R Ravindran
Singapore
“Sir, on behalf of all Members who raised various cuts under this amendment, I would like to thank the Minister for Defence, the Second Minister for Defence and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for their detailed explanations. I would like to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“All this training only comes when the critical time for us to play the game and stay there on the field after the critical 30 minutes. I think it is critical that the SAF provides safe training but, at the same time, realistic training. I would like to ask the Minister how the SAF intends to provide for more safety.”
“Sir, ASEAN, as an organisation, looks like it is back on track. The last ASEAN Leaders Summit showed that the leadership shares a common vision and is committed to meeting the goals set henceforth.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo, and the Minister of State, Mr Zainul Abidin, for their very comprehensive answers to the queries raised by Members and I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $257,379,160 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.”
“If such rivalries continue, there is every risk that the community-building exercise would be fatally compromised. At best, the EAS may just emerge as another talk-shop like APEC or ARF, where leaders meet, declarations are made, but little community-building is achieved.”
“Sir, the big plus over the recent debate on the Melvyn Tan's case was the tremendous understanding of the role of National Service by all Singaporeans and the spirited defence of it by many.”
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“Sir, I also hope that our agencies will continue to invest in more technology to reduce time and cost and, also, effectively check bags, cars and people to expedite the easy and fast movement of people and goods. Together with the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) and the Home Team, we have in place a new national security strategy that will make it hard for terrorists and other elements to disrupt the peace and quiet of our nation. We must continue to engage the public to win the battle of the mind and check the threat. Secondly, Sir, an external defence force. I am confident that the SAF will continue to provide a credible deterrence and effective defence. As it continues to enhance its capabilities and transform itself into a 3G SAF, it is always ready and is respected as a world-class credible military force. I know that the SAF never compromises on training standards and equipping our soldiers with the best outfit. Our effort in regular training bears fruit when our NS soldiers switch from their civilian clothing into military gear on quick mobilisation and merge into their duties seamlessly, yet with dedication. I have visited our soldiers on many occasions, both local and overseas. It is tough training, but they know it is a sacrifice they make for the nation. They take their training seriously and they know why we need to be operationally ready. They respond to mobilisation exercises at speed and in excellent numbers. East Timor or Iraq, they are there for a purpose, to maintain peace and security. Their response in crisis to help fellow human beings in Aceh was quick, well coordinated, and done with respect to local culture.”
“Sir, I rise in support of the motion. In outlining the Government's programme for the future, the President highlighted security as the bedrock on which the prosperity of Singapore is based. Our people, investors and visitors have always recognised Singapore as a safe place to live, work and visit. This state of relative safety did not come about easily and effortlessly. We have invested time, money and great amounts of our people's sweat in providing this comfort. We have in place a good Total Defence framework and it is continuously tested to keep our people alert and ready. Sir, I think if one looks at security, there are three key pillars that underlie our security. One is domestic security; two is external security; and third, buoyed by good international diplomacy. Let me first take home front security. The Home Team has worked hard to check crime; maintain security at our checkpoints; prepare against unconventional threats of chemical and biological agents. We have identified and shut down terrorist networks; hardened potential targets; cooperated with other countries to share intelligence and, more importantly, prepare our people for possible repercussions when we are unfortunately hit. These are remarkable measures and come with some concerns too. Issues, such as invasion of privacy, inconvenience and added costs come to mind. I do hope our agencies within MHA address their minds to how to manage these concerns within the parameters of the law and put in place certain safeguards that assure the people that these safeguards are in place and that cost and time can also be saved.”
“On that note, Sir, I support the recommendations of the Committee.”
“I would like to ask the Minister whether, as part of the overall review of second languages, the standards and teaching of these other Indian languages will be considered by the new Committee, in particular whether these non-Tamil Indian language results will be considered for national student awards and promotion. Sir, I notice that the Minister has given in his statement two days ago that there will be a timeline for the implementation of these changes in the Report. What I would like to seek clarification from the Minister is whether there is such a timeline for the implementation of these changes in the Malay and Tamil languages and whether the Minister could see that the implementation of changes and the teaching of second languages are synchronised, so that all changes for the three languages can be implemented along the same timeline. In conclusion, I would like to say the following, Sir. I support the key recommendations of the Review Committee, in particular the call for greater customisation and flexibility at the primary level through a modular approach to provide for students with differing home backgrounds. I also welcome the greater emphasis on fluency in oral communication and reading for the majority of students. These changes most certainly apply to Tamil. These and other key recommenda- tions will certainly go a long way to ensure that our second language policy is one that is flexible and practical. Through this honest and open approach, I am confident that we can ensure that our mother tongue languages continue to stay as usable and living languages. It will also provide each one of us that cultural ballast, that edge and sense of perspective that will stand us in good stead for our country and us as a people.”
“In the past, many organisations wanting to organise many Indian activities and Tamil Language activities needed to go from one Ministry to another to seek support for various programmes so that children get an opportunity to use the language outside the school environment. Because only when they get the opportunity to use the language outside the school environment do they see the relevance and would appreciate and like to learn the language. Here, I am very happy that the Prime Minister earlier mentioned that if the clan associations are able to raise $10 million, the Government will match that grant dollar for dollar in order to encourage activities to promote Mandarin. Sir, I do hope that the Minister for Education will also ensure that such funds can be made available to the Malay and the Indian communities so that they can also get together and organise activities which will promote the two languages. And I think this is very important because when it comes to Tamil activities, I see it in my own personal experience, it is very difficult to run from one Ministry to another Ministry asking them for money because they will tell you that it is not part of their budget or it is not part of their programme. Such financial incentives that have been offered by the Government must certainly be extended to the other language groups also. Sir, besides Tamil, there is also a group of non-Tamil Indian languages which also need help. There are a growing number of Indian parents who are sending their children outside curriculum time to learn Indian languages like Hindi and Punjabi, and they face their own set of problems.”
“I just hope that the Minister visits the MOE Tamil website maintained by MOE and see whether it really appeals and enthuses our young children who are used to playing GameBoy Special and Xbox games, and whether it is being regularly updated. I am not stating that all is not well. There is a whole new generation of Singaporeans who have benefited from the bilingual education and Tamil education in Singapore. Many of them hold key appointments in Singapore. I for one have benefited from the education that is provided by the school system, and I am quite sure many others have appreciated the benefits of the language education of Singapore. In addition, there are also some excellent services by many Tamil teachers in Singapore. For once I note some excellent dedicated Tamil teachers who do more than their share. They use IT, and one group of dedicated Tamil teachers that I know even develop Tamil IT software and content at their free time and share them with teachers and students outside the MOE. MOE should look within and see how such groups of teachers can be identified, nurtured and recognised. I consider myself lucky to have benefited along the way from good teachers who taught me well. However, there is certainly much room for improvement. Sir, I hope the Minister will also study whether the present second language standards in Singapore for Chinese and Tamil are being maintained or suffering minimal decline because of the fresh influx of new immigrants for whom these second languages may be the first language back home. I would like to see whether a different or even a drastic trend emerges if their numbers are excluded from the general student statistics. Sir, as contained in the Report, an environment that provides for the nourishment of the language is important.”
“The students also miss the remedial classes in Mathematics and Science organised by schools for weaker students. The Action Committee has proposed that the Language Centres be replaced by having Tamil taught during curriculum hours in more secondary schools. Those taking Tamil need not be disadvantaged. The schools selected for these should represent a reasonable mix of academic standards as well as geographic location." In 1992, when this report was put up, Tamil students could still participate in Tamil ECA on Saturdays or on other occasions. But now, with schools not functioning on Saturdays, even the avenue for language appreciation and participating in programmes on Saturdays is taken away. And now Tamil ECA, run by the Tamil Language Centres, has to compete with the ECA in the normal school hours on top of remedial classes and other programmes that are going to be offered by the schools. So this causes a problem. However, Sir, I appreciate that MOE has done much to provide Tamil education. In some schools, the number of Tamil Language students is small, yet MOE still provides teachers. The concern in the community is whether MOE will stop providing Tamil teachers in schools where the intake of Tamil studying students is declining. It is clear that the present approach of teaching Tamil does not appeal to our students and is the cause of their frustration with the language. What can MOE do to make the language enjoyable? How is IT being harnessed to enthuse our students? What I would request MOE to do as part of its review of Tamil Language education is to see whether there are adequate resources devoted to make Tamil education interesting. For example, we all talk about IT.”
“I can tell that this is a serious problem because, as the Chairman of the Tamil Internet Steering Committee, I faced difficulties and had little cooperation from some of these experts who think they know best, even when the trends and the standards which are being decided for Tamil in the international arena are very different and moving in different directions from where MOE is aiming for. On the other hand, if I try to reach a higher level to explain an issue, I meet Chinese senior officials in MOE to whom Tamil Language is Greek. Let me now move on to the topic of difficulties of students. Sir, our children face many difficulties in learning the language. There are about 100 secondary schools where Tamil is not taught as a second language and they have to go to one of the nine Tamil Language Centres twice a week to learn the language. About 3,000 Tamil students attend at these Centres. The problems have been there since the 1980s. In fact, the present Minister for Education in his capacity as the Chairman of the Research Committee of SINDA in a 1992 report stated, and I quote because it summarises very briefly but accurately, that Tamil Language students not only face problems in learning the language but also in the logistics. It is stated in its report: "At secondary level, Tamil Language is taught off curriculum time in many schools. This creates a heavy burden on the limited time of students as they have to travel from school to the Language Centre for these classes. As the Language Centre classes are of lower frequency and considerably longer duration, learning efficiency is also reduced. Furthermore, loss of lessons due to public holidays and school functions is not infrequent and is not made up.”
“Words that are no longer relevant or even used in present days are still found in our textbooks. There is an urgent need to relook at the curriculum and the pedagogy that is used by our teachers. On the topic of teachers, I think it is equally important that we continue to provide a path that is very attractive for Tamil teachers. Many feel that the path for Tamil teachers is short and they do not see great prospect in the teaching profession for Tamil teachers. So we have to see how we can overcome these feelings and hurdles that are faced by Tamil teachers and how we can provide avenues for Tamil teachers whereby they not only teach Tamil but also another subject in school, so that they feel that they are part of the school teachers community and they have the same opportunities to rise in the teaching profession as any other teacher in the system. Sir, let me move on to another problem that is faced by reformers within and outside MOE. This is the lack of a channel to receive feedback from teachers, parents and others on Tamil Language within MOE. At present, and in the past, the feedback is given to the very people who are the cause of the problem in the first place. The additional problem is that MOE does not have a person of sufficient seniority who belongs to the post-independence generation and is literate in Tamil Language and understands the language issues and is able to monitor what the curriculum development staff and teachers are doing.”
“Inevitably, many of our curriculum developers are scholars who have excelled in Tamil education. Their yardsticks and standards still reflect an earlier era. The full impact of the societal changes has not been felt by them or is ignored by them. At times, I feel that the curriculum developers should undergo frontal lobotomy as the best way to remove all historical baggage and start on a fresh start. Even today, as I look at the textbooks used in our schools, they are world class but more suited for an environment where children learn Tamil as a first language and not as a second language. Let me now move on to the topic of teaching of the language. Because of the curriculum dictated by MOE, teachers are constrained in the teaching of the language. Here, there are two groups within the school system. The first group are the home grown and post-1960s' generation teachers who are for easing of standards and implementing novel ways of teaching. They are an increasing minority but still not a dominant group to bring about change at MOE, particularly at curriculum and teaching levels. The other group are the older generation teachers, some language specialists and expatriate Tamil teachers who consider themselves as the guardians of the language. They are dominant and determine policy, curriculum and pedagogy. They are seen as the ones setting higher standards and maintaining strict language criteria. Because of the set curriculum, the teachers find they are handicapped. Writing and reading are emphasised at the expense of developing oral skills. In some cases, they add to the burden by increasing the vocabulary and content with a view to increasing the language ability of the child in the classrooms.”
“We have not adjusted our curriculum to reflect the changes in the language environment in Singapore. My generation and the generation earlier came from a different background. We spoke Tamil at home. Tamil radio was turned on throughout the day in my house. Tamil newspapers and books were found in homes and read by everyone. The Indian community stayed in distinct areas where there was great scope for language usage. Community and cultural events were prevalent where the language was used. But that environment is gone. I have three primary school boys. It is difficult to get them to use Tamil at home. We have tried many novel approaches to encourage the use of the language at home. The children are not always the defaulters. It is I, as a parent, who often revert to the use of the English Language unconsciously. Sending children to stay with grandparents to improve Tamil Language only meant that the grandparents' English improved. My eldest son is presently taking Higher Tamil in Primary 6 and my second son has been offered Higher Tamil for Primary 5. The kids complain, just like many of their friends, that the language is too difficult. I intend to encourage them to pursue Tamil at a higher level if they are able to cope with it. But many households do not have the same support or the language environment. I can tell you so because I have seen the children of many of the leading lights of the Tamil community, and even Tamil scholars, whose children have great difficulty in using the language. I have seen the local Tamil school books and for many years, even helped MOE vet some of their textbooks. The problem is that old habits never die among some of these people in the Ministry of Education.”
“In fact, when I read the Report, I smiled, because if one takes out the words "Chinese Language" in the Report and replaces the words "Tamil Language" in it, one can see big smiles on the faces of Indian parents and children. The trends of what is happening to the Tamil Language actually started appearing years ago. The usage of the Tamil Language at home has been less as compared with the English Language. I know because I served in many Indian organisations over the years, and it is a subject of great concern among community leaders. In fact, it led to the launch of various Speak Tamil Language months over the years. There is, however, widespread support for Tamil and other Indian languages among Indian parents. They understand and encourage the learning of the language as the best way to preserve the language and transmit cultural, historical and even religious values. They want their children to enjoy learning and using the language. Even if it was not compulsory, many will still want their children to study their mother tongue languages. The feedback, over the years, has been consistent, and I will now highlight some of these feedback which I hope the Minister will take into consideration. Sir, the first point that I would like to make is that the standard of Tamil education is very high in Singapore, so high that many thought that it is being taught as a first language. I can tell you so because I have attended the World Tamil Conference and have served as the Chairman of the Tamil Internet Steering Committee. Every one of these Tamil experts tells us that the standard of Tamil education is the best outside India and, in some cases, some have complimented that it is higher than in the home country, Tamil Nadu. Sir, next, let me move on to curriculum development.”
“At the last census, it was revealed that of the 7% Indian population in Singapore, 5% speak Tamil. And of that 5%, only 50% use the language at home. As such, there is great concern as to what is the future of the Tamil Language in Singapore. Sir, it is no fault of the Government. This Government has spared no effort and money in ensuring that Tamil Language education is provided in as many schools as possible. In many schools, even where the numbers are small, the Government provides teachers and resources to show its impartial treatment to all the official languages. Tamil is a living language and has pride of place among Indians and the global Indian community. In fact, our Government policies and commitment to Malay and Tamil serve as a model and a lesson for many countries and governments on how to build a united and cohesive society. Sir, where else can we see a 24-hour Tamil radio station, daily Tamil TV and cable programmes, Government publications and even public signage in Tamil? Even in our own Parliament, Tamil is spoken and simultaneous interpretation is available. Tamil is taught in both universities - one as an elective and in NTU, as part of the teachers' training programme as a graduate programme. Tamil books are available in abundance in our libraries. Sir, there is never a doubt in my mind that this Government is committed to a fair and equal treatment of all the official languages. However, there are problems that are peculiar to Tamil Language teaching and learning in Singapore. The problem that is faced by Tamil Language students parallels that faced by Chinese Language students in Singapore.”
“Sir, the Report of the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Committee comes at a critical time. There have been many calls in the past by many Chinese parents to relook at the standards of Chinese education in Singapore. I personally know some Chinese friends who have moved overseas because their children could not cope with Chinese Language education and our rigid entry requirements into tertiary institutions. We have tried novel solutions like Chinese 'B' syllabus, etc, to help students who are weak in their mother tongue language to progress at a pace that takes into account their home and family background. I am impressed by the honest views stated in the Report and the suggested solutions to make Chinese Language a relevant and living language. The important message that the Report sends to all is that MOE will find solutions and implement policies that will take into account the strengths and weaknesses of our students and tailor solutions to maximise the ability of our students. Sir, my colleagues in this House have given expression of their personal experiences and the feedback of the general public in respect of the learning of the Chinese Language. I will try to express the views of the Indian community on the woes faced by them in the learning of Tamil and other non-Tamil Indian languages. Before that, let me, first, welcome the statement of the Minister that he will set up a similar review committee to study the teaching of the Malay and Tamil languages in our schools. Sir, Tamil was originally neglected by the colonial government. It was this Government that made Tamil an official language and made available the teaching of Tamil in all national schools in 1959. There is always concern in Singapore as to what will be the status of Tamil in future.”
“I am reassured by these latest amendments that all agents involved in the housing of illegal immigrants would be taken to task. I am confident that with these amendments landlords could expect greater professionalism and detailed checks by housing and labour agents before they place foreigners in the premises. I hope that all professional real estate companies would take necessary action to train their agents and have in place an immigrant verification process that could withstand police scrutiny. One of the negative effects, the way the law is drafted at the moment, is that it covers any middlemen, and that also applies to lawyers. My concern is that there may be many middlemen who are not housing agents, labour agents or lawyers, who may be caught under the clause. So I would like to urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to publicise the new provisions actively through all professional bodies so that they are made aware of this law and they could educate their members not to fall foul of this new law. On that note, Sir, I support the proposed amendments.”
“If the landlord is able to check with MOM or ICA, the photograph on the pass or permit given by the foreigner against the original photograph submitted to MOM or ICA, that would go a long way to solving the problem of forged permits and passes. This would prevent many landlords, even employers, from being duped by illegal immigrants. I do hope that, on top of the present system of verification of just the names and particulars, we could also provide for a way whereby the photographs that are put on the passes or permits could be verified against the photographs or other documents that are with MOM or ICA. Lastly, on the question of the impact on housing agents and labour agents. Sir, the new section 57B extends the presumption clause and due diligence requirements to middlemen who assist, encourage or induce landlords to provide shelter to immigration offenders. This new clause primarily targets housing agents and foreign labour agents. The punishment is very strict as it imposes a minimum sentence of 6 months' imprisonment in the event of conviction. I am encouraged that MHA has finally shifted the onus to housing agents and labour agents and made them accountable. Many landlords rely on these agents to do the necessary checks on these foreigners. In some instances, the housing or labour agents assure the landlords that they had done the necessary checks and misled the landlord to rent their premises. But, when an illegal immigrant is found on the premises of the landlord, and the matter is investigated by the police, they would disclaim all responsibility and pinpoint the landlord as the person responsible. They get away scot-free. They charge professional fees, but they do not discharge their duty as all responsible agents should.”
“The three checks that are laid out in the Act are: (a) the landlord first checks the foreign tenants' original pass or permit; (b) the landlord checks that the particulars in the passport correspond with the particulars in the pass or permit; and (c) if the employer's name is in the pass or permit, the landlord has to check with the employer that the person's particulars correspond with the employer's record. Sir, the weakness of the present system of verification is that many landlords are novices. They could not distinguish between a forged pass or permit against an original one. The quality of present day forged documents is very high. In fact, it is so good that even police officers could be duped on first sight. There are organised syndicates and smart labour agents who know how the present verification process takes place. The trick is that the names and particulars of a forged pass or permit would correspond to a real permit or pass holder, but the photograph usually would be different. There could be two passports, one original and another one forged. There could be two work permits, one original and another one forged. If a person merely looks at the forged work permit and the forged passport, the details would tally and the photographs would match because both are forged, and the checks would then be considered completed. When one calls the employers with either the pass or the passport to check, the employer would confirm that the person named and the FIN number or the work permit number tallies, when in reality, they are actually forged documents. Sir, there is one way to authenticate which would make it difficult to circumvent, and that is through photographic identification.”
“The first concerns the prosecutorial discretion not to charge offenders where the accused is proved to have done at least one of the checks or was misled by the housing agent that he had done the checks. I hope that the police and the AG's Chambers would continue to exercise discretion and not prosecute where the facts do not warrant it. My fear is that with the new provisions of negligent harbouring, the police or the prosecution may coerce or induce the accused to plead guilty to a lesser charge even when they are innocent. They may charge the accused under the original limb of section 57(d)(i) but then offer the accused a reduced charge of negligent harbouring to secure an easy conviction. This may put some accused in a dilemma. If they fight the case, they may be convicted for a serious offence under section 57(d)(i) and get 6 months' imprisonment, and they have to worry that if they do appeal, their sentence may be enhanced on appeal. But if they do not fight the case, they are then induced to plead guilty to a charge of negligent harbouring. All they want is a fair trial where the police or the prosecution charge them for the offence which are borne by the facts. In such event, the accused should be offered the opportunity to have a fair trial to determine whether the accused was negligent or innocent. I do hope MHA would monitor the cases under the new provisions so that "abuse" of the new provisions does not take place in order to secure easy convictions. The second concern relates to the necessary checks to establish the degree of the offence and the charge that will be preferred.”
“Sir, I welcome the proposed amendments to the Immigration Act, particularly those relating to the introduction of the new offences of harbouring illegal immigrants negligently under the new section 57. The existing law only provided for a minimum punishment of 6 months for intentional harbouring of illegal immigrants. I have come across many cases where the accused are very aged or illiterate who have been charged under the existing section 57 and sentenced to a minimum of 6 months' imprisonment. There was no alternative for the investigator and the prosecution but to charge the accused under section 57, nor was there a lesser charge that could be preferred against the accused, depending on the severity of the offence or the other vulnerabilities/weaknesses of the accused. In short, the law previously provided a one-size-fits-all solution to a problem which required a flexible and varied approach on a case-by-case basis. I am glad that the Ministry of Home Affairs has understood the draconian impact of the law and had exercised prosecutorial discretion to let off some offenders, whose case fell on the borderline, with a severe warning. But there are many others who have been sent to prison regardless of the mitigating and sympathetic circumstances of each case. That the law was draconian was felt by many in the law enforcement, prosecution and even judicial circles. I am happy that the MHA has come to recognise that there must be room for discretion to be exercised by the police, the Attorney-General and the courts in preferring charges against the accused for illegal harbouring under the Immigration Act. Sir, I have two primary concerns about the new provisions of negligent harbouring of illegal immigrants.”
“When ASEAN was lacking direction and leadership, he provided the same. From 1997 to 1999, he provided guidance and strengthened the unity among ASEAN countries. He was responsible for the Free Trade Agreements that Singapore signed with several countries. And recently, he gave new ideas to improve relations between Asia and the Arab countries. As long as Singapore exists, his services will be remembered in the history of Singapore. I am happy he will continue to serve the country as Senior Minister. He has dedicated his life for Singapore and the people of Singapore. On behalf of all Singaporeans and myself, I thank Mr Goh. At the same time, I wish to thank Mrs Goh Chok Tong also who has helped Mr Goh in carrying out his duties. Long live Mr Goh's great deeds! Long live his glory!”
“He implemented new schemes like Main Upgrading Programme, Lift Upgrading Programme and Interim Upgrading Programme to upgrade HDB flats. Above all, he also introduced the Hawker Centre Upgrading Programme. He gave benefits to the people according to our country's growth. The Economic Restructuring Shares and the Singapore bonus shares are some of the examples. He introduced the Renaissance City Plan to make Singapore a country where arts and culture flourish.Many new buildings for arts and culture, like the Esplanade theatre, the new museum and new cultural centres were erected during his period.In Singapore, he strived to enhance the bonding and unity among the people. Whatever the problem was, he put it across to the people in simple terms and got their cooperation and understanding. During the 14 years when Mr Goh was Prime Minister, Singapore faced many challenges locally and globally: first, the Kuwaiti war; the Asian financial crisis in 1997;the terrorist attack in September 2001;the Afghan war; the Iraq war; domestic issues like SARS; the tension with the neighbouring countries and the activities of Islamic terrorists. Many such crises arose. Mr Goh found solutions to all these problems in his own style. He thought calmly and deeply and took measures and implemented policies that were necessary with Singapore's interest at heart. He enjoyed the support of all sections of the people. Mr Goh was popular not only locally but also abroad. Mr Goh was well known as a sound politician and a wise thinker in the world arena. He was Singapore's foremost ambassador. He played a key role in setting up APEC and ASEM. He is also responsible for the good relations we enjoy with countries like India and China.”
“(In Tamil): Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to pay tribute to our Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and thank him for his services to the country as Prime Minister. The great poet Thiruvalluvar had described 2,000 years ago the four qualities of a good leader. In verse No. 382 of Thirukkural he had spelt out the four qualities: fearlessness or courage, generosity, wisdom and resourcefulness. A leader should have all these four qualities. First, fearlessness: he should face any challenge without fear. Second, generosity: he should give generously when it is necessary. Third, wisdom: he should see what is good and what is bad in advance. Fourth, resourcefulness: perseverance. Mr Goh is a leaderwith these qualities. Hecarried out his duties for 14 years very well. He performed the duties as a Prime Minister according to the "kural". Despite difficulties, his 14 years as Prime Minister were golden years in the history of Singapore. He gained the love and support of the people, and he earned their praise as well. In 1990 when he took over as PM, he said that he would strive to improve relations between the Government and the people. After 14 years, he has retired from his position with pride that he has fulfilled his promise. Now he has taken over as a Senior Minister. All Singaporeans would say that his humble approach is the best of his characteristics. That is why he is referred to as the People's Prime Minister. Our former Prime Minister has always carried out his duties with the aim of providing a better life to Singaporeans. He wanted to uplift the lives of ordinary Singaporeans. He introduced the Edusave scheme so that all students would do well in education. He announced the Medifund and Eldershield schemes to help the elderly and the needy to cope with their medical bills.”
“What I would like to ask the Minister is: in cases where DNA samples are taken from those who are detained and who are subsequently released because of a lack of evidence or for some other reason, how can we conduct the process in a very transparent manner whereby the person who was wrongfully detained feels that his records or DNA samples are not kept in any way in any record in any form? On that note, Sir,I support the Bill.”
“Sir, there are many types of international syndicates, eg, the mafias, the yakuzas and the triad gangs referred to by the Minister as the EA gangs. I, for one, in the course of my conversation with many people, have heard that many of them have come to scout around in Singapore to look at criminal opportunities in Singapore. But when they realise that we have a law which allows them to be detained if they indulge in these activities because we are unable to get witnesses, I think it has deterred many more. And that is the major benefit of this Act and, because of that, I would support the continuation and the extension of this Act. What I am equally impressed is that the detainees are given a fair hearing and are fairly treated. I have met members who have served on the Committee, and I can inform the House that many of them are people who would like to see that these people who are detained have a fair hearing. They look through the investi- gation papers,call upon the investigation officers to satisfy themselves that these detainees are indeed detained under the proper conditions laid down in the Act. But, more importantly, Sir, what I would like to see is how can we reintegrate these detainees into society much better when they have servedtheir detention period. Are we doing enough to allow them to reintegrate into society by getting jobs faster or help them in any way to upgrade their skills or education so that they are able to integrate into society? The other provision that is important here is the taking of the DNA samples under the new proposed amendments.”
“Sir, the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act has been in our legislative books for a long time. But over the years, as a child, NSman and lawyer, I have come into contact with many people who have been detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act. I remember, as a child, in the neighbourhood where I lived, there were many gangs and gang members who used to thrive. Slowly, word got around about the famous section 55 of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act and, surely and certainly, over a period of time, we slowly saw them disappear. We also saw peace and security returning to our neighbourhoods. In the course of my National Service as a Police National Serviceman, I also came across many of these secret society personnel who used to intimidate businesses, individuals and many others whom they can intimidate in order to control territory or to raise money for themselves or for their group. As a lawyer, I also came across instances where individuals have been detained and when I think that they have been rightfully detained under the Act for some of the acts that they had carried out in the course of their gang or other related activities. Sir, while I am assured by the Minister's information to this House that the number of persons who have been detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act has come down - I think that is a very welcome sign - I, for one, will certainly support the continuation of this Act for the simple reason, not so much for the number of people we have detained over the years, but the many more whom we have deterred from entering into these triad gangs, drug trafficking or any other form of major criminal activities where they think they can bluff our legal system.”
“Sir, in a recent study by Rand Corporation, which studied the four intelligence agencies of UK, US, France and Australia, what came out clearly was that inter-agency rivalry was the cause of intelligence failure repeatedly whenever challenges face these agencies. So while I recognise that at the upper echelons of Government we would have coordination, my concern is how do we ensure that this rivalry at the operational level does not affect the quality of intelligence that is ultimately given to the upper echelons. And could we consider, at the lower echelons - whether it is Police intelligence, SID, ISD or MFA - some form of cooperation or training whereby some of these officials could be brought together regularly so that they understand ultimately that the protection of their individual department's turf is not as important as national security and interest? The second question that I would like to ask the DPM is whether having too many structures would in itself hamper quick decision making when it comes to a time when some quick decisions have to be made to meet some of these security challenges or emergencies that may arise.”
“Sir, I recollect when there was a major blackout in the USA, a question was raised in this House as to whether we could have such a blackout, and I do remember the answer was that it should not happen in Singapore. It has happened, and I am very sad, and I would like to ask three questions. Firstly, will the Ministry be looking within the Ministry and the regulators of the industry to see whether there were some incompetent decisions made and whether there was complacency among some of these key scenario planners or regulators? Secondly, when a major blackout happens in Malaysia, they are able to tap into our grid and take electricity supply immediately. In the instance when we had a blackout, why were we not able to tap into the neighbouring country's electricity grid and at least get some supply of electricity from the country? Thirdly, many people were affected by this blackout. Not only were consumers affected, but a lot of companies were also affected. Could we have in place a body which could, in a way, look at the claims of these people who were affected by such a blackout and try to see whether we could consider giving damages or compensation for various losses or damages suffered by both consumers and the companies involved?”
“Sir, after an accident had happened, it is too late for one to call and alert the LTA officers. I have come across many instances where some of these contractors, because they are poorly trained workers, provide inadequate notice to oncoming vehicles. I am just wondering whether a system can be implemented whereby even before they commence the actual work, somebody from LTA physically attends and ensures that adequate notice is given to oncoming vehicles. Because after an accident has taken place, it is no use worrying about what measures that were not in place.”
“While I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his reply and the fact that many schools are made available to the public, the problem that exists at the moment is that there is a lack of information in the public domain as to which school facilities are available to the public. My queries specifically to the Minister is: how do we make such information available to the public so that we know that such facilities are available and we can access the relevant schools for such facilities?”
“Sir, our schools have excellent sports facilities. I am happy to note that over the years, the Ministry has allowed community organisations and other private groups to use sports facilities in the schools. However, I have come across instances where community organisations and members of the public, when they want to use sports facilities in the schools, such information is not readily available. Each time, somebody wants to use these sports facilities, they have to call the individual schools separately and get information whether or not such facilities are available. In some instances, principals are cooperative and very helpful, and I have come across many cases where it has been allowed. But there are also instances where some principals are uncooperative or would like to hoard such facilities. I would like to ask the Minister how such facilities can be made available to the community in a very transparent way and whether the Ministry can take a proactive measure by putting all these sports facilities, which are available for the use of the community, on a website, or in a very prominent place where the public can access the information easily, so that such sports facilities which are in excellent location and which are very well used by the schools can also be made accessible to the public and private groups. Traffic Management at Schools”
“Sir, Singapore's defence expenditure is something that this House has always supported, and I am very happy that many analysts have always complimented Singapore that it is always money well spent. In fact, Tim Huxley, a famed defence analyst, wrote in an article "Singapore and the Revolution in Military Affairs", that for less than $5 billion annually, MINDEF and the SAF provide Singapore with a remarkable range of military capabilities. In Singapore's immediate regional context, these capabilities presently outclass those of any potential opponent in conventional military terms, and I know the SAF strives for quality, transparency and getting the best for the defence of Singapore. Sir, in this regard, while I am aware that defence spending has gone up due to three primary reasons, ie, high cost of new acquisitions, high cost of R&D and high salaries, I would like to ask the Minister how do we ensure that while we spend substantial amounts of money in procurement, we also ensure that substantial money is also spent locally and that there is spin-off for local industries and R&D efforts. I would also like to ask the Minister what checks and balances are there in place to ensure proper and adequate spending of the defence money. Lastly, how do we ensure that we always get value for money for our expenditure? 1.30 pm”
“Sir, as in past years, MINDEF has again been allocated very substantial funds to look after the defence of Singapore. And I welcome that the Government has not cut back on defence spending to ensure that the security of Singapore is never compromised. While I welcome this continued spending on defence, there are obviously many security and strategic challenges facing Singapore. And for this continued expenditure, I am quite sure that there are continuing security threats and challenges. I would like to ask the Minister to highlight what are these security and strategic challenges that are facing Singapore so that, not only do Members of this House have a better understanding, but also that many Singaporeans out there appreciate these continuing security and strategic challenges facing Singapore. Piracy”
“Sir, when the police force recently released the crime statistics for 2003, I noticed that there was a slight increase in youth crimes. I am very concerned whenever there is a rise in youth crime because, if we can check youth crime, we will prevent many youths from progressing to become adult criminals. As such, I would like to ask the Minister whether any study has been done to identify the causes, and also to develop new strategies to deal with youth crime. In particular, I would like to ask whether many of these crimes are related to gang activities. I would also like to ask the Minister how MHA deals with schools, the community and families to help youths to prevent them from committing criminal acts. How does the MHA deal with youth offenders? Do all youth offenders get charged in court or do they get warnings and are given a second chance, because we do not want to spoil the future career of youths by charging them at a young age and getting a criminal record? What is the approach in dealing with youth offenders?”
“Thirdly, what further measures does the Ministry intend to take to ensure that this constant education of the public, the business community and the various grassroots organisations can be maintained so that this vigilance is shared not only by our security apparatus and agencies, but also by the wider community in Singapore? Homeland Security”
“Madam, we as Singaporeans must be very proud of our Home Team and our Homeland Security Team for providing a peaceful environment for Singaporeans, in particular, from the security challenges posed by terrorists in the region. If there is something that is certain, that is that this threat of terrorism will continue for some time. I think the Home Team has sent the message to the Singaporean public that each and every one has a part to play. And I am very proud that even grassroots leaders, the business community and many business enterprises in Singapore have come together to work with the Home Team to ensure that we take all necessary security measures to prevent any terrorist mishap in Singapore. While this is the scenario, I would also like to take the opportunity to praise our unsung heroes who are very seldom seen in the public domain. They are our intelligence officers both belonging to the ISD and our external intelligence agencies who always work in the background and provide constant vigilance for Singaporeans. Madam, the query that I would like to raise with the Minister is: what are the challenges and threats that we can foresee in the immediate future, and what are the measures that the Minister and his Ministry will be taking to ensure that this vigilance is maintained over the next few years. Secondly, I would like to ask the Minister what is the level of intelligence sharing between agencies both within Singapore and outside Singapore.”
“Madam, there are many outstanding issues between Singapore and Indonesia, which are still outstanding. I am quite sure that with the coming election, some of these issues may be raised as part of the campaign process there. One of the key things that I think is emerging in Indonesia over the past five years and which will be a recurrent pattern in Indonesia is that there will be many political players and many influential people who will interfere in Singapore-Indonesia relations. For a start, the President, the Ministers, political parties, religious leaders, parliament, local governments, the military and even the business community would want to have a say in these bilateral matters. I would like to ask the Minister on how Singapore intends to engage Indonesia amidst the fact that there will be so many players wanting to have a say in these matters. And, also I would like the Minister's input on how he sees the changes that may take place arising from a resurgence of the Islamic parties in the election which will take place next month. I would also like to ask the Minister on how Singapore intends to engage Indonesia, both at the bilateral level and at the ASEAN level, in ensuring security for the region and also in the area of checking terrorism in the region. Brunei”
“Sir, post-1997 crisis, observers have commented that ASEAN has weakened. I would like to ask the Minister the following questions: Firstly, what is the true state of affairs of ASEAN today and whether the Bali Summit last year marked the beginning of a resurgent ASEAN? Secondly, I would like to ask the Minister what steps are being taken within ASEAN to help the CLMV states, so that they can catch up in the development stages as fast as the other six states. Lastly, Sir, in the area of security, are there plans to have an extradition treaty among ASEAN members in the area of terrorism, and also whether in the area of security engagement of the different countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia and North Asia, what are the future plans that ASEAN has to continue to engage these countries, so that we continue to have an ASEAN region which is peaceful and free of multi-power rivalry?”
“Sir, we have in place legislation to provide for overseas and electronic voting. In fact, in the last parliamentary elections, we were supposed to have overseas voting in five cities. But because of September 11, it had to be cancelled. I am quite sure the Minister will agree that even more Singaporeans are studying, working and living overseas, and many of them want to exercise their right for voting overseas. I would like to ask the Minister what are the steps that the Elections Department has taken, with a lead time to the Presidential election and the next general elections, to provide for overseas voting. I would also like to ask for an update from the Minister as to what steps the Elections Department has taken to ensure that we can have electronic voting for the next Presidential and general elections.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $112,710,840 for Head R ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $331,815,600 for Head R ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head F - Parliament”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code RA 1500. Sir, in land-scarce Singapore, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), as the keeper of the main component of land in Singapore, has a duty to ensure that land is easily made available to the public for community use rather than letting it being idle. I would like to ask the Minister whether SLA can do the following: (1) set up a website of all the empty land that can be used by the public, in particular for sports activities; (2) put up signboards on public land when it is ready to be used, so that the public will know readily that it can be used for community purposes; (3) level such public land so that they can be used for community or sports events; and (4) offer such land to both community organisations and private companies, so that they can take up sponsorship to put up sports facilities for temporary use by the community or public. Land Acquisition Act”
“Two supplementary questions, Sir. I thank the Minister for his reply. The first question is: does ENV have a complete checklist for their officers to undertake when they visit sites where mosquito breeding is suspected and whether, in this instance, there were cases where some areas where mosquito breeding was going on which were left out at the initial stages? The second question is: is there coordination between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Environment and the private clinics in the respective areas where there are cases of dengue being reported? I understand that some of the medical professionals, especially in private clinics, were unaware that there was a dengue outbreak and, as such, they were hesitant to diagnose some cases as dengue because they were not aware. Could we improve this process of communication with the local medical professionals?”
“Two supplementary questions, Sir. The first question is: has there been any response from the Malaysian government with regard to our 25th October TPN? The second question is: what is our position if the Malaysians proceed to demolish the bridge and the ancillary services that are linked to Singapore?”
“Sir, whilst I support the Bill, I hope the Minister can assure me that there is in place some checks and balances to ensure that such powers are not abused by our security agencies.”
“Sir, I support the passing of the Bill. The Bill aims to take proactive steps to ensure that the security agencies here take preventive and, if necessary, pre-emptive measures, to counter any threat to a computer system which can affect national security, essential services, defence or foreign relations of Singapore. That the threat is real can be seen in various reports emanating overseas, which indicate that there are constant probings by foreign intelligence agencies. On top of that, we have hackers and crackers who tried to infiltrate key infrastructure computer systems on a regular basis. My concern is how do we ensure that there are adequate safeguards to protect the privacy of law-abiding citizens. The proposed provision gives the decision-making power to the Minister without any external vigilance. In the US, it is the Attorney-General who authorises such power to the investigating agencies. In some cases, a written authorisation has to be obtained from a US Judge. I would like to ask the Minister as to whether he could consider setting up a supervisory committee, comprising at least a High Court Judge, to approve, if not, to review the use of such powers. In addition, I would like to ask the Minister as to how they would handle sensitive, private or corporate information which is innocent at the point of time the investigation is launched, but which is brought to their attention. What happens to such information subsequently after the investigations are completed? Is such information discarded or will it be kept away for future use? Perhaps the Minister could share with us how other countries approach these issues or challenges that are faced by their security agencies and also what safeguards are in place to prevent abuse.”
“Sir, could I inform the DPM that there is an anomaly? Under the Moneylenders Act, there is a cap of 18% on the interest that can be charged by moneylenders because, primarily, it is meant to protect the low-end borrowers. But here we have a case of banks extending credit facilities via credit cards to low-end families also, and yet we do not put a cap on the interest rate that these banks charge. Is it not time that MAS relooked at either lifting the cap under the Moneylenders Act so that they can charge any interest they wish to charge or that we bring down the rate that the banks charge to their customers?”
“Sir, I have a resident who is a Chinese trying to sell his flat but is unable to find any buyers except Indians, and nobody has come forward to buy. Considering the fact that the EIP is posing a serious financial problem to some families, and the alternatives that are being offered by HDB involve extra expense for them because they have to pay, if it is a deferred payment, they end up actually paying interest for a longer period of time. So it is actually a loss-loss position for the owners of these flats. So I think we have to find a solution whereby we have to be flexible with this percentage that we have put up and see whether we can accommodate a differential of perhaps 2-3% so that at certain times, like these difficult times, when residents have problems trying to sell off their flats, we can be more accommodating and flexible because many of them are actually trying to downgrade as they are unable to cope with the financial burden that they are facing. So I hope the Ministry can look into some ways of ameliorating the situation because many residents are indeed having problems in not being able to sell their flats.”
“I would like to ask the Minister how much a worker can withdraw at age 55, if he had used up all his Medisave account monies by then. What percentage of members would have adequate Minimum Sum in this scenario? Lastly, on tinkering the CPF scheme. Sir, I would like to ask whether the Government can indicate whether it intends to stop tinkering with the CPF system, or whether CPF would continue to be a regular tool of economic management. This question is raised as it makes it difficult for Singaporeans to plan their financial future, as the basic premise for their financial planning is adjusted by the Government far too regularly. To be candid, I also find it confusing to plan for my long-term retirement plans. Employees above the age of 40 years are confused, as regular changes are confusing them in how they should plan for their old age. Perhaps the Government should state that there is a base amount which will never be changed and a variable range which can be altered. Can the Government give an assurance that the 30-36% range would be the final figure? Or should we be looking at lower figures? Some clarity would certainly help guide our people. Sir, in conclusion, I would like to say that the CPF changes are tough measures, but hard times call for tough choices. As a people, we have never failed to confront challenges realistically and squarely. The way forward is to work together - Government, people and businesses - to bring new investments and new jobs, and these I am confident we can achieve. These short-term sacrifices by our people to make Singapore competitive will certainly help bring growth to our economy and greater prosperity for all in Singapore. On that note, Sir, I support the Government on its new CPF policies.”
“Somehow, my sense is that these price increases are not caught in our Consumer Price Index. In fact, with the confirmation that GST will be raised next January 2004, we can expect businesses to raise prices. I would like to appeal to businesses in Singapore to help their fellow Singaporeans to bring down the cost of living, settle for smaller profits, and not to make life miserable for Singaporeans by squeezing them. Perhaps NTUC FairPrice can take the first step by transferring the CPF savings arising from these CPF cuts to a 5% discount on all their products. That should herald measurable immediate cost savings for many Singaporeans. Let me talk about the relief measures, Sir. While I am glad that the DPM announced some relief measures to help those affected by the latest CPF cuts, unfortunately, if one takes away the amounts set aside to help the construction sector and the other specific programmes, the amount actually reaching the worst hit people is very minimal. In fact, in some cases, nothing. My middle income residents have given me feedback that the relief package has very little for them. They are the ones worst affected by these changes. I do hope that the middle income Singaporeans will receive some good news in the next Budget, in terms of greater tax relief and other benefits. Next, on the CPF figures that were provided yesterday. Sir, I would like to seek clarification on the data that was released by the Acting Minister for Manpower yesterday as regards the amounts that the 25th percentile worker would have accumulated in his CPF accounts. The withdrawal amounts at age 55 were also given. We all know that many workers will use their Medisave before they reach 55 years of age, either for themselves or their families.”
“I sincerely hope that we can set up an Anti-monopoly Commission, something like the Anti-trust Commission in other countries, that can scrutinise all monopolies and oligopolistic market practices and see whether they are colluding or charging unreasonable charges for their goods and services. This commission should also audit many of our Government regulators to see whether they are doing their jobs competently and have the public interest in their decisions, and not always give the excuse that they have to make the public service providers make decent returns on investments. While I am glad that the DPM highlighted the case of the Land Transport Authority reducing the fees for taxis, I am quite sure more can be done by the Government. I look forward to the Cut Waste Panel being transparent and highlighting cases within Government and statutory boards of wastage and over-charging. These cases will certainly make other organisations take note and work towards doing the same. The inequitable situation in Singapore is that Singaporean workers can take losses in their salary cuts but public service providers can make good profits even in tough times, and this only happens in Singapore. While I am dissatisfied with the market practice of some of the public service providers, I do not have kind words for our own local businessmen who squeeze Singaporeans in these tough times, and I would just highlight an example. I patronised a goreng pisang stall in Pasir Ris housing estate. In the past, they sold three goreng pisang for $1. But suddenly, last month, they sold three goreng pisang of the same size for $1.50. I am not going to the stall again. There are many businesses in Singapore who are greedy and raise prices arbitrarily.”
“In the long run, I wonder whether even Singaporeans may choose to settle overseas as they may find that the disparity in the wage levels and the cost of living is more manageable in other countries as compared to Singapore. We must ensure that we do not encourage reverse brain drain due to lower wages but high cost of living. This brings me to the main issue of cost of living. Sir, businesses can easily choose to migrate to cheaper cost centres but, unfortunately, Singaporeans are unable to. Some try to save by going to Johor Baru and Batam for cheaper shopping, but for the more daily expenses they are unable to run away from. I wish the Government could do more to reduce the cost of living for Singapore. While the consumer price index shows that inflation is low, the reality is that costs are arbitrarily raised in Singapore. Let me give you an example. The SGX raised its fees arbitrarily in Singapore and nobody could object because you either use the SGX or you go somewhere else, because it is a virtual monopoly. We have many GLCs and other businesses that will claim that business conditions are tough and that they are helping their customers. But yet they will report $1 billion profits or $500 million profits when their annual accounts are presented. Perhaps performance-based and profit-based remuneration package is making the management of these organisations ruthless in its pursuit of profits at the expense of ordinary people and businesses. In fact, the joke among professionals is that when we deregulate a particular market, the price of the goods or service goes up contrary to conventional economic theory. We seem to have a market where deregulation means higher prices for consumers.”