Low Thia Khiang
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, my question is for the Minister for Health. The official communication channel to the people who subscribe to the WhatsApp group quoted the Prime Minister saying that "Experts think that the Wuhan virus may be less deadlier than SARS". So, can we have some verification whether this is true so far?”
“In Mandarin, Sir. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] So, Member Mr Gan Thiam Poh meant to say that although the Minister has the decision-making power under this Bill, you can still go to Court to challenge the decision.”
“Mr Speaker, clarification in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I have stated clearly that the Government already has a lot of power under existing legislation. They can even shut down websites.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] First and foremost, you must follow the Minister's decision to take down the message, you cannot go to Court. According to this Bill, you must comply with the Minister's order. Otherwise, you will be charged.”
“In Mandarin, Sir. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our Secretary-General is in the Committee. He told us about the contents of the Committee's discussion, so we know what was discussed in the Committee.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] You assume that the Minister will not do this, but is your assumption correct? It may be correct now, but will it be correct in the future? Even the Minister cannot guarantee that, he said he cannot be sure that future governments will not abuse their power. Can you be sure?”
The complete record
Every one of 2,669 lines we hold for Low Thia Khiang, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 23 of 54.
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether there are any key performance indicators set up by his Ministry to monitor the work of the CDCs, in terms of how fast they respond to requests for assistance, what is the progress and whether they will track all this. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, this is an entirely separate question. But I would like to assure him that we do monitor the performance of the CDCs. There are indicators. There are service standards that we ask of the CDCs, and thus we are very satisfied with the CDCs. SMALL MEDIUM ENTERPRISES AND MULTI-NATIONAL CORPORATIONS (Relocation) 11. Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how significant is the relocation of our small medium enterprises as well as Multi-National Corporations to other countries; (b) how will this trend affect our local job market; and (c) what measures have been or can be taken to counter any job losses due to such relocation. The Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mr Speaker, Sir, as our economy restructures, new companies are set up, while others may expand or re-locate. MTI does not track the number of companies that are set up overseas without a presence in Singapore. Instead of company level information, we track total FDI inflows and the net stock of inward FDI in Singapore. These macro-level figures provide an indication of the competitiveness of our economy, and its ability to generate jobs and economic growth. Between 1999 and 2003, EDB managed to attract net investment commitments in the manufacturing sector worth $42.9 billion, of which $33.4 billion was foreign investment. Total business spending by services firms was $9.3 billion over this period.”
“Sir, I am afraid the Minister misunderstood my point. I was referring specifically to flexi-wages. Can the Government not think of a way to make it clear how an employer can use a sort of lever to activate the cut of the variable component of the wages?”
“Sir, it seems to me that the Minister's answer to the question of flexi-wages is that the Government has nothing to do with the protection of workers under the system of wage restructuring, which it seeks to implement. He seems to be suggesting that, perhaps, the workers' protection should be left to the growth of the economy or even a union. Since this is the Government's key initiative in response to the current economic situation, what is the Government's role?”
“But, when they are doing well, do they plough back their profits to the workers to reward them for their sacrifices, or would they just play with the accounting system to avoid doing that? Of course, the Government can say that the workers should not be unduly worried because we have this tripartite mutual trust relationship built up over the decades. However, even in a very good system, there should be clauses or procedures to provide for protection against abuses that the system may generate. We should not use the so-called mutual trust to take the place of protective mechanism in a system. If mutual trust can be regarded as a basic fundamental of a system, the PAP can always claim that they have already built up the mutual trust with the people and they can rule forever. That being the case, then why should the Constitution provide for General Elections to be held? In the past few years, under the severe economic reality, this labour-employer relationship was often tested and it showed that the tripartite relationship was not exactly as firm as what we had thought. The SIA pilots' conflict with the management is a good case in point. Even professionals, like SIA pilots, have met with such an enormous obstacle when fighting for their rights. What about the ordinary workers? How is the Government going to protect these workers, particularly those who are not protected by unions? Before the system of flexi-wages and its implications are fully understood by workers, especially those who are not protected by the union; and employers, specifically SME employers, I think the Government should not rush into implementing the flexi-wage system. This is to avoid possible undesirable consequences in the future.”
“Sir, soon after the economic crisis in the mid-1980s, the Government intended to push for flexi-wage system. In 1986, the Economic Review Committee led by DPM Lee emphasised in its report that wage reform to enhance wage flexibility was of great urgency that brooked no delay. But it eventually died a natural death. In the private sector, pushing forward this system is even more difficult, and it has made hardly any progress. Therefore, it can be seen that there are a lot of difficulties and limitations in the implementation of a flexi-wage system. In my view, before the flexi-wage system is implemented, there should, first of all, be a sound system in place to protect the workers from unreasonable exploitation by the employers. The most basic question is: when can the employers invoke the mechanism to cut the monthly variable component under the flexi-wage system? Although the flexi-wage taskforce has suggested the so-called "Key Performance Indicator" (KPI) as a criterion, in the last three years we have already seen the introduction of the so-called "pre-emptive retrenchment" action. So, are we expecting to see the "pre-emptive pay cut" action launched, under frivolous excuses, if the employees invoke this mechanism unreasonably? How can the workers fight against it, particularly those who have no unions to protect them? Even the Secretary-General of the NTUC is also making allowance for the pre-emptive retrenchment action. If the workers are to face a pre-emptive pay cut system, would the union also show sympathy for the employers and give way to them? When the employers are not doing well, they cut the pay of their employees.”
“Sir, there are Singaporeans who are currently separated from their spouses, as the latter are banned from entering Singapore because they have violated these immigration and employment rules. The question that they have is: how long is this ban going to last? Is it forever? Some do have children and, on the surface, the rules seem to counter our policy of keeping families strong and united. I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider making the criteria and guidelines more transparent for Singaporeans to understand and appreciate, especially in terms of what they need to fulfill to get the approval to marry, as well as to have this ban lifted. Foreign Workers Policy”
“If they proceed with the marriage without the prior written approval, the work permit holder will be repatriated back and banned from entering Singapore for an unspecified period of time. Sir, many do not realise that such restrictions not only apply to existing work permit holders, but also to former work permit holders, ie, those who have completed their contracts and returned to their home country. The reason, as I understand it, is that the Government does not want foreigners to use the work permit as a backdoor way of getting into Singapore permanently. I have come across cases of Singaporeans whose foreign spouses have been banned from entering Singapore because they had not sought written permission to marry the foreigners who were former work permit holders. The usual explanation that they give is that they are not aware that they still need to seek permission, even if their spouses had ceased to be work permit holders. I know this is a fine line that the authorities will have to strike, ie, to control the flow of lesser skilled foreigners into the country and meet some Singaporeans' desire to form families with these foreign partners. While there is merit in the former, we need to be fair to the latter too. I would like to ask the Minister if MOM will consider putting a period of time from the date that the work permit expires before the ex-permit holder can marry a Singaporean without having to seek prior approval from the authorities. Perhaps, maybe, five years, to overcome the concern that work permits are the backdoor way of getting into Singapore. After all, one does not need to seek approval if the partner had not been a work permit holder before. This is how I understand it.”
“Sir, currently, applications for man-year entitlements are allowed only by main contractors, and the sub-contractors of a project are not allowed to apply for such entitlements. It was reported in the Lianhe Zaobao on 3rd December 2003 that main contractors do make huge sums of money by renting foreign workers to sub-contractors who need workers for projects sub-contracted. I wonder whether it is the intent of the MOM's foreign worker permit policy to help main contractors make extra income. I believe that this policy may be the result of MOM cutting down the need to monitor foreign workers. If too many contractors are allowed to bring in foreign workers, MOM will have more work to regulate. However, it should not be just for the convenience of MOM's enforcement. Sub-contractors are left with the consequence of unfair competition, as manpower resources are a critical factor in the construction industry. As a result, smaller contractors are now held ransom by bigger contractors and placed at a disadvantaged position. I would urge the MOM to rethink this policy, as it could hinder the development of entrepreneurship in the construction industry. Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (Sembawang): Sir, work permit holders have played a critical role in our economic and social life. They are in our homes, housing estates and construction sites. Our policy to them is very clear: "You are here to work, not to get married or set up a family." Those who intend to marry Singaporeans must seek the approval of relevant agencies. The relevant authorities would then make their own assessment as to whether the work permit holders can marry Singaporeans or not.”
“I think it is a waste of resources in duplicating training programmes similar to ITE's or the polytechnics' just because WDA or SPRING wants NSRS to be of a different function and taking on a different identity. But this is no excuse for duplicating resources. Skills Upgrading”
“Madam, the National Skills Recognition System (NSRS) is the national framework for establishing work performance standards, identifying job competencies and certifying skills acquisition. NSRS requires companies to establish organisational procedures for performing work and a system for organisations and their people to benchmark work performance standards and skill acquisition industry-wide. This system helps the organisation to identify the competencies required for carrying out the work, and the training needed by workers to meet the required performance standards. I think NSRS is a timely initiative implemented by the WDA. It allows our companies to establish work performance standards, identify skills sets needed for the job and, more importantly, to train workers who enter the industry with the requisite skills. Training for workers to achieve work performance standards stipulated by the NSRS is provided by a network of approved training centres (ATC), which conduct approved training programmes. ATCs are located in companies and training institutions. These approved training centres operate through a pool of experienced trainers drawn from industry. Madam, however, requiring smaller-size industries or trade groups to set up training centres for skills set training can be quite a strain on their finance and resources. I think WDA should consider whether it would be more sensible for these smaller-size industries or trade groups to work together with the ITEs or polytechnics, especially in cases whereby ITE or polytechnics are already offering similar and relevant courses.”
“He welcomed the suggestion to have flexibility for different sectors which means some sectors would have a much higher percentage of 'S' Pass holders in due course. Madam, the Government cannot run away from its responsibility to make the Singapore economy conducive for Singaporeans to find work or business opportunities. If Singaporeans cannot find a reasonable livelihood here, there is no right to label Singaporeans as stayers and quitters.”
“What I understand from DPM Lee's argument is that the new 'S' Pass will benefit Singaporeans as it would encourage foreign companies to come here if they knew they have the flexibility of having their preferred employees and skilled workers. However, there is also a need for the Government to take action to protect Singaporeans' livelihood for many reasons. For instance, unemployment can trigger off financial crisis for families, resulting in a need to depend on welfare assistance. They also have less to contribute towards domestic consumption which is bad for our economy. Even if we cannot train or retrain suitable Singaporeans immediately to do the jobs held by foreigners at the middle level before granting 'S' Pass, should the companies be made at least to show that they have plans to increase employment of Singaporeans in the medium term? Since we now have a higher proportion of our unemployed having post-secondary education or higher, these persons appear to be possible candidates to fill jobs at the middle level. According to the MOM's website, the 'S' Pass will be issued to foreigners for two years initially and renewable by another three years. Thus, these jobs are effectively blocked off from Singaporeans for a number of years once 'S' Pass is issued. This effect could be seriously weighed against whether Singaporeans can be trained, retrained in a shorter time to fill these vacancies and how 'S' Pass renewal should be considered. We also do not have any assurance that the 5% cap of the 'S' Pass will not be increased in future. Indeed, a warning sign is already seen in DPM Lee's Budget wrap-up speech.”
“Madam, despite the growth forecast for the economy this year, unemployment figures are expected to remain high. The estimates from the Ministry of Manpower showed that, as at December 2003, unemployment among residents was about 5.5% or 96,400. Unless jobs are found in big enough numbers, the resident unemployment may increase every year as more people complete their education in our schools and tertiary institutions and join the workforce. In a paper titled "Employment of Foreigners and Employment for Singaporeans" presented at the "Singapore Perspectives" conference organised by the Institute of Policy Studies in January 2004, it was pointed out that the unemployment we now have is serious and, in some ways, unprecendented. It said: (a) There is a distinct deterioration of employability of older workers over the last three decades. Although older workers, 40 to 59 years, increase their share among those employed, joblessness among them increases disproportionately, especially during the economic downturn in 1986 to 1988 and post-1997. This means that seniority is now a burden rather than an advantage; (b) The profile of the unemployed by educational status is now more skewed towards the better educated. In 1974, only 7.4% of the unemployed have post-secondary and higher education. In 2002, this could rise to 35% of the unemployed. Correspondingly, the share of managers, professionals and technicians, among the unemployed, rose from 7.2% in 1974 to 30.3% in 2002; and (c) Long-term unemployment, that is, being without a job for at least 25 weeks has also shown a distinctive trend towards having older and higher educated workers.”
“Clarification, Sir. First of all, the Minister has not answered my cut on transparency of the admission system. I would also like to seek two clarifications from the Minister. The Minister, in his reply, said that English is actually not mandated, because GP is not exactly English as it measures different attributes. Therefore, it is necessary to be taken as part of the admission criteria. I would like the Minister to clarify whether he would consider offering GP in Chinese as well, thereby allowing students to either opt to take GP in Chinese or in English, and be counted as one of the admission criteria. The Minister also mentioned, in his speech, that we have got to be honest about the need of our education system. I would like to seek clarification from him on what he thinks of the needs of the students in acquiring the necessary language skills, so as to fit into the current and future prospect of the environment under our so-called bilingual policy.”
“It is also equally important that university authorities should make known to the students the specific reasons for rejection into university courses and the rationale behind the decision. University Fees”
“Sir, almost all universities around the world practise a policy of minimum non-graduate qualification acceptable for admission into their institutions, including Singapore. We have the university joint admission exercise which determines the acceptance, rejection of student applications. However, with a new university admission system, universities are now allowed to set independent admission criteria. This means that undergraduates may or may not be admitted into universities or the course of their choice based on the current criteria which everybody knows its basis. My question is whether the new system of allowing university to set independent admission criteria will affect public confidence in our education system in which promotion to a higher level of education is based on merit and academic results. The concern is, with the prospect of lower funding for universities and the need for universities to master resources in order to compete, whether this new system of allowing universities to set their own admission critieria will become a back-door for admitting children of the rich and the influential, as these people do have the resources to contribute to the development of a university community. As it is now, before universities are allowed to set independent admission criteria, it is not too uncommon to hear some borderline students often wondering why some of their peers who obtained similar grades managed to qualify for a particular course, whereas they failed to do so. Therefore, I am of the view that it is crucial that the admission exercise, whether it is based on a common set of criteria or specially tailored criteria set by individual university, has to be transparent; assessment process and judgement made are convincing and beyond doubt.”
“Who is going to be so unrealistic as to spend valuable time in upgrading his mother tongue rather than using it to fortify his other subjects? Can we blame our children? What kind of a message are we sending to our children? Some people may say that this is just a "minor manoeuvre", and we still require a pass in the mother tongue. But I would like to remind everybody that this exclusion of mother tongue result as one of the criteria for university admissions may appear to be just one little step, but by taking this small little step, we are moving nearer to the stage in which mother tongue ceases to exist except in name. Compromising the standard of mother tongue to facilitate the learning of English for pragmatic reason and treating mother tongue as an economic tool, Singapore is second to none in this world.”
“Sir, since we are moving ahead of time, can I have another two minutes?”
“Sir, during last year's Budget debate, the then Minister for Education announced MOE's intention to launch subject-based pilot classrooms and, in fact, some schools had already embarked, on trial, similar teaching methods. I would like to ask the new Minister for Education what has MOE done since then, and how successful these subject-based pilot classrooms have been. Sir, I am linking this to my opposition to streaming based on average scores of the subjects, as practised in the present education system. I think we should scrap the streaming system altogether. There are many shortcomings which many Members have spoken about them just now and over the years. I do not think I need to repeat them. If the aim of the current streaming system is a recognition that different individuals have different abilities and talents and thereby customisation of the learning process is needed to bring the best out of every student, then my question is whether the current system of streaming based on aggregate scores of the subjects, as a basis, is the best way to achieve this objective. MOE should consider subject-based classrooms whereby students are grouped into different classes based on the merit of individual subjects. This would allow further customisation of learning and further allow development of individual student's potential, and it does not come with things like social stigma, and all that.”
“Okay, Thai bahts. The Minister assured this House that the standard will be all right and there will be no cutting of corners. But could the Minister let us know specifically some examples as the medical standard has not dropped or in fact has increased? I have also in my speech asked for the average waiting time in polyclinics and Government specialist outpatient clinics. Could he tell us what is the average waiting time now? Has it improved?”
“Clarification, Sir. First of all, I do not understand what the Minister meant by "30-baht medicine". Can he clarify? An hon. Member: Thai bahts.”
“One more clarification, please. I would like the Minister to clarify whether he thinks affordability should be determined and dictated by the Government or the Government should provide a range of services, and let people decide what is affordable to them.”
“Sir, further clarification. I do not agree to have means testing in hospitals, although I do agree, in principle, that healthcare subsidies should be targeted at those who are really in need. I also wish to clarify though I do not disagree with the means testing, for instance, in step-down healthcare or even polyclinics if we want it, because I think these are services that people could more or less cope with it to a certain extent. Hospitalisation is something which is not that easy to cope with, and nobody really knows. I also wish to clarify that Medifund is not the last frontier. It is the Class C ward, which is the last frontier for many Singaporeans because not many people qualify for help under Medifund. Secondly, there is no need for people because they can calculate for themselves - if they think they cannot afford a higher class ward, they can go to C class ward. This is a comfortable social safety net. It is not something which people have to go and apply for it, beg for it and say, "Please, I am so poor." I think it is demeaning for many people. That is why I am referring to it as the last frontier of our social safety net.”
“Is it not the Government's fundamental responsibility after collecting taxes to provide an affordable basic healthcare service for the public good, regardless of social and financial status? Here I am referring to Class C wards. I believe that, eventually, the notion of affordability via means testing will be felt by the bulk of Singaporeans who largely belong to the "not really in need class." I would like to end by quoting a Straits Times reader, Mrs Teo Lai Ching, who was quoted to have said that "she is not rich enough not to be affected, and not poor enough to qualify for help." Subsidised Wards”
“Sir, although I agree with the principle that medical subsidy should be given to those who are really in need, the question is: who is qualified for the so-called "really in need"? Means testing is also a departure from the current principle of Government providing affordable basic healthcare and the patient decides which class of ward is affordable to him or her. With means testing, the affordability of a patient is now dictated by the Government. Although the Government could argue that the patient could still decide which class of ward he or she wishes to be admitted, the patient who is deemed not qualified for the lower class ward will end up paying more. The Government said that it is unfair for high-income patients to enjoy some 80% subsidy as poorer patients. Can we have some statistical data to show what income level of patients use Class C wards? What is the extent of the problem? Could the scenario be that of people who are deemed rich by the Government, but the healthcare cost is too high, and they are not able to afford to go to a higher class ward? In other words, decreased affordability in health care forces more people to opt for Class C wards. DPM Lee painted two undesirable scenarios that in order to maintain the current level of healthcare service, either the Government has to spend a lot more, resulting in a tax raise, or the quality of healthcare provided will be lowered. Why must the Government's expenditure on basic healthcare service fall under these two paradigms? Is the self-professed highly capable and thus worth to be paid a million dollars and Government unable to continue to provide basic healthcare? May I know how much is the Government expected to save in this healthcare expenditure by implementing means testing?”
“He insists that the aprons sunk because of the defective design and, maybe, he is trying to imply also defective construction. My answer is that, no, it is not defective design because of the standards at that time and we were talking about over 10 years ago - the aprons rested on compacted soil. Over time, the compacted soil could erode because of other factors. The foundation is a dynamic environment. We really did not pile the soil to put the aprons in a way we anticipated that they would need some maintenance over the years, and that is the reason why we have these goodwill repairs. We allow the town councils to build up their sinking funds and operating fund. We also provided S&C grants. So the key issue is: do you have the means? Yes. Do you have the expertise? Of course.”
“I just want to clarify and let him know, because it is on the matter of sunken aprons. It says, "The apron in the house sewer was constructed to rest directly on the compacted soil in 1980. Therefore, when the soil beneath the apron further consolidated over the years, they will gradually subside. In 1990 onwards, the design guideline is that the sewer and the aprons are supported by the building." This is the problem. I think it is not fair that it pushes everything to the Town Council. Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Madam, I forgot to answer Dr Tan's question. I treat the PAP MPs with less priority than the Opposition MPs. Madam, civic mindedness arises from an individual's care and concern for the wider community. In this regard, HDB has played an important role in community bonding by providing places in HDB estates for social interaction and activities for age groups. These include communal spaces, void decks, sky-rise gardens and a variety of other social and recreational facilities. However, Madam, community bonding is not just about hardware but also about software. Grassroots organisations, community development councils, town councils and Government agencies like the Ministry of Community Development and Sports and the People's Association, have also played a critical role in helping to strengthen the bonds between the residents and the community. For example, town councils have various programmes to involve residents in the community. One example is the recent "Singapore's OK - Our Town Sparkles" campaign, to encourage residents to care for their environment. Others hold carnivals and promote social responsibility. Madam, if I have time, I just want to answer Mr Low Thia Khiang's question.”
“Thank you, Madam. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary failed to acknowledge whether or not it is due to the aprons and the sewer lines not being supported at the construction stage, and not so much of the soil. And sinking fund is not used to "sink" into the soil. I think it is not in accordance with the Government's policy or with the Ministry of Finance's policy. Madam, I would like to draw the Senior Parliamentary Secretary's attention to a letter, which was written to Hougang Town Council on this matter, and I quote -”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether he agrees that the cause of sinking aprons and sewer lines is a result of improper construction method, ie, it was not properly supported and that is the result. Does he agree with that? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Madam, aprons do sink over time. Actually, the aprons do not sink - but the soil sinks, and the apron rests on the soil. In a flash flood like what happened a few days ago in some areas, the earth could have eroded, and these flash floods happened maybe one in 30 or 50 years. They are unexpected catastrophes. When these events happen, localised soil could be removed and the aprons could sink. Therefore, that is where the sinking fund comes into play.”
“To give just one instance, the Hougang Town Council recently repaired some external wall finishes and, based on established cost sharing principles, submitted a claim for reimbursement, first to the HDB, then Surbana. It was not a big amount, but it took more than six months, and the matter is now still pending. My question really is whether these are fair deals which the HDB metes out to town councils, or are these only special deals that HDB metes out to Hougang Town Council simply because we are an Opposition town council. Sporting and Recreational Facilities in HDB Estates”
“Members may think what is the big deal with ceiling boards. It should be relatively low cost to repair. But the ceiling boards are located on the roof of 18- and 20-storey highrise buildings with no access from inside the building. In my constituency, there are seven such blocks which are relatively new developments, with similar design and with the problem of falling ceiling boards. The total cost to solve the problem, based on our quotation, was about $0.5 million, with about half of the cost being the need to install horizontal platforms and scaffoldings with boomlift to access the ceiling. I wonder why they design such flats that will result in high maintenance costs. Subsequently, the town council established the problem of falling ceiling boards was due to the detailing and fastening systems used. The HDB was good enough to want to rectify the problem and, in November 1988, notified us in writing that the HDB contractor would carry out the work. However, despite numerous verbal communication, nothing happened and, in June 2003, Hougang Town Council wrote to the HDB to remind them that the matter was still outstanding and, currently, it is still outstanding. Now, the HDB has also withdrawn this category of goodwill repair. So, it is a case of promised repair on specific work by the HDB and then withdrawn. The other problem, Madam, concerns the recent restructuring of HDB. The privatised part of the HDB is now called Surbana, which sounds like the name of a holiday resort. On matters of estate maintenance problems, in the past, when the town council dealt with the HDB directly, at least we had a clear answer and guidelines on repair matters. Now, we are like a ping-pong ball, played between HDB and Surbana, being referred here and there.”
“Madam, we all know that HDB estates built in the early period have many inherent defects and maintenance problems. It is, therefore, unfair to ask the town councils to shoulder the full liability of maintaining the flats due to poor workmanship and design. In the past, I could not unfairly accuse the Government of abrogating its duty and passing the buck to town councils, as the HDB did provide some help to town councils for certain costly repairs to HDB estates. Of course, the Government does not want to admit that it is its responsibility. So, these helps are called "goodwill". However, the town councils were informed that these goodwill repairs would be withdrawn. So, now there is no goodwill, but "badwill", bred by the HDB as owner and builder of the HDB flats, with inherent maintenance problems conveniently dumped to the town councils. I would like to highlight two examples below. One, sunken apron and manholes. Hougang Town Council frequently comes across instances of sunken aprons and poorly graded sewer lines in our estates. HDB, in its most typical fashion, will say that these are common properties managed by the town council, and thereby the town council should make the necessary repairs and pay for the repair bills. What the HDB conveniently forgets is that these aprons and manholes are not, in the first place, designed and constructed with supports which will prevent them from sinking with soil settlement. In contrast, the aprons constructed in new HDB estates are supported now. However, the HDB was unwilling to carry out repairs for the town council when aprons are badly sunken and sewer lines below are also badly damaged. But, Madam, this is now withdrawn. Two, dislodged ceiling boards on pitch roofs.”
“I want to say that small details such as Chinese road signs and signboards alone cannot build up the emotional ties. I do not know when the Singaporeans who speak a little Mandarin but could not understand Chinese would benefit from our efforts to woo China tourists, and recover their healthy senses of the so-called convergence of oriental and western cultures. Of course, the authority could continue to offer lip service by saying they are going to "provide the convenience", but do nothing in substance citing principle and technical problems as excuses. The fact remains if the China tourists leave Singapore after their short stay here, they could only comment that Singapore is very clean and orderly. But down in their hearts, they may not want to come back again and they may even go home and encourage their relatives to opt for other travel destinations. This will certainly be a great economic loss to us. Social Impact of Tourism”
“There are people who said that when the China tourists come to Singapore, the moment they are left alone without a tourist guide, they become "handicapped people". Everywhere they go, they see all the road signs and signboards written in English only. They can see but are unable to understand, hence they are "blind". When they are in the MRT trains, all announcements are in English. They hear but cannot understand, hence "deaf". When they try to ask around for directions, most people they meet speak only English, but they cannot speak English, hence "dumb". When they try to roam about Singapore on their own, they find that the bus stops have no bus guide or directions in Chinese, and they just cannot go anywhere, hence "lame". They become "blind, deaf, dumb and lame", just like the physically handicapped people. The next focused objective of the STB is to develop "self-service tourist package" to attract China tourists. Is such an environment helpful? In these few years, although the number of tourist arrivals in Singapore has gone up, actual income earned from the tourists has gone down. Hence, STB hopes to make tourists, especially China tourists, to stay longer and to spend more. However, if the environment does not improve, can we make China tourists stay longer here? We often promote Singapore's uniqueness as a convergence between the oriental and western cultures. The STB Chief Executive Officer Mr Lim Neo Chian said that in the current and future tour promotional exercise, we want to use the emotional ties to attract the China tourists so as to make them feel more passionate in wanting to come here. After hearing the feedback I have just mentioned above, what would be their reaction?”
“The Minister has earlier answered in this House that the increase in crime rate should be seen from 1988 as the trend has been declining. Sir, I am puzzled why from 1988. Based on his logic, why not from 1960? The plain fact is that the crime rate had increased 10% in 2002 and was increased again by another 5% in . Feedback has shown that people are beginning to question whether the Police is as efficient as before in maintaining a safe social environment. My concern is whether the Police has enough resources allocated to them, whether the operational readiness of the Police will be affected, especially with the 2% budget reduction for MHA this year. Is the Minister not concerned that resource constraint will further reduce the Police effectiveness in the light of the increased demands on them? Role of the Police”
“Sir, last year, I had been very concerned about a spate of loan shark and arson cases in my constituency which had remained unsolved. I believe other Members may have similar experience in their constituencies. Such cases not only tarnish the physical environment of the neighbourhood, but they could also in turn lead to other crime, if not solved quickly. It has also affected people's confidence on the Police. I was glad to read about the successful Police operation which led to the arrest of loan sharks in several areas in Singapore. But my question is whether there is a performance indicator to measure how efficient Police would solve a case of crime. For example, how fast the Police will respond to a member of the public who makes a police report on crime? I believe that Police are trying to work within the resources available to tackle the crime situation. But the question is whether they can cope with the current operational demands. Since the September 11 attacks in 2001, we know that the Police has had to deploy additional manpower towards protecting sensitive, vulnerable targets. Air marshals will also be drawn from the Police. In June 2003, the Minister for Home Affairs assured us in a Written Answer that the Police are able to handle the twin challenges of combating crime and preventing terrorism. However, a look at the crime situation over the last two years raises concern. Based on Police statistics, the total number of seizable crimes in 2002 was up from 2001 by 10% and in 2003, there was a further increase from 2002 by another 5%. There are also significant increases in street crimes, especially robbery, house breaking, snatch theft and cheating. I do not know how many more cases are unreported to the Police.”
“I also understand that such a right to compensation has been studied and adopted internationally, and is recognised in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
“Sir, the point I wish to raise is that the Government should compensate people for losses which they suffer if they are wrongly arrested or charged. I wish to clarify that I am referring here to those cases where a suspect is factually innocent, which means that he did not commit a crime or the offence in question. For instance, a person may have been prosecuted for cheating, but it turns out that he is not guilty because he had a good explanation in defence for what he did. I am not talking about situations where cases are dropped, because witnesses are reluctant to testify or on technicalities. These people may not be factually innocent. A person wrongly arrested or charged will suffer losses, both financial and non-financial. His financial losses will include loss of income when he is detained and the cost of employing a lawyer to defend him. His non-financial losses will include loss of freedom, loss of reputation, humiliation and psychological stress, etc. I understand that under our existing civil law, a person can claim damages by taking a suit against the Government for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution. However, I also understand that it is very difficult to succeed, because the burden on the plaintiff is very high. He has to show that the police had no grounds to arrest, but that is nearly impossible as police powers in Singapore are very wide. It is also nearly impossible to prove that the police or prosecution acted deliberately in bad faith, which is also required to win such a suit. Sir, the Workers' Party believes in justice for all and has, for many years, proposed a system for compensation. I think such a compensation scheme will also have the effect in making the police more careful in exercising arresting powers.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister for Law whether there is in place any policy or system to ensure renewal of High Court Judges. According to the Constitution, a Judge of the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice, is to hold office till he is 65 years old or up to six months thereafter, as the President shall approve. I also understand that the President has powers to appoint the Chief Justice or a Judge for such period as he deems fit after consulting the Prime Minister. It seems that there are instances where a High Court Judge who is way beyond the usual age of retirement is still required to serve on the Bench. Take, for instance, our honourable Chief Justice, he is now 78 years old and has even gone for heart surgery. How much longer does the Minister expect him to carry on? Should we not have a proper succession plan so that our Judges will be able to enjoy their retirement after serving the nation? Access to and Cost of Litigation”
“Sir, in his speech, the DPM is concerned about how to finance the social programmes and he said that we may even have to raise GST. I would like to seek clarification on whether we are getting optimal investment returns from our reserves and Government funds. If we do, do we have enough money to finance the budget to help those who are in need? In the last financial year, receipt from net investment was lower than budgeted. Dividend was lower by $800 million and interest on investments was lower by about $200 million. I would like to ask DPM why was it so.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek a clarification from the Deputy Prime Minister.”
“This budget has laid down the foundation of collecting more fees from the people by introducing means test in healthcare service and reviewing university subsidies in the name of building an efficient government and a strong society. DPM Lee in closing his Budget speech said, "Together, as one Singapore, we will build a future of opportunity for ourselves and our children." However, if the Government is to adopt such financial principles and fundamentals I described above, then the future of ourselves and our children will be one that is full of stress and heavily laden with the burden of life. They will be weighed down with the high cost of living and constantly struggling to live a life. Under such circumstances, how many people will have the courage to have more children?”
“No doubt, we do need to help the lower income people, but what about those who are unemployed and those whose assets have devalued and the "new poor" in the middle class who are squeezed? Do they not need the help too? Will the use of means testing to decide the medical subsidy not result in higher medical costs for most of the patients? If this is the case and the margin of increase is higher than the actual subsidies given to the needy, is the Government not benefiting from means testing? If this is in need either in short term or in long term, would it not extend the norm of means test to other public services such as education? Under the disguise of a broader objective of re-distributing public resources and building of a strong society, the middle-income group will be the ones who are squeezed most. Mr Speaker, Sir, what I would like to put to you is the fact that, regardless of whether the economy is good or bad, the burden of cost of living of our people in Singapore has never lessened, it has increased. When the times are good, the Government will say, "Well, you can now afford it, so all the fees and charges will be increased!" When the economy is bad, the Government will sit by and watch, and only step in when the people are in a state of extreme hardship. Even then, the support they give to the people is hardly sufficient in helping them to tide over the difficult times, and the Government even rubs salt into the people's wounds by emphasising how important it is to import foreign talents. Now our economy has yet to be fully recovered, but the Government is already in such a hurry to withdraw the various rebates and to plan for a new fiscal landscape.”
“Is the Government saying that in our new knowledge-based economy, the role of our university graduates is only to secure higher salary for themselves? The Government's message is simple, that is, our local talent is not good enough. We need foreign talents. So, we could only cultivate foreign talents. As for our own people, if they want to be recognised as talent, either parents have to foot the bill or they will end up with a heavy debt after graduating from university. DPM Lee also said that our social safety net must be carefully targeted and must not undermine our will to work and improve ourselves. As such, subsidies should be focused on those who need them most and in areas which yield the most public good. Means testing will, therefore, become an important feature in providing public services and social assistance. Mr Speaker, Sir, there is nothing wrong to encourage our people to be self-reliant and to make optimal use of our resources. But what is the Government's responsibility to the people? Should means testing be used as a norm to decide payment of basic public service is debatable. When the Government says that subsidies should focus on those who need them most, any person who has social justice at heart will generally accept this broad principle. However, judging from the PAP Government's governing style, I am afraid this is going to be another trick with the real motive concealed. The question is, who are those that most needed such subsidies? Are you saying that only those families whose income is less than $1,000 should be our focus, and those with $1,001 will not require the same level of assistance?”
“It argued that university education will only benefit individual in securing employment and earn a higher income, whereas the secondary and primary education is more beneficial to the society as a whole. Therefore, the current formula in university subsidy should be reviewed. The reason of social benefit sounds grand, but behind it, it is simply the Government's unwillingness to continue to undertake the current subsidy of university fees for our people. When defending its foreign talent policy, the Government says that foreign talents play a key role in our economic development. With them, we are able to strengthen our competitiveness to attract foreign investments, thus creating more job opportunities for our people. The Government has actually spent a lot of money and resources to attract foreign students. The Government, including statutory boards, spend public fund by providing them with tuition grants, bursaries and scholarships to study in our universities. The increase of foreign students in our universities has also brought about higher cost to the manpower, facilities and financial resources in our universities. Now when we need more taxpayers' money in developing our own talents, the Government turns around and says that university education only benefits individuals in securing better employability upon graduation and, as such, they should pay more fees. Could DPM Lee enlighten us what kind of logic is this? Is the Government saying that only foreign talents can bring benefits to our society and hence it is worth the while spending on them? For our own students, university education only benefit them as individuals, therefore they have to be laden with debts the moment they graduate and start paying back with an expected lowered starting salary.”
“Will the 2% cut be a catalyst for Government's productivity to go up? Or will it directly result in the Government departments turning to the ordinary citizens and increase their charges to bridge the gap? Will this also spark another round of business cost increase, resulting in our competitiveness being eroded? Let us wait and see. The Government's expenditure for FY 2003 amounted to 17% of the GDP, and it is the biggest consumer in our domestic market. Will this 2% reduction bring about a chain of reaction that would affect our economy? We know that this is a deficit budget, but the Government should also consider that the present economic recovery is not across the board, the unemployment rate is still high and the Government can well afford to use the surplus accumulated during its term to finance this deficit. Why is the Government in such a hurry to withdraw this 2% of expenditure (which amounted to about $450 million) from the economy now? Is it because that the Government suffered a setback in its investments last year, and that the NII was $1 billion short of the original forecast and it needed to make up for this loss? Can the Government explain why the NII on investments was 33% short of the original forecast? Secondly, DPM Lee said that we should encourage our people to be self-reliant, to be responsible for their own living and to build up a strong society. To achieve this long-term goal, the fundamental of Government's fiscal policy is reducing the subsidy on university education and adopting means test to decide the amount of health care subsidy to each individual. The Government said that maintaining the current ratio of subsidy on tertiary education will result in a squeeze on the resources for the primary and secondary schools.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Lianhe Zaobao described this year's Budget as a "Budget Focused on Long-term Goals." Yes, we should look at what the Government's long-term goals are, examine their impact on our ordinary citizens and the implication on what lies ahead in the future. As before, this Budget was delivered in flowery language with barrels of reasons and principles, but with no regard for the people's livelihood. And yet, concealed behind the vague and flowery language are many sparkling spectres. Let us examine what are the financial policies and fundamentals that are laid down by DPM Lee. Firstly, DPM Lee said that in order to build an efficient government, he would cut by 2% the budget caps of all Ministries, except MINDEF, for this financial year, in order to reduce revenue shortfall and to attain a balanced budget in FY 2005. On the surface, reducing the Ministries' budgets and maintaining high efficiency appear to be reasonable. But, what would be the reaction of the various Government departments when their budgets are slashed? To start with, the Ministry of National Development has already informed all the town councils that they would no longer support any HDB flat maintenance items which require heavy expenditure. This implies that the cost for town councils will be significantly increased. When the town councils can no longer afford such increases and start to run into deficit, would they not resort to raising the conservancy charges? Once the conservancy charges are increased, then the meagre rebates granted by the Government over the years will be wiped off. The falling of one leaf heralds autumn. With this, who can guarantee that the other Government Ministries will not increase their charges in order to compensate for this cut in the budget allocation?”
“Does it mean that if the husband and wife are not living together, it is all right to claim that they do not know what happened?”
“It is in page 8 of the Bill, new subsection (7)(b).”
“Sir, I have something to clarify. I refer to new section 22A of the Bill, which deals with fire safety engineers, and how to ensure the integrity and independence of the peer reviewer appointed to review or assess whether any alternative solutions to satisfy any fire performance requirements. In subsection (7)(b) of this section, it states that "in the case of a husband and wife living together, the interest of one spouse shall, if known to the other, be deemed to be also an interest to the other." Sir, I wonder why the Bill specifically states a husband and wife living together. Is there a special meaning to it, or does it mean that if they are husband and wife, but not living together, it does not fall within this section if there is a conflict of interest or whatever? I would like the Minister to clarify.”