Liew Kok Pun
Singapore
“For instance, when the Board asks the owners or proprietors of the affected workshops or factories to provide evidence to show that they were in business on the site before the cut-off date, the Board stipulated only evidence of their dealings with Government agencies and was not prepared to consider other evidence showing their dealings…”
“Now that the first group of Civil Defence volunteers has been trained, I would like to find out from the Minister how his Ministry plans to sustain the interest. It is absolutely necessary that the interest be sustained and not allowed to decline.”
“Sir, in a lighter vein and in response to the Minister's remarks about mangy dog, I can assure him that whether mangy dogs or Alsatian dogs, they all wag their tails to welcome the NPP officers. But in the case of mangy dogs, I would suggest to the Minister that he advise his NPP officers to keep them at a distance.”
“Sir, I am sure my colleagues would like to join me here in thanking the Hon. Minister - who has shown himself to be an expert in quite a number of things, from counselling in marriage, to culinary skills, to assessment of timber - for his reply, a reply that is sprinkled with a large dose of humour to our delight and, I am sure, Sir, to y…”
“Sir, I believe the pimps are not restricted just to trishaw riders and taxi drivers. I suggest the Member for Whampoa take a walk along Orchard Road where he will find that there are other categories of people involved. Sir, the point I want to make is this: no class of people can have a claim on the monopoly of virtue.”
“NPP officers should mesh in with such established organizations and not vie for attention, compete, run in conflict with them or pull in different directions. All must be seen to be working only for the good of the residents.”
The complete record
Every one of 88 lines we hold for Liew Kok Pun, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 2.
“Sir, it is well past tea time and I am sure Members of the House would like to have tea. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave. withdrawn.”
“For instance, when the Board asks the owners or proprietors of the affected workshops or factories to provide evidence to show that they were in business on the site before the cut-off date, the Board stipulated only evidence of their dealings with Government agencies and was not prepared to consider other evidence showing their dealings with suppliers or customers. In borderline cases, I think the Resettlement Department should exercise its discretion and be more sympathetic to affected cases. I hope that the Minister will consider this and advise the Resettlement Department to examine the borderline cases carefully and endeavour to do its best to assist those affected and help alleviate the hardships they face.”
“In March last year the Minister informed the House that the HDB was aware of this problem of low water pressure on the top floors of HDB flats and that the Board was implementing an improvement programme to install separate down-feed pipes to increase the flow of water to the top floors of high-rise blocks. The improvement was carried out in the HDB blocks in my constituency but did not prove to be effective. The residents are still facing this problem of low water pressure. In addition, some have now complained that they are getting supplies of rust-coloured water. I would like therefore to urge the Minister to ask the HDB to examine this problem carefully and to work out an effective solution to remedy this defect quickly. Further, I hope that the measures to be implemented by the Board to remedy the defect will not place a financial burden on the residents. The second issue concerns the resettlement of workshops, factories and other small business enterprises affected by public development. I would like to ask the Minister to advise the HDB Resettlement Department officers to be more flexible in the way they process the eligibility of affected workshops, factories and other small business enterprises for resettlement benefits. Let me state at the outset that I realize that the Department has a difficult task here and must be alert and carefully scrutinize all cases of workshops and factories, affected by clearance. Some may want to grab the opportunity to get alternative factory and workshop premises on a resettlement basis even though they are clearly not eligible. However, the Board's Resettlement Department has, on some occasions when processing such cases, been rigid in applying its rules.”
“Let me elaborate on this proposal. An extended family with more than one family unit of parents and married children can still be preserved if the married children can be accommodated in the same block of flats or in the vicinity under the proposed priority allocation scheme. This can, of course, apply to both purchase and rental flats. In this way, married children can stay close to their parents who can then spend their time looking after the grandchildren rather than wallowing in misery and emptiness in the winter of their life. At the same time, more married women can rejoin the workforce. It will thus kill several birds with one stone. Sir, the public housing programme, its policy and architectural design have influenced greatly the sociological pattern of the people. They have shaped their lifestyles. It is an irreversible process. Fortunately, we have always got an enlightened and responsive public housing policy. We must keep it this way. Sir, in connection with the problem that I have raised, I would like to pose the following questions to the Hon. Minister: First, with limited land and the splitting of the nuclear family, will we be able to continue to cope with the demand of flats in future? Second, what is the projected number of flats required up to the end of this century? Third, will the one-room flats in old estates like Toa Payoh be demolished or improved to meet with the demand for larger flats? Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe: Mr Speaker, Sir, in speaking on this amendment, I would like to raise two issues. The first deals with complaints of low water pressure made by residents of top floor HDB flats.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head T be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead TE-01 of the Main Estimates. Sir, the completion of a record number of HDB flats last year has made it possible for a large number of people to be given their flats earlier. And by the end of 1985, the present shortage of flats will have been alleviated. Sir, I am sure that Members of this House will join me in congratulating the Housing and Development Board for having speeded up the public housing programme to cope with the demand. The Hon. Minister for National Development and his staff deserve a bouquet from the people. Sir, as new housing estates are developed, there is a general movement of young people from the old estates like Toa Payoh to the new estates like Hougang, leaving behind a fairly high concentration of old people in old estates. This is a rather disturbing trend. Arising from this, we have got to look into several problems, including the following: (a) the break-up of the nuclear or extended family system leaving behind the aged parents; (b) the undesirable situation of having spare rooms and emptiness in nuclear homes, when all the married children have shifted out; (c) the surplus of school places in old housing estates; (d) the pressure for more flats to be built for the young couples. Sir, the Housing and Development Board has introduced a number of policy measures to slow down the break-up of the nuclear and extended family structure. These include the introduction of joint balloting and priority allocation of HDB flats under the multi-tier scheme. These schemes are on the whole effective. I would like to suggest that the priority allocation scheme be extended to rental flats and to purchase flats in old housing estates.”
“Sir, in a lighter vein and in response to the Minister's remarks about mangy dog, I can assure him that whether mangy dogs or Alsatian dogs, they all wag their tails to welcome the NPP officers. But in the case of mangy dogs, I would suggest to the Minister that he advise his NPP officers to keep them at a distance. Sometimes they can also bite. On this note, I would like to thank the Minister for his very thorough reply. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Now that the first group of Civil Defence volunteers has been trained, I would like to find out from the Minister how his Ministry plans to sustain the interest. It is absolutely necessary that the interest be sustained and not allowed to decline. I would like to make the following suggestions to the Minister to keep the interest alive among the volunteers. First, organize regular simulation civil defence exercises for the Civil Defence volunteers. Second, involve them in the training of other volunteers. Third, form them into a constituency civil defence group to provide the leadership and organizational infrastructure,”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head Q be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead QA-01 of the Main Estimates. Sir, I would like to speak on two new policy measures of the Ministry of Home Affairs and that is the introduction of the Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP) and the Civil Defence. The NPP project is a big success. It has taken root in the housing estates and is closely interwoven with the web of grassroots organizations in the constituency. More importantly, it has improved the image of the police officer as one who is easily approachable and a friend of the people. I was told by the shopkeepers that the NPP officers know the neighbourhood so well that even the street dogs and pet dogs in HDB flats wagged their tail in recognition. Sir, the success of the NPP hinges on the quality of men selected to run it. The first batch of NPP officers have done their job well and should be complimented. Sir, I would now like to touch on the Civil Defence scheme. The Civil Defence Command has been mainly involved in organizing civil defence demonstrations and the training of volunteers. Much more effort, however, needs to be put in to bring the message of the importance of civil defence to the doorsteps of the people. A lot of promotion work has got to be undertaken. In this respect, the staff strength of the Civil Defence Command has to be beefed up. We now only have a skeleton staff of full-time Civil Defence officers in the constituency. Also we should get the media professionals to help in promoting Civil Defence. The Ministry of Defence has taken the lead to professionalize its promotion work and so has the National Productivity Board. The Ministry of Home Affairs should ask for more money from the Ministry of Finance for this purpose.”
“Sir, I am sure my colleagues would like to join me here in thanking the Hon. Minister - who has shown himself to be an expert in quite a number of things, from counselling in marriage, to culinary skills, to assessment of timber - for his reply, a reply that is sprinkled with a large dose of humour to our delight and, I am sure, Sir, to your goodself also. On this note, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn.”
“Minister tell us also what steps his Ministry is going to take to get these things done? For example, what about the HDB contractors who are doing a sloppy job? Instead of washing the place, they simply use a plastic hose and spray water on the floor. I know it is a difficult problem because this is labour-intensive. But then we must remember that residents do pay conservancy charges. Finally, Sir, I would like to speak on the improvement plans for the older HDB estates. The oldest part of the Toa Payoh estate, which includes almost three quarters of Boon Teck, was completed in 1968, about 15 years ago. The HDB new towns are well planned and tastefully landscaped, with a good blend of architectural design and a combination of colours for the apartment blocks. In strong contrast, Toa Payoh and Boon Teck appear drab and dull. One finds old concrete benches without any backrest, and generally in a dilapidated condition scattered here and there. What is most upsetting is to see old folks sitting uncomfortably on these old benches. Yet another unpleasant feature is the waste of turfed patches of land which are never used by residents and their children because these places are soggy, uneven and overgrown with thorny weeds. This is surely a waste of land in a densely-populated estate. Even the trees are emaciated and diseased, pining away because of lack of care. I would therefore like to ask the Hon. Minister whether the HDB has any plan to improve or upgrade facilities and amenities in the older housing estates, In particular, may I ask if there are any such plans to improve the conditions in Boon Teck Constituency?”
“They are not allowed to rent a one- or two-room apartment because their joint income is beyond the ceiling. HDB advises them not to apply for a 3-room rental flat because the waiting time is too long. They cannot purchase a 3-room apartment because they do not have enough CPF or no CPF at all. Even if they do, they still have to wait three to four years before they can get the apartment. So the young couples find themselves caught and have no choice but to live in their parents' 1-room apartment. But when you have two or three families living in a 1-room apartment, you can imagine the lack of privacy, the embarrassment, the family friction, even the family break-up. The effect on everyone concerned is psychologically too much to bear. So to avoid this, the young couple manage to rent a room at $200 in an HDB apartment. But the landlord gives them these conditions: no children, no cooking. Again, we can imagine the dilemma and the frustration the young couple must experience. After some time, when they cannot stick it out any longer or when the landlord gives them notice to move out, they have to turn to some relatives. And so they have to lead their itinerant life, driving their new marriage gypsy-like, not on wagon wheels but on the rocks of their tensions and psychological strains, I would therefore like to appeal to the Hon. Minister in all his understanding to look into the plight of these newly-wed gypsy couples. I would also like to appeal to the Hon. Minister to improve the condition of the 1-room apartment blocks, since it will be a long way before there will be plans to demolish them and since their residents cannot afford to buy flats and are likely to remain there. Could the Hon.”
“Minister, he said that it was in order and I am pleased to report that Apartment Block 51 has very happy owners. So here, I take this opportunity to convey my thanks to the Hon. Minister on behalf of residents in Apartment Block 51. Sir, may I now turn the attention of the House to the appalling conditions of the 1-room apartments and the plight of 1-roomers, The first thing that physically hits you, Sir, as soon as you walk up the staircase is the heavy stench coming from the communal bin chute. I am not exaggerating when I say that the smell is simply nauseating. Can you imagine what it is like for those who live near these communal bin centres? To keep away the stench, these 1-roomers seal off the limited wiremeshed openings in the front wall of their apartments which are supposed to serve as ventilation shafts. Once they shut these vents, they shut off all the air. There is no circulation. Around this time, the heat and the humid climate turn these 1-room apartments into ovens. Children break out in rashes and sores. The dark common corridor, the generally dilapidated condition of the lifts in the block, the badly maintained building, the graffiti writings and drawings scrawled all over the dirt-filled common corridors and the insect-infested bin chambers - all these remind one of the modern concrete slums one finds in a big metropolis. Such a condition in 1-room apartments is partly the fault of the residents themselves and partly the fault of HDB contractors who fail to clean the place well. Another crying problem, Sir, is the adverse effect on large families who live, packed like sardines, in 1-room apartments. As a result, we now have a new social phenomenon in our midst - what I would call - itinerant newly-weds or gypsy couples.”
“Worse still, when the applicant says, "I'll go and see my MP for advice", the reply from the HDB counter staff is, "See your MP also no use". HDB officers should not say such things about the Members of Parliament in this House with a possible exception. Although no one can jump the queue, the MP can explain the regulations painstakingly to them and give advice as to which new town to opt for if they want to get their flats earlier and not insist on getting a flat at a particular new town of their own choosing. In fact, HDB should thank hon. Members of this House - and here I must quickly add - with the exception of the Member for Anson, for explaining these housing policies to the people. However, I am glad to say that this is not always the case with all HDB officers. To be fair to them, some of them are extremely helpful. In fact, I must send a bouquet to the Hon. Minister for his own grasp of the situation and for his understanding in dealing with problem cases. And here, I hope he could rub off some of his kung fu to his officers at all levels. In particular, I would like to give an example concerning the sale of Apartment Block 51 in my Constituency. The regulation for the sale of both 2-room and 3-room blocks is that 90% of the 2-roomers and 70% of the 3-roomers must agree to buy their flats before HDB agrees to sell them to sitting tenants. However, our survey indicated that we could not get 90% of the two-roomers to buy. Overall, 75% of the tenants did agree to the purchase. When I consulted the HDB officers on whether it is possible to make an exception because this is not a three-room apartment block, but combination of 2-room and 3-room flats, the answer I got was an expected "No". Fortunately, Sir, when I brought up the matter to the Hon.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just before the session ended yesterday evening, I was saying that many a time in this House we have heard from hon. Members of the inflexible attitudes of some HDB officers. Many brick-bats have been hurled at the HDB, and here I would like to give a specific example to illustrate how some HDB officers are robot-like in their behaviour, following rules and regulations to the last dot. Their behaviour is programmed at HDB headquarters. During one of my house-to-house visits to a 1-room apartment block, I met an old lady in the corridor. As soon as she saw me, she broke down and cried. When I asked her what the problem was, her first words to me were, "HDB is terrible. HDB is inhuman." I asked her why, and she told me that she was giving up her flat but the HDB insisted that she remove the collapsible gate she had fixed. She told me that it was in good condition but the HDB officer threw the book at her and said that, according to the computer programme for the Tenancy Agreement, she had to return her flat in the original state. If not, she would have to pay a $20 removal fee. As a matter of fact, the new tenant who was going to take over the flat agreed to the collapsible gate being left there. I do not understand how this can come about, Sir. So, here is a case where the old lady was very sure that the next tenant would benefit from the collapsible gate but the HDB still insisted that she remove it. In her frugal ways, she thought this was a real waste. There are also some HDB officers who, when an applicant makes inquiries about housing matters at Maxwell Road, say brusquely, "Don't know!" or "Upstairs say so!" as if unwilling or unable to explain the regulations to the people.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head T be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead TE-01 of the Main Estimates.* Sir, many a time in this House we have heard of the inflexible attitude -”
“Sir, I believe the pimps are not restricted just to trishaw riders and taxi drivers. I suggest the Member for Whampoa take a walk along Orchard Road where he will find that there are other categories of people involved. Sir, the point I want to make is this: no class of people can have a claim on the monopoly of virtue. It involves quite a lot of people, and I think it is not fair to take taxi drivers and trishaw riders as whipping boys in this House. I suggest the Member for Whampoa be more discreet than just stigmatizing this group of people. On this note, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.”
“NPP officers should mesh in with such established organizations and not vie for attention, compete, run in conflict with them or pull in different directions. All must be seen to be working only for the good of the residents. Second, it is essential that NPP officers are effective in fulfilling their roles and functions and that they be seen to be so.”
“If we are not careful, any misconduct on the part of NPP officers will not only jeopardize the whole scheme but also mar the image of the whole police force. This would have far-reaching consequences, especially if it should cause residents to harbour doubts, suspicion or even resent- ment against NPP officers. It may also undo what the MP has tried so hard to do, or alternatively, the MP will be left with the task of cleaning up the mess left behind. My main question, Sir, is what are the plans that the Ministry has in preparing the ground for the introduction of this system? This system requires more than just a briefing session. Very good promotional programmes must be thought and carried out so as to ensure that the people are prepared to accept this system. Hence, I would like to ask the Minister what plans are there for a good promotional programme, what kind of PR work has been prepared? Also, I would like to seek the Minister's assurance that the best officers - those with the highest standard of moral integrity and other qualities - be selected as pathfinders in this new scheme, and that they would not be transferred out before they are able to establish any durable relationships with the residents. May I conclude by making two suggestions that the Minister may want to consider. First, NPP officers should get to know the grassroots organizations well in order to gain their respect and acceptance. They should get involved in all CCC, MC and RC functions and make it a point to go on house visits with RCs for at least a full cycle before venturing out on their own. The purpose of this is to get to know the residents and be known by them.”
“I am sure Members of the House here will agree with me that if the police were to unexpectedly knock on your door, you would be surprised. What more with the ordinary housewife! Even mothers are known to have used the police to strike fear in their children. Furthermore, unless you can thoroughly convince the people, they will think that the police are trying to pry into their personal lives. They will feel that this is an invasion of their privacy. They will fear that they are being watched and policed. Sometimes, NPP officers may find doors slammed in their faces because of the fear that the police are checking on unauthorized occupiers of HDB apartments or those who are playing mahjong. Or NPP officers may find little children keeping a lookout for their arrival to give advance warning to such residents. If this were to happen the bold step taken may falter. The NPP officer has multiple roles to fulfil if he is to carry out the work as indicated by the scheme. He must be friend and counsellor, able to solve the problems of residents. To do this, he must be knowledgeable. He needs to be tactful, patient and understanding. If the main purpose is to gain the confidence of residents, he must be sensitive in his human relations. As all Members in this House know, it is easier said than done. It takes time to establish rapport with the residents. You have to earn their respect. What the NPP officer does is no longer a job to be done perfunctorily. He has to have an abiding commitment to a cause. Since you are getting the NPP officer to come into such close contact with the people, the highest standard of integrity and moral behaviour is expected of him.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head Q be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead QA-01 of the Main Estimates*. Sir, over the past one year, the Minister for Home Affairs has introduced three new, inter-related policy measures, namely, the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, the Civil Defence Scheme and the Neighbourhood Police Post System (NPP). Taken together and in perspective, these three measures have the dual purpose of providing a total programme for the safety and security of our people as well as extending the roles of the policeman so as to forge a new image for the whole police force. Sir, I would therefore like to congratulate the Hon. Minister and his Ministry for their dynamism and boldness in charting such new policy directions. It is a radical departure from which people perceive as the role of the police. It brings the police closer to the people. It is people-oriented. For the one common thread linking all the three measures is this move towards people involvement. Since the latest measure, the Neighbourhood Police Post will be introduced in my Constituency at Boon Teck in June this year, my concern is to ensure that no stone is left unturned to see to its successful implementation. And so, in preparing the ground for the introduction of the NPP system, I have briefed and sought the views of all grassroots organizations in Boon Teck. And what I am going to say now is a reflection of their reservations, their fears and their suggestions. Sir, one of the key features of the NPP system is the regular home visits by police officers. My concern here is the possibility that this may be double-edged in its effect. The deeply ingrained prejudice people have of the police visiting your home is that it means trouble.”
“Singapore is in an envious position of being able to contact London and New York in the same business day. Our bankers should make better use of this geographical advantage by prolonging their banking hours. In Hong Kong the banking hours are longer than ours. On the question of cheaper services, it occurs to me that there exists in Singapore a curious service charge known as Commission in Lieu of Exchange. It is levied by local ACU managers on foreign currency remittance passing through them. This levy is usually a flat 1/8% of the amount of remittance. For example, Mr A remits US$800,000 from Hong Kong to Mr B's ACU account in Singapore. If Mr A's banker does not remit to Mr B's Account direct, Mr B is unable to get the full amount of US$800,000. He has to pay US$1,000 as Commission in Lieu of Exchange plus another US$15 cable charge to the intermediary banker. The service charge is said to be laid down by the Bankers Association. I cannot see the rationale for this arbitrary levy. It is unreasonable as it has no bearing on either the risks involved or the amount of work put in by the intermediary banker. I hope the Minister will do something to have it removed. As a matter of fact, I am against all percentage charges that have no bearing on the quantum of work done or the extent of risks involved. If our aim of making Singapore as a brain-service centre is to be more successful, all professional services should be charged proportionate to amount of work undertaken or risks shouldered, and not as an arbitrary percentage. On that note, I support the motion.”
“The Minister made it very clear that it is the Government's intention to further encourage the growth of this sector. I fully support this move. Singapore is a densely populated metropolitan state situated at the cross-roads of the world. Our weak point of having too many people to feed can also be our strong point if our people are able to provide high value-added services sought after by other countries especially by our ASEAN neighbours. Financial and Business Services are among the high value-added services we are capable of providing. Every encouragement must be given by the Government to upgrade the quality and reduce the costs of these services. The Minister's decision to grant five years' tax holiday to income earned by Asian Currency Units of banks and financial institutions in syndication loan activities is a good move. It has the effect of increasing profitability for ACUs operating in Singapore. It also enables progressive ACU managers to reduce their spreads to get more business. Singapore's position as an important financial centre in Asia has grown from strength to strength. Its free enterprise economy and open-door financial policy in attracting foreign expertise have contributed considerably to this growth. The bankers and finance managers operating in Singapore are among the best in terms of trustworthiness, experience and skills. I am sure they will respond favourably to the Minister's desire of further promoting Singapore's status as the key centre for Asian Dollars. To achieve this objective, our bankers and financial institutions must do their best to make their services more conveniently available and cheaper. Convenience and costs are the two most important factors affecting corporate managers' funding decisions.”
“It can be argued therefore that the school and private-hire buses themselves provide a public transportation service. Sir, I would like to appeal to the Hon. Minister for Finance to reduce the ARF charged for school and private-hire buses, or alternatively to set a realistic ARF ceiling or an ARF quantum according to the age of the vehicle rather than to apply a straight percentage formula of 55%. This is the case for taxis where the ARF charged for a new replacement taxi depends on the age of the scrapped vehicle. The purpose is to provide monetary incentives so that we can have a younger fleet of taxis. Sir, I gather from press reports that the Ministry of Communications is inclined to be sympathetic to the appeal of the school and private bus owners. Their case is cogent. It is a positive step which will encourage the replacement of old buses with new, trouble-free ones so as to improve the bus service. Thus, my appeal to the Minister for Finance is a simple one and, that is, for a speedy decision to be made on the review of the ARF for school and private-hire buses. Mr Speaker, Sir, on this note, I support the motion by the Minister for Trade and Industry. 4.56 p.m. Mr Chai Chong Yii (Bukit Batok)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister presented to this House a sombre Budget on March 4th, stressing grave world economic problems we are facing today. These problems we all would like to wish them away if we could. It is impossible. There is no choice but to face them squarely. According to the Economic Survey for 1982, our Financial and Business Services Sector contributed 36% to the Real Growth in Domestic Product. This growth rate is the fastest of all sectors in our economy.”
“According to the latest available 1981 statistics, there were 2,840 school and private-hire buses, or about 41% of the total, which were 10 years old and above. The problem with these buses is that they emit a lot of black smoke; their owners are often summoned by the traffic police and the ROV for excessive smoke emission of their vehicles; and the buses, especially the very old ones, cannot pass the ROV inspection tests - the passing rate being very low, and hence a number of them have been taken off the road. I am all for the strict control on pollution and the high standards required in maintenance and in passing the vehicle inspec- tions. However, it must be pointed out that these buses, being old, are extremely difficult to maintain. In other words, to provide a better bus service without too much pollution and lay-offs, many of these old buses need to be scrapped and replaced with new buses. The bus operators appreciate this and are willing to replace their buses. But when they are faced with such a hefty ARF of 55% charged on new school and private-hire buses, they simply cannot afford to pay for it. A 44-seater bus would cost more than $100,000 to bring it on the road. Even if the bus is efficiently used, the bus driver would find the monthly loan instalment prohibitive. The alternative is to increase the bus subscription fare substantially for children and workers. And this is definitely not desirable. Sir, the 7,000 school and private-hire buses provide an important and indispensable supplementary service to the public bus transportation service. They now provide an efficient service to the commuting public. They help to take part of the load off during the peak hours and hence alleviate the shortage of buses during this period.”
“I would therefore look forward in future Budget Statements to seeing provisions that reflect a well considered and long term plan of action, first, to prepare our workers to look forward to automation; secondly, to educate them to take the adjustment problems arising from job displacement in their stride; thirdly, to look after those threatened by obsolescence by equipping them with alternative skills so that they do not become a burden to themselves or to society; fourthly, to analyse the machine-dominated environment and its impact on workers; and fifthly, to provide the necessary facilities for training, counselling and other measures. In short, this plan should give the worker a fair chance in the face of psychological and social problems which automation may cause him. Mr Speaker, Sir, my comments on these two points in the Budget have been prompted by my concern that we cannot afford any wastage in the only resource our country can claim to, and that is our human resource. Sir, may I now touch on a matter totally unrelated to the first two topics. This concerns the subject of the excessively high Additional Registration Fee (ARF) charged on school and private-hire buses. Sir, before I continue I must hasten to add that although I am working in the transport cooperative, I am speaking on the subject mainly for the public interest and from the point of view of bringing about a more efficient school and hire-bus service. The ARF charged on these buses is 55% of the price of the new vehicle, whereas in the case of SBS and CSS buses, it is only 5%. I would like to draw the attention of the Hon. Minister for Finance to the problems faced by the 7,000 school and private-hire bus operators.”
“We are aware of the importance of the mother looking after the children, but if she feels secure that they are in good hands, she may find it possible and attractive to return to work and thus also contribute to the economy. Let me now move to the incentive given to enterprises to automate and computerize their operations by allowing all expenditure on computers and office automation equipment to be written off in a year. In strong contrast to the enhanced child-relief incentive, this is an attractive one and would certainly have the intended effect of speeding up the computerization and automation of more enterprises in Singapore. I am sure it would spur more enterprises to re-examine their labour-intensive operations. We have actually no choice - it is either automate and computerize or die. Our workers should welcome this as it would take away the repetitive and monotonous tasks, and replace them with more skill-intensive work, and hence higher wages. But, as we look at automation, particularly the large scale robot-led automation, we have to anticipate what it can bring in its wake. We must study the impact it can have on our workers. We must take cognizance of what has happened in other countries, especially Japan. In other words, we have to prepare our workers to cope with a rapidly changing work environment, a machine-dominated environment. The first effect of large scale automation and computerization is the displacement of workers to different jobs. Psychologically, workers would have to be prepared to undertake different jobs during their careers. They may need to have multiple skills. It is therefore necessary to reorientate our workers' attitudes towards retraining, life-long learning, acquiring multiple skills and more frequent job rotation.”
“Minister for Trade and Industry to lift the restriction and extend it to all female workers. I would like to ask what the cost to revenue will be if the enhanced child relief also benefits the other female workers. Sir, there are other equally cogent reasons why we must examine all other incentives to get more women back into the workforce. First, the female labour force participation rate in Singapore is regrettably low. Only 45% of our women are working. Secondly, in a labour-deficit economy with a small workforce of about 1.2 million and a two-child family norm, we cannot afford to have a low female labour participation rate. The result of this is the need to bring in a large number of foreign workers, which is socially undesirable. I would strongly suggest that the Government consider a long term plan to encourage more female workers to continue to work even after they have children. The Government has already set this direction of long term planning with all the features of prudence, foresight and sound judgement, as in housing, transportation, education and health. A similar long range social plan is badly needed. We would need to look at a tax relief which would make it worthwhile for women to come out and work. More important, we would also need to provide adequate creches and child-care centres if we want to get more women back into the workforce. This then is the crux of the problem. We do not have enough creches and childcare centres for the mother to place her children during the day so that she can work. Hence, from physical facilities, like buildings for creches and child-care centres, to professional expertise in the form of qualified teachers and nurses, a long range social plan has to be thoroughly worked out.”
“Hence, as I pondered on each part of the Budget, I asked myself such simple questions as: In what ways is it good for the people? Is it well balanced? Does it correct a weakness? Is it the best way out? Is it enough or too little? Who will benefit from it and who will be affected by it? What is the price we have to pay? Mr Speaker, Sir, my colleagues before me have covered a number of areas in this debate. I would first like to comment on two points which stick out in Section Ill of the Budget Statement, namely, the enhanced child relief for specially qualified women, and the first year depreciation for computers and office automation equipment. Let me at the outset state that I fully support the provision of enhanced child relief to encourage the more highly qualified married women to continue to work even after they have children. Sir, the reasons are compelling. The latest Labour Force Survey reveals that about 2,000 or 17.5% of women with tertiary education rejected job offers because of home and child-care responsibilities. Sir, this is not a small number. Married women who are highly qualified should be encouraged to work and give the rest of society the benefit of their talents and abilities. However, the quantum of enhanced child relief is not sufficiently attractive. It is peanuts. It is also neither here nor there - a half-hearted measure that will not solve the problem. Moreover, restricting the enhanced child relief to specially qualified women only discriminates against the rest who form the bulk of the female workforce, about 97.2%. They too are partners in contributing to the economic development of our country. The restrictive enhanced child relief is not only unfair but socially unacceptable. I urge the Hon.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I join my colleagues in congratulating the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry on presenting to us such a painless Budget this year. In such a time as this, we can consider ourselves fortunate as we look at this year's Budget Statement. All around us, the world is fraught with anxieties, tensions, crises. First, there is global recession. People elsewhere are thrown out of work. Unemployment is so massive that people have to work shorter hours and agree to lower wages in order that more jobs can be made available. Next, there is the dithering international financial system - threatened by the very people who cannot repay the debts they owe to the tune of hundreds of billions of US dollars. Then there are the atrocities of massacres and wars and blatant invasions. And yet, despite all this stormy weather, we are still able to have a painless Budget. It is clear to us all that being able to afford such a Budget against the backdrop of a gloomy world economy did not come to us by accident but by design, by good government. It is the result of farsighted, prudent monetary and fiscal policies, giving us a secure buffer of three years to see us through the lean times. It speaks of a maturity, a vision in planning and in good government which we can be proud of. This is our forte. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Budget is a means of allocating scarce resources according to our needs and priorities. In considering the Budget, the thoughts uppermost in my mind are: This is our country, our land, our people. What must we do to ensure our survival, to ensure that each Singaporean is being developed to the fullest so that we can have a safe and secure homeland?”
“I would therefore like to suggest that the Ministry of Labour prepare the ground for workers to accept this fact by mounting a public education programme. On the subject of the continuing education of workers, I would like to congratulate the Hon. Minister for Communications and Labour for his Ministry's plan to set up the Institute for Continuing Occupational Development. This is a step in the right direction. A number of organizations, including NPB, VITB and NTUC, are planning and co-ordinating a skills-upgrading programme. I am inclined to the view that the training programmes for workers need to be co-ordinated. I urge the Hon. Minister for Communications and Labour to look into this suggestion.”
“I would therefore like to ask the Minister whether his Ministry will take steps to prevent this and what protection will older workers get? I urge the Ministry of Labour to monitor this situation closely. We owe it to the older generation of workers for having slogged hard in the 1960's and 1970's to help build up our economy. An old but fit workhorse should not be abandoned - he can still continue to contribute. I must, however, hasten to add that a good employer will, of course, never allow this to happen and will retrain or upgrade his workers. The other side of the coin of an aging labour force is whether we can meet with the high job expectations of young people who aspire to the top posts in an organization. With an aging work force, we will see more older persons in their forties and fifties holding top posts in the organization. To illustrate this some of our Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service are in their thirties and it is expected that they will remain in service over the next 20 years. We must therefore also look into the problem of the impatience of the aspiring young man who may not be able to reach the top position in his thirties. Sir, my final point is whether we are able to upgrade the quality of our workforce to cope with the manpower demand of a knowledge-intensive economy. In such an economy, we know how quickly a worker can become obsolete. He will have to undergo training and retraining quite often in his working life. He must dispel the notion that training is a once-and-for-all thing. It is not. He has to accept the idea that training in higher skills is necessary if he does not want to lose his job or if he wants a higher salary.”
“In almost all developed countries, the retirement age is 65 years. Another way is to encourage housewives to do part-time work either at home or at the workplace during the few hours a day when their children are in school. Part-time work at home need not be limited to simple manual work like assembling toys or artificial flowers. Higher-level work such as editing and others can also be done at home. In this way, housewives would still be able to look after their children and, at the same time, help alleviate the shortage of workers. Sir, we should not forget to tap the pool of disabled persons. They, too, can contribute their share to the economic growth of the country. They would want to be given the opportunity to prove that they are able to make it. Some of them are extremely talented. Others are hardworking and dedicated. Handicapped persons have therefore a role to play in our society. Employers should be further encouraged to recruit handicapped persons if they are found to be suitable. Sir, we will have gradually aging workers in the 1980's and 1990's. One advantage of having an aging workforce is that our older workers should be more mature, more patient and more experienced. There would be less frivolous job-hopping. We should therefore have a more stable workforce. However, employers will have to pay a higher wage bill because workers with longer years of service in the company will earn more. Sir, I am concerned whether some unscrupulous employers may replace the older unskilled or semi-skilled workers on some lame excuse with younger workers whose wages would be much lower than those of the older workers. Sir, this is a matter of grave concern. Older workers doing unskilled or semi-skilled work would be fearful of this.”
“In particular, I would like to ask the Minister for Communications and Labour whether the projected diminishing growth rate in the labour force will be adequate to provide the manpower to sustain our high growth rate economy in the 1980's. If the supply of indigenous workers is enough, then I would like to enquire from the Minister for Communications and Labour what plan his Ministry has got to phase out foreign workers. On the other hand if the supply of indigenous workers is not enough, will we have to continue to depend on foreign workers to make up for the shortage? Sir, if we still require the services of foreign workers, I think we should take steps to ensure that they do not suffer a culture shock when they join our workforce. Foreign workers on work permits - especially those from the non-traditional sources - bring with them their own value systems, their habits and lifestyles, some of which may run counter to ours. If we have to continue to depend on foreign workers for quite some time, then I would like to ask the Minister to consider working out an orientation programme for all foreign workers when they first step on our shores. They should try to fit into our socio-cultural system quickly. They should realize that we are serious in our national efforts to keep our country clean and green, to save energy, to promote better neighbourliness, to be courteous to each other and to increase productivity in our workforce. Hence they should not upset our people by doing the contrary. Sir, in view of the labour shortage in our country, we have to examine other ways and means of increasing our pool of indigenous workers. One way is to consider making it optional to retire at the retirement age of 55 or 60 years old.”
“Sir, over the next two decades, the labour force is going to have a totally different profile from that of the 1960's and 1970's. First, we will have a gradually smaller number of workers joining the labour market over the next two decades. The increase in labour force will be gradually reduced from about 110,000 during the period 1980-85 to about 31,500 during the period 1995-2000. This is a clear indicator of the success of our family planning programme. Second, our workforce is aging. Presently, we have about slightly more than a quarter of a million of our workers (or 25%) are above 40 years of age. By the end of this century, the proportion of workers aged 40 years and above will be increased from 25% to 41%, and the number will increase by more than twice to more than half a million. Third, the industrial structure of the labour force will change further as the economy moves upstream into knowledge-intensive industries. Over the last 20 to 25 years, there has been a sharp change in the industrial structure of the labour force due to rapid economic development followed by a major restructuring of our economy. In 1957, the number of workers employed in the manufacturing sector was only 14% of the workforce. This was increased to 30% in 1980. In the financial and business sector, the increase is from 4.6% in 1957 to 7.4% of the workforce in 1980. And in sharp contrast, the number of workers in the agriculture and fishing sector dropped from 8.6% in 1957 to 1.6% in 1980. This clearly shows the shift in the industrial structure of the workforce. Sir, this profile change of the workforce is going to have far-reaching implications on labour policy in the 1980's and 1990's.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, what is the safety situation in the construction industry? Is it so bad that it justifies an increase in expenditure on safety provisions?”
“Sir, may I ask the Hon. Minister of State for Labour whether there is a shortage of registered safety officers and, if so, how serious is the shortage? Also, what steps are being taken by his Ministry to overcome this shortage?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the Hon. Minister of State for Labour what measures will be taken to reduce accidents in the construction industry?”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his kind reply and beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“The SDF Council may want to consider taking on a more active role in upgrading our workforce. The SDF Council should be congratulated for broadening the use of the SDF to provide grants for companies wanting to seek external expertise to help upgrade their business operations. I would like to suggest that the SDF Council should also consider setting up or financing the establishment of national training centres such as the Institute of Continuing Occupational Development which is being set up to provide for the continuing education of our workforce. 6.15 p.m.”
“Whilst I agree that the Fund collected should be used for upgrading the skills of all categories of employees, I am inclined to the view that there should be a proper balance and that it should not be heavily biased in favour of one category of employees. Sir, I hope that the Skills Development Council should not be too eager to approve training grants just because of pressure from the employers who are anxious to recover their SDF contributions and also pressure from the press. I am aware that the SDF Council has set certain criteria for grant allocation. It should maintain its criteria of granting subsidy, otherwise we end up with the syndrome of providing training for training's sake. Sir, we can expect the number of application for SDF grants to increase. I would like to suggest that we beef up the SDF Secretariat with more staff to evaluate training proposals. In fact, the Secretariat should have a larger pool of resource persons or consultants to advise employers who wish to embark on training and developing projects. This is necessary as we do not have enough qualified local trainers in Singapore, It is thus understandable that not many companies are able to put up with meaningful and effective training programmes. I would, therefore, urge the SDF Council to consider expanding its role from a passive one at present to a more active one to promote or initiate relevant skills-upgrading training programmes. To continue with its existing role of merely evaluating training proposals submitted by companies may not speed up the process of skills acquisition of our workforce. Some companies, especially the smaller ones, may not have the manpower to undertake the task of identifying training needs.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head N be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead NA-01 Object Group 1100 of the Main Estimates. Sir, I am again happy to be the first one to speak on the Ministry of Finance budget. My advice to my colleagues is to submit their amendments early so that they would have a chance to speak. Sir, the Skills Development Fund was established in 1980 to encourage employers to provide funds for the training of workers. A total of $88 million was collected in 1980, of which only $14 million (or 16%) had been granted to subsidize the training of 10,180 workers. The situation improved greatly in 1981. Total training grants took up nearly 30% (amounting to $72 million) of the total levy collected. The number of workers who benefited from such grants improved more than threefold to 32,103. Sir, it is apparent that more and more employers are beginning to make use of the Fund, as can be seen from the sizable increase in the amount of grants disbursed, and also the threefold increase in the number of workers who have benefited from such grants, This increase is due to the commendable efforts made by the SDF Secretariat and also the press in disseminating information on the SDF grant schemes. However, I would like to know what percentage of the Fund is used for upgrading the skills of workers earning less than $750 a month. I believe this information is not readily available, but I suspect that the percentage is small. I am concerned about the bulk of the Fund for training being given to the upgrading of management staff and that not enough is being spent on upgrading the skills of workers. One reason for this is that there are more management courses in the market than that intended for upgrading the skills of our workers.”
“My third point is that the Ministry of Education should take steps to cut down the voluminous amount of paper work that teachers have got to do. They have got to collect school fees. They have to fill up the registers and so on and so forth. Sometimes teachers are even asked to type examination papers on their own. Surely this aspect of the work can be undertaken by the clerical staff. Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope the Minister of State will not dismiss so lightly the suggestion that we should consider introducing compulsory education. There must be merit in this proposal. Otherwise there would not be so many countries of different political ideologies having introduced it. Sir, on this note, I would like to thank the Minister of State of Education and the Parliamentary Secretary for their replies. Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, before I withdraw my amendment, with your approval I would like to make one or two comments. I am sure that Members of this House and a lot of parents must be cheered and delighted to note that streaming in the primary schools has reduced educational wastage. This is a sure good sign of the progress of our educational system. I would like to respond to the comment made by the Member for Moulmein concerning the importance of upward salary revision for teachers. Whilst I subscribe to his views, I think money alone is not the only factor. There are other factors that make a teacher a good teacher. I think it is a love for children, a commitment. It is also a conviction that makes a teacher stay back in the teaching profession. But that does not mean that the Minister for Finance should continue to drag his feet over the Senior Education Service and its implementation. Sir, I would like to make a few suggestions to the Ministry of Education for increasing the pool of trained teachers. The first point is this, and here I want the Member for Anson to take note. I think the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State of Education should again talk to the housewives, those who have been teachers before and who have resigned from the Education service to look after their children. This time it is to seek their assistance to teach for a few hours in schools whilst their children are attending school. The second suggestion that I would like to make is that we are going to have an aging labour force. Perhaps we should consider extending the retirement age of school teachers beyond 60 years. I think we can recruit ex-teachers who are in retirement back into the Education service.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would just end by saying that I hope the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education would do a study on the possibility of introducing compulsory education in our schools.”
“May 1, therefore, suggest that we take a step further by providing each classroom with an overhead projector and also by giving them more audio-visual materials to use rather than to use the unproductive chalk-and-talk method. The last point I would like the Ministry of Education to consider is to introduce compulsory education to make sure that the estimated 15,000 premature school leavers would by 1985 actually attend the courses to be worked out by the VITB. Here, I would like to draw the attention of hon. Members of the House to a UNESCO report which gives some very startling information. In this report it is shown that almost all developed countries and newly-industrializing countries, with the possible exception of Singapore, have provided for compulsory education. In fact, the OECD countries have provided for at least eight years' compulsory education. Let me now list out a selected number of developed and newly-industrializing countries that have introduced compulsory education. OECD countries Number of years United States 10 Japan 9 West Germany 9 France 10 United Kingdom 11 Canada 8 - 10 Italy 8 Northeast Asian countries Number of years Hong Kong 6 South Korea 6 Taiwan 9 Communist countries Number of years USSR 10 East Germany 10”
“- and systems engineers, of course, he can do something about it. First, is the motivation of the teachers. Teachers cannot afford to be demoralized. We must have a highly motivated teaching profession. The other day I listened with great interest to the statement made by the Minister for Trade and Industry when he proposed the upward revision of salary scales for Administrative Officers in the Civil Service. We have some of the finest and best brains in the teaching profession. I know that some of them have 15 years of service. They have a good Honours degree, Second Upper. They are highly committed. Yet they are drawing a salary of only about $2,000 to $3,000 plus. I do not see how the Minister for Finance can continue to drag his feet in not approving the Senior Education Service Scheme for education officers. I am sure the Member for Moulmein will join me in this respect. I think we should seriously consider giving the principals of schools the Senior Education Service salary. They deserve it. If they are able to run a school with 1,500 pupils and about 150 teachers, they surely deserve to be placed on the Senior Education Service. My next point is that, in order to compensate for the shortage of teachers, we can consider using more efficient and effective ways of teaching and learning. Here, I must compliment the Ministry of Education for having managed to squeeze from the Ministry of Finance a sizable amount of funds for the purchase of overhead projectors. This is a fantastic achievement. I remember that in the 60's and 70's I had a hard time trying to persuade my school principal to allow me to use an overhead projector.”
“I do not blame the teachers because they teach according to the examination requirements and, of course, there is the parental pressure on every child to do well. This is one of the main reasons for school pupils dropping out. Sir, the other reason that I am very concerned about is the large number of relief teachers. I was told that on the average we have about two to three relief teachers in each school. This is going to upset the pupils because pupils like to look up to a teacher for guidance, and when you change teachers too often, you've had it. This subject of educational wastage is a complex subject and I am sure the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education will ask his officers to make a detailed study to see how we can further reduce educational wastage. 3.30 p.m. However, I would like to offer a few suggestions to the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education for his consideration. Perhaps with his vast pool of resources - An hon. Member: Systems engineers.”
“Streaming has been introduced, the school curriculum has been overhauled and diversified, the full-day school concept is being tried out, better educational buildings and facilities are provided, a larger number of principals and teachers are undergoing training and a wider range of vocational and pre-vocational courses for premature school leavers is being looked into by the Vocational and Industrial Training Board. I am aware of all these practical measures to reduce the number of premature school leavers and to inject quality in our schools. In spite of all these measures we have taken so far, we can still expect a certain number of pupils, albeit a reduced number, to leave the school system prematurely because of streaming. There are many reasons why school leavers leave the school prematurely. Some of these reasons are inherent in the school system whilst others are external to it. The first reason is that the school curriculum is too academic. There are some pupils who could not understand abstract concepts. If I may just give an example to illustrate. Take modern mathematics. The pupils with very low IQ could not understand modern mathematics. They do not understand sets and so on. [Interruption] I think here the Member for Anson is worried because he may have problems in understanding modern mathematics. I think we should teach them simple arithmetic, arithmetic concerning income tax, i.e. the simple aspects of income tax computation. So the first weakness of the education system is that you have got an academic curriculum. The second reason is that the whole school system is dominated by the examination strait-jacket.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head L be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead LA-01 Object Group 1100 of the Main Estimates. Sir, I am happy to be given this opportunity to open the debate on the Education budget. Since the People's Action Party took over the reins of government, we have done extremely well. We have succeeded in upgrading the educational level and the literacy rate of our people. We can therefore say that the Ministry of Education has done extremely well over the last two decades. Sir, I am of the view that in the 1980s the main thrust of the education policy should be on a further reduction of educational wastage, a further reduction in the number of premature school leavers but an upgrading in the quality of education in our schools. There are compelling and cogent reasons for this. We have heard the Minister for Trade and Industry stressing the importance of human resource development. We also have noted that in the 1980 census of population we have half a million workers with only a primary education. The problem must therefore be tackled at source, that is, in the schools. We must nip the problem in the bud. We must ensure that school leavers have got a basic education with a minimum level of literacy. Premature school leavers without even a grounding in the 3Rs and who join the labour force as unskilled workers will pose problems in upgrading to cater for the needs of a higher quality workforce. Moreover, these premature school leavers will form a sizeable group that can present social, economic and psychological pro- blems. Such problems can be a social time bomb. Sir, in 1979 the Ministry of Education took the bold but necessary step forward in restructuring the education system.”
“Some of these items are so expensive that it is hard to believe. They will open letters of credit through their national banks, thus channelling the profits made in Singapore into their parent companies. Sir, while we want to learn the technology and production methods of the more advanced and industrialized countries and emulate the good examples and practices in their management, etc., we should also look at the other more seamy side of the coin and try to foster and protect our local investors and enterprises so that their investment growth can keep pace with our economic growth. This is our duty so that they will not be at a disadvantage. Economic reports and forecasts from the various countries conclude that 1982 is a more difficult year for the world economy - the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and other Western industrialized countries are faced with mounting unemployment and economic stagnation or depression. Even Japan reports a great drop in their overseas trade in the last quarter. Thus for the first time in seven years Japan will not be able to achieve the targeted growth of 4.1% for the fiscal year up to 31st March. Faced with this difficult economic situation, it is difficult for us to expect another near 10% economic growth. We should not rest on our laurels of our past achievements and be complacent. On the contrary, we should pull up our socks and prepare for rainy days. We should brace ourselves up, work together, make concerted efforts in order to brave the stormy seas. If we can sink or swim together, we will be able to weather the storms ahead and we will b? forging forward according to our charted course in our task of economic construction and nation building. 4.36 p.m.”