Lim Guan Hoo
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would just like to express a fleeting thought that has crossed my mind, A number of Members have raised the policy of bilingual education in Singapore. I personally feel that the Government has got to give a review in this respect.”
“Sir, I regret that I cannot agree with the Member for Sembawang. But I must thank him for expressing deep concern for the residents in my constituency instead of his own. Sir, I understand that very soon there will be about 2,000 blocks of HDB flats in the whole of the island.”
“Sir, I agree with the Member for Jurong. I feel that the Member for Sembawang ought to withdraw the expression "Shonan". To us the invasion of Singapore by the Japanese is a memory that brings back the feeling of traumatic wounds.”
“Sir, I have to clarify that the manpower projection made by me just now is based on the calculation that there will be only one shift duty for the Vigilante Corps members and not two or three shifts. Since the Member is so persistent in his proposal, I may as well repeat what I have said just now.”
“Sir, I wonder if the Member for Sembawang would care to clarify this point. In the earlier part of his speech he supported the planting of trees, but in winding up he seemed to favour the cutting down of trees. He seemed to contradict himself. Therefore, may I ask him this: does he or does he not want to plant trees?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I remember you had previously ruled that the colloquial term used by the Member for Sembawang likening a hawker inspector to a kind of land cow was somewhat unparliamentary language and could. not be used in this House. This term was again used by the Member for Jurong just now.”
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“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would just like to express a fleeting thought that has crossed my mind, A number of Members have raised the policy of bilingual education in Singapore. I personally feel that the Government has got to give a review in this respect. When the Member for Paya Lebar spoke in Chinese just now, many students in the Strangers Gallery had to put on their earphones to listen to him. I suppose they must have come from the English stream, This goes to show that there is something wrong with our bilingual education policy as a result of which these "guinea pigs" (not guinea pigs as mentioned by the Member for Anson) in the public gallery have to use earphones.”
“Sir, I agree with the Member for Jurong. I feel that the Member for Sembawang ought to withdraw the expression "Shonan". To us the invasion of Singapore by the Japanese is a memory that brings back the feeling of traumatic wounds. Any reference to Singapore as "Shonan" which was a term imposed on the Singapore people by the Japanese would reopen the wound. I wonder if he understands the feelings of the Singaporeans.”
“Sir, I have to clarify that the manpower projection made by me just now is based on the calculation that there will be only one shift duty for the Vigilante Corps members and not two or three shifts. Since the Member is so persistent in his proposal, I may as well repeat what I have said just now. It is regretted that his proposal cannot be implemented and included in the deployment plan of the Vigilante Corps.”
“Sir, I regret that I cannot agree with the Member for Sembawang. But I must thank him for expressing deep concern for the residents in my constituency instead of his own. Sir, I understand that very soon there will be about 2,000 blocks of HDB flats in the whole of the island. This means that in time to come there will be more than 2,000 lifts in HDB housing estates. If each lift is to be looked after by a Vigilante Corps national serviceman, and there are two lifts in each block on the average, then the manpower requirement will be somewhere around 40.000. Has the Member forgotten that at present there are only 40,000 national servicemen in the CSF Vigilante Corps? Does it mean that the whole Vigilante Corps will be turned into an army of lift attendants! I do not think the national servicemen, including those from Sembawang constituency, would support this fancy idea.”
“The term "bad absentee" refers to a VC member who has absented himself from training or duties up to a maximum of four times a year either consecutively or otherwise. There are a total of 39,771 national servicemen in the Vigilante Corps as on 31st January, 1976. Besides this, 6,409 are in the CSF. 6,101 are under training, and the remainder are deployed in the Civil Defence Units, the Auxiliary Fire Units and the Deployment and Specialised Units The Vigilante Corps members perform their national service duties for four hours each time from 7.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. The majority of the men report for duty thrice a month. Their deployment must therefore be carefully planned and it must be consistent with the national service objectives of the Vigilante Corps. As Vigilante Corps national servicemen have been given other more meaningful roles to play, it is regretted that the lift service as proposed by the Member for Sembawang cannot be included in the deployment plan of the Corps. I am sure many Members will agree with me that service as lift attendants cannot by any stretch of the imagination be considered as a meaningful role for our young and dynamic national servicemen in the Vigilante Corps.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I must thank the Member for Sembawang for paying high tribute to the Community Security Force of the Vigilante Corps. It is going to be an annual affair, but it is welcomed. The Community Security Force is indeed performing a very useful role in the policing of housing estates. Their presence in housing estates is a good deterrent against crime. Since the scheme was put into operation in 1 974 the incidence of crime between 7 p.m, and 11 p.m, has been reduced significantly in the areas selected for CSF policing service. Since July 1975 residents of these areas have been able to enjoy an average of 29 crime-free nights a month. Vigilante Corps members performing community security service are grouped into patrol teams of five men each. A leader is appointed in each team and he is, among other things, responsible for the conduct and discipline of his team members during the tour of duty. Regular and spot checks on the CSF patrol teams are also carried out nightly by supervisory officers to ensure that they are performing their duties properly. This will be supplemented by the efforts of the Provost Unit which will be set up under the Police (National Service) Command. The strength of the Force is 6.409 officers and men as on 31st January, 1976. They are posted to a total of 229 sectors spread out throughout the Republic. For such a strength and coverage it is to be expected that there will be a few black sheep and defaulters. It is. however, encouraging to note that the average absenteeism rate has been very low, It was 3.9% in 1974 and this dropped to 2.8% in 1975. This is calculated on man-time basis. As for the monthly average bad absentee rate of the Vigilante Corps as a whole it was 0.0015% for the period September 1975 to February this year.”
“Sir, I think the last remark of the Member for Sembawang, namely "trash", is not proper. If he thinks it is proper, can he explain?”
“Sir, I wonder if the Member for Sembawang would care to clarify this point. In the earlier part of his speech he supported the planting of trees, but in winding up he seemed to favour the cutting down of trees. He seemed to contradict himself. Therefore, may I ask him this: does he or does he not want to plant trees? Would he clarify this point? Mr Teong Eng Siong(In Mandarin): Sir, I feel that the Parliamentary Secretary is wasting his breath with a lot of trash.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have been asked by my Minister to reply. Volunteers in the VC draw the same rate of training and duty allowance as that paid to national servicemen. The following hourly rates are paid to VC members according to rank: Rank Rate per hour Vigilante and Assistant 60 cts Section Leader Section Leader 65 cts Assistant Group Leader, 70 cts Group Leader, Senior Group Leader Assistant Unit Leader and above 80 cts Members of the Corps, including national servicemen and volunteers who have been selected for the CSF policing service, are required to assemble at and then fan out from their respective policing posts for operations. These VC posts are situated in the various operational areas well within easy reach by bus. This enables all VC members, including group and section leaders, to commute between their residence and their respective VC posts or between different posts by bus. Besides, in order to minimise transport expenses and inconvenience, every VC member is as far as possible posted to the VC post nearest his residence. Members of the Corps who travel by bus are entitled to concessionary rates of bus fare. Those who prefer to use their own cars during operations are doing so on their own accord.”
“Sir, the point is whether your previous ruling is still valid.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I remember you had previously ruled that the colloquial term used by the Member for Sembawang likening a hawker inspector to a kind of land cow was somewhat unparliamentary language and could. not be used in this House. This term was again used by the Member for Jurong just now. In view of your previous ruling, I wonder whether the Member for Jurong would consider withdrawing such remarks as implied in the term used.”
“This is something we should guard ourselves against. In order to strengthen legal sanction in this regard, the Minister for Home Affairs had sometime ago introduced several Bills in this House which were passed with the full support of hon. Members. They reflect the correct and firm attitude which the House had taken in dealing with the question of security. The Police will also, in the same spirit, adopt a more exacting and effective method of work, mode of organisation and strategy for security in order to ensure that our people continue to live in peace without any unnecessary harassment from criminals. With proper deployment and marshalling of Police manpower to be augmented with full-time national servicemen, we will be able to achieve quantitative expansion in addition to qualitative improvement, and this will put our future task of security on a better vantage ground. I am in full agreement with the part of the President's speech touching on the policy in respect of security. Sir, I support the Motion in the name of the Member for Kim Keat. 2.55 p.m.”
“In order that legal sanction may produce a deterrent effect as expected, to win a war without a fight, so to speak in the military jargon, or to stop theft and pilferage without the imposition of punishment, it is necessary to forgo the feeble and ineffective light penalties and resort to heavier penalties appropriate to crimes such as armed robbery. Enhanced punishment will in many cases provide the law enforcement officers with the necessary weapon to combat crime, and to forewarn and forestall those with criminal intents by nipping their venturesome motive in the bud before they commit a crime. In this manner there will be less and less crime and less and less criminals punished, and this is what the kind-hearted would wish to see. Mr Speaker, Sir, one of the characteristics of a criminal mind is the assessment of his loss should he trip in the commission of a crime. Only with adequate punishment will it tell on him that crime does not pay. If the gain from crime is set off against the loss in the form of punishment inflicted on him, and this still leaves sufficient "residual value", then the thought will occur to him that it is worth taking the risk. In some western countries, a soft line has been taken in regard to security. Capital punishment has been abolished, but this will not make the criminals give up crimes or repent. Such a society, if careless, may turn into a dark world where criminals, big or small, will emerge as heroes. So the mitigation of punishment will depend on the effect it will have on criminals, i.e, whether or not they respond to mitigation. If they do, it is fine. But, facts and experience have shown that the fight against crime is like a tug-of-war. If one side relaxes, the other side will have the advantage and will not yield.”
“In my opinion, rather than making a distinction between the positive educational process and the passive punitive process as "treating the root-cause" and "treating the symptom" respectively, it would be better to distinguish the two, one as a long-term educational guidance method and the other as a short-term direct therapeutic, treating the symptom method. These two measures should complement each other. We cannot over-emphasise one at the expense of the other. In the case of those who have not received long-term national education or benefited from training in the national service, who have made the mistake of going astray and indulged in criminal activities at their own cost, these are the people who have missed the opportunity for education and for the formulation of correct attitude of life and good character. In my opinion, they are "gone cases". They are rotten wood which cannot he carved. It is therefore impossible to expect such people to become good overnight. It is only through the process of adequate punishment that these rogues can he made to repent their sins after their deep embroilment in criminal activities, and it is my contention that such people will only turn over a new leaf through the painful process of punishment to make them abjure their past. The effect of legal sanction against criminal activities does not stop at punishment. Its positive effect will be a deterrent to the criminal-minded. It serves to remind and caution those with criminal tendencies that crime does not pay and to check themselves at the brink of the precipice to avoid tripping themselves into the irretrievable abyss. This is the positive aspect of legal sanction.”
“We have more recreational facilities and places made available in the various Housing Board estates. The People's Association is also actively promoting the activities of the "Youth Corps". All these are positive measures which will lead our youths onto the right path. School education has also been emphasising on the concepts and contents of Education for Living, which is a very important link in our Education system. As such, it is hoped that it will exercise a positive effect in the moulding of the character and personality of the new generation. Mr Speaker, Sir, I feel that Education should also emphasise on vocational or professional training. We cannot just emphasise on moral and character cultivation alone right through the entire process of school education, from primary to university. In fact, at this stage, we can only lay the foundation for the cultivation of moral character in our schools. It is only after our young generation has entered the society which is described as "a university for social education" that they will be able to really complete the process of the moulding of moral character against odds and trials and all kinds of evil influences prevailing in the society. Furthermore, just as Rome was not built in a day, we can see the results of a good educational policy only after it was formulated and put into practice for a decade or so. But in the meantime, in the task of curbing criminal activities, we could not just do nothing but wait for the good results to appear after a long period. So short-term remedies or measures should be taken to ensure that there is a decrease in the crime rate.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Motion in the name of the Member for Kim Keat. Sir, in his policy speech to this House the President has stressed the importance of arresting the trend of mounting crime rate. This is something which we must marshall all efforts. In our new generation, there are young and irrational people who do not realise the effects of unemployment. They are not willing to work hard for the good things in life which they want to enjoy. They are unable to resist the temptation of pursuing material enjoyment. But whether we like it or not, these people are living in a comparatively more affluent society where there is much more material wealth to be spoliated. So rightly or wrongly they have been misled and have gone astray. Prosperity and progress can also bring about a mounting crime rate. For example, in recent years there have been more and more house-breaking cases. The more Housing Board flats we build the more opportunity there is for house-breaking activities. As a result, if I may so, should there be any appreciable decrease in the crime rate it will be something difficult to understand. On the question of how to deal with criminal activities we often hear the view of those who advocate "fundamental solution" or "treating the root-cause" solution, neglecting the "treating the symptom" solution of the problem. Although "fundamental solution" is an important step in the process, but to think that if you resort only to "fundamental solution" then the whole problem can be solved once and for all is indeed a half-baked wishful thinking. In terms of social and recreational amenities, and even on education, we have seen a marked improvement in recent years.”
“Such mosquito newspapers seem to paint a chaotic state of the world because the more chaotic the world is the more news they can publish, and the more sensationalism they can whip up the greater the boost to their sales. It is my hope that after the passage of this Bill, these newspapers will develop along a healthier direction in the interest of the people. With this hope I reiterate my full support for this Bill. 3.30 p.m.”
“And if the management of newspapers can use a similar provision in the Bill wisely and with an enlightened view, they will be able to promote the interest of the country. Then only will the Bill be able to achieve what it seeks. I would also like to point out some of my misgivings. I am afraid that some newspaper men may misunderstand and think that the introduction of this Bill is just to control the press. This is not the case. As a matter of fact, bona fide newspaper men can, with the provisions of this Bill, do their job more efficiently and without fear. This Bill seeks to exercise some kind of check to ensure that the right people are in control of management shares and to prevent undesirable elements from owning management shares and thus gain control of the newspapers. In this way, bona fide newspaper men will be able to carry out their duties with peace of mind. When the Bill is passed, I hope such newspaper men will carry out their duties more positively and efficiently, particularly those who are thinking of publishing academic magazines or newspapers. Notwithstanding what I have said, Sir, we still have some newspapers of good standing. Newspapers which do good deeds will receive good rewards. However, there are newspapers which publish undesirable news items, articles or reports in order to attract a wider readership. I hope that after the final passage of this Bill, such a newspaper will be able to develop from a mosquito newspaper into a medium-sized newspaper and from a medium-sized newspaper into a large newspaper. The small or mosquito newspapers actually depend on crime reports or even sex stories to boost their sales.”
“I can mention the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Culture, the Parliamentary Secretary, and even some Backbenchers. For example, the Member for Henderson is the editor of the Petir (Chinese edition) and another Member is also the editor of the Jurong Newspaper. I myself was the former editor of the Petir (Chinese edition). So in our midst we have a number of journalists, and this instance is enough to indicate the close connection between politics and journalism. In the light of these facts and realities, there are some people who even dream dreams of freedom of the press. They are obsessed with the freedom of the press. However, these facts are enough to serve as an eye-opener to such dreamers. The Bill in this House seeks to ensure that the control of newspapers will always remain in the hands of our citizens and not in the hands of foreigners. This is, in fact, the very spirit of this Bill, as indicated by the Member for Delta. Whether this Bill is adequate to ensure what we want to achieve is something we have to think about. For example, under the Bill, shares of newspaper companies are to be classified into two categories, management shares and ordinary shares. Management shares can only be transferred to citizens approved by the Minister. Mr Speaker, Sir, the People's Action Party has gone through many years of political struggle. Through all our experiences in the struggle we have come to a situation where we have two types of membership in the PAP, the cadre membership and the ordinary membership. With these two classes of membership, we are able to ensure that control of a very influential political party like ours does not fall into the wrong hands.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Culture has just introduced the Second Reading of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Bill, and I fully support him from the bottom of my heart. Sir, the introduction of this Bill is the very natural reflection of certain aspects of life in Singapore. Some people may associate this Bill with some kind of interference or control of the freedom of the press. Mr Speaker, Sir, in a country like Singapore which practises democracy, the freedom of the press is, of course, a matter of tradition. But if the people are to assume that the freedom of the press is something separate from the national interest, then it is not a healthy belief. No matter how sincere the directors or managers of newspapers may be and although they are without any political blots, it does not mean that their newspapers will be free from outside influence or unblemished as the directors and management personnel themselves. We have experienced attempts at black operations in the past. Black operations have come to be associated with the publication of news. We can, therefore, learn a lesson from this experience. And that is, in any country, newspapers of any type -whether it is a political, cultural, financial or movie newspaper - can be controlled, influenced or infiltrated by undesirable elements because the newspaper is a good means of disseminating propaganda. Once a newspaper is published, it is read by thousands and thousands of people in the home, in the office, or even in the toilet. It is because of the inherent and formidable influence of the newspaper that there is always the temptation for ambitious foreign elements to come in. Mr Speaker, Sir, in our midst we have a lot of journalists, who are now Ministers.”
“When the average type of men hear of Truth, they are unimpressed. When the lowest type of men hear of Truth, they greatly deride it and simply laugh at it. Indeed, if these men do not deride it, it is surely not Truth.' Mr Speaker, Sir, I am confident Members will agree with me if I say that nation-building is no laughing matter. It is a matter that concerns life and death, and it determines whether empires wax or wane, and whether states cleave asunder or coalesce. Our duty as Singaporeans is to provide and build a tradition of unshakable will to serve the best interests of our country so as to preserve the continuity of political stability in this part of the world. We do not believe that the proposed presence of an opposition in this House would reflect a higher standard of democracy in Singapore. This is especially so when the benefits of having opposition parties are entwined with those of the foreign powers. At a time when foreign powers are showing greater and greater interest in this island Republic, one can hardly believe that the opposition parties would be capable of resisting the temptation generated from such attractive sources. If opposition parties fall prey to foreign political manipulation, the time would be ripe for us to declare them the common enemy of the people of Singapore. There is no feeling of indifference among our people on matters concerning national survival. I therefore believe that it is now time for a system to be established to ensure that the will of the people in respect of major issues concerning their destiny is well expressed and that such a system will always remain the decisive force in the safeguarding of our sovereignty. Sir, I support the motion of the Member for Bukit Batok. 3.52 p.m.”
“Members will recall that prior to the general elections in 1959, there was a well-known case of a decadent Lim Yew Hock regime receiving financial support from a certain foreign power. The history of bracketed tractable operation and black operation designed by foreign powers can be traced to as far back as the 1950s. It would be naive for us to believe that being an independent country today, Singapore would be free from political intervention from outside. This is part of the hard facts of life which should always be borne in mind by all those who do not lack a sense of commitment to the nation. We have to rely mainly on our determination to safeguard our national interest against any political manipulation by outside powers. Too often we find people possessing love for the nation only when the sun smiles upon them. But the patriot who stands firm, even when the cruel winds of fate blast upon our shores and dark clouds loom over the horizon, deserves the gratitude of every man and woman in the nation. Only God and the devil can live alone in this world. As men, we must live together and care for one another. This is a prerequisite to nation-building, and our first task is to build up a sense of political alertness and to develop the best qualities of incorruptible integrity. This is the essence of statesmanship and political maturity. All these are crucial and should be treated with the utmost sincerity. Since my colleague, the Member for Stamford and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Labour, has quoted from a book entitled "Art of War" by Soon Tze yesterday, I would now like to quote Lao Tze for the reference of Members: `When the highest type of men hear of Truth, they forthwith practise it sedulously.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion, moved by the Member for Bukit Batok, expressing our thanks to the President for the speech which he delivered on behalf of the Government at the opening of the First Session of this Parliament. We meet today in a more favourable atmosphere with a homogeneous parliamentary line-up, fully equipped with the determination to safeguard what we have achieved in the past 13 years. Far from being annoyed by any form of political instability, we are now in a better position to enjoy a stable situation brought about by the PAP's achievement in the recent general elections. Mr Speaker, Sir, if I recollect rightly, not all the countries in the world which claim to have adopted a parliamentary democratic system have benefited from parliamentarism. One of the reasons is that in many of these countries a defective multi-party system or even a two-party system is encouraged to serve the purpose of those who prefer constitutional instability to the continuity of an effective government. Time and energy are wasted in the intensified inter-party struggles which lead eventually to unrest and disorder. In the case of the Third Republic of France, there had been a century of constitutional instability. The real vice lies in the belief that democracy should provide more intensified inter-party struggles rather than political stability. We in Singapore do not believe that a small nation like ours should allow foreign interests to manipulate our internal politics under the guise of supplementing or reorganising our democratic system by offering an opposition voice in this Parliament. Democracy must be a national asset and there must be no room for insurrection to be triggered off by foreign nations.”
“Although the one month's salary as an annual allowance may not be any reflection on the integrity of the Civil Service, even if an allowance of less than one month's salary would not at all affect their integrity. However, a rational salary system will be conducive to the good traditions of the Civil Service. The reputation of our Civil Service as one of integrity and honesty is a national asset. We should try to safeguard and preserve this. If conducive measures are necessary to safeguard this asset, then we must not neglect them. Now, some Government departments are undergoing a reshuffle of personnel and changes to the administration as a whole with a view to introducing computerisation and modernisation. All these are meant to raise the efficiency of the Government administrative machinery. Reading between the lines of the Finance Minister's Budget speech, we can see the reflection of the upward trend and the mood of the people in their effort to march forward in the path of nation building. I cannot help giving my full support for the Minister for Finance's financial policy. 6.12 p.m.”
“The Civil Service is an important link in a democratic system. When a party forms the government, its policies will have to be implemented by the Civil Service. This processing machinery should, therefore, be reliable and there must be a sense of integrity. In the past a few civil servants created a bad impression of the Civil Service. However, to speak the truth, we have now many capable and good civil servants, all of whom we can be proud of. Our Minister for Finance was one of them. Judging them from any angle, whether it be efficiency or integrity, our Civil Service can be said to be the best in this region. That our democratic socialist principles can be put into effect and that our economic growth has been speeded up, we owe all this to the Civil Service. They have played an important role; they are an important factor in the whole process. In the past few years, the Government had been able to re-adjust our economy by various means so that the private sector has benefited a lot. However, the private sector has become a good green pasture in the eyes of civil servants. Thus if the Government does not adjust their salary scales so as to reduce the discrepancy in wages between the public and private sectors, then more civil servants will resign to join the private sector. Although this will not shake the foundation of our Civil Service, it is necessary for the Government to bring the salary scales of the Civil Service more equitable with those of the private sector. Then this will make working conditions in the Civil Service more attractive. This will also be conducive to the principles of democracy. Of course, 1 do not wish to relate the good traditions of incorruptibility of the Government service to the readjustment of the salary scales.”
“Today, Singapore has reached a stage of full employment. This is an undeniable fact. Full employment is what socialists think of as an ideal attainment in economic development. A few decades ago some British socialists in their "Reconstruction Manifesto" had listed one of their important ideals and objectives as full employment. In their declared manifesto, "The Four Pillars of the House of Tomorrow" one of the pillars related to the ideal of full employment. Very few people could have expected that the good things of "tomorrow" in the dreams and ideals of those socialists could now become a reality in our little island. With regard to taxation, of course, any Finance Minister who does not declare or envisage any new taxes will be a popular Minister. However, much as we want to be free from any taxation or to enjoy tax reliefs we cannot always put this into effect. A nation is just like an individual. There are times when we need to call upon every individual to contribute his part in the form of taxes, and this should receive the response of all conscientious people. In spite of this, we will still be glad to see our industrious people enjoying and sharing the fruits of our economic progress. The good news that there will be no new taxes and further tax reliefs are given, reflects our general economic prosperity, and we can all the more realise that on this occasion, our personal interest matches with our national interest. They are not always incompatible with each other. But when the national interest is taken care of, then individual interest will be better safeguarded. This cannot be denied. In the Budget speech, one important point worth noting is the adjustment of the salary scheme of the Civil Service.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir originally I thought of speaking in English, but in view of the fact that the Member for Whampoa has spoken in Mandarin, I would like to speak in Mandarin also. Since independence, Singapore has, in the various annual financial budgets, made provisions to take care of its long-term economic development interests. She has never resorted to increase taxation suddenly in order to get revenue quickly, as this would lead to the inevitable result of "killing the goose that Jays the golden egg". Among certain Eastern economic theories of long standing, there is one that says "when wealth is gathered, the people will scatter, and when wealth is scattered, the people will gather". Now this is only directed at the corrupted economic system, and Singapore has nothing to do with this type of decadent and corrupted economic system. Of course, we also pay attention to the accumulation of national wealth, but this should not be done at the expense of the interests of the people. The reason why our national coffers can increase their intakes is because of the diligent efforts put in by our people. Under these conditions of increased productivity, our national G.N.P, has reached a high peak, bringing about greater wealth and better living conditions, to be shared by more people who have participated in the economic production. Thus the interests of the people have not declined. On the other hand, the average individual's income has been raised. This is one of the main reasons for Singapore's general prosperity. The more decisive fact is that we have, through industrial development and other efforts at economic promotion, overcome the serious unemployment situation that existed before 1959 when the People's Action Party came to power.”
“This is another indication of the present Government's pragmatism and its sincerity in looking after the interests of the people. Mr Speaker. Sir, if over the past few years our national economy had not been consolidated and there had not been so much progress, we would not have been able now to increase the rate of compensation for these people. If we look around us, we can see that we are now able to do this all because we have been able to look after the national interests first. It is only after the national interests have been well taken care of that individual and group interests can be better looked after more easily. This is an example for the present as well as the future. Progress or prosperity may not bring about more progress or more prosperity as a rule. It may, in fact, bring about some new problems, for example, the case of rising wages, if this problem is not properly handled, it may result in inflation. The increase in the rate of compensation for resettled people will in certain circumstances give rise to an increase in the price of land. In spite of all that, we cannot throw away the apple because of the core. Therefore, we must look at this problem from various angles. Where it is possible, we will increase wages at the right time, anc1, also, if necessary, the rate of compensation. By doing the right thing at the right time, we can achieve our wishes which can only be translated into reality under the enlightened leadership of the People's Action Party. Without this enlightened leadership, we can only see these things in our dreams. Sir, I have been trying to express my views in as few words as possible to reflect my confidence in the present Government, and I would like to endorse my support for the motion of the Member for Ulu Pandan. 4.03 p.m.”
“This, Mr Speaker, Sir, will indeed be a new development which we can see from the Presidential Address. This is something heartening and gratifying that could hardly be foreseen in 1959. Sir, it would be unthinkable if this kind of forecast were made in 1959. In fact, we have already come to a stage of development which could not be imagined in 1959. I have looked into an early publication of the P.A.P.. The Tasks Ahead, and found that the various items listed and planned in this publication as aims have come to pass. The ideals of the past have become the achievements of today. Sir, the 60,000 people in my constituency, Bukit Merah, are also enjoying in many ways the fruits of the progress made. What we can see there is a situation of the city engulfing the countryside, and not the countryside engulfing the city as propounded by the Communists. We can see also the process of urban renewal being carried out in Hong Lim Constituency which I any assisting, in an area of 1,700 acres, which had about one-quarter of the population of Singapore in the past, the pace of urban renewal is being stepped up. So very soon we shall be able to sec a new look, a new face lift, not only in this place but also in Sembawang and all over the island. We are also certain that the pragmatic approach of the Government is very praiseworthy. Whether it is in terms of urban renewal or rural resettlement, the people affected are invariably faced with problems to some extent, in this respect, the Govern-merit has already decided to increase the rate of compensation and ex, gratia payments to those people affected by the resettlement scheme so that their difficulties can be alleviated.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I endorse the motion tabled by the Member for Ulu Pandan. The present Government has had more than 10 years of experience in government. During this period we have seen the policy statements of the present Government. We have also seen with our own eyes the progress and achievements made under the leadership of the P.A.P. Government. We have also seen the rapid progress made in nation-building. Because of all this, I believe that the prospects of development that lie ahead of us can be seen clearly from the policy statement delivered in this House a few days ago. If we can forecast future developments from our present achievements, then conversely we can also look back at our achievements from the prospects that lie ahead. So when we make a study of the present policy statement, it is also time that we made a review of our efforts and achievements so far. If our efforts so far have not brought about higher achievements, then from the present policy statement we can only see the repetition of old problems. But this is not the case, because from the policy statement and the addendum, we can see a lot of new problems and new prospects. All these new problems and new prospects have been brought about by progress made in the past. We have to know what we intend to do in the future. For example, at the present moment, we have more than 700,000 people living in Housing and Development Board flats. According to the latest plan of the Government, in 1975 some half a million people will be living in Housing and Development Board flats. So the total number of people living in Housing Board accommodation by 1975 will be more than half the population of Singapore.”
“, they were concentrating too much on certain subjects like Geography or Chemistry and did not devote sufficient time to the educational aspects, how to teach, for example. They did not do enough research or study in the methods of teaching and principles of education except to devote their time and energy to subject study. There are historical aspects of education which should be reviewed, e.g, the study of reports on educational development in Singapore. Many people have a collection of such reports. But nobody has made a systematic study of them.”
“We should not be obsessed with the defects in the T.T.C. The T.T.C, itself is run by the staff and the principal of the T.T.C. The people who are concerned with the management of the T.T.C, are the Teachers' Unions and the teachers themselves. They are part and parcel of the T.T.C, tradition. They constitute the spirit and tradition of the T.T.C. If there are any shortcomings in the T.T.C., these will be reflected on the teachers themselves. In view of what I have said, I believe the leader of the Teachers' Union is not quite right in making such an accusation against the T.T.C. In fact, in the past, the Teachers' Training College conducted many activities which were necessary under the circumstances. For example, there were courses on the methods of teaching, the principles of education and other such subjects. 7.15 p.m. They were doing what was necessary to inculcate the concept of methodology in the trainee teachers. After some time they would be able to understand the theories and principles of education. Furthermore, there are other practical aspects which require further development and these must be carried out by the teachers themselves in actual teaching work. This is not the kind of work that the T.T.C, or the Institute of Education can do within a short space of two or three years. The teachers themselves must learn while they are teaching. So teaching must also go with learning. As the Chinese saying has it, you must learn and teach at the same time. This is a very important aspect that the teachers who are Members of this House must take note of. I am sure they will agree with me on this point. Mr Speaker, Sir, there are certain subjects in the T.T.C, which will be of help to our colleagues in the teaching profession. Perhaps during their days in the T.T.C.”
“There used to be a Department of Education in Nanyang University in which many subjects were taught, for instance, the concept of education, teaching methods, the history of teaching in Western countries and other subjects. I studied some of them in my university days. However, after the reorganisation of Nanyang University, the Department of Education was abolished. I think there must have been some reason for its abolition. When a student selects a subject for study in the university, he will select one which holds out good prospects. He must consider what he is going to do after graduation. Students who study Geography can teach that subject after they have graduated. Those who have studied Chinese can teach the Chinese language and literature after graduation. However, graduates in education are not going to teach education because the whole process of teaching is education. Education is not a narrow field. As such, it is not a subject of study in schools. Therefore, graduates from the Department of Education have no scope for employment. The important thing is what they have learnt and not the degree that they have obtained. Mr Speaker, Sir, before we take in all the subjects relating to education, or abolish the present system, we have to consider whether it is really necessary to establish an Institute of Education as against the present system. In fact, at the present moment there is still a Department of Education in the University of Singapore. If we wish to establish an Institute of Education as originally planned, there may be a danger of duplication. This is a matter which requires second thoughts. With regard to the contents of education, including the merits and demerits, these are matters on which I have received divergent views from various quarters.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have tried to be humble and silent. However, my interest has been aroused and I wish to say a few words. The Member for Paya Lebar has said that the T.T.C, has not inculcated a sense of professional ethics in the teachers. I can understand him when he says that the teaching of professional ethics is lacking in the T.T.C. However, he has also said that the teachers, after their training in the T.T.C., have proved to be adequate in professional ethics. Since they are already adequate in professional ethics, why is he complaining about the lack of training in professional ethics in the T.T.C.? We cannot adopt a critical attitude towards the T.T.C., because these trainees have not shown to be inadequate. This goes to show that the trainees have benefited from their training in the T.T.C. I think his criticism is rather unnecessary. If these teachers already display professional ethics, what else does the Member expect from them? On the question of the establishment of an Institute of Education, the Minister is going to reconsider the question and I think his decision should be supported. Although I have not had long experience in teaching, I do know something about it. I have some ideas about teaching. On the question of promotion for those in the teaching service, I believe that Members will agree with me that education is a process of advancement. The most important factor is that the teacher must understand the subject he is supposed to teach. For example, if he does not know how to teach history and he is not familiar with this subject, how can he teach it?”
“I think the Member for Sembawang should not regard his speech in the newspaper as the official translation of his speech made in this House.”
“This will cut down any possibility of dictatorial measures in legislation. In this context, I must say that the Bill and its provisions are very appropriate at this time. Sir, I support this Bill. 5.28 p.m.”
“Perhaps the Member for Sembawang is too impatient. I was about to refer to the Bill now before the House. Just now I was talking about a certain person who held a public rally at Fullerton Square against the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill. But we have not seen anybody holding a public rally against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill. Perhaps there is an explanation in that not many people are interested in the setting up of the Presidential Council. There is another view that this is a democratic process which is easily understood by all people and that there need not be any hue and cry against it. Furthermore, the Bill would be able to present a kind of democratic spirit. This is an honour that Parliament has achieved. However, without the setting up of the Presidential Council, it does not mean that our Constitution is not democratic or up to date. The point is that with the introduction of the Bill, our Constitution can cope with more comprehensive matters and in wider scope touching on the interest of minority groups. Since Singapore is multi-racial, it is very necessary to look after the interests and needs of the minority groups. Article 89 (1) of the Constitution of Singapore is a provision relating to the rights of the minorities. Even before we achieved our present stage of progress in our Constitution, the Government had already taken care of the welfare and interest of the minorities. With this amendment Bill, we can improve the provisions of the Constitution so as to look after their interests better. The Presidential Council can assess opinions and views from various quarters and put their heads together to consider any legislation which might be a discriminating measure. This is in keeping with our democratic practice.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, after hearing the speech of the Member for Sembawang, I feel that certain parts of his speech are worth listening to. For instance, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill represents a symbolic step in Parliament. But he has not said why it is so. If we look up the political history of Singapore, we can see that there is a great difference in the present Constitution of Singapore compared to the Singapore (Constitution) Order in Council, 1958. From there we can see where we have progressed. This Bill has been introduced in the House together with the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill is on constitutional matters and the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill is on judicial matters. With their passage, we can see that we have progressed constitutionally as well as in criminal procedural law. When we debated the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill yesterday, we heard that there was a person who held a public rally at Fullerton Square against the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, at yesterday's sitting I spoke for almost half an hour and, therefore, I have not much left to say today. I would, however, like to touch on what the Member for Sembawang has said in this House. He has criticised the administrative procedures of the Immigration Department, saying that they cause delay. If my memory serves me right, I recall that the Member for Choa Chu Kang - he is now the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance - raised a question relating to immigration when the House was debating the 1968 Budget. Now the Member for Sembawang is raising the same issue. So I will fry some cold rice for him to enjoy. On this matter, the Immigration Department has already taken measures to improve the services for tourists so as to facilitate their entry into Singapore. Tourists, therefore, need not have to go through cumbersome procedures before they can visit Singapore for a few days, because they can obtain visas quite easily. Tourists from Indonesia stopping over in Singapore will have things made easier for them. On arrival at our airport, passengers with valid passports are issued with visas for two months so that they may enjoy their trip here. The Immigration Department is doing all this to make things easy for the tourists. This will promote tourism. As for tourists coming by ship, we have also facilities to enable them to come here more easily. Some people who stay in Sembawang and who find it too far to go to the Immigration Office might have asked the Member for Sembawang to raise this matter in Parliament. 2.37 p.m.”
“What we need at the moment is not a very large army but a small army of regulars supported by a large reserve of national servicemen. We are adopting the principle of quality and not quantity. If we want quality, two years' military training may not be too long for university or college graduates to man our future army. If we look at the Hitler type of hair-do of the Member for Ulu Pandan, we can know that he is frustrated by the considerations he has in mind. But we must, first of all, consolidate our defence, so that everybody will have a sense of security, before we can put all our talents to better use. If we are faced with the problem of national security, even if we have enough graduates with a wealth of talent, we cannot make full use of that. When a country does not exist, where can its people use their talent? Their capability and knowledge cannot be used at all. The best one can do is to compile statistics to show how - 6.00 p.m.”
“Furthermore, we have new blood in our Parliament and we have made our Members of Parliament more representative by choosing them from all walks of life. In the President's policy speech we can see that there is determination to seek improvement and changes. We have no desire to rest on our laurels. All these are indications that even without an Opposition, we are capable of marching forward. This has been the point raised and agreed to by Members of Parliament when they support the motion of thanks. Mr Speaker, I now wish to deal with some points raised by several Members of this House. The Member for Punggol and the Member for Jurong have mentioned the difficulties of some fishermen who, when they went out for deep-sea fishing, were themselves whisked away by pirates. I remember on the 24th January last when Parliament sat, these same Members raised the same question that they are raising today. I would like them to read the report in Hansard concerning this matter. The answer given by the Minister of State concerned is still valid. There has been no change. What I would like to explain to this House is that the Ministry of Defence has now strengthened the marine patrol system which will improve the situation. There will be more patrol boats to handle this kind of situation. The Member for Ulu Pandan has mentioned the two-year military training under the national service scheme for university and college students, and he requested that the period of training should be reduced to one year. He said two years would be a waste of their knowledge. But I would say that we are still growing and the youths are still growing. So this is the best time for us to contribute our strength.”
“For example, in trouble-stricken Congo there were at one time about 200 political parties in existence. But their existence did not bring any happiness or benefit to the people. Instead the existence of so many parties brought crises and troubles. In Singapore there are about 20 political parties, both active and dormant. In so far as the democratic system is concerned, this is not necessarily a bad sign. We are still in good health. Mr Speaker, whether a new Opposition party will emerge in Parliament in the l970s is a question for the future. At the present juncture, we need not over-emphasise the advantages of a one-party Parliament. If we do have to emphasise it, we can very well say that in a small nation like Singapore surrounded by other countries, we do require a strong and invincible party in power in Parliament. If we do have to explain why there is the emergence of a one-party Parliament in Singapore, we can very well say that it is because of the enlightened leadership in our party. It is because of the obvious achievements which we have made, and which are well known to everybody, that it is no wonder that we have been able to sweep the board of all the 58 seats. These are not matters which we should argue about. We should, however, adopt this attitude; we must accept a one-party Parliament as a fait accompli. Then under the democratic arrangements we must try to do better than a multi-party Parliament. In any case, we should try to do no less better than a multi-party Parliament. At the present moment, there is no Opposition in our Parliament, but the reform and the reorganisation that the present Government is seeking to carry out is beyond the imagination of any Opposition party, even if one were to turn up.”
“However, the slanderous and derogatory remarks made by the Communists on Parliament show that we do not have a one-party autocracy. Mr Speaker, we know that in transplanting the democratic system from Western soil to Asia, there are difficulties involved. These can be likened to the difficulties that beset a heart transplant. For example, in the case of Burma - the Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of Burma, General Ne Win, came to Singapore recently - social democracy was practised at one time. But later they had to abolish the traditional election system. In fact, in some developing countries in Africa, there has emerged one school of thought which holds that the one-party system rather than a multi-party system is necessary during the transitional period between independence and stability. For example, in Kenya, there was practice of a one-party system for some time before the multi-party system was revived in the face of great stability. In Tanzania, we can see the present practice of a democratic one-party system. What is the feature of the one-party system? It is the intoleration of Opposition parties. This is quite different from the system that we have in Singapore. Here, apart from the party in power in Parliament, there are Opposition parties outside Parliament. This is a clear indication that we are not practising a one-party dictatorship. Mr Speaker, in a democratic system, we should be more concerned with the multiplicity of political parties. There should always be one or two political parties strong enough to take over the reins of government. However, the multiplicity of political parties would mean the emergence of a feeble coalition government followed by the tragedy of a coup d'etat and the abolition of the democratic system itself.”
“Of course, this does not mean that we live in a fairy land where seven days are equated to 1,000 years. Rather we should try to strive for the highest value in every respect. Mr Speaker, Sir, I go on now to the second concept in making these preparations. Put simply, it is this. Our basic standpoint should be inflexible, but in strategy we should be flexible. If we make these preparations, even though we have won our constitutional struggle, we will not be like the Romans in history who, while they were still dreaming beautiful dreams, were invaded by the barbarians and as a result, their civilisation was destroyed. Although they preserved the Justinian Roman law or legal code, it was no use to them. One of our objectives should be to try to have the constitutional supersede the unconstitutional. When we talk about flexibility, I think we should take note that in our Parliament we have only one party. This, however, is not contrary to the spirit of democracy. It is merely an expression of democratic strength which has led to the creation of a somewhat unusual situation. The main reason is that the democratic system has a certain tradition which is based on the Westminster model. Therefore, by comparison, our democratic system is rather new. We should therefore adapt ourselves, in concept and in theory, to the democratic system. In any case, although we have only one party in Parliament, this does not mean that we have a one-party autocracy. Our constitution still provides for an Opposition party and it can enter Parliament by taking part in democratic elections. What the Communists want is a one-party autocracy. If our party were a one-party autocracy, we would have gained the praise and support of the Communist Party.”
“Many of my colleagues and I appeared on the political scene when politics reached a decisive stage at a time when there was a struggle against the Constitution. Some of us went through the constitutional upheaval when Singapore withdrew from Malaysia. We should, in our minds, make certain preparations to meet the changes, whether our feeling is one of hardship after the trials and tribulations or one of great daring after overcoming these difficulties. The greater our achievements, the greater is our need for making these preparations. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to speak more about these preparations. The first concept in making these preparations is to have the fullest control over the time and human factors so that we can progress as fast as possible. In this respect, we cannot remain static in our approach or adopt a wait-and-see attitude. We should try to progress as fast as possible. We should try to run a 3,000-metre race at a speed as if we are running a 100-metre race. It is only in this way that we can ensure our survival. This principle is known by many of our neighbouring countries. We are not the only people who know about this. We are endeavouring to develop aviation whereas our neighbouring country, Malaysia, is already negotiating a civil aviation agreement with Indonesia and relaxing some of the restrictions on aviation. Furthermore, Indonesia is prepared to train Malaysian pilots. Mr Speaker, Sir, when we are doing this, we cannot help thinking that we are a small country. In terms of manpower, we should equate one man to 100 men. In terms of expenditure, we should equate $1 to $100. In other words, we should try to achieve maximum results at a minimum cost. In terms of time, one year to us should be longer than 100 years to other people.”
“The present phenomenon of one party in this House is also a valid reflection on the comparative political party strength. But this comparative strength comes within a constitutional scope. The existence of one party in this House and the near unanimous opinion of its Members should not be interpreted as the proportion of the comparative political strength among the people to be 100 to one without any latent or apparent opposition force. But it cannot be denied that the existence of one party in this House can adequately reflect the comparative strength between the majority party and the minority extremists. In fact, the victory of democracy is normally defined by majority support. Our democratic victory is true and reliable, because the existence of only one party in this House is the result of the general consent of the people of Singapore through democratic elections. Another reason lies in the fact that in the history of Singapore since 1946 - two decades ago - political victories could only be won through constitutional channels. Constitutional victories have been won by the democratic socialists. Such examples are not lacking. On the other hand, we do not see many such victories going to the Communists. It is very seldom that they have achieved victory through constitutional means. Today, we know that our democratic victory has been achieved in a series of waves which are not isolated from one another. Our victory has been won on a constitutional basis. But the changes in turbulent South and Southeast Asia and even in larger international confines are not entirely in keeping with constitutional development. For instance, the war in Vietnam is not a constitutional war. Not one bomb dropped in Vietnam is done constitutionally by a prior statement to that effect.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, every head of state of a country has to make a policy statement. Perhaps in some countries, the delivering of the policy statement will be merely an official ceremony. Singapore is now an independent Republic after 150 years of existence, and the President delivered the policy statement at a time when new faces appeared in this House to instil a new spirit into the leadership of our country. This is a milestone in our social development and it also reflects the direction of the social development and changes that will come about. We do not have to wait for five years to judge the results and the worth of the policy statement delivered by the President because it is well planned. At the same time, we have a strong and dynamic leadership and, therefore, we can foresee the results of the policy statement. Mr Speaker, Sir, the President's Speech has made us understand that not only is our society changing but the whole of South and South-east Asia is also changing. We must be awake to this situation. We must recognise our attitude and the work we are doing, which are factors that contribute to the changes. Although we cannot foresee future events in detail, we can make use of existing factors to create favourable conditions and guide the trend of events in a direction that is more favourable to us. In order to achieve this, we must first consolidate ourselves. The more stable our society, and the more consolidated we are, the greater will be our influence over these changes. I call this trend stabilising strength. Generally, when we talk about stabilising strength, we do not mean just economic and defence strength. The comparative strength in party politics should also be taken into account.”
“Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister has mentioned a few moments ago that under certain circumstances and with the consent of other Commonwealth allies, the British Government is prepared to assist Singapore and Malaysia in the establishment of a joint air defence system. In this respect, can the Prime Minister clarify the position regarding this question? What arrangements will be made to see that this kind of system will be satisfactory to both sides? Will there be any principles evolved at the meetings? Another point concerns the joint air defence system - will it give rise to certain interpretations? Will there be some kind of merger militarily between Singapore and Malaysia?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister of State of Defence has said just now that if our fishermen leave our territorial waters, then they have to be responsible for their own security. Why cannot our Marine Police prevent them from overstepping the bounds of our territorial waters? Mr Wee Toon Boon interrupted in Mandarin. INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION COURTS (Number of cases heard and number pending award) 5. Mr Ho See Beng asked the Minister for Labour if he will obtain and furnish the House with figures of: (a) the number of arbitration cases in which hearings before the Industrial Arbitration Courts have already been concluded but in which no awards have been made; and (b) the number of cases referred to the Courts under section 30 of the Industrial Relations Ordinance which are still pending before the Courts.”
“I am satisfied with the reply given by the Minister of State, but I would like to ask him this question. If these fishermen cannot be protected by our Marine Police, then when the withdrawal of the British Military Forces is effected, how are we going to take the necessary measures to strengthen our naval power?”