Ong Teng Cheong
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as of now, the position is this. We have signed an in-principle agreement with the Suzhou Municipality to help plan, develop and manage a township. There are two parts to this development. So far, we have put up a rough outline plan for the development of the township.”
“The consortium would include members or companies from both the Government as well as the private sector. Whether SLF will hold a significant share it has yet to be decided. I believe SLF will hold a very small share or no share at all, because, as I have said, our role is that of a facilitator.”
“Like all other projects undertaken by SLF, such as the Pasir Ris Resort, the Sentosa Beach Resort and the Orchid Country Club, the ultimate objective of SLF's investments is to help raise the social and economic status of our workers, and ensure that our workers will continue to enjoy a fair share of Singapore's progress.”
“Sir, I think Mr Chiam has got all this confused. PAP and NTUC run BEST classes jointly. NTUC does not run BEST classes by itself. George Sita, he is referring to, is a member of the SDP who stood against the PAP in the last election. He was employed jointly by NTUC and PAP.”
“NTUC Comfort is a co-operative. The taxi-drivers are members of the co-operative, and there were more than two members who had been removed from membership of the co-operative because of misbehaviour or misconduct, or arrears of their instalment payments, or whatever it is. There were many reasons why they were removed.”
“But when members of the co-operative are actively involved with opposition political parties against the PAP or NTUC, then they are acting against the resolution of the National Trade Union Congress, and it was a compliance of that resolution that action had to be taken against them.”
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“I would like to assure the Member that his views will be taken into consideration when we are formulating these measures again on job-hopping. 3.30 p.m. I will convey the Member for Kim Seng's views to the Minister of Education and the Minister for Trade and Industry and perhaps together we will see whether we could further improve on the career guidance for our children. I have no doubt that Members are aware that there is career guidance in higher institutions of learning, the Singapore Polytechnic and also in secondary schools. I think this is better tackled by the Minister of Education. But, as I have said, career guidance alone will not eliminate job-changing for young men or young women who come into the market for the first time. They would just grab the first job they come across and work for a few weeks or a few months. When they find out that that job is not what they have in mind, they would change to another job. But they will eventually settle down after a few years, maybe two years. The Member for Toa Payoh also mentioned about the retrenchment benefits payable to workers who were retrenched within three years. Retrenchment benefits are given to workers mainly to tide them over the difficult period of unemployment until they find a new job. But in the present tight labour market situation, the retrenched workers do not have much difficulty in seeking or getting suitable alternative employment. The older workers who are retrenched, however, may face some difficulties. But generally they would have more than three years' service with the same employer and would, therefore, be eligible for retrenchment benefits.”
“Sir, first of all, let me answer some of the points raised by the Member for Toa Payoh. Job-hopping is a multi-faceted problem symptomatic of the tight labour market situation that we now face. It is caused not only by the workers or by the management but also by many other external factors, for example, the shifting of population from one area to a new housing estate or from one estate to another housing estate. I agree with him that we cannot condemn all those who change jobs. The point raised by the Member for Kim Seng is true to some extent and, that is, the greatest number of job-hoppers are in the age group of 18 to 23 years. Unfortunately, I do not have the figures here with me. We could release these figures in due course for the information of Members and the public. This is partly due to the fact that these are first timers who come out into the labour market looking for jobs. They change jobs not because they refuse to receive skill training but because they are still in the process of looking for a suitable job for themselves. Sometimes you might like to call it job-shopping instead of job-hopping. After a year or two they will settle down. We know that too high a rate of job-hopping is damaging to our economy because it reduces efficiency and slows down the acquisition of skills by workers. But, no doubt, irresponsible and frivolous job-hopping is an undesirable social behaviour which must be discouraged. The two schemes mentioned by the Member for Toa Payoh i.e. the disincentive scheme and the incentive scheme which we have detailed earlier, have not been finalized. We are not sure whether this should take the form that was described earlier.”
“Sir, as I have mentioned in my speech just now, the scheme will have minimal adverse effect on the insurance industry. As the Member has pointed out, this may give cause for concern to the insurance industry and it is for that reason that Government has decided to refer the Bill to a Select Committee so that their views can be considered. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time. Resolved, That the Central Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following Members: Mr Eric Cheong Yuen Chee Mr Ong Teng Cheong Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon Mr Sia Kah Hui Mr Lee Yock Suan Dr Yeo Ning Hong Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi Mr Ong Teng Cheong. CIVIL LIST 4.08 p.m.”
“The Scheme will be administered by the CPF Board and it will not be subject to the provisions of the Insurance Act. A Home Protection Fund, which will be administered and controlled by the CPF Board, will be set up for the purposes of receiving premiums of members. Moneys in the Fund will be used to meet all payments under the Scheme. Upon death or incapacity of a member who is covered under the Scheme, the Board will redeem his outstanding housing loan if he has paid his premium in full. However, if he has not paid his premium in full, the Board will only repay part of the loan up to the amount covered by the premium actually paid by him. Members covered under the Scheme will not be issued with policy documents. They will, however, be informed of the premiums deducted from their CPF accounts and the amounts they are covered for. If a cover is prematurely terminated as, for example, when a member gives up ownership of his property or redeems his housing loan early, the CPF Board will pay into his CPF account the premium of the unrequired remaining cover. Finally, the Bill also seeks to empower the Minister to make such regulations as are necessary or expedient for the purposes of implementing the Scheme. It is the intention of the Government to refer this Bill to a Select Committee. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Exemption will also be granted to members whose outstanding housing loans do not exceed $3,000 or such other amount as may be fixed from time to time by the Minister and the repayment period does not exceed two years. Members will be charged premiums for the cover given under the Scheme. The premiums, generally, will be in one lump sum to be paid through a one-time deduction from their CPF savings. If a member has insufficient CPF savings, he will be given a cover up to an amount that can be purchased with his available CPF savings. Subsequently, when more CPF contributions are paid into his account, his cover will be topped up until his outstanding loan is fully covered. Members with insufficient CPF savings may, however, also pay their premiums in cash to obtain a full cover. The premiums to be charged under the Scheme will be based on the sex, age at the time cover is given, the amount of the outstanding loan, the period of repayment and the interest on the loan. A member who is the sole owner of a flat will be covered for the whole outstanding loan. A co-owner of a flat will be covered for his share of the outstanding loan repayment. The premiums to be charged under the Scheme will be generally much cheaper than that normally charged by the insurance companies and they will be prescribed by regulations. The Scheme is able to offer low premiums largely because there is no element of profit, no sales expenses such as commissions to agents, no collection expenses as premiums are deducted from CPF savings and the risk is spread over a large base. Further, the cover under the Scheme includes payment if members suffer permanent total incapacity and are unable to continue working. This protection is seldom given by insurance companies.”
“The risk is especially real if members die or are incapacitated early in their working life when their CPF savings are small. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry has found that a large majority of CPF members who are using their CPF moneys to repay the mortgages on their flats are not covered by any mortgage reducing insurance policy which could give them the monetary protection they need. For instance, although 28,000 loans were granted in 1978 by the HDB and the JTC, there were only about 150 mortgage reducing policies written by insurance companies for such borrowers. Therefore, the establishment of the Scheme by the CPF Board would meet a need which insurance companies have failed to meet. In this regard I need hardly add that the establishment of the Scheme would have minimal adverse effect on the insurance industry. Sir, the salient features of the Scheme are already summarised in the Explanatory Statement to this Bill. Let me elaborate on some of the important features of the Scheme. The Scheme will cover all CPF members who have withdrawn their CPF savings to buy flats under the approved housing schemes and who have outstanding loans on their flats. Members will only be given coverage up to the age of 55 years. This is because at this age members are entitled to withdraw their CPF savings which could be used to pay off the outstanding loans. Besides, the need for a cover beyond this age is less crucial as such members are unlikely to have young dependent children. Members who have adequate mortgage reducing insurance cover on their flats can apply to the CPF Board to be exempted from the Scheme.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, the Bill seeks to amend the Central Provident Fund Act to empower the Central Provident Fund Board to operate a Home Protection Insurance Scheme so that the outstanding loans on flats purchased by members under the various approved housing schemes of HDB, JTC, HUDC and Mindef will be paid in the event that the members die or are permanently incapacitated from ever working again. The Central Provident Fund was set up in 1955 to provide employees with compulsory savings which would be available to them when they reach the retirement age of 55 years or when they are unable to continue working. For the past 25 years, the Fund has played a significant role in providing for employees after their retirement and their dependants in the event of their premature death or total permanent incapacity. In 1968, members were allowed to use their CPF moneys to buy HDB and JTC flats. Subsequently, in 1975, members were allowed to use it to buy HUDC flats, and in 1977 SAF officers could use it to buy flats under the Mindef Housing Scheme. As at the end of 1980, about 305,000 members had withdrawn about $2.5 billion from the Fund to buy flats under the various approved housing schemes. Of these, about 119,000 are using their CPF contributions to repay the loan instalment on their flats. A study by the CPF Board in 1979 of HDB housing loan borrowers indicated that 56,200 borrowers did not have sufficient CPF savings to pay off their outstanding loans if required to do so. Should such members die or become permanently incapacitated from working again, they or their families may lose their homes if the repayment of the loan cannot be met.”
“The amendment empowers the Portmaster to refuse port clearance to any ship inadvertently anchored in the prohibited area unless the owner, agent or master of the ship deposits a sum of money, specified by the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore, to meet the cost of repairing any damaged cable. This amendment is necessary because the number of ships anchoring in the Corridor has increased and the cable damaged on several occasions. Registration of Ships Sections 396, 399 and 410 on the Registration of Ships are being amended to introduce stricter requirements on ships registered in Singapore and to give the Minister power to refuse registration. Detailed requirements on ownership, type, size and age of ships will be made under subsidiary legislation. These new requirements will mean the end of the open registry of ships in Singapore introduced in 1969. At that time, one of the aims was to create employment opportunities for local seamen. This has been achieved and by the end of 1980, 78% of local seamen were employed on Singapore ships compared to only 13% in 1967. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Ong Teng Cheong]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading reed. 4.52 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." This Bill seeks to amend the Merchant Shipping Act (Chapter 172) in the sections on: (a) The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea; (b) Limitation of Shipowners' Liability; (c) Protection of the Submarine Cable; and (d) Registration of Ships. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea The amendment on the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea is to enable Singapore to accede to the Convention signed in London on 1st November, 1974, which had replaced a similar Convention signed in 1960. The Convention specifies minimum standards on the construction, equipment and operation of ships for which all Singapore ships must adhere to. Limitation of Shipowners Liability The amendment to the section on Limitation of Liability is to make shipowners wholly liable for the cost of wreck-removal and of repairs to facilities at the Port of Singapore Authority whenever there is an accident in its waters. Without the amendment, shipowners can limit their liability to such damages if they can prove that the accident occurred without their fault or privity, as provided for in the International Convention Relating to the Limitation of Liability of Owners of Sea-Going Ships, 1957. When we acceded to the Convention, we made the reservation that a shipowner should not be entitled to limit his liability in this way. But this reservation is not reflected in the existing legislation and the amendment is, therefore, necessary. Protection of Submarine Cable The new addition to Section 342 on the Protection of the Submarine Cable is to impose stricter penalties on ships anchoring in the Submarine Cable Corridor which is a prohibited anchorage area.”
“Sir, the answer is yes: HOU GANG NEW TOWN (Particulars) 6. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for National Development if he will elaborate on the development of Hou Gang New Town; amongst the shopping and other amenities, how many flats will be built; what is the expected population; when the New Town will be completed: and how many constituencies will be involved.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government is just as anxious as hon. Members in wanting to come to an early decision on this project. But we must not allow our decision-making process to be constrained by our own limitations in knowledge and experience in this field and by the narrowness of our own vision, especially in the context of Singapore with the small pool of talent that we have and the small physical size of the Republic, because if it is a mistake we will have to live with it. I have mentioned again and again in this House that it is very prudent to make sure that the maximum economic advantage is achieved and this could only be done with careful study and proper timing. Mr Ng Kah Ting: Sir, perhaps the answer to it is that the feasibility of the MRT is still under study.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as I have mentioned earlier and on some other occasions, transport considerations although important are not the only factors that will have to be considered in making a decision. As I have mentioned earlier, Phase A Study will show us how an all-bus system will cope with the projected transport demand in the 1980s and in the 1990s. It will not look into the financial implications of the all-bus system nor will it look into the financial implications of the other alternative, which is the bus-rail system. This will be done in Phase B Study. Should the findings of Phase A show that the all-bus system cannot cope satisfactorily by the late 1980s or within this decade, obviously we will have to do some quick thinking and make a decision one way or the other. But if the Study concludes that an all-bus system will be able to manage up to the early 1990s, although it may not be beyond the century but the early 1990s or mid 1990s, then we can afford to defer the decision a little bit longer. But as I have mentioned earlier, if the conclusion that an all-bus system will not be able to handle the transport demand by the late 1980s, obviously we will have to make a decision quickly.”
“The cost of this Phase will only be known following the completion of Phase A, at which time a proposal detailing the scope of work to be carried out in Phase B will be submitted by the consultants. Being a gigantic and complex project with wide all-round implications, the decision to build the MRT can only be taken after all factors have been carefully considered. I am optimistic that the outcome of these studies will be conclusive enough to enable us to arrive at that decision.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, hon. Members will recall that the Hansen Team confidently concluded in its review last year that MRT is not inevitable. They claimed that a restructured all-bus system deploying a large number of high speed point-to-point express services would be able to cope with our transport needs well into the 1990s, if not forever. At the same time, such a bus system would provide a level of service comparable to the MRT, and at much lower costs. My Ministry's view is that the Hansen Team did not produce hard and convincing figures to back up their claims. Nor did they examine the operational implications of their all-bus system, such as how it would manage with the large volumes of passenger boardings in the Central Area during the peak hours. For this reason, we have decided to undertake further quantitative work to establish, once and for all, whether an all-bus system will be able to cope. And if not, at which point in time an MRT would be needed. The Study will be conducted in two phases, Phase A and Phase B. In Phase A, which will take six months, the Hansen's allbus system will be developed and studied in detail to see if it can be implemented and, if so, with what consequences. Various claims made in support of the all-bus system will also be studied and tested. Phase A Study will cost some $2 1/2 million. Phase B Study, which will commence at the same time as Phase A Study, will take another two years after the completion of Phase A. It will do a refined analysis. It will also examine the basic MRT system established in Phase Ill Study of the Mass Transit Study to see how it compares with the all-bus system financially, economically and operationally.”
“Sir, the surveillance radar referred to is a long-range radar used for air traffic control at the Air Traffic Control Centre at Changi. The radar is a computerized system which costs about $18 1/2 million. Under the contract agreement, payments are made progressively in accordance with progress of work. It was also agreed that 30% of the contract price of $5.55 million has to be paid when the radar is commissioned. The radar was scheduled to be commissioned during the last financial year, i.e. 1979-80. A total of $15 million, including the progress payment of $5 1/2 million, was provided for the last financial year. However, because of technical problems with the computer software, the commissioning has to be delayed until the current 1980-81 financial year. The progress payment of 30% was, therefore, correspondingly pushed back to the current year. The supplement of $5.55 million is, therefore, needed to meet the progress payment which was not made during the last financial year. Therefore, there is no increase in the total project cost, and the delay has not cost the Government any more money. 5.45 p.m.”
“The Member for Kebun Baru raised the point on the feeder services in Ang Mo Kio and about the reply card that he has received from SBS so far, I have taken note of the point he has raised and I shall look into it personally. Finally, Sir, on the question of concessions to senior citizens. I agree with Members that concessionary travel will encourage the aged to travel more frequently and to socialize. I have already asked the SBS to seriously look into this matter again. 2.51 p.m.”
“SBS bus fares were last raised on 1st December, 1979, nearly 1 1/2 years ago. Since then, operating costs have been rising steadily and this has negated the effects of the last fare increase. In 1980 SBS spent about $36 million on diesel alone compared to about $16 million in 1979, an increase of 77%. The wage bill too has increased. It rose by about 19%. Hon. Members may wish to note that, as a matter of fact, SBS has been reporting an average operating loss of some $700,000 every month since August last year. In order to cut down costs, economies of operation have to be realized, and it is partly for this reason that the trunk and feeder concept and the OMO concept have been introduced in new towns. This is a more rational and efficient mode of operation, as it removes the need for trunk services to circulate in towns, especially in a new HDB town. In this way there is less waste. Commuters are generally happy with this new arrangement as it provides them with a reliable and efficient transport service. It may appear that the need to transfer at interchanges imposes a monetary as well as a time penalty on some of the commuters. But without the feeder concept, bus fares would generally have to be even higher and the level of services would be lower. Fares charged on feeder services are already low. If these are to be abolished, as suggested by the Member for Changi, then the cost of providing the feeder service will have to be passed on to commuters on the trunk services. Either way, someone will have to pay since, as I have mentioned earlier, SBS is not subsidized.”
“It is really a matter of supplementing their basic professional training, and this exercise will form part of our work programme. The Member for Thomson also touched on statutory medical examinations. These statutory medical examinations are required only for a few categories of workers. Many factories have, on the advice of the Industrial Health Division, provided periodic medical examinations for their workers exposed to specific health hazards. Results of these examinations are being monitored by the Industrial Health Division of the Ministry. The Ministry intends to extend statutory medical examinations to cover a wider range of industrial occupations. We will certainly take note of the Member's observations when this is done. As to the other points raised by various hon. Members in this House during the last three days, these points are noted and they will be looked into and studied by the Ministry. Now, Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to turn to the SBS. The SBS, like any other public company, has a right to make some profit and it should not be ashamed to say so. The SBS is answerable not only to the Stock Exchange but also to the shareholders, most of whom are men in the street who have invested in SBS with their hard-earned savings and with money from the CPF. The SBS is not subsidized by the Government and for this reason most of the profits are ploughed back into the company for replacement of old buses with newer and better ones and to buy more buses to provide a higher level of service and to meet increasing demand. The Member for Changi unfortunately has not been fair to SBS by accusing the company of profiteering. He alleged that SBS is making a huge profit. This is not true. He knows and I know that this is not true.”
“I do know that the hon. Member has been concerned with the promotion of safety and health for our workers even before he was elected to this House. His efforts are praiseworthy and I am grateful. My Ministry is currently carrying out a comparative study of the industrial safety and health situation in Singapore in relation to those of other countries. It is also looking into how other countries are discharging the functions of providing training, consultancy services and research in occupational safety and health and with what success. The result of these studies would help us to decide on the best way in which we can provide training, consultancy services and research on occupational safety and health in Singapore. It is imperative, indeed pertinent, for us to examine in greater detail how best such a body can serve the purpose and the needs relevant to the Singapore situation in industrial safety and health. The studies I mentioned earlier are precisely directed to this end. If the Institute, or in whatever form it will take, eventually emerges, we may even engage the services of foreign consultants, as proposed by the hon. Member, if the need requires. My Ministry is aware of the point raised by the hon. Member also on the shortage of safety and health personnel. As regards safety officers, my Ministry, taking into account the shortage of trained manpower, is reviewing the need for the employment of safety officers in certain industries which are less hazardous. Industrial hygiene, which he also mentioned in his comments yesterday, is a rare discipline. There is a world shortage of industrial hygienists. As for industrial nurses and doctors, the problem is less difficult to overcome.”
“I should, however, add that we will learn from any country which has a good record of positive work attitudes and good labour-management relations. Although there is, as alleged, some softening in the work attitudes of some of our workers, I must say that the great majority of our workers do have positive work attitudes. With better management, they can be motivated to a higher level of productivity. Therefore, management must be convinced that wholehearted cooperation of their workers is crucial to the vitality and productivity of their companies. Management of personnel should no longer be seen as merely a function of the personnel department. Rather, it should also be the responsibility of all management and supervisory staff. They should ensure that their staff who handle workers are trained in the management of people. In this regard, employers' organizations should implement programmes which will lead to good management of personnel among their member companies. On the other hand, unions should disregard partisan interest, identify and isolate bad workers and apply group pressure on them before their bad work habits spread. Unions should realise the importance of good labour-management relations and support programmes for labour-management cooperation. There must, therefore, be tripartite cooperation if we are to evolve a new labour-management relationship. While each has its role to play, ultimately it is the management, supported by labour, that will determine whether we will succeed in the eighties and beyond. Sir, may I now turn to the points raised by the Member for Thomson. I am grateful for his concern shown in the matter of industrial safety and health. Apparently, the hon. Member has benefited from his association and discussion with my officers.”
“Measures against bad work attitudes, like job-hopping, are being studied. Job-hopping is a multi-faceted problem, and I wish to thank the Member for Whampoa for his lecture yesterday. I benefited from time to time from the wisdom that he imparted to me especially about "healthy labour mobility". Whilst some job mobility is necessary, too much job-hopping, especially those for frivolous reasons, will negate our effort to promote work attitudes. My Ministry is currently conducting a survey of some 6,600 CPF members who change jobs more than three times within a period of 12 months from April 1979 to March 1980 with a view to determining the causes for job-hopping. Members may wish to know also that about 85,000 CPF members changed jobs at least once during this same period. Besides the CPF Employment Record Scheme introduced in January this year to enable employers to check the job history of their prospective employees, two other measures have been proposed. One is a disincentive scheme involving the forfeiture of employers' CPF contribution if a worker changes job more than three times a year. Another is an incentive scheme to encourage workers to stay on with their employers. We have consulted both employers' organizations and the unions on these two measures and are presently studying their views and recommendations. I wish to assure Members that any measure finally adopted will be monitored to assess its effectiveness and to ensure that it does not result in undesirable social effects. Sir, a number of Members have said that we should learn from the Japanese and West German labour-management relations and work attitudes. I agree that we should do so.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the President in his Address has listed the building of a new relationship between management and labour - where both pull, and are seen to be pulling together - as one of the three major tasks for the Republic in the 1980s. Many Members have spoken in support of the need for good labour-management relations for the 80s and beyond. The need for employers, unions and workers to work as a team, the need for good management and the need for workers to adopt the right work attitudes, have been. pointed out repeatedly during the course of this debate. I wish to thank Members for their concern for good labour-management relations. My Ministry recognises the need for higher productivity if our economy is to upgrade and to grow. It also realises that crucial to this is cooperation among management, union and workers and good work attitudes. The Government's role will be one of promoting and supporting the development of good labour-management relations and good work attitudes. To this end, a number of measures have been worked out by the Ministry of Labour and the National Productivity Board. The National Productivity Board will expand its training programmes for middle management and supervisors. For example, in-depth courses will be conducted on human relations, communication, industrial relations and related topics. The Member for Mountbatten may wish to know that the National Productivity Board is already promoting the concept of QC circles. It will also assist firms to establish this form of labour-management cooperation. My Ministry will take a firm stand against unreasonable demands of unions and unreasonable actions of management which are not conducive to good labour-management relations and work attitudes.”
“Records from the Traffic Police Accident Unit show that the total number of casualties per 100,000 population has increased from 457.3 in 1974 to 569.6 in 1979. Total casualties per 10,000 vehicles increased from 366.5 to 397.3 for the same period. We will have to step up our road safety programmes but we must also ensure that accident victims are adequately covered by insurance so that they will be adequately compensated and do not become a burden to society. I therefore propose to amend the existing Act to make it mandatory for all users of motor vehicles to take out insurance policies to cover liability to passengers. A provision has also been included in the Bill to ensure that the person using a motor vehicle does not avoid liability by making an arrangement with his passenger to negate or restrict his liability. Additional premium will have to be paid by all motorists in order to have the benefit of passenger insurance. Premium rates are expected to be increased by 25% of the present rate charged for third party insurance or about $15 extra a year on average. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Ong Teng Cheong]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. SALE OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 4.05 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of the Bill is to require motorists to have insurance cover for liability to their passengers. Under the present Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act, it is mandatory for all motorists to take out an insurance policy against liability for death or injury caused to third parties. Motorists are, however, not required to insure against passenger liability unless the passengers are employees or ride on public transport. Since 1974, passengers carried under car pool arrangements for the purpose of entering the CBD have been covered voluntarily by insurers as a gesture of their support for the scheme. But all other passengers, including family members and casual passengers of car owners and pillion riders are excluded. Car owners may pay an additional premium of $25 to cover their passengers. But since it is not compulsory to do so, not all car passengers are covered by insurance. On the other hand, motor-cyclists are not able to obtain passenger insurance even if they wanted to because insurers find there is insufficient spread of risk if passenger insurance is sold to the few motor-cyclists who volunteer to have it. The number of passenger casualties who have been unable to claim compensation due to lack of insurance is not available. However, the absence of passenger insurance cover means that not only the negligent driver and his victim but also their families will suffer financial hardship in an unfortunate accident. With an increase in our total motor vehicle population which grew by 21% between 1975 and 1979, there has also been an increase in the number of road casualties.”
“Sir, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the answer is yes. SBS SEASON BUS PASS CONCESSION (Extension to commuters on frequent transfers) 10. Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Communications and Acting Minister for Culture whether he will request the Singapore Bus Service (1978) Ltd to consider extending the seasonal bus pass facilities, which are presently enjoyed by SBS shareholders, school children and some other categories of persons, to commuters who have to change buses several times on a single trip to and from work.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, most of the facilities required for the operation of Changi airport, like runway, control tower and navigational aids, will be completed by early 1981. The last and very important project to be completed is the Passenger Terminal Building. The construction of the Terminal Building has been slightly delayed because of shortage of building material and manpower. We are trying to complete the construction of the Terminal Building in early 1981. After a few months of debugging and familiarisation, we hope to be able to have Changi airport operational on 1st July 1981. Mr Speaker, Sir, Changi is an airport with two runways. While the first runway will be operational next year, the second runway will only be completed in 1983. For the period from 1981 to 1983, Paya Lebar airport will be used to cater for any overflow of civil aircraft traffic which could not be handled at Changi with just one runway. A new direct express road has been built to link Paya Lebar airport to Changi airport. This will provide a speedy link between the two airports. After all civilian aircraft operations have been transferred to Changi, the RSAF squadrons now operating in Changi Air Base will be transferred to Paya Lebar airport. Paya Lebar will also serve as a supplementary airport to Changi for non-scheduled and chartered commercial flights.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we ourselves also would like to know what it is all about. As I have said, this is a complex subject and I myself have expressed in this House some months ago that my personal view is that it is inevitable that we will need an MRT in the long-run. But it is a question of when do we need an MRT, and as Members have expressed concern, the longer we delay the higher the cost will be. On the other hand, technological advancement may achieve a breakthrough in certain aspects of the system, and that may save us money or give us a better system that we do not know at this stage. CHANGI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Operational date) 9. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Communications and Acting Minister for Culture when the Changi International Airport will become operational and what will happen to the Paya Lebar International Airport.”
“Sir, the decision is not merely whether we should have an MRT or we should not. It is more a question of when do we need an MRT. If we do, in what configuration the system should operate? As Members have been exposed to the public debate on the issue, I am sure Members will appreciate the complexity of the subject. It is not just whether we need an MRT or we do not, but a series of issues or factors which are involved.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as a Government, we have a duty to safeguard the money of the people.”
“Sir, I think I have answered the same question by the hon. Member some months ago. No doubt the MRT is an essential service and that in the long run it may have to be provided whether we like it or not. But it is a large-scale investment, and therefore we have to ensure that the money is wisely spent so that the maximum economic advantage is achieved.”
“I mentioned earlier that it is too early for me to tell him the cost of the Study. Maybe I will be in a better position to tell him after the consultants have made their submission. Mr Ho See Beng: Sir, the MRT is a service to the people of Singapore. If at all consultation is necessary, why not consult the people of Singapore instead of the experts, so that the Government need not have to pay for the consultation!”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, at this stage, I am afraid I am not able to tell the hon. Member what the cost will be with regard to the Comprehensive Traffic Study that will be conducted over the next 30 months. The proposal has yet to be submitted by the consultants. When the consultants have made their submission, the Provisional MRT Authority will have to evaluate the proposal and negotiate before actual work on the Study could be implemented. Therefore, it is not possible at this stage for me to give any indication. As for the quantum or additional cost involved in the delay on the decision of the MRT, this again is something which is difficult to quantify. We do not know at this stage whether there will be any technological breakthrough in respect of construction techniques, in rolling stocks and other control systems. This is something that no one can tell at this stage. Who knows, maybe by waiting for another year or two, there could be some technological development that would lead us to control systems or construction methods which are cheaper than what we have or are available today. So this question is one that I am not able to answer now.”
“It will do a refined analysis and examine the basic MRT system established in Phase III of the Mass Transit Study to see how it compares with the all-bus system. In addition, at least two other limited but possibly more cost-effective MRT configurations will also be analysed. All these systems will then be subjected to a benefit-cost and financial analysis and ranked in order of merit. Notwithstanding all that I have said, we should not forget that the MRT is more than just a transportation issue. Its implementation has wide implications, and a decision can only be taken after all factors have been carefully considered.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has not as yet made a decision on the MRT. I would, however, like to take this opportunity to elaborate on the developments that have taken place and how we intend to proceed from here. As hon. Members are aware, the Hansen Review Team which was recently asked to examine all previous MRT-related studies has finished its task. They have disputed the findings of earlier studies. They state that an MRT is not inevitable and that we will be able to manage quite well in the 1990s and beyond with buses - provided we redesign our bus system in the radical manner that they have proposed. But they have not been able to substantiate their views in a con- vincing manner. Serious operational implications, such as high-boarding volumes in the Central Area, have not been considered. It has therefore been decided to do further quantitative work to settle, conclusively, this issue of whether an all-bus system will be able to cope. This will be done as part of the Comprehensive Traffic Study to be undertaken by the Provisional MRT Authority. This Study, which is scheduled to start in January, will be conducted in two phases. Phase A, which will take about 6 to 9 months to complete, will examine in detail the Hansen Team's proposed all-bus system to see if it can be implemented, and if so, with what consequences. Other all-bus systems thought to be comparable or superior to the Hansen Team's system will also be evaluated. In addition to looking at the operational details such as commuter travelling times, bus fleet size and so on, the Study will do an economic benefit-cost analysis that will rank the various all-bus alternatives in their order of merit. Phase B which will be done concurrently with Phase A will take about 2 1/2 years.”
“May I draw the hon. Member's attention to clause 8 of the Bill which empowers the Minister to give in writing general or special directions to the Provisional Authority and requires the Provisional Authority to give effect to such directions. I am happy to note, however, that he has such confidence in me. I would like to assure him that such wild things will not happen. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Ong Teng Cheong]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment: read a Third time and passed. HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 5.53 p.m.”
“Sir, I thought I have just explained that in the very last part of my reply. If I may take the Member through the process again. Let us assume that this Bill is approved and we have a Provisional Authority. Somewhere during the life span of the Provisional Authority, the Government decided to proceed with the MRT system. To proceed with the MRT System, we need a permanent body eventually to take over, and as advised by the Member for Whampoa, we must come back to this House for the setting up of a permanent body.”
“He expressed the fear that this Provisional Authority, given the power, might happily proceed with implementation without having to come back to this House. As stated in the Bill on Expenditure of Public Money: 'This Bill will involve the Government in extra financial expenditure, the exact amount of which cannot at present be ascertained.' When the exact amount is ascertained, I have no doubt that we will come to this House for approval. The practical aspect of the procedure is that we need the Provisional Authority at this stage, pending a decision from the Govern- ment whether to proceed or not to proceed. If Government decides to proceed, then a proper authority or a permanent entity will have to be established, not only to carry out the implementation but also the consequent long-term operations of the system as well. That may take time. In the meantime before a decision is taken to proceed, pending the establishment of a permanent body, the Provisional Authority may have to do things which it considers necessary for exigencies, before other factors, such as the speculative effects mentioned by Members, set in. I do not know if that clears the Member's point.”
“The Government is fully aware of the high speculative effect the details of the MRT proposal will have on premium of land, especially around the proposed MRT stations. I am sure appropriate measures will be taken as soon as a decision to proceed with the MRT is made. This also covers the point raised by the Member for Punggol about the publication of the Feasibility Study Report. All the Study reports are highly confidential because any revelation of details of these reports could lead to a lot of speculetion. For the Phase 1 Study, only a brief report was published and presented to the House. As regards the Phase 2 Study sponsored by the World Bank, as suspected by the Member for Punggol, the World Bank has disagreed with some of the conclusions of the consultants contained in the Report, and therefore the Report cannot be published without the agreement of the World Bank. It is also partly because of this that the Phase 3 Study has to be carried out to resolve the differences between the World Bank and the consultants, and to study other areas of engineering and detailed design so as to assist the Government to come to a decision. The Member for Punggol raised the question about the various types of engineering studies, and asked whether there was any contradiction in my earlier statement. Mr Speaker, Sir, there was no contradiction. Many types of engineering studies have to be carried out. The earlier and current engineering studies are to assist the decision-maker to come to a decision as to whether we should have a MRT. The other detailed engineering studies which will be conducted by the Provisional Authority will be required for the implementation of the system. So there was no contradiction on that score. The Member for Whampoa asked about the grants.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank some of the Members who have supported this Bill, although the Member for Mountbatten has suggested that it should be sent to a Select Committee. As I have explained earlier in my statement, this is a very straightforward Bill. Phase 3 Study is going to be completed by June this year and the recommendations will be submitted to Government for a decision. Pending a decision, further studies in detail have to be looked into before the system could be implemented, if the Government decides to proceed. At the same time, we also want to hold back the core staff who have been working on the MRT studies all these years together so that, when a decision is made, they are all there in the Authority. Otherwise, this core staff will go back to their respective departments on completion of the Phase 3 Study in June this year, and worse still if they leave the service and go elsewhere we will lose this core staff that we have trained over these years. This covers the point raised by the hon. Member for Whampoa about the local input. I can assure him that all the years that we have been involved with the Mass Rapid Transit studies with UN Fund and with the World Bank Fund, we have all the local counterparts working hand-in-hand with overseas consultants. This is to ensure that once we decide to proceed, not only at the implementation stage but also subsequently in the operation of the system which is more important, we have as much experience and knowledge as possible that can be absorbed at this stage. I would like to assure the Member for Punggol that only men who are competent and are able to contribute to the workings of the Authority will be appointed to the Provisional Authority.”
“These are, for example, the safeguarding of MRT routes, further detailed engineering investigation, detailed land survey and site investigation, comprehensive traffic study and preparation of financing strategy and development strategy for implementation. There is also a need to build up the nucleus of staff with MRT expertise which is lacking in Singapore. Pending a firm decision to build the MRT, it is necessary now to set up a Provisional MRT Authority to carry out all these preliminary works and to recruit the necessary staff, so that when a final decision is taken, construction works can begin with minimum delay. This Bill seeks to establish the Provisional Authority for this purpose. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 5.20 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Mass Rapid Transit system for Singapore was first mooted in the late Sixties when Government launched the State and City Planning project to prepare a conceptual plan to guide land use and urban transport development. When the project was completed, Government decided to examine further the feasibility of the MRT system. The engineering and economic feasibility study was then undertaken. This has since been completed under Phase I and Phase II Mass Transit Study. The Phase III study on preliminary engineering design is now under way. It is scheduled to be completed in June this year. All the studies carried out so far have concluded that an all-bus system will not be able to cope with the projected transport demand in the late Eighties. They have also confirmed that an MRT system is feasible in Singapore. It appears inevitable that in the longer term we will need an MRT. But an MRT system cannot be regarded purely as a transport project. It is a very complex and costly project. When implemented, many other sectors, besides transport, will be affected. Because of the huge capital required to build it, Government has the responsibility to ensure that the money is well spent, for money diverted to MRT means money diverted from other public projects. It is therefore prudent that, before taking a firm decision, Government must consider care- fully its viability and its impact on development planning and the economy. In the meantime, there are preliminary works which have to be done before actual construction of MRT can begin.”
“In this respect, the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information, whose duty is to promote effective co-operation in the field of culture and information for the purpose of enhancing mutual understanding and solidarity among the peoples of ASEAN, should be urged to take urgent positive steps towards its objective. I agree that more frequent cultural exchanges and visits would also help. Our local press and SBC do give fair coverage of ASEAN development. No doubt this can be further improved. My Ministry will certainly step up efforts to project our true image overseas. I have taken note of suggestions made by hon. Members and will ask my officials to look into the proposals in greater detail. At the same time, Singaporeans should strive to be much better informed of developments, problems, aspirations and sensitivities of our neighbouring countries, in particular, they should understand the attitudes of these countries to Singapore and the reasons behind these attitudes. The moral of the lesson is that Singaporeans need to develop a better appreciation of the sensitivities of our friends, This has very little to do with national identity. Often, others do not view us as we view ourselves. Even our behaviour, in a matter like sports, can give rise to misunderstandings. I would therefore urge Singaporeans not to unwittingly give wrong signals and impression to other countries in the exuberance of sports, as the Member for Anson has urged our sports fans to grow up and be more civilised. Given the ethnic composition of our population, our friends in ASEAN as well as other powers would remain watchful of our attitude, though so far we have passed the test well.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that the spectators had as much to do with Singapore winning the match as our footballers who knew very well all the time that the whole Singaporean crowd in the National Stadium was behind them. The Government is always conscious of the powerful influence of the mass media. I agree with hon. Members that what the press report and how they report shapes thinking and attitude. They can promote harmony and goodwill among our people and with our neighbours, and they can also cause anxiety and suspicion. Our local newspapers have often been reminded of their heavy responsibilities to society and to Singapore. I share the sentiments of the hon. Members on the role of the press, including its role in the evolution of a national identity. They too have to be sensitive and to appreciate the sensitivities of others and, therefore, to exercise restraint. However, there is little we could do about foreign press behaviour. Some of the foreign press which were critical of us on the spectators' behaviour during the China-Indonesia badminton match are anti-Singapore. They have been and will continue to be persistently against us in every respect and critical of us in whatever we do or say. They have no hesitation in seizing every opportunity to put us in bad light for their own ends, regardless of how damaging this may be to the region or even to themselves. Some of the Indonesian press which are friendly to us have also been critical due to misunderstanding. This is probably the result of inadequate social contact, as suspected by some of the hon. Members.”
“This would not be different, say, from the legitimate attitude of loyal Americans of Irish descent towards Ireland, or loyal Australians of English descent towards Britain, as mentioned by the hon. Member for Chai Chee. There is no need to paint the Singaporean as a saint, for in every way he is a normal, healthy person capable of the natural human emotion. The China-Indonesia badminton contest is only an example of the sports fans having given free rein to their high spirits and excitement at this chance of witnessing a historic match. Basically, the spectators had their expectations built up to fever pitch. Chine's reputation in badminton was largely based on hearsay. She was known to have produced great badminton players but none of them had been tested in competitions, especially with the acknowledged world's greatest players, namely, the Indonesians. There are always opposing camps of support in any match. As pointed out by some of the hon. Members, natural crowd sympathy is normally for the side expected to lose the contest or the weaker side. In this instance, it is natural for a neutral audience to be split more on the side of the underdog, in this case, China. It could very well have been Indonesia. The same crowd reaction proved once again during the China-Sri Lanka pre-Olympic football match where the spectators were obviously supporting the underdog, in this case, Sri Lanka. It is not only unfair but wrong for the Indonesian press to raise doubts about Singaporean loyalty merely by the spectators' behaviour at the friendly badminton match. Singaporeans have shown admirable solidarity and national feeling in the crucial semi-final pro-Olympic football match between Singapore and China.”
“Little to do with language, culture or religion, many ethnic Chinese Singaporeans who have visited China have returned to realise how un-Chinese they are and are more convinced than ever that Singapore is the place for them to live in. This point has been repeatedly stressed by some of the hon. Members. Singaporeans have been moulded by more than 10 years of national service and have weathered the uncertainties of economic depression and political unrest. It is true that there has not been a real test of adversity, such as a war, but we have no doubt whatsoever that Singaporeans will rise to the occasion and measure up in the defence of their country if ever called upon to do so. A national identity takes many years and much conscious effort to evolve. What might have seemed an impossible dream, after 15 years of independence, is closer today to reality than many even among us would dare to hope. Over the years, many opposition politicians had repeatedly attempted to win votes during the general elections by playing up chauvinistic feelings and making all sons of unrealistic promises, but in vain. They could not swing voting against the PAP which continued to return to power with overwhelming support. This is a measure of our growing up for which we can justifiably congratulate ourselves, especially since it has occurred over such a short span of time. This is not to say, however, that there is no room for further consolidation of a Singapore identity or that there may not be some differences between the younger and the older generations. There is no need also to deny that there is still some residual sense of attachment to the country of ancestral origin, especially among the older generation, some of whom were born there.”
“Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to reply. I wish to thank hon. Members for the various suggestions on how to promote the cultivation of a Singapore culture and a Singapore identity. As an independent nation, Singapore is only 15 years old. During the long period of colonial rule, there were essentially two types of loyalties - first, to Britain as a colonial power fostered over the years by colonial authority; and second, to the countries of origin of the different ethnic communities here by compartmentalising education into different language streams to perpetuate ethnic divisions. The syllabi and textbooks of vernacular education were constantly reinforcing emotional and cultural links with the countries of origin. From the day it assumed power, especially since independence, the PAP Government has vigorously implemented policies designed to forge cohesiveness across ethnic barriers, notion building and a Singapore identity. They include the revamping of educational policy, now cultural policy, national service and Singapore's foreign policy with its premium upon ASEAN. 4.30 p.m. The question is, how far have we come since 1965? There is no doubt at all that we have succeeded, since independence, in creating a distinct national identity. We are Singaporeans, as the Member for Jalan Kayu said, and are proud of that fact. The vast majority of Singaporeans do have that sense of belonging - belonging to Singapore rather than to other countries of ancestral origin. The reaction of the crowd during the recent China-Singapore soccer match was one demonstration of this.”
“Sir, the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation wants to assist in the promotion of sports, but it can only do so if it is sufficiently paid to cover operating expenditure, bearing in mind its responsibility to produce other programmes as well as its overall needs. The Member for Bedok raised some points about our television programmes. I would like to thank him for understanding the difficulties that the SBC is facing at this embryonic stage. It is difficult to single out specific radio or television programmes or series produced with the objective of promoting a Singapore identity or a Singapore national consciousness, as he has suggested. But the programmes produced by RTS or, as it is now called, the SBC, have in some way or another mirrored life in Singapore. This reflection of aspiration, values, problems and achievements, has helped to make Singaporeans more conscious of themselves and the region surrounding them. Our news output today continues to present events from the Singapore perspective. Our current affairs output attempts to foster a yet deeper Singapore consciousness by highlighting certain aspects of our environment, our history and our neighbours. We will continue to work hard in this respect. I will also definitely convey the suggestions made by hon. Members to the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. Mr Teo Chong Tee: Sir, I thank the Minister for his detailed explanation. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn,”
“Sir, it is not the aim of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation to make exorbitant profits, but it has to generate revenue to cover its operating costs. The recent dispute over the live telecast of the final match of the Asia Group III pre-Olympic soccer tournament, as mentioned by the hon. Member for Changi, was rather unfortunate. It was not SBC's doing that the matter was unduly highlighted in the press. SBC nearly issued a statement on 10th March to clarify its position given earlier by various, press reports on the matter. The fees that the sponsor had to pay for the telecast of the final match were in no way more than what he would have had to pay for any other sponsored show which included four exclusive minutes of the sponsor's commercial. The air-time charges would have been the same for the four minutes of commercial had the sponsor chosen to sponsor for a variety show or a Shakespearean series. As the match was an outside broadcast, a small production fee was charged. This, again, is standard for all types of outside broadcast which involve additional manpower and equipment. Telecast rights fees are normally paid out of SBC's budget for programme production. It was probable that the organisers of the football matches misunderstood the basis of SBC's charges and regarded them as net profit. Hence, their demand for higher telecast rights fees. I have already advised SBC to work out with the Football Association of Singapore and the Singapore Sports Council some mutually happy arrangement for future telecast of football matches. 2.45 p.m.”
“Sir, as I said, if the Member feels strongly, we will consider that. As of now, there is no immediate plan to extend the restricted hours.”
“Sir, if the hon. Member for Kim Seng feels strongly that it should be extended because he has experienced congestions in the Central area, we will consider it.”