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.”
The complete record
Every one of 720 lines we hold for Ong Teng Cheong, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 15.
“Sir, the whole purpose of the Area Licensing Scheme is to regulate the flow of vehicles entering the restricted zone during the peak hours in order to relieve traffic congestion. As I have mentioned earlier, when the Area Licensing Scheme was introduced in 1975 at $60 per month, the monthly area licences purchased by private car owners numbered 2,752. When it was increased to $80 per month in 1976, it was brought down to 2,400. Since then, because of growing affluence and better economic performance, it begins to grow and has gone up to 2,690 monthly licences in 1979. The recent increase in the area licensing fee is expected to bring this figure down to a more acceptable level. If it continues to grow again, we may have to raise the area licence fee once more.”
“In 1979, an average of 2,690 monthly licences and 1,027 daily licences were sold. It is still too early to gauge the effect of the latest fee increase on the sale of monthly area licences, as a large number of these were bought in advance. The sale of daily licences has, however, fallen to an average of 985 for the first eight days of this month compared to 1,027 for the whole of last year, a drop of about 4%. Traffic counts will be made in about two to three months' time and this will give a clearer picture of the situation. The Member for Changi asked what legislation is there to check the school buses from committing the offences of over-crowding and reckless driving. There is existing legislation for the ROV to check both overcrowding in school buses as well as reckless driving by school bus drivers. It is an offence for a school bus to carry more passengers than it is licensed for. In the case of serious overcrowding, both the owner and the driver can be prosecuted in court. Reckless school drivers, like any other reckless drivers, can also be prosecuted in court. The number of school buses found operating Scheme B service outside the authorised hours has dropped from 238 in 1978 to 69 last year. Stern measures, such as the revocation of licence and prosecution, have been taken against school bus drivers who exceed the speed limit whilst carrying school children. This action will continue to be taken.”
“Sir, there has been no complaint about delays in processing of applications for taxi driving licences. However, I will ask the ROV to look into this matter, since it has been raised by the Member for Khe Bong who has requested that this process be expedited. The Member has also asked for figures regarding the area licensing fee. An average of 2,752 monthly area licences for private cars were sold for the three months in 1975 when the fee was $60 per month. This was raised to $80 per month in 1976. The average monthly sales for the whole of 1976 fell to 2,400, a drop of about 13%. The sale of daily licences also followed the same trend, dropping from an average of 889 in 1975 to 654 in 1976, a decrease of 26%. Since then sales have gone up again. Mr Ho See Beng: There you are!”
“Sir, even if the figure supplied by the hon. Member of 3,091 housing units is correct, it still falls outside the general policy. It is still below the criterion of 30,000 people. Mr Ng Kah Ting: Sir, that is the norm set by the Ministry of Communications. With the expansion of Punggol Estate and the development of Hou Kang Estate, a new post office nevertheless has to be built. I think the Hon. Minister has not given me a satisfactory answer. Nevertheless, much as I would like to call for a vote -”
“Sir, I am talking about Punggol Estate. This estate is adequately served by the existing Lim Ah Pin Road Post Office which is only about 400 metres away. In addition, there is also a postal agency which is located about 300 metres away; at Block 6, Tampines Way, This postal agency sells postage stamps, postal orders and accepts registered letters and parcels. There is also a post box provided in the same area. However, the Member for Punggol will be pleased to know that a post office is being planned for Neighbourhood 4 of Hou Kang New Town which will be developed within his constituency over the next few years.”
“Sir, as a general policy, the Postal Services Department will establish a post office in a housing estate if it has a population of not less than 30,000 and if there is no other existing post office within a kilometre radius. At present, there is no plan to establish a post office in Punggol Estate since it only has a population of about 5,000. Mr Ng Kah Ting: You are wrong, Mr Minister. Who gave you that figure?”
“However, if details of specific cases of delayed delivery in overseas destinations can be furnished to my Ministry, the Postal Department will definitely be asked to look into this and bring the matter to the attention of the countries concerned and request remedial action. The Postal Department will, of course, require to know the particulars of the addressee, the place, date and time of posting.”
“I would like to assure the hon. Member for Changi that the introduction of the LUM (local urgent mail) service, speedpost and international express delivery is not made at the expense of the ordinary mail service. The Postal Services Department will continue to improve the standard of its services. The Department will be acquiring two cancellers and one letter sorting machine to speed up the process of facing and sorting of letters in its Mails and Parcels Centre at Nelson Road within this financial year. When these machines are installed sometime next year, it will upgrade the skill of our postal workers and further speed up delivery of letters. The Postal Services Department does not intend to provide delivery service on Sundays and public holidays as there is no real need for this service since most Government offices and commercial firms are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Urgent messages on such days can be communicated by other means such as telex, cables, telegrams and telephones. The hon. Member will agree that postal delivery is a labour-intensive activity. The trend in developed countries that experience shortage of suitable labour is to curtail rather than increase the number of mail deliveries. The Member for Alexandra mentioned about express mail delivery service encountering some delay at the overseas end. Under normal circumstances, letters sent under the international express delivery service are delivered more quickly than ordinary air mail. This is because at the overseas office of express delivery, letters are taken out of the special delivery in advance of other mail. It is, of course, possible that delays occur from time to time for some reason not known to us.”
“Sir, first I would like to assure the Member for Alexandra that the Postal Department's engagement of national servicemen to help sort the high volume of mails during the festive season will not deprive the postal workers of their overtime earnings. In the last seasonal period, the Postal Department only engaged about 20 or more national servicemen working on three shifts. Even with the help of these additional national servicemen working in three shifts and with all the postal staff working overtime, they were still unable to cope with the large volume of mail that they had to handle. Under normal circumstances, these additional hands are not really required. It is only during the festive season that they are required. Perhaps in the future we should make use of retired postal pensioners to help out during the peak period. As regards the Member for Changi's complaint about the delay in delivery of normal mail, we are satisfied that the standard of service that is being maintained is satisfactory. The Postal Service Department conducts a check once every three months on the standard of service. On the average, over 97% of the local ordinary mail are delivered one day after the day of posting, and only about 3% take more than two days to deliver. Letters are occasionally delayed if there are staffing difficulties at post offices; for example, postmen on urgent leave and there is insufficient replacement, or when the mail postings are abnormally heavy, such as what I have mentioned earlier, during festive seasons or during the beginning of each month when the banks despatch bank statements to their clients and firms and also firms send out their bills at the same time. Sometimes delays are caused by letters not fully or clearly addressed. 3.45 p.m.”
“Sir, I have the impression that the SBS has been asked to look into this matter. But I am not too sure at this stage whether it has implemented this particular scheme. I will definitely ask the SBS to look into this matter to see whether they are in a position to do so or whether such a service would actually solve the school children's problem. It is too early for me to say anything definite at this stage. The Member's other question is about greater vigilance on the part of the SBS in view of the increase in reckless driving. I have mentioned earlier that the new batch of buses that the SBS is buying are better equipped, with fully automatic transmission, better engine capacity, and are much more comfortable for the bus drivers to handle. One of the reasons which the bus drivers give for the unsatisfactory manner in which they handle the buses is their uncomfortable working conditions. In other words, they have to drive in the sun and in heavy traffic. They have to shift the gears very frequently. This is something which the SBS is very much aware of. We hope that with the new batch of buses coming in and with other improvements to existing buses, these problems would be further reduced.”
“Sir, I am not too clear as to the proposal for a separate bus service for school children.”
“Sir, I am afraid I am not too familiar with the particular terminus that the hon. Member for Toa Payoh has mentioned. I will ask SBS to look into this. But this is a general complaint that we used to receive from members of the public. They all clamour for better bus service. They want the bus stop to be not far away from their homes but yet they do not want the bus stop to be right in front of their homes because of noise pollution and air pollution. This is a contradiction in itself. As I said, the only way to solve all these problems is for SBS to step up its maintenance programme to ensure that the buses do not generate as much noise as it is today or pollution through smoky exhausts. My Ministry will continue to get SBS to pull up their socks to work harder in this respect.”
“We find that it is necessary to increase the Area Licensing Fee because the number of motorists entering the CBD during the restricted hours has increased despite the previous increase of ALF in 1976. He also wanted to know the reason for penalising the existing car owner who is buying a new car to replace the old car by making him pay a higher registration fee, as against a new car owner who buys a new car for the first time. As far as the land transportation policy is concerned, it is very difficult to make a distinction based on the time when a car is bought. Whether you bought it in the past or you buy it now, it contributes to traffic congestion just the same. So it is difficult to say who has to pay a higher penalty for owning a car. Anyway, those who buy to replace old cars are already enjoying the Preferential Additional Registration Fee which works out to roughly about 40% or 50% of the Additional Registration Fee on a new car. I hope I have covered all the points.”
“A new point along Telok Blangah Way will be put up by PWD soon. The Member for Khe Bong asked about the Mass Rapid Transit system, and accused us of dragging our feet. Although I do not entirely agree with all the comments that he has made, I would like to assure him that we are not dragging our feet. The Member may recall that, on 26th February this year, I informed the House that a decision on MRT will be taken as soon as we have examined all the aspects concerning its costing and development potential. In the meantime, the Provisional MRT Authority which is being set up will carry out all the preliminary works related to MRT. These works are necessary anyway before construction can begin. The Member for Jurong mentioned about noise created by noisy exhausts of motorcycles. There is existing legislation to provide punishment for such indulgence. It is an offence to use motorcycles which make excessive noise. This is provided for in the Road Traffic Act under the rules governing the construction and equipment of motor vehicles. Offenders are fined and are required to bring their vehicles to the ROV for inspection. These vehicles will be allowed back on the road only after the cause of the noise has been rectified, Last year, 961 persons were booked by the ROV and Traffic Police for this violation. However, I do also agree with the Member that perhaps more strict enforcement should be carried out. He may recall that my colleague, the Minister for Home Affairs, has already mentioned that his Ministry is looking into this matter to further tighten the rules and regulations. The Member for Bedok is unhappy about the increase in the Area Licensing Fee.”
“In 1978, 116 cases of disciplinary action were taken as against 374 in 1979. Refresher courses for drivers with poor driving records have also been organised and conducted by SBS. 3.15 p.m. To be fair to SBS, their overall performance has improved. Despite the increase in the operational bus fleet, the number of accidents has decreased from 7,018 in 1978 to 6,854 last year. The number of accidents per bus has also decreased from 3 1/2 to 3 in 1979. This is a 15.7% decrease. The rate of accident per 100,000 km travelled has also been reduced from 3.4 in 1978 to 3 in 1979. There is a reduction of 11.8%. The Member for Telok Blangah has sought information on the bus service in his constituency. I am glad to inform him that work on the passenger concourse in the interchange has begun and the interchange should be completed as scheduled, i.e. in the middle of this year. When the new bus plan is fully implemented, there will be nine trunk services operating from the interchange. All the four neighbourhoods in Telok Blangah will be linked to the interchange by feeder services. In addition, there will be a ring service linking all the neighbourhoods to the interchange. He asked about season bus pass. I am afraid SBS is not in a position to issue such a pass to every commuter. This is because commuters will only opt for season bus passes if they can derive substantial savings. In other words, it means a substantial loss for SBS. Therefore, SBS cannot afford to provide such concessions on a large scale without resorting to fare hikes. The Member also raised the question of car pooling pick-up points in Telok Blangah. The Member may wish to know that there is already one such point along Telok Blangah Road, opposite Kampong Jagoh School.”
“Members have raised the question of bus services, contending that since it will take another 10 years before the MRT could come into operation even if Government decides to go ahead now, there is need to provide a good alternative as a mode of transport for the general public. As Members will remember, the SBS bus fleet has increased from 1,400 buses in 1974 to 2,400 buses now operating daily in the streets. SBS will continue to purchase buses to further improve its service. SBS has embarked on a programme to buy a total of 552 new buses over the next two years, costing approximately $76 million. These will be put on the road as soon as they are delivered. 152 of these buses will be double-deckers. These buses will also have improved features to enhance safety and provide better comfort for commuters and drivers, such as bigger engine capacity, automatic transmission, power steering, dual brake system, better suspension, lower floor bus board, better engine insulation against noise and heat to make the job of the driver more comfortable. Hopefully this will also cut down the rate of accidents. The Member for Serangoon Gardens made a suggestion about building more bus shelters and bus interchanges. SBS has a programme to build interchanges in all major new towns, but this will take time. We cannot build everything overnight. But the Member's observation is right and SBS will no doubt take note of his suggestion. As regards bus drivers, their manner of driving leaves much to be desired. The Ministry is aware of this. This is a discipline problem. The number of public complaints against bus drivers for reckless driving has increased by about 68%, from 198 in 1978 to 333 in 1979. Stern disciplinary action has also been taken by SBS during the same period.”
“I do not believe advertisements can encourage people to buy cars if they do not have the means to maintain them. Traffic congestion is a problem experienced, as I said, not only in Singapore but in other large cities as well. There is no single solution to the problem. Fiscal measures have so far been used successfully. Those who argued against fiscal measures said that it was indiscriminate, a blanket tax hike that hit every car owner regardless of whether or not they contributed to urban traffic congestion. They disagreed with this concept of equal misery. Some car owners claim that they use their cars only for social and leisure trips and even then only after 7.00 p.m. and during weekends, hours which are outside the normal congestion hours of a working day. Others claim that they use their cars in rural areas or less urbanised areas where traffic is light and public transport service is less comprehensive. Therefore, they argue that they should not be asked to pay higher taxes to the same extent as those who contribute to traffic congestion in towns. These arguments are not unreasonable. Perhaps a scheme could be devised to distinguish those who contribute to urban traffic congestion from those who do not, so that differential tax rates will apply. But such a scheme would have many practical problems and also enforcement problems, which need to be carefully studied and resolved before they can be introduced. What is needed is a multi-prong approach to this problem. Perhaps we have to continue to regulate ownership and usage of cars - to encourage car pooling, to improve bus and taxi services, to use time zone and area zone controls, to further relieve congestion, and other traffic management measures. There is no single simple solution.”
“It is not my intention to pretend that I have all the simple and practical solutions to all the urban transportation problems. All major cities in the world are facing a similar problem, some much more serious than others, while many continue to deteriorate because of a lack of effective control on the growth in the number of motor vehicles. Sir, with rising affluence in Singapore, many people increasingly find the motor car an added attraction. This is because the convenience and the degree of mobility afforded by the private car cannot be surpassed by any mode of public transport. The last round of tax increases was to slow down the high growth rate of motor cars, especially during the last 12 months. These were preventive measures to ensure that we do not have to look for costly and painful remedies after our roads are clogged with cars and traffic grinds to a halt. Tax measures are perhaps one of the most efficient ways of restraining our growth. Hon. Members have made various suggestions, so have others outside this House. But there are practical problems. Import quotas, as suggested by the Member for Paya Lebar, would raise the prices of cars artificially, benefiting only a small group of unscrupulous people. It may be inequitable because only the rich or very rich could afford these artificial prices. Rationing these quotas to those considered deserving would run into charges of favouritism or, worse, corruption. Restricting one car to each family will not really help as there are always ways to circumvent this. Limiting credit facilities would hit the less well-off man-in-the-street who depends on credit facilities to own the car he requires for his job and livelihood. The Member for Paya Lebar suggested that there should be a ban on car advertisements.”
“Sir, I would like, first of all, to thank hon. Members for their interest in land transportation and the various suggestions they have made. Some have, in fact, suggested further controls on the growth of motor cars and how one should go about making car ownership more painful. Perhaps I would start with a general comment first, since there has been a lot of heated debate and discussions inside and outside this House when the increases in registration fees and road taxes were introduced last month. There is no question at all that the motor vehicle has penetrated well into the social and economic lives of the people. It has revolutionised transport systems with far-reaching consequences on urbanisation patterns and the distribution of human activities. It has found many important social uses, among which are the enhancement of individual mobility and the enormous widening of personal horizons. On the other hand, this new mobility brought about by the motor vehicle has caused and enabled cities and towns to sprawl, often in ugly confusion. There are also several adverse by-products in the form of terrible human sufferings and even the loss of lives and continuous deterioration of amenities of every kind. The motor vehicle's contribution to our civilisation is one which could be justifiably described as a mixed blessing. There is no point in lamenting the arrival of the motor car or the motor vehicle. What we must do is to learn to control this machine. But before we are able to control the machine effectively, we must be clearly aware of both the good and the evil it can do; and to understand the man who sits behind the steering wheel inside this contraption.”
“Yes, Sir. I will definitely ask the Director of National Library to look into this possibility. HOUSING BOARD FLATS (Construction and maintenance) 2. Mr Yeo Toon Chia asked the Minister for National Development, in view of the slowing down in the public housing programmes, (a) what measures his Ministry intends to take to ensure better workmanship from the building contractors; and (b) whether it is feasible to extend the maintenance period from the present 12 months to 18 months.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a site next to the Ang Mo Kio Town Centre Complex has been selected for a branch library. Plans for its construction are being finalised. The branch library, which will serve a population of 250,000, is scheduled for completion in early 1983. The provision of a temporary mobile library service to residents has been considered, but the two community centres in Ang Mo Kio have been found to be unsuitable as bases for such a service as they have limited storage space for books and inadequate parking facilities. The National Library will, however, continue to explore other possibilities. In the meantime, residents in Ang Mo Kio can use the Toa Payoh Branch Library or the Paya Lebar and Tampines mobile library services.”
“Sir, if the hon. Member can suggest a better site for the relocation of the bus terminal, I think my Ministry will be too happy to examine it. MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF SINGAPORE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1980 TO 31ST MARCH, 1981 Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day] [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 2.48 p.m.”
“I have just given the answer regarding that particular terminal.”
“Sir, the level of bus service in Serangoon Gardens has improved tremendously since 1974. The number of complaints has been reduced since steps were taken to improve the level of service there. With regard to the temporary bus terminal, is the Member referring to the one at Serangoon Gardens?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Ang Mo Kio New Town is now served by 12 trunk services and three feeder services. The town is still growing. Regular surveys are conducted by the Singapore BUs Service at six-weekly intervals to monitor the demand for bus services there. More services and buses will be added when necessary. I am aware that the facilities at the present interchange are inadequate; hence SBS is now using it only as a bus terminal. SBS proposes to expand it, and is now finalising the plan with the Housing and Development Board. Once agreement is reached, the expansion can be completed in about a year's time. The enlarged interchange will have a proper passenger concourse with ample waiting space for commuters.”
“Sir, earlier my colleague, the Minister for Home Affairs, has already mentioned that the Traffic Police and his Ministry officials are currently looking into a scheme to encourage provisional driving licence holders to prepare themselves for a proper driving test early in order that they can have a qualified licence instead of a provisional licence. This scheme is currently being looked into. ANG MO KIO NEW TOWN (Public transport) 3. Mr Yeo Toon Chia asked the Minister for Communications and Acting Minister for Culture (a) whether there are plans to improve the public transport in Ang Mo Kio New Town; and (b) whether he is aware of the inadequate facilities at the present Interchange resulting in much inconvenience to the commuters; what measures he proposes to take to improve the situation, and when they will be put into effect.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a total of 36,389 provisional motorcycle driving licences (PDL's) were issued in 1979. An average of about 3,000 were issued every month. To save time, I have given a full breakdown of the monthly figures (Cols. 1115 - 1116) to the Clerk of Parliament. The Hon. Member may obtain a copy from him. figures - NO. OF PROVISIONAL MOTORCYCLE DRIVING LICENCES (PDL) ISSUED (Cols. 1115 - 1116) With regard to the second part of his question, I do not intend to raise the minimum age of applicants for the provisional motorcycle licence from 16 to 21 years. I see no reason to do so.”
“Fees for repeat inspections will not only put a stop to this wastefulness but also encourage owners to pay more attention to maintenance of their vehicles and ensure more vehicles pass the inspection at the first attempt. This move is in line with Government's policy to reduce pollution as poorly maintained vehicles tend to emit excessive smoke. With more and more commercial vehicles coming on to the road, it is necessary to introduce stringent measures to ensure that our environment does not deteriorate. For this reason, the ROV will step up enforcement against vehicles with smoky exhausts. To facilitate this action, the ROV has purchased portable equipment to check vehicles on the spot instead of escorting them back to the Inspection Centre as is being done now. From January 1982, all diesel-powered vehicles will also have to undergo a compulsory smoke test mid-way between their scheduled inspections. A special smoke test centre will be built to carry this out. With cooperation from all vehicle owners, we hope to reduce pollution on the roads and improve the quality of our environment. 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. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." - [Mr Chua Sian Chin]. Adjourned accordingly at Eight minutes past Six o'clock p.m. Official Report - MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1980 TO 31ST MARCH, 1981 (Cols. 1041 - 1044)”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of this Bill is to empower the Registrar of Vehicles to levy fees for inspection of vehicles. At present, commercial vehicles such as lorries, buses and taxis have to undergo scheduled inspections at the Registry of Vehicles. They are checked to ensure they are mechanically sound and safe for the roads. If any defects are found, such as faulty brakes or smoky exhaust, they have to be corrected by the owners and brought back to the ROV for inspection a second time or even a third time, if necessary, until all the defects have been rectified. These inspections are currently carried out free of charge. However, with effect from 1st July, 1980, only the first inspection will remain free. Fees will be imposed on the second and subsequent repeat inspections. The rates are currently being worked out. Ideally, vehicles which are well-maintained and in good mechanical condition should pass the inspection without any need to return to the ROV until its next scheduled inspection falls due. Unfortunately, the current free service has made some operators lax in maintaining their vehicles. As a result, very few vehicles pass the inspection at the first attempt. Our statistics show that only 20% of the total commercial vehicles inspected passed the first time. Although about two-thirds of the remainder passed after the second inspection, some return for as many as six or seven repeat inspections, This is wasteful because the ROV has to have the resources to conduct 130,000 inspections a year, when only half of this number would have sufficed.”
“But we have to ensure that maximum economic advantage is achieved. BEDOK SPORTS COMPLEX/INDOOR STADIUM (Completion date) 14. Haji Sha'ari bin Tadin asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the progress in the construction of the Bedok Sports Complex and when the Complex is expected to be completed; and (b) when construction of an indoor stadium in Bedok will commence and when the stadium is expected to be completed.”
“No, Sir, I do not grudge it. I said that it is a huge project with a large scale of public funds involved. Therefore, we have to thoroughly satisfy ourselves that this money is well spent.”
“Sir, different countries have different expectations from the people. And with growing affluence today we are having different types of problems. The travel demand is a function of economic activity and the acceptability of the level of mobility in the City depends very much on the expectations of the people. Hong Kong is perhaps a unique situation. It has a high density of housing, with very high economic activity going on. It is a bustling city. We may not reach the same density as that experienced in Hong Kong. Many cities in the world which have lesser intensity of economic activity than ours already have MRT systems. So when we talk of travel demand, it is a relative term.”
“Sir, it is not a question of whether or not we can afford it. The construction of an MRT, as I have mentioned earlier, even if we can afford and decided to proceed, it has to be carefully phased in with our economic and physical development. Assuming that our economic growth is not going to be as rapid as what we have experienced in the past and the international economic situation is not as rosy as it has been in the past or, worse still, if it is on the decline, then there is no reason why we should proceed with the MRT. It is a question of the travel demand, whether it justifies the provision of such a system.”
“Sir, I do not work on chance. The chances of shelving the project are as good as any chance. But, as I have mentioned previously, it appears that it would be unavoidable that we will have to have a system of this nature. The question is one of timing and how careful and wisely we spend this public fund.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, to be exact, the study was officially made about eight years ago on the MRT system. But this is not unusual, as most cities in the world take about the same length of time, or even longer, to decide on the MRT. Hong Kong took 10 years to decide. It is true that there are many cities in the world that have the MRT system operating, and we could learn from them. We are studying the various systems in these cities. But being in the tropics, Singapore's climatic conditions are very different from those in the advanced countries in the temperate zone. So different types of problems are involved in the construction of the system that we have in mind. Therefore, we have to study very closely. In this respect we are following very closely the experience that Hong Kong has in their MRT system.”
“The expenditure incurred so far of $8.4 million by the end of the Phase Ill study is a small amount compared to the total investment that we are going to put in the project. Though I do share the anxieties of the Member, we hope that we need not have to spend too much money on the study before a decision can be made.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am afraid I cannot agree with the hon. Member in his argument because public funds are involved. No doubt it will cost more if we delay our decision. But we have to make sure that public funds are not wasted in an unnecessary or foolish way. So we have to study it very carefully before we commit ourselves to such expenditure.”
“It is true that the longer we delay, the more costly the system will be. But because of the nature of the system and the scale of investments involved, it is vital that we have to satisfy ourselves that the route is carefully determined and laid to ensure maximum returns from the system, and that the money is well spent.”
“Sir, Phases I and II of the engineering and economic feasibility study of the proposed Mass Rapid Transit have been completed. The total cost of these two phases of study was $4.5 million. The third phase of the Mass Transit Study, the primary task of which is to establish the preliminary engineering design criteria of the MRT and to obtain a more accurate cost estimate, is scheduled to be completed in June this year. It will cost about $3.9 million. Right now, I am unable to say exactly when a decision can be taken to build the MRT. It is a complex and expensive project; it will probably run into $4 billion at current prices. Therefore, all aspects including revenue projections and development potential will have to be studied in detail to determine its viability. However, I can assure the hon. Member that we will take a decision as soon as we are confident of the accuracy of our projections on construction costs, operating costs, and returns on higher property leases over new underground stations, and operating revenue. A Provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority is now in the process of being set up to carry out further preliminary works related to MRT. Once a firm decision is taken, we will proceed with the detailed engineering design, following which tenders will be called. Once construction begins, it is estimated that the system can be built within 12 years in 11 stages, with the first stage ready for operation within five years.”
“The third written representation was submitted by the Tamils Representative Council, which suggested amendments to the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Bill, seeking appointment of representatives of the three major racial groups as members of the Corporation, as well as to ensure that sufficient air time was given to the different language programmes. The Tamils Representative Council feared that when the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation was established as a commercial enterprise, and had to generate sufficient income to sustain itself through sale of air time, Indian programmes would suffer because they did not have a large enough viewership to make them commercially viable. I understand the anxiety of the Indian community; but such anxiety is unfounded. It has always been the Government's policy to provide air time for different language programmes. This policy will not change after the establishment of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. As I had informed the House during the Second Reading of this Bill, the Government will retain control over the policy of the Corporation in the pub!ic interest. While there may be adjustments to improve the presentation and quality of programmes, I can assure the Indian and other minority communities that the quantum of air time they are having now on television will not be reduced. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. PLANNING (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 3.16 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." The Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Bill was committed to the Select Committee after the Second Reading on 21st September, 1979. The Committee received three written representations. These are shown in Appendix II to the Committee's Report which was presented to the House on 28th November, 1979. Arising out of consultations between the Auditor-General, the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Culture, the Select Committee considered and recommended amendments to the financial and auditing provisions contained in clauses 15, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 of the Bill. These amendments, incorporated in the Bill at Appendix I to the Report, will improve the accountability of the Corporation and will ensure that the Corporation complies with standard accounting and auditing procedures for statutory boards. Of the three written representations received, two identical memoranda submitted by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents and the Singapore Advertisers Association proposed that their Chairman be appointed as members of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. It is inadvisable to specify in the Act who should sit on the Board. At present there is a good working relationship between the two advertising associations and the Commercial Section of RTS. I have no doubt that this relationship will continue when the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation has been established. However, should there be a need for the appointment of a member representing the advertisers, this could be considered in due course.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Stage I of the new bus plan for Telok Blangah will be implemented this month. Under this stage, a feeder service will be introduced to link Depot Road to Bukit Merah Central and four trunk services will be shifted from Jalan Bukit Merah to Bukit Merah Central. Bukit Merah Central is close to the site of the proposed new Bukit Merah Interchange. Eventually, all these services will be shifted to the Interchange, which is expected to be completed by the middle of 1980. SBS will implement the subsequent stages of the new bus plan when the Interchange is completed. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN THE SINGAPORE CIVIL SERVICE (Statement by the Minister for Trade and Industry) 2.55 p.m.”
“Sir, the officials do not exclude any possible measures that would lead to a curb in the importation of second-hand cars. It is premature for me to reveal or to go into details of these various measures at this stage. TELOK BLANGAH BUS INTERCHANGE (Progress) 7. Mr Rohan bin Kamis asked the Minister for Communications and Acting Minister for Culture what is the progress of the implementation of the bus interchange scheme for Telok Blangah and when the implementation will be completed.”
“Sir, I am aware of that. And if that actually happens, then the importers are forcing the Government to kill the goose earlier, the goose that lays the golden eggs. As I have mentioned, we are studying the various measures taken to curb the growth in imports of second-hand cars. This is being discussed actively between the officials of my Ministry and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.”
“Sir, I think the Member's question is contrary to the argument put up by the Member for Thomson. It is our policy to discourage the rapid growth in car population. [n that respect the national economy and foreign exchange do not come into the argument.”
“Sir, I do not know the exact figures of second-hand cars exported from Singapore. Of course, the import of 622 reconditioned cars from Japan is a large figure compared to the previous year's figure of 65 or 62. But when we consider this in terms of the total number of new cars registered during the same period of 10 months this year, i.e. more than 18,000; then it is a very small figure. It is less than 3 1/2%. Nevertheless, we are keeping a close watch on the registration of these reconditioned cars.”
“Sir, I do not have physical evidence, if that is what the Member is asking. But I know that our used cars have been exported to other countries. And I can say this from my personal knowledge that many of our friends inside and outside this House have had their used cars exported.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, any reconditioned or used cars imported into the Republic will have to be inspected at the ROV for roadworthiness before registration. We are not aware of the standards or criteria set by the Japanese inspection authorities for reconditioned cars for export purposes, and I am in no position to say whether they are more strict than we are at this stage. But, as I have said, these cars have to pass the inspection test for roadworthiness by the ROV before they can be put on the roads.”
“Resolved, "That the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection."- [Mr Ong Teng Cheong]. HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 5.29 p.m.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the various hon. Members for supporting the Bill and in wanting to see more lively programmes over radio and on television. In supporting the Bill, they have pointed out a few areas of concern. The reason for converting RTS into a corporation is mainly to improve the performance in that it will cut down unnecessary red tape and to be able to come to decisions and action quicker. There is no other substantial difference between RTS as a department and SBC as a corporation besides this. That is why I have mentioned in my statement earlier that the main reason for converting RTS into a statutory body is to free the department from the day-to-day administrative and financial constraints. The overall policy of the Corporation will continue to be under Government control. The Ministry of Culture is happy with the arrangement that has been reached with the Ministry of Finance on the Corporation. With such an arrangement and with a very understanding Minister for Finance, as far as this particular Bill is concerned, I can assure Members who are concerned about the quality of the programmes to be produced by the Corporation that it will not offend against good taste and decency. I appreciate the other points raised by Members about the accounting arrangement. I must admit that I am not too conversant with the accounting arrangement of the other corporations or Government departments. No doubt we will look into these aspects raised by Members. Since we are committing this Bill to a Select Committee, all the various points raised will be looked into at the same time. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time.”