Lim Biow Chuan
Singapore
“Sir, just two short supplementary questions. First, currently, the United Nations define seniors as 65 years whereas we have set ours at 67 years. So, would the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) consider reducing to 65 years for the age eligibility criterion for getting the concessionary rate for the MDW?”
“In light of this, the existing practice of the Ministry, which disallows the repeated renewal of shorter term COEs, should also be eliminated to preserve the maximum flexibility for EV drivers to extend the use of an environmentally friendly car.”
“Sir, in June last year, the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) was launched. Sir, let me express my gratefulness to LTA for the TEL line, as there are three TEL MRT stations within the Mountbatten constituency. The TEL line has facilitated travel for many residents in my constituency.”
“Sir, I receive many queries from Polytechnic and GCE "A" level students wanting to know about their enlistment dates, asking about their Physical Employment Standard (PES) status prior to enlistment for. Sir, I also receive queries about NSmen hoping to study overseas.”
“MFA has said on several occasions that Singapore supports the right of Palestinian people to a homeland of their own. Singapore delivered not one, or two, but a total of six to seven tranches of humanitarian aid for Gaza in January 2025.”
“Even in Parliament, Sir, our Clerks and other staff work such long hours because MPs debate long hours, spend time debating Bills until late in the evening and sometimes until late at night. Sir, I have on many occasions, received emails from Ministers late in the middle of the night.”
The complete record
Every one of 802 lines we hold for Lim Biow Chuan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 15 of 17.
“Sir, last year, the Minister for Transport announced that LTA will take over centralised bus planning. It was also announced that the public will be involved in the land transport system. May I seek an update from the Minister on the plans for the centralised bus planning? Would the grassroots organisations be consulted on the bus routes which would be running through the estate? I recall two years ago when SMRT decided to terminate Service CSS 608, I made several appeals on behalf of the residents to keep the service and to run the service with a longer headway. However, the appeal was rejected and my residents were left without a service which had served them for many years. This has caused great inconvenience and much unhappiness amongst the residents. The question often posed to me was that bus service should be a public amenity and it should not be left to the bus operators to determine whether to operate a route based solely on the reason whether the bus route is profitable. After all, the bus transport operators are already very profitable. Hence, may I urge the Minister to consider the following suggestions when carrying out the centralised bus planning system? First, consult the grassroots organisations before finalising the route, as they have a better idea as to where the demand is. Next, where the bus service is not profitable, consider running the service at a longer but more regular headway, for example, if it is not profitable to run a service every 10 or 15 minutes, the transport operators may instead apply to run the service at headways of 30 minutes or one hour but make sure the buses operate on time so that the residents know exactly what time to reach the bus stop and how long they must wait.”
“And we need these values to be taught not just for a few years in primary school but throughout the school curriculum until the student graduates from university. In school, we teach the students to think critically. But do we teach the students to appreciate the wonderful school education that he has received? What about teaching the students to appreciate how the country has provided a comfortable life for the majority of its citizens? Do we emphasise loyalty to the country? Do our brilliant scholars whom we send overseas for their scholarships end up migrating overseas thinking that it is better to remain overseas because of better options? Do our scholars who are sent overseas end up being grateful for the opportunities and return to serve the public humbly, or do they think that they deserve the scholarship because of their higher intellect? What do we teach our students who are granted scholarships? Sir, may I urge the Ministry to ensure that all our students are taught the proper core values, so that our society can develop into a more gracious society with the right values inculcated in them, which should bind our country together. On another note, may I ask the Ministry for its policy on allowing schools to carry on with compulsory classes or tests during mid-year school holidays. Would it not defeat the purpose of having a school break and allowing students to have proper rest during school holidays? Is there any way in which we can reduce the stress in our school system, such that students will remember their time in school with fondness rather than with regret? Character Building and Community Engagement in the Curricula”
“Sir, two years ago, I asked whether MOE was satisfied that the students who had completed their 10 years of basic education had a basic knowledge of the core values, like humility, integrity, loyalty, patriotism, compassion, respect for others and filial piety. I ask again this year because I feel that not enough emphasis is being given to teaching such basic core values in our schools today. We may produce students who are extremely gifted and top scorers in Mathematics, Science and computer literacy. But what about their sense of integrity, humility or loyalty to their country? Do they have the right values to make them useful and contributing citizens of Singapore when they graduate? Sir, our society is a reflection of the values which were taught to us when we were students. Ideally, these values should have been taught by the parents at home. But are all our parents equipped to teach their children the right values? Who taught basic core values to the generation before? Last month, I read in the TODAY newspaper about customers of a bank making false claims. They said they were uneducated or employed in low-income jobs, so that they could claim compensation losses suffered as a result of investment in Lehman Brothers' products. It was reported that a number of them were abusive and made threats. Whilst I sympathise with these customers for having lost monies in buying such risky investments, I wonder about their loss of integrity when they made false statements so that they can claim compensation. Are these people in a right position to teach the right values to their children? Last week, Ms Irene Ng spoke about a gracious society. The fact is that for a gracious society to develop, we need core values like compassion, consideration and respect for others.”
“Sir, last year, it was announced that the EduTrust framework would be introduced to regulate the private education sector. The area of private education requires intense monitoring because of potential for private schools to run the green mails and to produce bogus educational qualifications without proper lecturers. This will not only adversely affect the reputation of Singapore as a global educational hub but will also affect the many students who are conned into paying large sums of school fees to study at such schools. Just yesterday, it was reported that Singapore has a reputation for affordable quality education. Last year, in 2008, there were 96,900 foreign students who came to Singapore to study. May I ask the Ministry for an update as to the status of the EduTrust scheme? How does the Ministry intends to ensure that the private education organisations operating in Singapore offer quality programmes? How does the Ministry intends to protect students from paying large sums of school fees and signing up with schools that do not have proper lecturers or premises to conduct their lessons? Would there be regular checks on schools' curriculum and the qualifications of the lecturers or tutors? Quality of Private Education”
“I recognise that there are legitimate timeshare companies which operate genuine holiday sharing schemes. But there are also many operators who sell their timeshare schemes with misleading and false claims. They exert undue pressure on consumers and do not abide by the five-day cooling-off period. It takes a long while for consumers to recover their payments from the timeshare companies. The lack of action from the Government has prompted many other industries to use similar strategies to sell their products. CASE has received many complaints about high pressure selling and coercion from consumers undergoing beauty treatments, massage, slimming treatments, joining a gymnasium and make-over photo shoots. There are complaints that such high pressure selling methods are used to persuade consumers to buy a beauty or slimming package whilst they are wearing a bath towel. These companies which rely on such tactics to increase their business, bring a bad reputation to the entire industry. Could MTI extend the provision on the five-day cooling-off period under the CPFTA to such industries? Consumer Protection”
“While education may be the best way to stop people from falling into potential scams, the presence of a regulating body and legislation is equally important. Had there been a regulatory body in charge of such consumer frauds, then it could be possible that fewer consumers are conned and cheated of their monies. The Director of one such company currently faces prosecution by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD). May I urge MTI to work hand-in-hand with CAD or other relevant authorities to set up an investment fraud division to investigate such fraudulent schemes and to take prosecution action wherever justifiable. Any delay in taking action will result in more consumers being taken for a ride and losing their hard-earned savings. CASE would also request that MTI works with MAS to extend the scope of the MoneySENSE programme. We hope that MTI can fund more educational programmes to educate consumers about basic investment objectives and the risks of investment in the financial markets. Looking at the large numbers of consumers who have bought investment products like the Minibonds and other derivatives from the banks and other financial institutions without really understanding what these products are about and the kind of risks involved, it is of great concern. It also suggests that the MoneySENSE programme, or other educational programmes, can do more to reach out to the man-in-the-street to help them become more aware of investment risks. These programmes can reach out to more people through different avenues, such as regular radio broadcast, TV broadcast, newspapers and magazines as well as talks at Commuity Centres and Residents' Corner. Finally, may I ask MTI when will the Ministry consider implementing a law to regulate timeshare operators?”
“Sir, let me first declare my interest in speaking on this topic as the Vice-President of CASE. In August last year, Parliament passed the Amendment Bill to the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA). The Amendment Bill contains several amendments which CASE has advocated for, namely, the extension of the CPFTA to include the sale of financial products, the increase in the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Tribunal to hear claims under the CPFTA up to $30,000 and the extension of the cooling-off period for resale in the timeshare industry. There were also four sets of subsidiary legislation proposed, one of which relates to the regulation of motor vehicles dealing with the refund of deposits. May I ask MTI when would the provisions of the amended CPFTA be implemented or effective? Similarly, when would the different sets of subsidiary legislation come into effect? The sooner the Amended Act and the subsidiary legislation take effect, the better it is as more protection would be accorded to consumers dealing with financial institutions and motor vehicle traders. Sir, for the past few years, the Consumers' Association has received several feedback from consumers who have either parted with monies on false investment schemes, promising to pay large amounts of returns or have parted with monies to businesses, promising to resell timeshare products. Some of the tactics used by these businesses are tantamount to deceit and fraud, making promises to consumers which the businesses do not intend to fulfil or making promises which are not possible to fulfil. Some of these schemes are tantamount to Ponzi schemes where large numbers of consumers were deceived into parting with monetary deposits in exchange for promises of high returns.”
“One possible solution is to have greater police presence in the estate to deter would-be criminals. I do not expect the police to be everywhere, but certainly the fact that there is increased police presence would add to the comfort of residents. Sir, I have asked the police for a greater number of patrols in the area, but I understand that they have their limitation in terms of manpower. I am glad to know that MHA is looking to employ more Home Team officers, and I would urge MHA to consider deploying more police officers on the ground to ensure that there is sufficient sense of security for the residents of Singapore. Next, I would also like to ask for more traffic police presence on the roads. At the last parliamentary session, there were concerns raised about speeding heavy vehicles. I have also personally witnessed more and more vehicle drivers who do not bother to obey traffic rules. For example, I am sure that many of us have seen heavy vehicles or buses travelling at high speeds along the right lanes of expressways, and I have also seen heavy vehicle drivers refusing to queue along the lane and then cutting into other driver's lane dangerously at the last moment. The fact is that if there is little enforcement of traffic rules, then Singapore drivers will obey the rule of the jungle and drive dangerously to prevent other drivers from cutting into their lanes. In my view, this kind of inconsiderate driving is a result of inadequate traffic police presence, and is unhealthy for Singapore. Home Team Response to Calls from the Public”
“Sir, during my block visits in my constituency, I hear many complaints about the many vice activities along Geylang Road. These vice activities are carried out just opposite the HDB blocks in my constituency. Many of my residents, especially females, have complained that they feel insecure whenever they use the bus stops along Guillemard Road or when they return home later in the evening. I have also received many complaints from residents about strangers loitering around the HDB staircases in the middle of the night. The presence of these strangers has caused distress to the residents as they are not sure whether these strangers are involved in drugs or maybe petty thieves waiting to break into the flats or may even be armed robbers. There are also complaints about loanshark harassment, theft of bicycles and vandalism of motor vehicles in the multi-storey carparks. I have personally spoken to the residents who have been harassed by loansharks. They have expressed great disappointment, and they have been threatened repeatedly with legal action. It is easy to classify the harassment from illegal money lenders as a mere incident or a crime statistic. But the fact is that for each case that is reported, it causes great distress to the family involved. They live in constant fear of whether their lives or their young children would be endangered. And for some of those who were threatened, they are not even the borrowers. They are mere innocent owners of a flat who are being harassed because of the illegal activity of the former resident of the flat who had borrowed money from a loanshark. Whilst I acknowledge that the crime rate in Singapore is low and that the police is doing all that they can to tackle the crime situation in Singapore, I feel that we can do more.”
“And last year for FY 2008, the Government had estimated Vehicle Quota Premiums at $0.89 billion whereas the revised estimates are now $0.38 billion, a difference of 57.4%. Likewise, the estimated revenue from stamp duty is off target by 39.6%. In the current economic climate where the worldwide recession is unpre- cedented, what are the probabilities that our revenue estimates may be grossly off-target and we would have to dig deeper into our reserves to fund the Government expenditure. Would the Government then consider scaling down on its development expenses if the projected revenue stream of $33.43 billion is not to expectation? Next, Sir, despite the 4.9 billion available in Jobs Credit Scheme, there is still massive retrenchment. Does the Government have a Plan B or contingency plan to deal with such massive unemployment? Sir, the Jobs Credit Scheme is quite blunt too. Many of my colleagues in Parliament have spoken about this, that all active employers are eligible for the payment regardless of whether the business is in such need of financial aid. Thus, even employers who are doing very well in their businesses will still receive the Jobs Credit of 12% grant. How will the Government ensure that this sum of money, which is essentially taxpayers' money, will not be used to reward the personal coffers of the employers? Will the top management use this money to go for spa retreat, just like the senior management of AIG who spent US$440,000 in California? Does the Government intend to impose any restrictions on the use of the money from this Jobs Credit Scheme? Sir, I believe the answers to these queries will help Singaporeans understand the rationale for the Budget better. With this Sir, I support the Resilience Budget.”
“I would, however, ask whether it is possible for the Government to consider being a bit more generous in the Public Assistance rate for those Singaporeans on Public Assistance. Sir, I subscribe to the many helping hands approach but my concern is that during a recession, the number of helping hands would decrease as each helping hand would seek to take care of their own financial needs first. In such instance, the rate for citizens on Public Assistance would clearly be inadequate. Would the Government consider an increase to $400 for single person household and corresponding increase for families on Public Assistance. Sir, there are a few other questions on the Budget which I would like the Minister for Finance to clarify. The Government has said that it has obtained the "in principle" approval from the President for permission to use $4.5 billion from the reserves to fund the Jobs Credit and SRI for bank lending. Could the Minister clarify the process by which the President grants his "in principle" approval? It is important for Singaporeans to understand how does the second key to the reserves work since this is the first time that we have asked the President to actually allow the Government to use the reserves. How is the President advised on this matter? Is he acting on the advice of Cabinet or does he have independent advice? Next, Sir, for the Financial Year 2009, the Government has estimated the corporate income tax collections at $8.2 billion and personal income tax collections at $6.1 billion. May I ask the Minister how robust is the Government's estimates of its revenue stream? I am concerned, Sir, because for FY 2007, the Government had estimated a budget deficit of $0.6 billion and we ended up with a surplus of $6.4 billion.”
“A dedicated counsellor would be able to recommend such persons for help if these retrenched workers have tried their utmost best to find jobs but remained unsuccessful. Sir, in the longer term, it is important for the Government to consider how to have a more equal distribution of income. The current system in USA and other parts of the world where the rich and powerful are highly rewarded has led to greediness and a bankrupt system. We need to ensure that Singapore never go down that path of greediness and deceit which is not sustainable. Singaporeans who are less educated or working in less economically important areas should be paid in a fair manner such that they will always have financial incentives to remain employed. Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) is a step in the right direction and I think more can be done to re-distribute the wealth within the system using WIS. Sir, I am glad to see the Government responding decisively to tackle this unprecedented recession. There are some Singaporeans who questioned whether we should be going into our reserves at this moment. In my mind, there is no doubt that we would only dig into the reserves because we have reason to believe that there is a need to do so. In the light of the worldwide recession, there is an urgent need to do so now. I would support the Government's move to ask the President for approval to use $4.5 billion from the reserves. The Jobs Credit Scheme is not the only fiscal measure where the Government is helping Singaporeans cope with the downturn. I applaud the Government for the other schemes like the additional GST Credits, the S&CC rebates, the income tax rebate, the property tax rebate and the increase in the additional CPF housing grant.”
“It may be that the workers who remain employed may be a small statistic, but for these workers who can keep their jobs, they will heave a sigh of relief, so would their spouses and their children who are their dependants. And the rest of the workers in the company will remember that their employer is benevolent at heart. They will not be thinking of leaving the company when the economy recovers because they know that their employer cares for them. If the company HR chooses to retrench the workers without any effort or attempt to retain these workers, I am sure the rest of the employees who are working for the company will remember the lack of compassion shown by their employers during this time. But at the end of the day, Sir, whatever the Government does, there will still be businesses which, for whatever reasons, would have to retrench their workers despite the Jobs Credit Scheme. For those Singaporeans who may be retrenched and cannot find similar paying jobs for a while, I urge the Government to consider doing more to help them find jobs. We need dedicated counsellors to encourage them, to urge them to persevere in their job search. They may also need help to learn how to adjust their lifestyles and to cut their expenses not just for themselves but also for their families. A counsellor could also teach them to moderate their expectations to be prepared to accept a lower paying job with a lower title. For those who have no savings to rely on, we should find some way to assist them to cope with the loss of income until they find another job. Sir, the Government should not wait until these people are flat broke before we extend our help to them. They should be allowed to preserve their sense of dignity and not have to beg for financial help.”
“Helping Singaporeans remain employed would provide a longer term solution for any financial difficulties that Singaporeans may face. In addition, it will give Singaporeans a sense of dignity, a sense that they do not have to rely on handouts for their existence. The objective is for each adult Singaporean to have confidence that they are able to provide for themselves and their families. If you ask any of these workers, they will prefer to be gainfully employed rather than receiving handouts from the Government. Sir, I recognise that the Jobs Credit Scheme may not work for every business. It is not a magic bullet which will solve all the problems of a business that has no demand or sales. What the Government is trying to do is to reduce the operating costs for the business so that these businesses can have a fighting chance to continue its operations without having to retrench its staff. Sir, I cannot understand why would some Members of this House think that the Jobs Credit Scheme would not work. Just to take a simple example. Suppose a company has 100 workers and need to reduce its manpower costs by 20%. The HR Department has the option of retrenching 20 workers so as to meet the cost reduction. However, if the Government provides the company with a 12% reduction in manpower costs from Jobs Credit, then the company can reduce the number of workers that they have to retrench. Better still, they can take advantage of the SPUR Programme to send the other eight workers for training. In this way, the workforce in the company would appreciate the efforts to keep the workforce employed.”
“Sir, I support the Budget Statement announced by the Minister for Finance on 22nd January 2009. Not long ago, many Singaporeans were worried about the rising costs of rice, fuel and other basic necessities. Today, our concerns have changed as we witness the collapse of big name financial institutions and manufacturing companies. All over the world, there are massive job losses and industrial output has fallen drastically. MTI recently projected that the Singapore economy would shrink by between -2% and -5%. It was reported in the Straits Times that this would be the sharpest, deepest and longest recession in Singapore's history. Sir, in such times of uncertainty, it is imperative for businesses to cut costs in order to remain competitive and to survive. I, therefore, support the Government's initiative for the Jobs Credit Scheme which would help businesses cut their costs of labour or manpower. The proposal for the Government to bear 12% of the wage bill of businesses would go a long way in helping businesses cope with the recession. At the same time, it would assist them to keep their Singaporean workforce. Likewise, Sir, I support the 40% rebate in property tax as this will lower the costs of operating businesses in Singapore. Sir, the entire thrust of the Jobs Credit Scheme should be to help Singaporeans to remain employed and allow them to have recurrent income whilst contributing to economic growth. I prefer any attempt by the Government to help Singaporeans remain employed rather than a simple cash handout to Singaporeans who are unemployed. A cash handout would help a family cope with the recession for a short while and thereafter, when the cash has been used up, they will be back in the same situation, ie, no job, no money.”
“May I ask the Senior Minister of State whether she will agree that the valuation of a property should be what a willing buyer and a willing seller would agree to pay for a flat. Therefore, would she agree to review the way the valuers value the value of a property? Because in the private market, the valuers value a property as the purchase price of the property rather than have this anomaly of cash-over-valuation.”
“And what we see is a long queue of people at the community clubs applying for financial help to cope with these increases. But, really, Sir, there is nothing much they can do as the cost of living is simply too much to bear for many of them. For the many lower-middle income or middle-income residents who do not qualify for the financial assistance or transport vouchers, they seethe in anger quietly as they see their savings deplete with every increase in cost of living. As a Member of Parliament, I know that the Government is spending huge amounts of money on utilities rebate, Edusave top-ups, Senior Citizens Bonus, GST credits, etc, to help these people cope with the increase in cost of living. However, each time I meet my residents, I never cease to hear repeated complaints from them that life is more difficult and that their income is severely stretched due to the various increases in the cost of living in Singapore. It is not my intention to ask that the Government spends its income in an imprudent manner on the current generation, but I believe that the Government can and should use part of the Net Investment Returns to help ease the cost of living for its citizens. With this, I support the Amendment Bill. 5.58 pm”
“They complain about the increase in taxes via the GST, the increase in property tax, healthcare cost, ERP, public transport fares, food prices, even telephone charges, and the recent hike in utility charges. The general perception for the man-in-the-street is that what they earn is never going to be enough to offset against the ever increasing cost of living. And the frightening thing is that as the population ages, the cost of healthcare would definitely go up, and so would other social costs as the income gap widens between the rich and the poor, as well as the lower-middle income. The question to me is not so much whether we should allow the Government to use up to 50% of the Net Investment Returns from the reserves but, rather, how do we spend the funds wisely. Hence, I urge the Government to consider using part of the funds available from the Net Investment Returns to help keep costs down for the average Singaporeans. If the Minister for Finance is able to estimate a higher long-term real rate of return to more than 2% of GDP, could the Government consider a reduction in GST or a reduction in property tax to keep the cost of living down? I would also urge the Government to consider reduction in public transport cost by cutting some indirect taxes on the public transport companies. What about having a bigger budget for some Government agencies, like the ICA or the Police, so that they can employ more contract staff to improve on their response to the public? Sir, I would prefer that the Government finds ways to keep the overall cost of living lower rather than provide targeted financial aid to the needy as the only solution. I watch with concern each time we have an increase in transport fares, telephone charges or utilities.”
“There is already a huge demand on Government expenditure to develop the infrastructure of the country like spending on education, road expansion, development of a larger trade network and public housing. Without the additional source of funds, the Government's other option may be to raise taxes like GST. There may be some people who ask whether by this amendment, we are saving less for the future. In 2001, during the debate on the amendments to this same Article 142 of the Constitution, the former Minister for Finance said that "past reserves belong to the people, and the Government is merely a guardian and steward of these reserves". Minister Mentor also said that the Government owed an obligation not just to the present generation but also to the future generation. I feel that we can strike an appropriate balance in saving sufficiently for the future as well as providing adequately for the present generation. At the end of the day, there will still be at least 50% of the Net Investment Returns which will go back to the reserves as savings for the future. Further, the more we save in the reserves, the lesser funds we have to spend for the current generation. The question really is how much do we wish to save for the future generation at the expense of the present generation of Singaporeans. Perhaps the Government can clarify whether it has a long-term fixed target as to how much it would wish to maintain in its reserves or how much does it wish to grow its reserves too. Sir, if you speak to the people of the present generation, they will all complain about the increased cost of living.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Amendment Bill to the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore. Sir, the Bill seeks to amend the Constitution to allow the Government to spend up to 50% of the Net Investment Returns or expected long-term real returns on net assets invested by the GIC and MAS. This will allow the Government to have access to more funds which would include capital gains which are available from the investment of the Government reserves. The current financial turmoil has affected many countries in the world and this has led to predictions of a difficult depression. Singapore is already in a technical recession and there is this fear amongst many companies and workers that there will be slower growth next year, job losses and fall in income. Allowing the Government to have access to more funds would certainly allow the Government greater flexibility to achieve its plans to develop a top-quality economy and to build a resilient community. For this year's budget, even with a contribution of $2.22 billion from the Net Investment Income, we still end up with a budget deficit of $0.8 billion. In view of the current economic crisis, there are predictions that tax collection is likely to fall, and it is thus critical for the Government to be able to tap on a bigger source of funds which take into account the total returns on the reserves, including capital gains. With the flexibility of tapping on up to 50% of the long-term real returns and up to 50% of Net Investment Income from the reserves, the Government would be in a better position to plan its expenditure for healthcare and other social expenditure like Workfare.”
“Sir, again just to clarify. Last month, the Law Minister had reiterated the principle that all are innocent until proven guilty. By taking such administrative action to prohibit an employer from employing a foreign domestic worker whilst the case is being investigated, would this not go against the principle that the employer should be deemed innocent until he is proven guilty? Has MOM considered that the administrative action in prohibiting the employer would be unfair to employers with young children or with elderly parents who may need a foreign domestic worker urgently and who may be innocent of the complaint by the foreign domestic worker?”
“Sir, I just want to clarify with the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. In the meantime, whilst investigations are being carried out, is the employer allowed to employ another foreign domestic worker?”
“I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether LTA would be prepared to publish how LTA obtains its data or calculate the travelling speed, because the feedback from the ground seems to suggest that not many people agree with the way LTA derives its travelling speed and hence implements its ERP. Would LTA be able to produce or publish the data on its website?”
“Now the companies are making false promises and undue pressure to persuade the consumers that in exchange for payment of a hefty fee, the company can assist to resell timeshare holidays which the consumers had bought previously. So the consumers, having paid once to buy timeshare holidays, now pay a second time to sell their timeshare holidays. Hence, the need for the laws to be reviewed regularly to cater to changing unfair tactics against consumers. Sir, I support the Bill. 5.40 pm”
“Could the Minister clarify whether MAS would be designated as a specified body under the Act to monitor the businesses which are in breach of the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and whether MAS has the power to seek voluntary compliance agreement or a mandatory injunction against recalcitrant financial companies who flout the Act? Sir, I also previously asked that the onus and cost of prosecution of errant traders under section 9 of the Act be transferred to the Attorney-General's Chambers once CASE has made a successful application to the injunction proposal review panel. This is because CASE is a non-Government body and has limited funds to carry out such prosecution to obtain a mandatory injunction. Each time, CASE takes action to apply for such a mandatory injunction under the Act, the legal cost involved is very, very high. Would the Minister consider the request? I also understand from the consultation exercise held in September last year that the Ministry intended to introduce a Consumer Protection (Fair Training) Opt Out Practices Regulations. This is an area in which CASE has been advocating for a while. May I ask the Minister when would the regulations be implemented? Finally, Sir, in view of the fact that trade practices evolve rapidly in an open economy like Singapore, may I urge the Government to implement regular reviews of the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act to ensure that the law remains relevant and useful. For example, there used to be many complaints against the undue pressure used by some companies for the sale of timeshare holidays. In recent times, the tactics have changed.”
“In such circumstances, the financiers should have recourse under the Consumer Protection (Fair trading) Act as the sale was made to them under undue pressure or undue influence. I also applaud the Government's move to extend the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Tribunal to hear and determine claims made under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. For many, consumers, who have disputes with businesses, face financial limitations when trying to engage lawyers if their disputes with the businesses cannot be resolved amicably. Once their claim exceeds $20,000, they not only have to incur hefty legal costs to seek legal redress, they also have to worry that the businesses which have legal pockets would bully them by endless litigation. The increase in the prescribed limit from $20,000 to $30,000 would certainly allow more consumers to be able to seek redress through the Small Claims Tribunal without having to incur expensive legal costs. Sir, the extension of the limitation period to commence the claim from the current one year to two years is also welcome, and this would allow consumers more time to seek advice or mediation with the businesses through the CASE mediation services. Sir, there are just three areas in which I wish to seek clarifications from the Government. In the explanatory note to the Bill, it was stated that the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre Limited, or FIDReC, would be prescribed as a specified dispute resolution scheme for disputes relating to certain financial products and services regulated by MAS.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, please allow me to declare my interest when speaking on this topic as the Vice-President of the Consumers' Association of Singapore. Early this year, during the Budget debate, I had asked MTI for an update on the progress regarding the revision to the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. As most people would know, the CPFTA is one of the principal legislation which promotes a fairer and more equitable marketplace and affords better protection for consumers in Singapore. It has been more than four years since the Act came into force. Over these four years, due to changing trade practices, certain aspects of the Act would need to be updated or fine-tuned to ensure that the legislation remains relevant. I am indeed grateful that the Government has tabled this Bill to amend the CPFTA in response to repeated requests from consumers all over Singapore. Sir, I believe the amendment to the Act to include the sale of financial products and services is a step in the right direction. Over the past years, complaints regarding the sale of financial products remain high. Most of these complaints relate to the aggressive pushing of financial products to elderly or illiterate consumers who may not appreciate fully the nature of such products and the nature of the risks involved. Even educated persons may not appreciate the complicating financial products that are being sold. For example, I have seen some of the capital guaranteed product does not necessarily mean that your capital is guaranteed. It will be subject to various deductions for costs and expenses. Sir, many of the consumers are only told of how much better returns can be attained with the investment in the financial products and the potential risks of losing your investment is glossed over.”
“Sir, the Minister's clarification would assist the Public Transport Council greatly in making their decision as the Council is an independent body, with council members who are not part of the Government and who are mostly volunteers. Finally, Sir, I wish to urge the Government to make more efforts to explain why is there a need to ensure that public transport operators remain financially viable. Many people simply do not understand the rationale for the Government to have a law to protect the profitability of listed commercial companies. Sir, with that, I support the Bill. 4.46 pm”
“Sir, there are a few queries on the Bill which I wish to seek clarification from the Minister: (1) Under what circumstances would the Public Transport Council consider suspending approval for fares which had been previously approved? In such a situation where the fares had been suspended, what would happen to the services which had been approved? Is it the intention of the Public Transport Council that the fares are suspended but the services continue to operate, ie, the commuter travels for free? Otherwise, if the fares are suspended and the transport services are correspondingly suspended, then the powers of suspension are really not effective at all. (2) In respect of section 24(8), would it be more relevant for the Public Transport Council to consider an applicant's conviction for an offence "under the Act" rather than for any "criminal offence"? (3) When the Public Transport Council carries out a review under section 24AA, would the Public Transport Council have to consider only the consideration stated in section 24AA(2) which is that "the decision is in the interest of the public and would to any extent promote or facilitate the objectives referred to in subsection (1)(a) or (b) or both", or would the PTC have to consider the first limb of section 24(2) which is to consider the financial viability of the applicant who is the public transport operator? Sir, is there any provision for any public transport operator to make an appeal against the decision of the Public Transport Council if they are not satisfied with the decision made under section 24AA(2) even after they have been consulted? Would there be a corresponding amendment to section 22I of the Public Transport Council Act to allow an appeal to the Minister whose decision would then be final?”
“In addition, under the current fare system, even though a fare rebate is given, the commuter still has to bear the cost of the inconvenience as he has to pay more than one base fare, as he changes his bus or train to bring him to the next destination. Sir, this is unfair to the commuter as he spends more time on commuting as well as waiting and then he has to pay more whenever he changes the mode of transport. As such, I support the PTC (Amendment) Bill as it seeks to allow the Public Transport Council to initiate and change the fares and fare structure and to allow the PTC not only to set the fares but also to re-allocate the revenue amongst the transport operators. The Government's aim of amending the fare structure such that the commuter is not penalised by having to pay more than one base fare is, to me, a step in the right direction. Currently, there is some concern that after the Act is amended and a distance-based fare is implemented, the commuters would have to share the loss in revenue with the public transport operators (PTOs). It has been estimated that six in 10 commuters may end up having to pay more. Sir, I would urge the Public Transport Council to ensure that this loss of revenue is not passed on to the commuters but instead absorbed by the transport operators. The current public sentiment is that the public transport operators have made sufficient profit from their transport operations. As such, they should consider their public and moral obligation to their customers to maintain fares at an affordable rate and to provide value to their customers. Further, the Public Transport Council Act only requires the Council to consider the need for the public transport operators to remain financially viable and not to continue making a profit.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Amendment Bill. I rise in support of the Bill. Earlier this year, LTA released its Master Plan where the Government stated that one of its objectives is to make public transport the choice mode, and this will in turn lead to making Singapore a liveable city. Sir, I support the LTA Masterplan as well as the plans to make public transport a choice mode in view of the fact that there are increasing demands on our roads. As the Minister has stated, our transport system is based on a hub-and-spoke model. This means that there are less direct services for the commuters. Instead, the commuter has to usually take a bus from his original starting point to the hub where he then changes to a train or to another bus to go to work or to another location. And as the hon. Member for Tampines GRC, Mr Ong Kian Min, has said, sometimes, they have to change from bus to a train to another train and then to another bus, and this is only one way. It will be the same for the reverse way where they have to change to a bus, to a train, to a train and back to a bus. Sir, if you ask many residents, they would prefer to have a direct transport service from their home to their workplace as this would save them waiting time and also save them on transport costs. However, I accept that the hub-and-spoke model is more efficient as it is very difficult to be able to have direct transport services from your home to the market, or to your office or to the Orchard Road shopping area. However, the hub-and-spoke model inconveniences the commuters as they have to spend additional time waiting for their bus and then for their next train or for another bus.”
“Sir, I want to thank the Minister for clarifying the role of ERP in managing traffic congestion. Sir, given the current high fuel prices and utility charges and the high cost of living, would the Minister not consider not just traffic speed but also these factors in determining any increase in ERP charges? Sir, I would also like to ask the Minister whether he would consider further improvements in public transport before allowing ERP charges to increase.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister: in view of the fact that the figure is quite low, and the fact that the cost of food and other daily essentials has gone up by quite a bit, would the Government be more generous to such pensioners and give an ex-gratia payment to the pensioners to provide for the increased cost of living?”
“Sir, recently, many passengers have complained about trains being overcrowded. I myself have taken trains on several occasions and I also feel that it is very crowded. I wonder whether the Minister could advise when would the review be carried out such that the rides on the train could be more comfortable. And surely the Minister will agree that making train ride more comfortable with more space for passengers would be an incentive to persuade car owners to switch to public transport.”
“Sir, the Minister said that Scheme B buses were taken off because demand had fallen. Sir, I understand that many Scheme B buses were cancelled so as not to waste resources and duplicate the routes of the North-East line, and this is part of the rationalisation exercise carried out by the Public Transport Council. So, when LTA takes over central planning, would the Minister consider allowing private bus operators to run Scheme B buses? Basically, the main point, Sir, is to provide affordable and convenient bus services, and not just premium buses with premium fares. Sir, just one more point. The formula for public transport fare was supposed to be reviewed three years after 2005. Is the Ministry asking the Public Transport Council to review the formula or would the Minister be asking another committee? I understand that this committee was previously spearheaded by the Chairman of the GPC for Transport.”
“Next, I call on LTA to ensure that public transport operators provide connectivity, comfort and convenience for the residents and not merely be concerned about operating routes that are profitable. An example would be service CSS 608 which was cancelled last year because both SMRT and SBS Transit did not wish to operate a service which was not profitable. As a result, many of the commuters in Marine Parade and Tanjong Rhu were left struggling to cope with a more expensive and longer ride using another service. LTA should also review all the bus routes to make sure that buses do not take too circuitous routes just to pick up more passengers. To make public transport a choice mode, we must make public buses more convenient and trains less jam-packed during the peak hours. Just as we have full-day bus lanes for passengers so that they will not waste time, I think we can also ask the trains to run at more regular intervals during non-peak hours because train passengers also do not wish to waste time. I also wish to ask MOT whether they will consider accelerating the opening of the Circle Line, not just for five stations, for the entire line. Lastly, can I ask MOT to update this House whether they intend to have a dedicated ratio station providing traffic information during peak hours, so that drivers can plan their route better so as not to contribute to traffic congestion?”
“If you need an example, just try using the CTE to rush home on a Friday or Saturday night, anytime from 10.00 pm onwards. Another example: I would try to reach the ERP gantry at Braddell before 8.30 in the morning so that I can avoid paying the $4 ERP charge. The $2 saving has affected my driving pattern. I am sure that many motorists would behave likewise. Price affects consumer or motorist's behaviour. But, as I said last year, raising ERP charges as a means to manage traffic has its limitations. I was thus pleased to hear of the Government's three-pronged approach to managing traffic congestion, that is, besides raising ERP charges, it would continue to improve the road capacity and also the public transport network. So if you want me to leave my car behind and take public transport, then the public transport better be up to mark. There are a few matters which I would like MOT to clarify. (1) Would LTA review the ERP charges downwards for the CTE, PIE and ECP when the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) is fully open for use in September 2008? After all, KPE would have expanded the road capacity for the north and north-eastern part of Singapore. (2) When LTA takes over the centralised planning of bus network next year, would LTA consider not just having additional premium buses to cater to the rich, but also basic bus services for the less well-off who only want a convenient bus to connect them to the city area, Orchard Road or the town centres? Would LTA consider bringing back basic bus services similar to that of "Scheme B" buses, which previously operated during the morning and evening peak hours? They provide a cheap and convenient bus service which caters to many lower income commuters.”
“Sir, I am a regular user of the CTE. Last year, on the average, I paid $9.50 a day in ERP charges, just travelling up and down the CTE. This amounts to about $190 per month, just on ERP charges. Like many users of the expressways, I grumbled about having to pay ERP charges and yet see no improvement in traffic flow. In January, when I heard about the Land Transport Review, I groaned in anticipation that ERP charges would go up again. I was also frustrated by the increasing number of ERP gantries. But, Sir, having thought over this problem, I have come to conclude, perhaps reluctantly, that LTA is correct. There is simply too much vehicle traffic on Singapore roads. Perhaps when we allow 3% new COEs every year, when we relax the car financing rules that allow too many Singaporeans to buy cars, whether they can afford it or not, it is not realistic to expect Singaporeans having bought expensive cars that they would not want to use them and simply leave them at home. The depreciation costs of not using a car will be too high to bear. 12.15 pm With more and more Singaporeans owning cars and wanting to use them, I support the Government's move to regulate road congestion by pricing road usage appropriately, and let me say that again, "appropriately". This will allow motorists to decide whether they want to pay for smoother ride or whether they wish to save the ERP charges by using alternative roads or by using public transport. For example, when I use the CTE in the evening, by paying the ERP charges for both gantries, at least I save journey time by travelling faster. In the past, even if I were in an emergency and needed to reach my destination faster, I simply had no choice but to join the traffic jam.”
“CASE would like to seek an amendment to the CPFTA to ask that the role of the specified body stops after making a successful application to the Injunction Proposal Review Panel. This Panel is currently chaired by an ex-High Court judge. Once the Review Panel has approved the application, then the Attorney-General Chambers can be directed to take out the injunction proceedings against the recalcitrant business instead. In this proposal, the onus and cost of prosecution will rest with the State instead of on a non-profit organisation, like CASE, which is limited by financial means to carry out prosecution. Our estimate is that it has cost CASE more than $180,000 to date for three injunction applications, none of which has been concluded pending a Court decision. So the costs may continue to go up and we really do not know whether we can recover such costs from the errant business. So I urge MTI to consider our proposal to amend the CPFTA for the specified body's role to stop after the successful application to the Review Panel.”
“This will discourage car dealers from taking their time to refund deposits paid for by consumers who will need the funds for payment to another car dealer. Like Mr Yeo before me, I also wish to ask MTI whether they would agree to the proposal by CASE to increase the prescribed limit under the CPFTA from $20,000 to $30,000. The reason for the proposal is really to allow more consumers to bring forth claims under the CPFTA where they have entered into a transaction involving unfair practice by a retailer. Next, Sir, if I may speak about the review of a "specified body" under the CPFTA. Currently, CASE and the Singapore Tourism Board are the only two specified bodies under the CPFTA. We are operating almost like the Fair Trading Office in other countries with similar consumer protection legislation. Last year, whilst exercising the duties and obligations as a specified body, CASE has incurred a disproportionate amount of costs trying to bring errant businesses to the negotiation table to persuade these businesses to sign a Voluntary Compliance Agreement, or a VCA. Basically, the VCA is to persuade the businesses not to engage in unfair practices or to breach the CPFTA. Where the errant businesses fail or refuse to sign the VCA, then CASE will have no choice but to apply to the Injunction Proposal Review Panel, under the CPFTA, for approval to commence injunction proceedings against the business. The application for an injunction is not taken lightly and only as a last resort because of this need to protect unsuspecting consumers from being taken advantage of. Unfortunately, Sir, the legal cost of the injunction application is prohibitive and there is no guarantee that CASE would be able to recover such cost from the business if the business eventually becomes insolvent.”
“Sir, let me first declare my interest on this topic. I am the Vice-President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Last year, MTI informed members of this Committee that they had agreed to all the eight recommendations of the Task Force Review Committee regarding the proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection Fair Trading Act, or CPFTA, for short. MTI had also held a public consultation exercise in September last year to invite public feedback on the proposed amendments to the Act. Four sets of subsidiary legislation were also proposed. May I ask MTI for an update on the progress of the revision to the law. Would MTI be able to provide an indication as to the timeline before the CPFTA would be amended and the subsidiary regulations introduced? May I also seek a confirmation from MTI that the financial sector would also be included in this revised CPFTA. It is critical that we provide an avenue for consumers to seek recourse against rogue agents or companies who engage in unfair practice in selling their financial products, especially to the illiterate or elderly who may not be aware of the risks involved in making such a purchase. We also call on MTI to designate the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to be the specified body to monitor these businesses in the financial sector. Clearly, MAS would have more clout with them. Next, Sir, complaints against car dealers for making unfair forfeitures of car purchase deposits have risen over the past two years. The proposed Motor Vehicle Dealer Deposits Regulations require these car dealers to be more transparent about their deposit refund policy. May I ask MTI to consider imposing a penalty on car dealers who delay in refunding deposits paid by consumers?”
“Sir, I have a number of Indians speaking Hindi in my constituency. I just like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether the Tamil Channel would also have some Hindi language programmes in that channel. I apologise that I cannot ask the question in Hindi.”
“The couple was understandably worried about their future, as both could not work and their funds could only last them one to two years. After that, would they become destitute or would they have to apply for public assistance? Sir, my point is that not every person who sells his flat at a slight profit could rent a flat in the open market at non-subsidised rates. I have come across several cases where the resident tells me that he had incurred debts and had used the sale proceeds to repay the debt. Hence, he needed to rent a subsidised flat. What do I do? Tell him that, too bad, he had already consumed his subsidies previously and, hence, is no longer entitled to a rental flat? I believe the Government can do more for such people. We should consider how we can stretch out a hand to such residents and help them when they are down and out on their luck. They are asking for a roof over their heads and to live in a more dignified manner. I believe we can help them instead of asking them to stay with relatives whom they do not get along well with. The Government's focus is really building an inclusive society which leaves no one behind. Let us try to reach out to and help every Singaporean in need because every Singaporean counts. Sir, another matter is that I do meet well-dressed people during my walkabouts who do not look poor and needy staying in rental flats. I call on HDB to conduct periodic checks to ensure that their tenants do not illegally rent out these flats and earn some income on the side. Those who do not have a real need for a rental flat from HDB should not deprive other genuine cases of having their rental flat.”
“Sir, every month, during MPS, I receive several requests from residents asking to rent one-room or two-room HDB flats at the subsidised rates. For a number of these residents, they had just recently sold their flats and were not allowed to rent a flat from HDB for a period of 30 months. Nevertheless, many of them pleaded with me to make an appeal on their behalf because they have either sold their flat at a loss or had used the sale proceeds to pay off debts incurred previously or they had to pay their medical bills. The standard reply from HDB is that an ex-lessee who had sold his flat in the open market is unable to apply for a rental flat for 30 months so as to discourage these ex-lessees from competing with the poor and needy who really need a flat. I am sure many Members of this House are familiar with such a reply. Sir, I understand the rationale for this policy. However, I would urge HDB to reconsider this policy and to implement a policy to assess every application on a needs basis rather than a blanket debarment. Just to cite an example. Last month, I had a resident who came to see me to ask for a rental flat. He had just sold his flat and would have made a small profit - $5,000, $10,000. Under the existing rules, he is definitely not eligible to rent a flat. However, this resident is old. He has numerous medical ailments. He and his wife are unable to work due to their medical condition. They have no children or relatives who could look after them in the future. The small profit he made from the sale of the flat would be used to pay for their medical bills or for some daily expenses. It would last them maybe one to two years. How would they manage the rest of their lives without any more savings?”
“Yes. That is all. Mrs Lim Hwee Hua: Sir, it is not appropriate for LTA to prescribe the kind of compensation or damages that the operators should be giving to commuters who are inconvenienced by disruptions. Nonetheless, we note a few points. Firstly, there is a refund mechanism; secondly, there is the financial penalty of up to $1 million for each incident, which is no small matter and which is something the operator would take account of if it persists in not meeting standards. Lastly, and most importantly, there are Service Availability Operating Performance Standards for the transport operators. For the Member's interest, for the second half of 2007, SMRT's Train Service Availability was 99.94%, which is above the 98% stipulated by the standards. SPREAD OF CHIKUNGUNYA DISEASE 3. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in light of the spread of the chikungunya disease for the first time in Singapore, what efforts have been made by the authorities to work with the businesses in the affected area to curb the spread of the disease.”
“Sir, will the Minister of State agree that passengers using public transport may suffer losses, in that they may be penalised for being late at work; they may miss an important business appointment; they may have to take taxis to work or other alternative transport? If so, is there any reason why the public transport operators should not be required to compensate these passengers if the delay is due to system fault or signalling fault? The financial penalty imposed on the public transport operators is of little comfort to these passengers if they have to incur additional expenses or costs.”
“I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary, if the domestic help is specifically employed to assist an elderly person who can only speak in a common language with the employer, should the Government interfere to deny the employer the convenience of having a domestic worker whom they can communicate freely with.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I just want to raise a point of clarification. I did not call for the abolition of the death penalty. I only ask for discretion to be made. But I take the point made by the Senior Minister of State that this can be deferred for discussion at another point of time.”
“As MPs, we have to send the message that Singapore is a conservative society whereby the family unit is still seen as the basic structure of society. I believe, Sir, we have not accused gays of being criminals, nor do I know of any petition to enforce section 377A. Sir, in conclusion, I would like to state that I support the amendment Bill on the Penal Code. 5.21 pm”
“Does it make Singapore unsafe or less secure? Sir, the basic position of Parliament should be that we make laws to reflect the public morality of our times. In this situation, Sir, I agree with the views of Ms Indranee Rajah. I support the Government's stand because I do not agree with the practice of homosexuality. This is not just my personal view but also the views of many of my residents when I sought their opinion. With the greatest respect to the Prime Minister, I must state that I do not think that there is conclusive evidence that homosexual behaviour is inborn. The jury is out on this issue, and different scientists would have different views on the matter. Let me state unequivocally, Sir, that I am not anti-gay. The fact that I disagree with the practice of homosexuality does not mean that I despise homosexuals. In fact, like the hon. Member, Mr Baey Yam Keng, I have friends who are gay, and my approach to them is simply that "I do not agree with your lifestyle. But I would respect you for who you are. So if you are a decent chap, an honest and hardworking person, your sexual orientation or preference does not affect the way I see you. I would treat and respect you as another fellow citizen." And I do not believe that any Member in this House would turn away a person who comes to him during a meet-the-people session seeking financial help simply on the ground that this person is a homosexual. I believe that the majority of Singaporeans do not condemn a homosexual or a gay simply because of his lifestyle. Nor do they wish to criminalise a homosexual. However, as my fellow MP, Mr Christopher de Souza, said, the messaging or signpost is important.”