L. P. Rodrigo
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would just ask the Minister whether in the implementation of this law there would arise a situation where a blood test is required but it is not available under the circumstances, and in such a situation should the person concerned be unable at the particular time to produce the required urine, would that constitute a j…”
“On the question of education policies and their implementation, teacher unions cannot afford to posturise or compromise to achieve administrative convenience at the risk of a deterioration in the content of education. Principals of primary schools had their post allowances withdrawn.”
“All our constituents need one badly, and although requests have been put forward by some of my colleagues, including the Minister of State for Labour, who is the MP for Upper Serangoon constituency, we have so far received no response.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead AAA 1004*. (* The same amendment also stood in the names of Messrs Hwang Soo Jin and P.”
“Sir, one of the hazards of being on good terms with the Member for Katong is that in allowing him to speak ahead of you on a head of expenditure such as this, you find that there is not much else to say. I quite realise that in a debate, repetition is inevitable.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head M be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead AAA 1003*. (* The same amendment also stood in the names of Messrs Ho See Beng and P.”
The complete record
Every one of 287 lines we hold for L. P. Rodrigo, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 6.
“Now, if you take the hypothetical case of a school having two Primary III classes at the outset, and if after assessment, eight pupils from the first class and 15 pupils from the second class, making 23 in all, are found suitable for six years' primary education and the remaining 27 pupils from the first class and 20 pupils from the second class, making 47 in all, are found suitable for seven years' primary education, then for Primary IV, you will, have one class of 23 pupils for six years' primary education and two classes for seven years' primary education comprising one class of 35 pupils and another of 12 pupils (that is, if you apply the ratio of 35 pupils to a class). If the position rests there, it means that after the assessment one additional class is created and one additional teacher is required. If adjustments are made, it must mean transfers of pupils and teachers for that year. How has the Ministry planned to resolve these problems? And incidentally, Sir, thinking aloud, what will be the stand of the Singapore Teachers' Union on these problems? But the important thing is that parents must be satisfied that the results of the assessment must not be manipulated for the purpose of administrative expediency at the expense of the true academic ability of the pupils. It has been announced that the decision of whether a pupil should take six or seven years to complete his primary education will be based on a "continual assessment of his academic performance". I should think that the assessment itself should be based on certain standard forms and criteria of evaluating the academic performance of the pupil.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as expected the Ministry of Education has attracted a large number of speakers in this Budget debate. The reason is that in the last analysis education decides the performance of the nation. A creditable performance of the nation depends on the collective courage, determination, ability and the social morality of the people. Thus if the education of the State ensures that every citizen develops with these potentials, then collectively the nation should perform successfully. Now that the education system has been restructured again, and this time we hope for some appreciable period, I wish to make some observations on the restructuring as announced and the implications arising from it. At the outset, Sir, the problem of sufficient classes and teachers comes to mind. Though the majority of primary school pupils will be completing the primary education in seven years (as that will be the normal course of primary education), the Minister has stated that about 40% of primary school pupils will be completing primary education in six years. Thus, as the Minister has announced, there will be in operation two sets of upper primary classes in the primary schools.”
“I should think that if a matter is brought to an officer for his attention but that it should be dealt with in another office or department in a particular way, the officer approached should not only say, "No, this is not done here" but also say where the matter can be dealt with. He should also be able to say how that member of the public should go about it. Such orientation may be useful at present as the Minister has made a provision of $2,188.2 million for the fiscal year 1975 for Development, an increase of 40.1% over the fiscal year 1974; while allowing an increase of only 1,689 posts for fiscal year 1975, i.e, an increase of only 2.7% for fiscal year 1974. The Minister has asked his Ministry to improve the civil service through developing greater administrative skills, adopting innovating ideas, improving work procedures and methods and making greater use of machines. The Ministry of Finance has also issued a circular to the service calling for higher productivity. I feel that the service at the lower ranks can become productive if officers develop the initiative and capacity to assist the public, as I have suggested. I would conclude by recalling the Minister's assurance to the Member for River Valley that should cases like the example of the 50 bicycles be brought to his notice, he would send the officer responsible to the Staff Training Institute. But for the improvement of the civil service, can we have it the other way round? Can the Minister keep sending officers to the Staff Training Institute first in order to avoid the 50-bicycle blunder?”
“But, Sir, I appreciate the nature of the problem relating to the need to increase our revenue with which the Minister is confronted, in particular the problem of preparing to meet the increasing expectation of a youthful population. As this youthful population of ours marry and have children, they begin to have expectations both for their own future and for the future of their children. But I believe, Sir, that our people can be carried along to bear a greater national expenditure if they see fairness and coherence in the explanation or justifications supporting revenue-raising measures. On the civil service, I wish to make the observation that much can be improved in the lower ranks of the service. As the Minister has pointed out, the officers at this level are concerned with the administration of rules and regulations and are in contact with the public. While I acknowledge the general efficiency of the service, I must agree with the Minister that we must not reach the point of "smugness and complacency in the civil service". I feel that there is an immediate need to orientate, with emphasis, the attitude of the civil service officers at the lower ranks towards assisting the public in areas other than those with which they are concerned. Members of the public are often told by officers that the matters they have brought directly to the attention of the officers cannot be dealt with at that counter or in that section or that department. When direction of further assistance is sought by members of the public, the officers either refuse or are unable (probably they are more unable than being inclined to refuse) to deal with matters which specifically relate to their counter, section or department.”
“In his reply to Members on the debate on the Budget statement, the Minister thought that the increase of $60 per annum on the 1000 cc and under cars was very modest as it amounted to only $5 a month and which the Minister thought that anybody who went to the Orchard Road Car Park for a meal could afford. If this response of the Minister is construed by the public as an explanation and justification of the $60 increase, then surely there will he the public fear of another increase shortly by another $60 per annum, and which the Minister would probably explain away again as "just another $5 increase a month". 6.00 p.m. The Minister said that having imposed this tax he did not want Members to think that it was the end of all taxes as far as road transportation was concerned. He also said that this tax was meant to be principally revenue-raising and not as a solution to the congestion problem or towards making a success of the CBD scheme. The public must then be puzzled because, in his statement in Parliament on 16th October, 1972, on raising the road tax, the Minister offered the explanation that "the revised rates should encourage more people to use public transport to their places of work in the central city area." Again, in his reply on the 17th March, the Minister utilised the contention of Members that the car being a necessity is owned by every family to regard it as a standard possession and suggested therefore "there was a chicken in every pot in Singapore". That is why the Minister was unrepentant about the road tax increases. The Minister founded his unrepentance upon a premise which he himself constructed out of an earnest opinion of Members.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, under this subhead I apply myself to the policy of the Ministry of Finance regarding revenue collection and other matters under the Ministry relating to policy. In his reply to Members in the debate on the Budget statement, the Minister said that: `It is always very difficult to balance the needs for additional revenue against the concessions which Members think should be given because of inflationary or recessionary effects which we are experiencing at present.' The Minister also said that there should be greater recognition of the need by all citizens to pay for some of the services which are afforded by the Government. All this is appreciated and not difficult to grasp. Today, the people are paying for most, if not almost, all the services which the Government is affording the people. Conspicuously excluded, however, is education which, of course is heavily subsidised and so also the medical services. The problem will be to persuade the people to recognise the fact that mounting costs determined by external factors requires increased national revenue, to be acquired through taxation and other measures, to pay for more costly services. Of course, the additional burden must be spread justly. To do so, I should think it necessary at all tunes to present a coherent explanation of revenue-raising measures. It is important to ensure that explanations of revenue-raising measures are always adequate and credible as representing aspects of a just and well-considered policy of national revenue development, so as not to invite public belief that they are being taxed ad hoc simply because the Government thinks they can take it and therefore should pay, and because that tax measures will yield the most money.”
“I am not moving, Sir The following amendment stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting- (22) That the sum to be allocated for Head S be by $10 n respect of subhead CFB8104”
“Sir, I accept the explanation given by the Minister, and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendments stood in the name of Mr L. P. Rodrigo - (18) That the sum to be allocated for Head S be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead CDA 8103. (19) That the sum to be allocated for Head S be reduced by $10 in respect of item (a) of subhead CDB 8106.”
“Ponds, on which they depend to feed their pigs and sometimes vegetable farms, need to be levelled off or covered over by the earth in the levelling process, and this also causes hardship to many families in my constituency. I wish to bring notice of this development to the Minister because it appears to me and to the families in my constituency who are affected that the officers from the Resettlement Department may be over-enthused in their work. I am particularly worried when I read, for example, the 1973-74 Housing and Development Board Annual Report, under Resettlement, page 4, where the Resettlement Department talks about achieving an all-time record of resettling 12,067 cases in the 15-month period under review, and so on. This gives me the impression that the Department may be regarding such families as near cases to be resolved. But these are families whose lives are being disrupted and who have to change to a new means of livelihood. I hope the Resettlement Department will be prepared to extend human consideration to such cases and not treat them just as cases with an enthusiasm to outdo previous records in resettling families. I am sure the Minister will be able to undertake some action here to alleviate the worries of the families in my constituency.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head S be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead CAA 8301. Sir, this amendment presents an opportunity to reopen the matter which the Minister has dealt with quite thoroughly. But maybe there are one or two matters, relating in particular to the clearance activity being undertaken in the new town, Ang Mo Kio, in my constituency, that need to be aired. The Minister has told the House that physical clearance of families who have received clearance notices actually takes place some months after notice of clearance and notice to quit are given to the families. This is quite true, Sir. But complaints have reached me from families being resettled in my constituency that while this is so, officials from the Resettlement Department continue to urge families having received such clearance notice to move out as quickly as possible. And all the time that this is being done the question of compensation entitlement of the families and the computation thereof have not been completed in the cases that have been referred to me. I would have thought that having given clearance notice to the families, the next thing that should be done by the Resettlement Department is to hastily decide the question of compensation entitlement and then `worry about computing the amount of compensation to be given before urging the families to move out. The other matter relates also to resettlement in the sense that the Resettlement Officers go round to approve closure of ponds which are a basic factor in the livelihood of the farmers, even before computation of compensation or their entitlement is decided. This causes hardship to the farmers in the area.”
“Sir, under this head, I just wish to raise two queries in relation to the massive project that is being undertaken in the constituency of Serangoon Gardens. With the vast clearance that is going on, I would like to ask the Minister (a) to restate the policy of the Ministry on the compensation that is accorded to the management of a private school, as and when the Housing and Development Board acquires the land and demolishes the school, and (h) such policy in relation to community centres. 4.00 p.m. Sir, I also would like to raise a query in relation to a road in the constituency which is very much used by farmers and residents in the kampung areas, namely, Cheng San Road. May I know whether there is a plan to develop this road into a main thoroughfare. Because if there is, then it will lead into the estate proper and will become a main thoroughfare for traffic. This could lead to considerable congestion in the estate which, as the Minister knows, consists of roads which are rather narrow and which do not make adequate provision for large traffic.”
“On second thought, Sir, I think I will move my amendment when the appropriate time comes, because this subject of Resettlement appears to offer tremendous scope for further debate. By that time, I am sure a number of MPs will also be raising it.”
“Sir, there is a major project of clearance going on in my constituency.”
“Sir, on a point of clarification. The debate now appears to centre on resettlement. I have filed an amendment on the Development Estimates under Resettlement. Can 1 raise the issue now, Sir?”
“I appreciate the Minister's reply and beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. 4.15 p.m.”
“Sir, in view of the explanation, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead AAA 1004*. * The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr P. Govindaswamy. Sir, under this subhead I wish to call for a re-statement of the policy on non-citizen female work permit holders wanting to marry Singapore citizens or, to be fair to the opposite sex, the other way round, Singapore citizens wanting to marry female non-citizen work permit holders, in making a re-statement of this policy, I hope the Minister can make special reference to those female non-citizens who are in the family way and seeking licence to marry. I realise that this policy has been stated before, but it has been some time since and there are a number of queries along these lines arising in the various constituencies. A re-statement of the policy will be beneficial.”
“I am not moving, Sir. Mr Teong Eng Siong(In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head Q be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead GAA 2110. Sir, films or cinema shows have become a common recreation for the general public. Therefore, the quality of films will have a very great influence on the people.”
“It is unfortunate that this unpleasant situation has been allowed to go on to this date, and I would urge the Minister to take measures to remedy this situation in fairness to our ambassadors and mission staff presently serving abroad and who may be serving in the future.”
“But our ambassadors and mission staff in this respect, you might say, come off much worse than criminals. Further, as I have noted earlier, the child born abroad is a citizen only if the child's father at the time of the child's birth is himself a citizen by birth or registration. This is a recent amendment which makes it more unfavourable for the child of an ambassador or a mission staff born abroad. Since the child of a mission staff born abroad would be a citizen by descent, that child on reaching adulthood and marrying and, in turn, having a child who is born abroad would not be a citizen at all. This works out most unfavourably for our ambassadors and their staff abroad. In other words, there is an in-built deterrence in this situation which prevents or discourages officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs serving abroad from advising their children to serve in the Foreign Service abroad in future, because the grandchild will not be a citizen at all, if born abroad in the future. The solution to this freak situation, as it appears to me, is to amend the Constitution to include a proviso, as it has been done in other Constitutions, to make the child born abroad a citizen by birth if, at the time of the child's birth, his father himself is a citizen and in the service of the State. Aside of that I do not see how this problem can be solved, apart from taking the course of action of making it possible for the wife of the ambassador or the mission staff serving abroad to come back to Singapore for the birth of her child. This, of course, would entail considerable expenses and the officials in the Treasury would shrink back in horror.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, under this Head, I wish to raise a matter of policy affecting the interests of our ambassadors and mission staff serving in our missions abroad. I refer to the question of citizenship status of children of the ambassadors and mission staff born abroad. As you know, the provisions on citizenship in the Constitution provides for citizenship status by birth, by descent and by registration. Only a child born in Singapore of a citizen parent is a citizen by birth. A child born abroad is a citizen only if the child's father at the time of the child's birth is a citizen by birth or by registration. A further provision requires that a minor becoming a citizen by descent must take the oath of renunciation, loyalty and allegiance to the State within one year after reaching the age of 21 years, and that if such a child does not on reaching adulthood make this oath of allegiance he loses his citizenship status completely. Our ambassadors and mission staff abroad are serving the country and sometimes under stress and tension, not to mention the frustrations which the officials from the Treasury from time to time manufacture for our mission staff abroad. Obviously our ambassadors and mission staff are considered loyal since they represent our nation in national matters in the international scene. Yet their children born abroad are citizens by descent and suffer the adverse presumption of disloyalty since the child on reaching adulthood would have to make an oath of renunciation and of allegiance and loyalty to the State. Now even criminals serving in prison have the satisfaction despite their overt disloyalty to the State and country, of having their children born citizens of Singapore by birth and that too in a State-subsidised hospital.”
“Apart from achieving a viable and lasting economy, the planning of government, in my view, must also achieve a social ethos and a social elan which can jell a people in society with cultural and intellectual strength and meaningness towards which objective I urge for emphasis. 6.17 p.m.”
“At this point of our industrial development when we are planning expansion and innovation in a number of growth sectors the skilled and knowledge worker is much needed by us. Though presently there is no indication of anything resembling a consistent opting for what is considered to be a better deal elsewhere, we should be aware all the time that the skilled and knowledge worker in Singapore has options. Our citizens may have their reasons to want to move to a global city of an advanced industrial country, hut one which must not begin to encourage them is the impression of uncertainty in public policy as the result of constant changes in policy in some areas of Government notably education and insufficient official clarification of these changes. While I can appreciate the exigencies behind some policy changes by the Government today, national policies must invoke in our citizens the confidence that they can plan and organise their lives amidst reasonable economic opportunities and comfort with some permanence. Further changes and innovations in national policies should not cause public uncertainty for want of official clarification and explanation of such changes and innovations. As our society grows the problem will be how to provide for our peoples with real opportunities which can ensure satisfactions in work, personal aspirations, relaxation and in the planning of their children's future within the framework of governmental policies which must necessarily take account of increasing number of bodies, the expectations of the new generations of youths and the unsettled international economic situation.”
“A significant development in the world today is the increasing similarisation of urban life-styles so that an urban dweller from a city in the Third World does not find life in a global city of a more advanced industrial country art unmanageable personal disruption, if it is any disruption at all. Usually life in a global city of an advanced industrial country is accepted with ease by the prospective resident worker who regards it as holding more promises of opportunities for a comfortable life. The movement of the skilled and knowledge worker from former colonies to the cities of the former colonial countries in Europe had begun when these advanced industrial countries yielded to the logic and guilt of the colonial experience in Africa, Asia and the West Indies and allowed into their cities large numbers of hopeful and aspiring Asians, Africans and West Indians before controls were applied. In the Commonwealth today there has been some movement of skilled and knowledge workers from cities in developing countries to those in more advanced countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Other factors assist such movement of manpower. For example, travelling distances today is a convenient matter. The rights and expectations of the worker in the western democracies are more liberal and entrenched in the relationship between the trade unions on the one hand and the management in private industries and the government on the other. Global cities in Europe and the Commonwealth arc cosmopolitan. They are not found to be discouragingly foreign to the worker from the Third World. Language is not a shortcoming.”
“By now we do not question the term "global city" when a reference is made to our city, as our city trades with the whole world and it centralises the organisation and management of our rapidly industrialising state, which is structured for development along the lines of other technologically advanced industrial states with which we compete for economic gain. This modernisation of our economy has necessitated the training and production of the engineering man, the building and construction man, the businessman, the banking man, the science man, the electronics man, the economics man, the computer man, the organisation man and a host of other men and the skilled workmen. We have spent and are continuing to spend large amounts of money educating and training our own citizens to be such men. In doing so we are giving these men, the technocrats, considerable economic relevance and worth in the modern world of science and technology. Global cities of industrial states in the world too have a need of such skilled and knowledge workers, and there has therefore been movements of such workers between and among these cities. The emergence of the multinational companies and their operations in global cities throughout the world with their capacity to absorb manpower have provided the opportunity for the skilled and knowledge worker to shift his habitat, if he so desires. The modernisation of our economy has introduced our global city into the big league, so to speak, and present us with the problem of manpower loss which can eventuate into a matter for concern.”
“Sir, there is a saying in town today, which is current, and it runs as follows: Now that the painless Budget has been announced, the pain begins. I will not go into an examination of the details of the Budget, as I have observed that my colleagues have made very incisive and pertinent references to these details. Sir, may I begin by noting the Minister's Budget statement read with his Economic Survey of Singapore in 1974 as a modest quiet statement of our efforts and gains during a difficult year and our economic plans for the years ahead, in particular for 1975. A growth of 6.8% acquired in a year of world economic instability as the economic survey evinces is not something insignificant but the Minister chooses to regard it as merely "not unsatisfactory", quite characteristic of his modest nature. In the strategy to contain the impact of further world recession on our economy, the statement stresses the diversification of our industries and services and that we should continue to strive for higher growth rates. New skills and technological knowledge are being introduced into metal and precision engineering, chemical and electronics. More skilled and knowledge workers will be needed to make Singapore a centre for services, technical know-how, tourism and finance. This strategy underlines the manpower factor in our plans for future economic growth. I wish to dwell briefly on this subject and make reference to matters associated with it.”
“It, therefore, becomes imperative for the well-being of our society to ensure that our efforts in family planning education are not relaxed. Easily available abortion must be and remain, as the Minister himself says it, a complement to contraception. But the problem which this Bill attempts to deal with cannot be gain-said. I believe we need to size down our families as proposed, in order that our children may live in some comfort and experience in some measure the quality of life in the future.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my contribution is not as sex-oriented as the previous speaker, but whatever the views against abortion, the problem of too many bodies and so little food stares some nations in the face, and what the future holds for many of the people of these nations is the tragedy of our times. To avoid hardship among ourselves as a result of an undisciplined growth in the family unit in our society, we have family planning and family planning facility for our peoples. For 4½ years now abortion has been made available under certain conditions to our womenfolk who request for it. This Bill seeks to release applicants from some o these conditions and offer abortion under minimal control. In my view, Sir, there are matters for concern. Unless and until family planning education reaches the populace in general and secure their response through contraception and sterilization, there is in my view a real likelihood that many may have to resort to abortion because of carelessness or indiscretion. Abortion may then be accepted by the people and, in fact, become a primary means of controlling or planning their families. This can be an unhealthy situation. Abortion in my view is both tragic and traumatic. There is a moral disorganisation in the person undergoing abortion, the extent of the disorganisation depends on the sensitivity of the person's moral character. Applying this situation at a societal level, there can result what is termed an anomie in society - a situation in society where people find it no longer pertinent or meaningful to relate their conduct with social norms as a result of their personal experience or interpretation of the pettiness of life and its qualities.”
“The system appears to me to say to the motorists: "Don't drive fast, because if you do you will receive so many bad points", or "Don't drive carelessly, because if you do you will receive so many bad points". And at the end of a period, the Bill says: "Now that you have got so many bad points, you should not be allowed to drive at all for so many months." I am wondering whether or not it is possible to construct a system which has a positive approach, a system which awards points to motorists for good driving - a system which perhaps at the end of the score will be able to award privileges to the good motorist, such as a year's free driving licence or a rebate in road tax. I am sure it is not beyond the ingenuity of the Ministry's officials to try and think of a positive approach to the problem because I think that such an approach will induce the motoring public to raise their standards of social conduct on the roads, rather than confine them to a low level which at best becomes only an effort in driving without accidents.”
“Sir, I have no irreconcilable objections to the Bill. To me the Bill merely reflects a kind of problem that the Government will face as we reach a stage of growth and affluence and where so many bodies wish to live in order and comfort within a very limited area. This situation requires empowering the administration of the Ministry with authority to regulate social conduct. It appears to be an unavoidable course of action. Nevertheless, I think in the growth of governments the world over, it is a striking feature that as social problems expand in a society, the more does it become necessary for the administration or the Ministry to be empowered with executive action to regulate social conduct. This is the kind of situation that we are leading to. I do wish to say that, although unavoidable, empowering the Ministry with executive powers is regrettable. Therefore, it becomes very necessary for the officials concerned to ensure that the application of this authority is done in the most just way possible. In our case it is not a matter of choice or convenience. In our case I think the option is a necessary one if we are to prevent our roads from becoming a bloody scene of damaged bodies and injuries. Nevertheless, I think the absorption of executive power by the Ministry or by the administration must be explained very clearly by the Ministry or administration, illustrating to the people that the alternative is social disorder which we must all try to avoid. That is the point I wish to make in respect of the first section of the Bill, Sir. I also wish to make one observation on the Demerit System that is envisaged in the Bill. It struck me that the system envisaged is negative in approach.”
“Sir, with one experience behind us, can the Minister inform the House whether or not the Subordinate Court buildings that are nearing completion will be installed with sufficient public address systems to ensure that justice there will be heard?”
“Even underground agencies or undesirable elements can also make use of the newspapers to convey their message if they want to. Just now the Minister has said in his speech that the intention of the Bill is to ensure that newspapers in Singapore will in future be under the control of Singapore citizens, but it also does not wish to upset the commercial operations of newspaper companies. But a commercial establishment does not usually care very much about politics, social conscience or any other thing except profits. So a newspaper can publicise articles to suit some people with ulterior motive. I would now refer to clause 11 of Part III. This applies only to any newspaper published at intervals not exceeding one week. In other words, if a newspaper is published less than once a week, say, every eight days, once a month or longer, such a newspaper can be exempted from the provisions of this Part. If that is the case, then the purpose of this Bill may be defeated. So I hope this aspect of the Bill will be well considered by the Select Committee. About the management shares being in the hands of our citizens, as I have pointed out, certain publicity can still go through the newspaper, and they may not effectively exercise their control through the means as provided. Now there is the suggestion of establishing a Press Council, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs has spoken about it. Perhaps this Press Council can provide some guidance for the newspapers. However, with all these provisions, anybody, including a journalist or a citizen, if he wants to, can still exercise subversive influence through the newspaper. So I hope the Select Committee can look into this.”
“As the Bill stands, the whole spirit of the Bill lies in Part III, which gives the Minister very extensive powers, particularly in clause 9. The appointment of directors on the board must be approved by the Minister. But the Bill does not provide how any citizen of Singapore can be approved by the Minister to be a holder of management shares. It does not say how an application is to be made, whether it should be on a specified form or whether it is to be by letter. On the question of funds, of course, we can prevent a local newspaper from obtaining foreign sources of finance. But we cannot control the content of the newspapers, and therefore we may not prevent incidents similar to what had happened before, and certain undesirable events may happen again. We have seen incidents in Sri Lanka which were mainly due to newspaper influences. Now, there are embassies and consulates in our midst, and they can pay substantial amounts on advertisements to publicise through the newspapers any article of a political content, such as how great a certain political machinery or thought is, what it has produced, and what a great personage the ruler is, etc. This is very dangerous. Once we have diplomatic relations with more countries, more embassies and consulates will be set up in Singapore, and every one of them can by paying advertisement charges publicise in our local newspapers as to how great are their great political leaders, how good are their political systems, and so on. Under such circumstances, with a multi-racial setup as ours, would it be good for Singapore? They can carry across their messages through such advertisements and publicity in our newspapers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the main provisions of the Bill to make it law that all Singapore citizens can have a right to fashion the policy of the newspaper. This is in line with the argument that if one's survival depends on keeping the boat on an even keel as it charts its way through unpredictable seas, then it is in the interest of that person not to provoke any kind of a disequilibrium of the boat. In the Singapore context, Sir, a responsible newspaper is a critical factor in the well-being of the nation. The newspaper provides information upon which members of our society conduct intense communication among themselves, between themselves and the Government, form impressions, construct convictions and make decisions. It is imperative, therefore, as far as is reasonably possible and democratically feasible, that news and information offered by the newspaper are responsible news resulting from the responsible policies of the management comprising responsible citizens of Singapore, whose stakes are in this country and in this country only. In a world of super powers, super nationalisms and monolithic commercial organisations, Sir, which contend for power and profit, Singapore is a consideration in their strategy of operations, and in my view the sooner we rise up to this fact, the sooner will we begin to ensure our own national security. I also support, Sir, the committal of this Bill to Select Committee. Mr Yeo Choo Kok (Delta)(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the whole intention of this Bill may be summed up in one sentence, that is, in future newspapers in Singapore will only be run by Singapore citizens with the permission of the Minister in charge.”
“Sir, I just wish to mention that, as against the Member for Jalan Kayu, I welcome the suggestion of the Minister. I hope that the Member for Sembawang, in particular, will react very intensely to the Minister's suggestion, because being a constituent in his constituency I am aware of the vulnerable nature of many of the roads in that constituency, and I am rather discouraged that there appears to be extreme passivity on his part.”
“Sir, for the record, I wish to state that I was not seeking an answer from the Minister on the issue of the Central Provident Fund. I merely mentioned that, in view of the Minister of State for Labour having turned down the request for the release of Central Provident Fund contributions for the purchase of property in the private sector by people not qualified for HDB flats, the decision by the Minister, such as the one released just now, was very much wanting. I was, in fact, not seeking an answer on the provident fund from the Minister. However, may I say that the answer given by the Minister has indeed been favourable, and I am gratified for it and I am sure that a large number of people in the middle income group are similarly gratified.”
“(6) That the sum to be allocated for HEAD LG be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead AA 3008.”
“The middle income group comprises professionals, administrators, and executives both in the public and private sectors upon whom, as the Government has admitted last year, the security and progress of Singapore depends. The middle income group would be assisted in some measure towards buying a home from the private sector if a portion of their savings in the Central Provident Fund could be used by them for this purpose. However, this suggestion was turned down by the Minister of State for Labour a few days ago in the debate on the Estimates for his Ministry. As long as all our workers can find in the meaning of hard work a practical realisation of their basic aspirations relating to true necessities and sound luxuries, our nation will continue, I think, to survive and prosper by the loyalty, skill and dedication of the middle income group workers. I hope the Minister will be able to state a favourable answer to me on this issue as much as to the hon. Member opposite and which answer, I am sure and agree with him, is very much awaited by members of the middle income group.”
“Sir, I appreciate the soundness of Government policy to urgently meet the housing needs of the lower income group. The fact of owning a home or staying in one at a reasonable rent is satisfaction of a basic physical and social need of the people and the achievement of a sense of security. This is a basic need of the middle income group as much as it is a basic need of the lower income group. Where this need could be satisfied by their own efforts a few years ago (that is, the people in the middle income group), the dramatic rise in the value of houses in the private sector has removed hopes of their realising this need. The prevailing restriction, Sir, on the sale of private property to non-citizens was enforced in September last year to lower the steep rise in property values, so that home ownership may be spread among the different categories of workers in our society. The restriction has had a dampening effect and property values have been said to fall by 15 to 25 per cent of values in August last year. However, prospect of a further significant decline in property values does not appear to be real in view of the steep rise in prices and costs of building materials, services and labour. The present property values seem already grounded upon real cost of materials and construction and appear unlikely to fall further significantly. This notwithstanding, the middle income group generally cannot afford the prices of houses in the private sector today, as these prices remain beyond their financial resources. The situation makes it important for the Government to start programming for ownership of HDB homes by the middle income group.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have an amendment to a subhead* relating to Loans to the Housing and Development Board, but I observe that the Member for Kim Keat has raised the matter on which I intended to say a few words. With your leave, Sir, may I raise my views at this stage? * The amendment, standing in the names of Messrs N. Govindasamy and L.P. Rodrigo, reads as follows: (6) That the sum to be allocated for Head LG be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead AA 3008.”
“Sir, I just want to make the point again that the queries of Members for Katong and Anson could all be answered in a suitable report from this department. We therefore come back to this same problem again. The queries arising from Backbenchers again and again consistently show a need and a demand for information, information on statistics, information on performance, and any information that could lead them and help them to undertake a more effective Backbencher-criticism of the various departments.”
“Sir, all this leads to my original point when we started off this Budget debate. I think that if we have sufficient annual reports from the various departments as to their performance, achievements, and difficulties, we would be that much informed and we could then make a pertinent assessment of the redundancy or effectiveness of this or that department and thereby make our recommendations accordingly.”
“Further to that, Sir, I am thinking that it is simply because of the efficiency of the Members of Parliament in tackling problems in their Meet-the-People sessions that the Central Complaints Bureau appears now to be redundant, Sir.”
“Yes, Sir, if you consider it relevant. I filed this amendment merely to seek information from the Minister as to how the Singapore Sports Council is going to programme the viability of the National Stadium. There have been remarks that the National Stadium is a white elephant, and the prospect of this condition improving appears to be dim. But I am sure the Singapore Sports Council's executive and the Board are working on something. The only fault is that there has not been any disclosure of this programme. So this gives me an opportunity to ask of the Minister details of such a programme.”
“I feel that we should think ahead and consider the feasibility of making it a deliberate policy to construct work rooms with work benches in community centres, which can accommodate such activities of our youths in the years to come. Unless this talent is nurtured and its loss prevented, our youth will be that much poorer in talent. I hope the Minister will be prepared to cause studies to be made in this direction and to assess its feasibility and practicability.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is the Government's policy to house three-quarters of our population by the lend of this decade. Taking the population level at two million, this will approximately amount to 1.5 million people being housed in Housing Board flats. This fact has affected certain sources and they have undertaken studies into various kinds of effects that this situation will produce. In fact, Sir, when this kind of massive situation comes about, i.e, three-quarters of our population are housed in Housing Board flats, I think it will have a bearing on our social and economic position in the years ahead. I feel, Sir, that when the populace live largely in houses with their backyard or compounds, whether be kampung houses, terrace, semi-detached or detached houses, there be sufficient room space and opportunity for the youths to express themselves the field of carpentry, mechanics, science or technology, which opportunity either be severely diminished or to lost when our populace reside in Housing Board flats, which are high-rise buildings. And I also feel that it is this kin experience, which the youths take in the backyards, kampung compounds, in the gardens of the semi-detached or detached houses, that inculcates in our youth a capacity to experiment, to dabble in the elementary principles of mechanics, carpentry, science or technology. I do not think that the schools, although equipped with such facilities, will be able to extend this opportunity to our youths at the end of this decade when they are housed in Housing Board flats. The only opportunity that exists, or can be possible therefore, can be found in the community centres which are amply distributed throughout our State, particularly those in Housing Board estates.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with that, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood in the name of Mr L. P. Rodrigo - (7) That the sum to be allocated for Head IA be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead CB 3010.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the first half of his long and lengthy answer. The second half of his reply on hawkers was unsolicited, Sir, as I did not address myself to that problem. I am also grateful for the information that Lim Tua Tow market is going to be expanded. It will serve residents in my constituency. But an additional matter perhaps that I can raise is the nature of licences issued to hawkers in the Serangoon Gardens market. Initially, when these licences were allocated, they were allocated for certain specified purposes which it was thought could meet the need of the residents at that time: so many stalls to sell pork and so many stalls to sell such and such a commodity. The situation today has changed, and I will be happy to hear of a reassessment of the needs and a revision of the licences for specified purposes for the market.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head IA be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead BM 300l*. (*The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon.) Sir, Serangoon Gardens is improving all the time and the improvements registered of late have been the near-completion of three large private housing estates, which will bring in close to 6,000-7,000 additional residents into the constituency. I have discovered, Sir, that planning-wise there was no provision made for an additional market in these housing estates. Therefore, pressure will inevitably be brought to bear on the present Serangoon Gardens market. I do understand that there are some vacancies in the market, but I anticipate, with the large number of residents coming into the constituency, there can be scope for expanding the present market. In fact, a septic tank occupying a fairly large area of land has been demolished and there is vacancy adjacent to the present Serangoon Gardens market. I have taken up the matter some months ago with the relevant department as to the feasibility of expanding this market, but to-date, I have not heard of any development, and I will appreciate enlightenment on the part of the Minister.”
“On a point of order, Sir,Is there not something in the Standing Orders saying that we should take a Suspension before 5.00 p.m.?”