Ong Kian Min
Singapore
“Sir, on the first case, as I said, my resident approached me at the MPS. I wrote to the Traffic Police to appeal for him. I am sure the Traffic Police would look into that appeal and reply to that resident accordingly. The two other cases were not based on hearsay upon hearsay because those were personal encounters by these two friends.”
“My point in raising this is: among the motoring community there is this fear, whether it is real or perceived, that they should not seek medical treatment immediately in case the Police were to issue them with a summons for careless driving.”
“Unless the motorcyclist is so seriously injured that he has no alternative but to be taken to the hospital by ambulance, he would steer clear of the hospital so as to avoid the fate of being reported against and penalised.”
“They are counted as having taken two HDB loans. They are deemed to have had their two bites of the cherry, but is the quantitative number of bites or loans a fair measure of the amount of subsidy enjoyed?”
“Still on the matter of languages, I am of the view that schools should promote more actively the learning of Malay or Bahasa Indonesia by non-Malays, the reason being that Indonesia and Malaysia are our immediate neighbours.”
“And are there more efficient ways of apprehending errant litterbugs? NEA raised the composition fine for first-time minor littering offenders from $200 to $300 last year. I would like to ask: can and do the foreign workers that have been caught littering pay up this fine?”
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“This new section deals with the use of mobile telephones and other telecommunications equipment by motorists while on the road. In recent years, the mobile telephone has become quite ubiquitous in Singapore. For many people on the move, it has become an indispensable tool in their busy schedules. As the use of mobile telephones becomes more and more common and widespread, I support the urgent need to have express laws on their use while driving on the road. It is also important that the laws are clear and leave no room for doubt or argument as to what manner of use is prohibited as many people will be affected by these laws. Looking at the proposed section 65B, I am afraid it is less than clear as to the meaning of the word "use" in its context. The word "use" has been defined to mean "holding a mobile telephone in one hand while using it to communicate with any person". This definition appears to be too restrictive as the ordinary meaning of the word "communicate" in English is to speak to another person. Does this cover situations where the motorist is in the process of punching in the numbers on the keypad, or when he is holding the phone to his ear while waiting for his call to be answered by the other side, or when he is doing some mobile banking, or accessing his SingTel voicemail? But clearly, all these situations are just as dangerous as the driver has to steer with one hand, hold his telephone in the other and take his eyes and concentration away from the road in doing so. The point I would like to make is that offenders may have all sorts of excuses to show that they were not communicating with anyone at that point in time when they were stopped by the policeman.”
“On conviction, unless the court, for special reasons, thinks fit to order otherwise, the offender shall be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period of not less than 12 months. What this means to the layman is that once he is caught with alcohol in his body exceeding the prescribed limit, it is almost without doubt and without exception that he will be disqualified by the court. However, only when death or serious injury results may his driving licence be immediately suspended from the time he is charged with the offence until the offence is tried and determined in court. When no death or injury is caused, there is no provision for immediate suspension of the accused's driving licence. I would therefore like to ask the Minister whether he would consider imposing immediate suspension in drink driving cases by including this as an additional category of offences in the proposed section 47C(1A) of the Road Traffic Act. To me, if drink driving is so serious and so undesirable, the ingredients and test for the offence strictly and objectively applied and the sentence of mandatory disqualification is certain, then why wait until the offender is charged in court and convicted before taking him off the roads? This would help to drive home the seriousness of this offence, making it clear to every driver that every time he drives while under the influence of alcohol, he is endangering his own life and the lives of others and it should not make a difference whether any injury or death has been caused by his irresponsible behaviour. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 7.12 pm The second issue I would like to raise relates to the proposed section 65B as set out in clause 12 of the Bill.”
“The problem of drink driving is of concern in Singapore because of the growing number of such cases, especially during the festive periods, which led the authorities to launch the Anti-Drink Drive campaign in December last year. The Straits Times on 12th December 1998 reported that in the first 10 months of last year, 493 motorists were convicted of drink driving and all of them were disqualified from driving by the court. It was also reported that on 17th December 1998, 23 persons were charged and convicted in court for drink driving offences and all were given sentences which included jail terms and driving bans. Sir, over the years, the law relating to drink driving has been progressively enhanced and penalties for drink related offences made heavier and heavier by previous amendments to the Road Traffic Act. I agree with this approach. The public has been continually warned of the effects and consequences of drink driving. But the increased incidence of drink driving indicates that the problem is rooted more in the irresponsible attitudes of people rather than in ignorance. Since drunkenness is self-induced, drink driving is therefore totally preventable. Our laws should therefore have a strong deterrent effect on would-be offenders who risk their own lives and the lives of others by drinking and driving. Sir, as it now stands, the Road Traffic Act provides that any person who, when driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, has so much alcohol in his body that the proportion of it exceeds 35 microgrammes in 100 mls of breath or 80 minigrammes in 100 mls of blood is guilty of an offence regardless of whether he is in fact fit to drive or capable of having proper control of his vehicle.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to speak in support of the Bill and appreciate the opportunity to express my comments and thoughts on three issues which I feel we should take the opportunity which this Bill presents to address. Sir, in considering the proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Act, I think we should bear in mind the most important objective of such regulations, which is the deterrent effect they have to prevent the offences they create. Not only must the laws be clear as to what is prohibited on our roads, the penalties which they impose must reflect the seriousness of the particular offences in question and be sufficiently severe to deter people from committing the offences in the first place. After all, what is at stake here are the lives of all the people who use our roads daily, whether as motorists, pedestrians or passengers. My first point relates to clause 7 of the Bill where it is proposed that section 47C of the principal Act be amended to add to the circumstances under which the Deputy Commissioner of Police may immediately suspend the driving licence of a person who has caused death or serious injury to another person while driving. I would like to ask the Minister whether other offences which provide mandatory disqualification upon conviction by the court should also be covered. Such offences include reckless or dangerous driving and illegal racing under sections 64 and 116, respectively of the Road Traffic Act, theft of a motor vehicle or component parts under section 379A of the Penal Code, and driving and being in charge of a motor vehicle whilst under the influence of drink or drug under sections 67 and 68 respectively of the Road Traffic Act. Sir, please allow me to elaborate on the drink-related offences I last mentioned.”
“The present crisis then may be seen as a test of our true strength and potential. Our actions and the measures we take are constantly scrutinised by foreign analysts, economists and international investors and the media. And the consensus among these watchers is that we have a very sound system that so far has withstood the test of the crisis. There is every reason for us to feel confident that the Government, from its track record - first in putting the system and infrastructure together, and then, in continuing to maintain its soundness and integrity, will be able to lead Singapore out of this crisis. With this confidence, every Singaporean should feel able to give his fullest support to the CSC's recommendations and the cost reduction package which are to be adopted by the Government. Sir, I support the motion standing in the name of the Minister for Trade and Industry. EXEMPTED BUSINESS (Motion) Resolved, That the proceedings on the item of business under discussion be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. COMMITTEE ON SINGAPORE'S COMPETITIVENESS (Motion) Debate resumed.”
“Besides the workers who are directly employed under the payroll of the MNCs, there are many other workers who are employed by the multitude of companies and businesses that depend on the MNCs as their suppliers and sub-contractors. However, in this area, we face stiff competition for investments and jobs from other places. For instance, in the consumer electronics industry, countries and regions like Mexico and Eastern Europe, which are geographically closer to the huge booming consumer markets of USA and Europe, are being considered by MNCs as very attractive alternatives for them to set up their operations. Singapore has done well in attracting new investments by MNCs in the past and should continue to imaginatively develop and exploit all possible niches which will make us a world class business and financial centre. Sir, while we are working hard at attracting new foreign direct investments, we should not take for granted those MNCs which have already sunk in their investments here. We must consistently and constantly review the difficulties these MNCs face in their operations in Singapore and ask ourselves whether we are doing enough to meet their needs and to retain them. Should these MNCs decide to end their operations here and move elsewhere, they would probably be lost to Singapore forever, as having had a bad and painful experience, it will be very difficult and will take many years before their top management can justify starting up in Singapore again, even if we are able to remedy the problems at that time. Sir, in conclusion, I would like to say that in debating the measures that need to be taken, we must not forget that, as a developing economy, Singapore has succeeded beyond all initial expectations through the hard work of the people and the Government.”
“I feel that this is an expedient time to look into possible changes to our GST structure so as to help our local manufacturers to take advantage of the lower costs of production in other countries within the growth triangle framework. The second point I would like to raise is that in order to provide value and to increase revenue, our local electronics contract manufacturers must do more than merely provide a manufacturing service. We must rise up the added value chain by offering technological innovation and more complete product solutions for customers. There is a global trend towards third party out-sourcing. This provides the opportunity for contract manufacturers who have R&D capabilities to offer innovative product solutions by suggesting improvements to the existing products in terms of their specifications or by reducing cost through new and more efficient production methods. The Taiwanese are particularly good at this. However, for Singapore, it is easier said than done. But the tripartite relationship between the big businesses, entrepreneurs and Government can be a powerful synergistic force to bring about a change in the manufacturing industry here. The entrepreneurs who have new product ideas, the established businesses with their financial resources and the Government which can provide the necessary infrastructure and assistance should work together in a more concerted and focused way to allow these ideas to materialise into useful and successful products. My third point is that Singapore will continue to depend heavily on attracting foreign investments here to provide jobs for our people and to maintain growth.”
“While we may have the skilled workforce to do some parts of the assembly work that require higher technology, the low-tech components must be farmed out to be done elsewhere, like Johor and Batam, so that we can finally put them altogether here in Singapore for export. This was the original idea behind the growth triangle. However, one obstacle to this being carried out in practice is the imposition of the goods and services tax (GST). To maintain Singapore's position as a manufacturing hub, I believe we should refine the present GST structure in regard to import of semi-finished products. Under the present GST structure, unless a particular supply of goods into Singapore is meant for re-export or falls under one of the approved schemes, like the bonded warehouse scheme, GST will be payable by the importer on the supply. This does not accommodate the practice of manufacturers who carry out certain stages of their production process outside Singapore. When the works-in-progress are sent back to Singapore after completion of the relevant process, these manufacturers will be required to pay GST on the semi-finished products which are considered taxable import supplies. Although the GST paid by the manufacturer at that point can be re-claimed as input tax when the finished goods are subsequently sold or exported, it does mean that the GST paid on the supply of semi-finished products will be tied up for a period of time. Although GST is only 3%, this can represent a relatively sizable amount, considering that a typical contract manufacturer makes only about 2% to 5% in net margins.”
“And with a mere drop of a quarter, ie, 25 cents, they could dial into their head office's computer or an Internet Service Provider, retrieve their e-mails, communicate with head office and friends, and even surf the World Wide Web. During the last few days, I examined every public phone I came across, whether at Changi Airport or Raffles Place, but had not been able to find one which allowed me to plug in my portable computer to send an e-mail. Sir, I support the recommendations by the Committee that manufacturing and services should be promoted as the twin engines of growth. Today, I would like to focus on the manufacturing sector. Before I proceed further, I would like to disclose my interest in the subject as a director of a public listed electronics contract manufacturer and a director and equity contributor of a start-up technology company. I would like to bring up three points. The first is for a review of the GST structure to facilitate part of the manufacturing processes to be carried out in neighbouring countries. Second, local contract manufacturers must be encouraged to provide more than merely a manufacturing service. And, third, meeting the needs of existing MNCs that have already invested here in Singapore. I hope the relevant Ministries and Government agencies will consider these. First, as a manufacturing centre, our land limitation and highly skilled workforce have made us too expensive to manufacture and assemble the entire product in Singapore. I do not believe we should even try to do so.”
“Workers are prepared to accept and adopt these measures despite the pain that will result, but bosses must realise that their businesses cannot depend on cost-cutting alone to survive this crisis and expect to emerge stronger thereafter. In the long term, it is clear, even without the economic crisis, that the only way to achieve a globally competitive position is for businesses to undergo structural reforms which are not merely based on price but on quality and added value. One of the main causes for the fall in revenue for most companies is, of course, the reduced demand for their goods and services in the domestic and regional markets. The thing which employers cannot afford to do now is to simply sit tight, paralysed with ignorance and uncertainty into wishing and waiting for the good times to return, hoping in the meantime for more cost-cutting measures to be initiated by the Government. As the Chinese saying goes, a raft in the rapids that does not move forward moves backwards. Even with reduced costs, if nothing is done to counter the drop in revenue, profit margins would diminish and eventually disappear if revenue falls below expenses, and that business will eventually die, although at a slower pace. Businesses must therefore find ways to tap new markets and increase revenue. They must be nimble and responsive to the needs of the market and to the consumers. As a simple example, in telecommunications, the Internet is changing the way we communicate and the way we source for and retrieve information in a very fundamental way. During a recent visit to the United States, I was pleasantly surprised to find public telephones which had a separate built-in data port so that executives on the move could plug in their laptop computers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to speak in support of the measures recommended by the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness and the cost reduction package announced by DPM yesterday. The Committee has succeeded in presenting Singapore's current competitive position and in setting out the various strategies that should be adopted to improve our overall position. I believe that even in the midst of the monumental changes that have swept us and this region during the last year and a half, it is timely that we review our strategies for long-term survival and growth. To focus on the current problems without regard for the long-term solutions would be shortsighted, like looking merely at the leaves and not seeing the entire forest. In trying to overcome the current economic difficulties, we must not be distracted from pursuing long-term priorities which are required to remain relevant and to further enhance our position in the world. The short-term measures have essentially focused on cost reduction to help businesses survive the current economic crisis. I support the urgent need to make immediate adjustments to costs here in order to adapt to the changed economic environment. The cost reduction package announced yesterday touched on a multitude of ways in which business costs in Singapore could be directly and indirectly reduced so that commercial transactions could take place more efficiently and without undue wastage. However, the cost reduction measures, crucial as they are, during this period do not provide the be-all and end-all solution to the problems faced by our businesses and to increase their competitiveness. The cost-cutting measures are only temporary holding measures to give as many enterprises as possible a fighting chance to survive in the interim.”
“On the part of the company, as the consideration will be paid out of distributable profits, does the company have to deduct tax at source as in the case for dividend payment, or are there any situations where the purchase of shares could be regarded as something akin to a distribution made as a result of reduction of the company's share capital and hence not accessible to tax? Lastly, if tax is to be deducted at source, could the individual shareholder obtain a tax credit in respect of the amount deducted? Sir, I hope the Minister will enlighten us on these issues.”
“It seems that a cap of 10% is an arbitrary limit. Given that one of the reasons for a company to want to repurchase the shares is to make efficient use of the surplus funds, and circumstances differ from one company to the next, the application of such a fixed cap uniformly on all companies may be too inflexible. Although having a limit may be prudent for a start, this issue should be reviewed from time to time to allow for a gradual liberalisation of the rules over time. This limit should be raised or lifted when companies become more familiar with the buy-back procedure and when shareholders become better able to evaluate how proposed buy-back schemes affect their interest. My fourth point is in regard to the adequacy of the proposed provisions in safeguarding the interest of creditors. I observe that the main protection afforded to creditors is found in new section 76F(3) where every director or manager of a company who approves or authorises the purchase or acquisition of the company's own shares knowing that the company is insolvent or will become insolvent as a result of the purchase is made personally and criminally liable. However, the purchase is not void nor voidable, and creditors will have to sue the directors and managers in their personal capacity to recover the shortfall. This may be cold comfort to the creditors if the directors and managers are of shallow means. Finally, Sir, as mentioned by my colleague, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, I hope the Minister will clarify a number of related issues on the taxation implications.”
“While on this issue of market purchases by listed companies, I would like to propose that there should also be some safeguards in relation to the execution of the buy-back trades. Will the Minister consider imposing restrictions, for example, that a company cannot purchase its own shares at a price higher than 5% above the average of the last share price recorded on the last five days on which the shares were traded on the Stock Exchange? This will prevent the company from chasing the share price up and paying unnecessarily high prices in a volatile market. My second point relates to the necessity of restricting permitted purchases to ordinary shares in the company. This point has also been raised by my colleague, Mr Leong Horn Kee. The term "ordinary shares" has not been defined in the amendments nor in the principal Act, but would presumably refer to voting shares or equity shares as compared to preference shares which carry special rights with respect to, for example, repayment of capital, dividends and voting. There does not seem to be a clear reason why other shares, perhaps other than redeemable preference shares, could not be repurchased by the company. However, while I believe that it may not be necessary to restrict share buy-backs to ordinary shares, I do think that it is necessary to provide that only fully paid up shares may be repurchased, which has not been expressly provided in the amendments. Otherwise, creditors may lose a valuable asset on liquidation of the company, ie, of uncalled capital if the shares which have been repurchased and cancelled were only partially paid up. Thirdly, again I share Mr Leong's concern, under the proposed amendments, a company can only purchase up to 10% of the issued share capital during the relevant period.”
“The objective of this requirement seems to be protection of shareholders' interest by placing a cap on the maximum amount of funds which may be used for the purchases. However, this is open to abuse and manipulation. To add to the concerns of my colleague, Mr Leong Horn Kee, the proposed maximum price, being price sensitive information, will have an impact on the movement of the share price because it reflects management's view of the performance and prospects of the company. The prices of securities are largely influenced by investor confidence which can be boosted or shaken by management's action or announcement. Management must therefore exercise great care in arriving at a proposed maximum price before disseminating to the shareholders by way of the notice of resolution. Once the notice is released and publicised, investors will scrutinise the proposal and come to their own judgment about the company's performance and prospects even before the holding of the shareholders' meeting where the directors have the opportunity to explain their views on the proposal. Could the Minister, therefore, reconsider the merits of requiring such a specific information as the maximum share price to be made known and weigh them against its potential for abuse and manipulation? If the maximum share price has to be specified, I believe there should be rules or guidelines on the steps and precautions to be taken in determining this maximum price so that companies would not arbitrarily set a price which is without basis and proper justification. As this issue relates to listed companies, perhaps the Stock Exchange of Singapore could incorporate the appropriate safeguards in its regulations on market purchases by companies listed on the SES.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to express my support for this Bill. Legislation permitting companies to buy back or redeem their shares from shareholders has been enacted in various jurisdictions. In principle, it is desirable for companies to have the flexibility and power to do so, provided that shareholders and creditors are adequately protected. Indeed, as the experience of other jurisdictions indicates, this power to buy back shares has proved very useful to companies and has generally given rise to few problems. I expect the amendments will be warmly welcomed by the business and investment communities here in Singapore. For many companies, the proposed amendments contained in this Bill will provide the option of a more flexible capital structure on which real economic and financial advantages could be obtained if the power to repurchase shares is exercised judiciously. However, I have the following five points to raise with regard to whether the proposed amendments will allow Singapore companies to achieve the maximum benefits that could be derived from having share buy-back legislation of this nature, as well as whether the regulatory framework provided by the proposed legislation will be able to protect creditors and shareholders of the company adequately. The first issue I would like to raise relates to market purchases by public listed companies. Under the proposed section 76E, market purchases are permitted on the Stock Exchange if the listed company has been authorised in advance by its shareholders. To obtain the authorisation, the company, in its notice of general meeting, has to specify among other things the maximum price which may be paid for the shares.”
“For example, as the Minister has clarified just now, whether to proceed with the upgrading works will be left to the residents and they have to obtain more than 75% of the votes of the residents before they can carry out the upgrading programme. But to the aggrieved flat owner whose unit is to be acquired by the HDB, it is no comfort to him to think that the majority of the residents of the estate would of course want the HDB to acquire his flat for some communal facilities which will be of benefit to the majority of the residents. After all, the money for the compensation will be paid by the HDB, and not out of the upgrading project budget, or out of pockets of the majority of the residents.”
“Could the Minister assure us that this will not be the case and that the power of compulsory acquisition will not be exercised in such situations? Where the flat unit is needed to become part of some communal facilities under the upgrading plan, the flat, as the Minister has pointed out, would be acquired by the HDB for the use of the flat to be changed. The main concern of the flat owner would then be the amount of compensation which he will receive. In this regard, could the Minister clarify the basis upon which HDB will determine the compensation to be paid? Would the quantum of compensation be based on valuation of the unit as an HDB flat as provided by qualified HDB valuers, or its value as part of a kindergarten or senior citizen's corner, for example? Further, the new subsection 9 provides that the owner may object to the compensation offered by the Board by stating his grounds in writing. I have some queries in relation to this issue. What are the grounds of objection which can be validly raised by the owner? Is it a valid ground that the market valuation obtained from qualified HDB valuers is higher than those offered by the HDB? Sir, I have raised the above issues in relation to the compulsory acquisition of flats because I feel that it is important for the public to know when and how they may be affected by this power to be given to the HDB to acquire the flat. While the actual number of flat owners who will be affected is likely to be very small, I believe these issues should be clarified to prevent any misconceptions which may affect the support given by HDB flat owners for upgrading projects in their precinct.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill, in particular the provisions enabling HDB to issue bonds as this would have the added benefit of contributing to the development of our capital markets. However, I would like to seek clarification on the amendment set out in clause 7 of the Bill in relation to the compulsory acquisition of flats in upgrading projects. HDB upgrading programmes have, in general, met with good public response since its introduction. Many owners of upgraded HDB flats testify to the greater enjoyment of their improved homes and surrounding environment as well as the appreciation in the values of their flats. This is despite the fact that inconvenience and disruption may be caused to carry out the upgrading works. For example, it is sometimes necessary to gain access into individual flats in order to carry out the works on other parts of the building. In such cases, the Board is presently empowered under section 65J of the principal Act to authorise entry into any flat for the purpose of carrying out such works. Under the proposed amendment to section 65J, the Board is to be given a further power to compulsorily acquire HDB flats for upgrading works to be carried out in an approved project. In view of the broad wording of this section, could the Minister give assurance to the House that this power of acquisition will not be exercised by the Board for situations other than those which he had mentioned just now? One fear I have is that for practical reasons, the contractor may wish to have access to a particular flat to carry out upgrading works to other parts of the building and therefore it may be expeditious for the contractor to lobby the HDB to acquire the flat for him to carry out the works in other parts of the building.”
“Sir, the Government has announced that with slower economic growth, the MUP has been adjusted downwards this year. However, this does not mean that residents have lost out on their upgrading forever. The Minister for Finance has assured us that the pace of the programme is dependent on the size of the budget surplus. Therefore, when the economy recovers in due course, perhaps in the year 2000 or 2001, and we have larger budget surpluses at that time, the number of upgrading precincts will correspondingly increase. I, therefore, urge those who question the Government's decision to slow down the pace of the Main Upgrading Programme at this time to consider whether it is prudent and wiser, in the light of the present uncertainty and economic climate, for flat owners to direct their resources to other more productive investments and uses. After all, one of the main reasons why Thailand ran into financial difficulties was that it borrowed and spent too much on non-productive property developments.”
“Sir, I welcome the announcement that the number of precincts, which will be selected this year for Main Upgrading, has been reduced. Some people have questioned whether the Government is going back on its promise on upgrading. But I believe the downward adjustment in the MUP schedule is prudent when we consider this issue from the perspective of flat owners who are or may be affected by the on-going economic downturn. There is no doubt that the Main Upgrading Programme has proven to be very popular with HDB flat owners and they had happily voted in favour of the upgrading and shared the cost of upgrading during better times. Under the cost-sharing formula, depending on the room-type and the upgrading package, flat owners have to pay between 7% and 42% of the cost of upgrading. For the Basic Package, a 1-, 2- or 3-room flat owner would have to contribute $2,200 for the cost of upgrading. For an Executive flat owner under the Standard-Plus Package, the amount payable is $28,500. However, this monetary outlay can prove to be a great burden, especially at a difficult time like this. We should therefore also consider whether, in this present economic climate, it is fair or reasonable to expect the HDB flat owner to spend that kind of money on the upgrading and beautification of this precinct and his flat. Or, would the flat owner be better off investing the money in things which will bring him long term benefits and returns? For example, with $2,200 which the 1-, 2- or 3-room flat owner has to pay for the Basic Package, he could buy a Pentium multimedia computer for his child. And, in the case of the Executive flat owner for the Standard-Plus Package, with $28,500, he could see his child through four years of tertiary education in our NUS or NTU.”
“It was found in studies abroad that where there were surveillance cameras in place crime has fallen. Cameras have often helped also in identifying culprits and the like. I would urge the Minister to consider installing such equipment, not just, for example, inside MRT stations, but also in the surrounding areas where there are usually pedestrians who may be walking home late at night. Indeed, it may be appropriate in due course to extend such camera surveillance to housing estates, especially in areas that are isolated, such as in blocks bordering parks or roads. Sir, the control of crime calls for collective action. The Home Team must help citizens protect themselves. Crime can cast a dark shadow over a large group of people, the victims, the relatives, the bystanders, the people in the vicinity and neighbours. Singapore takes a very hard line, rightly so, in dealing with criminals, and for that we do have a very safe environment. At the end of the day, internal security is every bit as important as our defence from external threats. Total defence should cover the work of the Home Team as well.”
“We must do our utmost to support the building and maintenance of an effective Home Team so that our streets and homes will remain safe in the midst of the on-going regional crisis and beyond. Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung: Sir, personal security, both in the home and outside, is a major concern for everyone. Safe streets, safer homes. Singapore is fortunate. We on the whole do have safe streets and safer homes. But recent robberies and murders highlighted by the press have led many with the feeling of unease, particularly in the housing estates affected. It often translates into an emotive issue. At grassroots level, Members of this House would have inevitably been approached by residents wishing to be assured of a higher level of security. That is understandable. What is not often stressed enough, however, is that the war against crime is not just fought by the Home Team, the uniformed services. It requires the support of the very people they are duty bound to protect. The man-in-the-street must participate actively in crime prevention. The more the public is aware of the need to cooperate and be crime conscious the less crime there will be. Public awareness has to be improved. Last year, the Minister announced a new plan to restructure the coverage of the Home Team in Singapore. A pilot project was started, I believe, and we are anxious to hear how the new NPC/NPP combination has worked out. Is it likely that in this year we can expect the restructuring to go on? If so, which areas would next benefit from the new methods of policing? I believe too that there is a need, given the manpower shortage in the services, to give more thought to the use of electronic surveillance equipment in Singapore.”
“Singaporeans, especially the younger generation, are used to enjoying years of strong economic growth and appreciating asset values. Generally, we have benefited from the good years and there is no denying that there is a sizable proportion of Singaporeans who have grown accustomed to the creature comforts of the good life, some even to the point of being extravagant. Suddenly, they are now faced with a slowdown and the real possibility of a decrease in asset values, loss of jobs and a reduction of income. In the light of this slowdown, they should make adjustments to their lifestyles and trim expenditure. But some may succumb to temptation or pure greed and some may be forced by severe financial difficulties to take the easy route to money through crime. Second, Singapore is a very open country. Last year, there were more than 6 1/2 million tourist arrivals. Many will come genuinely looking to enjoy our beautiful country, seeking job opportunities or to trade. But there will be some foreigners who come here with the intention to commit crime and those who, while they are here on a legitimate purpose, turn to crime when the opportunity presents itself. These foreigners take the chance, secure in the knowledge that they are anonymous in this country and can flee quickly and easily without notice. Therefore, more in the areas of crime prevention, encouraging members of the public to report and arrest criminals, and fast police response to the scene of crime must be done to arrest and address this potential problem. Sir, we should not take our low crime rates for granted. The police force and other Home Team agencies need resources to constantly upgrade their establishment, their expertise, and operational capabilities to prevent, deter and solve crimes.”
“Sir, first of all, I am very happy to note that the total expenditure for the Ministry of Home Affairs in FY 97 increased over actual FY 96, and a further increase of $104 million has been budgetted for FY 98. I fully support the need to build up and maintain a credible and effective Home Team. The Home Team has done an admirable job in bringing down the crime rate which has declined for the past nine years, with some types of crimes registering record lows. Singaporeans and foreigners alike appreciate our safe streets. This is an important element in making Singapore one of the most livable cities in the world and the best home for our people. It is also one of the positive factors which top foreign talents consider when deciding to relocate themselves and their families to Singapore. Therefore, in addition to our emphasis on defence, education and development of our economic infrastructure, I would strongly support our emphasis on maintaining and enhancing public security in Singapore. Just like a credible defence force, an effective Home Team cannot be created and developed overnight. It requires long-term commitment and investment in manpower, hardware, software, expertise and new technology. 2.00 pm Although our crime rates have dropped over the past nine years, we must not be complacent. Because, I believe, our Home Team will face particularly tough challenges in the face of the on-going regional economic crisis. There is a real danger that crime and violence may escalate under the present difficult regional circumstances. In addition to the problem of illegal immigrants which I have raised earlier, an increase in crime may be due to one or more of the following reasons: First, the impact of the crisis on our local population is profound.”
“We should not think that that is not a big problem as the number arrested so far is small. Many might have slipped through. I believe this problem is potentially serious and warrants a concerted multi-pronged approach to deal with it effectively. 1.30 pm”
“The first is to nip the Taikongs, or boatmen, who exploit the desperation of these foreigners by smuggling them to Singapore for a fee. If found guilty, they should be given heavy deterrent penalties, including jail terms, caning, confiscation of their boats, so as to cut off the provision for this ferry service and to deter others from offering it. We might pity the illegal immigrant who is often driven by deprivation and turmoil back home to risk venturing overseas. But no pity should be given to the boatmen who seek to profit from the desperation of others. Second, surveillance of our coastlines and onshore patrols must be stepped up. This requires the coordinated efforts of the Police Coast Guards, the Navy and the Immigration Department. Third, citizens should be vigilant and look out for illegal immigrants in their neighbourhoods. Any suspicious characters should be reported to the Police for their identification to be verified and, if found to be not in order, to be arrested. If large numbers of foreign workers are known to be congregating in any particular place in Singapore, combined operations should be mounted to check on them and round them up. And those who have come in illegally or have overstayed should be dealt with accordingly. Fourth, residents who harbour and provide refuge for illegal immigrants should be severely punished. We have to also track down illegal immigrants who make use of make-shift accommodation in the nature reserves and other deserted areas. To address this problem, a combined operation by the Police, and perhaps the army, should be launched to flush them out. Sir, the crisis and turmoil in the region would inevitably lead to more illegal immigrants trying to land on our shores.”
“Sir, the current financial turmoil and economic crisis are forcing many people from our neighbouring countries to flee hyper-inflation, severe food shortages and unemployment which are affecting them in their own land. They may be attracted to Singapore which is only a short boat ride away. In the early hours of 24th February, 12 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in the waters off Changi. The police spokesman stated that this was the largest number arrested at sea for trying to enter Singapore illegally from the south. The Police also reported that the total number of illegal immigrants caught at sea for the first two months of this year stands at 39, compared to 84 for the whole of 1997. This number seems incredibly small compared to the numbers reported in Malaysia where 3,971 illegal immigrants were arrested in a three-week period last month. No doubt, Malaysia is a bigger country with a longer coastline, swampy coastal marshes and deserted shorelines which all serve as good landing points. But I wonder whether, apart from the relatively small number who has been arrested so far, there were other illegal immigrants who have managed to avoid arrest and slip through our surveillance net to land on shore. Sir, we need to formulate a comprehensive and effective approach to prevent, detain, and deal with such economic migrants. We must formulate a realistic approach in anticipation and in the event of a mass exodus of illegal immigrants from our neighbouring countries. Are we able to cope should large numbers of foreigners turn up in our waters? If we are to arrest and imprison them, can our prisons house and feed all of them? Sir, I believe the problem should be approached from at least four different angles.”
“The present situation has been described as the worst in decades. Is this not exactly the situation which we have consciously and painstakingly prepared for? Have the rains which we have prepared for arrived? Sir, I believe that we should continue to be prudent and watchful, because the situation may not have hit bottom yet. And it is impossible to predict how events will unfold in the near future. We must therefore be prepared for any eventualities and keep some resources in reserve in case the situation turns for the worse, and heavier storms of greater ferocity hit us in the future. In these difficult times, Singaporeans must stand by each other. This is the test of our cohesion and our ability to work together and stay together as one nation in times of difficulty. We must remain confident and do our part in building a better tomorrow. Sir, I support the motion standing in the name of the Minister for Finance.”
“Apart from the employees in the financial services sector, and banks are streamlining their operations and cutting back, similar difficulties are faced by conveyancing lawyers, who are affected by the drop in property transactions, property agents in a lacklustre property market and many others. I would urge the Government to do more and provide more guidance to help them cope with the crisis. At the same time, I believe managerial executives and skilled workers must also be realistic. Instead of twiddling their thumbs and waiting for the return of the good old days, they must proactively retrain to do other work or find work elsewhere. Employers and corporate executives of search firms have lamented in the past that Singaporean executives were spoilt and fussy, and it was very difficult to get a Singaporean to be posted to a developing country like China, Vietnam or Myanmar. Singaporean executives can no longer be choosy. Like our counterparts from the developed countries who go where the business is, they must be ready and prepared to be redeployed to places where we can leverage on our expertise and make full use of it. This is especially so now when there are many good investments to be found in the region and skilled people are critically needed to manage them and bring out the true value in these investments. Sir, a clear underlying message in this budget is that in view of the uncertainty, we must keep our resources and reserves so that these can be used at the appropriate time. Ever since independence, we have been constantly reminded of the need to save for a rainy day. We have done so consistently and built up strong reserves. Many are now asking whether this is the time to use what we have saved for so many years.”
“Whilst we need foreign talents now, our local workforce must take the opportunity to assimilate knowledge, upgrade our skills and be competent to do the job ourselves, in the event that we are left to pick up the pieces. Whilst much has been said about retraining and upgrading of our older less skilled workers, I feel that not much attention has been given to white collar workers, even though they face the same uncertainty and problems of retrenchment. I know a young graduate bank officer who has worked for 5-8 years as an Assistant Manager in the corporate banking department of a foreign bank. New banking facilities are now put on hold. She is fearful that she would be retrenched because of a world-wide cost cutting programme implemented by her head office. I asked her what she would do if indeed she were retrenched. She replied that she had no idea, as there was an over supply of people with her skills. Perhaps she would sell insurance. If the worst comes to the worst, she may have to give piano lessons to earn a living. We would like to believe that being educated, they should be able to take care of themselves and find alternative employment for themselves. But my feeling is that many, especially the younger ones, simply do not know what to do. Many who are in their early to mid-30s have joined a tight labour market after the last recession in 1985. Their skills were very much in demand but they enjoyed good job prospects and uninterrupted high earnings for more than a decade. This is the first difficult period that they are encountering in their career.”
“But many can ill afford the training cost in difficult times like this when budgets are tight. More should by done by the Government to help defray the cost of training and to further streamline the procedure for making claims and reimbursement to ease the employers' cash flow situations. Training and skills upgrading should not be confined to the low skilled workers, but must be carried out at all levels, especially at the time when globalisation and global competition compel us to attract the best and the brightest to come here to work, at the top end of the workforce, the professionals and the managerial executives. We can expect very high calibre foreign talents coming here from the more developed countries. Top talents are a mobile lot. They go where their services are needed and where there is money to be made. For example, during the boom years of this region, many project finance experts worked out of Singapore to advise on projects in this region. Now that these projects are shelved, these experts have been redeployed to other parts of the world where there are still projects to be financed. In the meantime, the debt restructuring, corporate recovery and insolvency experts are being redeployed from other parts of the world to this region because their expertise is in short supply here and they are needed to do work. We cannot therefore be forever dependent on foreign talents, just as we cannot be dependent on foreign borrowings to drive our economy. Although talent, unlike capital cannot be moved away at the mere push of a button or click of the mouse, they can still swiftly take flight when the country becomes unattractive. We must therefore build up our core competencies, skills and expertise, just as we have built up strong monetary reserves over time.”
“Another group of friends I chanced upon at the Travel Fair last weekend said that they could only afford to take a short holiday this year in the region, because the tax rebate was only 5%. If there had been a cut in tax rates or larger rebate given to them, they would have more money to spend on a longer holiday to Europe or to the United States. These comments lead me to wonder whether our retailers would benefit from any fiscal measures to increase disposable income at this point in time. On the second problem of high cost, we cannot compete with the other regional countries based on cost alone. Before this crisis, they were Asia's tiger economies capable of producing and enjoying many years of high economic growth. As a result of this crisis, their currencies have devalued and the cost of their exports had correspondingly decreased. If and when they get their acts together, restore confidence, put their economies back on track, they will emerge as formidable competitors. We need creative solutions to tackle our problems. We need to be more productive and highly skilled so that customers can find good value in the goods and services that we produce. Training and skills upgrading for our local workforce are therefore very important. However, training and skills upgrading are often seen by businesses as cost items and often the first expense to be cut when business is down. Manpower is our only resource we have as a nation. We must continually upgrade the skills of our workforce. In a downturn such as this, many companies are experiencing the slowdown in business activities and workers are not fully occupied. Instead of keeping the workers idle or retrenching them, sensible employers would want to take this opportunity to release them for training or retraining.”
“These individuals and profitable companies should not shy away from their responsibility at a time like this. This reminded me of the thoughts of our Senior Minister on the fragility of a multi-racial society which he shared with journalists and diplomats at a dinner in June 1996. He pondered the question of whether the Singaporean would share with his neighbour who is of a different race in times of severe stress and starvation. If there is only one bowl of rice, will the Singaporean share with his neighbour? We are not in the kind of crisis which the Senior Minister had in mind. Far from it. But are the more fortunate Singaporeans willing to share with their fellow Singaporeans who are not so fortunate? This is a test of our cohesion and our ability to stay as one nation in times of difficulty. The top income earners who are fortunate enough not to lose their jobs and corporations that are making profits must do their part by contributing their share in building a better tomorrow. Sir, I am also told that the two major problems that business people are presently confronted with are weak regional exports and low domestic demands for their goods and services, and the high cost of doing business in Singapore compared to our neighbours. On the first problem of weak demand, there is little that we can do right now if the other regional countries cut back on their imports because of their economic downturn. On the domestic front, consumers have every reason to be careful in their spending during times of uncertainty. Some friends of mine have told me that in austere times like this, they have to do their marketing and shopping outside Singapore, where their Singapore dollar carries far greater purchasing power and goes much further.”
“They are looking for and expecting something more from the Government to help them tide over these difficult periods and survive. They feel that the policy measures adopted in this Budget did not reflect the severity of the current situation and question whether the Government's assessment of the situation was based on old statistics compiled a few months ago. But if one had just visited the Travel Fair over the last weekend and see the hoards of people snapping up holiday packages, one would never have imagined that we are in the midst of a regional crisis. Sir, notwithstanding the difference in assessment, I am gratified to note that the Minister for Finance has assured us that the Government will monitor the regional environment and economic conditions vigilantly and keep in touch with the private sector. Should the circumstances turn for the worse, other off-Budget measures could be taken to address the situations as and when they develop. However, for the present, people are shouting for help. Many businesses and workers had hoped for a cut in tax rates. It seems logical that during hard times like these, the Government should help by collecting less taxes so that people can take home more. To someone who received a smaller bonus or no bonus at all last year, or got a small or no pay increase this year, the natural tendency is for him to wish for a cut in income tax or an increase in tax rebate to cushion the impact of the reduction in income. But we must not forget that the Government has already introduced substantial tax cuts over the last 12 years. Currently, only about 30% of individuals pay personal income tax and corporate income tax is paid by companies which are doing well enough to generate the profit.”
“Thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. Sir, I rise to support the Budget Statement presented by the Minister for Finance. The current regional crisis has seen our political leaders and Government acting in a rational and sensible manner in dealing with the difficult and complex issues confronting the region. This Budget is another example of the prudent approach that needs to be adopted to ride through this crisis. The Budget is conservative and prudent and rightly so, in the light of the present economic, political and social uncertainty facing the region as a whole. We must not lose sight of the big picture that we are in the midst of a regional crisis of unprecedented proportions. The outcome of this crisis is not at all clear and is impossible to predict because it is dependent on a multitude of factors and variables, many of which are beyond our control. We must be prepared for whatever situations that may arise. But, in the meantime, to dedicate resources for longer term strategic investment in defence, education, economic infrastructure and skills upgrading and the promotion of high growth industries. Whilst the dedication of resources for long-term strategic investment makes sense for the whole country as a whole, it sounds a bit hollow to the business people who are facing cash-flow problems and having difficulties in staying afloat in the short to medium term. Businesses would only benefit if they are still in business when these long-term investments bear fruit. All these improved economic infrastructure would mean nothing if the business folds up before then or is so sapped of energy and resources that they cannot take advantage of the eventual recovery. The issues confronting businesses are more short-term in nature.”
“This is a very huge figure. It will not be achievable if Government does not continue to supply a significant number of land sites through its land sale programme. I urge the Government to look into the long-term supply of land, instead of playing with the current supply, to deal with the short-term fluctuations of property prices. Sir, the next issue is the affordability of the people who will be the potential buyers of private properties. Let us assume that a household uses 30% of its monthly disposable income, and all in CPF contributions, as monthly instalments for housing loan. If the loan is 70% of the property price, repayment is 25 years, and based on current interest rate of 6%, according to the 1990 Population Census of a couple's income, ie, husband's and wife's income, and the annual increase of income was 5% per annum, calculated until today's date, at the entry point to the top 10% of the couples' income, they could only afford a house or flat of $840,000. For those couple's income at the entry point of the top 16%, they could only afford a flat costing $633,000. If the built-up area for this kind of flat is about 1,100 sq ft, the affordable price will be around $575 per sq ft. If we really wish the top 20%, or 30%, of the couple's income, who can afford to own this 30% of the potential private residential housing, the current price is still considered too high. I would like to urge the Government to study the long-term pricing of private property and hope that, with some appropriate measure, private property will be affordable for the potential local buyers. 1.00 pm”
“There are good reasons why people believe that the Government will come out to support the market. First, the Government is the largest land owner. Second, the Government is also the largest developer who supplies more than half of the quantity of residential units through its public housing programme. The collapse of the private housing market will depress the construction industry which has approximately 10% share in our GDP, and it will be reflected in our economic growth figures. I feel that the Government should allow the market to settle itself to a new level without much interference. Otherwise, it will be misunderstood by the people that we really have an interest in the market to jack up the price. What we should do is to have a long-term view on the property prices. They should reaffirm the long-term commitment of the Government on the announcement that 30% of residential property is for private housing and the remaining 70% is for public housing. In order to achieve this objective, the Government should continue to supply adequate land and the targeted people for those 30% of private property should have an income level which is comfortable enough to own a private property. In other words, the long-term price of a private property must be affordable. Look at the current stock of the residential property. The estimated numbers are about 730,000 units for public housing and about 150,000 for private residential units. In other words, the present private residential housing is about 17% of the total. If public housing is still committed to 25,000 to 30,000 units per annum, and the 30% target for private housing is to be achieved in the long term, say, 20 years from now, the supply of private houses or flats per year will be around 13,000 units.”
“colleagues in asking the Minister to consider implementing a separate comprehensive programme on lift upgrading, so that residents of older HDB flats will benefit from the latest improvement in HDB design and our standard of living. Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang): Sir, ever since the Government announced the measures to cool property speculation, the price of residential property is stable and some show signs of declining. The demand has fallen and the property in the low end shows that HDB upgraders are the main buyers. The outcome of the anti-speculation measures is anticipated. When the property speculators are wiped out from the market, the subsequent demand will be genuine, and the market will then take some time, perhaps a few years, to adjust itself to a price level which is acceptable and suitable. Comparing the price index, today's price of the private residential property is about 2.55 times the price in the third quarter in 1991. Though the price shows a 3.7% dip in the first quarter of this year, the present price is still more than 2.45 times the price in 1991. How far the current price should be readjusted is a question that nobody could answer. Based on the 1985 experience, the downward adjustment of the price could be as much as 40% below the price at the peak. In Singapore's residential property market, the main bulk of supply is from a handful of big developers. As long as they believe that the Government will come out to support the property market if the price should drop significantly, they will continue to bid high in the Government's land sales. They know that as long as the market does not collapse, the tendered land price will be eventually paid by the buyer.”
“Sir, I would like to commend the Ministry of National Development and the Housing and Development Board for their good work in continually improving the design and finish of HDB flats. The improvement is so significant that there is a vast difference between flats that are 10 years old and those that are built even five years after that. One difference stands out, and that is, the new flats are provided with lifts that serve every floor. In Pasir Ris South division of Pasir Ris GRC, there is a mix of older blocks where the lifts do not stop at every floor and newer blocks where the lifts do. A number of residents from the older blocks have told me that with the newer flats having reached five years' old and coming onto the resale market, prospective purchasers are no longer interested even to consider the older flats as these are not served directly by lifts. Purchasers naturally prefer flats with direct same floor access to the lifts. Under the revised IUP programme, the Government has increased its IUP funding from $6,000 per unit to $7,000 per unit for those blocks which incorporated full lift upgrading in their works. I do not think this funding is sufficient for older slab blocks where there are common corridors only on certain floors. Units at the two sides of the block which are not served by the central lift well can only be accessible by way of a common corridor and the stairs. The solution is therefore not as simple as punching holes in the central lift well and upgrading the lift mechanism to stop at every floor. For such blocks, separate lift wells may have to be constructed at huge cost. I would like to join my hon.”
“It would add so much more to the concept of living as a community if residents come back to their precinct and find a conglomerate of family activities revolving around what I would term as a family activity centre. I envisage such a centre to be a cross between the Officers' Mess in the army camps, the students' lounge in the university campus, the mini clubhouse of a private condominium and the increasingly popular coffee clubs. It does not have to be a big or spacious centre. But it should have a snacks corner serving food, tea and even specially brewed coffee where residents could meet casually, and next to it, could be a reading room with magazines sponsored by Singapore Press Holdings. In an adjoining room, there could be a children's adventure nook, art and craft niche, music corner or hobby centre. Outside, there could be a children's playground. These family activity centres could be built as an extension to the existing RC centre or they can be purpose-built at a suitable location, for example, next to the PCF education centre, community children's library or childcare centres. In any case, these centres should be strategically located for residents to come together informally to trade stories and share experiences. They should be open and readily available, a place where residents can call their own, where they can gravitate to, whenever they have some time, a home away from home where they can feel at ease, where they can always find good company. Sir, I would like to raise this with the Ministry of National Development for consideration. Because I feel that once the physical structures are built, the residents themselves, with the RCs acting as the catalyst, can arrange for activities that appeal to their particular community.”
“Sir, I would like to join my fellow GPC members in speaking about providing facilities to promote community bonding. Please allow me to illustrate with a resident living in Pasir Ris. This resident comes back from work and as he walks from the bus stop or the multi-storey car park to his block, he enjoys the quietness and residential feel of his neighbourhood which has been developed on the precinct concept. He passes the linked building and remembers the RC block party held there two Sundays ago where he had the opportunity to meet many other residents and made some new friends. The linked building is spacious and very useful for organised activities such as block parties and ceremonies. However, that day, being a week day, the linked building is bare and empty and is used by some children playing football. He passes the RC centre which occupies the Civil Defence bomb shelter. The layout of the CD shelter does not encourage him to venture in and he is too shy to simply walk in and say that he wishes to get to know more people. Unlike the coffeeshops and provision shops in the older housing estates where people can meet other people, there are no such outlets within his precinct. As there is nothing to cause him to linger, he heads straight for his home and shuts the door behind him. Thereafter, he is isolated from the rest of his community. Somehow, he feels a sense of loneliness and misses the hustle and bustle usually associated with the older housing estates like Toa Payoh where he was living with his parents before he moved to Pasir Ris. Sir, I believe what we need are conducive communal meeting points within the precinct that encourages residents to come together spontaneously to socialise and interact around common interests.”
“The present rules favour those fortunate enough to have wealthy parents who can pay that amount on their behalf. For those who are not fortunate, they might have to purchase a new subsidised HDB flat with a view of resale for profit. However, this means having to wait many years to take possession and then five more years before they could sell on the open market. Sir, I agree with the need for prudence in the housing loan activities of banks and financial institutions, and that it is desirable to safeguard the soundness of our financial system, ensure that banks and financial institutions are not overly exposed to property loans and protect people from over-stretching themselves. But for the reasons I mentioned, I would urge the Ministry to consider allowing banks and financial institutions to have the flexibility of relying on their own credit assessment to decide whether it is prudent to offer more than 80% financing in any particular case. I am not at this stage proposing that this limit be relaxed for all property purchases but for Singaporean citizens and Permanent Residents who are purchasing their first property for owner occupation. I believe this will make it easier, especially for young successful Singaporeans, to own private property and it may even lessen their desire of emigrating and setting up home elsewhere.”
“Sir, let me first of all say that the anti-speculation measures introduced in May 1996 were timely and necessary to discourage speculation in the private residential property market. The measures were introduced during a period and against a backdrop of steep price increases. Since then, more than a year has passed and I feel that it is opportune to review one of these measures, and that is, the 80% financing limit on housing loans. The strict enforcement of this financing limit has adversely affected those Singaporeans who can afford the mortgage repayments for private property but are not able to come out with the initial 20% cash payment. The impact is even greater in the case of singles and families that have high household incomes as they do not qualify to apply for new HDB flats. Under the present rules, most first-time purchasers would find it extremely difficult to accumulate the required cash payment on their own. With the high prices of private property, it will take many years before one could save 20% of the price of such properties. I fear that this may be so daunting a task that it deters many young successful Singaporeans from even trying to save up for the 20% downpayment. They may instead spend any surplus income they have on a lavish lifestyle such as buying a bigger and new car or taking expensive holidays abroad. I believe that in this respect, relaxing this limit will certainly make it easier for this group of Singaporeans to purchase and pay for their first private property. In the process, they will also learn to be responsible in their spending and to invest their surplus disposable income in a home which should be viewed as a form of compulsory saving.”
“When there are different opinions on or criticism against Government policies, they do it internally. They do not do it externally. In summary, when we are promoting social cohesiveness, we also have to pay attention to the `EQ development' of our people. Family education, school education, public education and productivity education, trade union education, civil defence education, and military education are equally important. As we encourage Singaporeans to master IT, at the same time, we should also conduct a `revolution of the human brain' so that everybody will have a healthy mind in a healthy body. As long as everybody has a sense of self-esteem, and is prepared to acquire new experiences, new technology, changes and willing to improve himself, we will all be united. In this way, not only will we be a learning nation, we will also be a thinking people and a caring society. Everyone is a winner as long as we can live in a peaceful and stable country. Our social cohesion will be stronger than ever, our nation rock-firm and our homes sweet and warm. 1.12 pm”
“When the doorman in a Japanese company opens the door for the CEO, there is eye contact which means the CEO will ensure that the doorman is doing his job. We must care for our employees. When an employee falls sick and is unable to work, he may have lost his market value for a certain period, but you cannot just send him packing. Perhaps you do not know that the idea of hotels building their passenger lifts outside the buildings originated from a lift attendant of a hotel. When the management informed the workers that more lifts had to be built in the hotel to facilitate convenience to its guests, the lift attendant suggested, "Why do we have to interrupt our business to build more lifts? Why can't we build the lifts outside the hotel?" So this idea of building the lifts outside the building came from a lift attendant, not from an architect. This ingenious idea of the lift attendant saved the hotel a lot of money and space. This has also prompted the management to pay more attention to suggestions from their employees thereafter. (3) To establish stronger ties between the Government and people through the CDCs and grassroots leaders. I think the CDCs and grassroots leaders should actively organise forums, dialogue sessions, etc. on National Education and emotional education. The media should also report objectively on `National Education" related activities and `emotional education' stories rather than crime stories and sensational news to attract the readers. Our opposition parties and Members in this House should be united with the rest of Singapore to maintain the dignity and status of Singapore in the international arena. They should not join force with outside media to attack and damage the image of Singapore and her people. They should learn from the Japanese.”
“(2) Actively fostering Singaporeans' learning and working attitude through family and workplace. It is not enough to depend on the school's efforts alone. The family, parents, government, various organisations, trade unions and employer's union can foster management's and workers' learning and working attitude through `emotional Education' funded by the SDF. The Prime Minister had said that we must establish two long-term objectives - thinking schools and `learning nation' in order to meet the challenges of the future and to encourage our younger generation's thinking ability and the urge to learn. These long-term objectives should therefore be extended to students, teachers, parents, workers, companies, social organisations and various Government departments. Singapore should draw up a long term plan for continuous learning and skills training and enourage parents and workers to adopt a positive attitude towards learning - `while sailing against the current, if you do not move on, you will be moving backward' and `learn as long as we live'. Everybody including professionals like doctors, lecturers, lawyers, engineers, and teachers, managers and other specialists must do so. Besides, companies should not always complain about workers' attitude and the job hopping problem but from the focal point of `EQ', companies should establish close rapport and good communication channel with employees, encourage their workers to `respect and love their work' and contribute constructive suggestions to their companies. As the Prime Minister has said `not only does the management have to think, individual worker has to think too'. When the Prime Minister met the workers and the unionists, he told them the story of a Japanese doorman.”
“It would have a very negative effect on the children. Since we have already set up a Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness to enhance our competitive edge, in order to inculcate in students and young citizens a sense of self-esteem and the willingness to contribute their best to their country, I hope the Ministry of Education will consider setting up a Committee of Specialised Education and invite educationalists, psychologists, scientists, sociologists and other experts who are specialised in the areas of education and children counselling to delve into the different stages of education for our students. Apart from encouraging students to exel in academic performance, the school can also group students into, say, teams of ten with similar learning ability to take part in after-school activities. This will not only improve individual performance, but also collective performance as a team. At the end of the year, some incentives, such as prizes for best team spirit based on their performance in their lessons, arts, sports, games, computer, etc. could be given. In addition, the schools can also reward the teams based on their attitude towards learning, scoial services, cooperation and leadership skills. The aim is to enable students of different talents to excel in their respective fields, be it arts, science, technical, music or sports. In addition, they will be able to work together as a group with the best team spirit. In this way, every child's talent will be put to optimum use to achieve the goal of the team as a whole. Under these circumstances, we can, on the one hand, nurture future leaders and, on the other hand, encourage more students and the future workforce to develop a positive attitude towards learning and contributing ideas.”
“The author pointed out that most of the time, people put too much emphasis on the left brain which controls their rational operation, such as administering language, computation, science and technology, and computer information, etc, and neglected the positive and negative effects of the right brain on conducting social communications. If a person is full of confidence in life, the brain will produce a secretion known as the B-endorphin which will make him even more willing to contribute to society. On the contrary, if a person is under stress and pressure and he doesn't know how to handle them, the brain will secrete a toxin known as Noradrenalin which will not only affect his health but also make him do something which is anti-social. In other words, if we want stronger cohesion among Singaporeans, we have to complement National Education with a balance between the left brain (rational) and the right brain (emotional) and place equal emphasis on material and spiritual advancement. How can we draw the people's attention to `emotional education'? We have to promote `emotional education' through the school, the family (parents and grandparents) and the work place (superiors and subordinates). (1) To foster teamwork and mutual help among students through the school. Mr Speaker, Sir, I feel that the cultivation of EQ should start from the school. At a time when the Ministry of Education is placing a lot of emphasis on the `gifted programme' and on `teaching according to ability', we should not overlook the fact that streaming the children too early may make those in the Normal Stream, or even Express stream feel that they are born-losers or `second class'. The worst is even parents and teachers cannot bear such a stigma.”
“In addition, there are different emotions - happiness, anger, sadness, contentment, resentment, impatience, forgiveness, etc, which will affect the handling of marital and family relationships, public relations and communication with colleagues at work, boy-girl relationship, etc. Our Government is clean and honest, fair and unbiased, and our people are law-abiding, hardworking and always striving to improve themselves. The success in EQ education has much to do with these. But in some countries, governments are corrupt and society generally depraved. This stems from the failure in their EQ education. We have to correct the biasness in the EQ education. Our emotional education is successful, especially at a time when everybody is talking about information technology and computers. There is nothing wrong with learning to use a computer, because I am also learning how to use it. Now everybody has a computer at home. When a young man comes home, what is the first thing he does? Does he go straight to the computer or does he greet his parents or his family first? There should be a balance between technology and the human factor. According to a famous Japanese doctor, in his book `A Great Revolution in the Brain World', he mentioned that emotion had a great effect on our health and on our attitude towards life. His theory is that we should balance the usage of the right and left parts of our brains. When we talk about the emotion, it refers to the right brain which controls our potential for music and the arts, and our feelings and emotion.”