Mohamad Maidin B P M
Singapore
“Sir, actually, the context and, in this case, I think Mr Chiam is well aware, the timing must apply. If the artiste merely performs his regular hits and routine at the constituency function which happens to fall outside an election period, I think there is nothing wrong in that.”
“Sir, the question concerns a constituency function, not about participating in politics. Foreigners are not allowed to participate in local political activities. Under the law, foreigners, especially during elections, are strictly prohibited from taking part in any election political activities.”
“Yes, no foreigners are to participate in our local politics during an election. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Yes? Is it only during an election period? Does that mean that during a non-election period, they can actually talk about Singapore politics? Is that what he means?”
“Mr Chiam has said that the casino is the first step for us to go down the slippery road. He has also mentioned that in the last 40 years, we have a clean and moral living environment. At the same time, he has asked the Government to be truthful in this matter. Can I ask him to be truthful in this matter?”
“And, in addition to our idyllic parks, jogging tracks, fishing grounds, public golf courses, and even driving ranges, PUB has also been working closely with the National Parks Board - because some of the parks are under NParks rather than PUB - to introduce boardwalks as well as forest trails at MacRitchie and Lower Pierce Reservoir catch…”
“Sir, currently, we can say that the use of handphone is one of the situations where a driver may take one of his hands off the wheels. But there are other scenarios, like the Member has mentioned, but at the moment they are not legislated as a specific offence like in the case of handphone.”
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“Yes, Sir. (In Malay): This should be done in writing to the Mufti and not to the press that could lead to confusion and misunderstanding. This is especially so if there are too many groups giving their views on certain issues and I would like to ask the Minister if there are still opportunities for the religious scholars and teachers to give their views.”
“I believe that if all Muslims in this country could strengthen their belief that Islam is all about moderation, and it teaches its followers moderation, it would not be easy for any outside group to sway them to the wrong path. As we equip ourselves based on the do's and don'ts of Islam, even if there are attempts by external elements, we would be able to reject extremism and deviations. I am interested to know how MUIS can help our Muslims to stay on course with the correct Islamic teachings that promote peace and harmony. Can MUIS do more to ensure that wrong and deviationist teachings will not take root here? Sir, under AMLA, it is known that there are provisions to appoint a Mufti in Singapore and also the establishment of a Fatwa Committee. This is because of the heavy responsibility of the Mufti and the Fatwa Committee to stress the stand on issues regarding Islamic regulations and laws in Singapore to be used as a guideline for Muslims here. This is a highly respected institution in the Muslim community. The views or decisions taken by the Mufti or Fatwa Committee are used in guiding the Muslim community. This has been a long tradition, maybe hundreds of years, in the Muslim community, and I see this system has proceeded smoothly. However, with this system, it does not mean that people who have differing views cannot give their opinions. It has been a tradition in the Muslim community whereby those who are learned and are scholars in the religious field should feel that it is their responsibility to give their views to the Mufti or the Fatwa Committee, if there are certain aspects that they find not very accurate and sufficient attention is not given to certain matters by the Fatwa Committee.”
“Sir, since MUIS was formed in 1968, it has played a meaningful role in meeting the aspirations of our Muslims. Now, the Muslims are entering an era with greater challenges. So, MUIS needs to make some refinements for the good of the community and the nation. In this Internet age, there are groups that desire to extend their influence around the globe. Muslims here in Singapore are not exempted. But, what worries me are groups that try to abuse the religion for political and other purposes. They desire to spread extremism and militancy. This can be troublesome to all. We do not want external elements to influence local Muslims by breeding extreme attitudes and stand that could tarnish the good name of our Muslims and affect the inter-racial and inter-religious harmony here. The arrest of the Jemaah Islamiyah members was a clear example. We need to take a firm stand so that such occurrence will not be repeated. I believe MUIS should take appropriate steps to help the Muslims in this country to maintain the correct Islamic attitude and behaviour, which is to be moderate in all things. Extremism has no place in Islam, worse still, any activity involving terrorism. In fact, I believe that Muslims should be in the forefront in the fight against extremist activities, especially those that involve terrorism. The Muslim community should instead be a pillar in promoting all good values and in developing healthy relations among people, regardless of race or religion. I am sure that local Muslims are very concerned because there are some external groups which are damaging the good name of Islam by using religion as a tool in their campaign of terror and militancy. They claim to be Muslims, yet their actions are all contrary to Islamic values and teachings.”
“And we need to enhance our social and community bonding in times when we are living in peace and harmony. I think it is too late to want to do something when things have already turned ugly. It is like our young men in National Service. They need to do their in-camp and reservist duties, and they are kept prepared to deal with difficult situations whenever it arises. And we all hope that they could measure up to it when the time comes. In the same way, we should all do our best to establish trust among our people, such that we would be able to keep calm and not easily be aroused and fall prey to calls of riot and bloodshed. The real danger in difficult and tense times, as we can learn from past incidents, and the recent happenings in Gujarat, is the spread of rumours and lies, designed to infuriate different groups against one another. Sir, we are most vulnerable if we lack trust and a sense of one people, one nation. But if we are successful in building bonds between the races, we can be resilient enough to face such trying times and remain a stable and harmonious country. I sincerely hope that more Singaporeans from all races and all walks of life will come forward to spend time to keep Singapore a safe place, not only for ourselves but also for our children and the future generation. There are many ways for us to do so, through various organisations, through volunteerism, through the IRCC. And I hope the Minister, in this case, could share with us his assessment of progress in community bonding, inter-racial and inter-religious harmony in Singapore, and what else need Singaporeans do or do not do in order to maintain and improve the situation.”
“Sir, I agree with many of the points raised by my colleagues earlier. In fact, as a young multi-racial and multi-religious country, I believe we will continue to face challenges that can either unite or divide our people. On the whole, Sir, I believe that Singaporeans from all ethnic and religious groups, share a similar desire to see that we will continue to live harmoniously, hopefully, no tensions, no riots, no bloodshed. We have not had any ugly incident for more than three decades. But the problem is we cannot guarantee that this will forever be so. If I remember correctly, there were several times when the temperature rose, and it became somewhat tense. Often times, it started not as a local problem. Instead the situation was actually imported from real tensions which happened elsewhere. However, due to the active work of our security officers, we managed to avoid things from getting worse. However, in maintaining racial and religious harmony, I do not believe it is a good idea for us to rely entirely on our security apparatus to do the job. Instead, I believe that all of us, the people of Singapore, from all races and religions, should take it as part of our national duty, to build and improve upon inter-racial and inter-religious relations. In fact, we need to be able to see each other as part of the big Singapore family. And as a family we need to reach a higher level of comfort in the way we deal with one another. We need to take care of each other and willingly help one another. And we should not let anyone to be sidelined, alienated, discriminated, or marginalised. Sir, no responsible citizen should leave things to chance when it comes to inter-racial and inter-religious harmony. I believe we should all play a part.”
“As long as our elderly can spend their time happily and meaningfully, feeling secure financially, etc, I think they are fine. And I always believe that the best is left for those who care to plan early for their retirement years. In fact, I believe it is the only way to be well prepared for senior citizenship.”
“At the same time, more workers should undertake skills upgrading courses so as to improve their employability. For, at the end of the day, I believe the elderly may be divided into two groups of people. One, those who would be in need of help and, two, those who are more fortunate and can help others. Between the two, we should have programmes that could match them. While efforts are being done by the various social and community agencies to assist those in need of help, I hope more efforts are also put in place to help the majority of our elderly to enjoy their old age meaningfully. One way is to capitalise on their experiences and skills. Many elderly are still able to remain active, given a chance. For example, there are retired teachers, nurses, police officers and people from various other professions. I have met many - and I believe Members too have met many of them - who are still able to contribute and want to remain active and be engaged with the community. Sir, I hope there is a way to assist as many of them as possible to remain employed or be involved in programmes that could keep them to remain partly employed and partly contributing to the betterment of society. Self-help groups and Community Development Councils, for example, can always tap on the expertise of retired teachers for their educational programmes. Similarly, I believe we should tap on the resources of retirees from other professions. They have wide experiences, and I believe these can still be put to good use for the rest of our society, especially the younger generation. There are also those who will find it more fulfilling to spend much more time with their families, especially with their grandchildren.”
“Sir, one of the MCDS' stated desired outcomes is to bring about an elderly community that is well prepared for old age. As we know, the number of elderly in Singapore will continue to grow from around 250,000 today to about 800,000 by the year 2030. With the trend of our young having fewer children and some staying happily unmarried, the proportion of the elderly, ie, those 65 and above, against the young and the whole population, is also set to grow. This is added by the fact that more people are enjoying a longer life expectancy. I am happy to note that the Report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Aging Population has made many good proposals. Among others, it touches on health care, financial security, employment, as well as housing. In view of the current situation in the job market, the question of financial security and employment of our senior citizens has become a matter of great concern. Last week, for example, I was visited by a senior citizen who retired more than a decade ago, but continues to work today. At the age of 66, he still finds it necessary to find a job and continue to work to sustain himself. He is 66. He is still healthy and is keen to work because he needs to get some money to get by. But, at the same time, we have heard many reports of people who complain of difficulty in getting jobs even when they are only in their 40s. They are still young, yet they are not treated as young anymore. Many of them have young children in school. This trend could affect their ability to pay for their flats and to save enough for their old age. But can they have financial security? Sir, it is my hope that this year's budget and other measures taken by the Government to increase employment opportunities could help to solve the problem.”
“Finally, Sir, may I add that the more happy families that we can help to create the better it is for our society and our future. Sir, I sincerely hope that the Minister could look into some of my concerns and to find ways to get family life education included in a more comprehensive and digestible way in our schools or to have some programmes for those who plan to get married.”
“Anyway, with such knowledge the children could also be a more positive helping hand in their own families while they are still growing up. Sir, everyone, for example, needs to study English, Mathematics and Science, and other subjects from a very young age in order to prepare them for their working life. And once they have a good job, they can continue to improve and upgrade their skills, and in these areas, I believe we have done a good job. But, I think there is a case to consider teaching our young, or at least sharing with them, the core values about family life, so that they are also better prepared for it when the time comes. And in this way we would stand a better chance to have a good career and a joyful family life. And they could upgrade their knowledge on both aspects, from time to time. But, by then they should have a good basic understanding about family life. And even for those who did not do well in their career, they could at least try to achieve a good and happy family life by making good use of the lessons about family life that they have learned while they were still young, or from a young age. Another way to be of help is to try to get every aspiring couple to attend some marriage preparatory course. I think not everyone has the time and the ability to think of all potential challenges that one is likely to face in a marriage, or to think of so many ways to make the marriage work even better for the family. Sir, such courses could assist many people to be able to think and look ahead, to foresee the challenges and to be prepared when it comes. And they could even use the knowledge to avoid certain pitfalls. This is where I believe past experiences that many others have gone through could be of help to new couples.”
“I am not just referring to the importance of the family, but also to increase their appreciation of starting one, and managing it as well as they could. For in the end, how well one manages his or her own family has a lot to do with the future of our people and our country. I could see that the Ministry of Community Development and Sports has drawn up many programmes pertaining to marriage and the family. However, Sir, I notice that they are almost entirely targeted at our adults. My question is: is it not a little too late to target grown-ups in trying to achieve the Ministry's desired outcome of cultivating positive attitudes about marriage, about family and about parenthood? In this respect I would like to see more efforts being done to target our youths, even as early as when they are in school. Sir, if we can reach them younger and help more of them to be better informed on family matters, I think by the time they grow up they could be in a better position to set up a strong and stable family. And this is one of the Ministry's mission statements. I think the best is for MCDS to work with the Ministry of Education and try to come up with a programme that could assist our young to better understand and appreciate family life. In our schools today, for example, there are programmes like Home Economics and Sexuality. I think these programmes, combined with many other family life activities currently promoted by the MCDS separately, could be put together to become something new, something like a non-examinable subject that could be taught at the upper secondary level. Sir, the idea is to have our young people understand and appreciate the core areas of family values. In this way, they are more likely to grow up with greater awareness.”
“Sir, as Mrs Yu-Foo had mentioned, family is the basic building block of our society, and I think many people know that it is also one of our five shared values. On this, I believe, there is no disagreement. However, not everyone found family life to be a job. Some said that it is becoming more stressful, and there are many reasons why some families felt stressed, and some failed, resulting in abuses and divorce, and we all know that the children also suffer. Whatever the reasons are, I believe one way to handle the situation is to see how the problems could be reduced. In this respect, Sir, I think our people need to be assisted, and be better prepared for the role in the family. In this respect, Sir, I must stress that we should not assume that every child will grow up and will automatically be able to know how to become a husband or a wife one day, and maybe later on a father and a mother. They need something. They need to be prepared. They need to know. And, even if many people claim that they are able to cope without anyone's guidance, or on their own through reading and all that, I think more should be done to help our people. And, with some help, I believe those who can cope can manage even better. Those who are facing problems would at least be in the know of how to manage and to minimise their problems. Sir, starting a family and managing it is not a new human enterprise. We have been doing it for thousands of years. And after being in this for so long, I think we should have grown smarter from all our past experiences. And this is why, and this is also where, I believe, we could do more. We need to share more information on family life with our young.”
“Sir, normally, people get suspended because the court is satisfied that he has committed a very serious offence. Therefore, the suspension is necessary. And the idea of sending them back to school is to make sure that they re-familiarise themselves with the law and, hopefully, pick up good driving habits. The idea is that, in the end, when they go back to the road, it is for their own safety and for the safety of other road users. That is the key reason and I think it is still relevant.”
“Yes, Sir. A foreigner can drive in Singapore without converting his foreign driving licence, if it is for short periods. He is allowed to drive up to one year, if he is driving in and out of Singapore. Thereafter, he is required to obtain a Singapore driving licence. But a foreigner who is working in Singapore is considered a resident. Therefore, he is treated like a Singaporean and he must get a Singapore driving licence before he can drive a vehicle in Singapore. These include drivers who are Malaysians and who are working for SBS and other companies. Foreigners with foreign driving licences are nevertheless subject to our regulatory regime of our Traffic Act, and have to comply with all the provisions of the Act. At the moment, it is not possible to shorten the period for foreigners. They have to wait for a while. Sir, as regards concerns raised about seat belts and whether or not demerit points are justified, I must say that the concern now is not to reduce the three demerit points against drivers who fail to ensure and comply with the regulations. Instead, our thinking now is to consider whether the passengers, especially those who have a licence and did not belt up, should also be considered to get three demerit points. Because he is a qualified driver and he did not comply with the regulations. Sir, sometimes a fine is good enough. Sometimes it is not good enough. Sometimes many of our drivers are more concerned with demerit points. Therefore, demerit points can also play a very important part to ensure that people are more caring and wear seat belts.”
“Sir, I have one more point to answer Mdm Ho.”
“So, test slots are somewhat limited by about 2,000 in number, partly because of the availability of driving circuits for practical tests. There are currently only three driving circuits here. As the three driving schools need to conduct practical training using the driving circuits as well, test slots have to be properly spaced out and scheduled. The Traffic Police is aware of this constraint, as mentioned by Mr Ravindran, and is working with the driving schools to explore ways to increase the number of test slots. With that, perhaps the timeframe for passing one's driving test can be shortened slightly. As for Singaporeans taking the test, for example, in Batam, at the moment, we have our own programme or scheme because of various reasons, including the fact that our road conditions, users and the traffic here are not similar to other countries, let alone Batam. So there is a constraint, At the moment, in fact, Singaporeans who go overseas and get their licences do not get automatic recognition here.”
“Mr Chia raised his concern about L-riders. Actually, the number of riders in Class 2B, new licence holders, were very few. The majority of this group, about 85% who were involved in accidents have been on the road for more than one year. They are experienced drivers. As I said, part of the problem is speeding by the motorcyclists and other motorists, and also some dangerous driving habits which have contributed to such accidents. At the same time, we hope that with a better training programme, we could help them to be even better drivers, and we hope that other motorists will not make it difficult for them. 2.15 pm Sir, Mr Ravindran earlier mentioned about learner drivers who can take their test faster. At the moment, learner drivers take their training at our driving schools as well as from private instructors. On the average, they take about five months just to undergo practical training in driving. And the five months of training is considered reasonable, because learner drivers have to cover a wide range of driving skills and pick up good driving habits and, hopefully, make our roads safer. This period of training also provides learner drivers ample time to familiarise themselves with the traffic as well as road conditions in Singapore. And we believe that for a life time of driving, this initial investment of five months is well worth it. The wait for a test slot takes another two months. Hence, on average, the total time taken for a learner driver who passes on the first try is about seven months. I think it is still well worth it. The are a limited number of practical driving test slots. Between January and March this year, there were 17,100 driving test slots available compared to 19,000 learner drivers seeking to take their tests.”
“The Traffic Police is also continuously looking out for illegal racing, as it is not only a nuisance, but it is extremely dangerous to the racers and to other road users. Sir, Traffic Police regularly patrols areas where illegal racing is known to take place. Between January and April this year, the Traffic Police mounted a total of 325 operations against speedsters, out of which 69 were concentrated at the Lim Chua Kang area, Tuas, as well as Orchard Road. As rightly pointed our by Mr Tan, they have been known to be racing in these places illegally. The penalties faced by these speedsters range from composition fines to possible conviction and disqualification by the court. The Traffic Police will continue its enforcement action against these speedsters. But I must say that because they are illegal and they are organised at times and at places which they did not inform the Traffic Police in advance, it will not be possible for the Traffic Police to be at all the places where they are racing. But where we know, where information has been given to us, we will indeed take action to stop them, and to take all necessary action against this group.”
“All these were designed to improve the training system so that they are better prepared when they are ready to ride the motorbike on the road. The Traffic Police also partners various organisations to promote motorcyclists' safety and to improve road safety. These organisations include the ITE Ang Mo Kio Safe Riding Club, Harley Davidson Club, National Safety Council, tertiary institutions and organisations with large fleets of motorcycles. Sir, at the same time, I must say that other motorists have also a role to play in ensuring a safer road environment for our motorcyclists, and they should give motorcyclists sufficient space on the road. This is the concern raised by Mr Chia earlier. Tailgating and also squeezing of motorcyclists to the side of the lane is not only inconsiderate, but is also very dangerous. The Traffic Police has been conducting on-going public education efforts to stress the need for drivers of motor vehicles to give way to motorcyclists. Let me now turn to the problem of speeding on our roads. In the first three months of this year, about 7,000 motorists were booked for speeding. But this is down from 9,500 over the same period last year, partly because of our enforcement efforts. As for motorcyclists, 3,307 of them were caught speeding last year as compared to 2,400 in the year 2000. The thrust of Traffic Police's enforcement efforts is to curb speeding and dangerous driving. Enforcement actions against dangerous drivers and riders are conducted regularly. This is the concern raised by Mr Tan earlier. In fact, for those people who were found speeding at 40 km or more above our speed limit, they will immediately be charged in court and may face disqualification from driving.”
“Sir, questions concerning the safety on our roads have been raised by Mr Tan Soo Khoon and Mr Steve Chia. May I first, at the outset, say that our roads are generally safe for our road users. They are mostly in good condition, well-maintained but, at the same time, we also have people who speed on our roads and there are also people with dangerous driving habits. As a result, accidents do happen. Unfortunately, as mentioned by Members, the majority of those who died, or who were seriously injured, eg, last year, were motorcyclists, and some of them with pillion riders. They formed about 89 out of 197 fatalities, and 210 out of 340 people who were seriously injured on our roads. Definitely, the Police takes a very serious view of the vulnerability of this group of road users. And measures have been put in place to enhance the safety of our motorists, in particular, motorcyclists. For motorcyclists, specifically our approach involves: (1) Improving the quality and standard of rider training and testing; (2) Vigorous enforcement; and (3) Intensive public education. Sir, let me first touch on improving the quality and standard of our rider training. Learner riders need to be equipped with good riding skills and habits in handling their motorcycles on the roads and also when they are interacting with other road users. On-the-road-training was introduced since 1985; in other words, they have to experience what it is like actually driving on the road before they get their licence. And computer-simulated training was also started in 1998. Emergency braking on wet surfaces and also riding at night on public roads have also become part of the curriculum. Sir, the training syllabus for learner motorcyclists is regularly reviewed.”
“Third, under current legislation, section 7 of the Act allows the Police Commissioner to exercise his discretion to dispense with registration for certain types of first-time offenders. I urge the Minister to review the situation immediately and see whether this power can be exercised in appropriate cases. In the meantime, I hope that amendments to the relevant legislation will be tabled as soon as possible. For those who have seen and have paid their debt to society, let us try to forgive and forget. Let us try to give these individuals a second chance.”
“And even when he was offered a job finally, he was told that the pay would be very much less than a clean graduate, and in some cases, $1,000 less. We do not seem to be able to forgive, let alone forget. We should try to give those who genuinely reform and who have done their time a second chance. Part of the problem lies with the Registration of Criminals Act. This Act provides not just for the registration of criminals who commit offences in Singapore actually, but indeed include those committed in Malaysia as well. And, in fact, the Minister may additionally order the registration of criminals for crimes committed in other countries. There is no doubt that we do need such legislation, especially when the offenders are either recidivists or have committed really serious offences. But I do think that there is scope for more discriminating approach to the registration of criminals. First, there should be a differentiation between the serious cases and the petty cases. Indeed, there is room to argue that there should be separate registers and that in the register for petty offenders, there should be a time limit after which the record should be erased. I am thinking here especially of the first-time offender who commits a registrable offence but who was not sentenced to imprisonment. If such a person were to keep a clean record, for example, for 3-5 years, I think he or she deserves a second chance. Second, when a record is erased, I think it should be legislated that it should not be regarded as a false declaration to state in a job application form, for example, that he or she has not been convicted of an offence. Because erasing the record is just one step and it would be regrettable if we did not take the extra step to make the erasure meaningful.”
“For example, the Northeast CDC has been working with the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) and the Police to develop young student leaders by involving NPCC cadets in local CSSP projects. On the suggestion by Mr Charles Chong to consider implementing national CSSP awards to provide recognition for outstanding initiatives and to encourage more in the community to get involved in CSSP, I am pleased to inform him that the Police is currently working with the People's Association to implement a common set of criteria for CSSP awards to cover all CDCs. From then on, we can have a better programme. Sir, I also wish to assure the House that the Home Team will remain committed to the CSSP. As CSSP grows in numbers and in scope, the Home Team will continue to provide support and resources, wherever we can, so that we can achieve the CSSP's goal of building a caring community and safe homes for all our citizens. Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung: Sir, one of the most challenging tasks in any penal system is how to rehabilitate offenders after they have served their sentence. In our society, a criminal conviction carries a stigma that is very difficult to remove. We are not a very forgiving society. Let me recount the fate of an NUS graduate, who graduated with an Upper Second Class degree, whether through the rashness of youth or whatever, he was foolish enough to commit a petty theft for which he was fined $1,000. There was no imprisonment. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the matter. His subsequent punishment, as it were, was much more severe than the fine. Even though he attended many job interviews, he could not find a job, because he had to tell them that he was convicted of an offence.”
“Sir, Mr Charles Chong has just asked for an update on the Community Safety and Security Programme (CSSP). Sir, I am pleased to note that, since the CSSP was launched in 1997, we have made very good progress. In December 1998, there were 66 Residents' Committees involved in the CSSP. Today, we have 502 Residents' Committees and all 53 Neighbourhood Committees have implemented the CSSP. In addition to that, more than 100 schools have adopted the CSSP. But numbers do not tell the whole story, Sir. The range and quality of CSSPs have also seen marked improvement. Today, CSSPs encompass crime and fire prevention, road safety, juvenile delinquency, care and support programmes. In recent years, commercial enterprises, such as markets, have also come on board. And CSSP, as we have noted, is a form of pro-active community self-help. To maintain its effectiveness, it is crucial that all CSSP practitioners receive adequate training in problem solving as well as in community building tools. With this in mind, the Home Team and the People's Association conducted a series of workshops in January this year to train more than 1,700 grassroots leaders and Home Team officers in the skills needed for effective community involvement. We will continue to build up the capabilities of CSSP practitioners, so that we can sustain the CSSP efforts and improve the quality of the solutions devised. We will also expand CSSPs in our schools. School CSSPs mostly belong to one of three categories - juvenile delinquency, preventive education as well as road safety. These programmes have generally been successful although we recognise that we can still do more. Already there are encouraging signs that point to a broadening of the school CSSP programme.”
“I am sure that his words are relevant, not only for the Budget but also for all Singaporeans. We need to make a fundamental shift in the way we see and do things so that together, we could help in the remaking of Singapore. For workers in particular, there is a need for us to respond to the challenge to upgrade our skills, adjust ourselves and we should do this seriously so that we can continue to make ourselves relevant with the changing job profiles in the marketplace. Our investors should also stabilise and strengthen their position. Looking at the region, we should all work hard and grow the Asian economy that is developing and will continue to develop in the years to come. I am sure if all of us play our role, we can change the world at present now into a world where we can all be comfortable and improve our lives as individuals and as a nation. I support the Budget this year.”
“The question is whether our taxation system is strong enough to attract Singaporeans to save. For the present, we find that the interest paid by the banks is very low. It is not attractive. Secondly, for a person who pays tax at the rate of 10%, I think the effect on his savings will not be much for him. Furthermore, should he spend the interest from his savings in the future, it will still be subject to GST. So will the Minister consider enabling all forms of earnings to be exempted from tax because finally if the money is spent later, it would still include a portion for the GST? I think the same should be considered for personal investments. Like all investments, there are risks involved. Not all investments can bring in profit and since the Government has also encouraged the people to invest in shares, I would like to ask whether GST should be charged for the services provided to purchase shares. Mr Deputy Speaker, I am not extending this argument to other forms of investments but only for investment of shares in listed companies in Singapore because for most people investment in shares of well-run companies may be the best way for them in using some of their savings for investments. And this process, I think, is still a learning process for most Singaporeans. I also feel that finally, when their investments are profitable, and Singaporeans who keep some of their earnings can still contribute by way of GST when they spend the money. Finally, Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to refer to the statement of the Minister for Finance when he said that the Budget this year is for a world that has changed and considering that the world has changed and it has brought uncertainties, we as a nation will have to take steps to adjust to it.”
“Firstly, how can we help them to increase their savings and investments. Usually a person with income, his money would be spent on three areas: first, expenses; second, savings and perhaps some on investments. Every individual should make his own decision as to how and how much they should spend, save or invest. Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to suggest that our tax system be structured to encourage more people to work hard and save and also to invest some of their earnings and we should make this advantageous and profitable for our workers. This is necessary because generally many people feel that their purchasing value will be levelled out by inflation, ie, the purchasing value of cash would be eroded over time. So in this way we should give them a strong enough incentive to feel that saving and investing is a wise move. Otherwise, it is possible that many would end up with the idea that it is better to spend all now and worry about all else later. This is not a good situation for Singaporeans. As all forms of expenditure would involve GST, I wonder whether a person will get more benefit if he works hard to increase his savings and investments. At present, I think, based on our present taxation system, the answer is "Yes" and "No". I would explain why. One example is that should a person save every source of his income in a bank, the money escapes the GST, but the saver would have to pay a bank charge. The bank will pay an interest on the savings. However, at present, we find that the interest given by the banks in the form of fixed deposits or ordinary savings is still taxable. The amount of tax would depend on the individual's tax bracket. If the person belongs to a tax bracket of higher than the 5% GST rate, the interest earned would be taxed at a higher rate.”
“This year's Budget has shifted Singapore further into the path of indirect taxes. This is a very important and wise move. Over time, it should bring a lot of good, especially in our effort to be a more competitive business hub as well as to retain and attract talent and to generate investment and to create more jobs for our citizens, in the hope that these jobs would be better and bring higher wages for Singaporeans. Directly and indirectly, the reduced tax rates that had been announced would result in a saving of $900 million to our taxpayers in our country. I hope over the years, such savings would be put to good use, especially in the form of more investments by companies and individuals. The new GST rate of 5% as announced is still among the lowest in the world although we agree that it could have some impact on the prices of goods. However, I believe the effect will not be too difficult for us to cope with. We need not be overly concerned about the effects on Singaporeans. I am sure that the rebates announced should take care of the people who need help. It is very important for us to look at the issues that we are facing now and these issues are not whether the GST should be at 3% or 5%. But to encourage investments and increase job opportunities, and should we fail in this area, we would be facing a bigger problem because without jobs, without income that is stable and permanent, even if we do not impose a GST, Singaporeans would be facing a big problem to survive, so the actual issue is to increase job opportunities for Singaporeans. Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to assess the impact for us to help workers and Singaporeans in general from the income that they receive.”
“Today, in fact, various voluntary welfare organisations have been discussing with schools. They started it in the past and they have devised some programmes which are more suited to the children who attend the SCCs. And I hope these people who raised the matter with Mr Ahmad Magad could start a dialogue with the schools and come up with some programmes together.”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to reply to two questions. Firstly, on the question of parking of school buses raised by Mr Yeo Guat Kwang. Strictly speaking, providing parking facilities for school buses is a matter that does not come under the purview of the Ministry of Education. However, we understand and we are sympathetic with the problems faced by many bus drivers to find a place to park their buses. In fact, since 1983, the MOE has allowed overnight parking for school buses in our schools mainly to help solve the problem of off-street parking faced by them. The position remains the same today. School bus operators who wish to park their buses in any school overnight may apply directly to the school concerned. I hope they will communicate with the school and find a way to get a place to park their vehicles. Today, about a third of our schools are being used by school bus operators to park their buses overnight. That is the situation today. Sir, Mr Ahmad Magad made some suggestions concerning the student care centres. Again, the activities and programmes of the student care centres are matters that do not come under the purview of the Ministry of Education. However, we understand the concerns raised by Mr Ahmad Magad as to how they could maximise their programmes to benefit the school children in the areas where the SCCs operate. One way for the SCCs to design their programmes to meet the needs of the children attending the centres, and if the children come from a few schools around the centres, I suggest the operators engage the schools directly, talk to them and see how they can coordinate their programmes to benefit the students. I am sure many of the schools would be happy to do this.”
“I do not know whether we can prevent our country from having such children. But it is normal to have in our schools cases of discipline. In fact, hon. Members should not be surprised that in some schools the number may increase. What has happened, as had been explained by my Minister earlier, is that our school system is now carrying a lot more students than in the past. What happened previously, especially before we started streaming in 1980, was that many of these children would be outside of the school system. Therefore, they were not captured by our behavioural tracking system or whatever scheme that we have in the schools. What we have done since then is that we want to allow them an opportunity to continue to study. We expect that some of them may come to school with some behavioural problem. The school has a system in place to help them so that they can continue to study and not cause any disruption to other students and, where we can, we will do our best to help them to be more disciplined. Hopefully, with better exposure at secondary school, these children can later on continue with further education. I do not think there is a special study just to find out how we can stop children from misbehaving in our schools, but there is a system in place to track them and try to identify them early so as to reduce the problem.”
“Other than civic and moral education that is already in place, we also engage students through the Community Involvement Programme. This is where we plan to internalise the concept of good moral values in the children. They visit homes and engage with the homes to do some community service. This will hopefully help them to have good moral values. There are other efforts that we do through the schools to help especially those who are at risk. Thus far, we have trained at least two teachers in every school to become teacher-counsellors. In other words, if a child, through our behavioural tracking system, which is already installed in every school, were found to have some problem and is likely to become a discipline case, he will be referred to the teacher-counsellor. In some schools, we have the Special Constabulary officers who are also helping us to deal with some cases of discipline among our children. So there are such cases. Other than counselling, the school has also the right to impose stricter disciplinary measures if they find it necessary. This will hopefully reduce the incidence.”
“Finally, I would like to urge the hon. Members in the House, as leaders in their community, to lead their people to support the schools in their constituencies. We can all treat the children as our own. Get involved in their lives and engage their parents, and involve them in the life of the community. If we can work hand in hand to jointly assume responsibility for our young, the Ministry is confident that we will be able to help our young develop to their full capabilities and contribute positively to society.”
“We hope to start them young in forging strong links with the community. Dr Jennifer Lee will be pleased to note that our schools engage not just the parents but the community in the two areas of communication and partnerships. I had described a little bit about partnerships. Now I will discuss a little bit about communications. Firstly, our principals and teachers do plan various opportunities like the meet-the-parents sessions, school newsletters, parent-teacher associations, prize-presentation events and these are used to explain changes in our education system. They describe how the school programmes develop our children holistically and discuss the progress of each child. On the part of MOE, we ensure that all major changes to the education system and their rationale are also announced through the media and our website. But we also need parents to do their part by attending the school functions, by reading the school newsletters and also hopefully by keeping up with the news. Members have also asked about discipline matters in our schools. I would report here that the state of discipline in our schools is generally good. This has been found based on a research done earlier. The great majority of our students are found to be hardworking, well-behaved and responsible. Serious cases of breach of discipline are infrequent occurrences. A Committee on the discipline of female pupils was set up sometime in 1998 chaired by Dr Aline Wong. They have looked into the matter and found out that generally there has been some increase, but not alarming. The Committee has also made recommendations ranging from preventive measures such as peer support as well as various other programmes intended to achieve what Members asked for, ie, to nip the problem in the bud.”
“Over the past year, COMPASS have visited schools, received briefings on programmes in schools, and attended a seminar on school-home collaboration conducted by an expert. These activities gave COMPASS the background and understanding of the issue to work out what we call the stakeholders' statements and the models of effective school-home collaboration. The stakeholders' statements are student-centred and outline the roles and qualities we expect of each stakeholder in helping the child to learn and grow. At the heart of these statements is the ultimate aim of achieving the Desired Outcomes of Education. These statements should be ready by sometime next month. This year, COMPASS will be formulating various models of effective school-home-community collaborations so that our schools can adopt the good ideas. This should be ready by the end of the year. With the efforts of COMPASS, there will be more frequent and higher quality interactions among parents, schools and the community. In this way, we hope we can better align our efforts to develop our young into robust, industrious and morally upright citizens. To further encourage partnerships between schools and the community, MOE decided also to take a wider view of our co-curricula activities (CCAs). Previously CCA marks were only awarded for activities offered by schools. From this year, CCA marks are awarded to students in secondary schools for their representation in an approved organisation or for their contribution of at least 30 hours of community service beyond the six hours under the Community Involvement Programme. The scheme has also been extended to junior colleges and centralised institutes. This will encourage our students to widen their social circle and interact with the community beyond the school.”
“Our schools also conduct meaningful Community Involvement Programmes that help students build up a sense of responsibility, belonging and commitment to the community and country by way of rendering service. 12.45 pm The situation now is that there is great diversity in the way our schools, on their own, involve the parents and the community. Some organise seminars for parents while others conduct computer courses for parents as well as for community leaders and they tie up with companies and industries for student work attachment programmes. What works best in a particular school might not meet the needs of another. Therefore, MOE encourages schools to try out their ideas. In doing so, they will go out to reach out to the community and along the process we will gain some experience, and we will build upon it. I would like to thank Dr Lily Neo for her suggestion to network with parents and external agencies, especially to help some of our at-risk students. This is what we have been doing and will continue to strive to do even more. Many schools engage the services of part-time professional counsellors, link up with self-help groups, MCD, VWOs, neighbourhood police posts or police centres, work with the Police and Central Narcotics Bureau to conduct talks and programmes. As for mentors, not only do our schools tap on older students and ex-teachers in the school, but also ex-students, tertiary students, parents and other working adults. Many have come forward to help. But there is still more that can be done to strengthen the links between parents, the schools and the community . COMPASS is actively encouraging parents and the community to partner schools to bring up our young.”
“And this is natural for every parent would want his child to succeed and thrive. At MOE, we realise that we need to put in place a framework for schools to engage parents and the community in our children's education, and at a level where there is mutual understanding of the fundamental purpose of education. Every child has talent and ability, and MOE aims to develop to the fullest each child's potential, so that he acquires the values, instincts, attitudes, skills and knowledge to be a useful and responsible individual and citizen. In this respect, we have set up the Community and Parents in Support of Schools (COMPASS). COMPASS is a national advisory council to advise the Ministry on ways and means to promote and strengthen school-home-community collaborations. COMPASS has and will continue to solicit feedback and ideas from parents and the community. It will then develop a common understanding about what are the different roles of the school, the parents and the community in the upbringing as well as the education of our children. Already, many of our schools have built up strong traditions and alumni. In 1998, MOE announced that children of former students would be given higher priority for Primary One registration if their parents were also members of the school alumni association. Since then, the number of primary schools with affiliated alumni associations has increased around 50%, from 33 to 48. We also have the School Advisory and Management Committees that give members of the community and parents opportunities to be involved in school governance and its activities.”
“Sir, the three Members have raised various issues concerning our students and the role of parents. May I take this opportunity to enlighten Members on some of the efforts undertaken by the Ministry to achieve some of these improvements. Firstly, holistic education of a child, we believe, cannot and should not fall squarely on the shoulders of schools. Parents and the community have a role to play. In this case, I agree with both Mr Sin Boon Ann and Dr Lily Neo that we need to get our children to believe in and to practise the good values taught in our schools. Parents and community too help in moulding the child's character, building up his inner motivation, developing a sense of belonging, spirit of service to the community, and also in creating the environment to help the child learn better. The leverage comes from parents, community and schools working in tandem to nurture our young. Also, where one faces constraints, the others can rise to the call and help to address the need. There are two main reasons why the Ministry of Education is now stepping up its efforts in strengthening these partnerships. The first is to recapture some of the spirit of community service or gotong royong for schools. This spirit used to come about almost naturally in the past because schools then were mainly set up by the community. But today, with education being seen as the responsibility of the Government, there is a need and we must try our best to rekindle the bonding, loyalty and mutual sense of responsibility among schools, parents and community. The second is the changing structure of our society and homes. Dr Lily Neo mentioned that in many households, both parents work, and therefore they have less time to interact with their children. Parental expectations have also increased.”
“over the last 40 years, the PAP has done its best to provide good government in Singapore. By governing the country wisely, it has done over the last four decades its best to promote investment in Singapore, to create jobs and to provide job opportunities for our people. We have done our best. Our earlier generation of Ministers and MPs has left this House but I think we should not forget that under the PAP Government and leadership, we have provided education and training for our people so that they can fit themselves well in the new and modern economy. And over the last 40 years, we have done our best. The PAP Government has done its best to improve the people's income and the standard of living. We have done our best to build almost one million flats in Singapore as part of a long-term effort to promote home ownership at affordable prices. We have done our best to encourage savings to be used in good times, to be used on rainy days and to be used in future when they retire. I think all these are efforts that will probably continue. I hope we will continue to have good government in the future And it also shows that the PAP Government actually cares for the people. I believe we have done the right things over the last 40 years which is one of the few reasons why today we have not been badly affected by this economic turmoil or crisis. I think that is the best way to identify ourselves with the people, and not by moving a motion to score political points.”
“This is an increase of about 39 cases from the previous year in 1995, where there were 101 cases tracked, and all these cases were dealt with. We counselled them, we gave them warning, involved their parents in such cases, and some students were caned, and ultimately they were referred to the Police if they did not improve. So all these measures, Sir, have given us an assurance that the situation is indeed problematic but under control. We will keep monitoring the situation and work with other Government agencies to keep it at a low level. I must conclude by saying that Mr Singh is not wrong in mentioning that he is worried that there is indeed a general rise in juvenile delinquency in Singapore. But then we should not blame our schools and put everything on the shoulders of principals and teachers because this is not just a matter for the schools to handle, but also for our society as a whole. By our effort in providing a minimum of 10 years' education and by keeping many of these students in school, we are in fact keeping them usefully occupied by providing them opportunities --- 3.20 pm”
“Prison visits are organised by the Police for such students and the NYC street-wise programme, which will start later this year, is targetted at providing counselling to our youths who are involved in gang activities. Since 1995, the Ministry started what we call the Behaviour Tracking and Analysis scheme. This tracking has given us some indication on the extent of students' involvement in gangsterism in school. From the data given by the Police on juvenile student offenders arrested, we have 1,484 cases in 1993. It went up to 1,762 in 1994, 2,239 cases in 1995, and in 1996 there was a drop to 1,773 cases. These numbers may look big, but at the same time each year it comprises roughly about 0.3% to 0.37% of our student population in secondary schools. In other words, although it is more than 1,000 cases, actually it is very small compared to the number of students we have in school. Mr Singh is also worried about the activity of gangsterism in schools. Sir, I must say that our schools are in a controlled environment whereby those people who try to promote negative activities, including gangsterism, should be aware that we have in every secondary school about 50 to 70 teachers, including our VSC officers, in their job and a network of students in the school, which will make it very difficult. I do not think secondary schools will become a fertile ground to promote gangsterism. In fact, Sir, if these people try to promote gangsterism in school, I think chances are that we are going to spot them and we are going to refer them to the Police. In fact, last year, under our Behaviour Tracking and Analysis (BETA) scheme, teachers in schools, with the help of their students, managed to track 140 cases of students involved in gangs.”
“The third module on effective learning develops the cognitive competence of pupils to enable them to learn more effectively to construct meaning in what they are learning and making learning more interesting. All these are already in place in our schools. We have also recently launched the Volunteer Special Constabulary (VSC) Scheme. Discipline masters and teachers from nine secondary schools underwent programmes to be appointed as hon. VSC senior officers. They will be a symbol of police presence in our schools and they liaise and network with the police and advise their schools in police related matters. We also have what is called the Police Caution cases. A programme has been developed between MOE, MCD, the Police and the National Council of Social Service to formalise a referral system for counselling and for selected juvenile delinquents who have committed offences and not charged in court. We also have another scheme called the Peer Group Advisers programme where the Juvenile Court initiated the programme to enable students from neighbourhood schools to participate in the processes in the juvenile criminal justice system. Then we also have Peer Mediation programme whereby the Subordinate Courts and the MOE train student leaders to help their peers to resolve conflicts and disputes in schools. Up to now, we have 126 teachers from 63 secondary schools and all guidance teachers have been trained up to now. With regard to Mr Singh's concern about measures to deal with gangsterism, I must say that students that are involved in gangsterism are usually referred to the CID or the Police.”
“Sir, I will answer Mr Inderjit Singh's second question first, ie, whether we should ban tamagotchi toys in schools. Our approach is slightly different in this case. Instead of banning tamagotchi today and maybe you have a tamagotcha coming into the market tomorrow and some other "tama" later on, we have in fact regulations in place in our schools to avoid many of these things from coming into the schools. In fact, the Ministry has the confidence that our schools already know how to deal with this. Many schools do not allow students to bring in or play with electronic gadgets or toys in school. Principals and teachers have enough authority to set the rules in school to ensure that students are not distracted by unnecessary gadgets and games. I am sure the schools will deal firmly with this and the Ministry of Education will back them up. So the chances of tamagotchi becoming part of our school life are definitely almost zero. Mr Inderjit Singh also raised the question of discipline in schools and his worry about poor discipline affecting our education. May I first deal with what the Ministry is doing about this in this area. First, in our life skills packages for primary, secondary and junior colleges, there are two modules available. One is on personal effectiveness and the other is on inter-personal effectiveness. These two modules address the issue of pupil's self-esteem. Pupils are taught how and why they should learn to accept themselves and to control their anger. Pupils are given important life skills like saying no to negative peer influence, building a rewarding relationship with others and solving conflicts in non-violent ways. These are what they call "psycho-social skills".”
“The Principal is obliged to inform the parents concerned of the outcome of the investigations and any action the school has taken. It has been found that many instances of parents' unhappiness arise out of misunderstanding and these can be easily sorted out by the Principal. If parents are not satisfied with the action taken by the school, they may raise the matter with the Ministry. The Ministry will investigate the complaints only after the matter has been first raised with the Principal of the school. Complaints against the Principal should as far as possible also be raised with the Principal himself. If the complainant deems this inappropriate, he may raise this with the Ministry by writing to the Director-General of Education. The Ministry will acknowledge receipt of the complaint and keep the complainant informed of any action taken. If investigations, either in the school or at the Ministry, uncover that the complaint is false and malicious, appropriate action will be pursued against the complainant. The Ministry's concern in the entire matter is to ensure that schools are run commensurate with their mission of developing every student not only intellectually but socially and morally as well. Sir, I hope these procedures can provide the necessary channels for parents with grievances and they can take it up as necessary.”
“Schools indeed should maintain regular contacts with parents and inform them of their children's performance and development. However, the Member is very concerned about some misconduct or over-zealousness on the part of parents. In this regard, Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Ministry's main mission, and that is, to develop, implement and manage a flexible education system which would bring about the best in students and develop in them sound moral values and a strong foundation in the basic skills necessary to earn a living. In doing so, it is important to note that our teachers in schools can succeed in their mission only with the full support and confidence of parents and the community. Mutual trust and close cooperation between the schools and parents are necessary to ensure that children will benefit fully from schooling. The Ministry has confidence in the professional competence and judgment of our principals and teachers. The vast majority of teachers are committed, competent and caring professionals who have the interest of their pupils at heart. This is an important message for us to remind our parents. When in schools the pupils come under the authority of the principals and teachers. Our schools expect the support of parents for the good of their children, and parents should accord schools this right. At the same time, schools are open to constructive feedback from parents and the public. However, any feedback or complaints about teachers should be raised with the Principal because the Principal is empowered to deal with and resolve such complaints. 2.30 pm Parents who are unhappy with teachers should see the Principal or Vice-Principal of the school.”
“Sir, Mr Peh Chin Hua raised some issues concerning counselling for parents. I thank him for raising these issues. In fact, parents, especially difficult ones, other than helping schools, can also at times dampen the effort of our schools and our teachers in trying to meet the targets set. He is right, Sir. Indeed, many schools encounter many kinds of parents. But most of them are very supportive of the schools, the principals and the teachers, and they have cooperated in the work handled by teachers in school. But there will always be some who do not see eye to eye with the school. This is where the problem is and this is what the Member mentioned. However, Sir, unfortunately, the Ministry of Education is not in a position to set up a counselling centre for difficult parents as proposed by Mr Peh. Neither can schools be asked to send such parents for counselling. We are not in a position to do that. We also cannot use the pupil's place in the school as a threat to bring difficult parents in line. Where there are conflicts, schools would try to resolve the conflicts amicably. And, if necessary, they can refer such matters to the Ministry of Education. Mr Peh also mentioned the incidence of some teachers being beaten up by parents. From what I can recall, there was one incident in 1995, and the parent had been dealt with in the courts. He is also right in mentioning the need for channels of communication to provide a stronger support between parents and schools through PTAs, etc. Indeed, schools have sufficient channels to communicate with parents. And these would include one-to-one meeting, what we call meet-the-parents' sessions, newsletters and also pupils' progress reports.”
“The historical ties between the two countries are very close that many Malays, Indians and Chinese in both places have relatives and close friends. Some people have described Singapore/Malaysia ties as that between the nail and the flesh of the finger, or like that between two brothers or sisters. The Prime Minister has said that our ties are like water - even if we cut it with a knife, it could not be cut. Only in this instance, the water is not sweet but sour. This sweet and sour taste is normal in any ties. But both sides could determine whether the water would always be sweet or sour. Or perhaps we may have to get used to the sweet and sour taste which is not normal but could still be acceptable? Mr Deputy Speaker, both nations also have large economic ties. We need one another. The success and prosperity of both countries should be viewed as profitable developments which benefit both nations. There are many other reasons to show how both nations have more to benefit in working to settle the situation. In fact, the faster the situation is solved, the better it should be. I have said earlier that it is only people like Tang Liang Hong and Abdul Razak Ahmad who will have reasons to allow this situation to continue. We do not have to entertain them and make things difficult for more than 20 million other people. Sir, I support the motion.”
“Both sides will be able to give attention to the development of the people and the nation and not be involved in accusation and counter-accusation to the extent that the actions of some children, drunkards and drug addicts who urinate in lifts, have been made into examples that Singaporeans are uncivilised. My view is that this has gone on far enough and if no serious efforts are made by both sides to settle the matter, I am worried that many other issues will be dragged into this controversy. For example, the issue of the Malayan Railway land and its station at Tanjong Pagar had been raised, including several other pieces of land that it manages, despite agreements having been signed in the Memorandum of Understanding in 1990. Recently, the Ministry of National Development tried to give its perspective concerning reports published in the New Straits Times of Malaysia. But its efforts were blocked to the extent that MND tried to pay for advertisements. This too was not allowed. I think it would be preferable if the actual situation could be explained in this House so that Singaporeans could understand what is happening and why it has come to such a situation. Is it true that we are always creating difficulties and are not complying with the 1990 MOU? I hope the relevant authorities could clarify the situation. Mr Deputy Speaker, all this while, Malaysia has always been a popular choice of Singaporeans to go for their holidays or investment. In fact, as our close neighbour, Malaysia has a special place in the hearts and minds of Singaporeans. Malaysia is not only easy for us to go to by land, air or sea, but it also has many similarities with Singapore in terms of race, language, culture and food. In addition, many people go to Malaysia not only for a holiday.”
“Fourthly, the question that has been haunting us is whether Malaysians are influenced by all the reports and criticisms against Singapore made in their mass media. If this is so, will Singaporeans be treated, as usual, with warmth when they go across the Causeway for their holidays? Mr Deputy Speaker, this question has been the cause why many Singaporeans are reluctant to go for vacation in Malaysia at this time, that is, during the school holidays. Fifthly, will investments costing billions of dollars from Singaporean individuals and companies in Malaysia be safe? This question also needs to be answered. Will their investments be target also? Nobody knows the answer. But investors will of course consider current developments and whether it is wise for them to devote too much capital in Malaysia only or should they channel some of their investments to other countries in ASEAN which are very happy with Singapore's participation in their economic development. Mr Deputy Speaker, there are many other questions which we are asking ourselves. This is because since the separation from Malaysia, there have been many times when Singaporeans saw the outburst of anger by Malaysia. Perhaps, because we are so used to such a situation, many people prefer to keep quiet and look on. But this does not mean that we do not learn any lesson from all these situations. However, I am convinced that, basically, many people in Singapore and Malaysia will feel happier if the situation were to improve and our ties be restored.”
“Is there any hope that it could be settled quickly? Many Singaporeans are puzzled. Looking at the reaction in Malaysia, we wondered: Firstly, does Malaysia have any other agenda behind this anger over Mr Lee Kuan Yew's affidavit? If they were angry over that, why is it that even after the issue was settled, their anger still goes on? Are they hoping to motivate Malaysians to work harder and to be united in overtaking Singapore in the economic field? These are among the questions that we are asking ourselves. But if this is their hope, why not compete fairly? In fact, we can compete and cooperate for the benefit of both countries. The second matter is whether the freezing of ties which had been reported by the Bernama news agency as a Cabinet decision and later denied by the Malaysian authorities is still being implemented on the quiet. Otherwise, why is the call by Mr Goh Chok Tong that both countries move on from here and restore bilateral cooperation not being responded? In fact, as far as I can remember, all proposals that this matter be settled have not been reciprocated. How long more will it take for the situation to cool down and to restore ties? Third, what should be done by Singapore considering that calls to cut off the water supply are normally bound to be made every time there are difficulties? I am convinced that it is important for us to re-think our dependency on the water supply from Johor through resources within our country, through desalination of sea water, sources in Indonesia perhaps, and through water saving measures. Through these ways, should the situation get out of control and perhaps one day, when our water supply is cut off, Singaporeans need not die of thirst.”