Lim Kim San
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Public Utilities Board's investigation shows that the residents of Pulau Ubin are unwilling to pay higher prices due to higher operating costs, thereby causing the contractor to cease operations. It was explained to the hon.”
“Sir, I understand the Member's point, but I hope he realises that six months after serving notice, the pigs will still be defecating freely which will continue to contaminate our water.”
“Sir, if anyone should get sick from coming into contact with contaminated water, I hope they will accept sympathy from the Member for Jurong. But we cannot evaluate the danger to human life in terms of dollars and cents. The farmers have known for several years now that pig-rearing will have to be phased out of the catchment areas.”
“Sir, all I can say is that we are still looking into the feasibility of siting a coal-fired station on one of the islands to reduce the pollution problem. But no definite decision has yet been made. We have several offers to do a feasibility study on it, and we are looking closely into the matter. 5.45 p.m.”
“Merit Scholar- Merit Courses ships Bursaries Medicine/ Dentistry 44 41 Engineering 28 22 Architecture/ Building/ Estate Management 6 18 Accountancy/ Business Administration 9 14 Arts/Social Science/Law 32 40 Science (includes Pharmacy) 82 102 ___ ___ 201 237 === === Sir, I believe the hon.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, air pollution is being monitored daily by the Anti- Pollution Unit, and we find that the air pollution in industrial estates and the urban areas is normally higher than in the residential or rural areas.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,111 lines we hold for Lim Kim San, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 23.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of this Bill is to provide the Public Utilities Board with a more efficient and flexible administration. Electricity contains both an energy component and a non-energy or wattless component. In clause 2 of the Bill, it is now proposed to substitute for the word "energy" a more appropriate word, "electricity". Consequential amendments are also made in the Bill to substitute for the words "light", "electrical energy" and "energy" wherever they appear in the Act, the word "electricity" to give uniformity. The Bill, under clause 3 thereof, also amends the constitution of the Board from the present fixed number of ten non-public officers to not less than five but not more than ten members to be appointed by the Minister. Consequently, the quorum for meetings of the Board is also amended under clause 4 of the Bill, from seven to a majority of the members of the Board. These amendments, Sir, are necessary as, since the enactment of the provision of section 5 of the Act, it has not been possible to appoint the whole of the ten members resulting in the Board sometimes being without a quorum to conduct its business. Clause 5 of the Bill enables the Board to perform any functions assigned to it by the Minister, and clause 6 empowers the Board to incorporate companies to carry out any of its functions. With these amendments, Sir, the Board will now be able to provide consultancy services and to form a company to provide such consultancy services. Under clauses 7 and 8, the Board is conferred with additional power to cut off supplies of gas and electricity in case of emergency, fire and in certain other circumstances.”
“It will be noted from what I have just said that the new section empowers the Commissioner to close cemeteries or crematoria without having to assign reasons for doing so, as required under the existing law. Land in Singapore is scarce. It must be used to serve the needs of the living. It is, therefore, esser4tial that the Commissioner should have adequate powers to reduce the present wasteful profusion of cemeteries. The commissioner should also have the power to confine burials to the State-owned cemeteries, thereby reducing the acreage earmarked for burials and putting the land to use for the living. The existing subsection (2) of section 109 provides that no closing of a cemetery or crematorium, or revocation or amendment of a licence, shall have effect "unless and until it has been confirmed by the Minister and until the expiration of one month from such confirmation." in the new subsection (2) 01 section 109 set out in the Bill, the requirement of awaiting the expiration of one month from the Minister's confirmation is removed. The closing order is effective immediately on confirmation, Sir, if the confirmation is not effected immediately, fresh burials could take place during the one month period between confirmation by the Minister arid the effective date of the confirmation. This would aggravate the problem of exhumation and would delay re-use of the land. Mr Speaker, 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. -[Mr Lim Kim San]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. PUBLIC UTILITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 4.43 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, from time to time the Commissioner of Public Health has to close cemeteries and/or crematoria in certain locations in the public interest and burials or cremation in these locations will have to be discontinued. The Commissioner will then arrange for burials thereafter to take place in other locations provided by the State. The existing section 109 of the Environmental Public Health Act provides that the Commissioner of Public Health may close a cemetery place of burial, crematorium or any place used for the burning of corpses if it appears to him that such places are:- `(a). . in such a state as to be dangerous to health; or (b). . (i) . . inoxious or offensive or unfit for use as a cemetery or crematorium; (ii) . . cannot be further used for the burial or burning of the dead without danger to public health; (iii) . . being used in contravention of any condition of the licence; or (iv) . . no longer required.' The Bill which is now before the House provides for the repeal of the existing section 109 of the Environmental Public Health Act, and the substitution of a new section 109 which will empower the Commissioner of Public Health to close a cemetery, burial ground, crematorium or any place used for the burning of corpses if he is of the opinion that burials or the burning of corpses should be wholly discontinued in such cemetery, crematorium or place; or such cemetery, crematorium, place or any part thereof is being used in contravention of any condition of the licence issued in respect of the same.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, that is installation charges, in the same way that you pay installation charges for a telephone. BILLS INTRODUCED 3.20 p.m. FACTORIES BILL "to repeal and to re-enact with amendments the law relating to the health, safety and welfare of persons employed in factories and other work places", presented by the Minister for Labour (Mr Ong Pang Boon); read the First time, to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Employment Act (Chapter 122 of the Revised Edition)", presented by Mr Ong Pang Boon; read the First time, to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to he printed. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Industrial Relations Act (Chapter 124 of the Revised Edition)", presented by Mr Ong Pang Boon; read the First time, to be read a Second time on tile next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. ADJOURNMENT MOTION (Business Motion)”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the meter belongs to the PUB.”
“Sir, we are on new tariffs. On this question of wrong reading of meters, as I have said, we have a quarter million domestic consumers altogether. If there are only one or two complaints, it is largely because probably consumers do not realise that they have used more. However, where there is a mistake or where the meter is out of order, we always investigate the complaint. When a consumer's bill goes up every month, then something may be wrong. I, too, have received a complaint from a consumer saying that his bill for the last month has more than doubled. I asked, "What did you do during that month?" He said, "We had a marriage in the house." So there you are. Things like this happen. The consumer is not consciously aware that there are occasions when he has to use more. But where there are legitimate complaints, we always look into them. Mr Baptist rose -”
“Mr Speaker, this is a perennial complaint. I think that if you use more, and when the meter reader comes and takes the readings, you complain.”
“Therefore, in toto, if you use a very large proportion of power, compared to lighting, you will now have to pay more, and this is as it should be. That is why I have said that the new tariff is fair, equitable and just. As regards the other question of how much savings there will be in administrative costs, I hope there will be some savings. But it is too early to anticipate the amount. There are priorities. We do not spend our time calculating something which we are not very sure of. Probably, by the time when we sit for our 1973-74 Estimates, and if the question is raised again, I may be able to give an answer. Otherwise, it is just futile because, as you have heard from my colleague, the Finance Minister, yesterday, there will be a review of salaries for those whose salaries have stagnated. Therefore, all these have to be taken into consideration before we make the calculations. As to why the new rate should take effect on 1st December and not 1st January, 1973, we have been studying this question for three years, and I think December is a good time because people will be celebrating Christmas and the New Year, and they can turn on more lights as lighting will then cost between 8 1/4 cents and 7 1/4 cents, instead of 18 cents. I think it is a good month to start the new rates.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first, to take the Member for Sembawang. I do not know whether he was paying very close attention to my Statement or not. I have already stated that the new tariff is a promotional tariff. Therefore, if you use more, the rates will be less. Thus, it encourages people to use more. So it is promotional, that is why there is a new tariff. But he says there is no need for a new tariff. Kwh is a unit of measurement of the amount of electricity consumed, just as it is so many gallons of water, it is so many kilowatt hours of electricity; that is the simple explanation. I have also stated that it is not possible in a review of this nature to see that everybody pays the same rate. Our main concern is to see that the small consumers or those people who live, as the hon. Member said, in $20-a-month Housing Board flats, should not be asked to pay more. I have said that those who use a combined total of 30 kwh or less of electricity per month for both power and lighting will pay less. There is the question that if some people pay less, who pays more? Let me tell him who pays more. I, for one, will be paying more because of air conditioning, for which I use more power than lighting. As I have explained, the cost of supplying electricity, either for power or lighting, is about the same. So the charges should be the same. At present, the rate for lighting is higher. We are paying 18 cents per unit for lighting, and only 7 cents per unit for power. It means that lighting has been subsidising power. So now, those people who use power are now asked to pay their due share and those people who have been paying a higher rate for lighting, well, they do not have to subsidise those who use power.”
“There will also be savings in administration costs because instead of reading two meters, only one meter need be read. The new tariff structure is in line with latest practice. It is simple and clear-cut, rational and fair, because it does not discriminate between the use of electricity for lighting and power. The small consumers benefit. Those who consume less than or up to 30 kwh per month for both power and lighting will pay less under the new tariffs. On the other hand, the greater the consumption, the lower the rates, therefore benefitting also the large consumers. This new tariff also removes the anomaly. As I have said earlier, of charging a higher rate of electricity for use of fans as against use of air-conditioning and other domestic power appliances. It saves all consumers expenditure by making unnecessary duplicate wiring circuits. The majority of the public, including hon. Members, will benefit from the new tariffs. They are being introduced only after careful study and detailed examination over a period of nearly three years. Consumers on the whole will pay less. The PUB's revenue for electricity in 1973 under the new tariffs, as compared to the existing tariffs, will be less by $1.8 million.”
“With the new High Tension Tariffs, industrial and non-industrial users taking supplies at high voltage can reduce their bills by reducing their maximum demand. The new High Tension Tariffs are lower than the new Low Tension Tariffs. But to convert to High Tension supplies, consumers will have to invest in capital equipment. Nevertheless, it is expected that large Low Tension consumers will switch to High Tension supplies, because they will recover their capital investment in one or two years through the lower tariffs. All new tariffs carry a Fuel Oil Variation Clause to avoid messy revisions of the tariff rates as a result of increases in fuel oil prices by increased royalties imposed by the OPEC countries. Introduction of New Tariffs in December The new tariffs will be introduced from the December billing cycle. Gazette notifications will be published accordingly. In a general adjustment and rationalisation of tariffs covering so many different rates and categories, it is impossible to introduce a new set of tariffs which will enable the many categories of consumers to pay exactly the same as under the old tariffs. It is inevitable that some will have to pay more and some slightly less. I must emphasize, Mr Speaker, Sir, that this change to be introduced in December is not to increase the revenue of the PUB. In fact, as I have stated, the PUB's revenue estimates for 1973 show that receipts will be $1.8 million less under the new tariffs. The PUB will also have to spend about $1 million to convert the existing 240,000 dual meter accounts to single meter accounts. In the long term, however, there will be savings in capital expenditure as the recovered meters can be used for new consumers or to replace old meters.”
“There will be no need for tariff changes with every change in oil prices. Interim Tariffs I must inform the House that, pending the introduction of the single meter tariffs, several interim tariffs have been implemented. Anticipating the introduction of single meter tariffs, the Board in 1969 advised hotels under construction to wire their premises with a single distribution system for lighting and power instead of having a separate wiring circuit for each. On completion, these hotels were charged the interim rates. The former British bases and some Government and Statutory Board quarters for employees were metered on a single wiring system for lighting and power, and they were charged a bulk rate. Those occupying these premises ale now required to have separate meters for separate consumers. They also had been placed on the interim tariff. Summary To sum up, of the six new electricity tariffs, i.e, the Low Tension Domestic Tariff, Low Tension Non-Domestic Tariff and Entertainment Tariff are block rates metered on a single meter. The High Tension Industrial and High Tension Non-Industrial Tariffs, which are known as two-part tariffs, also have block rates for units consumed. However, in addition, they will contain a flat rate maximum demand charge. The Public Lighting Tariff is a flat rate tariff. The new tariffs do not require separate lighting and power circuits. Thus, developers of all types of property will benefit from lower capital expenditure on electrical installations. Householders also in future will pay less for their internal wiring. The block rates of all the new tariffs are promotional. The greater the consumption, the cheaper the rates become.”
“Collectively they will pay 6 per cent less. Entertainment Tariff Overall, there are 54 consumers and they will pay 4 per cent more than at present. Amusement parks and small theatres will pay less on the new tariff, while the large cinemas will pay 10 per cent more. The new entertainment tariff is as follows : - Running Kwh Cents Charge per month per kwh 1st Block 1- 500 16.00 2nd Block 501- 50,000 10.00 3rd Block 50,001- 100,000 9.00 Follow-on All in excess of 7.00 rate 100,000 Minimum Charge: $80 per month. Public Lighting Tariff Public Street Lighting and Traffic Signs, Traffic Signals and Bollards or beacons are not affected by the tariff changes. However, the two tariff categories applicable to them are consolidated into one (both rates being the same). Fuel Oil Variation Clause One important feature of the new tariff structure is the fuel oil variation clause. It will be applied uniformly to all the six new tariffs. We are completely dependent upon imported fuel oil. It accounts for 35 per cent of our operating expenditure excluding capital cost. The fuel oil variation clause provides that the cost of every kilowatt hour shall be increased or decreased by 0.0033 cent for every 10-cent increase or decrease per ton in the cost of fuel oil. The increase will be calculated over a basic oil price of $40 per ton and the decrease under a basic oil price of $38 per ton. Although prices of oil have been reasonably stable for many years, there was an increase of 30 per cent in fuel oil prices to the Board since early 1971. There is possibility of further increases as the OPEC countries charge higher royalties for their crude oil. For this reason, a fuel price adjustment in tariffs for all consumers is necessary.”
“For instance, if a consumer like a factory requires 100,000 kwh a month, it could schedule its load for three shifts and require at most only 200 kw of demand. However, if it works on one shift, it will require up to 600 kw of demand increasing the need for more power generating plants, switchgears and other equipment. There is also a declared demand charge. This charge is to discourage consumers from asking for a greater supply of electricity than they require. For instance, a consumer like an oil refinery or a steel mill requires only 25 megawatts. But, to be safe, they ask the PUB to provide facilities to supply them with 50 megawatts. This means spending unnecessary capital expenditure on provision of equipment such as switchgears, cables, substations, etc, for 50 megawatts instead of 25. I have said earlier that it is expected that the 80 consumers who are receiving low tension supplies will convert to high tension supplies. This is because the low tension non-domestic tariff is higher than the high tension industrial tariff. High Tension Non-industrial Tariff The new tariff is as follows: - Running Kwh Cents Charge per month per kwh 1st Block 1- 100,000 5.00 2nd Block 100,001- 500,000 3.50 3rd Block 500,001- 3,500,000 3.00 Follow-on All in excess of 2.75 rate 3,500,000 Maximum Demand Charge: $4.50 per kw per month. Minimum Charge: $700. There are 71 large non-industrial consumers receiving low tension supplies and 27 large non-industrial consumers receiving high tension supplies. The new tariff is also known as a two-part tariff with a maximum demand charge of $4.50 per kw per month. For similar reason as I have just stated, it is expected that the 71 consumers receiving low tension supplies will convert to high tension supplies.”
“00 2nd block 51- 1,000 9.00 3rd block 1,001-10,000 8.00 4th block 10,001-50,000 7.00 Follow-on All in excess of 6.00 rate 50,000 Minimum Charge: $1.60 per month Financial Effects Fifty-one per cent of the 40,696 consumers under this category will pay less as their proportion of lighting to power usage is high. The remaining 20,020 consumers will pay more as their proportion of lighting to power usage is low. Collectively, however, the consumers will pay 9 per cent less under the new tariffs. High Tension industrial Tariff There are at present 35 industrial consumers taking supplies at high tension and 80 taking supplies at low tension. With the new high tension industrial tariff, these 80 consumers will save money by converting from low to high tension supplies. The new high tension industrial tariff will be as follows: - Running Kwh Cents Charge per month per kwh 1st Block 1- 100,000 4.00 2nd Block 100,001- 500,000 3.00 3rd Block 500,001- 3,500,000 2.25 4th Block 3,500,001-10,000,000 2.00 Follow-on All in excess of 1.75 rate 10,000,000 Maximum Demand Charge: $4.00 per kw per month. Minimum Charge: $650 per month. Collectively, under the new tariff, they will pay 0.7 per cent more. There are separate charges for energy consumption (kwh) and maximum demand (kw). The maximum demand charge will encourage consumers to lower their maximum demand for short periods and spread their consumption over longer periods. Thus, they will instead help to lower the cost per unit for themselves. By lowering the maximum demand for short periods, they will also help the PUB to defer capital investment in new cables, switchgears and power generating plants. Let me give you an example.”
“50 for power). The rest of the 141,771 consumers of domestic lighting and power, i.e, the remaining 108,064 consumers will pay slightly more. Now, those whose consumption of power is 5 to 10 times their consumption of lighting will pay more; not slightly more, but more. I have here a Table which will illustrate this: Additional Consumers payment as % age of original No. % age Additional charges payment (Average) 13,380 12 less than 50 cts 5 % 34,631 32 50 cts to 99 cts 12 % 33,243 31 $1.00 to $1.49 14 % 21,900 20 $1.50 to $2.49 17 % 4,276 4 $2.50 to $5.00 17 % 634 1 More than $5.00 17 % ------- --- 108,064 100 ======= === Removal of Illegal Tapping of Power A single tariff for both lighting and power will remove the temptation of tapping power for lighting because rates for power are cheaper. 88,518 consumers use more than 20 units for lighting. They are now charged at 18 cents per unit. Of these, the majority, that is, about 76 per cent or 67,412 consumers, will pay less because their consumption is predominantly lighting. The remaining 21,106 consumers will pay more because their consumption is predominantly power. Low tension non-domestic consumers We come now to the low tension non-domestic consumers. At present, there are several tariffs for the low tension non-domestic consumers. They are known as Tariffs, A, C, D, and F, and consumers are charged combinations of these. It could be (A + D), or (A + D + C), or (C + D). I have already circulated a Table* (*See Annex, cols. 131-42) showing details of the existing tariffs, the interim tariffs and the new tariffs. The new tariffs for the low tension non-domestic consumers are in your hands for easy reference, and they are as follows: Running Kwh Cents Charge per month per kwh 1st block 1- 50 16.”
“Power for fans is charged the, lighting rate of 18 cents per kwh. This, I think, is the bone of contention of many Members, especially those who have the welfare of the low consumers at heart. The new tariff will do away with this anomaly of charging 18 cents per kwh for power for fans and a much lower rate for power for air-conditioning. The new tariff will be a simple single rate for both lighting and power, and is as follows: Running Kwh Cents Charge per month per kwh 1st Block 1 - 20 12 2nd Block 21 - 750 8.25 3rd Block 750 and above 7.25 There will also be a minimum charge of $1.20 per month, instead of the present minimum charge of $1.50, separately for lighting and for power, making a total of $3.00. At present domestic consumers using lighting and power have to pay a minimum charge of $1.50 for metering of power and $1.50 for the metering of lighting, making a total of $3.00 per month. In place of this, we will now have a minimum charge of $1.20. Financial Effects of New Tariffs There are altogether 231,808 domestic consumers. They use only 21 per cent of total electrical energy. Under the new tariff they will collectively pay 3 per cent less, i.e, the PUB will lose 3 per cent of its present revenue from these domestic consumers. About 61 per cent, or 141,771 of these consumers to be exact, use 20 units or less of lighting. They now pay 12 cents per unit. Of these 141,771 consumers using 20 or less units per month of lighting, 33,707 will pay less under the new tariffs. They are the small consumers who use less than 30 units of electricity for both power and lighting. They have a rebate through the new minimum charge of $1.20 as against the present minimum charge of $3.00 per month (i.e., as I have explained just now, $1.50 minimum charge for lighting and $1.”
“It means that the cost of supplying electrical lighting and power to various consumer categories is nearly the same. So there is no point to meter lighting and power separately and charge differently. The New Tariffs It is now proposed to replace the existing twelve tariffs by six tariffs. The six new tariffs are: - (i) The low tension domestic tariff for dwelling houses. There are 231,808 accounts under this category. (ii) The low tension non-domestic tariff for shops, offices, small industries and small commercial buildings. There are 40,696 such accounts. (iii) The high tension industrial tariff for large industrial concerns using above 100,000 kilowatt hours (kwh) per month. 115 accounts come under this category. (iv) The high tension non-industrial tariff for large commercial buildings, hotels, statutory boards, the armed forces, etc. There are 98 such consumers. (v) The entertainment tariff for the 54 existing theatres and amusement parks. (vi) The public lighting tariff for public lighting and traffic lights. Mr Speaker, Sir, for ease of reference. I have asked to be handed to Members a Table* (*See Annex, cols 131-42) showing details of the existing tariffs, interim tariffs and the new tariffs for the different categories of consumers. [Copies of the Table handed in to the Clerk and distributed to hon. Members]. The Low Tension Domestic Tariff At present, as Members are aware, there are two domestic lighting rates: (a) a rate of 12 cents per kwh for a monthly consumption of less than and up to 20 kwh. (b) a flat rate of 18 cents per kwh for a monthly consumption of more than 20 kwh. The present domestic power consumption, i.e, power for cooking, heating and all domestic appliances, except fans, is charged at seven cents per kwh.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, about a year ago, in reply to an Oral Question in this Chamber, I said: `Singapore is still saddled with the antiquated system of wiring and metering separately for lighting and power'. I also informed the House that the Public Utilities Board had employed a firm of consultants to advise on the changeover to a single meter tariff system for implementation as soon as is conveniently possible. The Consultants have since submitted their report and their recommendations have also been carefully examined and studied. The existing tariff structure is complicated and unwieldy. To give one example: a hotel operator today pays his electricity bill based on three different tariffs. The Board's concern has been to replace the existing outmoded set of tariffs by tariffs which are simple, easily understood, rational, fair and equitable. The new tariffs will promote electricity consumption without penalising the small consumers. The primary objective of introducing the new tariff is rationalisation and not the increase of revenue. The Old Tariffs The existing tariffs were formulated and developed when the maximum load arose from lighting in the evening. It was then desirable to keep the evening peak as low as possible. This was to keep down the number of generators which had to be kept running for only two or three hours a day to meet the evening peak demand. Hence, higher rates for lighting were charged since the major portion of the costs incurred by the Electricity Department were principally to meet the lighting load in the evening. The situation has now changed. There are now three peak loads. One at 10.00 a.m., one at 4.00 p.m. in the evening, and one at 7.00 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1972, to 31st March, 1973, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“As regards study leave, my Parliamentary Secretary is au tab' with the question, and he will also answer that question.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in answer to the Member for Kampong Kembangan, I hate to have to disappoint him. One of the questions he asked calls for details as to the number of Malay students who have been admitted to technical streams in the schools, and how many have been able to be admitted into classes of their choice. If he were to put in a notice for Oral Answer then the relevant details will be given. 1 thought we are here debating matters of general policy. With regard to his query on the publication of the Harapan, with your kind permission. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like my Parliamentary Secretary to reply to it because he is closely connected with this magazine. Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff: What about study leave?”
“Sir, if the Member had studied Economics, he might like to know where Singapore is heading in the next 10 years, or he might want to make or to listen to a good analysis, and if he had attended the talk given by Dr Gob Keng Swee at the Symposium at the University of Singapore, which lasted less than an hour, then I wonder whether he would still be of the opinion that a seminar of one, two or three hours is useless. A seminar does not improve one's knowledge or understanding of a situation, but to make one understand the situation and therefore make one a better teacher. With regard to the selling of tickets, it is probable that some teachers undertook this extra-mural activity. It could not be, and I would not say that the organiser of the seminar encouraged ticket-selling among his fellow members. But in the other case of publicity, if the music specialist in the seminar is a good composer, I see no reason why he should not publicise his composition. It is up to the teacher to evaluate whether the composition is worth their while or not. I would not say outright that the composition is useless; it may have its own merit.”
“If he can mobilise the members of his union to come and attend a seminar during the holidays, I say welcome to them.”
“I have no doubts in my mind that these seminars do serve a useful purpose for those teachers who attend, except perhaps for a few who probably arrived panting, tired, and hungry, and therefore did not know what was going on. The rest of them must have derived some benefits from attending those seminars. I think I have answered most of the points that the Member has raised.”
“My apology to the Member for Paya Lebar because I have completely left him out while turning over my notes. To come to the point that he raised with regard to scurrilous allegations, the Member must be aware that during the last year we have not entertained any frivolous or scurrilous allegations by anonymous writers. We only take action where there are specific instances named and where, on the surface of it, there are some doubts as to whether the allegations are true or not. We do not just act on receipt of any anonymous letters. Quite a large number of his colleagues disagreed with his view that seminars serve no useful purpose. We have received, as well as the newspapers, requests for more of these seminars. So they must have served a useful purpose. The Member also said that most of the teachers are general teachers; that they take several subjects, and it is a waste of time to spend two or three hours listening to a specialist. I say that even if a teacher does not teach the subject of the seminar which he is attending, he will be the better man for it because he is learning first-hand tips from a specialist who knows the subject. I cannot agree with the Member that seminars are not well-planned. A lot of work, time and thought are put into the planning of a seminar, and I do not think that the School Inspectors or officials in the Ministry of Education will spend time, effort, money and thought over something which they think will be useless. Nor will they plan the seminars in a haphazard fashion, because they know that Backbenchers like the Member for Paya Lebar will surely bring it up in Parliament. In the majority of cases these seminars are well-planned.”
“industrialised society the tendency is for more and more parents to leave the training or their children entirely to the schools So if parents will take more interest and more time in looking after their children, half the battle is won. It is true that some parents do not fulfil the responsibility of training their children, but by and large, most of them do. We only hope that more anti more parents, having listened to the views of a professional educator about the role of parents, will now take an interest in their wards, so that it makes it easier for us to give them the requisite education and an all-round education for their future development.”
“On another point, I do not know what the Member for Jurong actually meant when he said that we can do something in the way of controlling the very lax attitude of the students, and their love for an easy life. Among the points raised by the Member for Jurong I would think that what he expects us to do is to return to corporal punishment in school. He is an educator himself, but from reports I have gathered, I would have thought that this is a retrograde step. Anyway, there is sufficient authority in the school for corporal punishment, if the case warrants it. The principal is already empowered, but to allow' each and every teacher to inflict corporal Punishment on a child is a retrograde step. From the limited experience that I have in the Ministry of Education, I can well imagine the amount of abuse that can come up from this because among the 20,000 school teachers some are probably not quite conversant with the object of corporal punishment. Probably some of them may need psychiatric treatment, in the same way that psychiatric treatment may be needed for those who are unable to write their names after being in school for two years, as mentioned by the Member. Therefore, it will he very dangerous to empower teachers in general to administer corporal punishment. There are other solutions. But what I can agree with him is that we can improve the behaviour and attitudes of our students if more parents take an interest in looking after their children while they are away from schools. I think this trend should spread through a society because in a very highly urban uric!”
“Here again, we must realise that today's child in school, whether he be' in a primary or secondary school, is expected to learn much more than what was required in my time. In those days, first and foremost, we spent all our time on one language. There was then not that much explosion of knowledge as today, such that the child now has to divide his time not only studying the great mass of new knowledge and discoveries that have come to the fore, but also studying two languages. On top of that, he is also involved in extra-curricular activities. This is where we have got to be a bit chary anti wary in choosing the kind of syllabus that is required to develop our children in an all round manner, so that they will be technically orientated and will also have the academic background to live a fuller and a more gracious life. I would say that we are in a position of flux just now and the Research Department of the Ministry of Education will have to spend more time in evaluating carefully the kind of syllabus anti teaching that we have, and the kind of subjects that are being taught in schools. 6.45 p.m. I am very pleased to hear that we have what the Member for Delta described as linguistic scholars, who are being underused in Nanyang University and his offer of their services to improve the teaching of language in the T.T.C, is most welcome. For the information of Members, we are not lying idle in the T.T C We are running classes in E,L.II, i.e., English classes for non-English medium teachers anti Chinese classes for non-Chinese medium teachers, to improve their command of anti skills in the languages. All this takes time. It does not happen all at once.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am glad Backbenchers are not happy with certain aspects of our implementation of policies. As my colleague, the Minister for Communications, has said earlier on, any improvement which has been made in the Ministry of Communications is in a large part due to the dissatisfaction of Backbenchers; that it is largely due to the constructive criticisms that improvements have been made. In the same way I hope that improvements can be made in the Ministry of Education, partly due to the' criticisms and dissatisfaction of Backbenchers. I can assure the Member for Delta that because of the introduction of technical education, there is no likelihood of our neglecting academic studies at all. Probably his dissatisfaction, and the dissatisfaction of many other Members, is with regard to the lack of linguistic ability of our students stemming largely from the fact that probably we are expecting too much in too short a time. This question of multi-lingualism and bi-lingualism is a recent phenomenon, I am not surprised at his disappointment in finding that, in answer to an advertisement for translators, there were only 20 applicants who turned out to be inadequate for the job. I should think it is too general to blame our educational system for the lack of proficient translators because if I were an efficient and proficient translator, I can make a much better living elsewhere rather than being a translator and spending my time translating documents. The mere fact that there were only 20 applicants with inadequate qualifications for the post or translator does not mean that we do not have efficient bi-linguists or multi-linguists in our midst. They are there, but we expect to see more of them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, if school bands are encouraged by the schools and form part of the school curriculum, then uniforms are provided completely free. I would not know whether Scout uniforms are given free, but I know for certain that needy students who join the Boys' Brigade or Boy Scouts are given free uniforms. Anyway, all the N.C.C, uniforms are given completely free. In the case of Scouts group, where the Troop belongs to the school, free uniforms are probably provided. If it is not free, then it is a remnant of the old custom. Whether or not the school management committees will provide free uniforms, I do not know. As far as the Ministry of Education is concerned, we have provided free uniforms for the different categories of uniformed groups which I have stated. Much as we like, I will not make promises just now, because finance is not in the hands of the Ministry of Education. It has to come from the Ministry of Finance. There are many aspects of the problem which must be looked into before we can provide free uniforms for the uniformed groups, like the Boys' Brigade, Boy Scouts or the Red Cross. And I say it again that in the case of the N.C.C., which is encouraged by the Ministry of Education, uniforms are completely free, For sports too, jerseys, shorts, boots and spikes are supplied completely free if the students are members of the school team. In cases where these items are not supplied free, the poor students can apply for and be given aid,”
“But I do not consider this method to be exactly appropriate here, because it deals with people who already know how to speak English, and moreover it deals with adults. Anyway, this is food for thought for the professionals in the Ministry of Education. I hope they will be able to come to some conclusions, so that we can have a syllabus appropriate to our surroundings arid so make it easier for our students to acquire a knowledge of English, Malay. Chinese or Tamil as a second language without too much sweat; though in the end it comes to sweating on the part of the students before they can grasp a command of the language. 6.15 p.m.”
“I will not quarrel with the Member for Moulmein about that. Coming first to the Member for Paya Lebar, let me assure him that there is no change in the policy of giving a dollar-for-dollar grant to aided schools. Where he has difficulty. I would say that it is largely because the management committee has probably experienced difficulty in raising the requisite amount, which they will have to raise in order to continue the projects which they have in hand. Or it could be that, as I have said earlier, the school is likely to he resettled, or that the area is marked for further development so that it would be wise not to spend further money rebuilding and repairing the school because it would have to be demolished. Sir, with regard to the Member for Jurong on how to improve the teaching of a second language, we are trying to supplement or give further sessions in English as second language by opening classes in the afternoons, so that those who really need it will have the opportunity to spend more time on the study of the language. But here again, I think it depends on whether we can evolve a suitable system to teach English as a second language, or Chinese as a second language for that matter because of the special content of our society. This is where professionals like the Members for Jurong and Paya Lebar can help if they will just get their unions to consider what is the best approach under the special circumstances. Anyway, the Research Officers in the Ministry of Education are exercising their minds on this matter and possibly we may come up with a new syllabus and new methods. It could be something of the type which was considered a great success in America and which is now telecast over our T.V.”
“But we hope that, by making both History and Geography non-examination subjects, they would be made more interesting and more pleasant for the child to learn. Sir, all of us, including the Member for Anson, would like to see actual integration taking place in the schools. But I think it is too much to expect a miracle to be performed in five years. and to see all our people mingling freely. The barrier to integration lies in the ability to communicate in a common language. We want to integrate them by making them multi-lingual. Therefore, it is not true to say that instead of encouraging integration, the Ministry is discouraging it by putting pupils of different races into different classes, i.e., the Tamil and Malay students are in one class and the Chinese students in the other classes - students are only put in the same class when they take a second language. For instance, if the Tamil and Malay students are studying either Tamil or Malay, then, wherever possible, we put them in the same class. I think all the teachers and principals are aware of this integration policy. So I do not think the Member for Anson has got the right information. There is no segregation in the way that he seems to think. Mr Speaker. Sir, I think I have covered most of the points. But if there are any points which I may have left out, probably Members can remind me.”
“The final decision will have to depend upon the Ministry of Finance, though I can assure him that the Ministry of Education will advocate the incorporation of this allowance, because we think that there is a case to be made. I am very glad that the Member for Bras Basah has realised, or agreed, that it will be a good thing to do away with examinations in History and Geography in the P.S.L.E. If this is so, and if his own reasoning has led him to this conclusion, I think it will lead him to the fact that we should abolish this examination in the primary schools. Therefore, I cannot understand why, on the one hand, he considers that it is advisable. in order to make the students less examination-orientated, to abolish the P.S.L.E, examination, but on the other hand to continue with the examination of these subjects in the primary schools at the lower levels. Anyway, I am of the opinion, though I am not a professional educator, that it is no use talking about the significance of History or the importance of Geography, if children do not understand what they read. I think our first priority should be to teach and allow children to get a firm grasp of the language or languages. That is the reason why I thought, after consulting professional educators, that we should take History and Geography as part of a language lesson. Although there is no examination for the two subjects, part of the information and facts which they read and gather from the History or Geography textbooks would be required when they sit for their language examinations. This would also allow the teachers more freedom in approaching the subject and to make it more interesting. So it is not a question of free-for-all for the teachers to do what they like and ignore the subjects.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, an option was given to the various schools to teach Mathematics and Science in the language they prefer, largely because there was insufficient staff to teach these subjects in English in a Chinese-medium school, and as a result we found that the standard of Mathematics and Science began to fall. About a year ago, I announced that when sufficient staff has been trained in the T.T.C, and are available to teach Mathematics and Science, we will make it compulsory to teach these two subjects in English in Chinese schools. Sir, I am afraid the Member for Jurong really made a wild and sweeping statement when he said that many children who have been in school for two years cannot write their names. I know there are always black sheep to be found in a group of people and probably we also have our share of retarded children among the young ones. However, if it is really true that these students cannot write their names after two years of schooling, I think what they need is not so much a teacher or help from the Education Ministry, but help from the psychologists. However, I am sure that such cases are, few and far between, and if they should come to the notice of the Member for Jurong, I would ask him to appeal to the Ministry of Health for assistance. Sir, on the question of incorporating the allowance of the Vice-Principal into the new salary scale, it may also interest and please him to know that we have written to the Ministry of Finance on this subject. This was a point which was probably overlooked by both the Union and the Ministry during the negotiations. Anyway, we are trying to rectify this.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, to clear up any misunderstanding that may have arisen during the debate just now, I would like to say that the Ministry of Education will, of course, continue to conduct these in-service courses which carry bonuses, because the exigencies of service may require it with the introduction of technical education and greater emphasis on technical education. It is possible that some teachers who have been in the academic streams will have to undergo special courses for retraining, and for which they may have to spend quite a long time to acquire the skills to be proficient enough to teach certain subjects in the technical stream. So, therefore, these Bonus courses will continue to be conducted.”
“Yes, Sir. Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House.”
“Of course, Mr Speaker, Sir, relief teachers who are capable and efficient always have the opportunity of being absorbed into the Education Service. There is no doubt about that at all. There is no fear that they would not be absorbed. As regards bonus for in-service training courses, we started it as an incentive. But, as I say, I would hate to think that it is only incentives which motivate our teachers to attend in-service training courses. We will continue conducting in-service courses for upgrading the skills of our teachers. While it is an incentive, I hope that it is a secondary motivation for teachers to attend these courses, and not the primary consideration.”
“Teachers should be trained full-time. Of course, there is no question of doubt that, wherever possible, T.T.C.-trained graduates will be recruited as relief teachers. To the Member's question whether we should give jobs to T.T.C, graduates in the Ministry of Education, in reply I will instead ask him whether we can guarantee jobs for graduates of the University of Singapore, the Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann College, or any other institutions for that matter. This is something which nobody can do. The Member for Punggol also wants to know how many in-service courses were conducted last year and whether we will continue to run these in-service courses. To the second part of the question, of course, we will continue to run them because it means upgrading the skills of teachers. As regards the number of in-service courses which were conducted last year, may I suggest that since this is a matter of detail, the Member puts in a question for Question Time. I am really very surprised to learn from him - and I hope it is not true -that in-service courses to upgrade skills would only be popular because there is bonus as an incentive. At least he has implied that. However, I would like to believe that the 20,000 teachers that we have in the service would, of their own accord, improve themselves rather than depend on bonus as an incentive.”
“For instance, students in Chinese primary schools who take English as a second language may, in the secondary institution, elect to continue their secondary school education in English or Chinese, and it is the same with the Malay and the Tamil streams. If we are able to use modern methods appropriate to our environment, we may reach such a stage when transference from one language stream to another will present no problem for the student. Once that is achieved, I think we can consider that our schools are truly integrated, because the barrier to integration among some of the school children is largely one of language. With regard to aid for rural schools, I think the Member for Paya Lebar is misinformed. There has been no change in the policy of a dollar-for-dollar grant to rural aided schools. Where they find difficulty in getting aid, or where there is no encouragement given to continue the aid, it is because the school may be in a resettlement or in a redeveloped area. It would then be advisable for the management committee and for Government not to throw away good money, because the school would have to be shifted very soon. On the question of relief teachers raised by the Member for Punggol, I think the Member for Moulmein has replied very clearly in his press interview this morning with regard to the position of relief teachers. This interview was published in one of the local dailies. I agree with him that the position will improve when the 800 or so final year students of the Teachers' Training College have sat for and passed their examinations. One of the reasons why the post of Teacher-in-Training has been abolished is to keep up with international practice. It has been found by experts - not by me - that part-time training is not suitable.”
“I think, in this respect, the Ministry of Education is re-examining its priorities to find out what its objectives should be. In fact, during the last few years, we have been so engaged in nation-building that many other Ministries have, shall I say, imposed their requirements on the Ministry of Education. We want them to be strong and healthy. We want them to keep Singapore clean and green. While these and many other national campaigns, in which we are all engaged, are very good for us, we must at the same time realise that the schoolboys and girls have limited time at their disposal. Their capacity to do the many things they are now asked to do is limited by the time available. We are examining and re-examining this aspect to establish the order of priority so that first things come first instead of wanting to do too many things at one time. I can assure Members that this is foremost in my mind. The Member for Paya Lebar has made a suggestion that in order to really succeed in our objective to make our citizens bi-lingual or multi-lingual, we should extend the primary school period from six years to seven years. It can be done, but it will cost a lot of money. I think it is reasonable to assume that, with an additional year and with the proper method of teaching, we will be able to make bi-linguists of our students. At the moment my Ministry is examining the possibility, with the two semester system, of giving special coaching to students who are weak in the second language for six months or a year. This should enable a student from any stream on completion of his primary education to be in a position to choose any language stream for his secondary education.”
“Yes. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am quite taken up with the suggestion from the Member for Telok Blangah about a loan scheme to help needy pupils. We can consider that. However, I cannot agree with him that the cost of education in Singapore is high. I would say that in this respect we are in a better position than most countries because we have the facilities to allow everyone to have an education. Whenever a case of real hardship can be made, aid is given. I think the management committees are now seriously considering the possibility of giving free lunches to very poor pupils who have to attend workshop sessions in the evenings. 5.00 p.m. With regard to the Member's other observation that an added burden is imposed on poor students, by their having to supply their own uniforms for school bands and other extra-curricular activities, either he or I have been misinformed. As far as the policy of the Ministry of Education is concerned, all uniforms for uniformed groups and bands are supplied free. Only in certain cases are students asked to buy their own shoes. But here again, the poor students are aided, as shoes are bought for them. As regards the heavy load on the students, I heartily agree with the Member for Telok Blangah that education should not be a chore. I hate to see our school children going to school with tears in their eyes. A directive has already been given and steps have been taken to see that, as far as possible, learning should be made enjoyable for our children. In fact, if Members were to take time off just to drop in at one of the large number of our primary schools and watch the new integrated syllabus being implemented, they will know what I mean when they see children learning their lessons happily without any inhibitions.”
“It is not an introduction to a socialist way of life, but an introduction to a common-sense approach to problems. WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ACT (Insurance coverage by employers) 2. Inche Abdul Aziz Karim asked the Minister for Labour the number of workmen who have been insured by their employers in accordance with the Workmen's Compensation Act.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, if I may reply to that supplementary question. This is not so much a question of economy as a question of convenience for all hawkers and stallholders concerned, as in the example given, in which they formed themselves into a committee and were served by one meter. This has been done in many housing estates by many hawkers' stalls, and I see no reason why this could not also be done in the case of the estate mentioned by the Member.”
“The supervisor of the school has agreed to make full restitution of the fees collected and the police are still inquiring into the matter. My Ministry will in future exercise tighter control in processing applications for registration of private schools to ensure that only bona fide schools will be registered. Any private school violating the Education Act and the Schools Regulations will be deregistered and, if necessary, its sponsors will be prosecuted. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME (Upward revision of rates) 6. Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon asked the Minister for Social Affairs if he will consider an upward revision of the existing rates of financial assistance under the Public Assistance Scheme for the poor and the sick.”
“We have asked the Ministry of Finance to provide Jurong with a secondary school. As to when this will be completed, it will depend very much upon how soon the money will be made available. PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (Regulations to protect students' interests) 5. Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Minister for Education whether there are adequate regulations governing the conduct of private, commercially-run educational institutions, to ensure that the interests of their students are fully protected. Mr Lim Kim San: Sir, the Education Act, 1970, and the School Regulations, 1957, contain adequate provisions for regulating the conduct of private commercial educational institutions to ensure that the interests of their students are protected. These regulations provide, inter alia, that no private school shall operate until it is registered and registration is granted only when the syllabuses, the qualifications of teachers and the rates of fees have been approved, and the health and safety regulations have been complied with. However, in the past, some private school operators circumvented the regulations by registering their school as a business with the Registrar of Business Names and commenced operations without applying for registration as a school. Arrangements have been made with the Registrar of Business Names not to register any private school as a business until it has been registered as a school. It is also true, Sir, that in the past some unscrupulous private school operators have exploited unsuspecting students eager to acquire certain skills. A case in point was the Academy of Technical Studies in Thomson Road which closed down after a brief spell of operation when the principal absconded with the fees collected from the students.”
“Sir, the Ministry of Finance has been asked to provide Jurong with a secondary school. There is, of course, only one primary school in Jurong and this is not big enough to accommodate all the primary pupils living there. As an emergency measure to solve the demand for school places in 1972, the Jurong Town Primary School will be expanded by the addition of six prefabricated classrooms to be undertaken by the School Advisory Committee with funds provided by the Committee and the School Fund Income Account.”
“Mr Govindasamy, our records show that more than 97 per cent of the children who are citizens and resident in Singapore and who have attained the age of six years on 1st January each year attend either Government or Government-aided schools. There is, therefore, no need to introduce legislation to make primary education compulsory. JURONG TOWN (Building of secondary school and expansion of existing primary school) 4. Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for Education (a) if a secondary school will be built in Jurong Town, and when; and (b) whether the existing primary school in Jurong Town will be expanded to cope with the pressing demand.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there is no known case of drug addiction among secondary school students. However, the number of secondary school students found to have experimented in the taking of drugs is on the increase. Between 1st January and 8th October of this year, 39 such cases involving 10 girls and 29 boys have come to light. The tertiary institutions have not reported any case of drug addiction or drug taking. Mr Speaker, Sir, whenever a student is suspected of having taken drugs, his or her parents are immediately consulted so that a closer care can be taken of the potential addict and the necessary advice and medical help given. Some cases are referred to the Child Guidance `Clinic of the Ministry of Health where trained persons can counsel the students and give therapeutic help if necessary. But the main object must be to track down the pusher of drugs. SPORTS IN SINGAPORE (Measures to raise standard) 8. Mr P. Govindaswamy asked the Minister for Social Affairs what measures are being taken to raise the standard of sports in Singapore to international standards.”