S Iswaran
Singapore
“The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has incorporated the requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 regulation in its Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Air) Regulations 2022. The Regulations are applicable to Singapore-registered ships and all other ships while they are in Singapore waters.”
“The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) plans to progressively roll out the charging infrastructure for electric harbour craft operations in the Port of Singapore from 2025.”
“Since 2018, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has imposed minimum bicycle parking provisions covering different types of developments. The requirements are determined by multiple factors, including the developments’ use, location and gross floor area (GFA).”
“I had addressed similar Parliamentary Questions by Mr Gerald Giam on 29 November 2022 and 10 January 2023, as well as in my Ministerial Statement on 8 May 2023. The Member can refer to these past answers and statement as there has been no material change in the allocation of Certificates of Entitlement.”
“To encourage the uptake of electric cars, the Government has rolled out the Electric Vehicle Early Adoption Incentive and enhanced Vehicular Emissions Scheme. When taken together, it provides up to $45,000 off the Additional Registration Fee of an electric car upon registration.”
“The Land Transport Authority studies all potential changes to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system carefully, including conducting sensitivity analysis where appropriate.”
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“Sir, I wish to focus on the specific topic of teacher training. In the last few years we have seen a number of fundamental changes in our education system in terms of focus and new initiatives, including IT, National Education and creativity being some of the focal points. This, to me, underscores the importance of our teachers being dynamic and up-to-date not just in their knowledge but also in their pedagogic techniques and methods in order to keep up with the latest developments in their field. This again reinforces the need for continuous training and learning by teachers in as much as we stress it for our workers and students as well. Sir, I know there are training requirements at key milestone points in the teachers' career at the point of recruitment, the NIE programme and also when they are about to become HODs (Heads of Department) or when they eventually become principals or vice-principals. However, I would like to ask the Minister what other in-service training programmes and facilities exist to complement these milestone training requirements. In particular, are there facilities or programmes in place for teachers to, for example, learn about the best practices in school administration or to learn more about new initiatives in pedagogic techniques, or even to just share their own experiences in professional circles. 5.30 pm I would also like to ask the Minister whether it is a policy or a kind of administrative requirement that teachers spend at least two weeks in a year - that would be approximately 4% of their time in a year - in training for themselves. This is roughly the norm that is used in the private sector or business circles. I am curious whether a similar norm is adopted in the education system.”
“Secondly, if it is found that the SAT-type test is useful and important, it should be integrated into the junior college curriculum so that students do not need to sit for it separately from the usual `A' level examination. This will allow the schools to factor in the test as part and parcel of their school work. Thirdly, if given time to assess the quality of the SAT in measuring ability, parents and students may have an opportunity to see the credibility of such a test only after these studies have been made. May I therefore end by saying that I hope that the scheme will be slowly introduced and that there will be time and opportunity for the SAT to be proven to be a very good test in the admission requirements.”
“I believe that parents and students will need to be convinced why or how the new SAT will be helpful because there is no question that more expenditure and more time will have to be given to this new test. In this regard, I would like to mention that I read an article in the Yale Law Journal recently where one professor, writing on admission to law school, mentioned tongue-in-cheek that while the SAT administration may tell us that preparation is not very useful for the taking of SAT tests, there are a large number of very solvent SAT preparation companies in the United States. The point very simply is that not only would kiasu parents react to a new test by requiring their children to do a lot more exercises and so on, it happens everywhere where the SAT test has taken place. I would like to make a proposal, before the SAT is to be taken into account in terms of weightage, whether it is not possible now to ask students to take their SAT test but instead of giving a weightage to it, to use it, as Mr Iswaran has suggested just now, only if the students do not meet the cut-off point for `A' level in gaining admission into any faculty. This would give us sufficient time to monitor over a period of 3 years how these students will do, both in terms of `A' level as well as in terms of SAT performance. And with the results of the study, we may be able to see whether the SAT really does make a real difference in terms of admission, in terms of the quality of the students we are getting, and in terms, more importantly, of the performance of the students once they are in the university.”
“At the same time, if the teachers are adequately prepared to guide these students and help them understand better what is SAT1 test, that will also serve the objectives of this review. In short, I support the principle of the review. But I do have some problems with its practical impact and its potential effects on students and I hope that the Minister would address these questions before finalising the implementation. Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung: Sir, may I first declare my interest as a member of the Law Faculty and who is involved in the selection process. We have to agonise every year to take in 150 law students over a shortlist of 500 and in this instance, I would like to say the proposal to include the SAT in the admission requirement may have unsettled many parents and students, though as one who is involved in the selection process, I would welcome it on the basis that the more information one gets about the potential student, the more likely it is that we can make the right decision about admitting him or her into the university. Parents and students have, for a long time now, got used to the idea that the `A' level grades should be enough as a determinant of standards for admission. The `A' level is seen as a culmination of 12 years of study and Singapore may well be one of the few places in the world, if the new proposals are implemented, where both English `A' level and US SAT tests are administered to gain admission into university. Many of the points that I would like to raise have already been raised by my colleague from the university and by Mr Iswaran. So, I shall restrict myself to mainly three points.”
“We have seen it in other parts of the world, including the US. Likewise, project work, unless introduced gradually and in a manner complementary to the existing curriculum, would be reduced to merely being another admission criteria requirement. The cumulative effect of these changes, I fear, may be to increase the pressure on our students and they may adopt a more jaded attitude to what is otherwise a very important change and signal to them that we are emphasising creativity and innovation and they need to address those aspects of their talents. I wonder whether this important initiative could therefore be implemented in tandem with other measures and considerations in order to mitigate the possible adverse consequences. For example, could the system be implemented with considerable flexibility? If a student does well in GCE `A' level, but does not make a mark in SAT1, can the student still be considered for admission, or vice versa? In other words, can we use this new system to broaden the pool of possible entrants into universities rather than to narrow the pool? Alternatively, could we consider SAT1 requirements in terms of a minimum required score for admission to university? In other words, we only need it as an indication of the reasoning ability but beyond the threshold point, additional points may not be of great consequence. The advantage of this is that it will reduce the incentive for students to repeatedly take SAT tests in order to try and raise their scores. In addition, the reduction in the curriculum in junior college, which I think is already under way, needs to be put in place well before these additional requirements are put in.”
“Sir, for many Singaporeans, a university degree is a holy grail. So, it is not surprising that the proposed changes to the university admission criteria have aroused considerable interest. In general, I support the intent, principle and purpose of this review of the Committee. The broader admission criteria would certainly give a more complete picture of the individual student's capability, not just with academic results but also on their reasoning skills, their ability to conduct independent enquiries through project work and also through extra curricular involvement. My concern is really over the impact the broader admission criteria have on our students. In our quest for a more holistic assessment of our students, I think we must be vigilant and guard against over-burdening them with examinations and tests. Whether the GCE `A' level examination constitutes a 100%, 75% or 50% of any admission criteria, the amount of effort that a student will expend in preparing for the examination would be the same. I think students will need to, and want to, expend that time on their examination in order to secure the minimum results required. Also, the introduction of SAT1 would add a qualitatively different point in the assessment criteria for which the students must prepare separately. The SAT is a test of reasoning skills, and it may be true that studying for the test other than to get accustomed to its format, or taking it several times, is unlikely to yield much benefit. But I think we should try telling that to our students and their parents. I am quite sure that the introduction of SAT1 as part of the admission criteria will lead to the mushrooming of a whole new service industry to prepare students to take SAT1 examination. This is not unprecedented.”
“I do not think that there will be an enormous problem with this. As it is, foreign cars coming into Singapore have to do with temporary units, which are costly, and I believe unfriendly. It follows from what I have said before that I think the $30 fine is too much. Once again, we are not really dealing with the road safety issue. We need not fine drivers so heavily for the so-called offence. The fine should be immediately reduced to a lesser sum which I think should be the entry fee plus administrative charge. Finally, I believe that had LTA taken this view that we are not talking about criminal sanctions, it would not have generated the somewhat heated exchange between LTA and those who have written to the press. Sir, one acquaintance of mine referred to the ERP as standing for "Excessive Recurring Penalties". I hope that it can instead stand for "Effortless, Reasonable Pricing" and I urge the Minister and the LTA to consider this seriously.”
“No one with any sense would be trying deliberately to cheat a sophisticated electronic system such as the ERP, at least not with a simple method of not inserting a cashcard. In other words, I believe that the few hundred drivers who are booked daily for not having cashcards in their IUs are just careless. Should such carelessness attract a criminal sanction? I think not. I would like to suggest that the solution lies in treating such cases simply as deferred payment cases. The ERP system already takes a record of the so-called offending vehicle. The details of the driver, etc, are easily obtainable from the records of the LTA. The driver can be billed later and an additional administrative surcharge can be made. Interest can be charged on outstanding transactions. For example, one could say that LTA has to take steps to recover the minimum sum payable with at least $5 plus an entry charge. I have to say that I look forward to the day when drivers can choose to pay either through cashcards or, if not, through a billing system, say, at the end of each month. To minimise inconvenience, LTA may wish to stipulate that any such person choosing this method has to do it by GIRO and subject to an administrative charge. At least, one would have a good idea of the monthly cost of using a car in the various ERP zones. To take the argument further, anyone who defaults on a deferred payment may not be permitted to renew the car licence without full payment plus interest, some other surcharge, such as that applied in credit card transactions. In the case of foreign cars without IU devices, it may indeed be a preferable way of charging them. They can pay when they leave or the next time when they enter the country, if they come back at all.”
“Prof. Chin Tet Yung (Sembawang): Sir, the ERP system has been well-received. The Ministry and the LTA deserve to be congratulated for the smooth implementation of the system. No one now doubts the usefulness of the ERP in regulating traffic. Of course, it can be improved, as some Members have already pointed out. For example, in the case of the CTE, some serious thoughts need to be paid to the heavy built-up of traffic in expressways around 7.00 am or around 5.00 pm or 6.00 pm near the Braddell areas where vehicles virtually crawl along for about a kilometre. But on the whole, one may be satisfied with the general effectiveness of the ERP. Recently, we read of complaints about ERP and the in-vehicle unit (IU). Specifically, there were complaints about the time it takes for the cashcard to be readable before reaching the ERP gantries. Quite a few people remain unhappy even after LTA has replied. I wish to raise two issues. The first is by treating defaulters who did not insert their cashcards in time as having committed a criminal offence. The second related issue is fining them $30 for the offence. This was, I understand, already reduced from $70. Sir, the use of the criminal law should be carefully controlled. In the case of traffic offences, the primary reason for using the criminal law is to protect the public from speeding or drunk drivers where road safety is an issue. We can and should contrast that with the ERP, which is solely for the purpose of regulating traffic. It is one of those victimless crimes where no one is seen to be suffering directly from the act in question. In such a case, I believe that it is wrong to criminalise such conduct.”
“Sir, the general understanding of the rationale of the ERP system is that it is a device, a mechanism, to manage traffic flow to keep it smooth in order to not hinder productive activity and facilitate economic growth. So the logic of the focus of the scheme in the past was geographic focus in terms of CBD areas and the arterial roads leading into the CBD and its focus on time in terms of peak hours and office hours was quite apparent. And I think in general, Singaporeans have come to regard the ERP as a system to redistribute road usage in space and time in support of an economic objective. But recent announcements and progressive changes in the system appear to suggest that there has been a deviation from that original purpose. For example, the system has been extended from the morning peak to the evening peak to the intervening office hours to the CTE and the ECP. The Minister has also announced that the scheme may be extended to areas fringing the CBD areas and also to the AYE. This suggests that the focus has now become purely on optimisation of road usage. It may be measured in terms of the traffic flow, speed of traffic, etc, but without regard to how important regulation of road usage in these areas is to the overall economic objective. I would venture to suggest that as we move further away from some of the core economic centres, the economic rationale diminishes and it becomes more of optimising a scarce resource, in this case, roads. If we take that logic to the limit, then we would have 24-hour coverage island-wide for the ERP system and I assume that is not the objective. Sir, I would ask the Minister for a clarification on what basis the ERP system coverage will be extended and an assurance that it will not indeed be a 24-hour coverage island-wide. Assoc.”
“Thirdly, Sir, the recommendation on combining COE categories raises a question which my colleague, Mr Ong Kian Min, has also raised. What is the impact likely to be on the buyers of smaller cars at the lower end of the spectrum that is merged? Intuitively, it would suggest that the clearing price would be raised. There would be a drag effect upwards given that people tend to bid for COE prices in relation to the proportion of their car price. That being the case, the intuitive conclusion one comes to is that this would have a detrimental effect on those who buy smaller cars. I would like to hear from the Minister and the Ministry on evidence to the contrary in order to reassure buyers of smaller cars that this is not indeed the case. Sir, on the open bidding system, I have great sympathy for the recommendation of the Committee. To me, trained in economics, I think any system that introduces a process where more information can be captured before a price is submitted should work to the advantage of all. However, given the vast interest in the process and the sensitivities of many parties involved, I fully endorse the recommendation of the Committee that this be tried out in a small measure first, its effectiveness evaluated thoroughly before the system is extended to all categories. Finally, Sir, a question on the general issue of car population. A fundamental premise underlying our entire COE system is that our vehicle population will be increasing on an annual rate of about 3%. Given our finite space for roads and a limited capacity to increase the road space in Singapore, the question is: can this 3% be sustained in the long term and, if not, what plans are there from the Ministry to adjust this percentage?”
“Sir, let me first start by complimenting the GPC for Communications for a thorough and comprehensive Report on the Vehicle Quota System. As one who is not intimately involved in the process, I would, however, like to raise some questions regarding the Committee's findings whilst I agree with the spirit and thrust of its general approach. First, there is a general question that arises: what is the objective of this review? What prompted the initiation of this process? The COE system has been in existence for nearly a decade. Singaporeans, in general, have grown accustomed to the vagaries of the COE process and, at the same time, dare I say that they have even grown accustomed to the levels of the COE prices, although there may be some unusual occurrences from time to time. So the question is: why a review? Why now? And I think the more cynical have suggested that it might even be an effort by the Government to conserve revenue sparked by the freak $50 COE incident. I would urge the Minister to vigorously and comprehensively rebut such erroneous misconceptions and draw attention to the true and meaningful purpose of this review. Secondly, Sir, perhaps we could understand better the objective of this review if the Government was able to share with us how it would gauge the success of any changes that are implemented. Would we measure the success of this new review and the recommendations by a lower variation in COE prices from month to month? Would we regard it as a success if more individuals participate directly in the bidding process bypassing middlemen? Certainly, for Singaporeans in general, it would be a success if COE prices were lower.”
“In my view, Sir, using HDB flat size on its own is a less than perfect indicator and it is one that the Government should re-examine closely. In particular, I think the system can be improved and the Government could be more targeted and layered in its approach. For example, whilst we could have a base layer of S&C rebates and other grants which are distributed along this line of flat size, there could be additional layers, especially those that emerge in these times, which can be more specifically targeted at those who need help. For example, instead of having an across-the-board town council S&C grant, we could have instead taken this money, put it into a fund, and say, "OK, let's target this at those individuals who specifically have difficulty and can go through CDCs, self-help groups and other voluntary welfare organisations to apply for such assistance." These organisations are already in close contact with the ground. They know the needs. They know the individuals in many instances and they would bring about a better matching between the Government's intent, in terms of setting up such schemes, and how it takes effect on the ground. Using voluntary welfare organisations, CDCs and self-help groups is one method. Even if it is to be done centrally, perhaps by referring to CPF accounts and whether they are multiple property owners or single property owners, or perhaps by reference to their property ownership in particular, we may be able to distinguish those who truly need help. My point, Sir, is not to deny Singaporeans in need of their dues. Rather, it is to state the point that Government has set aside substantial sums to help those in need. It is equally important that these sums be directed at those who truly need it. With that, Sir, I support the motion. 2.”
“Clearly, Sir, as the pie shrinks, the instinct for self-preservation is heightened. So we need to be vigilant and guard against such divisive forces if our social fabric is not to fray. The question then is how the financial policy in Budget 99 supports this objective - the need to maintain and strengthen our social cohesion. Indeed, Sir, there is much that has been done in the form of S&C rebates, GST-related offsets, personal tax rebates, etc, and a quick back-on-the-envelope calculation suggested something to the tune of $500 million has been set aside by the Government, in terms of direct support for individual Singaporeans, particularly those who may need help. Sir, in my view, the question is not whether the Government has been generous, but whether it has been too generic in its efforts to help Singaporeans. More specifically, can we be sharper in the way we structure financial policy to help those who need help? Allow me to illustrate. If we have two neighbours in adjacent 4-room flats in the same block, their experiences pertaining to this economic downturn could be vastly different. It would depend on whether they bought their flat directly from HDB or on the resale market, when they bought their flat, the number of children they have in the family, the employment situation, whether anyone has been retrenched, etc. Some would have two properties, others would be servicing their first mortgage. Some may drive cars and others would rely on public transport. Yet the structure of the financial benefits which uses HDB flat size as a proxy for socio-economic status or, more importantly, their financial need begs the question whether it is appropriate as an indicator of where Government funding should be channelled.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to join in the debate. Sir, the most striking feature of Budget 99 is clearly the $5.1 billion deficit. Over the past decade, there has been a recurrent constant refrain in this House and outside for the Government to reduce its budget surplus and redistribute funds to individuals and corporates. Our current circumstances, in my view, amply demonstrate the value of the Government's stated approach. It has got prudence in years of plenty and preparation for the years when we have difficulties. In particular, I would like to congratulate the Minister and the Government for not flinching at a time like this in incurring a substantial budget deficit. I trust this would clear the doubts of many of its detractors. I also hope that the Government will remain steadfast in its commitment to continue with such largesse if the need arises in future with continued economic downturn. Sir, much has been said in the course of this debate on various aspects pertaining to the business and economy. I wish to confine my comments to the social dimension. One significant implication of this economic downturn has been the stiff challenge it has posed to our resilience and unity as a nation. Our social cohesion has been tested and continued to be tested by external as well as internal forces. Some manifestations of this are, firstly, the more negative attitude one detects towards the infusion of foreign talent; secondly, in a more pronounced socio-economic divide and consciousness as those with less skills lose their livelihood first; and, thirdly, in the more recent debate, which is the revival of something that has been lying low for a while, in terms of discrimination in the job market on the basis of age, sex or ethnicity.”
“Could the Minister inform the House how TAS' regulatory requirements compare with similar requirements in countries which are at a comparable state of development in their telecommunications industry?”
“Sir, will the Minister clarify the Government's response to a perception in some quarters that the TAS' current requirements are in part to protect the market for new entrants in the mobile and fixed line industry?”
“Their sources of funds, corporate and individual, are slowly drying up. Meanwhile, the demand for their services remains unchanged or even rising in some instances. This is especially the case for those serving the economically disadvantaged. I would urge the Government to consider extending additional financial assistance to VWOs and CDCs as a short term measure. One formula could be to increase the matching grant from Government, although this may not go far enough where even the basic seed money is hard to come by in the first instance. An alternative could be for the Government to set aside a fixed sum explicitly for this purpose. VWOs can then apply for additional grants and these can be assessed on the merits of each case. Sir, I conclude by thanking the Minister and his team for a very comprehensive Report and I think this will now be tested in the implementation and its speed of execution.”
“Yet the current practice of taxing ESOPs at the point of exercise as "earned income", rather than waiting for the point at which the underlying shares are sold, creates a perverse incentive - the employee will probably sell his shares as soon as the option is exercised in order to realise his gains and pay his tax liability. As we move into a knowledge-based economy, intellectual resources, ie, our people, will become an even more important asset to companies. In that context, ESOPs will become an essential component of remuneration which today comprises mainly the basic salary, flexible components and bonuses. I would urge the Government to review the tax treatment of ESOPs to make it more compatible with the knowledge economy envisioned by the CSC. Sir, finally, a point from a social perspective. The recommendations of the CSC make compelling business and economic sense. Many big words like "competitiveness", "talent" and "capability" have been used. But these recommendations will have a profound impact on the lives of average Singaporeans, and also on the work of CDCs and VWOs that serve the disadvantaged within our community. We must address these social consequences especially because social cohesion is a key competitive advantage for Singapore. Families will find it difficult to pay the bill for childcare, before-and-after-school-care, and maids. Yet, two incomes have become an even more important issue in this economic climate. I would urge the Government to consider extending further assistance in this regard through grants, rebates and extending the reduction of the foreign worker levy to domestic maids, either as part of this exercise or in the forthcoming FY99/2000 Budget. CDCs and VWOs have also been hit by a double whammy.”
“They also recognise that Ministers have already forgone wage increases due to them this year. However, it is an important emotional issue. Knowing that our leaders are showing the way might make it a little easier to swallow the bitter pill in these hard times. I would, therefore, urge the Government to consider a deeper cut in wages for the political leadership (including MPs) and the higher echelons of the public sector. Having said this, Sir, I wish to stress that wages in Singapore should not only be flexible downwards but also, when the time is right, upwards. This applies equally to workers, senior civil servants and Ministers. When times are better, employers should reinstate the wage cuts imposed on workers. Similarly, when the economic condition improves, the wage cuts taken by our Ministers and senior civil servants should be readily restored without question, both within this House and without. Just as we seek today a departure from the formula to determine the pay of Ministers and senior civil servants, we should be equally prepared to do so when the time comes to restore the cuts that they take voluntarily. An important recommendation of the CSC pertains to the need to review the tax treatment of ESOPs - Employee Stock Options. The purpose of ESOPs is to align employee's interests with that of the company. As the company grows and its value increases, so too will the value of its shares and the stock options held by its employees. Indeed, the longer employees hold their ESOPs, or their shares after the exercise of the options, the better for the company. It also has the advantage of diminishing the incentive to job hop. Indeed, Sir, this is not an uncommon practice in places such as Silicon Valley, where from the receptionist to the CEO hold stock options.”
“It is a tribute to the strength of tripartism and labour-management relations in Singapore that this issue has been discussed extensively in recent months in a systematic, cool and rational manner. The CSC's recommendation and the reasoned response of organised labour in Singapore must surely have distinguished and differentiated Singapore in the eyes of global investors. By and large, Singaporeans accept the need for wage reduction. However, they feel that it should be done equitably and in tandem with the introduction of measures to ease the impact. For instance, the wage reduction will have a significant impact on the ability of many to service their home mortgages. More than 100,000 Singaporeans use their entire CPF for this purpose and many others use most of their CPF similarly. Homeowners are hopeful that Government will institute adequate measures to ease their burden. One means would be to allow them to use contributions to the Special Account for a limited period to service their housing loan. Another measure could be the establishment of a bridging loan facility to help Singaporeans, in both public and private housing, who are affected by the CPF cut to tide over this difficult period. Sir, there is also a view that the wage reduction should be progressive. The 15% figure should be taken as an average with high income earners taking a proportionately higher wage cut and a lower burden imposed on the rank and file. In this regard, many Singaporeans are looking to our political leaders to set the tone by taking a deeper cut than that recommended by the CSC. They readily concede that it is not necessarily an economically rational response since the resultant cost saving will be insignificant in the overall scheme of things.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion moved by the Minister for Trade and Industry to accept the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness (CSC). It is significant that the CSC has examined not just short term concerns arising from the current regional economic crisis, but also long term issues to strengthen our ability to compete in the global market of the future. It was as recent as May/June last year that we as a nation were collectively seized with the competitive challenge posed by neighbouring and other economies. Indeed, it was such considerations that led to the formation of the CSC. Today, those thoughts seem rather remote as we and our neighbours grapple with the consequences of a profound economic downturn. The CSC report is a timely reminder that the fundamentals have not changed. As the Minister has mentioned, regional economies will emerge from the current economic crisis stronger, leaner and more cost-effective. Their labour, land and currencies will be cheaper. As the Committee has observed, it is not just cost, but also our capability that will underpin Singapore's long term competitiveness within such an environment. A key recommendation of the CSC is to reduce total wages by 15%. Although a painful recommendation, I fully endorse this recommendation. It is an essential step in restoring Singapore's cost competitiveness. This need is evident especially when we realise that even after this across-the-board reduction of costs, we will not fully offset the relative strengthening of the Singapore dollar against regional currencies over the last 18 months. It is also a signal to the international business community that we are different.”
“One way to do this may be to allow the novation or assignment of the POSBank loans to selected thrift and loan societies where the circumstances permit it, rather than force all the accounts to be transferred to DBS. This gives the consumer the choice of the financial institution he wishes now to put his trust in. The future, Mr Speaker, Sir, is a frightening prospect, and even big banks in other countries have collapsed, as some of my colleagues have mentioned in their earlier speeches. I urge the Minister to ease the pain for the POSBank small account holders and employees. Ease them gently into the dark night that they face and give them a strong light to guide them through. 2.30 pm”
“Alternative financial institutions like these should also be promoted, allowed to expand if need be, be given tax exemptions and the rules for their setting up liberalised so that the original objectives of the POSBank, ie, promoting thrift, savings, safe investments and low-cost loans for the small income earners, all these would remain possible in these troubled economic times. As to its impact on the employees of the POSBank, I am glad to note that clause 8 of the Bill provides that these employees will be absorbed into DBS on the same terms as they received in the POSBank. This is important as they had many of the benefits of statutory board employees which they will now lose with the merger if not for clause 8. There is another concern which is not reflected in the Bill and this relates to the down-sizing and possible retrenchment of the POSBank employees, as some of my colleagues in this House have mentioned. I hope the Minister will assure this House that no undue economic hardship will be laid on the shoulders of these employees. Besides retraining them for new jobs, perhaps a job placement service could also be initiated to assist in their transition. I laud the Minister for the various plans he has already put in place to phase in the changes such as higher commercial lending rates and the loss of tax exemption, and for gingerly balancing the national interest against the interest of the small account holders and small businessmen, so as to smoothen the unhappiness and sorrow at losing a key national institution which, in the public mind, has not lost its relevance yet. But I wish to call for more practical steps to allay the fears of consumers that they would soon be put in severe financial straits and be made bankrupt.”
“Effectively, the Minister says that there are two choices: one is to amend the Post Office Savings Bank Act to give the Post Office Savings Bank wider latitude to offer full banking services; and the other is to merge with a commercial bank because in this world that we have now, size does matter. These objectives laid down by the Minister in his speech are laudable objectives, but this does not mean that the objectives of the POSBank I have enumerated earlier are irrelevant now. The POSBank may need to re-engineer itself in the national interest for the new millennium and the era of the international mega-banks. But we must find alternative sources of low-cost loans and safe investments for the millions of small account holders, the 92,000 small and medium enterprises and the 23,000 hawkers and other sundry shopkeepers and stallholders. For these people, the POSBank has met their needs very well and these are not very sophisticated needs and they see no reason to dissolve the POSBank. There is after all still a social objective that a national institution like the POSBank can serve, the social initiative of promoting thrift and saving. I urge the Minister to educate the public on the existence of the other financial institutions which we have and which I believe will be more than happy to move into the gap left by the POSBank. These are the institutions such as NTUC Income, NTUC Thrift and Loan Society and the numerous other thrift and loan societies, credit unions and cooperatives in Singapore.”
“Basic banking services are made easily accessible to the public and convenience to the consumer is a cornerstone of that policy, with branches and automated teller machines (ATMs) in practically every corner of Singapore and especially in the Housing and Development Board estates. As early as 1983 actually, the Government had already considered converting the POSBank into a full commercial bank. However, after a review, the plan was not proceeded with, as it was not in the national interest then. Throughout its history, the POSBank has been a key institution of our financial industry, innovating and pushing the development of services, such as the ubiquitous ATM we have now and the NETS card, when the commercial banks were cautious, reluctant or perhaps even apathetic to the use of new technology and services. They were able to see the wider national interest untrammelled by the desire of their shareholders to minimise risk and costs and maximise profit; and they had vast resources to implement their dreams. If one were to look at this solution that is proposed, we could actually view this as the final sacrifice of the POSBank for the national interest to make our Singapore banks fit to fight the wars that are coming up in the global economy that is broadening. But perhaps it is still necessary for some institution that could serve this role of a catalyst in the banking industry to prod and goad the other banks into doing things that they perhaps are reluctant to do for various reasons. The reasons for the acquisition of the POSBank by DBS have been mentioned by the Minister.”
“Singaporeans will have many sentimental memories of POSBank, which has been the national savings bank for decades. Set up by the British in 1877, it was operated as an arm of the Post Office and intended to be the poor man's bank. The modern POSBank began on 11th July 1966 with an initial staff of 35 and became a statutory board in 1972. It played an important role in the shaping of Singapore as we see it today, particularly in amassing the small savings of individuals in the whole nation for the building of national infrastructure. As some of my colleagues have also pointed out, the POSBank was a non-intimidating place in the neighbourhood where those without very much money could go in to obtain banking services without fear of embarrassment, humilation or having to be sophisticated. The Bank's objective was clearly defined in 1872 as, "to encourage those in receipt of small incomes to practise economy by affording them a safe investment for small amounts at a fair rate of interest, and also of affording borrowers opportunities of obtaining loans at lower rates of interest than were procurable from other sources." According to the Post Office Savings Bank Act, which will be repealed today if the Bill is passed, the principal objective of the Bank shall be "to provide means for the deposit of savings and encourage thrift; to mobilise domestic savings for the purpose of public development ." The corporate policy of POSBank has been reaching a maximum number of people by providing services and incentives in a number of areas related to the promotion of the savings habit.”
“After all, we do not hear commercial banks telling us or urging us to save for tomorrow because tomorrow is worth saving for. Sir, on the point of tax exemption and the liberalisation of mortgage rates, as I understand it, tax exemption will be completely lifted from 1st January 2005. Tax exemption on interest earned on POSBank savings deposits will continue on all deposits till the end of December 2001 and thereafter, it will be extended to the first $100,000 in the balance of each POSBank savings account depositor. This means that this merged entity will enjoy a subsidy of sorts from the Government till the end of 2004, albeit at reducing levels. On the other hand, Credit POSB's home loan mortgage rates will be allowed to gradually rise to competitive market rates from 1st January 2000. Sir, I wonder whether it is not possible for Credit POSB's mortgage rates to be sustained at current levels vis-a-vis DBS' commercial rates, at least until the first tier of tax exemption is removed on 1st January 2002. After all, I think the bank enjoys a certain subsidy and it seems out of sync that, on the one hand, the banks receive a subsidy which will be gradually removed but, on the other hand, the liberalisation of its mortgage rates is executed much earlier. I would appreciate it if the Minister could comment on this. I would also like to declare my interest as an employee of Temasek Holdings. Dr Toh See Kiat (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support this Bill. Nevertheless, there are some concerns which I would like to raise for the Minister's consideration in the implementation of the provisions of this Bill. The passing of the POSBank will be a social and historical milestone.”
“Sir, the Minister has given us a compelling economic case for the acquisition of POSBank by DBS. Liberalisation of the financial services sector under the auspices of WTO and information technology will redefine the nature of banking and the recent mega-mergers in North America and Europe are symptomatic of these changes. Therefore, an entity with the combined strength of DBS and POSBank will certainly be in a better position to compete in this brave new world of financial services. And that is why I support this Bill. Nothwithstanding, these forceful cerebral arguments, it is with a tinge of sadness and nostalgia that I join this debate. Indeed, the Minister's speech sounded much like a requiem for a national institution. POSBank, as many of my colleagues have already said, has been an indelible part of Singaporeans' life and it has offered a friendly and non-threatening face in what would otherwise be a cool, if not cold, world of banking. And this has encouraged many, including the young and perhaps those not so accustomed to the world of finance, to take up savings. The acquisition of POSBank by DBS begs the question how the Government can ensure that savings and thrift continue to be promoted amongst Singaporeans, particularly the young. One of the key lessons of the current regional economic crisis is the value of savings and the habit of thrift. We can argue that Singaporeans are more sophisticated but even in sophisticated economies, saving is not a necessary factor of their lives. It is important that we continue to imbue our young with these values. I do not mean to suggest that commercial banks do not do this but this is not their raison d'etre.”
“Could the Minister elaborate what recourse is available to Singapore should the Malaysian government's action come about and it is found to contravene international trading agreements? And also have we undertaken such recourse in the past vis-a-vis Malaysia?”
“Sir, I appreciate that the focus is on businesses and helping businesses reduce costs. But I think perhaps helping or giving something to individuals should not just be seen from a stimulating angle but also from the point of view that there are those who are facing difficulties, for example, the recent increases in the mortgage rates for HDB loans. Could that not have been considered as a measure at least to defer those increases until the economic situation improves?”
“May I ask the Minister: is it envisaged that this monitoring system will eventually lead to the establishment of some financial arrangement or fund to assist countries deemed to be in distress or where distress is anticipated?”
“I believe that the Ministry of Education, perhaps in conjunction with MCD, could undertake some steps to better educate our parents as well. In particular, Sir, I urge the Ministry to consider the use of the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), strengthening them and using them for this purpose. PTAs could facilitate regular discussions between the schools, the teachers, on the one hand, and the parents to help them to better understand and navigate our education system. At the same time, PTAs could facilitate group discussions amongst parents so that they may share their experiences. I would like to know whether the Ministry has any plans to further strengthen our PTA system and, in particular, in the area of parent education.”
“Sir, parenting is an under-rated skill that is taken for granted. The practitioners are generally left to their own devices. There are no courses, manuals or evaluations, except perhaps by their children. Parents usually rely on experiences within their family and circle of friends for references. Yet, as we have heard time and again today, parents play an important complementary role to our teachers in our schools. Sir, the members of the resource panel for the GPC for Education have highlighted the dissonance that exists between parents' perceptions of school life today, and the reality. Please allow me to illustrate. For most parents, their understanding and idea of life in school dates back to more than two decades ago. Back then, the advent of the hand-held calculator was momentous. Today, PCs are the norm. Parents are still grappling with the intricacies of our education system. In a sense, they themselves are streamed. Those in the fast track understand our system well. Others, whom I believe constitute the bulk, have a more approximate understanding. Parents are also unaware of some of the norms in our schools today. For example, what is the going rate for pocket money? In the business world, HR managers can consult salary reviews by consultants, like Hays, to get some reference points. Whom or what can parents turn to other than their intuition and perhaps casual discussions with their friends? Then there is the perennial question of what they call BGR - boy-girl relationships. What are the OB markers? What are the acceptable limits? Parents have to walk a tightrope for fear of being labelled as rude or a prude. These questions highlight the gaps, I think, in the awareness of today's parents.”
“Sir, in keeping with the spirit of thinking schools and learning nation, I believe it is very important for us to constantly think of our teachers and learn of their accomplishments.”
“Similarly, it is not unusual to find a computer on every desk or every other desk in the commercial world. This is certainly not yet the case in our staff rooms. I know the Minister has already undertaken initiatives to address this. I would appreciate it if we could understand the progress and the targets. Finally, according recognition to our teachers is extremely important. In part, this is done through the competitive remuneration. And I know the Ministry has conducted a comprehensive review last year and recently, and will continue to monitor this situation. It is the non-monetary arena in which I am concerned. I think more can be done. We have annual events like Teachers' Day to acknowledge their contributions. But I think it is more than just one localised annual event, and it is certainly not the responsibility of just the Ministry, the students or the teachers. I think our society and our institutions, as a whole, should cultivate this culture of constantly recognising our teachers' contributions. Recently, the Lianhe Zaobao introduced an award for excellence in the teaching of Mandarin. I wonder if this could be emulated by the other vernacular media. Also, in every day's Straits Times, we have at least 4-6 pages of business news and 15 minutes on TCS talking about the achievements of corporations and their leaders. We have 400 over schools. We have about 300-350 listed companies. Surely we can do something similar, if not on a weekly or daily basis, then perhaps on a fortnightly basis to highlight some of their accomplishments. After all, our future wealth creators are in these schools.”
“Sir, we live in a society that venerates the role of the teacher. Over the past year or so, we have witnessed many Government initiatives on the education front. National Education, information technology and creativity have been at the core. I would like to look at these initiatives from the perspective of the teacher. Sir, the new initiatives have brought about considerable change in the school environment. Teachers have had to adapt to new technologies. They are asked to incorporate new pedagogic methods in their classroom. At the same time, they have to deal with extra-curricular activities and other administrative duties. It would not be an exaggeration to say that our teachers have found life becoming a little bit more hectic, a little bit more stressful. Sir, in part, to address these concerns, I would like to ask the Minister for some information on initiatives of the Ministry in a few areas. The first area pertains to curriculum. In the Addendum to the President's Address last year, the Minister announced that efforts would be made to reduce the curriculum. This is an initiative much awaited, not just by students and teachers, but also the parents. In particular, it would give teachers the capacity to undertake the new initiatives the Ministry has introduced with greater vigour. So I would appreciate it if the Minister could give us an update on this. Secondly, in a somewhat mundane but I think very important administrative arena, can more be done to help and support our teachers in schools? Some of our staff rooms look like they have remained unchanged since the 60s and 70s, and yet we live in an era where systems furniture and open office systems are the norm.”
“But it is a challenge which we will face. We will need to calibrate carefully between passion and compassion and whether there needs to be some reward for volunteers. We need to balance the two. I know some of us really abhor the idea of rewarding volunteers. And at the other end of the scale, some people feel that they may be volunteers but, at the same time, they are human beings too. 2.15 pm The last question by Mr Iswaran was whether there could be closer coordi- nation or cooperation between the CDCs and MCD. I would like to assure the Member that indeed we work closely not only with CDCs but also with the other agencies I mentioned earlier. In particular, he mentioned about the BASC programme. MCD has got a Social Service Development Master Plan for BASCs, FSCs and all the other centres. We have met with the officers of the Tanjong Pagar and Marine Parade CDCs and we shared with them our Master Plan for BASCs, FSCs, CDCs and the other centres. We will be holding similar sessions. In other words, we will be working together. It is not as if we work on certain directions and the CDCs work on another. We have regular dialogues. We have regular consultations in the planning and implementation of our social service facilities. MCD is currently working with the CDCs on a number of projects, including public education on social services. We are also working with them on the development of social service facilities, as I mentioned earlier, such as the BASCs and the provision of services, such as food rations to the needy and meals-on-wheels project. We welcome proposals from the CDCs and advisors on the services that are of priority and which they feel would be needed for the community.”
“We are also working with the NUS Department of Social Work and Psychology and with various training institutions to increase the specialised and professional upgrading opportunities. MCD's staff itself will be attending upgrading courses to equip them with professional skills to perform their work properly. At the other end of the scale, the voluntary sector will also be given more resources for training of the volunteers so that agencies can upgrade the skills of the helpers and those working in the organisations. MCD is also studying how best to achieve a good standard of practice, especially in the most critical area of social work interventions, like child abuse and domestic abuse. We will look into an ethical code of practice and the need to regulate the practice in those critical areas so as to ensure that, especially in cases where the clients are vulnerable, the social workers who handle the cases are properly qualified, that they know what they are doing. These are critical areas and this can, in fact, either help the victims or cause more problems for them, if the social workers are not knowledgeable and skilful enough. MCD will also work with the Singapore Association of Social Workers and NCSS to look into the development of the social work sector as a whole, in terms of manpower planning and standards. There is always the challenge to attract volunteers in Singapore. We have found that somehow people are more charitable when giving donations of money because it is a one-time commitment. You want $10, I give you $10; you want $50, I give you $50. But if you ask me to commit one hour a week, it is a long term commitment. So it is much more difficult to get people to volunteer their time and energy than getting people to donate.”
“Then at the extreme end or the high end, you may call it, where we need real professional social workers to deal, for example, cases of child abuse, domestic abuse or family casework. These really need professional, knowledgeable and skilful workers. So we need volunteers and we need social workers, and we need those in- between too. And there is room actually for a whole continuum of services to be served by these people. They need different knowledge and skills. She is right that the public is somehow unclear about what a social worker really is, and there is this confusion also that social worker equals a volunteer equals a counsellor, equals anybody who works in a voluntary welfare organisation. The public is largely unaware of what social work actually involves, and that it is a professional service rendered by trained persons with specialised knowledge and skills and these are to be differentiated from acts of charity carried out by volunteers. The professionals will have an increasingly important role as our society develops further and the social service sector expands. My Ministry will help bring about better recognition of social workers by way of investing in training and improving service conditions and public education about what a social worker really is. In the area of training, for example, my Ministry has been sponsoring specialised training for social workers which includes training in working with family violence victims (this is training in specific areas about family violence) and training for new services such as counselling first-time offenders in Police caution cases.”
“They can also look into how they can streamline their services further, review or re-prioritise their needs and expenditures like what the Government and the private sector are doing. And they may also want to consider more creative ways of raising funds. Indeed, this is the time for them to be more creative, to examine themselves and to face the whole situation as a challenge for them, which can be very exciting. And they can look into other avenues, and more innovative ways of raising funds. I want to assure Members of this House that Government has not cut back on its budget for approved programmes run by the VWOs which receive Government funding. And Government will also not be cutting back on its development programme for community-based social services such as FSCs, child care centres, and BASCs. In fact, there will be a 14% increase over FY97 in the provision for the development and operating expenses of the VWOs. With regard to CDC funding, whether we can extend the 3:1 formula to VWOs, if there is a real need and Members can convince the Minister for Finance - he is not here now - I think he might consider the proposal very sympathetically. On voluntarism and professionalism in social work, Mdm Chiang mentioned about the need for people to recognise what social work really is. We need both types of workers really - the professional social workers and the volunteers. Indeed, in our many helping hands approach, we need a variety of such workers. There is a wide range of services requiring a variety of skills. For example, at one end, there is the befriender type where we need volunteers. There is also the more administrative duties where we can get via paid staff in the voluntary welfare organisations.”
“These two publications can also be used by social service providers, schools, grassroots organisations for their own reference and also for them to pass on the information to their residents and students. The CDC has also launched a National Helpline in January this year. This is where people can contact the CDC directly, a one-stop information provider, as it were, for them to ask the kinds of help available to them. This has made things easier for people. Instead of going to several organisations, they just call on this Helpline and they get all the information they need. I would like to thank Dr Vasoo for lending his moral support, again, for MCD to get more funds and also for VWOs. He also mentioned "compassion fatigue". I sincerely hope that this would not happen because once we have compassion fatigue, then there go our plans for having more volunteers and more people to care for others. I do hope that compassion fatigue will not occur and will not happen in Singapore. The various Ministries dealing with VWOs (MCD, MOE and MOH) are working very closely with NCSS to monitor the impact of the current economic downturn on social services and the ability of the VWOs to raise funds and to anticipate the sort of support that VWOs may need. But VWOs themselves, I think, can help themselves. We really feel that they are still able to raise funds, provided they have good programmes, their aims are clear and the programmes are perceived by the community as worthy of support. For example, the recent President's Star Charity collected more than $2 million whereas last year they collected only about $1 million. So it is more than double what they collected. Indeed people are still able and they donate even in bad economic times like this.”
“According to them, there are 16,253 attendees seeking child and adolescence psychiatric outpatient services at the child guidance clinics. We do not know the details. If the Member is interested, perhaps he could approach the Ministry of Health to pursue the matter. Dr Ho Tat Kin proposed that we consider reaching out to the poor to make them aware of the kinds of services that are available. I agree with the Member of the need for us to reach out to the poor. In fact, it has been our experience, not only in MCD but also in self-help groups and among the VWOs that the group which you try to help is the very group which is the hardest to reach, for example, the low income group. I am glad to say that last year my Ministry embarked on a joint project with the Marine Parade CDC and the Tanjong Pagar CDC to launch a public education programme on social services to reach out to households living in 1- and 2-room HDB flats. In this programme, volunteers from the CDCs, RCs and VWOs were enlisted to go door to door, we go and knock on each door, literally reaching out to the community, to explain to the 1- and 2-room flat residents of the various programmes and services that are available for them to take advantage of. My Ministry also has established a booklet entitled "We're Just A Call Away" which contains information on available services and schemes which families can avail themselves of. The booklet can be used by volunteers to brief and advise families. There are also two other publications: one is "Helping Low-income Families The Singapore Way" and the other is "Reaching Out - Directory of Services to Help Low-income Families".”
“It was revealed that the percentage of regular sport participation had increased from 24% in 1992 to 34% in 1997, within five years, so a 10% increase within five years. But what is significant is that 72% of the participants spend more than 45 minutes in each session. This is very significant because it shows not only the regularity of participation in sports but also the length of each session. And for 72% to spend more than 45 minutes is indeed significant. The Singapore Sports Council has launched a public education programme to promote the message that sports is not only fun but it is also beneficial to one's fitness and to oneself. The SSC has now embarked on a second phase of this national public education campaign. The mass media will organise road shows, exhibitions, to bring home the message that sports is fun, it is easy to take up and it is healthy. The campaign will impress on Singaporeans that we do not have to be fit to take up sports but rather sports will develop fitness. In addition to what the SSC does, PA also has many leisure activities in the CCs. Quite apart from sports, it has got a sea sports centre, karaoke, outings, dancing, barbecues, etc. So indeed there are many opportunities for Singaporeans to play. Just like the proverbial horse which we want to drag to the waters to drink, unless the horse wants to drink nobody can force it to drink. Therefore, we have enough outlets for Singaporeans to play; it is up to the Singaporeans themselves to take up these opportunities. The Member also wants to know statistics on children attending counselling or children with problems. I am afraid we do not have the details but what we have are statistics from the Institute of Mental Health.”
“When the PM presented his ideas on Singapore 21 last year, he said that Singapore needs to go beyond economic and material needs and reorient society to meet the intellectual and emotional, spiritual, cultural and social needs of our people. In this regard, my Ministry will continue to develop policies, programmes and infrastructure for individuals to lead a more meaningful and balanced life through promoting community bonding and social cohesion and inculcating family values, promoting voluntarism and caring for the young, the aged and the needy. On the issue of quality of life indicators, again this is something which we have to think about. We have to work at definitions. We have to work at measurements and at the indices. We have now on-going a survey on the state of families in Singapore. It is being carried out by my Ministry. We hope it will produce some important social indicators for Singapore. If Members have any proposals on what kind of indicators ought to be included in this index, my Ministry would be most happy to receive it. 2.00 pm Working hard, playing hard - that is the motto of Dr Toh See Kiat. In MCD, we believe in playing hard but, alas, we work harder. We agree that Singaporeans work hard but we also agree that they must learn to make meaningful use of their leisure. They must have some balance in life. In this respect, the Singapore Sports Council, which is under the Ministry, has done quite a lot, in terms of promoting sports at the community level Sports for Life and also the SPEX 2000 programme. With regard to the Sports for Life programme, since its launch in September 1996 from Sports for All programme, we had made a survey last year on sport participation.”
“They could engage in social service, they could go down to the constituencies and join the CDCs; they can join as Civil Defence volunteers. They can help in the self-help groups. Indeed there are many opportunities for women to get together and help out others. I think through such involvement in the community, our girls would be able to interact with Singaporeans from all walks of life and from all income groups. Besides deriving personal satisfaction, they somehow very quickly learn to understand the plight and circumstances of the families and individuals whom they work with and whom they help. They are able to empathise with those who come from completely different socio-economic backgrounds, but they share, nevertheless, a common identity of being Singaporeans. Dr Teo Ho Pin talked about quality of life. The definition of quality of life can be very nebulous. Different people have different definitions of what a good quality of life is. I grew up in an urban slum, and I used to have a neighbour who was a hawker, who had eight children. To all intents and purposes, he considered his life as of good quality. He said, "I have got no problems. I don't owe any mortgages. I don't have money in the bank but I have enough to eat." To him, quality of life is good. And yet I know of someone who earns $25,000 a month, who keeps on complaining he has not got enough and that his quality of life is somehow very rotten. So the definition of quality of life indeed can vary between one individual and another. But even then I agree that we should not neglect the development of social and community infrastructure and we should not just measure quality of life by material standards alone.”
“So if the Member is interested in knowing who are the disabled and where they are, perhaps she could approach these organisations directly. Dr Lee Tsao Yuan talks about a national cohesion scheme for women. This is quite a different subject from what the other speakers have been talking about. But I agree with the sentiments about the need for cohesion. There are avenues for males but apparently there is none for females. There is something about being in the trenches together, eating together, wallowing in the mud together for National Servicemen. They do set up this bond between the rich and poor, between the Hokkien, the Cantonese and the Malay and the Indian or whatever race. So I agree with the sentiments. The question is whether NS should be extended to women. This question is one which Government is still looking into. It has not dismissed the idea. But there are several issues which we need to look into very carefully. For example, the reasons for having NS for women in the first place. Well, she has given one reason, to encourage cohesion and bonding among women. Other issues are whether we should enlist all women or some of the women, and at what level. Who should be enlisted? Which Ministry should be in charge? What would the enlistees do? These are issues which have to be carefully looked into and, as the Member mentioned, the scheme ought to be very carefully formulated. I am glad to say that we shall look into her suggestions, to see whether a modified form of National Service can be implemented for some women in Singapore. But notwithstanding that, NS is not the only way to bring about social bonding and social cohesion among women.”
“In the rental flats, they are also given ground floor flats and also flats at lift landings and when they transfer their flats they are also given priority for ground floor units. With regard to sexual abuse of disabled individuals, this is something which we all abhor. It is right that we feel very strongly against this, and I agree. I share the NMP's concern about physical and sexual abuse of disabled individuals, particularly the young ones and the girls. The provisions in both the Children and Young Persons Act, as well as the Women's Charter, protect all victims from abuse, including the disabled. In fact, the amendments to the Women's Charter provide an added avenue through which help can be obtained, for example, the Charter now allows persons to apply for a protection order on behalf of an abused victim. In other words, for the disabled person who could not make any report, a protection order can be applied for on behalf of that person by other persons. I think the NMP also asked about the central registry for disabled. She may want to know that there was a Registry of Disabled People or CRDP which was established by the then Ministry of Social Affairs in 1969. But there were some inherent difficulties in maintaining the Registry because of people being reluctant to report, infrequent reporting and very unreliable reporting. Therefore, in 1988, the Advisory Council on the Disabled recommended for the CRDP to be discontinued. But currently, I am told that welfare organisations working with the disabled themselves maintain their own registry of the disabled who are under their charge and they update these registries regularly.”
“With regard to schools, where possible, disabled children are integrated in normal schools. There are no barriers, physically, to the handicapped and schools have been cooperative. Where there are handicapped in the school they make sure that mobility and access for the disabled are made as easy as possible, where necessary and appropriate. But we feel that it is not always advantageous for the disabled children to be sent to normal school because some of them are mentally disabled. Therefore it may be better for them to attend special schools instead of going to normal schools, where they can be better looked after, where their needs and learning can be tailored more to their level of understanding. On barrier-free environment, she did mention that the BCD has got a Code on Barrier-free Accessibility in Buildings. It was I think revised in 1995. The code requires new buildings to have barrier-free features such as toilets for the handicapped, ramps with gentle slopes and kerb ramps which slope upwards from the road to the building. In other words, there is a gentle slope from the road to the building walkways instead of a sharp angle. New buildings have to conform to the requirements of this code and old buildings would have to comply with these revised requirements when they undergo major renovations. HDB, I am told, has also incorporated accessibility features in the new HDB buildings as well as existing buildings which are being upgraded in the Main Upgrading Programmes. On the provision of ground floor units for families of the disabled, HDB does allocate ground floor flats where they are available and possible for families of the disabled.”
“We will see that this happens and we will encourage such coordination between Bizlink and the CDCs and the community. The Government also funds vocational training programmes leading to Certificates of Vocational Training for Basic Computer Applications, Office Practice and Service Skills for the handicapped to ensure that they have the skills for employment. To encourage employment of disabled persons, the Government also provides financial incentives to employers, like tax rebates for modifications which they make in the workplace to enable the disabled to work, and for reimbursements of the first 1 1/2 months of the disabled employee's salaries, as well as transport and food allowance, for the disabled worker, where needed. In other words, there are incentives for employers to employ the disabled and we would certainly encourage employers to look into the disabled as a source of manpower. The public sector actually is the largest single employer of the disabled people. As at end of last year, we have about 224 disabled persons employed in the public sector and we will increase that number when we find suitable disabled to work in the civil service. But the greatest obstacle to the disabled, as I mentioned this afternoon, is the prejudice against the disabled in the community, that existed in the community itself and this is something I think we have to tackle through public education, through the public knowing more about what the disabled can and cannot do. She also asked about the recommendations of the Advisory Council for the Disabled. It is quite a long list, Sir. I could provide the NMP with the list if she needs it. It is quite a long one and most of them have been implemented.”