, in technology or in business. Culture and the arts are mobilised to animate and add character to our city. In the international arena, Singapore is an active international citizen with a reputation for being dynamic and vibrant. The "Made in Singapore" label is known for technologically advanced, aesthetically designed and creatively packaged products and services. Our arts and cultural scene helps to project a positive and well-rounded image of Singapore internationally.”
“Sir, I would like to thank Members for their comments and suggestions. Mr Chew Heng Ching and Dr Jennifer Lee reminded us that PM Goh promised more funds to promote the arts at his National Day Rally speech last year. PM announced then that MITA was developing a vision for Singapore to be a renaissance city. I am pleased to inform Members that the "Renaissance City Report", articulating this vision and proposing the strategic direction to guide our promotion of culture and the arts has been completed. This "Renaissance City Report" is available on the MITA website from today and a printed version will also be available soon. Sir, the last comprehensive overview of our arts and cultural scene was in 1989, by the Advisory Council on Culture and the Arts. That report laid the foundation for the burst of cultural activities that we witnessed in the 1990s. It has been a decade since the Advisory Council's report. It is timely to review the progress made so far and set the direction for the future development of culture and the arts, in the context of our overall national development. MITA consulted with members of the cultural community to gather inputs and views. The resulting Renaissance City Report has been accepted by the Government. The Report has two aims. First, it is to establish Singapore as a global city of the arts. We want to position Singapore as a key city in Asia and as one of the cultural centres in the world. The idea is to be one of the top cities in the world to live, work and play in, where there is an environment conducive to knowledge-based industries and talent, where Singaporeans can be creative and well-rounded individuals. Second, it is to provide cultural ballast in our nation-building efforts.”
“Yes, my Ministry welcomes contributions from the Council as well as from other interested individuals. ENFORCEMENT OF VEHICLE PARKING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS 10. Mr Chng Hee Kok asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will give an update on the privatised scheme for enforcement of vehicle parking traffic violations.”
“Likewise, for water pollution, the variable for industrial organic pollutants is expressed in terms of per unit of land area. This puts countries such as Singapore with small land areas and intensive use of land at a disadvantage under the system. The inaugural report stressed the preliminary nature of the pilot effort and added that the methods used are experimental. It also added that considerable work is needed to produce a more refined index. My Ministry will provide the originators of the pilot index with more information concerning our environment protection efforts to assist in refining the index so that it is more applicable to small, industrialised countries like Singapore. I would like to assure the House that over the years, Singapore has received many international accolades for having managed our living environment well in spite of our limited resources, and considerable pressures from urbanisation and industrialisation. My Ministry's programmes will ensure that Singaporeans will continue to enjoy a quality living environment with clean air, clean water and high standards of environmental public health.”
“The score for `social and institutional capacity' component is determined by the science and technical capacity, environmental regulation and management, the means to track environmental conditions and eco efficiency in terms of energy efficiency and the use of hydroelectric and renewable energy. Our score for this component was above average. The score for the last component `global stewardship' is determined by our contribution to international cooperation such as our membership in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the status of national biodiversity strategies and action plans. The FSC is an international non-governmental organisation that promotes sustainable forestry management. The component also includes an assessment of forest areas certified by the FSC as well as carbon dioxide emission. The low score given to Singapore for this component is attributed to factors such as our relatively high carbon dioxide emission as we are fully dependent on fossil fuel, and our lack of forest areas that could be certified by the FSC. The inaugural report released in Davos took care to highlight an anomaly in the case of Singapore, namely, that we scored far lower than expected in the `environmental stresses' component. The report explained that the anomaly for Singapore was: `probably a function of the fact that, as a city state, it possesses a qualitatively different environmental context than the other economies, all of which possess more conventional mixes of urban and rural areas and a greater diversity of ecosystems'. The variables for the `environmental stresses' component are largely based on land area. For example, for air pollution, the variables express industrial emissions and the number of vehicles in terms of per unit of land area of a country.”
“The "Pilot Environmental Sustainability Index" or PESI has been designed to measure environmental sustainability on a pilot basis. It attempts to measure the ability of economies to achieve environmentally sustainable development. The inaugural report on the index was released at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland on 31st January this year. The index comprises five components: (i) Environmental systems; (ii) Environmental stresses; (iii) Human vulnerability to environmental impacts; (iv) Social and institutional capacity; and (v) Global stewardship. The score for the `environmental systems' component is determined largely by urban air quality, water quality, surface and ground water resources and biodiversity. We are strong in urban air quality and water quality, but as a small city state, we are not endowed with plentiful surface and ground water resources nor able to support wide areas of biodiversity, and was rated below average in this component. The score for the component on `environmental stresses' is determined by the amount of air and water pollutants discharged, waste production, consumption and population growth relative to land area. With our high degree of industrialisation and high population density, we do not expect to be rated highly for this component. The score for the `human vulnerability to environmental impacts' component is determined by the success in providing basic sustenance such as safe drinking water and a high standard of public health. Singapore has fared well in this component, coming in third after Iceland and Germany.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have permission to answer Questions 8 and 9 together?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my Ministry does not regulate what can or cannot be sold by McDonald's, or any other shop for that matter. We are only concerned with the hygiene and safety of food sold at food retail outlets. During the large gathering at McDonald's, we stepped in to deal with the littering problem that occurred.”
“Subscription rate for SCV As of 31st January 2000, the overall subscription rate of SCV has increased to 23% (or 214,000 households). The subscription rate is highest for private residential homes, with landed property showing a 43% (or 27,000 households) take-up rate. MITA is unable to provide more detailed information as this is trade information of commercial value. SCV's Cable Modem Service SCV's Internet access service is made available by its cable modem service which was commercially launched on 29th December 1999. Subscription figures for SCV's cable modem service for different housing types are not available. There are currently 5,000 subscribers for its existing cable modem trial service, which was started two and a half years ago. SCV has estimated that an additional 2,500 subscribers have signed up for its cable modem service since its launch in December 1999. Subscription rates for the cable modem service are currently modest because cable broadband access is still in its infancy in Singapore. SCV targets to register up to 100,000 households for its cable modem service within the next 3 years. UNEMPLOYMENT AND RETRAINING PROGRAMMES 2. Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Manpower if he will give (a) an update on unemployment figures in 1999 based on age, education, gender and job sector; (b) the nature and duration of retraining programmes which have benefited women workers in 1999; and (c) the effectiveness of such training in matching the needs in the job market measured in terms of immediate job placement and work productivity levels.”
“Various countries and international organisations are studying whether there is a need to label genetically modified food. The issue is a complex one and involves a variety of factors such as the scientific and objective assessment of genetically modified food in comparison with conventional food, the market implications and cost of labelling, the regime of labelling permissible under existing world trading rules and issues of practicality and enforcement. So far, there is no agreement or international trend on this issue. Some states, including the large producers of such food, maintain that where stringent safety evaluation shows that genetically modified foods are not any different from conventional foods, there is no need to make a distinction between them. Other countries, including some with large agricultural communities which feel threatened by imports of such products, are agitating against their production and imports. There is also a school of thought that labelling will allow consumers to make an informed choice. The Genetic Modification Advisory Committee is closely following these developments and will advise the Government whether to label such products. We should take a rational and objective approach, considering the weight of scientific assessment and analysis. LEASEHOLD RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY 32. Mr S Iswaran asked the Minister for Law whether owners of leasehold residential property may extend their lease in order to undertake collective upgrading or redevelopment of their property.”
“This is a commercial operation. So it is mainly left to market forces. REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN NURSES 13. Mr Chng Hee Kok asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate the number of foreign nurses registered by the Singapore Nursing Board from 1994 to 1998.”
“The Government supports the various communities' efforts to establish their own heritage centres and the promotion of their culture, history, traditions and values. In 1992 the Government agreed to provide premises to the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian communities for use as heritage centres at nominal rental. The Chinese Heritage Centre was set up by the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations at the former Nantah Administration Block. Preparatory work for the Malay Heritage Centre at Kampong Glam is now in progress. The National Heritage Board is similarly prepared to assist the Indian community in its efforts to set up an Indian Heritage Centre in Little India or other suitable location. WORK PERMITS AND EMPLOYMENT PASSES 3. Dr Lee Tsao Yuan asked the Minister for Manpower what are the current numbers of foreigners on (i) work permits and (ii) employment passes.”
“Likewise, for monument buildings, PMB has been administering the "Tax-Exemption Scheme for Donations to National Monuments" since 1994. The scheme is intended to help the owner, trustee or management committee of a non-profit national monument to raise funds for its restoration. To-date, about $6.5 million of donation funds collected through this scheme have been granted tax-exemption. NAC administers a similar scheme whereby donations to arts groups channelled through NAC qualify for tax exemption. For FY 98 the scheme has attracted some $6.97 million of donation funds. The Government approved in 1992 matching grants for endowments for the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian communities to establish their own community-based heritage centres. The Chinese Heritage Centre is in operation. Work on the Malay Heritage Centre is in progress. APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS, SUBSIDIES OR SPONSORSHIPS FROM NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL 27. Mr Harun A Ghani asked the Minister for Community Development (a) how many organisations have applied for grants, subsidies or sponsorships from National Youth Council since January 1998 to date, and of these how many were successful; and (b) how many Malay organisations have applied for the said grants, subsidies or sponsorships, and of these how many were successful.”
“MITA preserves and promotes our ethnic heritage through programmes organised by the National Heritage Board (NHB), the Preservation of Monuments Board (PMB) and the National Arts Council (NAC). NHB, for instance, has given curatorial advice on the Chinese Heritage Centre's flagship exhibition "From Segregation to Integration: The Story of the Chinese Overseas". NHB is currently providing secretariat and curatorial support to the proposed Malay Heritage Centre. It is also advising the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry on its thematic exhibitions at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. Similarly, NAC has been actively promoting local cultural activities through outreach programmes such as "Concert in the Park" and in the Singapore Arts Festival. For this year's Festival, the ethnic groups that were featured include Singapore Indian Orchestra and Choir, Gunong Sayang Association and Sriwana. Many of the agencies' activities are made possible through partnership with private and public organisations. The Civic District Trail - Singapore's first permanent heritage trail to be launched at the end of this month - is one such example. Though spearheaded by NHB, this project involves the community at large. The trail takes visitors through many historic sites and preserved buildings within the Civic District, reflecting our multi-racial and multi-religious heritage. NAC has been supporting the various arts groups by providing grants for their activities. These arts groups include Teater Kami, Sriwana, Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society, Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society, Chinese Theatre Circle, Singapore Association of Writers and Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore.”
“The Government does so when the newspaper is rash in its editorial policy. CHILDREN NOT REGISTERING FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL 10. Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Education (a) how many children failed to register for primary school between 1992 and 1999; (b) what are the reasons for these children not registering for school; and (c) whether his Ministry will consider a policy on compulsory education for all children.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer is no. Dr Lee Tsao Yuan: The Minister said that the Government does not control the editorial of newspapers. Does the Government influence the editorials of newspapers?”
“My Ministry has regular dialogue sessions with the Singapore Contractors Association and one of the topics discussed at these sessions is noise. The permissible noise levels in construction sites are spelt out under the Environmental Pollution Control (Control of Noise from Construction Sites) Regulations. Contractors are aware of the permissible levels and are familiar with them. Earlier this year, my Ministry amended the Regulations to tighten the control of noise at night. We will monitor the situation to see if further measures are required. USE OF MEDISAVE FOR CHEMOTHERAPY 21. Dr Lily Neo asked the Minister for Health whether the amount of Medisave that can be used for chemotherapy in hospitals will be revised upwards from the present $2,000 ceiling which has not been reviewed since 1991, so as to make the effective but expensive 'advance cancer drugs' affordable to patients.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Special Allowance for Hotel Refurbishment Scheme was introduced in July 1998 to incentivise the hotel industry to refurbish during the current economic downturn. It aims to upgrade these hotels to prepare for the upturn in tourist arrivals when the regional economies recover. Preference has been given to hotels in the safeguarded hotel zones because they cannot be converted into other uses. Applications from gazetted hotels outside the safeguarded hotel zones can be considered on a case-by-case basis for tax allowance of up to 130% of qualifying expenditure as compared to the limit of 150% for hotels in the safeguarded hotel zone. The Singapore Tourism Board is currently processing two applications from hotels outside the safeguarded zones. SINGAPORE 21 (Motion) Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question (4th May, 1999), "That this House endorses the Vision for Singapore in the 21st century as set out in the report of the Singapore 21 Committee "Singapore 21: Together, We Make The Difference", contained in Paper Misc. 2 of 1999, as the basis for strengthening the heartware of Singapore and meeting the aspirations of Singaporeans.". - [Minister for Education]. Question again proposed. 1.08 pm”
“Dr Toh See Kiat asked the Minister for Communications if Singapore will allow the introduction and encourage the use of Liquid Petroleum Gas powered motor vehicles in view of the environmental and economic advantages of such vehicles.”
“Harnessing solar energy for heating water, cooling (solar cooling) and solar-powered lighting are applications that have already been commercialised by the private sector and are in use in Singapore. Large-scale commercial exploitation of solar energy in Singapore is, however, still limited because of basic factors like land requirement and high costs. A large surface area is required for the installation of solar panels. In land-scarce Singapore, it would not be practical to harness solar energy this way. The capital cost of solar panels is also high. So far, the Government has not funded any private-sector projects on solar energy research. MINDEF, in a pilot trial for solar-powered lights, is using solar energy for streetlights in a Kranji military facility. Its pilot solar power project at Tuas Naval Base has shown the potential of incorporating solar panels into the design of a building. The National Science and Technology Board (NSTB) has funded projects which aim to develop systems and devices for optimising the use of energy, for example, in "intelligent" buildings. Private sector companies which are keen to undertake research on renewable energy sources, including solar energy research, can apply to the NSTB for R&D funding. The Government continues to encourage the use of energy-saving equipment. The Ministry of the Environment administers the accelerated depreciation allowance scheme for energy-efficient and energy-saving equipment and technology. Under this scheme, solar heating or cooling systems, and solar energy collection systems can qualify to be expensed off in one year. LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS POWERED VEHICLES 2.”
“"That the total sum to be allocated for Head L of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Mr Loh Meng See]. Question again proposed.”