Othman bin Wok
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since 1958, the Land Office has been administering the Singapore Badminton Hall on trust for the Singapore Badminton Association. The Ministry of Social Affairs had been looking into the possibility of the Singapore Sports Council taking over the Singapore Badminton Hall.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there are no plans to expand the seating capacity of the National Stadium. The present structure can accommodate 60,000 people. The development plans for Phase II of the National Stadium Complex have been abandoned. SINGAPORE BADMINTON HALL (Take-over by Singapore Sports Council) 22.”
“Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Social Affairs (a) whether the Sri Rama temple which has been existing for more than 31 years in Changi Village will be allowed to remain on the present site in view of its significant importance of being the only one of its kind in Singapore as well as in the whole of South East Asia; and (b) if so…”
“I have already mentioned previously in this House that my Ministry is setting up a coordinating committee of officials from various Ministries and departments to see what can be done for these cases. I would like to assure the hon.”
“Sir, I am not aware of this temple in Changi and I am also not aware that it is going to be pulled down, or whether it is to be preserved and thus allowed to continue its activities.”
“I have had such requests since the early sixties but on each occasion I have been unable to bring about the operation of this part of the legislation mainly because of two reasons: (i) the tremendous amount of cost that would have been involved; and (ii) it is felt that all prosecutions, being supervised by the Attorney-General, would onl…”
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“That was a matter of opinion from the press.”
“In the final analysis, mass participation in sports in Singapore will only take place when the drive of every Singaporean for wealth and prosperity can be directed towards the desire for a gracious style of living and the regular habit of taking part in sports.”
“Sports in Singapore received considerable support in yester-years because they were communal-orientated. In modern independent Singapore, loyalty to one's constituency is being actively promoted. Secondly, optimum use of existing facilities is being secured. School children are allowed to train on athletic tracks, without charge. Swimming pools are being made available to the public from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m, on a continuous-use system, so that anybody may swim at a time convenient to him rather than on the present system of a fixed or block time. Thirdly, schemes are being studied to increase the amount of dual use of sports facilities so that constituencies without sports facilities may share in the use of facilities in other constituencies. Fourthly, planning for the future provision of sports centres has begun in conjunction with the Ministry of National Development, Housing and Development Board. Urban Renewal Authority and Public Works Department. Such forward planning on the nature and scale of sports centres and stadia in newly-planned urban areas and densely populated residential areas will ensure the orderly development of sports facilities where they are much needed. Fifthly, existing sports facilities will be programmed when funds are available to allow for diverse and increasing participation. Lastly, people are being made aware of what is happening. Better liaison with the press and mass media has been established, which I have just said. Sports and recreation will be promoted by publicity in the mass media, films and publications. These are only some of the methods being adopted.”
“It is true, Sir, that the sub-soil drainage system has been inadequate, but I have not seen anybody yet fishing in the field. Steps have been taken to remedy the situation. The squash courts which were built at the National Stadium were originally not part of the Stadium but were constructed to increase utilisation. Viewing galleries for squash are considered a luxury. The maintenance of the ground outside the National Stadium has still not been settled as the area has officially not been confirmed as part of the property of the SSC. Lastly, Sir, on children who were lost in the stadium. There might be one or two-odd children who were separated from their parents momentarily, but it would be an exaggeration to say that the situation was chaotic in this respect. To answer the queries raised by the Member for Serangoon Gardens. He wanted to know the programme of sports being considered by the SSC. The sports programme of the SSC is at present limited to the organisation of inter-constituency games. Together with the co-operation of the People's Association, it will encourage and promote intra-constituency games mainly for recreation and sports. The SSC will assist national associations and the SNOC, that is, the Singapore National Olympic Council, in the organisation and staging of national, regional and international games. It has close liaison with the Ministry of Education and is assured that sports and games are receiving adequate emphasis in the development of our school children. The positive methods being adopted to encourage mass participation in sports in Singapore are as follows: First, to give sportsmen and supporters a new identity. Adult sports has died in Singapore because of a lack of identification.”
“It would really be a day of sorrow when the quality of performance of our sportsmen is directly proportionate to the size of their pocket allowance. On the use of the National Stadium, let me point out that the National Stadium was not built solely to host the 1973 SEAP Games. The moving force came from sports officials in the national sports organisation way back in 1963. Sports authorities at that time felt that Singapore's sportsmen and sports fans deserved a modern sports stadium. This is still true today. Our sportsmen performed creditably, even beyond the expectation of officials, in the recent SEAP Games. Members of Parliament who witnessed the Games would have noted this spontaneous loyalty to the nation that these Games generated amongst sportsmen and sportswomen who rose to the occasion, and among fans who cheered the national team with charged emotion. All public amenities cost money to run. Clubs and associations which are reluctant to use the facilities of the National Stadium do so because they are poorly organised and are unable to raise monies for their programmes. The rental charged at the National Stadium has been carefully worked out. They are correlated to charges of other sports facilities in Singapore. The user merely pays for the direct cost of the services provided. The SSC is unable to subsidise the use of the stadium, as it is being stretched to its maximum in trying to earn revenue to maintain its facilities. There is no stadium in the world which can be wholly run on its collections from sporting activities alone. The exhibition area of the National Stadium has been developed on the initiative of Stadium authorities. This is being actively promoted among organisers of trade fairs.”
“Another reason for lesser participation is the fact that constituency sports associations are being newly established and have not been consolidated with adequate manpower and financial resources. Inter-constituency Chinese chess was omitted from the 1974 programme at the request of MPs present at the second meeting to discuss inter-constituency sport. The Member for Anson was absent. He would perhaps be relieved to learn that the People's Association has been requested to promote what he called this "popular coffee-shop game" at community centres. He also spoke about incentives to encourage the sportsmen. Sports and recreation are healthy, wholesome, leisure-time activities. They develop talents in individuals with good character and discipline, team spirit, community cohesiveness and national loyalty. Are incentives really required for participation in such a movement? Steps are being taken to ensure that emerging sportsmen from our schools find suitable clubs to join so that their sporting careers are developed to their benefit and to the benefit of the nation. The SSC further offers sports facilities free of charge to national sports organisations for the training of national teams for competition, locally and abroad. Injured sportsmen are treated free in the Sports Medicine Unit of the SSC. If the Member is thinking of monetary incentives for national sportsmen, this will have to be the responsibility of the respective national sports organisations. The SSC does not consider it proper to disburse public funds among a handful of talented sportsmen. The greatest and most satisfying reward lies in being chosen to represent Singapore.”
“Every organisation in Singapore is facing the problem of staff movement because of the over-employment and booming conditions in Singapore. Last year, one senior staff of the SSC retired while two seconded Government officers returned to their respective Ministries after their period of secondment. Professional, clerical and technical staff leave because the SSC, paying Government salary scales, is unable to match the salaries paid by the private sector. The SSC has been reorganised and is being strengthened with suitably experienced personnel from the Ministry of Education to ensure that sports in Singapore will see a new era. The SSC is aware that football has problems, and active measures have been taken to look after its administration. A group of experienced and dedicated Singaporeans have been given the responsibility to manage football in the country. 4.30 p.m. These officials and the SSC will need the collective support of elected Members of Parliament, who are responsible for their constituencies' sports associations, to ensure that the games continue with spontaneous participation and increasing spectator support. The SSC has drawn up a programme of inter-constituency games in consultation with MPs. Certain guidelines were laid down for the conduct of these games. It was the consensus of the MPs, present at the two meetings to discuss inter-constituency games, that participation by the various constituencies should be spontaneous. Those constituencies that could not fill teams would not participate. The response to the table tennis tournament was encouraging. That of sepak takraw was poor, because in many constituencies the game does not enjoy the same degree of popularity as other games do.”
“Sir, sports promotion is a long-term and continuing process of education and organisation in sports and games. The aim is to make Singapore a sports-loving nation. The people are being provided with better and improved sporting facilities and more facilities are being planned and developed. The manpower in coaching of games is being increased. Increased utilisation of sports facilities is being actively promoted and sports and games in schools are receiving a new emphasis. How the people respond depends on the personal values and attitudes and those of their leaders. How our sportsmen fair in competitions against other countries depends on the area or region of competition. It has been shown very clearly that Singapore can hold its own in regional competitions as evidenced by the high standards of performances of our sportsmen at the SEAP games last year. Press relations have been improved by regular meetings with the press. An effective bilingual officer has recently been appointed as press and public relations officer to ensure close liaison with the press. The Member for Anson mentioned about the absorption exercise. In any absorption exercise, some people will be selected and others rejected. Officers of the NSPB and the NSC were recruited from various organisations. Some were seconded, others were on transfer, and some were recruited direct by the two bodies. The majority were temporary officers. It was necessary to regularise the staffing position so that suitably qualified and experienced staff would be absorbed by the Singapore Sports Council. This assessment was made by an independent body, the Public Service Commission. The Member need not suspect the integrity of the PSC. There has been no exodus of experienced personnel from the SSC.”
“In 1972 the number of complaints against civil servants received were 120. Disciplinary action was taken against 31 cases after investigation. In 1973 the number of complaints against civil servants were 93. Disciplinary action was taken against 17 cases. A breakdown of the complaints against civil servants is as follows:- No, of No, of Cases Cases 1972 1973 (a)Discourtesy 39 49 (b)Misconduct 67 19 (c)Petty Bureaucracy 5 4 (d)Unnecessary Delay of Service 8 21 (e)Discrimination of Service 1 - ---- ---- Total 120 93 ==== ==== SUICIDES 2. Mr Hwang Soo Jin asked the Minister for Health and Home Affairs the total number of suicides and attempted suicides for each of the years 1972 and 1973 and the breakdown figures according to sex and the following age groups (i) up to 20 years; (ii) from 21 to 30 years; (iii) from 31 to 40 years; (iv) from 41 to 50 years; and (v) over 50 years.”
“Regard was had to the unprecedented rise in the cost of living, particularly in the financial year that is about to end. However, there will not be periodic adjustments. It would be totally inappropriate to refer the matter of payment of pensions to the NWC for consideration. Pensions are paid as a result of pensioners having qualified under their agreed terms of service with the Government.”
“Those whose pensions are above $100 per month but below $650 per month will receive a flat rate of $30 per month, subject to a maximum gross pension of $650 per month. Pensioners with mixed service now resident in Singapore will be paid half the rate. To ascertain total pension, basic pension plus existing Singapore Allowance and Cost of Living Allowance will be aggregated and rounded upwards to the nearest dollar. The new Singapore Allowance will also be payable to widows who receive a dependants' pension from the Singapore Government provided they are in receipt of the pension as a result of service put in by their deceased husbands. Persons in receipt of an Injury Allowance which itself is subject to review will not be paid the new Singapore Allowance. Persons who have been retired on disciplinary grounds with reduced pension, other than on grounds of indebtedness will also not be eligible. In order to alleviate the hardship of those retired on account of indebtedness, it has been decided to include them for payment of the allowance. On this basis, about 4,000 pensioners will receive the new Singapore Allowance. This will cost the Singapore Government $1.1 million per annum and represents an 11 per cent increase in the pensions bill. I would like to stress that this ex gratia allowance to pensioners resident in Singapore is not in any way to be linked with the NWC award for workers. Whereas the NWC award is really a form of supplementary wages to workers which takes into account the performance of the economy and our competitive position in labour costs and productivity, this special ex gratia allowance to pensioners is based on entirely different considerations.”
“To fulfil its role in this aspect of community welfare and redevelopment, the Service has to be made sufficiently attractive, in comparison with other jobs in the civil service and in the private sector, to ensure the recruitment and retention of suitably qualified officers in the existing establishment. Proposals to strengthen the organisational structure of the department by the creation of more promotional posts to enable serving officers to better their prospects, as well as better salaries and conditions of service for officers, have already been submitted to the Ministry of Finance for consideration. PENSIONERS (Ex gratia allowance) 5. Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Minister for Finance if the Government will give consideration to raising the cost of living allowance of pensioners, to allow them to meet present inflationary conditions; and if the Government will also consider referring the case of pensioners to, say, the National Wages Council for periodic adjustments of their pensions. The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am happy to announce that Government has decided to grant with effect from 1st April, 1974, an ex gratia allowance to assist pensioners in difficulties in the present abnormal inflationary situation. The ex, gratia payment, to be termed the new Singapore Allowance, will he confined to pensioners resident in Singapore, whose total pension is less than S650 per month and who will have retired before 1st April, 1974. Pensioners whose total pension is $100 per month or less will receive an allowance equal to 50 per cent of their pension, subject to a minimum of $15 per month or a maximum of $30 per month.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the average turnover rate of the Probation and Aftercare Officers for the period 1969-73 was about 30 per cent. The figures are as follows: 1969 40 per cent 1970 46 per cent 1971 20 per cent 1972 14 per cent 1973 30 per cent It gives an average of 30 per cent. The problem of recruitment and retention of trained social workers is not peculiar to the Probation and Aftercare Service alone. There is a general shortage of trained social workers in Singapore. Many of them prefer administrative, research and training jobs in the private sector, to field work in the Probation and Aftercare Service. The work of a Probation and Aftercare Officer is specialised and onerous. The Probation and Aftercare Officer has to work both during and outside of office hours to rehabilitate the offenders through supervision, which involves visits to homes and to places of work of the probationers. This type of work calls for the right attitude and training to help offenders to become socially useful and law-abiding citizens. It requires an officer with high leadership qualities and a strong character. He must be firm and at the same time sympathetic to the problems and needs of offenders and their families. The very specialised nature of the job, the lack of trained social workers, and the more attractive jobs in the private sector are the reasons for the high turnover of staff in the Service. My Ministry recognises that with the rising crime and delinquency rate, the Probation and Aftercare Service has a vital part to play in the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the treatment of offenders.”
“A small country, like ours particularly, can ill-afford the heavy fire losses, both in terms of manpower and property, which constitute a heavy drain on our economy. Finally, I would like to stress that fire safety is a community obligation, and every man, woman or child has a social responsibility to ensure that vigilance is exercised at all times to prevent an outbreak of fire. History is harsh to those who only know how to use fire but fail to exercise caution and vigilance and to take the necessary steps for its effective control. INCREASE IN PRICES OF HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD FLATS (Statement by the Minister for Law and National Development) 2.50 p.m.”
“This requires the insistence of a high standard of fire safety requirements in buildings, and educating the public on fire safety. The fatalities as a result of fire were five in 1970, eight in 1971 and twelve in 1972. This year, to-date, fires have claimed nine lives and it is essential that such tragic losses should be prevented. The figures for fire loss have steadily increased over the last three years - from $4 million in 1970 to $6.2 million in 1971, with a jump to $30.6 million in 1972. The fire loss in 1973 to-date amounts to $7.6 million. The indiscriminate discarding of lighted cigarette butts and matches and electrical short circuits have been the direct causes of many a fire. Undoubtedly, greater vigilance and care by everyone would minimise the incidence of fires. Insurance companies can also play a vital role in reducing fire losses by giving meaningful discounts on fire premiums where fire protection facilities are of a high standard. They could also increase the premiums or even refuse to underwrite if the fire protection measures are inadequate. The tragedy at Robinson's Departmental Store has highlighted the need to give fire-fighting and fire-prevention greater priority in our society. As we become increasingly more urbanised and industrialised, and with the rapid development of high-rise buildings, fire prevention requirements, the training of staff in fire-fighting, as well as the education of workers on fire preventive measures and emergency requirements, will have to be constantly reviewed and regularly stressed. We need to overcome the common human tendency to shrug off measures laid down to cope with unpleasant emergencies (such as fire drills) as being unnecessary, tedious and a waste of time.”
“The necessity of amending existing legislation to make it mandatory for managements of establishments of public resort to provide for the recommended training in fire-fighting and in dealing with emergencies is being looked into. Finally, Sir, a few recommendations pertaining exclusively to the Singapore Fire Brigade have also been made by the Commission, viz: - (i) that officers of higher rank in the Fire Brigade should supervise the Control Room operations; (ii) that the formal training of firemen should include lift rescue operations; and (iii) that service conditions of serving officers be improved. Action on all these matters has already been initiated and is in hand. The Commission also suggested that the Fire Brigade should be responsible for the regular inspection of all fire hydrants in the Republic, although they are maintained by the Public Utilities Board. This recommendation has already been implemented and regular inspections of fire hydrants are now being conducted by the Fire Brigade. Members may also wish to know that very soon all fire regulatory functions, including those pertaining to dangerous trades, will be transferred from the Fire Brigade to the Building Control Division under the Ministry of National Development. The Assistant Director (Building Control Division) will be responsible for all matters pertaining to safety in buildings. This will lessen the administrative burden on the Fire Brigade and allow it to concentrate solely on fire-fighting, devoting more time to the study of new techniques of fighting fires. Mr Speaker, Sir, although an efficient and modern fire service is essential for saving lives and property, the primary objective should be preventing the outbreak of fires.”
“In this connection, I must state that towards this end, the Public Utilities Board has already initiated action to draft appropriate legislation and set up the necessary administrative machinery. A further recommendation of the Commission is that a public authority be charged with the responsibility for ensuring the proper construction and maintenance of lifts to which the public may have access. The Ministry of National Development has decided in this connection to place the control of the installation of lifts and escalators under its Building Control Division, and the control of their maintenance under the Commissioner of Buildings appointed under the Building and Common Property (Maintenance and Management) Act. The Commission has also suggested that a Committee be formed to look into ways and means of rescuing people trapped in lifts in situations of power failure. Representatives from the Ministry of National Development, the Building Control Division, the Singapore Fire Brigade, the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research and the Commissioner of Buildings are now actively looking into the question of installation, in lifts, of equipment to facilitate emergency rescue operations and the operational aspects of rescuing people trapped in lifts. Another recommendation of the Commission is that all lift attendants be given proper training to deal with emergencies and that managements of establishments of public resort be required to provide effective training for all staff and domestic fire-fighting squads in preparation for any emergency. Here, I wish to point out that the Singapore Fire Brigade has always assisted with such training on request.”
“It is appropriate at this juncture for me to congratulate the Fire Brigade not only on its commendable performance on that occasion, but also on the general manner in which it had performed its role for the benefit of the community. In regard to the recommendations made by the Commission, Members many wish to know that many of the recommendations have, in fact, been implemented and some are being actively pursued. In order to prevent the recurrence of such a catastrophe, the Commission has recommended the introduction of legislation to enable appropriate authorities to implement a system of periodic inspections of places of public resort to check on unauthorised additions and alterations to buildings which might endanger the safety of the public. The Building Control Bill, now before this House, strengthens the law in respect of building control to enable the Building Authority to take more speedy and effective action against unauthorised building works and dangerous buildings, and provides for enhanced penalties in respect of offences. Provision to control, regulate and supervise places to which the public have access, has also been provided for. The Commission has recommended that for electrical installations of a stipulated higher current rating, consideration be given by the Public Utilities Board to grade the licensing of electrical contractors so as to ensure that only contractors with the requisite professional expertise and experience are allowed to undertake such work. It was also suggested that the 1947 Municipal Wiring Rules and Conditions of Supply should be updated.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Robinson's fire has been tabled in this House earlier for the information of Members. This valuable report, which has been accepted by the Government, is the culmination of careful deliberations by the 3-man Commission headed by Mr Justice F. A. Chua and assisted by Mr C. A. V. Chew and Mr Jimmy Chen Wie Ying, and I wish to record Government's appreciation of their public service. I also wish to thank the various individuals and organisations listed in the Appendices to the Report, who submitted memoranda or otherwise assisted the Commission in its work. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Commission has found that the fire that destroyed Robinson's Departmental Store at Raffles Place on the morning of 21st November, 1972, resulting in the death of nine persons and the destruction of property worth approximately $21 million, was caused by a short circuit as a result of the overloading of an electrical branch circuit on the ground floor. The Commission is satisfied that the criticisms levelled at the Fire Brigade of poor fire-fighting performance are unjustified, and that the Fire Brigade fought the fire under trying conditions and had done well in containing the fire from spreading to other buildings in that area. The Commission is of the view that by the time the Fire Brigade was summoned, Robinson's Departmental Store could not have been saved. The fire had been allowed to be nursed in the loft stores without being detected, and the domestic fire-fighting squad was fighting the fire at the wrong locations.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I present to Parliament the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Robinson's Fire, 1973. I shall be making a Ministerial Statement* on this at the appropriate time. (*Cols. 1314-9.) ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FREEZING OF GROUND AND HOUSE RENTS 1. Mr Hwang Soo Jin asked the Minister for Law and National Development if he will consider introducing legislation to freeze, for an appropriate period, all ground and house rentals which are at present charged at rates below $250 per month and which are outside the existing scope of the Control of Rent Act, so as to prevent landlords taking undue advantage of tenants in the lower income group.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just a few words to thank the Member and his colleagues for the support which they are giving to the Bill. One of the objectives of this Bill is also to rectify all the mistakes that have been made before, and to improve on the efficiency of the new organisation. 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. -[Encik Othman Bin Wok]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. STATUTES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) (NO. 3) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 5.40 p.m.”
“It is expected that with the setting up of the Singapore Sports Council by the amalgamation of the National Sports Promotion Board and the National Stadium Corporation, we will have a streamlined organisation made up of persons actively concerned with the promotion of sports, who would over the years he able to work together and build up a base among the masses, a base that would give the support necessary to bring about the popularity of sports. Whereas the Singapore Sports Council will be involved in the running of sports and physical education programmes, as well as the provision of facilities, the Ministry of Social Affairs will be actively concerned with policy direction. In conclusion, I wish to emphasise that with the formation of the Singapore Sports Council, we can look forward to seeing that the main objective of promoting mass participation of the people-in sports in Singapore, as well as bringing about physical fitness of the population, so essential to security and productivity in Singapore, would be achieved in the years ahead. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 5.34 p.m.”
“Under clause 9 of the Bill, the powers given to the Council are mainly to recommend minimum standards for participation in international sports, competitions and games; to advise on the planning, promotion and standards of physical education; to raise funds; to make grants or contributions to sports organisations, and to conduct commercial and business ventures. Clause 11 refers to transfer to the Council of the undertakings of the National Stadium Corporation and the National Sports Promotion Board, while clause 12 provides for the continued secondment of Government employees of either Board following the amalgamation and later absorption into the service of the Council. It also provides in clause 13 for non-Government employees to be transferred. Part VI of the Bill provides for financial matters. There is provision in the Bill for the Council to receive loans or grants from both the Government and the private sector, including the Singapore Pools (Private) Limited. One new innovation in this Bill is that most of the financial provisions are set out in schedule form attached to it, and this has the advantage of shortening the Bill considerably. The Bill does not confer authoritative powers nor powers to impose sanctions or penalties over national sports associations or private clubs, nor does it interfere with or usurp the functions of relevant Ministries, like the Ministry of Education. The Singapore Sports Council will be there to advise, encourage, coordinate and lead.”
“In this connection, I wish to mention that this new administrative machinery will pay particular attention to intra and inter-Constituency games which form an important mass base for the new "sports for all" national policy. The enactment of the Singapore Sports Council Act is in keeping with the new "sports for all" policy which the Government has embarked upon. Under this policy, the aim would be towards achieving good health, physical well-being, beneficial recreation and better spending of leisure time by our population. It also aims at raising the standard of sports so that it becomes an essential part of our national life. In furtherance of this policy, the objectives of this Council would be: (a) to improve the physical fitness standards of the people of the Republic; (b) to encourage mass participation of the population in sports in the Republic; (c) to provide the people of the Republic with maximum facilities so as to enable them to carry out their sports and recreational activities; and lastly, (d) to raise the standard of sports at all levels in the Republic. The various provisions of the Bill are geared towards achieving these objectives. The main functions, as contained in clause 8 of the Bill, are to plan and to promote, to co-ordinate and to cooperate, to encourage and arrange sports, games and recreation and physical education in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and the Singapore National Olympic Council and national sports organisations. Some of the other functions are to foster research and physical education and establish sports stadia and other sports facilities as are deemed necessary.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time". Sir, the main purpose of the Bill, as found in the Explanatory Statement, is to establish the "Singapore Sports Council" which will take over the functions of the National Sports Promotion Board and the National Stadium Corporation. The National Sports Promotion Board came into being with the coming into force of the National Sports Promotion Board Act in February 1971, and the National Stadium Corporation with the coming into force of the National Stadium Corporation Act in November 1971. At that time, it was considered necessary that there should be a separate organisation for the National Stadium which was at the initial stages of its construction. The Stadium has now been completed and was officially opened by our Prime Minister on 21st July, 1973. At this stage, it would not be economical to have two organisations concerned with the promotion of sports and the provision of recreational and sports facilities. The National Sports Promotion Board is concerned with the promotion of sports and the provision of facilities. The National Stadium Complex will be the main sports complex in Singapore and would also be concerned with sports. The time has now come for the two organisations to be amalgamated, so as to achieve the maximum utilisation of staff, finance and facilities. With amalgamation, there would be a streamlined administrative machinery, which would result not only in a considerable amount of savings in finances on personal emoluments and office space, but also in more efficient performance in sports promotion.”
“It must be for other projects; not for Punggol beach.”
“Sir, just to put the record straight. There is no plan by the Ministry to develop Punggol beach into a seaside resort.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1973 to 31st March, 1974, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is true that venues, other than those under the management of the National Sports Promotion Board, will be used for the SEAP Games. This includes private venues as, for example, the Gay World stadium. We have put up an estimate for financial allocation to renovate the stadium. It will cost the Singapore National Olympic Council about $51,250 to improve the lighting, painting and decoration, improvement of toilets, and so on. We will certainly give consideration to the safety and security measures. There is a sub-committee looking into this matter, as I have said earlier. Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon(In Mandarin): Sir, in view of the Minister's reply, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $8,472,010 for Head 1001 ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The slim of $1,100,000 for Head 1001 ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head 1002 -”
“Sir, the Government is aware of the difficulties of the Singapore Government Officers' Cooperative Housing Society. The spate of resignations from members of the Society was sparked off by the hitch in launching the proposed Changi Co-operative Garden housing project. Although the Society had refunded deposits and shares to a number of members who had resigned, it still has not been able to refund to the other resigning members who were clamouring for a refund of their money. In fact, the Society is in need of liquid cash to the tune of $1,150,000 to discharge its financial obligation to the resigning members. However, the Society has some valuable properties but it is reluctant to sell them at this stage to meet these financial obligations. The matter is now receiving the attention of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, and it is hoped that it will be put right in the near future. For a start, certain officials of the Society have been changed, and plans have been made for high calibre civil servants to be involved in the management of the Society. The Society is now already working under the guidance of the Registrar. There is, therefore, no necessity for the Government to take over the running of the Society.”
“Sir, we have staff who understand all the various languages. I do not think that language difficulty is one of the reasons for the delay in settling cases.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in 1972 the number of applicants for legal aid and advice was 3,745. In effect, the actual number of cases handled by the Legal Aid Bureau is much higher, in view of the fact that many cases have to be followed up in the succeeding year. Normally each case takes a period of time to be completed. There are many reasons for this, since it takes time for the Bureau to obtain the relevant evidence from the applicant and to obtain replies from the opposing parties who often do not give prompt replies. These cases also take time in view of the need to obtain reports, notes of evidence, and so on, from the various departments. For legal cases which are complicated, more time is required in view of the involved court proceedings. The Bureau is doing its best to deal with the cases as quickly as possible. T am quite satisfied that there has been no undue delay on the part of the Legal Aid Bureau in handling the cases. I am also aware that the case-load is mounting, and I shall not hesitate to recommend the necessary expansion and increase of staff to meet the needs of the Bureau, when the time comes for this to be done. But for the moment the Bureau is able to cope with its commitment and is functioning smoothly.”
“What I said was that the Majlis should assist local pilgrims who wish to proceed to Mecca by making arrangements for special chartered flights. The Minister has said that there is no provision in the Administration of Muslim Law Act. Nevertheless, Sir, there exists a Pilgrimage Department which looks after and assists the local pilgrims who travel by sea. If this Department can render assistance to local pilgrims who travel by sea, I do not see any reason why this Department cannot render assistance to local pilgrims who wish to go to Mecca by air. The Minister has said earlier that Muslims who wish to proceed to Mecca prefer the existing arrangements made by travel agents for their chartered flights. I think this is not true because many Muslim pilgrims prefer these chartered flights to he organised by the Majlis Ugama Islam on the grounds that with their assistance, matters relating to their pilgrimage to Mecca can be smoothly implemented. Encik Othman Bin Wok: Sir, the Majlis has done its very best to get these pilgrims registered for arrangements to fly them to Mecca. But, as I said, the response has been very poor. We did everything we could and it appeared that they preferred the Shaik Hajis to handle everything for them, instead of the Majlis Ugama Islam. However, we will still try again next year. Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff(In Malay): Sir, in view of the assurance given by the Minister, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment by leave, withdrawn.”
“As regards the queries raised by the Member for Geylang Serai, I regret to inform him, Sir, that the Majlis is not ready yet to take over the management of all religious schools in Singapore, as it lacks the necessary staff to do this. However, a sub-committee, with the Mufti as chairman, has already been formed and is charged with the responsibility of standardising syllabuses for religious instruction. This sub-committee has been functioning for over five months now, and I understand that significant progress has been made. It is anticipated that the revision of the curriculum for the primary levels will be completed by next year. The sub-committee will also be looking into ways and means to improve the standard of teaching by religious teachers. In this regard, the hon. Member may wish to know that the Majlis will soon be conducting special refresher training courses for religious teachers. With regard to scholarships, Sir, the allocation for 1973 is as follows: - No. of Value Total Awards Per Value Award Awards Higher School Certificate 50 $300 $15,000 Institutions of Higher Learning 24 $500 $12,000 (other than Universities) Universities 42 $800 $33,600 --- ------- Total: 116 $60,600 === ======= Last year, the number of scholarships awarded for local studies was 104, and the number awarded for overseas studies was 22. Of these 126 scholarships awarded, 30 were for religious studies. The Majlis gives equal consideration to applicants who wish to pursue religious education as well as to those who wish to study science and technical subjects. Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff(In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not suggesting that the Majlis Ugama Islam asks an airline company to look after the pilgrims.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member for Kampung Kembangan may wish to know that the Majlis Ugama Islam has been actively considering the implementation of a scheme for Haji air flights to assist local Muslim pilgrims to go to Jeddah. Unfortunately, there is no provision in the Administration of Muslim Law Act to empower the Majlis to operate such a scheme. The Majlis has also considered the formation of a co-operative for this purpose, and it has carried out a survey among local Muslim pilgrims to find out if they would respond to special arrangements for chartered flights. But the call of the Majlis for registration met with poor response. It appears that the present arrangements made by travel agencies are preferred by these local Muslim pilgrims. These agencies handled 12 such flights from Singapore in 1971 with 827 passengers, and 13 flights in 1972 with 492 passengers. As regards complaints about the treatment accorded to our pilgrims during their stay in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, since the arrangements overseas are not handled by Singapore, there is not much that we can do except to request the foreign authorities responsible for the pilgrimage to improve their services. As I understand it, the Shaik Hajis, or agents who take charge of the pilgrims in Mecca, have a very important role to play in the welfare of the pilgrims. They are paid for their services and the standard of the services is dependent upon the number of pilgrims each Shaik Hajis looks after. This means that the smaller the number, the better the standard of the services rendered. We have no control over these Shaik Hajis in Mecca. It is entirely left to the pilgrims themselves to select their own Shaik Hajis.”
“I am afraid I am not aware of this, Sir, but if the Member could bring up such cases to me, I will certainly take action. I have just been informed by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture, who is also the President of the Singapore Amateur Cycling Association, that SIA is already allowing 50 per cent concession through NSPB to national teams participating in competitions abroad.”
“I am not in charge of SIA, but I will raise the matter with those who are in charge.”
“West Germany, which has a 15-year Golden Plan starting in 1960, now spends about $1,700 million a year in public expenditure on only primary and secondary community sports facilities. This works out to over $40 per capita. In addition, substantial amounts of money are provided for the promotion of leisure and competitive sports in sports clubs throughout the federal and provincial states. The need for more financial resources for the promotion of sports in Singapore is therefore obvious. I would like to urge that a certain percentage of the national budget be allocated for sports promotion and for the development of primary and secondary facilities for public leisure and competitive sports. However, despite the present inadequacy of sports facilities at constituency level, the implementation of the inter-constituency sports project could be carried out still further with imaginative planning and close liaison with school authorities. The other Members have also raised many queries which are somewhat similar to those which I have already explained, and I hope they are satisfied with what I have said.”
“However, it must be recognised that there are certain limitations because of the afternoon sessions in most schools, which go on into the evening. In this regard, the Ministry of Education has been most accommodating in allowing many school facilities to be used by the constituencies on request. However, it is to be appreciated that the school facilities are now very extensively used by the schools themselves. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to share such facilities since priority must be given to school sports activities. The Member can rest assured that there is close liaison between the Ministries of Education and Social Affairs and the NSPB on this matter. Many countries concerned with the promotion of sports for their entire population invariably provide large amounts of funds for the provision of primary facilities which determine the success or failure of sports programmes and activities. It is no surprise therefore that in Singapore the top three teams in the inter-constituency football tournament came from Farrer Park, Pasir Panjang and Sembawang, where more facilities are available. The Government's involvement in sports promotion must be seen in relation to its overall effort in nation building, since in many ways physical fitness and sports contribute to national wealth and economic and material output. In some countries, as much as 4 per cent of the national budget is put aside for sports promotion. East Germany is said to have spent about $900 million over the past four years to make the country more sports conscious and better equipped with sports facilities as a preparation for the Munich Games, and the results spoke for themselves.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, all the three suggestions of the Member have been noted. The first suggestion has been rectified by my clarification. The second suggestion is being handled by the publicity subcommittee, and I am sure they will get in touch with SIA, to look into the details of the publicity. On the third suggestion, as I have said, it is so difficult to get a person to take charge of the various posts. At the present moment, the medical officer is put in charge of the various posts, as a temporary measure. Later on, when we find a suitable person, the medical officer will then be relieved of his other duties. Sir, may I now deal with the queries raised by the Member for Kampung Kembangan. The Member has expressed the need for more facilities for sportsmen in the State. As I have said, we are aware of this. For his information, Sir, on the completion of the National Sports Complex at Kallang, which is quite close to Geylang and Kampung Kembangan, swimming pools and other facilities will be made available to the people, including those from his constituency. Furthermore, the Housing and Development Board is planning to build a swimming pool in the Katong area in future, and this will be an additional facility which the people in his constituency can enjoy. However, it is the intention of my Ministry, in conjunction with the Ministries of National Development and Education, the Planning Department and the NSPB, to look into the overall requirements of sports facilities in Singapore in the near future. 4.15 p.m. As regards the use of school facilities for constituency sports, my Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Education to see what further arrangements can be made for school facilities to be used for this purpose.”
“In order to allay the fears of the Member that school children will be taxed beyond their capacity and that there will be a duplication of activities, I wish to assure him that future planning for age group competitions will be organised in close liaison with the Ministry of Education for the implementation of a scheme which will benefit the schools as well as the constituency sports organisation. My Ministry has already taken note of the difficulties and reservations expressed by a number of Members in regard to the lack of organisational capacity in their constituencies in launching this project. And my Ministry has since reviewed the position and has decided that age group competition at inter-constituency level will be implemented at a later stage, taking cognizance of the readiness of the various constituencies in participating meaningfully in this worthwhile project. As regards the administration of the NSPB, it is premature to prejudge its performance, since it is only two years old. The staff of the NSPB has worked under terrific pressure and handicap owing to the lack of adequate manpower and finance. I need say nothing more about this organisation than that its officials have shown tremendous dedication and initiative in their work.”
“The reasons are many, and some of the pertinent ones are as follows. Age group competition held in conjunction with inter-constituency sports will bring about social integration. One of the shortcomings of our urban society today is the wall which some of us built among ourselves. These artificial social walls can be broken if children and parents are all involved in sports and games as a community endeavour. ]t is important that the youths of Singapore should directly identify themselves with the activities within their own constituencies. They must develop a sense of identification and attachment towards their constituency. Through the age group competition, it may be possible to bring about a situation in which people of all ages can mingle on common ground and engage in meaningful sports activities. Parents can play alongside their children. In this way, more parents will take an interest in the activities of their children. From past experience, we feel that the standard of sports is likely to improve if the youths of our country are given added incentives and added opportunities outside the school environment. I am sure the Member for River Valley will agree with me that his prowess in water polo goalkeeping was developed in a Pasir Panjang club rather than direct training received from his school. This argument holds true for the majority of our top sportsmen in Singapore.”
“Because of the lack of equipment and manpower, the primary purpose of the Unit is to provide medical care for our national sportsmen. It is not possible to launch into sophisticated research on physical performances until more staff and equipment can be acquired. In the year 1972, as I said at the beginning of my reply, more than 600 national sportsmen were treated and 4,500 treatments, were prescribed and carried out. This does not take into consideration the number of patients treated during the Pesta Sukan and other international games. A research project is under-way to determine the trend of sports injuries in Singapore, and it is hoped that with added support from the Government, the Unit will in future be able to do more intensive physiological research to assist coaches and sportsmen. During the two years of existence, the NSPB has found great difficulty in finding senior personnel of the right calibre to run both the Sports Medicine and the Research, Planning and Training units. Due to this, the present incumbent who is, in fact, the only specialist in sports medicine in Singapore is found to be the most suitable person to run both these units. This is considered to be an ideal arrangement which, besides fitting in with the requirements of the National Sports Promotion Board, will also cut down expenditure. I would like to deal with the subject of inter-constituency sports in age group competitions. I feel that the Board has achieved much in inter-constituency sports which has been introduced for the first time in Singapore. From all points of view, the football and basket-ball tournaments have been a great success. The Board is considering the implementation of age group competition to be incorporated into the concept of inter-constituency sports.”
“Of this amount, $18,000 was spent on the organisation of inter-constituency football tournaments which is a worthwhile project and one that helps to launch the inter-constituency sports, which will be the framework for the promotion of sporting activities among the people at grass-root level. Of the remaining amount, $5,000 was given to the FAS for organising the Pesta Sukan Football Tournament. The amount allotted to football was not unduly high in view of the popularity of the game. The Board allotted $25,980 for basketball, $53,907 for cycling, $20,645 for tennis, $14,500 for school sports, $20,358 for motor sports, $13,475 approximately for athletics and $11,510 for badminton. Apart from these, 21 other sports, from billiard to Chinese chess, also received certain allocations in varying amounts, depending of course on their financial position and their needs and activities. 4.00 p.m. The Sports Medicine Unit of the NSPB was launched in June 1971. The Board has accepted plans for development which are as follows: Stage 1 - an outpatient clinic to take care of the national sportsmen; Stage 2 - a physiotherapy clinic to aid the treatment of patients; Stage 3 - the provision of ancillary facilities, such as laboratories and surgical facilities; Stage 4 - a centre for research into human performance. This format is originated because each stage will cost increasing sums of money. Up to-date, stages 1 and 2 are in progress. The department is limited to a staff of two - one doctor and one physiotherapist. The medical officer is also appointed by the Board to be the assistant director in charge of promotion, research, training, commercial development and publications. A total of $42,893 has been spent on equipment for the treatment of patients.”
“All expenses involved in travel were borne by the host nation which invited us. The NSPB did not put in a single cent. As for the King's Cup tournament in Thailand, it is again regretted that the Member was misinformed. Only six officials accompanied the team. Four of them, namely the manager, the assistant manager, the coach and the referee, were invited by Thailand, according to the tournament regulations. It is therefore untrue to say that the NSPB paid for the expenses of five of the officials. In fact, the NSPB, as I have said just now, is not financially involved at all with the project. The entire expenses for these officials and the 17 players were borne by the Thai Football Association. Except for two officials whose expenses were paid by the FAS, the entire expenses for the other officials and players were borne by the Thai Football Association. The Member should also note that it is the FAS, and not the NSPB, which is planning a tour of Australia and New Zealand later this year for the soccer team, provided it does reasonably well in the coming SEAP Games. I feel that this is an excellent incentive, and most sports organisations should try to provide similar incentives to their participants and endeavour to raise funds to give Singapore's sportsmen the needed experience in competition. Regarding the Member's question as to how much money the NSPB had spent in promoting soccer as compared to other sports, I wish to inform the House that a sum of $24,500 was spent by the Board during the past year.”
“The NSPB was asked to take over the administration of football in a caretaker-capacity by the Football Association of Singapore, and the Board very reluctantly accepted this responsibility because of the critical need in July 1971. The intention was that the Board would do this for two to three years to set the right plans and finances for bringing football to a proper level in Singapore over the period. The House may be pleased to know that the standard of soccer has gone up many times over since the NSPB became involved in its promotion. The national team is now ranked in the middle order of the All-Asian national teams. It is hoped that in the foreseeable future, the Republic can emerge as one of the leading teams in Asia. It is also noticeable that more and more people now go to the Jalan Besar stadium to watch the performance of our national team. Despite this achievement, there is still much to be done. I would also like to correct the erroneous impression the Member had concerning the match between the Football Association President's Eleven and a Japanese club team. It is incorrect for the Member to say that a few paying spectators were requested just before the match to represent Singapore in this match. To put the facts right, the House may wish to know that the national team was not involved in this match. Three of the players were invited to play for the Football Association President's Eleven, and they were from the Farrer Park team, which was the inter-constituency champion. They were not paying spectators in any sense of the word. On overseas trips for the soccer team, it is true that the team did make eight trips overseas during the past year. But this was in accordance with the Asian football calendar.”
“But I must make it clear that even this general philosophy must be modified to suit the situation obtaining in Singapore. Firstly, facilities and funds at present are still very limited. Secondly, people in Singapore have a predilection for certain sports and games. Thirdly, the Member is no doubt aware that there are certain sports and games which we are not at a physical disadvantage as compared to others. In this regard there are opposing views to those expressed by the Member: that the approach to sports to attain standards of excellence should be on a selection basis. In the Singapore situation, we have not really adopted such a selective approach. We have, in fact, adhered very closely to the principle of promoting all sports in the Republic, although the results achieved and the publicity received by them will depend very much on the effectiveness of the organisations responsible. It is certainly untrue to say that the NSPB has been promoting only one or two sports, particularly soccer. For the information of the House, the Pesta Sukan in 1971 and 1972 had over 30 different, sports with competitive programmes. The NSPB has also assisted in the organisation of the Asian Cycling Championship and the Pan-Pacific Karate Championship and other international sports events, including the Grand Prix in Singapore. The impression that soccer is receiving a lot of attention from the NSPB partly springs from the fact that it is one of the few games which have been introduced into the inter-constituency sports and partly because of its popularity with the sporting public in Singapore. Football is internationally a major sport. We cannot deny that, and the need for it to be revived and promoted from its position in the doldrums two years ago was obvious.”
“Some of the possible incentives which are being looked into are: a scholarship scheme for all national sportsmen; free training of national sportsmen for specific careers under the guidance of the Sportsmen Welfare Council; free nutrition for all national sportsmen and free transport facilities in connection with sports. It is indeed timely that the Member for Anson has touched on the question of discipline of sportsmen. We instil in our sportsmen the ideals of dedication, integrity and loyalty as well as the need for proper sportsmanship. By comparison with other countries, it cannot be said that our sportsmen and sportswomen lack these qualities. However, it is admitted that there are occasionally a few black sheep who stray away from the straight and narrow path. The incident mentioned by the Member was one of those rare instances, and the organisation concerned had not hesitated to take drastic measures to prevent a recurrence of such a situation. The Member also wants to know if, in addition to soccer and basket-ball, it is intended to organise competitions of this nature for all other sports activities. The answer is that this is the ultimate aim. We have started with soccer and basket-ball. This year badminton, sepak takraw and table tennis will be added. Other games will be added in the years to come. Let me now deal with the Member for River Valley, Sir. He has made some very good observations and I am very glad that he has chosen to speak strongly on the inadequacies of the National Sports Promotion Board. His timely comment is welcomed but it is obvious that he is unaware of the background concerning sports promotion in general, and the work of the Board, in particular. It is agreed that the NSPB should promote all forms of sports in the Republic.”
“However, we do admit that with proper organisation, training and incentive, we can certainly raise the standard of Singapore in the international sporting world. But this will necessarily take time. Surely you cannot produce sportsmen or super-sportsmen in a day! One of the ways of going about the sports problem is to acquire a broad base of sportsmen and sportswomen from which to select. In doing this, we will also achieve the dual object in that we would at the same time be enhancing the physical health and ruggedness of our youths at all levels from primary schools to tertiary institutions. I agree with the Member that if sports were to flourish there is a need for sportsmen and sportswomen to be given adequate incentives for participation. In Western societies, one or two incentives are provided in one way or the other. In the East European countries, the states provide incentives in the form of living allowances, housing, and trips abroad. In our case, sportsmen are given some incentives as follows: unrecorded leave, especially for Government employees, to enable them to participate in the national teams (unrecorded leave up to a maximum of ten days for coaches, referees and players, to be taken up with the Ministry of Finance); subsidised centralised training for most sports and nominal allowance for transport and nutrition for the SEAP Games trainees; free medical service for all national sportsmen; provision of scholarships for outstanding sportsmen who are students, and grants of credits by the Ministry of Education for pupils with extra-curricular activities in schools. The National Sports Promotion Board has been studying the situation further and realises that the present incentives are still inadequate.”
“The National Stadium will also be the official press centre for the Games and from there telegraphic and telex facilities will also be available. Sir, with regard to publicity for the Games, 25 different articles have appeared in local newspapers concerning the SEAP Games in Singapore. Besides this, the Organising Committee has produced two colourful posters. These have been distributed to all primary and secondary schools in Singapore, Government Ministries, and the Olympic Committees of all the SEAP countries. More advertising of the Games is expected from May onwards. Radio and Television Singapore will give at least an hour's programme for each sports discipline. The commercial firms involved in the Games will also help to publicise. Souvenir coins and commemorative stamps will also be on sale before the Games. 3.45 p.m. Advertising, Sir, is a very expensive business, and we shall cut our coat according to the cloth. If possible, the Organising Committee will try to produce a film on the Games. If there has been little publicity thus far, the only excuse is lack of finance. The Member for Anson has raised certain queries. First, may I thank him for his good words about the National Sports Promotion Board. As to his being perturbed about how the standards of our sportsmen compare internationally, I can assure him that there is no reason for him to be ashamed of Singapore's performance in sports. With a small population of only over two million and the lack of sufficient facilities, and the lack of space among other things, we have not fared badly in international competitions. There are games in which other countries have done better than us but there are games in which we shine.”