Lim Hwee Hua
Singapore
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I believe the Minister for Finance has actually addressed that quite adequately in the Budget Statement. I will encourage the Member to read the Hansard. As I recall, he did say that our projections for revenue have been made for the next five years and we do not target a particular source of revenue.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would encourage the Member to file a question for MCYS, if she would like to discuss safeguards further. What I would comment here is that at the outset when we conceived the whole Integrated Resorts idea, there were many business risks: whether it is country risk or the timing of the business cycle and so on.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the supplementary questions raised by Ms Denise Phua have actually been debated to some detail under the different heads, in terms of the intended strategy – why we are having Integrated Resorts and casinos in the first place. This has been debated quite extensively by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.”
“Madam, I take the Member's point about the need for checks to be done professionally, and indeed this is the case, and that is why the officers would be sufficiently trained to conduct these checks in a professional manner.”
“The proposed amendments are necessary in order to effect the new financing framework, to allow for greater contestability to be injected into the RTS industry, as well as to ensure security and continuity of the RTS operations. Madam, I beg to move. Question proposed. 4.28 pm”
“Because of the complexity of the issues and the need for us to continue consulting other players who have already been operating in that space, as well as consulting the business community in greater detail, the study would take the better part of this year. OUTCOME OF 50PLUS EXPO 6.”
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“The LTA would be able to set rules to allow any person, such as motor dealers, authorised Scrap Yard or Export Processing Zone operators, and authorised road tax collection centres to apply to LTA to be "Electronic Service Agents" (ESA). As an ESA, they can submit applications, both for their own account or on behalf of their customers, to LTA via the IT system. This is to allow the motor trade industry to provide one-stop services for the convenience of their customers. To protect the interests of consumers, the LTA may suspend or cancel the registration of an ESA if the latter has contravened any provisions of the Act, rules or terms and conditions governing the use of the electronic service. The LTA will be providing more details on the roll out of the new e-services, and what the changes will mean for vehicle owners and the motor industry. In essence, the VRLS would be launched in two phases. The Phase One launch would enable vehicle owners to access their accounts and obtain information on their vehicles, Temporary COEs, PARF/COE rebates, and vehicle registration numbers retained or obtained through bidding. For convenience, Singaporeans and Permanent Residents could use their SingPass to logon to the new IT system's "Vehicle Hub". During Phase One, motor industry users would be able to submit registration, transfer and de-registration applications online for their own account or on behalf of their customers directly to LTA. The transactions would be processed and confirmed immediately if all the necessary pre-requisites, such as motor insurance cover, passing of vehicle inspections, have been satisfied.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, "I beg to move that the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, the Bill seeks to amend the Road Traffic Act (RTA) for the following purposes: (a) First, the implementation of a new IT system for the registration and licensing of vehicles; (b) Second, the introduction of a licensing regime to regulate the operation of bus interchanges; (c) Third, amendments to improve the LTA's operational and regulatory effectiveness. Sir, let me now highlight the key provisions in the Bill. A New Vehicle Registration and Licensing System Sir, the RTA will be amended to provide for a new IT system, the Vehicle Registration and Licensing System (VRLS), to support LTA's vehicle registration and licensing operations. The new system would leverage on Internet technology to deliver accessible, convenient and integrated vehicle-related electronic services to the motor trade industry, vehicle owners and the public, in the comfort of their homes and offices. The electronic service would accept multiple electronic payment modes, be available outside of office hours, from 6.00 am to midnight daily, and would enable motor dealers to provide one-stop service to their customers when purchasing or selling a vehicle. Clause 9 of the Bill enables the LTA to provide electronic services for the filing of applications to LTA, for example, for the registration and transfer of vehicles. The electronic services will support the move towards scripless transactions by doing away with the need to issue physical vehicle registration cards, commonly known as "log cards". The amendments would allow for the assigning of user accounts to transact with LTA through the new IT system, and for the assigning of authentication codes (ie, the User ID and Password or the Transaction PIN) to these users.”
“Dr Lily Neo asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is his Ministry's response to Warwick University's decision to abort plans to open a campus in Singapore because of the alleged lack of academic freedom here; and (b) will this affect the Ministry's agenda in attracting world-class universities to open campuses in Singapore.”
“Sir, Terminals 1 and 2 and the future Terminal 3 will be linked by an elevated light rail system which is similar to the system installed at Sengkang and Punggol New Town. There will be a total of seven point-to-point rail lines linking Terminals 1, 2 and 3. These lines would serve passengers and staff in the transit areas, as well as the airport visitors and staff in the public areas. In the event of a breakdown to any of these rail lines, buses will be deployed to ferry the passengers between the terminals. However, passengers in the transit areas can still make use of travellators to commute between the terminals. As for travel and waiting times, the distances between Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are all different. Each trip will not take long at all - ranging between a little over a minute at the shortest to two-and-a-half minutes for the longest. Waiting time on the platforms will range from two-and-a-half minutes to three and a half minutes. Prof. Ivan Png has also asked about the provisions for disabled passengers and passengers with heavy luggage. For the light rail systems, there will be a wheelchair ramp at each station. In the light rail vehicles themselves, there will be designated spaces for wheelchairs and passengers with trolleys. I would like to assure the Member that each of the terminal buildings also has wheelchair ramps at the arrival and departure kerbsides, as well as lifts and toilets for the disabled. The airlines also provide assistance to passengers with disabilities. Passengers with heavy luggage can avail themselves of the porter service at the terminals. Column No : 1991 WARWICK UNIVERSITY (Opening of campus in Singapore) 17.”
“Sir, perhaps, I can provide the following information to address the perception of a lack of market access or price control. We should note that CAFHI is structured as a consortium where the six fuel companies supplying fuel are shareholders and new suppliers interested in supplying fuel at Changi Airport are open to joining this consortium as a shareholder. The list of entry requirements is made available to anyone that is interested to apply as a shareholder. In addition, the consortium will provide its reasons to the applicant in the event that its application is rejected. There has not been a case where a new fuel supplier applying to join the consortium was rejected. The last interested applicant was actually Kuwait Petroleum in 1993, but it withdrew its application before the consortium could send it the list of entry requirements. Another non-fuel trading company, Cosco Feoso, merely verbally expressed its interest in joining the consortium in 1998 but had never formally applied. All said, Sir, we need not fear that the present arrangement is actually causing any artificial inflation of fuel prices at Changi Airport, as our prices are the lowest in Asia. Column No : 1990 CHANGI AIRPORT (Rail and bus transport between terminals) 16. Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang asked the Minister for Transport (a) what are the provisions for rail and bus transport between Terminals 1 and 2 and the future Terminal 3 at Changi Airport; (b) what will be the waiting time and travel time between each pair of terminals; and (c) what are the provisions for disabled passengers and passengers with heavy luggage.”
“Dr Tan Sze Wee asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) if he can provide an update on the status of the Youth Expedition Programme (YEP); and (b) with the recent announcement of the School Twinning Fund (STF) to be set up by the Ministry of Education to fund overseas student exchange programmes, if it is intended for the STF to enhance or even replace the YEP programme.”
“These measures include installing (i) flue gas desulphurisation equipment to remove SO2 in the flue gas and convert it into calcium sulphate, which is a useful product commonly known as gypsum; and (ii) high-efficiency electrostatic precipitators to remove PM in the flue gas. With these equipment, the use of orimulsion by Power Seraya would not only comply with the pollution standards stipulated in the Environmental Pollution Control Act (EPCA) and its Regulations, the SO2 and PM emissions would be 70% and 60% lower than fuel oil power plants respectively. NEA therefore approved Power Seraya’s proposal. Power Seraya has since completed the conversion of its three fuel oil power generators to fire orimulsion, including the installation of the necessary pollution control equipment. NEA will be monitoring the operations and emissions of these generating units to ensure that they comply fully with the EPCA. The combustion of orimulsion for power generation would however emit 4% more carbon dioxide (CO2) than fuel oil. This was taken into consideration when Power Seraya’s proposal was evaluated in 2001. The assessment was that the fuel cost savings that would translate indirectly into lower electricity prices, as well as the lower SO2 and PM emissions, outweighed the disadvantage of a marginal increase in CO2 emissions. The higher CO2 emissions could be offset by more cost-effective means of CO2 reduction in other areas. Column No : 1931 OVERSEAS YOUTH PROGRAMMES (Youth Expedition Programme and School Twinning Fund) 26.”
“The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mrs Lim Hwee Hua]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. Column No : 1927 ADJOURNMENT Resolved, That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed. - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at Nineteen minutes past Seven o'clock pm to a date to be fixed. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER NOT ANSWERED BY 3.00 PM Column No : 1929 POWER SERAYA GENERATORS' SWITCH TO ORIMULSION 20. Dr Geh Min asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what will be the environmental impact of Power Seraya's switch to Orimulsion for three of its power generators; (b) if an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was done; and (c) if so, whether the results of this study can be made available. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: In 2001, Power Seraya proposed to retrofit three of its fuel oil electricity generating units to use orimulsion. As with all major industrial and power plant projects, Power Seraya was required to conduct an environmental Pollution Control Study (PCS) to assess the environmental pollution impact of the proposed retrofitting. Power Seraya engaged a specialist consultant to prepare a PCS report which is available for public access from Power Seraya on a request basis. The PCS report ascertained that without pollution control, the combustion of orimulsion would emit higher levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM) than fuel oil currently permitted for use in electricity generation in Singapore. It therefore recommended appropriate pollution control measures to mitigate these impacts.”
“This was not the intent of the amendment to the Companies Act, which was to simplify the merger process while being revenue neutral. Hence, a new section 32C will be added to require companies amalgamating under the new section 215 of the Companies Act to pay ad valorem stamp duties. Companies that meet the qualifying conditions under section 15 of the Stamp Duties Act would still be eligible for relief from ad valorem stamp duties. Bona fide amalgamations of companies would qualify for such relief. To repeal seller’s stamp duty On seller's stamp duty, the seller's stamp duty chargeable under sections 22Aand 22B on the sale of residential properties within three years of purchase was introduced in 1996 to curb property speculation and to stabilise the property market. It was suspended indefinitely in November 1997 when the property market cooled. In Budget 2003, the abolition of the seller’s stamp duty was announced. Clause 3 amends the Stamp Duties Act to repeal sections 22A and 22B accordingly. To extend stamp duties exemption to transfers of foreign stocks by way of gift Currently, transfers on sale of foreign stocks not registered in a register kept in Singapore are exempted from stamp duties under the Stamp Duties Act. This exemption is, however, not extended to a transfer of foreign stocks meant as gift. There is no reason to make this distinction as both types of transfers, by way of gift or sale,are disposals of foreign stock. Clause 5 amends the Stamp Duties Act to extend the exemption to transfers of foreign stocks not registered in a register kept in Singapore by way of a gift. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Bill will amend the Stamp Duties Act to give legislative effect to the following measures: (a) To extend relief from ad valorem stamp duties on restructuring and merger of companies to business trusts; (b) To require companies amalgamating under the new section 215 of the Companies Act to pay ad valorem stamp duties; (c) To repeal seller’s stamp duty; and (d) To extend stamp duties exemption to transfers of foreign stocks by way of gift. Sir, I shall now explain the amendments in the Bill. Relief from ad valorem stamp duties for restructuring and merger exercises Currently, relief from ad valorem duties on restructuring and merger exercises is granted to companies that meet the qualifying conditions under section 15 of the Stamp Duties Act. The Business Trusts Act came into effect in October 2004. Business trusts are essentially another form of business vehicle like companies, and are subject to the same income tax rules. To ensure consistency in tax treatment, this relief provided under the Stamp Duties Act will be extended to business trusts, if they meet the same qualifying conditions. Requirement of companies amalgamating under the new section 215 of the Companies Act to pay ad valorem stamp duties Based on the recommendations of the Company Legislation and Regulatory Framework Committee, the Companies Act was amended in 2005 to allow amalgamating companies to have all properties, assets and liabilities vested automatically in the new company without needing to get the court’s approval. In such cases, the company avoids paying ad valorem stamp duty which unwittingly makes this form of restructuring more favourable than other types of restructuring.”
“Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. Column No : 1924 STAMP DUTIES (AMENDMENT NO. 2) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 7.12 pm”
“Therefore, a new section 21(3)(t) is enacted to allow electronic services prescribed by MOF that are related to the import and export of goods to be zero-rated. The amendment will enable electronic services relating to trade declarations for the import and export of goods via road, rail and mail to qualify for zero-rating. Compulsory electronic filing of returns GST-registered businesses generally file their GST returns quarterly. As part of the Government’s initiative to promote electronic services, IRAS launched the web-based GST electronic filing service in December 2004. Section 41(4) has been amended to provide for compulsory electronic filing. The initiative to make electronic filing compulsory is in line with our E-Government movement to promote electronic services and eliminate manual transactions where feasible. Although IRAS has been educating GST businesses on using the electronic service and helping businesses who have problems submitting their returns electronically, there is a concern that small businesses may not be ready for compulsory electronic filing. To address this concern, the amendment will give MOF the flexibility to make electronic filing compulsory only for classes of persons prescribed by MOF. IRAS will consider the needs of different groups of businesses and implement compulsory electronic filing in phases. The effective date for compulsory electronic filing has not been provided in the amendment but will be announced through Gazette notification at a later date. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.- [Mrs Lim Hwee Hua].”
“The change ensures that Government revenue is duly protected as the customer who has not paid any GST on his purchases to the supplier should repay to the Comptroller this amount of GST which he had earlier claimed as input tax. The recovery of the input tax is no longer tied to the supplier being granted the bad debt relief. Zero-rating of maintenance, repair and broking services of ships and aircraft Currently, maintenance, repair and broking services for a ship or aircraft are zero-rated on the condition that the services are provided to the owner, operator or agent of a ship or aircraft, as these qualify as international services. But since the maintenance, repair and broking services are directly related to ships or aircraft, it is not necessary to restrict zero-rating only to where they are provided to the owner, operator or agent. Based on feedback from business, we have amended section 21(3)(p) of the GST Act to remove this requirement. The change will ease the cash flow of main contractors because they no longer need to pay GST on their payments to their subcontractors and then claim back from the Comptroller of GST. Zero-rating of electronic services pertaining to trade declarations for import and export of goods via road, rail and mail The GST legislation currently allows for zero-rating for electronic services pertaining to trade declarations for import and export of goods via sea and air. However, the same services relating to import and export of goods via road, rail and mail are excluded. As these electronic services are related to the import or export of goods, the GST treatment for the different modes of transport should be the same.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Bill will amend the Goods and Services Tax Act to give legislative effect to the following measures to: (a) require a customer to repay input tax claimed if he fails to pay his supplier 12 months from the due date of payment; (b) zero-rate maintenance, repair and broking services of ships or aircraft without the current requirement that they are provided to an owner, operator or agent of the ships or aircraft; (c) zero-rate electronic services relating to trade declarations for the import or export of goods to and fromSingapore via road, rail and mail; and (d) prescribe that electronic filing be the only mode of filing for prescribed classes of businesses. Sir, I shall now explain the amendments in the Bill. Repayment of input tax upon failure to make payment to the supplier Presently, bad debt relief may be granted to a taxable person who is unable to recover from his customer the full consideration of the supply, including the output tax that is accounted to the Comptroller of GST earlier. In turn, the customer is required to repay to the Comptroller the amount of GST which he had earlier claimed as input tax as long as the supplies are for those for which bad debt relief was granted by the Comptroller. This approach is not satisfactory. Since the supplier is unlikely to inform the customer of the bad debt relief if he still harbours the intention to recover the debt, the customer may not know that bad debt relief has been granted to the supplier. Section 19 of the GST Act is now amended to require that the customer is obliged to repay the input tax which he has already claimed as long as he fails to pay the supplier 12 months from the due date of payment.”
“These measures include installing (i) flue gas desulphurisation equipment to remove SO2 in the flue gas and convert it into calcium sulphate, which is a useful product commonly known as gypsum; and (ii) high-efficiency electrostatic precipitators to remove PM in the flue gas. With these equipment, the use of orimulsion by Power Seraya would not only comply with the pollution standards stipulated in the Environmental Pollution Control Act (EPCA) and its Regulations, the SO2 and PM emissions would be 70% and 60% lower than fuel oil power plants respectively. NEA therefore approved Power Seraya's proposal.”
“Sir, this is really ultimately a question of allocation of air rights to the different operators operating on the route. The solution is not to re-allocate the air rights. The solution is to seek greater air rights so that we can cater to the underlying demand that is currently not satisfied. Column No : 1820 POWER SERAYA GENERATORS (Switch to Orimulsion) 20. Dr Geh Min asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what will be the environmental impact of Power Seraya's switch to Orimulsion for three of its power generators; (b) if an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was done; and (c) if so, whether the results of this study can be made available. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee) (for the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources): Sir, in 2001, Power Seraya proposed to retrofit three of its fuel oil electricity generating units to use orimulsion. As with all major industrial and power plant projects, Power Seraya was required to conduct an environmental Pollution Control Study (PCS) to assess the environmental pollution impact of the proposed retrofitting. Power Seraya engaged a specialist consultant to prepare a PCS report which is available for public access from Power Seraya on a request basis. The PCS report ascertained that without pollution control, the combustion of orimulsion would emit higher levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM) than fuel oil currently permitted for use in electricity generation in Singapore. It therefore recommended appropriate pollution control measures to mitigate these impacts.”
“Sir,airline operators would have to decide on the commercial arrangements that best fit the needs whilst at the same time, as a country, we need to ensure thatall air rights are fully utilised.The policy of the Ministry of Transport is one of encouraging all carriers to operate on the Singapore-Malaysia route and, as it is, this route is not dominated by Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airlines. This is strictly a commercial arrangement and it is quite similar to the different code-share arrangements that other airlines have on other segments as well. As the Member would know, pricing for any one sector is not strictly by distance and it is more a question of supply and demand. And, therefore, a comparison between the pricing of a service from Singapore to Bangkok with that from Singapore to KL is not entirely comparable.”
“Sir, for the Member's interest, there was actually an expansion of airline operationson what we would term as an extra bilateral basis, and this was done in March 2005 where SIA, SilkAir and Malaysian Airlines actually mounted additional services in response to the demand. So I am not aware of a reduction in the number of services. But beyond this, these extra bilateral arrangements are not unique to the Singapore-Malaysia route, and are really meant to facilitate air services in general. The existing G-to-G Air Services Agreement currently does not provide for such services and would necessarily have to bereviewed.”
“Let me provide some background information on this "revenue pool" arrangement. SIA and Malaysian Airlines first entered into this arrangement in September 1988 to divide their combined revenues from their Singapore-KL operations. The objective was for both airlines to share capacity and to coordinate flight timings in order to provide frequent and regular operations for the Singapore-KL route. Today, the two airlines operate a combined total of 13 frequencies per day, ie, almost an hourly service by SIA or Malaysian Airlines between 6.00 in the morning and 11.00 at night. As this "revenue pooling arrangement" is a commercial agreement between SIA and Malaysian Airlines, itis best for the two airlines to decide on whether to continuewith this arrangement, based on their own commercial considerations. Sir, this arrangement, however, does not prevent other approved carriers from operating services between Singapore and Malaysia. Besides SIA and Malaysian Airlines, other carriers such as Japan Airlines currently operate a total of two daily services between Singapore and KL. Singapore is prepared to allow other carriers from both countries to operate on the Singapore-KL route, as well as to other points in Malaysia but this will require the agreement of the Malaysian side. I therefore hope that both sides can meet soon to expand bilateral air services for the benefit of the travelling public. Prof. Ivan Png has also asked about facilitating multi-mode travel. We would be happy to explore this where it makes sense and it is in our national interests. In any case, there are already extensive road transport services linking Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia.”
“Sir, Singapore has always adopted an open aviation policy that seeks to maximise air links with other countries for mutual benefit. We have always been prepared to liberalise our Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Malaysia to establish more air links between our two countries. During PM's visit to Malaysia in October 2004, PM and Malaysian PM Abdullah Badawi had agreed to expand cooperation in air transport. Mr Yeo Cheow Tong had also visited his Malaysian counterpart, Transport Minister Dato' Chan Kong Choy last year, and they agreed that it would be timely for both sides to review our bilateral Air Services Agreement, which was last expanded in 1980. Since then, our officials have held preliminary discussions to expand the air links. We have also invited Minister Chan to visit Singapore for further discussions. Sir, a more liberal Air Services Agreement would allow carriers from both sides to expand their operations between Singapore and both Peninsular and East Malaysia. It would also pave the way for new Singapore and Malaysian carriers to serve the market. The travelling public will then benefit from a wider choice of carriers and destinations, as well as more competitive fares. More air links will generate greater economic benefits for both countries as well as the region through increased tourism, trade and investments. Singapore and Malaysia can also help bring about a more liberal aviation regime in ASEAN by taking the lead and moving ahead of ASEAN's goal of lifting all restrictions on passenger flights between the ASEAN capital cities by 2008. Prof. Ivan Png has asked if the existing "revenue pool" arrangement between SIA and Malaysian Airlines on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route would be abolished as this may be inhibiting market competition.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, our IMC efforts are therefore progressing well, as a result of excellent support from the industry. My Ministry will continue to develop this close partnership to bring Singapore's maritime sector into its next stage of growth. Column No : 1816 AIR SERVICES BETWEEN MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE (Liberalisation) 19. Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang asked the Minister for Transport if he will work with the Malaysian Government to generally liberalise air services between Malaysia and Singapore, and specifically to (a) abolish the "revenue pool" on the Kuala Lumpur to Singapore air route, as it inhibits market competition; and (b) facilitate multi-mode travel, for instance, arrangements combining travel by bus and air.”
“We have also launched a full suite of manpower development programmes, including the Seafaring Alternative - an Investment for Life (SAIL) Scholarship and Tripartite Maritime Scholarship Schemes. These programmes are conducted in partnership with the industry. Besides companies, industry associations such as the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) and Singapore Shipping Association have also contributed enthusiastically in support of our efforts. They play a valuable role in consolidating the industry's views and providing valuable feedback to the Government, as well as leading and updating their members on the Government's initiatives. This June, SMF led a delegation to the Norshipping Conference at Oslo where Singapore's capabilities were showcased. Their active participation in dialogues with the Maritimeand Port Authority of Singapore and the relevant industry groups have helped create a more conducive business environment. Likewise, efforts are directed at promoting careers within the maritime industry. While we are still at an early stage compared to mature maritime centres like London, things are moving at a suitably quick pace and in the right direction. Already, companies under our Approved International Shipping (AIS) and Approved Shipping Logistics (ASL) schemes generate business spending in excess of S$2.5 billion annually. The Singapore Registry of Ships has moved up to become the fifth largest registry in the world, with more than 3,100 vessels totalling 31.7 million gross tonnes. Apart from the conventional shipping activities, the Government is also actively gearing up the ancillary service infrastructure. This would include maritime insurance, arbitration, ship financing and derivatives trading.”
“Sir, our efforts to promote Singapore as an International Maritime Centre (IMC) have indeed been receiving strong support from our industry partners. In the last few years, we have made good progress and our overtures to companies have met with very positive responses. One key element to a successful IMC is having a core group of ship owners and maritime operators based in Singapore. In this respect, our fiscal incentive schemes have been very successful. To date, the schemes have encouraged more than 60 reputable international shipping groups from diverse industry segments to base their operations here. This year alone saw another 20 new companies added to these schemes. Feedback from some of these that have relocated here indicates that they have chosen Singapore because of our supportive policies and conducive and stable business environment. We also have encouraging response from the industry to our manpower development, industry upgrading and R&D promotion efforts. Programmes such as the Maritime Cluster Fund, Maritime Enterprise IT Development (MERIT) Programme and Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund enjoy strong take-up rates. Companies find these schemes beneficial, and have been tapping into them to upgrade the skills of their employees, improve their IT systems and develop their R&D capabilities. To date, about 2,000 employees from more than 500 maritime-related companies have benefited from training grants or co-sponsorships for short courses, advanced diplomas, Master degree programmes and overseas attachments. 125 applications from maritime SMEs have been approved under the MERIT Programme.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am pleased to inform Members that the Singapore port has continued to perform well in the first nine months of 2005. Shipping tonnage is up 10.1%, cargo throughput up 8.8%, and bunker sales up 9.2% compared to the same period last year. 2004 itself was a record year for the Singapore port. In 2004, total tonnage crossed the one-billion tonne mark for the first time to reach 1.04 billion gross tonnes, and we maintained our position as the world’s top bunkering port with a record 23.5 million tonnes of bunker supplied. Notably, with more than 17 million TEUs of containers handled in the first nine months of this year, we are likely to overtake Hong Kong to become the world’s busiest container port this year. At 9.8%, our container throughput growth was higher than the growth rates of 2.1% and 4.2% recorded by the Hong Kong port and Malaysia’s Port Klang respectively for the same period. It also compares favourably with the Port of Tanjung Pelepas’ announced growth rate of 3.4% for the first half of this year. Nevertheless, competition remains keen, with regional neighbours competing hard to increase their share of the container transhipment business. PSA and Jurong Port will continue to upgrade their facilities and improve their efficiency and cost structure to meet the needs of their customers. We are therefore confident that we will remain the port of choice in the region. Column No : 1813 VISIT OF DELEGATION FROM THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LED BY MR HARTMUT NASSAUER (Presence in Gallery)”
“Column No : 1799 RESCUE AND RESOURCE CENTRE 10. Miss Penny Low asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) if he will give a status update on Singapore's offer to be a regional disaster rescue and resource centre; (b) whether there is any scope or effort to develop Singapore into a hub for regional or global risks and resource management, given the info-communications technology, finance and logistics infrastructure of Singapore's knowledge-based economy; and (c) if so, what are the costs and benefits.”
“Sir, for the first two supplementary questions on the two cordons, basically this arrangement of having two adjacent cordons is new and we should really give it time to see how it works out. In addition to the quarterly rate reviews, the LTA will also review the overall effectiveness of the scheme and see if it needs to be improved after a year or so of operation. Also, as the two zones are actually quite well-served by buses and trains, motorists may want to consider using public transportation for inter-zone travelling. As regards whether the traffic flow along Orchard Road during the evening ERP hours has been too smooth, based on LTA's data, the average travel speeds on Orchard Road on weekday evenings between 7.00 pmand 8.00 pm in Octoberwas about 23 kilometres per hour. And on Saturday evenings, the average speed recordedwas about 22 kilometres per hour. The ERP rates will be adjusted according to the traffic conditions during the quarterly reviews but, currently, the speeds are within the optimal speed range of between 20-30 kilometres per hour. On Mr Ong's question about the implementation of the ERP on the CTE, LTA is monitoring the situation on the northbound CTE very closely. The current assessment is that traffic situation beyond 8.00 pm is still manageable. There are certainly some days where traffic speeds have dropped below the optimal range for short durations, but a consistent trend has not been established yet. It also depends, Sir, on whether there are occasions and events in the CTE, in particular, at Orchard Road. But, nonetheless, LTA will continue to monitor the traffic situationat the northbound CTE closely and will recommend additional measures to manage the congestion if a consistent trend has been established.”
“Average travel speeds during the most congested period, ie, 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm, have gone up significantly, from 28 kilometres per hour to 55 kilometres per hour.The average speeds of northbound traffic on the CTE stretch before the turn-off into the PIE have also improved, notwithstanding the heavier traffic on this stretch. The speeds here range from 45 kilometres per hour to 55 kilometres per hour instead of below 40 kilometres per hour previously. While the average speeds on the alternative arterial roads have decreased, they are still within the optimal speed range of between 20 and30 kilometres per hour. For example, on the Thomson Road-Upper Thomson Road stretch, average speeds are about 24 kilometres per hour, compared with 30 kilometres per hourpreviously, while along Marymount Road, the average speeds are about 24 kilometres per hour, compared with 27 kilometres per hour previously.Finally, on theSerangoon Road-Upper Serangoon Road stretch, the speeds have come down slightly from about 22 kilometres per hour to just above 20 kilometres per hour. Sir, LTA will continue to monitor the traffic situation closely.”
“Sir, Mr Ong asked if the ERP charges for the ERP gantries on Handy Road and outside the YMCA can be done away with so that motorists are not charged when going from Orchard Road into the CBD and vice-versa. Sir, let me explain the purpose of these two gantries. They serve to demarcate two distinct ERP cordons, ie, one for the Central Business District, and the other for the Orchard Road area. The CBD consists primarily of offices, while Orchard Road is a shopping belt, and both have different traffic patterns.Having the two cordons enables the LTA to tailor ERP charges to manage the traffic demand in each cordon, based on its distinct traffic conditions. For example, since implementing the two cordons, the LTA has been able to lift ERP charges in the Orchard Road area during the weekday mornings, whereas full ERP charges are imposed for the CBD. The ERP charges for the Handy Road gantry also serve to discourage motorists from driving through Orchard Road to other destinations, including the CBD. The aim is to improve traffic conditions on Orchard Road for the benefit of genuine shoppers. Hence, on weekday afternoons and evenings, motorists using Orchard Road to enter the CBD will have to pay more than those entering the CBD through other roads. Since the change, the average travel speeds on Orchard Road on weekday evenings and on Saturday afternoons, have improved from about 17 kilometres per hourto 23 kilometres per hour.I would like to assure Mr Ong that, as with all other ERP gantries, the rates at these two gantries will be regularly reviewed and adjusted based on the traffic conditions, so that our roads are optimally used. Sir, Mr Ong has also asked if the implementation of the ERP along the northbound CTE on weekday evenings has improved travel speeds.”
“Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mrs Lim Hwee Hua]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. NURSES AND MIDWIVES (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Background Sir, IRAS was set up in 1992 when IRAS was restructured from an MOF department into a statutory board. IRAS' functions as the tax authority of Singapore, as set forth in the IRAS Act, include the administration, assessment and collection of tax payments, and provision of valuation services for immovable properties. The Bill will amend the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Act to allow IRAS to: (a) raise loans from the Government; (b) raise loans through credit facilities for purchase of goods or services; and (c) raise loans from any source within or outside Singapore with the approval from Minister for Finance, including: (i) mortgages, overdrafts or other means, with or without security; (ii) charges on any property vested or on any other revenue receivable; and (iii) debentures, bonds or any other instrument. Sir, I shall now explain the proposed amendment. Expansion of borrowing powers Currently, the IRAS Act restricts IRAS to borrowing only from banks and other financial institutions but not to issue bonds, even though IRAS could issue bonds at lower interest costs. The proposed amendment will give IRAS more options to raise funds from the capital markets. This will allow IRAS to be more cost-effective as it will be able to choose the option with the lowest borrowing costs to fund its projects. As a safeguard, loans from non-governmental sources will be subject to the approval of the Minister for Finance. The same powers had been granted to NUS (National University of Singapore), NTU (Nanyang Technological University) and PUB (Public Utilities Board) when their Acts were amended last year. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to.”
“It need not be a sad day because, ultimately, every one of us has the choice of patronising the gaming activity or not. But, Sir, much as I have reservations, I know it would definitely be a sad day when it becomes obvious that IRs have worked elsewhere with manageable social consequences, but with Singapore trailing behind without one. 4.40 pm”
“This is the very question that the Cabinet has had to grapple with and one to be answered, with national interests in mind. Proceeding with the IR concept does not mean that the Government has trivialised the consequential social ills or disregarded the fears of erosion of social values. And, most certainly, the decision does not imply that the Government thinks opponents to the idea care any less about the economic future of Singapore. In fact, it is precisely because the opponents cared, that they bothered to speak up with such conviction. Sir, this decision is really about the Government taking a pragmatic view of the pros and cons, against a backdrop of real and intensifying competition for the tourism dollar. So, is this a situation of "If you can't beat them, join them?" Yes and no; yes, because most new tourism offerings are designed to meet the needs of the faster growing segments, especially the MICE segment. Hence, the offerings would have rather similar elements across countries. No, because we are not joining them, as we are imposing strict safeguards even as we are improving our tourism appeal. So, is the 18th of April a sad day? Sir, I think, not necessarily. It need not be a sad day, because the Government has committed to ensuring that there are sufficient and strict safeguards against any rising social problems. There will be increased employment and more economic activity. It need not be a sad day, because I know that the many people who have spoken out valiantly against this, especially the voluntary and religious groups, will remain committed to supporting families in distress and counselling addicts, and will continue their good work of teaching values to the young, with or without a casino.”
“The most endearing feature of Singapore must be our wholesome image, that Singapore stands for safe families and an honest and secure environment. Expatriates frequently cite these as Singapore's distinct advantage when deciding where to locate. Now that we have decided to proceed with an integrated resort with a casino component, what will they think? More importantly, what will our own Singaporeans think? Do they see this as a slippery slope where the introduction of one vice will quickly multiply into other forms, such as prostitution, triad activities or money laundering? Or that once the idea of a casino becomes reality, there will be less resistance to allowing, say, video poker machines, to proliferate everywhere. In the US, this convenience has hooked many women onto gambling as well. Sir, against all these concerns, I can understand why there is so much scepticism over the compensating effect of the economic benefits. The question is often asked, "Are we so desperate that we need to sacrifice social values for uncertain economic costs?" Sir, there is merit in seeing things in perspective. For one, what the Government is approving is an integrated resort development and not a pure casino project. As I have recounted earlier on, my family and I have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the non-gaming components of these developments elsewhere. Neither is the IR concept used to camouflage or mask the underlying gambling activity. I am hopeful that when the proposals are finally submitted, it would be quite evident that serious money would be devoted to serious entertainment propositions, and that the gaming component would be a small part. So, are the economic benefits worth it?”
“Strict enforcement of the entry levy and membership fee will therefore be all-important. Secondly, wrong philosophy, wrong values. Sir, I share the concern that the very presence of a casino will reinforce the view that one can make a fast buck by simply taking a chance, a gamble, and without having to work hard. Once this sets in, the young will grow up accepting that gambling is part and parcel of modern living or, worse still, the norm. This is already evident elsewhere where some students have gambled away all their school fees. The reality is really the larger challenge of modern living where people increasingly seek to make easy money or instant gratification. It should be noted that the same can be said of hopeful punters at the stock market or speculators during a property boom. The difference is perhaps in the amount of capital needed for reckless risk-taking to set in. In the final analysis, the question is: can we really sterilise or insulate Singaporeans from what they would regard as opportunities to strike it rich? Thirdly, the adverse impact on the family. The single most heartfelt concern must be found in the plight of the victims of gambling addiction. Without a doubt, women and children are typically at the receiving end. Addiction can reduce an otherwise responsible father and husband to a helpless and desperate criminal or parasite to his family. The shame and suffering, even if it is true of a minority, should not be trivialised. Sir, this concern is valid, and the question is really whether a casino will lead to a sharp rise in addiction that is unmanageable. Fourthly, on the erosion of our wholesome image.”
“Even at the border between California and Nevada, there are machines to welcome you. There are also machines to help you out of your guilt trip - you feed in nickels or the five-cent coins, but you can bet in multiples, which somehow beguiles you into thinking that you are gambling small. Las Vegas is where I saw instant gratification, down to the quickie marriages. Las Vegas is all about easy money, fast bucks, and not about values. Yet, Las Vegas is also where my two young children were able to enjoy circus acts to their fill and had theme park rides aplenty. It is where we caught up with world-class performances, from pop stars to magic shows to musicals. Sir, some Singaporeans have commented that the day the Government decides to proceed with the casino is a sad day indeed. Sir, I can understand their sadness. As many of my colleagues have articulated, many are objecting to the very idea of a casino operating right here in Singapore for very good and fundamental reasons. Firstly, on ethical grounds, that it is simply wrong to conduct a business that exploits human weakness; Secondly, that it propagates the wrong philosophy of easy money and breeds the wrong values; Thirdly, because of the adverse impact of addiction on families; and Fourthly, that there will be a permanent dent on our wholesome and upright image. Let me briefly elaborate on each in turn. Firstly, the opposition on ethical grounds. Given the addictive nature of gambling, easy access to a casino which operates round the clock, or 24 by 7 in today's language, provides untold temptation for a quick fix. The weaker spirit will not be able to stay away for too long from the casino, unlike other forms of gambling, unless there are barriers to continuous or excessive patronage.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, for a non-gambler, I certainly have visited quite a number of casino-related developments from the mass market, somewhat un-glam casinos to the imposing integrated resorts similar to those being proposed. My first introduction was to a casino in Macau almost two decades ago, where I witnessed an unpretentious, raw offering to all and sundry. This left a rather negative imprint on my mind as there was virtually nothing between the tempted and the temptation. I contributed a very small sum to the jackpot machines but my loss was nothing compared to the lives that gambling addiction must have wrecked. In the late 80s when I was studying in Los Angeles, my husband and I would occasionally cover Las Vegas in our many drives around the country. And we would sometimes take our two young children in tow, not to the casinos but to the wide variety of family-friendly entertainment. We have been back in between the years and we never cease to be amazed at the way newer and more creative offerings have emerged over time. Las Vegas was where I was intrigued by the hypnotic effect gambling seemed to have on its victims - I saw how addiction was manifested as a hopeful but dazed looking gambler, lost in time, straddled across two stools in front of two one-arm bandit machines, cigarette or free drink in one hand and the lever in the other. They just would not give up on a machine until they ran out of cash or they hit the jackpot. While I was feeding mine with nickels literally just for fun, the addict was altogether serious about recouping his losses. For the record, I never ventured beyond the jackpot machines nor lost more than $200 each time. Everywhere you turn, there is a machine to greet you or, should I say, to tempt you.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I fully appreciate the sentiments of Mdm Halimah Yacob. But I think it is important to recognise the principle here, which is one of maintaining the parity of the ownership between the OPC scheme and normal cars. At such point where too many days are actually allowed for under the scheme, it will actually swing the balance towards the OPC scheme, and that balance has to be reviewed from time to time. TEACHER-ASSISTANTS The following Question stood in the name of Mdm Ho Geok Choo - 20. To ask the Minister for Education (a) if he will update the House on the responsibilities and role of teacher-assistants vis-a-vis teachers; (b) what is the ratio of teacher-assistants to teachers; and (c) what formal qualifications do teacher-assistants have and what training do they go through.”
“This is in line with the Ministry's policy to allow statutory boards to borrow. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. - [Mrs Lim Hwee Hua]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE CHAIR”
“Clauses 4 and 6 amend sections 4 and 6 to allow the Minister to set operational requirements for betting operators through subsidiary legislation. Such requirements cover the statement to be prepared by betting operators, and the timeframe for submission of statement and payment of the betting and sweepstake duty. Clause 2 defines the term "Commissioner" as the Commissioner of Stamp Duties, and clause 10 amends sections 6, 7, and 10 to streamline references to the Commissioner of Stamp Duties. Clauses 5, 7 and 8 make consequential amendments to sections 5, 7 and 9. Clause 9 inserts a new section 11 to allow the Commissioner to compound offences under the Act. This is in line with the Ministry of Law's decriminalisation initiative. Related Amendments to the Singapore Totalisator Board Act - Minister to have flexibility to prescribe the manner of determining the Singapore Totalisator Board's commission Sir, I now turn to the related amendments to the Singapore Totalisator Board Act. Currently, the Act allows the Minister for Finance to prescribe, through subsidiary legislation, how much the Singapore Totalisator Board can deduct from bets made on the totalisator as commission. Clause 11 of the Bill amends section 12 of the Act to give the Minister flexibility to prescribe the manner of determining the commission, instead of the exact amount. The Totalisator Board can then be allowed to set its own commission to help the Turf Club offer better odds and lower prices. Other amendment Sir, I now briefly outline one other amendment to the Act. Clause 11 inserts a new section 9B to allow the Totalisator Board to raise loans from the Government or, with the approval of the Minister, raise loans within or outside Singapore from sources approved by the Minister.”
“Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Minister to prescribe betting and sweepstake duty rates Sir, in the recent Budget Statement, it was announced that horse betting duty would be changed from 12% of each bet to 25% of gross betting profit (that is, bets less winnings paid out). This change in the basis of assessing betting duty is in line with the practice in jurisdictions like the UK and most Australian states (such as New South Wales and Victoria). 25% of gross betting profit is equivalent to about 5% of each bet. Thus, this roughly represents a halving of betting duty. The change will allow the Singapore Turf Club to offer better odds and lower prices to their customers to compete more effectively with illegal gambling operators. Currently, the Betting and Sweepstake Duties Act already allows the Minister for Finance to set the rate of duty for horse betting, sports betting and lotteries through subsidiary legislation. However, the Act prescribes the basis of duty. The duty on horse betting and lotteries is based on the amount of each bet while the duty on sports betting is based on the gross betting profit. Clauses 3 and 4 of the Bill amend sections 3 and 4 of the Act to allow the Minister to set the rate of duty, including the basis of duty, for all types of betting and sweepstakes through subsidiary legislation for administrative efficiency. Other amendments Sir, I will now briefly outline other amendments to the Act. Clauses 3 and 4 amend sections 3 and 4 to allow the Minister to make clear which betting operators are required to pay betting and sweepstake duties through subsidiary legislation.”
“Sir, let me, finally, just say briefly on how we deal with congestion in the Malacca Straits. Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia have worked closely and increased efforts and cooperation to maintain adequate navigational safety mechanisms within the Straits. And we have implemented various safety measures, such as the Traffic Separation Scheme as well as a mandatory ship reporting system known as STRAITREP. We also collaborate with other Straits stakeholders on initiatives, such as conducting joint hydrographic surveys of the Straits, and installing and maintaining aids to navigation. Sir, I believe I have answered the questions. Air Transport”
“We have been working closely with our neighbours, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as other stakeholders, including regional and international organisations like ASEAN, IMO and the UN, on various measures to enhance the security of the Straits. As hon. Members may know, one such initiative is the Trilateral Coordinated Patrols involving Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, which was launched in July last year. This involves ships from the littoral states patrolling their respective waters as well as enhanced information sharing. We are also working with other countries in this region to set up an Information Sharing Centre under the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP). The centre will be located in Singapore and will facilitate information exchange so as to enhance cooperation in the fight against piracy. Sir, closer to home, we have worked with the industry to ensure that all Singapore port facilities and Singapore-flagged vessels are fully compliant with the IMO's International Ship and Port Facility Security Code or more commonly referred to as the ISPS Code. We will closely monitor the movements of sensitive vessels within our waters, such as LPG, LNG, chemical and oil tankers. Within the Singapore territorial waters, the Police Coast Guard (PCG) would undertake law enforcement and security policing. Since 911, as Members would know, PCG has stepped up its patrols, as well as checks on suspicious activities. From April this year, the Republic of Singapore Navy will deploy armed security teams onboard some merchant ships. The Accompanying Sea Security Teams (ASSeT) will escort vessels entering or leaving the port within Singapore waters.”
“This is a positive development in the area of safety and pollution prevention. To bring Singapore's licensing requirements in line with those of the IMO, the MPA has launched a "Gate System�? this year for licensing bunker tankers operating in our port. This system, amongst other things, sets age limits and other conditions for the issuing of new bunker tanker licences, and will require owners to progressively phase out their single hull tankers and replace them with double hull vessels. To ease the burden on the industry, I am pleased to announce that the Ministry of Transport will be introducing measures to lower the operational cost of new double hull tankers. For a start, MPA will waive port dues for new double hull bunker tankers that are licensed from 15th March 2005 to 31st March 2008 for a period of five years from the licensing date. This works out to a savings of about $1 million to the industry. In addition, MPA will also consider raising the pilotage exemption limit to cover bunker tankers above 5,000 gross tons, as well as providing pilotage training rebates for them. This will result in a further $2 million savings to the industry. These measures will assist bunker tanker owners to renew their fleet early and encourage the operation of more environment-friendly double hull tankers in our port. Let me now finally move quickly to the issue of maritime security. Sir, Singapore adopts a comprehensive and multi-agency approach to maritime security. One critical aspect of this is to ensure that international waterways, such as the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, remain safe, secure and open to shipping.”
“Both PSA and the Government want to grow Singapore as a hub port by attracting more shipping lines to Singapore, enhancing our connectivity, keeping our costs competitive, and providing excellent service to our customers. For example, MOT and MPA have been working with PSA and other agencies to keep the cost of port land competitive. We also work with PSA on port infrastructure developments to ensure that they have sufficient berths to meet their growing demand. Although the interests are largely aligned, it is still useful to have some check and balance in the system. As the port authority, MPA monitors PSA's service standards. We also keep in close contact with the shipping lines to get feedback from them regularly, so that we know if they are satisfied with PSA's services. Shipping and port operations are essentially regional, if not global, businesses. Hence, regional competition will also serve as a useful check to ensure that PSA is kept on its toes and stays competitive. During last year's Budget speech, then-DPM Lee said that the MPA has not granted PSA a monopoly on container operations in Singapore, nor will it do so. If and when industry conditions make greater local competition necessary, and new operators judge it viable to enter the business, the Government will not stand in the way. This position was also articulated by then-PM Goh in June 2002, when he said that the Government is open to having more players participate in the Singapore port sector. Let me now briefly move on to the point of single hull tankers. Sir, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has revised its regulations under the Marine Pollution (MARPOL) Convention to phase out single hull tankers and ban the carriage of heavy grade oil by such tankers.”
“To develop Singapore's maritime legal expertise, MPA has set aside S$4 million to establish a Professorship in Maritime Law at the National University of Singapore and established postgraduate scholarships in maritime law as well. Most recently, we have launched the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration, which will further promote and profile Singapore as Asia's centre for maritime legal expertise and dispute resolution. Let me now address the challenge of developing our own source of maritime manpower. Sir, this is an important area to focus on, if we want to become a leading IMC. The strong growth in shipping activity and in new buildings will continue to outstrip the increase in available manpower resources. Singapore is open to allowing foreigners to come in to supplement our maritime workforce, but we also want to encourage more Singaporeans to take up careers in the maritime sector. In this regard, the agencies have stepped up our efforts in supporting the various maritime education and training programmes. To encourage more Singaporeans to take up maritime and maritime-related careers, MOT, MPA and the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) have launched the "Maritime Now" publicity campaign in October last year. There will also be outreach programmes targeted at students, teachers and career counsellors to raise their awareness of the opportunities available in the maritime sector. Sir, let me now move on to Mr Ong's comments on the role of PSA. Although PSA has been corporatised, its shares are currently still totally held by the Government. As such, the interests of PSA and the Government are largely aligned.”
“Singapore is indeed well placed to tap these trends and the growth of these services sectors will create many high value-add and exciting jobs for Singaporeans. 6.00 pm Within the context of burgeoning trade flows globally and the concomitant growth potential, the Government is, however, cognisant of the well-established position of key maritime centres, particularly London. Singapore is behind London in several areas, most noticeably the conventional areas of financial and legal services. And this view was echoed in a report by the Corporation of London in August 2004, which showed that London is way ahead in many of the maritime services. The report also indicated that Singapore could become a serious contender in this area, now that the centre of shipping has shifted to Asia. Sir, due to our proximity to Asian shipowners, Singapore has good potential to develop this sector to meet the needs of these market participants. The Government is also directing efforts at developing Singapore as a maritime legal services hub. And this is one area which we are developing with other Government agencies, as it is a critical supporting pillar for the IMC development. This area is still very much work in progress, but let me briefly highlight some of our key milestones. In 1991, we set up the Singapore International Arbitration Centre to serve as a professional and reliable dispute resolution institution for the international business community. We followed up in 2002, with the setting up of a dedicated Admiralty Court, the first of its kind in Asia, which was established to build up our expertise in this area and to ensure the speedy and fair resolution of maritime cases in Singapore.”
“Sir, let me first thank Members for their interest in our plans for the maritime sector. Mr Ong Kian Min and Mr Andy Gan asked about MOT's plans to develop Singapore as an International Maritime Centre, or IMC. The maritime industry in Singapore is an important pillar of our economy. Mr Gan is right to say that the maritime sector represents good growth prospects, and will continue to create and provide jobs for Singapore. Today, the sector contributes about 7% of our GDP, and provides some 120,000 jobs. This number is expected to increase to 200,000 by 2019. While Singapore is already well established as a major port, our vision is for Singapore to become a comprehensive hub for all maritime, shipping and port-related activities. We want to develop our maritime services as another engine of growth to complement our port and shipyards. The maritime ancillary services that we are actively developing cover a wide range - from the traditional vessel registration, ship financing, marine insurance, ship management, maritime legal and arbitration services and ship broking, to newer offerings like freight derivatives and other risk management activities. The Government is working very closely with industry players and industry associations to grow these sectors. At the same time, the Government actively consults with international players to better understand global trends in shipping-related developments so as to meet evolving needs. Sir, the need to track developments closely is underpinned by a few major trends - firstly, the emergence of economic powers in the fast-growing China and India markets; secondly, the increasing shift in the centre of gravity of shipping activity towards Asia.”
“Sir, I do not have details of the comparison with other city states, except to mention that at 12% and in view of all the competing land uses, such as nature reserves, we are actually running pretty close to what is physically possible. Besides, those who are campaigning for the environment would probably tell you that 12% is a little too high. My point in raising this 12% is really to highlight that the 15% growth, or the expansion in the road network that we have done over the past 14 years, is unlikely to be repeated. Therefore, the scope for expanding the road network further is likely to be very limited and measured. Sea Transport”
“Aside from this additional land requirement, in most cases, this is not even possible given that the bridges are located in built-up areas. Where there is sufficient space, for example, along the expressways and major arterial roads, LTA will continue to provide ramps for the bridges. In fact, at-grade crossings are more accessible than bridges and are the preferred form of crossing for the elderly and the less mobile. Therefore, to better meet the needs of this group, LTA would try to provide more at-grade crossings at suitable locations wherever possible. Prof. Png has also asked for a more flexible approach to be adopted in applying the guidelines so as to make it less costly and onerous to provide the ramps. Let me just clarify here that the BCA Code was formulated based on international standards and adapted to our local conditions. It was developed through a consultative process involving the key stakeholders like the VWOs and other Government agencies. The mandatory requirements are the minimum standards required in order to meet the special needs of users. For example, a steeper ramp would be difficult for the elderly and the physically challenged, while a narrow one would limit accessibility. Hence, I would like to assure the Member that LTA does not build "business class" ramps and the standards took into account factors of accessibility and safety.”
“However, to address the safety concerns for some groups of passengers, LTA will continue to subject light commercial vehicles carrying workers on the vehicles' decks as well as small buses without seat belts, to the current speed limit of 60 km per hour. The LTA will be providing the details next week. Finally, let me take the cut by Prof. Ivan Png on pedestrian overhead bridges. He suggested that, ideally, staircases for all pedestrian overhead bridges should be made gentler and that ramps be included as a standard feature. I agree with the Member on the need for transport infrastructure to evolve with changing demographics. Since year 2000, LTA has revised its design of staircases of new pedestrian overhead bridges to be in line with the BCA's Code of Practice on Barrier-Free Accessibility in Buildings for the design of staircases. This includes the gradient, the height, the width of the steps, the number of landings, etc. The improvements include reducing the step height from 175 mm to 150 mm and increasing the step width from 288 mm to 300 mm to better serve the elderly and the very young. However, it will be very costly to reconstruct all existing staircases of the pedestrian overhead bridges to meet these new design standards. Some 380 of such bridges would need to be reconstructed at a cost of around $60 million, and this excludes the costs associated with diverting utilities. Therefore, the LTA has taken the prudent approach of applying the new standards to new bridges and to old ones when they are due for replacement. 5.45 pm As for adding ramps to existing bridges, I agree it makes the bridges more accessible for the elderly and for those using strollers. However, the additional land take would be significant, at least 200 square metres per bridge.”