Mansor Haji Sukaimi
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, does the Minister of State have any programme to visit my Constituency and to meet the principals and teachers of the secondary and primary schools in my Constituency to discuss matters of common interest? If so, when will that visit likely be?”
“To ask the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education if he will report on the progress of implementation of the "Gifted Project" and state what representations or reservations have been expressed to the Ministry concerning the project and from whom; and what solutions or modifications will be made by the Ministry in view of su…”
“To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Culture whether prior comparative studies were made of the video-film censorship systems in other countries in the formulation and setting-up of the video-film censorship system in Singapore; and which countries were used in such studies, stating how our system varies from the syste…”
“To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry if he will report on the progress of the German-Singapore, French-Singapore and Japanese-Singapore joint industrial training centres, stating the types of courses available, entry requirements, methods of application for entry, and the allocation of training places that will be offered by these c…”
“They may be knowledgeable in their respective fields but there is a need for the Library staff to be trained and to gain experience in relating themselves with the grassroots leaders, mixing with them, and also in developing the techniques of selling the programmes that they have developed in the National Library.”
“Sir, will the Minister of State be able to say that the techniques and system used in the prefabrication projects will ensure that the seepage problem, a notorious phenomenon in most pre-fabrication schemes, will not crop up, and if it does crop up, there are sufficient measures to ensure that the seepage problem is minimized?”
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“Newsreels are a separate matter. I have also been considering for some time why RTS needs to always summarise the news items before the news begin and then make a further summary at the end of the news. I do not know the rationale for this. If the Minister could consider reviewing this we could save a few seconds.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would be grateful if the Minister could give some clarification, particularly, on the points raised by the Member for Telok Blangah. I think the hon. Member has raised very relevant points regarding the reading of news over television. I am sure most of us would agree that RTS could still improve on the format of news presentation over television. I was thinking, for example, that we could encourage the telecasting of opinions on major news items, Perhaps, there could be short telecasts of discussions on a particular point by local notables. It is not a debate. The idea of news presentation is not just to say that something has happened. If the RTS could try to telecast short excerpts of opinions on a particular item, it would be educational and more than just a factual report.”
“In this context, I would like to strongly urge my colleagues that whenever we raise any particular criticism, we should also make it a point to offer sensible solution, 6.20 p.m.”
“The CPIB must continue to be stringent. This must be so because our society is more involved in developments where there is so much avenue for malpractices and there is a need for greater control. It must maintain high standards as, otherwise, our creditability will be threatened. However, the CPIB must ensure that their officers do not make their investigations in a frivolous manner which often can cause undue inconvenience to the departments, and unjustifiably bring unnecessary shame to officers, thus lowering the morale of the department. All in all, my appeal is that Central Agencies which I have mentioned above must now take on a greater role as promoter, facilitator and dynamic agent and must allow for sufficient scope of flexibility rather than remaining a passive, disinterested authority. This change must be deliberate and the Civil Service must reflect the true spirit of dynamism, promotion and flexibility promulgated in the Hon. Minister's Budget policy. Finally I would like to urge the Civil Service to take on a more positive view to the criticism directed at them - most forcefully by Members of Parliament. In fact, I feel that the criticisms which hon. Members of this House have raised should make the job of the civil servants easier because they would have the added reason and argument to put up for a case to their superior officers and even to their Ministers for easier support and approval. This was my experience when I was in the Civil Service. I welcome criticism because things simply get done much faster when there is good criticism, especially when the criticism is accompanied with very sensible suggestions or alternative solutions.”
“To the auditors, I must say how much I appreciate the increasingly difficult jobs they have to do as the Government machinery becomes more complex. I therefore wish to offer the Auditor-General and his staff my deep concern. I wish them well and urge them to be patient in their work. However, I must remind the Auditor-General and his staff that the audit function, or rather the manner by which the audit function has been carried out, has rather inadvertently brought about that most infamous label that the Civil Service is over-cautious, rigid and bureaucratic. I really do not blame the officers responsible in the control and utilisation of public monies to be cautious. With the auditors always ready to pounce on them, there is little option but for officers to be rigid and cautious. The recent case where a junior clerk in the Income Tax Department could embezzle nearly $1 million of public money and remain undetected for nearly 40 months has made me feel that something serious is wrong with the audit system. It is pointless to solely blame the Approving Officers in the Income Tax Department for blindly signing the payment bills when the auditors themselves. who are given copies of the Payment bills, could not detect these errors. I do not understand why auditors take such a long time to raise queries, often after a lapse of many months from the date the errors were committed. It is really unfair to ask an officer to explain the mistakes after a long lapse, because he may not be able to recall in detail the explanations which could really justify the errors. I would therefore urge the Auditor-General to seriously improve his department so that the auditors can take remedial action promptly after the errors are committed. Next the CPIB.”
“As we know, Sir, the Public Service Commission is the final authority on personnel and staffing matters. I would like to see the Commission and its Secretariat to take this job of recruitment, emplacement, promotion and staff development in a more open and dynamic manner. It is ridiculous, for example, for the Public Service Commission to take more than four months to recruit a temporary clerk. Nor is it enough for them to merely blame the educational system, university and colleges for having failed to supply the necessary candidates for important appointments in the civil service. Nor is it correct for them to merely wash their hands and lament that the private sectors offer better terms than what the civil service can. More positive methods of attracting better candidates must be worked out. New methods of assessing candidates must be introduced because the exclusive reliance on the interview methods is not only inadequate but indeed obsolete, especially for the higher grade appointments. As for the budget Office, it is true that they must have real control in resource allocations. But surely they can do it without unduly inhibiting urgent sector developments. Processing of projects and issues pertaining to staff matters surely must be attended to promptly. When disapproving requests made by departments, I think Budget should make it a point to indicate the reasons for the rejection. This will help the Ministries understand the thinking and rationale of the Budget's decision. No doubt there are problems of staff shortages at Budget but something must be done positively about it as any failings in the Budget Office will create more serious implications in the sector developments.”
“At the moment, we have such a dangerously small group of top administrators who have to burden so much, and, as a consequence, could not have the disposition to develop the second-line resources in a positive manner. Secondly, new working structures must be institutionalised. I agree fully with the hon. Member for Kallang when he urged that more supra-status bodies like the Economic Activation Committee be utilised. This is necessary because the process of governance is more complex. More and more complex programmes and projects are required and all these call for more sophisticated policies and machineries which must allow for better coordination, sharing of expertise, establishing proper priorities and ensuring concurrent developments of all sectors. I would like to urge the Government to consider establishing what may be called a special Task Force consisting of a group of multi-disciplinary experts who, together, can be given short assignments to help Ministries which have persistent problems which they cannot solve themselves. The primary role of this Task Force is to also build up the initiating capabilities in the weaker Ministries. Such a Task Force may include two or three bright young officers who, having completed the assignments, can be assigned the responsibility of implementing and making permanent the improvement measures. In a way, this arrangement will open up greater opportunities to develop the second line commanders. Thirdly, I would like to urge that the Central Agencies like the Public Service Commission, the Budget Division, Audit Department, and the CPIB, to drastically change their essentially centralised and authoritative postures into one which is more dynamic and promotive.”
“It must arbitrate and regulate fairly and, most importantly, it has to be an untiring catalyst and innovative developer. It is true that the civil service must run the machinery of Government and to run it well. It is also true that it should not make mistakes, cause delays or waste public funds, but these are the minimum standards expected of all civil service. It is our ability to perform beyond this minimum level that the Singapore civil service has achieved that unique position of being the most efficient civil service in this part of the world. To ensure real success of the financial policy of Government, the civil service must continue to be innovative, dynamic and flexible. In formulating policies and implementing them, the civil service is expected to do so with competence, diligence and a deep sense of responsibility. Its members are expected to possess the expertise and imagination to appreciate problems and to propose realistic solutions which should be implemented with sufficient perspicacity and thoroughness. They are also expected to be involved in assessing the merits of policies rather than merely accepting them from those above for implementation. Civil servants in their respective fields should demonstrate the capacity for expert advice and to do so with integrity and conviction. These standards of conduct and performance expected of the Singapore civil service will be hard to compromise. They will become more pronounced as the present political leadership strives to enhance the viability, prosperity, and stability of the Republic. Towards this end, there are certain critical capabilities which must be developed within the Civil Service. Firstly, urgent attention must be given to develop a larger pool of second echelon leaders in the civil service.”
“Yes, they do exist. But management tended to give them lip-service and often for their own convenience. I say this because I know these precepts are difficult to implement, that is, if management really wants to seriously upgrade themselves in the direction urged by the hon. Minister. But, alas, these improvements are necessary. If I am asked for any pointers which can help management in realising these improvement measures, I would suggest they take the cue from the Minister for Finance who in his Budget policy has so strongly emphasized three principles: - (i) Problems must be tackled with positive dynamism. (ii) Efforts must be charged with a deliberate intent to promote favourable circumstances. (iii) There must be regular reviews and therefore scope for flexibility. I see these three-pronged strategy of "dynamism - promotion - flexibility" a crucial prerequisite for improvements. These must be cultivated, nurtured and imbued in all our organisations, our civil service and our life-styles. Without these, we will wither and that mysterious inner strength so typical of the Singapore character will fail to come to our rescue especially during a crisis. This strategy of dynamism, promotion and flexibility must particularly be instituted in our civil service. This is crucial as we are no more in the colonial era where the civil service was a cloistered domain whose primary task was to regulate and control, rather than to promote and stimulate growth. The demands made by our society on the civil service are numerous and exacting. It is required to be incorrupt, efficient and effective. It must be humane and judicious. It is expected to be an abiding and prompt executor.”
“They start with the assumption that the workers are guilty and all management wants to do is to prove how more serious the guilt is - simply to justify the most stringent penalties. This negative attitude must be rectified. Perhaps the Minister and also the Minister for Labour could design appropriate measures and incorporate them into all important administrative policies pertaining to Manpower Development and Management. Whatever the details, management must be made to be more positive in effecting work improvements. They must not assume things. They must be more involved in the running of their organisation. They must make it a habit to check, double-check and see that improvements are implemented, and implemented properly. Management officers, individually, must conduct themselves in such a way as to honour the self-esteem of workers and strive to afford workers the opportunity to experience a sense of self-worth. In all disciplinary proceedings, a fairer system must be instituted. Charges and reasons for these charges must be clearly stated and communicated to the alleged offenders - not vaguely or carelessly as is often done. The principle of "due process' must be guaranteed and the worker must be given due opportunity of being heard - not merely ratified by lip-service. In every disciplinary proceedings, a mandatory assessment must be made to ascertain whether or not there are any flaws or deficiencies in management which have led or contributed to the occurrence of the offence, indiscipline or unsatisfactory performance. If the offence was due to management's default or disinterest, then a more positive action must be taken on management officers responsible for the deficiencies. I am not saying that these precepts are non-existent in managements.”
“Employers should consider the introduction of appropriate incentive schemes to reward efficient workers for their productivity'. This commitment to productivity, as we all know, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, has been our standing policy. To labour, this policy imposes, to some degree, a constraint on wage increases. Nonetheless, we will honour our commitment. Our workers will no doubt put in their best. But management must also honour their commitment, In this regard the Minister has very aptly stated, and I quote: `The initiative for formulating such (productivity) schemes is clearly their responsibility as they have the greater resources and experience in this area'. This, to my mind, is critical. But unfortunately, the record of management's efforts in this direction is dismal. On Manpower Development, the Minister has cautioned management (and this emphasis is long overdue!) that: `To instil correct work attitudes in our workers, employers must provide a proper working environment. Good employers usually have hardworking, dedicated workers'. All too often, too many workers suffer because management has failed to realise the significance of this fundamental principle. There are too many instances (and this applies to the civil service as well) where management does not show enough concern in ensuring that work is systematised; instructions given clearly; legitimate grievances resolved conclusively. Nor do they seem interested to consciously look for talents and developing these talents in a positive way. Instead, their view is excruciatingly negative. Take disciplinary procedures, for example. Disciplinary actions pressed by management are only interested in deciding the penalties to be imposed.”
“In a nutshell, he has kept us informed of the progress of the package of public policies designed to fulfil the five basic programmes in manpower development, science and technology, infrastructure developments, taxation, and promotion. To my mind, this review is crucial. We need to be always conscious of our economic chart-ways. We must also know how each step we make not only consolidates what we have achieved but also paves the way for the next step, The `tactics' for 1977 he offers us again reflects his meticulous thought-process as a tactician. For Industrial Development, he urges that we press on with greater promotion efforts especially in the United States, Japan and Western Europe - and these are indeed the crucial sectors. On the home front, he advises us to maintain a healthy investment climate and do what we can to keep major production costs stable, and industrial facilities and services readily available for investors. For Trade Development. I see the importance of the need for government and traders to work more closely together and for us to strengthen and expand our trade contacts and promotion efforts overseas. The same meticulous thought process is also reflected in his formulations on Asean Economic Cooperation and Services Development. On Wages Policy and Manpower Development, the Minister has propounded what I consider are very crucial principles so necessary to help us sustain a healthy and more meaningful climate in industrial relations. While urging workers to put in their best efforts, the Minister has reminded management, and I quote: ....employers have an equal responsibility to improve their management of personnel or of plant and machinery to increase productivity.”
“In fact, I was very happy to find that my reaction to the Minister's Budget speech reflects the same tenor and spirit expressed by the Member for Katong, but, of course, the Member for Katong has expressed this feature of the policy in a much lucid manner and in his typical, classic and fine literary style. However, I would not want to over-emphasise as he did the element of compassion. By this, I do not really mean, Sir, that the Minister is not a kind man. I prefer instead to call him a judicious man; judicious because his thinking, his assessment of things, his assessment of our economic situation tells him that Singapore can afford to have what many Members say "a painless Budget". This point must be seen in this light because if his abacus tells him that next year the Budget will be a stringent one, then surely it is not fair for us to call the hon. Minister an unkind man. I also wish to congratulate the silent backroom boys who have given the Minister such excellent support. I am sure the task of gathering the data, analysing them and formulating the multiple permutations of alternative strategies must call for the most analytical minds, strong perseverance and a deep belief that something positive can be done to promote the prosperity of our Republic. The Minister's assessments of 1976 and the prospects for 1977 are indeed realistic. He is cautious, yet refreshingly optimistic. His review of the status of the Economic Strategy Programme announced five years ago gives us a succinct recollection of the rationale and direction of our economic developments. I thank him for reminding us that the central objective of our programme he announced five years ago is to modernise and transform Singapore's economic structure so that it would become a `brain' services centre.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to begin with a small diversion, as I wish to first pay tribute to our national soccer players who were beaten one-nil in the just concluded pre-World Cup tournament at our National Stadium. These were the same men who were dismissed as no-hopers after their alarming inadequacies in friendly matches before the tournament. And even the anxiety of soccer fans had appeared to threaten their confidence. That they were able to lift their game to an altogether different dimension underlined their resilience and indomitable spirit. They have, indeed, surpassed all our expectations. And isn't this capacity to thrive in adversity so typical of we Singaporeans? It was not very long ago that our future was written off by many when we were discharged. unexpectedly, from the Malaysian Federation. And more recently we were viewed by many outsiders with morbid fascination as condemned people after the pullout of the British bases. But we snapped back with the same tenacity and resolute will and emerged from those moments with greater glory. Our footballers have displayed that same grit, that same inner strength. And I salute them for their determination and sacrifices; their wives for their understanding during those many lonely hours, and the FAS officials for a job well done. I wish them well in all their future endeavours. After listening to the learned views and excellent presentations of hon. Members who spoke before me, I cannot but feel convinced that the Minister and his officials have indeed done a great job in formulating an excellent programme to ensure that our Ship of State will always be resilient and, as the hon. Minister says, be "steady as she goes".”
“Sir, may I be allowed again to refer to Question 14, because I thought the Minister for Finance has not replied to the second part of my question?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as the present hawkers get older and with the stringent policy of limiting the transfer of licences to their children. I think we can anticipate that, in the long run, there will be no hawkers. Is it the objective of the Ministry that in the long run there will be no hawkers?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, is it our policy to progressively reduce the number of hawkers? If so, would it not be true to say that in the long run there will be no hawkers? What then will be the position of the hawkers?”
“Sir, since the Minister says that there is a lack of local talents, what plans does the Ministry have to' develop these local talents.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the question is: have the officials of the Housing Board ensured themselves that before turfing is carried out, every boulder, metal and sharp objects are cleared off the ground?”
“Sir, if the Estates Officer in charge of Eunos Crescent could just go round and take a look at the turfed areas where the grass is now growing, he will find stones, timber, logs -”
“Sir, a few of my constituents whose premises have been acquired by Government and who have been awarded vacant possession compensation have their compensation reduced because of what is known as "betterment value". I have seen the officials of the Ministry for Law and they have been extremely helpful. But my constituents still do not understand why their compensation must be reduced by 1 5% and the Ministry has agreed to reduce by 5% after having considered their appeals. May I know why 5%? Why not 2%, or 1%? Why the reduction at all?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, these roads mentioned in the Question are earth roads which have been pot-holed very badly, and with earth drains always clogged up. If, as in the case of Lengkong Tiga, we have to wait for the landowner's permission, then I think it is going to be very difficult to get the work done. Is the Senior Minister of State considering any other way to facilitate the metalling of such roads, either by getting the approval of the landowners more expeditiously or to carry out the project without their permission?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on a further point of clarification. Sir, I do not in any way suggest that the PSA should not screen applicants for PSA passes. In fact, I had the happy occasion of getting a very clear reply from the PSA stating the reasons why applications were rejected. The point is why must the PSA disapprove, first, on the strength of petty crimes committed many years ago and only awaits for the person to appeal. I had such cases in my constituency and, pending appeal, these people are jobless. May I repeat, Mr Speaker, Sir, and also to the Minister, that I do not in any way suggest that the PSA should be lax in its screening. In fact, it should screen the applications in order to maintain its reputation.”
“Furthermore, Sir, in the north-eastern part of Nee Soon constituency, in the Simpang area, certain land has been under acquisition or redesignated for industrial purposes, giving rise to resettlement problems. Of course, the Government has its fixed policy in regard to the compensations that may be given to the farmers. Farmers in this area have been encouraged and influenced by the experimental farm of the Primary Production Department to grow orchids and rear tropical fish as an occupation. The Government does not have a fixed policy on compensation in this respect. So I hope that when resettlement is underway, the Primary Production Department or the Ministry of National Development can think out some suitable measures to help the people affected by resettlement. Sir, I do not want to deal with the hawker problem as other Members have already touched on this matter. But I must emphasise that all the matters that I have brought up should receive the proper attention of the Government, as the Prime Minister has said after the elections that we must give greater attention to the livelihood of the poorer groups of our people or people who had been neglected in the past. 5.35 p.m.”
“In the Nee Soon area, more than half the number of shops have been affected by road development and have to be resettled elsewhere. The remaining shops cannot meet the requirements of the people there, The Government has no plan or intention to build more shops or shopping centres in Nee Soon for replacement, as in the case of Thomson constituency. It is therefore my hope that the Government will be flexible enough in formulating policies and in implementing them, that is to say, where there is vacant private land available by the side of public roads, shops may be allowed to be erected there. Mr Speaker, Sir, in road construction development, there is one thing we cannot accept, that is a wrong assessment of the width of the road. As a result of such wrong assessment by civil servants responsible for the project, more land and shops have been acquired than necessary. This was discovered after construction work had actually begun. As a result the land by the road upon which the shops have been acquired is still in the possession of the Government. Now the shopkeepers or shop-owners have to apply to the Government or to tender for the use of their shop premises and land. This is an example of a lack of proper planning which becomes obvious after the completion of the project. But the people who are affected suffer at the lack of proper planning. So when we talk about rewards for high performance and so on, the civil servants responsible can tell the Minister that they have completed the project and hope to get some promotion which is obtained at the expense of a lot of people as in this case.”
“My constituents in Nee Soon have not had the opportunity to enjoy public facilities available in other constituencies. They only enjoy limited facilities provided by the Urban and Rural Services Committee. Many of my voters who live in the rural areas are not served by metalled roads. Their houses or villages are not accessible to vehicular traffic. The funds provided by URSC for the development of the constituency are not sufficient, particularly in respect of road development. Up to date. I have received requests in hand which need at least $1 million to develop roads over the next five years. The amount allocated each year is quite limited, and I can anticipate many roads cannot be completed by then. How are we to satisfy the rural voters in their demands? How are we to express our appreciation for the 72.4% votes which had been cast in our favour as an expression of the confidence that they have in us? If this rate of progress is continued, in my own constituency, even if I can carry on for the next ten years - they would not be able to complete the construction of the roads with the meagre sum provided. It is my hope that the Ministry of Finance will allocate more funds for road construction in the rural areas. This is also in keeping with what the Prime Minister had said after the elections - that we must look after the needs of the people in the poorer areas. This is the time for such care to be given. If it is not possible to allocate more funds to the URSC for the development of the rural areas, then perhaps the Minister for National Development could study the question that for any request for more than $100,000 provision for road construction, whether the work -an be done by the PWD direct instead of going through the URSC.”
“We must resolve the students' problem of employment opportunities. Students are also dissatisfied with their status quo. We must look for a proper diagnosis before administering medicine. Although the Government has accorded equal treatment to Nanyang University and the University of Singapore, frankly speaking. Nanyang University needs a Vice-Chancellor with drive and some efficient senior executives of high academic standing in order to raise academic standards. It should open its door to students of different races in keeping with our national policy so that Nanyang University may develop to the same level as the University of Singapore. Ideally, where the University of Singapore does not want to conduct certain courses they can be conducted at Nanyang University and vice-versa. There must be cooperation between the two universities and no duplication which will cause wastage. In this way the feeling of dissatisfaction can be eliminated psychologically, wastage of manpower will be avoided and the graduates will also not have a sense of uncertainty about employment outlet. The academic standards of the university will also be improved and its prestige enhanced internationally. Mr Speaker, Sir, for several years I did not have a chance to speak for my constituents. This is the time for all the one hundred flowers to bloom. Now we are also allowed free expression in this House. I would like to say something and do something for my own rural constituency, (In English) This is the first time. I had no chance before. (In Mandarin) In the Nee Soon constituency 80% of the votes came from the rural areas. I am not as fortunate as the other Members of Parliament who have the HLJDC or HDB flat dwellers to support them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there are also examples to show that within two or three months of a Bill being passed in this House an Amendment Bill was brought in again to look after a certain interest or deficiencies. All these are illustrations to show that when Bills are passed without a thorough debate or scrutiny, the blame cannot be entirely put on Members of this House. The Ministers have also a certain measure of responsibiltiy for all this. Mr Speaker, Sir, on the reference to the Polytechnic and other tertiary institutions as hotbeds or targets of recruitment for the Communist Party, this is something that we must be vigilant about. We learn from experience that it is only when dissatisfaction exists that it can be made use of as a tool against the Government or the people. According to my understanding, the reasons for dissatisfaction among students of the Polytechnic and other institutions of higher learning are that some students are pessimistic and uncertain about their future employment opportunities and are dissatisfied with the existing conditions. Thus they lend themselves to manipulation. Take Nanyang University, for example. It is still fresh in our memory that from the late 1950s up to the early 1 960s Nanyang University was infiltrated by the communists. Nanyang University was then still under the old system. There was a feeling of dissatisfaction among the students then and the situation was exploited by the communists. The students were made use of for all kinds of agitation. Thus, Nanyang University was in a state of turmoil and unable to make any headway. To remove all the root causes leading to the dissatisfaction, negative prevention is not the basic solution The fundamental solution lies in the removal of the root causes of the dissatisfaction.”
“In his speech, the President also stated that "no major policy or legislation should be passed without the closest scrutiny and passed only after the most thorough debate" in this House. This again are words which we must pay heed to. However, my colleagues in the previous Parliament sittings had also reflected their grievances and levelled criticisms against some IegisIations being rushed through the House in all three Readings without adequate time for study and debate. This has been a very common occurrence. Very often we come to this House after only a glimpse of the Bill itself when it was tabled. Where have we got the time to study the Bill for a thorough debate? In a case like this, Members of Parliament cannot be blamed for not having studied the Bills and other measures. You can blame the Ministers for this. The Minister responsible for the Bill should supervise its drafting by civil servants. If the drafting was done in a hurry, there will always be omissions and flaws in the Bill. Sometimes more haste would result in more delay. There were occasions when Ministers in moving the Bills were not very clear about the legislative principles and spirit therein. So very often amendment Bills had to tabled within a few months after passing the original Bills. This is well within the knowledge and experience of many hon. Members in this House. In some cases even Ministers responsible for such Bills did not know the actual meaning of the Bills because we tell from their answers to the questions raised by Members of Parliament that the Ministers did not really know what they were saying.”
“These so-called directors have become directors without contributing a single cent to capital. They are all civil servants who have become directors without having to contribute any capital themselves, They are different from directors of private enterprises. In the case of a private enterprise, if a person wants to be the managing director or the Chairman, he has something at stake or has a vested interest whereas civil servants become directors without any vested interest. They have not contributed any capital. There is nothing at stake. How many such companies have lost their business? There is no report. Who looks into them? Nobody. Are they capable? How do we know whether or not they are capable? What about those companies that have suffered losses? We have the case of the Granite House purchased in London which lost tens of millions of dollars - public money contributed by the hard work and sweat of the people of Singapore. And now we have exonerated the director who had dealings in the Granite House affair and awarded him director-ship to a profit-making company elsewhere - chairman of Temasek Holdings. Who can say that he is capable or not capable? There is no proper accountability in the case of a State-owned company. So you have one civil servant responsible for the failure of one business at one time and now promoted to another capacity in a successful company. He is thus rewarded, but no penalty for the failure of his action. So how can you say "to each according to his worth"? Mr Speaker, Sir, there are civil servants holding several posts. Their plans and schemes for the Government are mostly profit-orientated for their own credit.”
“The plans and schemes proposed and submitted by such civil servants are aimed at increasing the revenue and to curry favour with the Minister and be in the good books of the Minister so as to secure a favourable assessment of their performance. In so doing, such civil servants have forgotten or overlooked the political consequences and the chain of social problems that might be caused. In the case of the working class we have the Industrial Arbitration Court to act as the tribunal to judge who is to be properly rewarded for high performance. In the case of the civil service, there is no such tribunal or proper authority to assess the performance or the merits or demerits of civil servants. We have a number of senior civil servants holding different corporate posts. According to the Straits Times of today, we can see that Temasek is the biggest holding company in Southeast Asia with a number of subsidiaries, including SIA, Keppel Shipyard, Sembawang Shipyard, etc, all with Singapore Government participation. Who is the Chairman? SIA Chairman is also the Chairman of this giant holding company, and he continues to be on the board of directors of so many other companies. How do you assess the actual performance of such a person? If you want to know his actual performance, I will deal with it in depth later on. There is a duplication of posts. The directors of the new Temasek Holdings are the directors of the other subsidiary companies under the Temasek group. Who is there to assess their performances with such a duplication of directors. You have the Public Accounts Committee and the Estimates Committee to examine public accounts, but there is no such committee with the rights or power to look into the accounts of such companies.”
“It is not his fault! Mr Ong Soo Chuan(In Mandarin): But the 15 old MPs cannot be classified in this category. We have difficult responsibilities as MPs. In this House, we spend a lot of time debating the policy statement. Before we can do that, we have to study the speech and the addenda, and then to test the ground by finding out the views of the people. We spend so much time and effort to get to the ground in order to reflect their views in this House. The press also labours to carry out speeches. After all these efforts, my question is this: Do civil servants spend as much time to study the Hansard so as to find out how problems should be solved? Or how the views reflected by MPs in this House could be properly dealt with? Do they think that we come here just to make noise and to fill up a beautiful looking Hansard without any follow-up action? Mr Speaker, Sir, in his speech the President referred to the simple truth that to get from each his best, rewards and recognition must go to those who excel in consistently high performance. There is no dispute about this simple truth. Rewards and punishment must be clear and well-defined. It is only then that the people will take the trouble of facing all difficulties and to do what they are supposed to do and be inspired with a forward-looking spirit for excellence. Rewarding according to performance is, in fact, a motivating measure for our national progress. But, Sir, in the promotion and rewarding of civil servants, the people are often given a bad impression that civil servants have been rewarded and promoted not because of their outstanding performance but because of their outstanding merit-seeking cum profit-making.”
“I therefore urge the Minister for Culture to seriously consider programmes of attracting more integration and greater participation not only from the lower income group but also from the professionals and the higher income group. 4.21 p.m.”
“I cannot give any definite views because the Addendum from the Minister of Defence has not given very adequate arguments as to why it is now necessary to resort to extending national service to women. I am sure there must be reasons and I am sure the details will be discussed in the debates which will be held subsequently. For the moment I only wish to say that women have a special asset and the greatest asset is their feminity. So while we do have the daily parades and weapon training, I really urge that the programme of national service for women should be done to ensure that feminity among our women is not destroyed. With regard to the community service, I have seen and read the Addendum from the Minister for Culture and Science and Technology on the intention of the People's Association to undertake more dynamic community service through its various institutions, particularly the community centres. I have for the past two months been working very closely with the community centres in my constituency, and I find that there is an inadequate service which will ensure that participation in community service is not only confined to the poorer class. From the way the community centres have been managed, I find that it has not given sufficient consideration on the need to attract, to call, to invite, to bring forward more professional people to participate in the community centres. There is a large number of professional people in our country, and if the community centres continue to conduct themselves merely by relying on the lower income group, or conducting its programmes and ignoring the potential of the professionals and the middle income group, then I think we are deliberately depriving ourselves of the tremendous expertise which exists amongst our professionals.”
“There are indeed cases where the graduate expects so much from his first job or expects so much to be promoted within three years to superscale grade or to the salary bracket of the $2,000 or $3,000 range. But this phenomenon of job-hopping, as the Member for Marine Parade rightly stated, is a very complex matter. While there are instances where the individual may be at fault we must never forget that a person leaves a job not merely because he is looking for greener pastures but he would have a reason to find that the place in which he worked was a place which did not give any meaningful service to him, a place where there is no proper accord or proper respect for the views that he may hold, or a place which does not give opportunity to render his best or to make use of his acquired expertise. So long as we ignore the deficiency in management and keep on blaming the youth for job-hopping, then I feel that we are only looking at one side of the problem of job-hopping. I therefore would like to stress that the problem of job-hopping is indeed a very complex one. While we educate, if necessary reprimand, our youth, we must also look into the deficiency of management, the deficiency in the attitude of supervisors in how they handle the young workers, and see whether they have adequately prepared and conditioned and helped the new workers to gradually develop loyalties and abiding commitments to the organisation to which they have been appointed. There were also a number of issues which were mentioned in the Addendum to the President's speech. This has also been mentioned by the previous speaker and this concerns the national service for women.”
“I have met colleagues who have finished their university education and come back with very good degrees and they have shown themselves to be extremely competent. They know the things that they are supposed to handle. But somehow or other there seems to be a very acute lack of this idea of respect. I do not really expect our youth to kow-tow to everybody. But it is extremely important in the context of group activity in an organisation that there must be some semblance of recognition of authority, the responsibility of somebody not only to take charge of individual persons under the organisation but the overall programmes which cannot be done merely by one person but together with the members of the organisation in a corporate activity. I also feel the value of humility. Very often when I meet friends from the West, they seem to be skeptical when we talk about humility. They seem to associate humility with weakness. On the contrary, my experience in life, as I said, as a member in my family, in school and also in the civil service where I had the privilege of serving for 10 years, I found that there is tremendous strength in humility because it is through this value that you are better able to get the corporate action of the people who are in your organisation, people who are with you and who are to work with you for the common objective, because if you do not show respect, if you do not give a chance to your colleagues to render their best, then I see that all the acquired technology of each member of the organisation will go to waste. In connection with this, I also wish to touch upon a point which was mentioned by the Member for Marine Parade concerning job-hopping. It is so very easy for us to accuse or to blame the young for being over-ambitious or being impatient.”
“There was also emphasis that the Government's role is definitely to serve the people and in the interest of the Republic. I am glad to note that in the President's speech and also the speech of the Prime Minister that there was very strong recognition on yet another important aspect of development, that is, the human dimensions of development. The President has stressed the importance of strengthening the Asian precepts which have given strength to our cultures, to make use of it and in importing other values or technologies from overseas, we should be highly selective. The Addendum on the Prime Minister's Office also emphasised the need for strengthening the character of the Government, the character of our people. I note and I share the concern of the Member for Katong when he averred that it is not easy to say what really are the Asian values which we need, which are the more important ones. So with this feeling of similar doubt, I venture to cautiously suggest one or two things, not that I know what Asian values are, what the good ones are, but merely to bring out these points because of my own family upbringing, my experience as a child, my experience as a schoolboy, my experience as a youth. The first I have learnt is to respect the elders. Even when I was a child, I was taught what respect to elders means. Well, Sir, you will see, it is not only in the Malay culture but also in the Chinese. Indian and other great cultures of the orient - that respect for the elders is one of the fundamental precepts of life. This has become the basis of the stability of the family, of the community. And if we are to extend this very concept of respect to the realm of organisation, we can see how very applicable the concept is.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand today in this House with a very sad heart because at this very moment a very close colleague of mine, a good teacher, a good guide, is having his last rites at the crematoria, and I pray that God will bless the soul of the late Mr N. Govindasamy. I was with him only last Friday, talking about what we would speak in Parliament. He gave me hints on how I should address you, Sir; how I should speak in this House, what possible issues we could discuss; and today I have missed his company. I am sadder still to know, Sir, that a very close friend of mine who was with me in the People's Defence Force for over three years, Mr Lim Guan Hoo, is battling for his life in the hospital. The latest I heard was that he is in a very critical condition. I do hope that he is in the best of condition and really hope that I will have better news of him after this Session. May I say that I wish to associate myself with the Motion moved by the hon. Member for Ulu Pandan to thank the President for his speech. My colleagues who spoke before me have very aptly touched on nearly every important aspect of the President's speech and I wish to associate myself also with their views. The President's speech together with the addenda from the Ministers have given all of us a succinct, frank, and a good statement of fundamentals, policies which decide all other policies upon which our Government will decide our life, will provide the things that we think Singapore should be given and generally to aim for a better life for the whole of Singapore. From the Addenda, it is clear that nearly every important technological aspect of development has been covered adequately.”