Ong Leong Boon
Singapore
“Sir, I am not at all surprised with the reply. In fact, it was more than one sentence, but the rest sounded like an apologia for what he could not offer. I am not at any time saying the Government is not doing enough. In fact, I started by saying that the Government has done quite a lot.”
“I am sure other sports associations - volley ball, basket ball, table tennis and many others - would also want very much to have similar facilities. The question is: how does one raise the necessary funds to build these centres? At this juncture, I think one can fall back upon the example of the construction of community centres.”
“460 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Development Estimates for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981, contained in Paper Cmd 4 of 1980," put and agreed to.”
“I think it is important that, in carrying out this scheme, consideration ought to be given to preserving some of these blocks because there is a social need for retaining them.”
“Sir, when I spoke earlier on, I refrained from going into the various details. But I can assure the Hon. Senior Parliamentary Secretary that certain well-defined injuries which develop later complications could be included in the guidelines. This has been a recurrent problem in our everyday encounter with workmen's compensation.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead Code RD-06 of the Main Estimates. Sir, I move this amendment to seek information on the proposed Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. I notice that there is a vote of more than $3 million for this Institute.”
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“This seems to be a very sound utilisation of manpower and expertise, and doctors on their part should forever be grateful for such special treatment. Unfortunately, we are alarmed to note: (a) Some doctors evade national service by leaving the country, and who knows how many students enrol for medicine not for the love of medicine but to take advantage of deferment from national service. The National Service quitters should rightly be placed on the "Arrest on Sight" list. (b) The performance of some, and I emphasise some, national service doctors leaves much to be desired. Daily, the hospitals are cluttered with national servicemen referred for all sorts of complaints. Real medical problems must rightly be referred for specialist attention. But the volume of referrals for minor complaints such as a cut or a sprain sustained some 10 years ago, an infected toe-nail, a simple flat feet, and the endless requests for medical reports make one wonder if a trained staff nurse would not do the job of a doctor' in the camp. (c) After completing their stint in the Army, very few doctors rejoin the health service to fill much needed medical officer posts; and if they rejoin at all, they resign within a year. What is most appalling is the fact that erstwhile prestigious traineeship awards in both the university and government departments for specialist training are given up with such frequency that the traineeship scheme is now becoming a paper exercise. No wonder the Memorandum on the Budget for Financial Year 1978/79 for the Ministry of Health reads as follows: 'Only part provision has been entered for the large number of vacant Medical Officer posts as it is not likely that all of them will be filled in FY 78.”
“The work load, of course, has to be shouldered by fewer doctors and in some departments junior doctors and housemen hardly see the joy of daylight and fresh air outside the hospital precincts. A vicious cycle is therefore established and more doctors resign. The worst hit are doctors in the rank of medical officers. What then are the solutions? The Hon. Minister has emphasised quite rightly that it is "very difficult indeed to satisfy doctors or to match doctors' salaries with what they earn as private practitioners." Any move to increase doctors' salaries will "lead to a demand for similar increases among other professional staff - the lawyers, the architects, the engineers, the accountants and so on." Without jeopardizing the present civil service structure, I am convinced some adjustments can still be made, such as special clinical allowance and overtime pay on an acceptable scale. I am convinced that doctors are sufficiently realistic and cerebral not to expect the same monetary returns as in private practice. Otherwise, the public health service would have collapsed a long time ago. There is a lot to be said for institutional practice - the comradeship, the cross-fertilisation of ideas, the wealth of clinical material, the teaching, the job security and the opportunity to pursue higher training. I venture to highlight a clearly identifiable problem area, i.e. national service for doctors. Since the inception of national service, students seeking admission to medical school are given special deferment for national service, until after they finish medical school and housemanship. They are then recruited into the army, commissioned as captains after two months basic military training and serve in the camps as doctors.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity to express some of my views regarding the health service in Singapore and its most pressing problems. For the past five years, I have without fail raised the issue of shortage of trained medical personnel to run an expanding health service and also the need to continue to maintain and improve the health care of our people. Last year, during the Budget sitting of Parliament, the Hon. Minister for Health spoke at great length for almost an hour and with deep understanding of his analysis of the various challenges facing his Ministry. Without sounding too flattering, I must admit that he struck me as the one Health Minister who had come to grips with the problems. Incidentally, he was also primarily responsible for starting the School of Post-graduate Medical Studies when he served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore. However, understanding the problems is one thing and rectifying the real situation is a far more elusive and difficult task. My purpose today is to suggest to the Hon. Minister some ways and means whereby long-term solutions may be obtained and they may, of course, involve the Government in extra expenditure. Many reasons have been advanced as to why doctors resign. These include poor salary, poor physical working environment, no opportunity for promotion, inability to get requested postings, poor staff relationship, and the job is not challenging. With an expanding health service and the continuing and unrelenting resignations, the available medical personnel are already stretched out thin. This partly explains the unhappy letters to the press about long queues and waits in accident and emergency departments and impersonal doctors in attendance.”
“Sir, I rise in support of the sentiments expressed by the hon. Member for Anson regarding the mass rapid transit system that we hear so much about but has yet to see its realisation. I recall that the Hon. Senior Minister of State for Communications was one of the most vocal advocates of the system years back when he was sitting on this side of the House. I hope, Sir, that he would pursue the same matter with the same vigour and persistence. Sir, I also note that the Prime Minister and, of course, the Hon. Minister for National Development and Communications, have just returned from Hong Kong and we are told that they made some on-the-spot studies. I would have thought that this would be a good occasion when perhaps they might like to enlighten us as to what steps or progress there are in relation to the mass rapid transit system. Sir, the last time we hear of this matter was in connection with the completion of Phase II of the feasibility study. I would just like to make the point that if we must go ahead, I think an early decision should be made because any delay means further costs and this Government is, as we all know, very cost-conscious.”
“Her husband and children are not accorded medical benefits, and they will have to pay. Only if a female officer is widowed or divorced are benefits extended to her children. I find it unacceptable that this Government regards female officers as less equal than men, for in almost every way they are equal to men, in their work performance and productivity. Sir, the pattern of the family unit has changed over the years, and today the male may not necessarily be the head of the household. Again, large and increasing numbers of females are employed in the civil service. In keeping with the Government's philosophy and practice of equal treatment for both sexes and equal rewards. I hope the Hon. Finance Minister will rectify the anachronistic instructions which dictate that female officers shall be less entitled to medical benefits in respect of her family than her male counterparts. Sir, a year is a fairly long time to address one's mind to the matter and I trust the Finance Minister will have more to say on this subject this time. 4.15 p.m.”
“Sir, last year during the Budget Debate, I raised the subject of equal medical benefits for female Government officers, and I was assured by the Hon. Minister for Finance that he would look into the matter. He said [Hansard, Vol. 35, col. 936]: `These Government regulations have a very long standing, and perhaps they may need to be looked into again In the Context of our present society, while the responsibility still lies with the husband in many households. I am not quite sure that the guideline is still relevant for others Obviously we have to look into these regulations which are of historical interest, rather than to meet the present situation'. Sir, it is a full year since, and his Ministry has shown once again a propensity for selective amnesia. May I take this opportunity to remind the Hon. Minister. Sir, medical care is provided to a Government officer and his family at all Government hospitals and clinics - treatment is free at outpatient clinics and a nominal ward charge is levied for hospitalisation. As laid out in the Instruction Manual No. 2: `an officer means and includes an officer or pensioner of the Government of Singapore, or a woman officer who is a widow or divorcee or who has been granted a decree of judicial separation, and is the sole supporter of her family.' The term "family" is defined as:- (a) a wife and child (or children) in the case of a male officer; and (b) a child or children in the case of a woman officer who is a widow or divorcee or who has been granted a decree of judicial separation and who is the sole supporter of her family. Sir, what the above amounts to is that male officers enjoy medical benefits which are automatically extended to his wife and children, whereas female officers are entitled to such benefits only for herself.”
“Sir, is there any indication to show that a seven-year period is a necessary deterrent against divorce than, say, a three-year waiting period? Mr Chan Chee Seng: In my answer I have said that we are monitoring these cases. If this does not seem a very reasonable period, we will reconsider the case.”
“The cost of living has gone up a fair bit over the last few years and, therefore, I think there is a need to redefine poverty level. I should hope that the Ministry would consider this point and modify the provisions requiring a person to prove that he or she is deserving. Sir, the last point is really one of asking the Hawkers Department to try to help us when it comes to the question of the possibility of helping the applicants to get hawker licences. In this respect, I would therefore ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to let us have some idea of his projections regarding the development of hawker centres or the availability of hawker stalls in the future, and what ideas he might have or plans he already has with regard to the provision of hawker stalls to cater to the population of two million people, and in addition 1.5 million tourists and a floating population of 120,000 people.”
“However, at times we do come across some cases where they may be, say, an aged widow between 31 and 35 years with a few dependants and, under such circumstances, it is rather difficult for this lady to try to fit into the normal employment hours say, from 9.00 a.m. to 5 p.m. I hope the Hawkers Department will consider such cases with favour and adopt a more realistic and understanding approach and perhaps issue licences to this category of people. Sir, the next point really concerns the definition of "deserving cases". We have come across cases where applicants have been turned down on the ground that the total family income is, say, $300. I would like to say that lumping together the earnings of various members of a household may not necessarily reflect the total family income. Take, for example, the case of two old parents with, say, two children. It is assumed that in a sense the earnings of the son or the daughter added together with the parents' income may be about $300 and that the children would contribute readily towards the total family income. But we know that there are many social problems. If the children are not filial, therefore we have a situation where, because the children do earn a certain sum of money, the Hawkers Department fails to understand that they do not contribute towards the welfare of the family as a whole, then the elderly couple are left in a very difficult situation. Therefore, this leads me to ask the Hawkers' Department to give sympathetic consideration to such cases. These old and elderly applicants with problem kids should be given some leeway and the Hawkers Department should not be too stingy in the issue of a hawker licence to them. Sir, time has changed.”
“I would like the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to advise us as to whether the Hawkers Department has any say whatsoever with regard to the issue of licences for tuckshop stalls at schools and whether the same guidelines apply, I think there should be a common ruling and there should be a common committee where the issue of such licences may be considered and centralised, Sir, with regard to the requirement that application from a public assistance recipient will be considered with favour, I think there is a certain problem here. It is my experience, and I am sure it is shared by several of my colleagues here, that many of our Asian citizens feel that it is well below their dignity to go to the Social Welfare Department to apply for public assistance. We do have a good number of cases where although the persons concerned do not have a card to say that they are public assistance recipients, they are in actual fact genuinely poor and deserve public assistance. The clever ones would, of course, readily go to the Social Welfare Department and get the public assistance which is one of the shortest routes to obtaining a hawker's licence. I am suggesting, therefore, that this is in a sense a loophole and a convenient way for some people to get a licence. But on the other hand, there are genuine cases where the applicants should be given hawker licences, but because they are not public assistance recipients, and in a sense by default, they could not very well qualify for the issue of a hawker licence. With regard to the question of age. I know that it is correct to insist that the young should apply for some other work and that the older people be given a softer and less physically demanding job like hawking.”
“Sir, I am actually taking this opportunity to speak on behalf of my constituents in Kim Seng where I am sure the Senior Parliamentary Secretary is aware that something like 45% of the housing units are one-room flats and therefore the social problems are fairly enormous. I have therefore come across very many cases weekly asking for hawker licences. However, it is my experience that more than 99% of these cases do not meet with success. Whether this is a reflection of the MP's popularity with the Hawkers Department. I do not know. I would like to think otherwise. But it really makes me think that the conditions or stipulations for the issue of hawker licences need to be redefined Sir, we are pretty aware of the three or four conditions which are normally stipulated: First, licences for stalls will be issued to resettlement cases The second category comprises the public assistance recipients and the third category comprises those deserving cases. Of course, all these applicants must be 40 years and above. Sir, I find that although a Hawkers' Coordinating Committee has been formed. there are still a certain amount of administrative or procedural difficulties for applicants. It is not uncommon for the applicants to be shuttled from the Housing and Development Board Area Office to the 14th storey Hawkers' Department at Alexandra Circus, causing a certain amount of confusion and difficulty to the applicants. Sir, on top of this, there is the issue of stalls at school tuckshops. This has created a certain amount of confusion.”
“Sir, I wish to thank the Hon. Minister for his comments. I just want to make the point that I still think and I hope that he will consider it desirable in the long run for the Sports Council to get, and I hope he tries very hard, all the national sports associations under one roof with the blessings of course and assistance of the Ministry of Finance. The other point is with regard to consultation. I might like to add that as far as I know at least one association was not consulted.”
“Hence, I think there is a place for some form of co-ordination to be established between the Sports Council, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Defence. I am suggesting this. Sir, really in the interest of sports promotion, and I would like the Hon. Minister for Social Affairs to give us his comments.”
“I feel that before the plan is drawn up or made public, the Singapore Sports Council should consult or liaise with the various national sports associations regarding the promotion of sports for Singapore for the next five years. I think the various sports associations in many ways have the expertise, the knowledge, the interest of sports promotion in Singapore, and I suggest therefore that they should be consulted where the Master Plan is concerned. Certainly, when it comes to the question of provision of sports facilities, they might be able to offer some useful suggestions. Sir, I have really been asked to raise the next point by some Members who are interested in jogging. I was told that MacRitchie Reservoir is a favourite jogging site, perhaps for reasons of convenience or for other particular reasons. Nevertheless, MacRitchie Reservoir is a good site. It has changing facilities but there have been requests for locker facilities. One other point which I would like to raise under this subhead is the hope that the Singapore Sports Council may take it up. It is that up to today as far as I know there is no institutionalised form of co-ordination between the Sports Council and, of course, the national sports associations on the one hand and the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Defence on the other. As we know, trying to promote sports and also trying to build a creditable team of sportsmen requires training in the schools, national service and after. As such, because of this lack of co-ordination, several sports associations have found it difficult to try to get together sportsmen from the various quarters for training. The sportsmen might be at school or in national service or out working.”
“I am aware that in the past, Sports House at Rutland Road was offered to all national sports associations to have their headquarters, but due to a variety of reasons many national sports associations have not been able to maintain an office there. Sir, I found this most regrettable because this has created a lot of administrative problems in liaison and co-ordination work. In fact, today most sports associations have correspondence addresses which change from year to year and sometimes from season to season. I notice that some national associations have, as a correspondence address, the home or the office of their office bearers. As a result of this, Sir, very often correspondence is lost and letters do not reach the office-bearers in time. And by the time a letter reaches the office-bearer, it may take months, sometimes three to six months, by which time it is already a fait accompli. I am suggesting therefore that the Singapore Sports Council should look into the possibility of getting all national sports associations housed under one roof and preferably at the Singapore Sports Council. This will certainly enhance the Sports Council as a central point for sports promotion in Singapore. It will help promotional work for the various associations. I know that there are problems of finance. But since this country is encouraging sports participation on a very large scale, I think the least the Government can do is to provide quarters at the Sports Council office at very reasonable rates. Sir, the second point relates to the Master Plan for Sports for the next five years. I notice that there have been some announcements regarding the Sports Master Plan.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to make some comments on the Singapore Sports Council. I would like to re-emphasise the objective that we have always declared that in our sports promotion, the intention is really to promote sports participation at mass level and that we should not unduly over-emphasise, over-stress and over-exert to produce world beaters. I must however, Sir, add that it is to an extent a necessity for our sports promoters to try to achieve some reasonable standard for our top sportsmen, at least at regional level. One of these side effects would be in the national interest, not least politically but certainly, and the more important level, it further stimulates and encourages mass interest and mass participation. I therefore note with interest in the Main and Development Estimates that the contribution to the Sports Council remains at $4 million which is not different from that for the previous year. It is in a sense a static contribution. However, Sir, looking under the Development Estimates, I notice that the grant to the Singapore Sports Council has dropped from $2 million for FY 76 to $1 million for FY 77 with a provision for revote. I would like to seek the Minister's clarification as to whether this drop from $2 million to $1 million indicates any declining interest, if at all, in sports promotion and, if not, why this lesser figure. Sir, more importantly, I would like to seek the Minister's views on the following points: The first is in regard to the centralisation of all national sports associations under one roof.”
“(10) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead AAA 3020. Mr Sia Khoon Seong (11) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead CAA 4002. Haii Rahmat bin Kenap:”
“Sir, I just want to record that I feel very sorry that the Minister has missed my point altogether.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I just want to clarify or rebut one point. This concerns X films which the Hon. Minister said that shown in European countries or in America the cinemas are virtually empty. I think that is exactly the point that is perhaps worth noting. The human curiosity is such a powerful element that if you should prohibit people from seeing certain things or certain features or certain films, then the desire, the wish, the wanting, to see that particular film is even greater. Likewise, the human anatomy. It so happened that thousands of years ago somebody decided that certain parts of the human body should be hidden, and since then history records man's curiosity to see those parts in their full glory. May I suggest, therefore, that if history were to be re-written and I had some part to play in this, I would say. "Hide the big toe". And I tell you every human being today would be crying and wanting to see the big toe in its full nakedness!”
“I wish to ask the Minister that with the passing of that film, does it therefore indicate that the Film Censorship Board is now undergoing a period of liberalisation of its attitude or approach towards film censorship, or was the film allowed purely because of press agitation? I must confess that since that film was allowed there were many other interesting films which have been shown in cinemas and, in fact, over Television Singapore. The public has responded very favourably. I notice the language is free and simple with lots of monosyllables, words which we commonly use and hear. And the bare facts of life made barer and the beauty of body and flesh given display in its full glory. In a sense, it is a refreshing change. I come back to the point regarding the different sectors that films cater. Would it not be possible, therefore, for the Ministry of Culture to consider classification of films? If the Film Censorship Board feels that a certain sector of the population should not see these movies they can be classified accordingly. As a final comment, I would like the Minister to enlighten this House as to the banning of a certain film about the episode at Entebbe Airport, a film that I thought depicted victory of resolve over bully, discipline over madness.”
“Sir, I have listened with great admiration and interest to the Member for Sembawang on his views regarding film censorship. However, I thought it would be fair for me to stand up and perhaps moderate his enthusiasm to censor films to the extent that he has advocated. I agree that films that blatantly advocate sex, violence, crimes, political or racial overtones should be banned without hesitation. What I am saying here is, in effect, that if censorship is to be exercised it should be exercised cleverly. If the Film Censorship Board decides to cut parts away from a film, this should not be overdone to the extent that the film loses its artistic content completely, that it is disjointed and the language becomes incoherent. If such deletions of a film are necessary, a ban should be imposed totally, and not reducing a two-hour film to just one hour. I think the public deserve a better treatment. The public should not be cheated by the distributors. 7.15 p.m. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to add here, however, that the Film Censorship Board must realise that different films cater to different sectors of the population. Therefore, in a sense, films that may be acceptable to one sector may not be acceptable to another. I know that arising from this argument that there could be conflicting interest and hence difficulty in terms of allowing certain films through. Sir, I note with great interest that recently a certain film called "One flew over the cuckoo's nest" was allowed. I think this film was allowed after an appeal and a certain amount of publicity was given in the press. I personally would like to applaud the Ministry of Culture for allowing this film to come through because there are many factors which one has to consider in exercising the axe.”
“Sir,I rise to inform the Minister that he is mistaken because this is the experience of all MPs in Housing Board estates. Their recommendation is a must before permission is granted by the HDB Area Office for the staging of such shows. His second point is exactly the point I was trying to put forward: that the Ministry of Culture refers the matter to the Housing and Development Board Area Office. The Area Office tells me that they are quite happy to issue permits for certain sites but these sites are not on the list of approved sites for staging the shows. So it is a case of the Ministry of Culture passing the buck to the HDB and the HDB passing the buck back to the Ministry. I do not know who is right and who is wrong. Perhaps the Minister might like to explain.”
“My question is, the list of approved sites has been drawn up by the Ministry of Culture. To my knowledge there was no prior consultation with the local Member of Parliament. It is obvious that some of these sites were just convenient sites, convenient to the Area Officer, convenient to some planners but without having a realistic understanding of the needs of these various temples or their followers. HDB Area Officers tend to adopt a rather inflexible attitude when it comes to approving a request for staging such shows, in spite of the fact that certain sites might be more suitable but because they do not fall within the approved list they are automatically turned down. We therefore have a situation where a temple celebrates its great occasion at one place and the wayang is staged some three or four blocks away. This reminds me of the effort by Government many years ago to clamp down the firing of crackers by insisting that everybody goes to a community centre to fire crackers, not realising the irrelevance of cracker firing at community centres and the significance of cracker-firing to the Chinese community. May I therefore humbly suggest to the Minister that a review of the approved sites be made and this be made on the request of the local Member of Parliament, and also a more flexible attitude be adopted by the relevant authority with better understanding and that the Member of Parliament's recommendation for seeking the permit be unnecessary. Mr Hwang Soo Jin rose -”
“Sir, I rise to raise a small issue. This regards the issue of permits by the Ministry of Culture for staging wayang shows, puppet shows, sing-song sessions, etc, for festivities. This is particularly relevant during the Seventh Moon Festival. I appreciate the necessity for the Ministry of Culture to regulate these festivities by requiring them to have a permit issued for staging the show, and the attendant problems of traffic flow and noise pollution. We are familiar with the problems of the applicant who has to go through a number of stages before he could finally have a wayang show to commemorate Tua Pek Kong's birthday. We know that the applicant has to go and see his local Member of Parliament for recommendation. For one, I cannot see what relevance the Member of Parliament has got to do with Tua Pek Kong's or Kwan In's birthday. I find this quite perplexing. In the course of one year, I am sure the Member of Parliament would have to deal with something like 20 to 30 applications. Hence, the necessary recommendation. Members of Parliament too are required to say, "No" or "Yes", Quite honestly, I do not know what guidelines there are for me to say "No". I adopt the policy of saying "Yes". The second area where the applicant has to go through is the Housing and Development Board Area Office, where I am told the Area Officer is supplied with a very well documented list of approved sites for staging of these shows. Very often we know that these approved sites are not necessarily the most suitable sites for staging these shows. Thirdly, he has to run along to see the traffic police officer. Eventually having gone through all these obstacles, he turns up at the Ministry of Culture for the permit.”
“Therefore, in the interest of the injured person, may I kindly suggest that a Workmen's Compensation Board be established. There are insufficient guidelines provided for other elements like emotional or ethnic characteristics of the injured person. This is important because very often if an injured person knows how to play up certain residual symptoms, he or she tends to get away with more awards. I therefore suggest that some guidelines in this direction be provided. One other matter, which we are all familiar with, is that the injured resort to cultural medicinal practitioners. Very often we do face this problem and as a result of mismanagement the result of treatment is appalling, and yet the same person comes and expects to be compensated for this. I think some guidelines too should be provided in this direction. I am making this request, bearing in mind the interest of the injured person and in the name affair play.”
“Sir, I am raising the question in relation to the workings of the Workmen's Compensation Act. As we know, the patients, i.e, the workers, are submitted to medical examination and the extent of permanent or temporary incapacity is then certified. I have here a copy of the Workmen's Compensation Guide and a copy of the medical report (standard format) upon which doctors have to fill in the particulars. I am suggesting here that the present format for the operation of the Workmen's Compensation Act is not sufficient and does not give a clear-cut indication as to the workings of the Workmen's Compensation Act. It is not my intention to question the quantum of award for workmen's compensation. Neither am I questioning the guidelines for the award for specific loss of limb or part of it, although I have my own reservation on some of these guidelines. I am referring, in particular, to this format which the certifying doctor will have to fill in, and this can be improved if it could be better tabulated in terms of temporary or permanent loss. On top of this, in the interest of the injured person, a form of Compensation Medical Board should be established. This would then allow for more equitable, more expert and fairer medical certification for injuries sustained or diseases contracted during employment. We know at the present moment, all and sundry among the medical profession attend to workmen's compensation. This ranges from expert professors and consultants to very young doctors who have barely one year's medical experience. I could quote examples where a workman who deserved only 5% compensation award was granted 60%. On the other hand the injured person who deserved 30% was given just 5% compensation.”
“(4) That the sum to be allocated for Head L be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead BAB 1101”
“Another matter which I would like to raise is in respect of the construction of a convalescent or nursing home which will serve more as a half-way house for total patient care. As correctly emphasised, the present hospitals are to cater for acute medical attention and treatment. But even with the decentralisation of our hospitals, we still get a good number of long-staying patients who clog up acute beds. These cases are not fit enough to be discharged from hospital because they are not independent enough to be at home. There are many such problem cases which we see in hospital routines everyday. I would therefore ask the Ministry to consider setting up these convalescent homes which can be run rather cheaply, requiring little medical attention but more nursing care. I appreciate the fact that the Home Nursing Foundation has been established. But I think that caters, only for a specific type of home nursing care. We are aware of many medical problems, for example, patients with stroke who tend to lie in hospital for weeks and sometimes months; surgical problems of patients with diabetes and those who are amputees and are not able to go home early. On top of that, we have the multiple-injured patients who cannot possibly be sent home in the 20th storey of a HDB flat. In view of these problems I sincerely suggest to the Hon. Minister that some consideration be given for the setting up of such a hospital.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, where credit is due, credit should be given. I think the Ministry of Health has seen more changes over the last two years than the ten-year period previously. I therefore disagree with some expressions made here that things have not improved. Actually things have improved. They are moving. However, there still remains some needling problems which I believe are being taken care of. Sir, we have been reminded every so often that costs of medical services, medical treatment and hospitalisation, have been increasing by something like 12% per annum. We see that this year the Ministry's estimated expenditure is somewhere in the region of $187 million and development estimates at $62 million. This, therefore, places the expenditure for the Health Ministry fourth after Finance, Defence and Education. Coupled with this is the increasing expectation of our people for better and more sophisticated medical attention. I therefore feel that somehow things are not going to be that easy for people to seek treatment in the future, considering the rather nominal charges that have been levied to-date. I would therefore request the Hon. Minister for Health to enlighten this House if his Ministry is considering any possible hike in medical fees in the near future and, if so, what form it will take. The second point on which I wish to seek clarification is in regard to a newspaper report that the Health Ministry is considering classifying wards into five categories. At the present moment we have three, and I cannot see any real reason for this further classification which, I think, may just add on to the confusion.”
“The Member may be interested in some proposals which will be implemented from next month. All battalions. training schools and other units will be placed under rationing for water and electricity. They will be placed under water rationing if we can get the PUB to instal water meters in these places. If their quota for water is up, well that is that. The object is not so much to save money. I do not think we can save an awful lot of money by rationing petrol, water or electricity, but to drive home to every soldier that they have to save money so that if this economy habit spreads into other spheres, then I think the real savings will come from that. Sir, I think these are the only main points raised by Members.”
“Drug suspects will be tested every week, so that if they revert and get caught again then they will be sentenced to a much longer term of imprisonment. I will give a full report to Parliament in due course on how successful or otherwise we have been in handling this very vexatious problem. Now, the Member for Kim Seng. Actually what he has proposed is being implemented. A Defence Committee of Cabinet has agreed that national service officers, who just leave school and want a big pay as he has stated, will have a good portion of their salaries docked into the CPF for the very reasons he has mentioned, i.e, with too much pay they tend to waste their money and have exaggerated ideas of their market value when they leave the army. 3.30 p.m. The Member for Potong Pasir raised the point about the Defence budget and quoted my Addendum to the President's Address, that in spite of the need for economy there has been a big increase in the Defence budget for this year. Well, this is for the reasons I have mentioned in the Addendum, that hardware is very expensive and we have to pay an awful lot for it. In fact, the reason for this need to economise derives from our purchase of two pieces of equipment for the Air Force, the F-5 supersonic fighter we are buying a squadron and we have to pay $283 million for it. And not only that, we have to pay in advance. 70% of this money will have to be paid before the first aircraft arrives because, for some unfathomable reason, the Pentagon believes that we are very rich. There is also another $50 million for the purchase of a squadron of helicopters, and again we have got to pay most of it in advance. So that makes $333 million, a hefty whack, and as a result of that we have to carry out a very stringent economy drive.”
“The Central Narcotics Bureau once made an estimate that about 1% of the adult population of Singapore is hooked on drugs, and it is getting most serious in recent years because they move on from soft drugs like marijuana to heroin. Something like 1% of the adult population is hooked on heroin. It is about more than 1 1/2% for males and rather less than 1/2% for females. The drug position in the SAF is like this. Soldiers convicted of drug offences - these are mostly heroin cases - and serving detention sentences number 196. 475 soldiers have confessed to being on drugs. 109 soldiers are under close arrest and awaiting court martial if the urine tests turn up positive. That gives a total of 780 soldiers on the record, which is just over 1% of the SAF population. What measures are we taking? We are taking very energetic measures. Towards the middle of last year it became apparent that this is becoming a very dangerous problem among soldiers. First of all, very stern punishment is necessary. Any soldier caught with a positive urine test gets 18 months' detention for the first offence. Then we recruited a team of full-time counsellors, 34 actually, under the direction of a medical doctor and three social science graduates. They are trying to work on soldiers under detention in getting them out of this habit. In addition, it has been proved necessary to establish our own drug analytical laboratory, because urine samples sent to the Department of Scientific Services take too long to process. We have got one drug laboratory established on the 1st of February. At present we can handle 70 samples per day. Eventually, when new equipment arrives, we will handle 200 samples a day. It is my intention that every soldier in the SAF will be periodically examined for drug addiction.”
“He is not satisfied, or rather his constituents are not satisfied with the decisions of the Appeals Board. But I am quite satisfied that fairness has been done. My Parliamentary Secretary is personally responsible for seeing that the Appeals Board's decisions are fair, and he has power to overrule the Appeals Board's decision if he thinks it has been harsh. The Member for Anson has raised a number of points. some of them under the wrong subhead, particularly matters relating to the Special Constabulary and the Vigilante Corps. These two subjects are administered by the Minister for Home Affairs and he should seek clarification from my colleague. The Member says that some of his friends have complained that soldiers take to bad habits, such as smoking and drinking. He even thought that we give duty free cigarettes and duty free drinks. We do not give duty free cigarettes. We give duty free beer. But this is the strange thing. The ration for duty free beer is 9 litres per soldier per month. The Units can draw the rations and sell it either in the canteen or in the SAF messes at duty free prices. Although the entitlement is 9 litres per soldier per month, the Units take less than 10% of their entitlement. It averages up to about half a litre per soldier per month. So ours is not a boozing army as I have mentioned to Members before. For other drinks like hard liquor, they have to pay the full price. The Member for Sembawang has raised the question of drugs. He wants to know what is the drug problem in the SAF. The drug problem in the SAF is just about the same as the drug problem outside the SAF.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to raise a matter which I hope the Hon. Minister of Defence will consider. This is in regard to starting some form of compulsory saving scheme or CPF contributions for national servicemen. Sir, I am aware that a good number of our national servicemen are paid reasonably well for their term in national service, particularly those with `A' level certificates. I think it is far in excess of the market value that holders of `A' level certificates will command outside, either in the public or private sector. As an example, we know that Officer Cadets receive a sum of $420 per month; a Second Lieutenant $580 per month, and a full Lieutenant about $700 per month. This is a huge sum of money for a young person. What happens is that many of them may not be careful with the way they spend and, therefore, they tend to get used to a lot of money at a rather young age. Once they leave national service, they are imbued with high expectations. I am told this has resulted in certain problems for some young people once they leave national service because when they leave national service and enter society they expect similarly high salaries and, where possible, soft jobs. I therefore suggest that the Ministry of Defence consider some form of compulsory saving for our national servicemen, maybe in the form of contributions to the Central Provident Fund like other working men. Secondly, for those who intend to pursue a higher education, this saving scheme could help them out during the forthcoming lean years. Dr Goh Keng Swee: With your permission. Mr Speaker, Sir, perhaps I had best reply to the matters raised under this particular subhead now. First, the Member for Sembawang regarding appeals.”
“Oh, goat communists. Mr Speaker, Sir, my question really is this. Does he mean, therefore, that our Ministry of Home Affairs has been successful only in respect of tackling the soft Communists? Where are the hardcore ones?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs has mentioned that people like G. Raman and company are the "good" or "soft" Communists. Some hon. Members: "Goat".”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I think he has unfairly distorted what I said yesterday What I said was that in respect of PUB bills perhaps the television could provide a forum for the PUB to explain and justify its charges. I did not at any time suggest that the charges were too high or too low.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I know that the Hon Minister is known for his debating skill and verbal -”
“No, it is not their business to get involved in such matters. Who knows what will happen if you utter the wrong words or espouse the wrong things? It seems clear to me that this Government has declared that it will not even put communists and pro-communists behind bars if only they will "denounce the CPM's use of force to seize power, and themselves forswear the use of force to unseat a constitutionally elected government." If this is so, what is there to worry? In this context, Sir, I must congratulate the hon. Member for Kampong Chai Chee for starting a monthly Meet-the-People Forum so that his constituents can raise and thrash out any issues on Government policy or implementations. Likewise the mass media, including radio and television, civic organisations and community centres can similarly serve as forum for public debate. MPs and Ministers should participate if invited. It would be a welcome change if the Chairman of the Public Utilities Board participates in a TV forum on PUB charges or the Minister of Defence arguing the case for national service for women on TV against anxious parents, husbands or lovers, or indeed the hon. Member for Telok Blangah discussing the case for Daylight Saving in Singapore against those who think it utterly irrelevant to Singapore. 3.13 p.m.”
“I salute the leaders who call for greater debate so that different and indeed divergent views can contend. I think it would be suicidal for the PAP and for this Government to continue to think that Singaporeans would readily accept as gospel truth without question, any action or policy of the Government, however well-intentioned it may be; and that every five years the same party would be returned full-house. As Singapore prospers, as more and more people are educated with increasing political awareness and sophistication, and as the basic needs like food, shelter, jobs and education are attended to, the battle for people's hearts and allegiance is won through the minds; using reason, logic and persuasion. In the words of Shakespeare, "Your gentleness will move me more than force move me to gentleness". It shall, I feel, better insulate Singapore against attempts to subvert government and people and I think this new approach would be a better bet than no political opportunists or gamblers come to power by default. I have good reasons to believe that the call for greater parliamentary debate is sincere, and well-intentioned. It is timely and it is necessary too. May I, therefore suggest that these same leaders now call for debate to be extended outside Parliament with similar exhortations. This is a logical sequel. We must surely agree that there is a near total lack of public debate. People fight shy of uttering opinions, shun controversy for a variety of reasons and I do not propose to go into these reasons here. They act as if politics and affairs of state are taboo, the prerogative of Government leaders and MPs alone, The newspapers, radio and television are devoid of opinions on political issues or Government policies.”
“Sir, we are a one-party Parliament through no fault of the PAP. As one of many nations with constitutionally elected governments, Singapore is unique in having a first-rate Government but an appalling collection of non-viable opposition parties outside Parliament that wake up every fifth year. The real opposition walked out of this House in 1963 and took to the streets. And lest they be forgotten, we are constantly and painstakingly reminded that they are very much around. And indeed they are. PAP Backbenchers are now expected to assume the role of the Parliamentary opposition: to debate issues, to air grievances, to check and balance government action or inaction, to provide the forum for the government to explain and justify its policies and implementations. This, of course, presupposes that Ministers will co operate in the right spirit: to invite comments, to accept criticisms, to concede when necessary and, of course, to take praise graciously where credit is due. The intention here should not be for one party to score points over the other, but to complement the functions of each other. Yes, let conscience be our guide. The task ahead is not exactly an easy one, and it is not likely that all MPs can fulfil this role successfully. The outspoken Backbencher will certainly not win a popularity poll amongst Ministers and, conversely, the aggressive, short-tempered, arrogant Minister will find himself sipping coffee alone in the Members' Room next door. The challenge, as I see it, is to develop the art of Minister-bashing without tears and to do it in such a way that Ministers ask for more of the same! I have gone to some length on this subject because I feel that this is an extremely important matter that demands the attention of all.”
“Yes, Sir, I must give due credit to the hon. Member for Rochore and Minister for Health who first spoke out for more debate in 23rd December, 1976 his press interview after winning the Elections. That night, I think the hon. Member spoke his mind. The rest, as you know, is now history. An hon. Member: It was in the morning of 24th December.”
“We seek to motivate man to better himself to work hard, to reach for excellence in return for what he is worth, We see no virtue in dogma or doctrinaire politics, and we find the heavy-handed practice in some countries to methodically destroy man and his familiar surroundings to recreate a new man, an unacceptable and unnecessarily expensive exercise. The PAP, I am sure, shall continue to govern with circumspection and moderation, to jealously guard our national interests, to reject unhealthy influences that do us no good. To progress and to move ahead we must continue to selectively imbibe relevant factors of other societies, Western, Japanese or Chinese and "incorporate these factors into our system without damage to ourselves". I note with great interest the amount of debate and discussion the President's address has generated in this House over the last week. I am also extremely encouraged by the favourable response of the public to this first session of the fourth Parliament. Obviously, Sir, MPs have taken note of the President's clarion call "to ensure that all shades of opinion out in the constituencies are vigorously voiced in Parliamentary questions and debates. No major policy or legislation should be passed without the closest scrutiny, and passed after the most thorough debate". It would appear to me as if Chairman Mao's call: "Let a hundred flowers blossom, and a thousand schools of thought contend" has come to town at last. This time we are happily reassured by the Leader of the House that no heads will roll as a consequence. Sir, as you know, unaccustomed as I am to scratching another's back, I must however give due credit to Dr Toh Chin Chye, Minister for Health and -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion thanking the President for the speech he delivered on 8th February on behalf of the Government. It was an excellent speech with the message loud and clear; an instructive address with lots of punch and purpose, caution and exhortation. Aptly. Singaporeans expected no less. This is after all a no-nonsense political leadership that has enjoyed and continues to enjoy the fullest confidence of the people of Singapore. Going through the President's Address and the various Addenda. I must confess that I found very little to quarrel with. The plan of action for the various Ministries for the next five years takes us further on the road of nation-building to make Singapore a more just and a more equal society. I have no doubts that, barring developments beyond our control, we shall succeed if we continue as a nation to show grit, stamina and hard work. The Addendum on the Prime Minister's Office emphasised the philosophy of the Government: that rewards must be correlated with work, that excellence should be rewarded and honoured in order that all can benefit from the exceptional talents of the few, that the talented few should not be punished to satisfy the doctrinal follies of the even fewer. We hold true the traditional Asian precept, "From each his best, to each his worth". It follows therefore that any flirtation with unrealistic doctrines is an exercise to kill human motivation and genius. At the same time the Government declared that it commits itself to help the needy through better education and health so that all men and women are equal in health and opportunities. Our philosophy reflects a deep understanding of the human nature, the id and the ego.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill. It is timely that we introduce this particular amendment because in -our experience it has been very difficult to certify whether or not a person is intoxicated. Much depends on the individual judgment of the medical practitioner. The physical state of a patient who is involved in a road traffic accident and who has been admitted to a hospital has been variously described in terms of whether he is conscious or unconscious, rational or irrational, or whether he smells of alcohol, or whether he is, sometimes, allegedly claimed to be intoxicated. The fact that we now have a legal provision for a blood level of 110 mg is to me a necessity. This particular amendment makes it compulsory that all these people be subject to a blood test. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister if he had taken into consideration the fact that different people have different tolerance to alcohol and if, in fact, this blood level of 110 mg is a fair level to be placed. Secondly, could he inform this House as to the specific blood levels imposed by other countries, and how do we compare to these other levels. I understand that in the United Kingdom it is in the region of 80 mg. Perhaps he could inform us more about this provision in the other countries of Europe. Could the Minister also inform this House as to the number of persons in the past year or two who were involved in road traffic accidents and were found to be intoxicated at the time of the accident? Further, could the Minister explain in layman's terms what this blood level of 110 mg means. Does it mean consuming two bottles of beer or three bottles of stout or four pegs of whisky? This seems to us to be more meaningful than a blood level of 110 mg.”
“Sir, I am very glad that the Minister has conceded that the medical benefits entitlement policy was anachronistic and that he will look into the matter. He, however, expressed reluctance that, if the matter is pursued, it is unlikely that medical benefits will be extended equally to both males and females. It is my contention that his Ministry is very unanachronistic but very efficient when it comes to matters of a revenue-generating interest. May I suggest that in view of the fact that the pattern of family unit has changed and that today the male may not necessarily be the head of a household, and the fact that there are more and more females joining the Government service, these female officers in the Government service be granted the same medical benefits as the male officers. I hope he will look into the matter sympathetically and provide an early answer.”
“I cannot understand this unequal treatment of the female officers of the Government who, in almost every way are equal to men. They are employed like men to various jobs based essentially on merit. Only in certain situations such as hospitals and public cleansing work do we see an all-female or all-male cast. These situations are so because of different work demands, but facilitated by the traits inherent in the X or Y gene. 3.00 p.m. In keeping with the Government's philosophy and practice of equal treatment for both sexes, and our avowed distaste for sex discrimination, I shall be most grateful if the Hon. Minister for Finance could comment on the anomalous situation of less equal benefits for woman officers and to consider granting equal medical benefits to all officers, regardless of sex, lest we as a Government he labelled "practitioners of sex discrimination" or male chauvinists. An Hon. Member: Hear, hear!”
“Sir, in this august chamber where the n-ale sex reigns supreme, it is with some trepidation that I seek to raise the subject of preferential treatment of the male sex in respect of medical benefits for Government officers, and I should hope my male colleagues will join me to seek redress for our fair ladies from the Hon. Finance Minister. Sir, medical attention is given to a Government officer and his family, at all Government hospitals and clinics. This health care is free for attendance at all outpatients clinics, though a nominal ward charge is imposed for in-patient treatment. This is the mainstay of the medical benefits entitlement for civil servants and other Government officers. However, as laid Out in IM No. 2 an officer means. and includes, an officer or pensioner of the Government of Singapore or a woman officer who is a widow or divorcee or who has been granted a decree of judicial separation and is the sole supporter of her family. The term "family" is defined as: (a) a wife and child (or children) in the case of a male officer, and (b) a child or children in the case of a woman officer who is a widow or divorcee or who has been granted a decree of judicial separation and who is the sole supporter of her family. Sir, what the above amounts to is that male officers enjoy medical benefits which are automatically extended to his wife and children, whereas female officers are entitled to such benefits only for herself. Her husband and children are not accorded free medical benefits, and they will have to pay. Only in exceptional circumstances, and these are very unhappy and unfortunate circumstances as I had qualified earlier, is the child or children able to receive free health care.”
“Sir, will the Minister please consider a sustained and intensive national campaign of public education through schools, community centres, commercial enterprises, the press, radio and television, on the Dos and Don'ts of fire prevention and fire-fighting?”
“Sir, I have tabled this amendment knowing full well the futility of entering into any rational discussion on the conditions for citizenship approval. However, I would like to take this opportunity to ask the Hon. Minister if he could enlighten this House as regards the total number of applicants for Singapore citizenship today and, secondly, if he could give us the latest figures of the last few years of the total number of applicants who have been given Singapore citizenship. As a remark, I just wonder how the Citizenship Registry with just one Division I officer could manage to process the thousands of applications for citizenship. I wonder also whether this, in fact, reflects the concern that we as a Government have over the thousands upon thousands who look forward to approval of their applications.”