Raymond Lim Siang Keat
Singapore
“Mr Chairman, Sir, we launched a slew of measures over the past three years to effect a major transformation to our land transport system. These cover not just big projects like our $60 billion investment to double our rail network but also smaller and equally important things like bus route information at every bus stop and parking guidan…”
“I think the better approach to help Singaporeans cope with the cost-of-living pressures is that which has been outlined by the Finance Minister. That is, instead of trying to bring specific costs down, it is better to give help on the income front.”
“From the experiences of these ongoing public education initiatives, CFC is in the midst of developing a set of guidelines on proper cycling behaviour on dedicated cycling paths. Apart from these efforts, TP has been giving customised talks in schools and at community-level events to provide tips on safe cycling.”
“Er Lee Bee Wah: Sir, I would like to thank the Minister for the comprehensive answer. I have four supplementary questions. Since the announcement of the NSE, I have been receiving overwhelming feedback from my residents from three condominium developments.”
“The Member's second question refers to the noise mitigation measures. LTA actually has considerable experience in doing these. This is not the first time that LTA, because of the compact nature of Singapore, has had to build a major road in close proximity to residential areas.”
“Yes, on a weekly basis. The second question is how much have been claimed to date. We started this on 18th December 2010. As at the end of last year 28th December, we have a total of about 169,000 transactions. We have refunded about $46,000. There was $300,000 overcharged and $46,000 refunded.”
The complete record
Every one of 704 lines we hold for Raymond Lim Siang Keat, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 15.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission, may I take Question Nos. 13, 14 and 15 together as they are related?”
“We are spending close to $40 billion in expanding our MRT system. We are putting a lot of emphasis on public transport as it is important. Road improvements, which I just mentioned, will be about $14 billion. We are using technology to help us optimise traffic flow, in terms of intelligent traffic management systems. Some of you are familiar with them - EMAS, J-Eyes - these are all using technology to allow the free flow of traffic at traffic junctions. And, of course, you need to manage vehicle usage. All will be used. The final question is on road safety in Thomson. This is something that we can look at. I will get the LTA to look into this, to see how we can address it. Column No : 325 COMPLAINTS CHOIR PROJECT (Imposition of conditions on permit) 5. Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (a) why was the conditional permit to the Complaints Choir prohibiting participation of foreigners in public performances granted only one day before the scheduled event; and (b) what was the reason for imposing conditions on the permit given that the Media Development Authority had already approved the lyrics.”
“On the first question, where are the major road improvements, going forward? We have opened Phase 1 of the Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway or KPE. We intend to complete the rest of the KPE by September this year. The KPE costs us about $1.7 billion. It is 12 kilometres long and will be the longest underground road in Southeast Asia. The other major expressway that we are building is the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE), at a cost of $2.5 billion. We expect this to be completed by 2013. The third major expressway is the North-South Expressway, which will cost about $7 billion to $8 billion. It is 21 kilometres long, from the north, down to the south. We expect this to be completed by about 2020. On the second question, I am not sure whether there is such a thing as an ERP-immune road. If there is, she should let me know. We will continue to widen roads. For example, we will make improvements to the CTE from June 2008 onwards. We are also looking at widening the Tampines Expressway, and some interchanges like Woodsville. All these road improvements will continue. I think it is worthwhile for us to realise that when we are dealing with congestion, we cannot rely on any single measure. You need a whole suite of measures. Of course, every now and then, you read of some pundits who tell you that they have found the panacea. This is it - one single solution - why do you not use it? Why are you so daft? Why do you not use this particular one, and this will solve all your problems? There is no such thing. If anybody tells you that - that there is a single solution - he is selling you snake oil - ignore the medicine man, as it does not work that way. You need all the different measures. So, this is what we have been doing.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) revenue goes into the Government’s Consolidated Fund, which then goes to fund various Government programmes, including public transport and road projects, for the benefit of all Singaporeans. Mdm Ho is of the view that the increase in ERP revenue will not be expended as quickly because of the slowdown in road growth. This is not so. Despite the slower road growth in the years ahead, the Government will be spending more, not less, on road infrastructure going forward. From now till 2020, the Government will be investing some $14 billion on road developments, or an average of about $1 billion a year, twice the current expenditure of about $500 million a year and much more than what we are likely to collect through ERP. And this does not include the huge amounts we are investing in our public transport system. I would also like to highlight that the Government is giving back to the motoring public more than the projected increase in ERP revenue, and this underlines the point that ERP is to address congestion and is not a revenue measure. While we expect the additional revenue from the upcoming ERP changes to be about $70 million annually, the reduction in road tax will cost the Government about $110 million every year. The Government will also collect $200 million less annually due to the reduction in Additional Registration Fee (ARF) for cars.”
“Some of them are actually residents going back and some of them would be through-traffic. I do not have the numbers off the top of my head and we may not have such data. Column No : 322 ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING (Revenue) 4. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Transport how the $168 million in ERP revenues are going to be accounted for following the ERP rate hikes, since the upgrading of road infrastructure is planned to slow down and the increase in revenue will not be expended on it as quickly.”
“On top of that, for the mature rail lines - the East-West and North-South lines - where the scope to increase capacity immediately is limited, we will also allow the bus services to duplicate certain segments of these lines. This is to increase capacity immediately. Again, people will have a choice. All these will come before July 2008. LTA, based on their modelling, thinks that with the ERP changes, about 6,000-odd car passenger trips will be affected. The amount of extra public transport trips through all these public transport improvements will be three times that amount to cater for this possible displacement. Er Lee Bee Wah: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister what is the number of visitors to the housing estates. Is the number so large that we need to put up ERP in the evening? To the residents, as far as they are concerned, they are already paying ERP charges in the morning when they go to work.”
“From now until 2020, we have major plans to transform our public transport system. We would invest very heavily in rail. We have already committed $20 billion to expand our rail network with the Downtown line, the Circle Line and the extension at Boon Lay. Going forward, we will invest another $20 billion in the Thomson Line and the Eastern Regional Line, from the north all the way down to the city, and from the city all the way to the east respectively. We would also extend the North-South and East-West lines and we would look at how best we can make infrastructural improvements so that we can run more trains on these existing lines. What it means to Singaporeans is that they will see either a new extension or a new stage of a new line every other year, all the way to 2020. We will also effect immediate public transport improvements before we roll out the ERP changes from July 2008. As some Members are aware, we have already put in an extra 93 train trips into the existing East-West, North-South and North-East lines this month. We will increase the frequency of the basic bus system in the areas that are affected by the ERP. Right now, the headway is 15 minutes. The PTC last year had set a higher standard of 10 minutes by August 2009. But for the ERP-affected areas, we are working with the public transport operators and we will raise it to 12 minutes by June 2008. The buses will come more frequently. We will also kick up the premium bus services which, for many motorists, is an important alternative to driving. We have 40-odd premium bus services now. We are looking at increasing it to about 72. All those in the affected corridors will be given priority. These are the immediate measures that we will take.”
“Like all feedback, there are different points of view. What the Member has said is one point of view - "Why have it in the evening? I do not mind getting myself caught in a traffic jam." But we have feedback from others who feel strongly that they would like to get home on time in the evening. I have received emails arguing, on the contrary, to what the Member said. So what is the purpose of congestion pricing? Let us be clear what is the cost to us here. Congestion exacts an economic cost and an environmental cost on society. At any time of the day, this is the cost we have to pay - be it morning or evening. Similarly, we hear some people asking, "Why is it necessary to have congestion pricing in the residential estates?" If we exempt the residential estates, it means that as far as we are concerned, all that matters is that there is no congestion in the Central Business District (CBD) and expressways leading to the CBD. It does not matter whether there is gridlock or pollution in the residential estates. But there is a cost to that. Do residents want gridlock in their residential estate? When we did our study, we visited many cities in Europe. Going ahead, the key thing here is to have a liveable city and a quality urban living environment. For many of these European cities, the residential estate is also a key priority. They put in measures there to reduce the vehicular traffic going into residential estates. In Zurich and many German cities, that is the key priority. The environment is important - where you live and where your children live. So Members have to understand why we are doing congestion pricing. It is because congestion pricing exacts a cost to the economy and to the environment - where you work and where you live.”
“Yes, I have seen the photograph too. She is referring to the ERP gantries. Let us put it in perspective. Increasingly, because of the size of our vehicle population - 850,000 vehicles - we will not be able to do what we did in 1998. In 1998, it was easier. We put up ERP on the expressway when there is congestion. Drivers could then take alternative arterial roads. We did a survey from 1997 to 2004. In that time, our car population went up 10%, but usage went up more than two times. Car trips increased by 23%. We have this dubious distinction of using our cars more intensively than most of the other major capital cities. On average, a car here clocks 21,000 km a year; London, 9,100 km; Los Angeles, 19,800 km. If you have been to Los Angeles, you will know that it is a sprawling metropolis, and we beat them! So what happens? The 850,000 vehicles are growing and the cars are used intensively. Increasingly, it is not possible to simply put an ERP gantry onto an expressway and allow drivers to take the alternative roads. All these roads would be congested and have to be priced. If someone does not want to pay ERP for that particular half an hour, because the value of the money to him, say, $2 is valued more than the time he would have saved, it is a decision that he has to make. The alternative must be public transport. We need to understand that this is the scenario going ahead. This is part of our challenge and we have to manage this. Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio) : Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister what is the purpose of evening ERP along the CTE. To many residents who live in Ang Mo Kio and Yishun, the CTE is the shortest way to go home and they feel that speed is no longer a critical issue when going home. Can we abolish the evening ERP along the CTE?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) was introduced in 1998 to help us manage congestion on our roads, and there has been no change in our position on this. ERP is introduced or ERP rates adjusted only when congestion is experienced on our roads and expressways. This occurs when traffic speeds fall below their optimal speed ranges. The levy of ERP charges is to bring traffic speeds back within the optimal speed ranges, so that traffic flows smoothly, and we optimise the capacity of the road network. The ERP changes that I have recently announced as part of the Land Transport Review will not shift ERP away from congestion management, but rather enhance it, so that congestion can be more effectively managed. The changes serve to better ensure that motorists will experience smooth travel on ERP-priced roads. However, given the more pervasive congestion today and correspondingly more extensive ERP coverage, the emphasis in our transport planning must be on encouraging motorists to shift to public transport rather than to drive on alternative roads to their destination. We have therefore taken a holistic approach to tackle road congestion in our Land Transport Review and will invest heavily to improve our public transport system to make it a viable alternative to the car.”
“The last time when the taxi companies adjusted the fare, it was not a lot, it was 10 cents. Even then, it took about three to four months, because I asked them this question. I met both the major operators - Comfort is the largest, and SMRT, the second. I asked them how long typically it takes to adjust. They told me that it would take about three to four months. This is about the typical period. On the second question whether this is part of the land transport review, the answer is yes. This taxi fare revision is part of the whole process of the land transport review. LTA actually works very closely with taxi drivers and taxi associations. Members may recall that only a few months back, there was a litany of complaints about the taxi service. We had complaints that taxi drivers were hiding - the phenomenon of vanishing taxi drivers during certain periods of time. Commuters could not get a cab when they needed it most. Even when they called, they said they could not get through. And when they got through, they were put on hold. We had all sorts of complaints. LTA has been working very closely with the taxi companies and taxi associations to address this. So, this is actually part of the land transport review process. PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRES (Registration criteria) 10. Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the registration criteria for private schools and special needs education centres; and (b) what can be done by the Ministry to clarify to consumers that registration does not equate to endorsement or recommendation.”
“Actually, the indications are not so. In fact, the suburbs have no problems. After the fare revision, if we were to take a taxi from the suburbs to the city or the other way round during the peak period, there is now a 35% surcharge on top of the fare. So it actually balances out quite well. But as I said, these are all preliminary findings. This is just four weeks. Let us give it some time for it to settle down. Let us give three or four months, and we will get a clearer picture going forward.”
“Let me start by thanking Ms Ng and Mr Baey for asking these questions. It gives us an opportunity to update the House on the impact of the recent taxi fare revision on commuters and on the taxi drivers. Our preliminary findings show that the new taxi fare structure has been effective in ensuring that demand for taxi services is met. It is now much easier to get a taxi in the city during peak periods. In the four weeks after the fare revision, the waiting times at taxi stands in the evening have improved substantially in the city area, from 5 to 22 minutes on average before the fare revision to 2 to 6 minutes currently. For example, the waiting time at Suntec City, which was among the worst-performing taxi stands, now averages 4 minutes compared to 22 minutes previously. ComfortDelgro's phone-booking cater rate (ie, the success rate for getting a taxi) is now 98% during peak hours, up from 91% previously. Taxi drivers' earnings have also increased. ComfortDelgro's data from a sample of 5,000 taxis showed that the average daily fare collected by taxi drivers had increased from $307 to $318 in the four weeks after the fare revision. However, we should allow time for demand and supply to stabilise further in the months ahead. The LTA will continue to monitor the situation as both taxi drivers and passengers adjust to the new fares.”
“Sir, with your permission, I would like to take Question Nos. 8 and 9 together as they are related.”
“The two Rapid Transit Systems (RTS) operators, SMRT and SBST, have their respective Rail Incident Management Plans (RIMP) to handle RTS incidents and disruptions to train services. In the RIMP, the operators have set out relevant plans and procedures covering areas such as service recovery, provision of alternative transport, such as bus bridging, crowd control and public communications. In addition, the operators have developed Standing Operating Procedures (SOP) in anticipation of specific scenarios that may arise. All relevant staff receive training on the RIMP and SOP. The operators also carry out regular exercises on their own as well as jointly with relevant agencies such as the Singapore Civil Defence Force and LTA. LTA also has its SOP for dealing with rail incidents. Regular training and exercises are conducted to ensure that LTA staff work seamlessly with the operators and other relevant authorities to ensure the prompt recovery of rail services. APPENDICES”
“Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges on the southbound Central Expressway (CTE) were last raised during the ERP rate review exercise in November 2007 as average traffic speeds had fallen below the threshold speed of 45 kph. The increase in ERP rates on the CTE has brought about a reduction in traffic volume of about 3% to 5%, and improved traffic speeds on the CTE during the ERP hours. During the recent year-end school holidays, traffic volumes on the roads were generally lower, and consequently travel speeds are also better. LTA had reviewed and lowered the ERP rates on the roads where traffic conditions were expected to improve significantly. However, in the case of the CTE, there was no adjustment downwards for ERP rates as LTA did not expect a significant improvement in traffic conditions during the year-end holidays. MEDISAVE CLAIMS FOR CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT (Increase in amount) 36. Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Minister for Health what is the average time frame before the $300 claimable under Medisave for chronic disease management runs out and whether his Ministry will consider increasing the amount claimable, especially for Singaporeans with a larger amount of Medisave.”
“I do not think that expelling Myanmar from ASEAN is a solution. Myanmar, as a regime, is already very isolated and I do not think it can get more isolated than it is. And to expel it, I do not think is particularly constructive. As Minister George Yeo mentioned in October last year, as long as Myanmar is a member of the ASEAN family, we still have channels of communication with it and through which we hopefully can influence the situation in Myanmar. INFLATION IN HEALTHCARE COST 6. Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong asked the Minister for Health: (a) what has been the inflation in healthcare cost over the past one year; (b) what are the main factors driving this increase; and (c) what plans does the Ministry have to help the lower income Singaporeans deal with these increases.”
“This is actually somewhat the same question that Mr Sin asked me just now. My reply will be the same, that what ASEAN can do really depends on what its members are willing to allow the organisation to do. As I have said, ASEAN is a consensus-based organisation. On this particular issue, ASEAN has stated its position very clearly on what the next step should be for Myanmar. Mr Inderjit Singh: Can I ask the Minister if Myanmar gets expelled from ASEAN, then will the tone of decision-making change? Can this consensus-based process then be changed to one of more decision-making process?”
“I would not underestimate the impact of the position ASEAN has taken on Myanmar. The Myanmar Government has taken this into account. As to whether there are further measures that can be done, as you know, ASEAN is a consensus-based organisation, and it can only do what its members are willing to let the organisation do. But as I have said in my reply just now, ASEAN stands ready and willing to work to see how best we can bring a peaceful national reconciliation in Myanmar.”
“ASEAN should not rule out amending the Charter so that it can come into force under the ASEAN-minus-X principle should some countries be unable to ratify the Charter in time, so that the rest of us are not held back.”
“When PM Lee read out the statement, he had the support of all the other ASEAN leaders. Prof. Gambari had described his visit to Singapore as having been "extremely worthwhile". Singapore facilitated his meeting with a group of ASEAN Foreign Ministers and calls on the Philippine and Thai leaders. It should be noted that Prof. Gambari had met the Myanmar Prime Minister in Singapore. Prof. Gambari also had meetings with senior representatives of China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and various EU countries. These exchanges allowed interested countries to hear the UN's perspectives, and conversely Prof. Gambari left Singapore with a better understanding of the perspectives and concerns of key countries. Prof. Gambari had found support for his mission from all those he met. Prof. Gambari is waiting to confirm his next visit to Myanmar. We will continue to support him. It is important that Singapore, ASEAN and the international community continue to give our full support to the Gambari mission as this offers the best hope for progress and a peaceful transition to national reconciliation in Myanmar. In the larger scheme of things, the more important issue for ASEAN than Myanmar is our Charter. We should not and will not let the Myanmar issue slow down the integration of our region. The ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Economic Community are strategic developments that will set the direction for ASEAN to move forward to become a more cohesive, integrated, systematic and rules-based organisation, so that our region can make faster progress. Singapore has ratified the ASEAN Charter and we hope that the other ASEAN countries, including Myanmar, will do so expeditiously.”
“Myanmar wanted to deal with the UN directly and did not want ASEAN to play any political role. Once Myanmar took this position, ASEAN could not proceed. ASEAN works by consensus and we have to respect Myanmar's position, whether we agree with it or not. ASEAN has stepped aside and Myanmar now must, by its own choice, face the international community itself. This does not mean that ASEAN is indifferent to the situation in Myanmar. As Minister George Yeo had explained to Parliament on 22nd October last year, it is in our interest to keep Myanmar as a member of the family as ASEAN has a direct interest in the country. What happens in Myanmar affects the well-being and interests of the rest of Southeast Asia. We do not want to see Myanmar descend into chaos or implode. While Myanmar has decided that it will deal with the UN directly, we will certainly continue to support Prof. Gambari's efforts if he feels that ASEAN can make a contribution. That said, so long as Myanmar insists on dealing with the UN and international community on its own, what ASEAN and any other country can do is obviously limited. Nonetheless, ASEAN stands ready to do what we can when and if Myanmar changes its mind. It is obviously unsatisfactory that Myanmar sees no role for an organisation of which it is a member, and on an issue which affects us all. But this is not a matter of ASEAN's credibility. In the Chairman's Statement, ASEAN made it clear that a return to the status quo ante was not tenable and Myanmar must move forward with or without ASEAN's help. The statement elaborated on what Myanmar should do, including working with the UN so that there will be a meaningful dialogue between the regime and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy.”
“There is an international consensus that the UN and the mission of the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor Professor Ibrahim Gambari offer the best hope for a peaceful transition to national reconciliation in Myanmar. Prof. Gambari had the cooperation of the Myanmar regime in his recent visits, and made more progress than anyone else has managed to achieve in recent years. It was with this in mind and after consultations with regional countries that we invited Prof. Gambari to brief the East Asia Summit leaders and to hear their views. The early reactions from Myanmar suggested that we could proceed with the briefing. On 14th November, we were told directly by a very senior Myanmar leader that if the briefing would be of benefit to Myanmar, Myanmar would have no objections to it. On this note, Singapore proceeded to finalise arrangements for Prof. Gambari to brief the East Asia Summit. Prime Minister Lee also spoke to United Nations' Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who agreed that it would be useful for Prof. Gambari to give the briefing. The Myanmar Government, however, raised objections a few days before the ASEAN Summit, by which time it was not possible for us to disinvite Prof. Gambari. Nevertheless, as late as the morning before the ASEAN Summit, the Myanmars agreed to consider a proposal that Prof. Gambari brief the ASEAN leaders instead of the EAS leaders. Myanmar's position was unequivocally laid out only during the informal dinner meeting of ASEAN leaders that same evening, when PM Thein Sein declared that the Myanmar Government regarded the situation in Myanmar as a domestic affair and only Myanmar, not the UN, could brief the EAS or ASEAN leaders, and Prof. Gambari should only report to the UN Security Council.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take the next two questions together?”
“Various civil society groups have already been active in giving their views on the ASEAN Charter and the proposed human rights body. The way to do this is through the ASEAN Secretariat. Think tanks have also done so, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, and a Working Group on ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism currently co-chaired by Mr Marzuki Darusman and Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn. HANDLING OF MYANMAR AT ASEAN SUMMIT (Impact on ASEAN's credibility) 4. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) why did ASEAN heed Myanmar's last minute request not to allow UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to brief the East Asia Summit although this was earlier announced; and (b) whether ASEAN's credibility has suffered as a result of its handling of Myanmar at the ASEAN Summit. 5. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what was ASEAN's response to Myanmar's assertion that it did not welcome ASEAN's diplomatic efforts and if it meant that regional diplomacy is now irrelevant.”
“I think it is very important that we get this Charter ratified. And Singapore, at the Chair, will do all that we can to try to ensure this.”
“This is really case-specific. I think it is not one of those policy decisions where we say, definitely, no. I suggest the Member give us the details of the particular junction that she is talking about, and we will look into it. FOREIGN MANPOWER AND TALENT 11. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the progress to date of Singapore's effort in attracting foreign manpower and talent to meet the current shortage of manpower in Singapore; and (b) what is the breakdown of the number of foreign manpower and talent in terms of (i) foreign workers/professionals by sector and (ii) employment permits and passes issued by categories, for the last two years.”
“On countdown timers, the answer is yes. We are already doing that for the mature estates, but we will expand that. So, that is something that is being done. On the Member's suggestion about building underground tunnels, this is something that we have to look at - the site, the traffic volume, the pedestrian usage and, of course, the cost involved. Mdm Cynthia Phua: Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister to consider using cameras, because I know cameras are now being used at intersections for some traffic offences. I would like to ask the Minister to consider using cameras at some of the traffic light junctions where there are illegal U-turns. We have asked for some of the junctions in the neighbourhood, but the LTA officers rejected our appeal for the use of cameras.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the LTA does consider the needs of the elderly and the less mobile in planning for transport requirements. In estates where there is a higher concentration of elderly persons, the traffic lights are adjusted to give the elderly more time to cross safely. Besides adjusting traffic light timings, where appropriate, LTA is also making all pedestrian crossings barrier-free. The slight drop from the footpath to the road will be removed and, instead, tactiles are provided to identify the edge of the road. These measures will make it easier and more convenient for the elderly, the wheelchair-bound and parents with prams to use the pedestrian crossings. LTA will continue to enhance our road infrastructure to meet the various needs of our population as we move towards a more socially inclusive society.”
“Since its implementation in 1998, Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) has been effective in maintaining average travel speeds on priced roads within the optimal speed range through regular reviews and rate adjustments. For example, average speeds on the expressways have remained at above 45km/h during peak hours. The use of ERP to manage traffic has made it possible for more Singaporeans to own cars than we otherwise could, and our vehicle population has grown from 680,000 in 1997 to 800,000 in 2006. It has also allowed the Government to rely more on car usage charges and less on car ownership taxes to manage traffic demand, and as a result, vehicle ownership taxes have been reduced. To keep our roads smooth-flowing, we will continue with a holistic and integrated approach using all the tools available to us, including building more roads, regulating vehicle growth, implementing traffic engineering solutions, managing traffic demand through ERP and promoting the use of public transport. APPENDICES Section Name: PETITIONS Title: PETITION Filename : Petition by Mr Siew Kum Hong (Nominated Member) MP Name: Mr Siew Kum Hong”
“The Woodleigh Station was not opened together with the rest of the North East Line (NEL) stations in 2003 because of the lack of residential developments in the station's immediate vicinity. To-date, there are still limited developments surrounding the area. The LTA is constantly monitoring the pace of developments in the areas surrounding the stations which would in turn affect the ridership for the station. At the same time, the LTA is also working closely with the land use agencies to see if developments in the area can be accelerated. Column No : 2145 NEW HDB FLAT PRICES 15. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for National Development (a) how much have new HDB flat prices increased over the last five years; (b) whether the current construction boom will result in further escalation of new HDB flat prices; and (c) whether the Ministry is reviewing the $8,000 household income limit for the purchase of new HDB flats.”
“The way the review takes place when it comes to public transport fares, we do not have a direct feed through of the operators' costs. The Member is asking what happens if the oil price has gone up, fuel costs have increased and is there a direct feed through? No, it does not happen that way. We use macro structural factors. So, if you look at the formula, the formula basically takes the CPI and the wage index and then you subtract off the productivity gains. This is to address the concern the Member has - that if there is a direct flow through, the fare will go up. So this is why we say that there is a cap to prevent that. On the Member's second question on the liberalisation of public transport sector, as part of the land transport review, these are some of the suggestions that have been put forth and it is something that the Ministry will consider. We hope to complete the review by the end of this year and by early next year, we will make announcements on what are some of the key initiatives of the land transport review. Column No : 2145 WOODLEIGH MRT STATION (Commencement of operation) 14. Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Transport (a) if there are plans to commence operations at the Woodleigh MRT station soon; and (b) whether the figures for daily ridership have been reviewed lately.”
“To help low-income families cope with increases in public transport fares as well as deal with larger cost of living concerns, over the past six years, the Government has provided assistance of more than $17,500 to a typical low-income household. This comes from the various assistance schemes such as the Progress Package, New Singapore Shares, Economic Restructuring Shares, CPF Top-Ups, rebates on utilities, rentals, service and conservancy charges and the GST Offset Package. Low-income households and workers will also be receiving more help under the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme. Let me assure the Member that the Government will closely monitor the affordability of public transport fares of needy households and provide targeted help to those who need it most.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, our approach is to allow small and regular public transport fare adjustments to help cover operating cost increases and to fund investments such as new buses and train upgrades. The fare adjustment mechanism protects the public by capping the allowable fare increase instead of letting the public transport operators (PTOs) charge what the market can bear, and by requiring the PTOs to share productivity gains with commuters. Fares have increased by 5.3% over the last five years, including this year's fare increase. This works out to be an increase of about 1% per year, which lags average wage increases of 3% per year between 2002 and 2006. To ensure that fares remain affordable to the majority of commuters, the Public Transport Council (PTC) tracks the proportion of income that an average commuting household spends on public transport. Based on surveys, this corresponds to the second quintile (which is the 21st to 40th percentile) household income group. This proportion has been falling from 7.0% in 2003 to 6.5% in 2006. So fares have remained affordable for the general public. However, we recognise that low-income households, ie, those in the bottom 20%, may need additional help to cope with transport fare increases. As such, between 2005 and 2007 when fares were raised, the Government, the public transport operators as well as community organisations contributed some $8.6 million in the form of public transport vouchers for such households. This year, the Government has also committed $10 million to a Public Transport Fund to be given out over three years to provide additional help to lower-income households.”
“There are currently 11 bus service routes where wheelchair accessible buses (WABs) are deployed. In the selection of routes for WAB deployment, the public transport operator SBS Transit consults with Voluntary Welfare Organisations such as the Handicaps Welfare Association and the Society for the Physically Disabled. On average, there are about 70 wheelchair passengers per month per WAB service. About 40% of the bus fleet will be wheelchair accessible by 2010. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PERMANENT RESIDENCY (Figures on nationals from the People's Republic of China and India) 1. Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs of the 26,125 nationals from other Asian countries who were granted permanent residency in 2006, how many of these were from the People's Republic of China. 2. Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs of the 26,125 nationals from other Asian countries who were granted permanent residency in 2006, how many of these were Indian nationals.”
“ERP is a traffic management tool for managing the use of high demand roads and expressways to ensure that traffic speeds remain within the optimal speed range. An expressway like the CTE may have more than one congested stretch due to varying number of vehicles entering and exiting the expressway at different locations. This is the reason why a new ERP gantry is introduced on the north-bound CTE; namely to enable congestion at two different stretches of the north-bound CTE to be addressed more specifically and effectively. Motorists who use the entire stretch of the north-bound CTE will be charged for contributing to congestion at both locations. However, those that pass through one congested stretch will be charged only for that location. This is an equitable approach, as all motorists who use and contribute to congestion on the CTE will be charged accordingly, regardless of where they enter or exit the CTE. APPENDICES”
“LTA will also continue to work closely with stakeholders such as the Traffic Police, the Ministry of Manpower, and the various associations, to explore ways to improve the safety of workers transported on such vehicles. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS STRATA TITLES BOARD (Application for collective sale) 1. Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Law in respect of estates for which applications for collective sale were made to the Strata Titles Board on or after 1st January 2005 (a) what was the average age of each estate at the time of application, broken down by district; (b) what was the average percentage of owners that had signed the collective sales agreement as at the time of application; and (c) what were the common reasons for objections cited or raised by minority owners to the Board.”
“LTA has put in place a set of rules under the Road Traffic Act to enhance the safety of workers transported at the rear of lorries and pickup trucks. These rules require the workers to be safely seated at a height of not more than 3.2 metres from the ground. The vehicles must also not travel faster than 60 km/h. As part of the safety requirement, drivers must also display a label on their vehicles indicating the maximum number of workers that can be transported on the cargo deck of the vehicle, based on the minimum space requirement of 0.372 square metres per person. If goods are also transported, the number of persons should be reduced accordingly. The label serves as a reminder to the vehicle owner of the maximum number of workers the vehicle could carry as well as facilitates enforcement against errant employers. LTA also conducts regular dialogue sessions with the associations such as the Singapore Contractors Association and the Singapore Transport Association to communicate the rules and regulations relating to the transport of workers on lorries and pickup trucks. LTA takes a serious view of safety rules violations. It conducts regular enforcement against vehicle owners or drivers who violate safety rules. In 2005 and 2006, LTA issued 262 and 293 summonses respectively to owners or drivers of goods vehicles caught carrying more workers than the maximum number that can be carried. For the first seven months of this year, 182 summonses were issued for such violations. The LTA and Traffic Police (TP) will continue to conduct strict enforcement against lorry owners or drivers who violate safety rules when using their vehicles to transport their workers.”
“The Ministry of Transport is undertaking a comprehensive land transport review, to take stock of the 1996 White Paper on Land Transport, and to work with our stakeholders to develop a new roadmap to articulate and guide key land transport developments over the next 10 to 15 years. There are 3 strategic thrusts under this review. We are reviewing how we can (1) make public transport a choice mode, (2) manage road use, and (3) be responsive to the diverse needs of the public. In the course of this review, we have sought or received inputs from many diverse sources - submissions from key stakeholders as well as from members of the public, focus group discussions, overseas study visits, and expert views from academics and transport planners. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also engaged consultants Booz Allen Hamilton (Australia) Limited to provide specific inputs and recommendations on one aspect of this on-going land transport review, viz. the public transport industry structure and the regulatory framework to fulfil our aim of making public transport a choice mode of travel. We expect the consultants to complete their study by October 2007. LTA will have to study all the feedback received and the consultant's findings carefully as part of the inputs to the land transport review. My Ministry is aiming to complete the land transport review by the end of this year, and will release a report on the review in early 2008. The consultant's report will be released as part of the report on the land transport review. APPENDICES”
“Mr Michael Palmer asked the Senior Minister in light of the relaxation of minimum annual income for credit card applicants and certain local banks launching or intending to launch credit cards where no minimum annual income is required, what measures will the Monetary Authority of Singapore implement to ensure that the applicants of these credit cards, particularly those who have not even started working, will not be burdened with insurmountable debts.”
“Issuing more Treasury Bills will also help to increase the liquidity in the short end of the SGS yield curve, which will support further development and diversification of the investor base for the SGS and corporate bond markets. I propose, therefore, that the current ceiling for borrowing by Treasury Bills of thirty thousand million dollars (S$30,000,000,000), be raised by another thirty thousand million dollars (S$30,000,000,000), to a total of sixty thousand million dollars (S$60,000,000,000), in other words, $60 billion. This ceiling will apply to the outstanding amount of Treasury Bills. Parliament is requested to enable the Government to issue Treasury Bills up to a total amount not exceeding sixty thousand million dollars (S$60,000,000,000). Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Parliament, in accordance with Article 144(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore and section 3(1) of the Local Treasury Bills Act (Chapter 167 of the 2002 Revised Edition), resolves that the Minister for Finance be authorised to borrow, by the issue of Treasury Bills in Singapore under that Act, a further sum not exceeding Thirty Thousand Million Singapore Dollars (S$30,000,000,000), thereby in total a sum not exceeding Sixty Thousand Million Singapore Dollars (S$60,000,000,000). ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed." - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at Three Minutes past Six o'clock pm to a date to be fixed. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER NOT ANSWERED BY 3.00 PM CREDIT CARD APPLICANTS (Relaxation of minimum annual income) 23.”
“TREASURY BILLS The Second Minister for Finance (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Parliament, in accordance with Article 144(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore and section 3(1) of the Local Treasury Bills Act (Chapter 167 of the 2002 Revised Edition), resolves that the Minister for Finance be authorised to borrow, by the issue of Treasury Bills in Singapore under that Act, a further sum not exceeding Thirty Thousand Million Singapore Dollars (S$30,000,000,000), thereby in total a sum not exceeding Sixty Thousand Million Singapore Dollars (S$60,000,000,000). Sir, on 20th July 2004, Parliament resolved in accordance with section 3(1) of the Local Treasury Bills Act (Chapter 167 of the 2002 Revised Edition) that the Minister for Finance be authorised to borrow, by the issue of Treasury Bills in Singapore an outstanding sum not exceeding thirty thousand million dollars ($30,000,000,000). As at 1st August 2007, the outstanding amount of Treasury Bills issued is thirty thousand million dollars ($30,000,000,000). The proposed increase in the borrowing limit is not to cover any Government fiscal shortfall. Rather, it is for the Monetary Authority of Singapore's monetary management operations and market development purposes. With the development of the Singapore Government Securities Market, Treasury Bills are increasingly traded and held by financial market participants. Treasury Bills are negotiable and cost-effective instruments and the Monetary Authority of Singapore can use Treasury Bills to supplement its other monetary management instruments.”
“The Bill provides for the Montreal Convention 1999 (the text of which is set out in the Schedule) to have the force of law in Singapore and the other clauses in the Bill supplement the provisions of Montreal Convention 1999. The Bill allows for the Act to be updated whenever any review of the limits of liability in the Montreal Convention 1999 result in an amendment to those limits. The Bill allows for the making of regulations to: (1) prescribe the terms of insurance that a carrier must maintain to cover its liability under the Montreal Convention 1999; (2) apply the provisions of the Montreal Convention 1999 (with the necessary exceptions, adaptations and modifications) to international carriage by air that is not governed by it; and (3) require carriers to make advance payments. The Bill includes two minor amendments to the Carriage By Air Act: Firstly, section 4 of the Carriage By Air Act is amended to obviate the need for an order to be gazetted just to provide the updated list of the High Contracting Parties to the Warsaw Convention and its relevant Protocols. Such a list is now available on ICAO's official website. Secondly, section 8(5) of the Carriage By Air Act is deleted as it is no longer necessary. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.”
“In fact, even where a law requires information to be in writing, an electronic record will satisfy that requirement if the information is accessible for reference. Seventh, an automatic review of the limits of liability under the Convention by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), at five-yearly intervals. This will be based on the inflation factor of the States whose currencies comprise the SDR and keep the compensation amounts commensurate with the times. Sir, Singapore should accede to the Montreal Convention, so as to bring about improved protection and benefits for passengers, baggage and cargo for international carriage on Singapore carriers. More importantly, passengers will then have access to the less complicated and higher compensation regime that the Montreal Convention now offers them. Currently, the Warsaw Convention 1929, as amended by the Hague Protocol 1955 and the Montreal Protocol No. 4, 1975, are given effect in Singapore through the Carriage by Air Act. This Act will continue to apply in relation to any international carriage by air between Singapore and any other country which is a party to the Warsaw Convention as so amended, and which has not yet ratified the Montreal Convention 1999. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill gives effect to the Montreal Convention 1999. The provisions of the Bill and the Montreal Convention 1999 will apply in relation to any international carriage (as defined in Article 1 of the Convention) by air between Singapore and any other country that is a party to the Montreal Convention 1999. The exception will be in relation to any rights or liabilities arising out of an occurrence before the commencement of the Act. Sir, I will just highlight some of the key aspects of the Bill.”
“In the past, claims for damages could only be done in one of four possible jurisdictions: - a court in the country, where the carrier is based; - a court in the country where the carrier has its principal place of business; - a court in the country where the carrier has an establishment by which the ticket was purchased or contract was made; or - a court in the country of the passenger's destination. The recovery of compensation is also facilitated without the need for lengthy litigation. Fourth, maintenance of adequate insurance by airlines. This is to ensure that airlines have adequate financial resources to settle compensation claims. Fifth, advance payments by airlines, if mandated by national legislation. This is to enable persons who are entitled to claim compensation to meet immediate economic needs arising from an aircraft accident. The amount of the advance payment is subject to national law and can be offset against the final settlement. Sixth, simplification of documentation relating to carriage of passengers, baggage and cargo. This is to improve the documentation and facilitate implementation of electronic air waybills and passenger tickets. Under simplified documentation processes, electronic records are acceptable if they show adequate evidence of the contract and are in formats that meet the prescribed laws and regulations. Cargo consignors will be able to use simplified electronic records in place of detailed paper-based air waybills. In this connection, may I mention that Singapore law already declares that information shall not be denied legal effect, validity or enforceability solely on the grounds that it is in the form of an electronic record.”
“As a consequence, some airlines entered into private arrangements while some countries required their airlines to increase their limits, to enhance compensation limits. Without a substantial overhaul, compensation amounts will remain relatively low and the aviation industry will continue to face a complex web of international arrangements. The Montreal Convention has updated and now provides a system for regular review of the compensation quantum for death of or injury to passengers, and damage to baggage and cargo during international carriage. It recognises that globalisation and the increased use of information technology have ushered in new and more efficient ways of doing business and allows for the use of electronic documents for passenger tickets and cargo movements. Sir, let me highlight the key features of the Montreal Convention 1999: First, removal of the cap on the quantum of compensation. There is no cap on the amount of compensation which an aircraft accident victim may recover from the airline. The airline is liable for all damages which can be proved. Second, a two-tier system for the recovery of compensation. Under the first tier, the airline must pay up to 100,000 Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, regardless of whether or not it is at fault. 100,000 SDRs is about S$230,000. The second tier, which has no cap, is based on presumption of fault, which can be rebutted by the airline based on certain defences. Third, facilitation of compensation recovery. A passenger may sue an airline for the compensation in his home country.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, Singapore intends to accede to the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air, which was signed at Montreal on 28th May 1999, commonly referred to as the Montreal Convention 1999. The Montreal Convention 1999 is intended to consolidate, update and eventually replace all previous international air agreements on air carrier liability, including the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air, signed at Warsaw on 12th October 1929, commonly referred to as the Warsaw Convention 1929. Sir, when the Warsaw Convention 1929 was first negotiated, its provisions were aligned with the commercial practices of that time. It was intended to provide protection to passengers and cargo shippers and also the airline industry, which was then in its infancy. Even when subsequently amended by protocols, the fundamental basis of the Warsaw Convention 1929 still maintained its 1930s premises and it has been long contended that the passenger compensation limits have been unreasonably low. Efforts to modernise the Warsaw Convention 1929 have resulted in a number of amending instruments (including the two that Singapore is party to - the Hague Protocol 1955 and the Montreal Protocol No. 4, 1975), which are collectively known as the Warsaw Convention regime. Sir, the efforts to amend and update the Warsaw Convention regime did not bring about the intended results of better compensation across the board. Nor did it achieve a unified regime that could answer the increased demands of a globalised world.”
“For most schools, in terms of the traffic congestion problem, it is quite localised, ie, it does not affect the whole area. So, to impose on the Ministry of Education this requirement - we have 336 primary and secondary schools in Singapore - when it is a localised problem, might be too onerous. But where it is necessary like, say, it does impact on the surrounding areas, this would, indeed, be done. On the first part of her question on PRIME, going ahead, based on representations from individuals like the Member, we had a joint committee last year, comprising representatives from MOE, LTA, Traffic Police, HDB and URA, to look into this. Every time when we have a new school or a school that is going through upgrading, one of the key things that they will look at is, indeed, this traffic segregation scheme to make sure that they have a good scheme that separates between pedestrians, dropping off and picking up points for parents, and school buses. If there is a need for additional land, because the site is small, then the Ministry of Education will make the necessary representation. CYCLISTS USING PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS (Safety of cyclists and pedestrians) 20. Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo asked the Minister for Transport what can be done to address the challenges faced by the increase in the number of cyclists who use pedestrian walkways and to ensure the safety of both cyclists and pedestrians.”
“HDB has no plans to conduct another dialogue session with the newly-weds in the near future. RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS AND RELIEF TEACHERS (Criteria) 12. Ms Eunice Elizabeth Olsen asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the stringent criteria the Ministry sets in the recruitment of teachers and relief teachers; and (b) how much autonomy do Government schools have in choosing their relief teachers. 13. Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the criteria for the hiring of relief teachers; (b) how many applicants to be relief teachers have been rejected in the past five years; and (c) what was the reason for rejecting the application of Mr Alfian Sa'at, who had scored A1s at the GCE 'O' Levels.”
“HDB has announced on 14th August 2007 that the priority framework will safeguard for first-timers at least 90% of the flat supply under the Build-to-Order and balloting exercises. Under the revised system, first-timers will also enjoy double the chances over second-timers; and first-timers applying to live near their parents will be given four times the chances compared to regular applicants. First-timers who have applied unsuccessfully for four or more times will also be given additional chances, starting from their fifth attempt. We have not extended the priority system to the bi-monthly sales exercises for unsold flats, as the flats offered are leftover units from Build-to-Order and balloting exercises, where priority has already been given to first-timers. These leftover flats are usually not so popular and often, they remain unsold and available for subsequent selection after applicants have been invited to select their flats. For example, in the April 2007 bi-monthly sale exercise, for flats in the North/West sector, 190 flats remain (or 14% of the units offered) available for walk-in selection today. As to the Member's question on whether MND will consider holding a dialogue with newly-wed couples, I would like to inform the Member that HDB regularly carries out surveys and gathers feedback from potential flat buyers. Most recently, the Forum on HDB Heartware has also conducted extensive focus group discussion, public consultation, and email feedback on enhancing HDB community. Young participants in the age band of 25-34 years from all races and both genders formed one such focus group. Arising from the Forum's recommendations, HDB has increased the priority for first-timers and those buying flats to live near their parents.”