Sidek bin Saniff
Singapore
“Sir, I understand that roads and walkways in Neighourhoods 5 and 6 are still being maintained by HDB, as the roads and walkways in these two neighbourhoods have not been taken over by LTA as public thoroughfares. Notwithstanding this, my Ministry has moved in and taken over the cleaning of the roads and walkways from HDB.”
“For that particular area, we have our men to do the job. WOH HUP GOLDEN MILE COMPLEX (Additions to balconies) 11. Mr Goh Chong Chia asked the Minister for National Development whether the additions to the balconies at the Woh Hup Golden Mile Complex facing Beach Road have been approved by the planning and building authorities.”
“If so, it requires identification of the recycled products, in other words, labelling of recycled products. Are we prepared to consider labelling all recycled products? Recycled products could only be viable if the public accepts them.”
“They are also produced by some industrial and natural processes. ENV has been monitoring dioxin levels in ambient air since 1999. So far, trace levels have been detected occasionally. The levels are lower than the levels found in quite a number of developed countries, such as Germany, UK and Netherlands.”
“I share the concern. But, somehow, we do not have any species, like eagles or vultures, that can take care of the crows. In Malaysia or Indonesia, they have musang (fox) that can really mash their nests. In our case, it is just ourselves.”
“Sir, I thought we are taking a concerted effort with all the measures taken. There is no intention at all to pass the buck. To me, it is a matter of asking cooperation, rather than you and me with a gulf in between.”
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“For that particular area, we have our men to do the job. WOH HUP GOLDEN MILE COMPLEX (Additions to balconies) 11. Mr Goh Chong Chia asked the Minister for National Development whether the additions to the balconies at the Woh Hup Golden Mile Complex facing Beach Road have been approved by the planning and building authorities. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Woh Hup Complex at the Golden Mile is an office/shop/residential mixed development approved in 1970. The original approved balconies are attached to the residential units. The balcony space was already counted as part of the unit's gross floor area. Since 1989, no planning approval is necessary for the additions to balconies in flats and condominium developments.”
“Sir, I understand that roads and walkways in Neighourhoods 5 and 6 are still being maintained by HDB, as the roads and walkways in these two neighbourhoods have not been taken over by LTA as public thoroughfares. Notwithstanding this, my Ministry has moved in and taken over the cleaning of the roads and walkways from HDB. Rest assured, I think, by now they might have done the job. Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung: Particularly, Senior Minister of State, I said that "Neighbourhood 8" does not have modern walkways as Neighbourhoods 5 or 6, which probably have walkways that would facilitate machine cleaning. But in certain older neighbourhoods, and I am sure I am not just speaking in relation to Woodlands but to other areas as well, there are no such modern walkways and so on, to facilitate machine cleaning. How close is the supervision of the cleaning of drains and what are the methods used to clean such areas?”
“They are also produced by some industrial and natural processes. ENV has been monitoring dioxin levels in ambient air since 1999. So far, trace levels have been detected occasionally. The levels are lower than the levels found in quite a number of developed countries, such as Germany, UK and Netherlands. Hence, the level of dioxin in our ambient air does not pose a problem.”
“From 10 pm till 7 am the next morning, the permissible noise level will be lowered to 55 decibels averaged over one hour, and the instantaneous noise over five minutes shall not exceed 60 decibels. Sir, given these permissible noise levels, noisy work, such as concreting, will not be done after 7 pm. Less noisy work, such as erection and dismantling of form work, fixing of steel bars, loading and unloading of materials may be carried out. However, after 10 pm, only quiet work, such as bricklaying, plastering and painting can be done. With the more stringent control of our noise at construction sites, we hope that residents living close to construction sites will have quieter evenings and more restful nights. Sir, Dr Lily Neo brought up the point regarding indoor air quality. Following the 1995 survey, guidelines on good indoor air quality practices were published in 1996 and widely distributed to those in the building management industry. Further studies conducted in 1997 and 1998 in offices, MRT stations, schools and underground carparks, showed that generally, indoor air quality has been satisfactory in these places, except for a few isolated locations. Laws on indoor air quality may not be necessary at this time, as standards have also not been set by WHO and threshold levels not established. In the meantime, however, ENV enacted laws in February this year to require proper maintenance of water cooling system in central air-conditioning of all public buildings. This law, when enforced, will bring down incidence of the Legionnaires' disease, caused by the legionnaire bacteria which grows in poorly maintained water cooling tanks. Sir, on the question about dioxin, as Dr Lily Neo knows, dioxins are by-products of combustion.”
“Sir, I would like to thank Mr Heng Chiang Meng for bringing up this important issue. Our law takes into consideration the background noise of the environment. The noise measured would be adjusted according to the background noise. Therefore, the permissible noise level in a quiet neighbourhood will be more stringent, when compared to a neighbourhood with higher background noise. I agree that jack hammers or percussion hammers can pose a problem if done close to a residential building, especially caused by the vibrations which transmit through the ground. Our law restricts the noise level being generated by the piling activities, regardless of the types of equipment or machinery used during construction. Having said that, I am pleased to announce that all new construction sites, commencing work from 1st October 2001, and located within 150 metres of residential premises, will be required to observe a stricter set of noise levels at night. The decision to impose stricter noise control measures at night was taken in response to the many complaints which my Ministry has received. Last year, for example, we received an average of 33 complaints a week on construction noise, compared to an average of 21 per week in 1999. This is despite the drop in construction activities of about 20% last year. Sir, the new set of noise levels will limit work at night in two segments, the first segment, between 7 pm and 10 pm, and the second segment, between 10 pm to the next morning, at 7 am. During the first night segment, from 7 pm to 10 pm, the permissible noise level will remain at 65 decibels, but averaged over one hour, and the instantaneous noise over five minutes shall not exceed 70 decibels.”
“In most cases, EV71 will not cause death, but instead cause a mild and common childhood disease known as the hand, foot and mouth disease. It is just like the flu virus. The flu virus does not usually attack the heart or the brain and then cause death, although it can and has been known to do so. So when will EV71 turn aggressive and lethal? The outcome would depend on the relationship between the viral agent and the host, the baby, the kid. For example, factors like the amount of virus a person is exposed to or the ability of the body's immune system to defend against the virus can make a difference. Genetic factors also play a part, some persons may possess a certain gene which renders them more prone to complications by allowing efficient virus entry into the cells. Sir, since one of the symptoms of EV71 is hand, foot and mouth disease, a good strategy to prevent the spread of EV71 is to prevent an outbreak of the hand, foot and mouth disease. We are not saying that EV71 cannot be aggressive when there is no HFMD outbreak, as we have seen it can, but preventing outbreaks of HFMD would minimise the chance of exposure to EV71 virus. My Ministry therefore monitors very closely the incidence of HFMD throughout Singapore and, in particular, in all the pre-schools. If there are signs of localised secondary transmission going on in any pre-school, ENV will move in quickly to prevent an outbreak from occurring. In the months ahead, ENV will be working with MOE and MCDS to see how best pre-school operators can be further trained in the areas of illness detection, isolation of the unwell child and preventive measures to check transmission.”
“Notwithstanding this, we would seek to minimise the impact of traffic noise on residents living near expressways through the use of planning and other noise mitigation measures. Sir, Prof. Low asked about HFM disease. My Ministry appreciates his concern. We are also concerned. In response to Prof. Low's questions and, with your permission, Sir, I would like to put in perspective the overall situation with regard to infant fatality. Sir, from September last year to now, there were seven children below 5 years of age who died of viral infections involving the brain, lungs and heart. Four had EV71 and one had an enterovirus that is still being typed. The virus or viruses responsible for the other two could not be identified. In the last five years, there were an average of 16 deaths a year, ranging from 11 to 28 deaths, among children aged 5 and below. This puts us among one of the lowest mortality rate among children of this age group in the world. What is worth noting is that there has been no noticeable increase in the number of deaths among children aged 5 and below in recent years. In fact, the number of deaths last year, among children in this particular group, totalled 11. And this was less than the previous year which was 18. Sir, why then has there been this recent attention given to EV71? For one thing, it was only recently that developments in the diagnostic tool, known as PCR, this is something to do with the laboratory equipment that magnifies the DNA, the genes of the virus using an enzyme, known as polymerase, has enabled it to be used by diagnostic laboratories worldwide to detect EV71. Then how does EV71 relate to HFMD? Is it a potentially aggressive virus that often causes deaths? Sir, EV71 is generally not known to be an aggressive virus.”
“Sir, I will be dealing with the questions posed by Mr Sinnakaruppan and Prof. Low on HFMD and, of course, the last one on control of smell. Sir, Mr Sinnakaruppan asked about traffic noise. Let me assure him that traffic noise comes from vehicle engines and tyres. ENV, MCIT and MND have implemented measures to control traffic noises from expressways. These measures include setting of noise emission standards for vehicles; using low noise porous asphalt material for surfacing certain stretches of expressways; siting multi-storey car parks, electrical substations or other non-noise sensitive structures to screen traffic noise from residential buildings; setting back residential buildings from the expressways; and designing layout of flats such that living rooms and bedrooms are located away from traffic noise. Sir, with increased urbanisation and widening of expressways, the noise level has gradually been increasing along certain stretches of the expressways. To address this gradual increase of traffic noise from expressways, ENV and MCIT engaged a noise consultant to conduct a study on the impact of traffic noise from expressways. The study includes a review of the existing guidelines and mitigation measures, including sound barriers. In the preliminary findings of the study, the consultants have also identified several 'hot spots'. These are blocks of flats fronting the expressways where the noise level is high. ENV and MCIT will evaluate the findings and recommendations of the consultancy study. We would also look into noise mitigation measures from these 'hot spots' especially. Sir, in land scarce and highly urbanised Singapore, some degree of noise pollution is inevitable.”
“If so, it requires identification of the recycled products, in other words, labelling of recycled products. Are we prepared to consider labelling all recycled products? Recycled products could only be viable if the public accepts them. Making people understand the importance of recycling to be an action towards resource conservation and environmental sustainability is the key to the success of recycling. We should have an education programme, teaching and persuading people to feel good about supporting and using recycled products. Would the Government consider launching a Recycle Campaign with the NGOs and schools to increase their awareness in support of the recycle and reuse movement?”
“Recycle, reuse and reduction will be the movement by environment lovers, and responsible world citizens to conserve our resources. From what I read, a BMW car contains a high percentage of materials which could be recycled. You can sell the car to a company for recycling when it is due for scrap. Do we have any policy, setting the constraints in the recycled contents in our new product and the contents of which could be recycled when it is scrapped? Sir, the decision for compulsory recycled contents in products has to be commercially viable. However, if nothing is done, the concept of recycling will never take place. At least, we should have some financial incentives or encouragement to include recycled contents, or increasing the recyclability of the products could be made more attractive for the manufacturers' participation. Do we have any incentive schemes to encourage people to work towards this objective? Our Government should show support to the recycle movement by imposing recycled contents in some of their own projects if cost and quality are neutral. One good example is requiring door-frames and wooden floor materials to be made of recycled wood for public housing. In fact, I have seen the product, and no layman can tell the difference. We have seen recycled bins in schools and in shopping centres, but we can hardly see any recycled products on sale in the consumer market. Even if there are, like recycled papers, greeting cards and envelopes, they do not seem to be commonly used and acceptable by the people. In fact, recycled products are still fighting a tough battle with normal products. Is there a way that the Government could help to make recycled products more attractive, in terms of pricing and to make known to the supporters of the recycle movement?”
“Sir, the rating is based on a score of 0-10. On our part, we are very lucky that the scoring happens to be between 6 and 8. This score is given by three parties: ENV officers, cleaners and the users. For instance, in 1996, ENV scored 6.0; cleaners, 6.1; users, 6.8. Recently, we have 8.1 by ENV, 8.0 by cleaners and 8.3 by users. The scoring system maintains that 9.1-10 points is excellent; 8.1-9 points, good; 6.1-8 points, satisfactory; 4.1-6 points, not quite satisfactory; and 4 points and below, poor. We will try our best to do even better. BILL INTRODUCED PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Parliamentary Elections Act (Chapter 218 of the 1999 Revised Edition) and to make related and miscellaneous amendments to certain other written laws", presented by the Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Wong Kan Seng); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2001 TO 31ST MARCH, 2002 (Paper Cmd. 3 of 2001) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [8th Allotted day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head M (cont.) - Resumption of Debate on Question [15th March, 2001]. "That the total sum to be allocated for Head M of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100." [Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay] Question again proposed. Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang): Sir, in solid waste disposal, recycle, reuse and reduction are important issues. Most of the substances and materials that we use for our products are not renewable. We must take action to conserve the resources so that we will leave behind sufficient quantities for the future generations of mankind.”
“Sir, I thought we are taking a concerted effort with all the measures taken. There is no intention at all to pass the buck. To me, it is a matter of asking cooperation, rather than you and me with a gulf in between. As for the findings on dengue, when we cooperate with certain authorities, like the universities, we are very serious about it. We have managed to get a cure for dengue fever by destroying the larvae in the gutters. You do not have to tear down the roof. We have managed to do that and the findings may be there. Hopefully, with these new measures or new breakthroughs, we can do the same, like the findings, where we heat the roof gutters. Is that a wrong comparison?”
“Sir, there are about 6,000 crows in Singapore. It is something to crow about. If they were to mate, usually they produce between two to four chicks. Out of four, half will somehow survive, that is, 6,000 plus the present 6,000, which is 12,000. It is quite large. We have managed to handle only about 1,000-1,500 a month. We will certainly intensify our efforts whether by culling, looking after the waste, giving some public education to our people, or providing traps. We hope that the latest one will work.”
“We will certainly look into the matter also.”
“I share the concern. But, somehow, we do not have any species, like eagles or vultures, that can take care of the crows. In Malaysia or Indonesia, they have musang (fox) that can really mash their nests. In our case, it is just ourselves. As for connection between crows and dengue, I just mentioned that we are seriously looking into this method. Dengue is one case. Some were fatal. To me, one death is one death too many. And we have managed to come out with this heating element measure. This is just an example. We hope the so-called repellant effect at the bin, or in the plastic bags especially, can do the work. If you consider that as a friendly way of dealing with the crows, that is our friendly way of using it.”
“The bounty hunters are from the two clubs, Singapore Gun Club and SAFRA Shooting Club, and they are doing it on a voluntary basis. Other than that, the traps seem to be working. We have given out to Town Councils about 22 traps that have managed to trap about 10 birds a month. We hope to give another 30 to the town councils and I hope the town councils will be ever ready to accept them.”
“Sir, besides culling and removing sources of waste food to reduce the crow population, we can also look into new ideas that may help. For instance, one idea that crops up is to have bins and plastic bags used for containing refuse infused with a repellant so that crows will not go near them. I will give an example of how we control the dengue now with the help of my Ministry and the university. For example, in the case of dengue control, scientists in my Ministry have discovered that by raising the temperature of stagnant water to 45o C, it can kill the larvae in the water within one hour. With this finding, they have developed a heating element that can be installed in roof gutters. By switching on the heating element for slightly more than one hour, and this can be done by a timer switch in the middle of the night, any larvae breeding in the gutter will be destroyed. I hope the same effect will be done towards this. We are working towards this. This is a case where many people, out of kindness, just give food to the crows. There is one instance where a hawker purposely gives the crows something to eat every day. He said otherwise the crows will be a nuisance. And one of those days, he even pat the head of that chap. This feeling of kindness, as far as Asian people are concerned, is understandable. That is why we try to look into this particular area with new ideas and hopefully a breakthrough.”
“Sir, in my reply just now, the second part of the question is taken care of. As for the former, times have changed and the society has also changed. Because of that, as I mentioned earlier, there are people who are in need of help. By giving them the stalls, it somehow makes them suffer even further. And the number is increasing. And because of that, the Government came to the conclusion and made a decision. As of now, the position stands. 6.00 pm”
“My Ministry will work with the Primary Production Department to see how best the problem can be further minimised.”
“The refuse from the bin centres are removed daily by appointed contractors in covered trucks. Town councils should report to the Ministry if the refuse collection contractors spill refuse after emptying the bulk bins, or if they do not perform. When everyone cooperates in this way, then the smell nuisance can be minimised. Sir, there are of course engineering solutions such as the use of mechanised refuse handling equipment like dust screw conveyors and compactors in bin centres which will minimise manual handling and consequently spillage. All new HDB flats built after 1990 have such equipment. Refuse is also collected daily to reduce smell problem. As for refuse trucks, they should not be leaking sludge water because these are specially designed vehicles, unless of course if the operator is careless, otherwise it would not leak. Refuse trucks have internal compaction units and upon compacting the refuse in the truck, they are required to drain off the surplus water into sewers provided for at the bin centres. This will prevent sludge water from spilling out when the vehicle is driven. Licensed public waste collectors are penalised if this happens. Sir, town councils should report cases of refuse truck leaking waste water in their estate. The problem of smell at Sungei Tengah Agro-technology Park arose from the chicken dung generated by four chicken farms in the park. Last year, one of the four farms operated a composting plant which will convert the chicken dung into fertiliser and this aggravated the smell nuisance. My Ministry, together with PPD, the licensing authority of the farm, intervened and the farm installed odour treatment measures. The number of complaints dropped after that.”
“MINDEF has also installed a solar power system at the Tuas Naval Base as a pilot study and is looking into larger scale applications when the technology to convert solar energy into electricity has achieved further breakthroughs. Sir, while products to harness our solar energy to supply heated water are readily available in the market place, the application of technology to collect solar energy on a large scale to produce electricity still faces a number of major constraints. Given the state of the art, electricity production from solar energy is far more costly than conventional form of electricity generation. The growth in the use of solar energy will have to depend upon technology breakthroughs to harvest it in a cost effective manner and minimum space utilisation. That is another constraint - space utilisation. Sir, in Singapore, research in large scale collection of solar energy is limited. I would like to encourage local researchers and private sector companies to be involved in this area of research. They can apply to the National Science and Technology Board for R&D funding for their research projects. Sir, Prof. Low Seow Chay talked about foul smell. Sir, our refuse will smell, with the warm and humid climate we have. For this reason, special attention must be given to it, starting from the person who generates the refuse to the person who collects the refuse for disposal. Refuse must be bagged before they are thrown down the chute and cleansing workers must cover the refuse when they convey the refuse from the chute chambers to the bin centres and do so without spillage. At the bin centre, the refuse must be stored in covered bulk bins. It is the duty of the town council to ensure all this.”
“It was felt that the hawker business is best left to the people with culinary skills, while hardship cases should seek other forms of employment. The present method of renting out vacant stalls through public tender allows everyone with culinary skills to venture into the food retail trade. He will operate the stall under market conditions and will strive to work hard and to do well, and this will benefit not only him but also his customers. Sir, in the case of market produce stalls, there are many vacant stalls available and it would not be difficult to get one at a very reasonable rent. In fact, in two wet markets, that is, in Commonwealth Avenue and Balestier Road, you can just walk in and apply on the spot. Sir, Prof. Toh See Kiat asked about solar energy. Sir, products that harness solar energy to supply heated water are well commercialised, and they are already being used in some commercial facilities and private homes in Singapore. It is left to the building industry to decide on their cost effectiveness. On its part, the Government encourages the use of such products. My Ministry administers an accelerated depreciation scheme which allows the capital investment for solar heating or cooling system and solar energy collection system to be expensed off in one year. One notable application is the solar heating system of the flight kitchen building of the Changi International Airport Services (CIAS). The system provides hot water for the preparation of food, cooking, washing and bathing facilities. CIAS has achieved substantial cost saving through the use of this system.”
“If residents use proper refuse bins with a cover and deposit their refuse inside these bins, then it will be difficult for strays to get at it. It would help further if residents do not bring out their refuse at night. However, I agree that waste collectors should communicate with residents about when their truck will arrive so that the refuse need not be put out too early. If Mr Chiam can give me more details, I will ask my officers to look into this matter, whether it is at Carmichael Road, Sennett Estate, or Woodleigh. As for 5 am, we have never asked any resident to put out their refuse at that hour because the truck will come around 9 o'clock. Unless of course one is an early riser like a Muslim, one loves one's wife and one does not want her to put the rubbish outside so early in the morning. One can put it out oneself when one goes to the mosque. But I can assure you, Sir, that they start their collection at about 9 o'clock and finish around noon. On the use of gloves, we do not make it compulsory. We leave it to the discretion of the companies. If they want to, they can ask, at their own discretion, their workers to use gloves. Mr Sin Boon Ann asked about the allocation of market and eating stalls. Sir, the decision to tender out vacant hawker stalls to the general public instead of allocating them to hardship cases was taken in 1990 for several reasons. Operating a hawker stall is a business that requires a financial investment and good culinary skills. Many hardship cases who were allotted stalls in the past were unable to operate their stalls profitably and their businesses failed, leading to more financial hardship. Some resorted to subletting their stalls illegally.”
“Malaria cases have dropped from 36 in 1998 to 10 in 1999. The number of imported malaria cases, that is infected outside of Singapore but was treated in Singapore, has also dropped from 396 in 1998 to 306 in 1999. There was one death which is an imported case. 5.45 pm Sir, we will remain vigilant against these communicable diseases to ensure that our population continues to enjoy high standards of public health. My Ministry has also given more focus on research, especially on dengue, and also working closely with the tertiary institutions on a number of projects. Sir, Mr Harun Ghani also asked about waste collection. We are satisfied with the services rendered by our three licensed public waste collectors that we have appointed so far. All of them are performing in accordance with the service standard required. One of them encountered difficulties during the first week of operation. Their workers found the work too strenuous and could not complete their route on time. This resulted in a backlog and the situation of course snowballed. The company remedied the problem by shortening the length of some of the routes and that meant having to bring extra vehicles and of course extra manpower. During this period, some residents experienced irregular service, with no collection on certain days. The teething problem lasted 10 days. The company was fined $25,500 for the lapse in service standard. Sir, my Ministry is currently reviewing the tender specifications and plans to call the third sector in the first half of this year. Details of the sector will be announced later. Sir, Mr Chiam See Tong asked about refuse collection from residential properties.”
“At the moment, we are improving the Alexandra canal between Tanglin Road and Kim Seng Road to reduce flooding in Alexandra Road, including Jervois Road and Margaret Drive. We are also building a new drainage pumping station cum storage pond to keep the Opera Estate flood-free. Construction work for many other drainage projects is in progress. These projects, when completed, will help to bring down the number of flood prone areas. However, Sir, it is not feasible to completely rid Singapore of all floods. Firstly, some of the areas, such as those in Chinatown, Boat Quay and Dakota Crescent are very low-lying and are barely above the high tide level. The only economically feasible method at present to resolve the flooding in these areas is to fill up the land upon redevelopment. Secondly, there is a limit to which we can widen drains because land is a constraint. Very intense rainfall which may occur once in every five years or so would overwhelm the capacity of the drains and cause temporary flash floods. Such floods, however, would be minor and of a short-term duration. Encik Harun also asked whether in 10 years' time Singapore would be free from flood. Out of these 250 hectares, we are left only with about 70 hectares at Chinatown. If there is redevelopment, there is a possibility, whether it is five years or 10 years. So it depends on the redevelopment. Encik Harun also asked about dengue fever and malaria. Sir, the dengue fever and malaria situation in 1999 was a huge improvement over 1998. Dengue cases came down more than 70%, from 5,258 cases in 1998 to only 1,355 cases in 1999. There were two deaths though. One was a foreign construction worker and the other was a permanent resident. We believe they sought medical attention too late.”
“Sir, Mr Kenneth Chen asked about recycling. I agree with Mr Chen that we must learn to reduce wastes and, wherever possible, reuse things rather than throw them away. The principle of "polluters pay principle", suggested by Mr Chen, is a good principle which my Ministry has adopted. We have implemented a programme to remove the subsidy in waste disposal. Disposal fees will increase to $87 per tonne over the next few years, as announced by the Ministry. Sir, there are problems on the proposal to charge fees for the increasing amount of waste thrown by residents. In our HDB estates, common refuse chutes make it impossible to identify the resident and the amount of refuse he generated for charging purposes. In our landed property estates, we have considered the use of pre-paid bags, but realised that unidentified bags would create collection problems, and we have these problems. Nonetheless, we will continue to work with our public waste collection contractors on schemes to encourage the minimisation of waste generation. Due to our tropical weather, refuse has to be disposed of daily to prevent public health problems, rather than what the Member suggested, about three days once as in Canada. Sir, Encik Harun Ghani asked about flood prone areas. There are now 250 hectares of flood prone areas as compared to some 3,200 hectares in the 1970s. These flood prone areas are located in some 117 locations across the island. The permanent ones are the Chinatown area, Alexandra Road area, including Jervois Road and Margaret Drive, Opera Estate, Lorong 101, Changi and the Farrer Park area. Some roads which are prone to flash floods include Balestier Road, Killiney Road and Selegie Road.”
“Sir, I will make it short. We will most certainly take up Mr Kenneth Chen's suggestion. We will have a more coordinated approach with the town councils on dengue control in the town council estates. In fact, there is already a standing arrangement where the town council officers are invited to join in on inspections or ground surveillance carried out by officers in my Ministry. During this joint inspection, my officers will show the town council officers where to look for potential breeding grounds and, in the process, train them on vector control. Sir, my Ministry will also work with the Contractors' Association and the professional bodies to get them to pay close attention to housekeeping in the construction worksites and to consider features in their design that will not unwittingly create potential breeding places. We will also upgrade the pest control industry so that they can help us by being more effective in their vector control work. Most importantly, we will continue to get the community behind us to give support and help us eradicate the Aedes mosquitoes. Sir, greater attention is also given to boost research in vector control. We are working closely with the tertiary institutions to better understand the diseases and vector. My Ministry will also continue to invite world renowned scientists to review and discuss with our professional staff the strategies that we are adopting. Sir, the long-term success of dengue prevention and control demands the full support of every one in the community.”
“Let me assure Mr Ang Mong Seng that we have eight waste collection companies, five from overseas, and three locally, including Semac Private Limited. We are now looking into the next exercise. As of now, we just have reached the Tenders Board level. We will finalise it and give him the answer in another 10 days' time.”
“As of now, it is once a year. But for those with "D" grade, we allow them an earlier review, for instance, once in three months. For the rest, in order to see how good they are, we give them up to one year. But if they have extensive renovation, they can just write a letter to my Ministry and we will assess them.”
“It is once a year, or when they have spent a lot of money on renovation, they can call us and we will consider it.”
“There are only two important criteria. Sir, first, the hygiene of the person who is involved. The second criterion is the standard of cleanliness of that outlet. Generally, we assess the shop or outlet once a year. But there is leeway for him to make it earlier, for instance, the food outlet may request for reassessment if his premises undergoes extensive renovation.”
“I think Singapore has grown to a large extent, not only 24-hour eating houses but working also for 24 hours. We have to use computers, robots and so forth. The answer to this problem is for the two food shops to clean up their places and the other shop to install a grease trap. I can assure the Member that we will advise this particular shopowner to install the trap as soon as possible, and this will solve the problem. If it does not, I will ask the Member to put in a question again.”
“Our considered opinion is that it would not. Because these two food shops can maintain the cleanliness. The other food shop will install a grease trap. The ENV will step up its efforts to keep the place clean and that is that. If this shopowner does not follow our regulations, we will warn him. At the end of the day, we have to apply section 51(1) of the Water Pollution Control and Drainage Act to fine them. But I think my Ministry officers are very kindhearted. They try to explain and advise the shopowners. But, ultimately, if they do not follow the regulations, we have to fine them. But we always believe that at the end of the day, when we promulgate laws, it must be self organisation and self regulation. The individual must organise himself. Companies must organise themselves and regulate themselves. And that is the crux of all the measures taken by the Government.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the sewer along Mulberry Avenue does not need to be improved. The sewer chokes are caused by the oily/greasy waste discharged from the food shops. ENV will require food shops without grease traps to install them and those with grease traps to maintain them more frequently.”
“In fact, during the recent election conducted from 28th October to 1st November 1998, more than 90% of the doctors voted. For those who did not vote, the main reason was that they were overseas. This is a valid reason and no further action will be taken against them. The Council will hold back the renewal of a doctor's practising certificate only when he does not vote without a valid reason and when he also fails to pay the penalty. There is no need to amend the Medical Registration Act on this matter. Dr Lily Neo (Kreta Ayer-Tanglin): May I ask the Senior Minister of State if it is not too severe to cut off the livelihood of doctors just because they do not participate in the voting for the few representatives to the Medical Council?”
“Sir, Singapore supports the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Kyoto Protocol, under the Convention, called for the industrialised countries to limit their emission. This does not include the industrialising country. Singapore, being a developing country, will see its emission grow as it develops and industrialises further. So my Ministry is of the opinion that it is not appropriate for Singapore to address the issue on voluntary limits when we have not arrived. MEDICAL REGISTRATION ACT (Compulsory voting of election of Singapore Medical Council members) 2. Dr Lily Neo asked the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing legislation to amend the Medical Registration Act where the issue of a practising certificate and the compulsory voting at election of Singapore Medical Council members are coupled. The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Aline K. Wong) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, Sir, voting has been made compulsory at the elections of the Singapore Medical Council members under the Medical Registration Act 1997. This is because the Council, being the governing body of the medical practitioners, must represent the medical profession in Singapore. In the past, when voting was voluntary, only about 10% to 15% of the eligible doctors voted. Such a small turnout cannot represent the entire electorate among the medical profession. It has been made clear to all the doctors that those who are not able to vote with a valid reason need only to write in and inform the Council. The penalty for those who do not vote and who are unable to provide a valid reason is a fine of $500. I believe doctors are responsible professionals and we do not have to resort to imposing the penalty.”
“Sir, the Ministry has been liaising with the national agency, which publishes carbon dioxide emission figures, to point out the inaccuracies in the figures for Singapore. We have likewise given the facts to our local media. I am quite sure the Member was referring to World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature where they put down ours as about 35 tonnes per capita, whereas ours is only 8.2, almost as good as New Zealand. So we have corrected that part by using the standard accepted, ie, IPCC measurement. And IPCC measurement is a measurement recognised and accepted by all.”
“Sir, I cannot agree more. I am sorry if I misinterpreted the first part because I thought the first part was answered by my Minister just now when he was saying about the close rapport between ENV and the Education Ministry. That is where I think we should inculcate the value system and this must come from the schools. And of course, there are areas where we are also having very close rapport with the grassroots organisations. On top of it, if we still fail, human beings being such, they will only realise it when they are punished. But I must say that punishment, in whatever form, is part and parcel of our law and order and we will use that power given to us judiciously.”
“A code of practice on the servicing and maintenance of air-conditioned cooling towers was published and this code is now widely used by the water treatment specialists in their maintenance programme. In the event Legionnaire bacteria is found in the cooling tower, even if it belongs to the non-pathogenic strain, a warning will be served on the management to take immediate corrective measures for cooling towers over the threshold level. Enforcement action will be taken. Let me also assure the Members here that our incidence rate is still lower than in Japan, Paris, UK and Australia.”
“Offices should be properly ventilated, if chemicals are used in cleaning the interior of the buildings, etc. Finally, my Ministry has no plans to make any regulation on indoor air quality, as this is still a very new area for which no standards have been set by the World Health Organisation and the threshold levels have not really been established in many countries in the world. We will, however, continue to encourage good practices in maintaining good indoor air quality through training courses and seminars for building managers. Sir, finally, the Member said that it is quite alarming. I want to assure the august Chamber here and the public at large that the Legionnaire's disease is not widespread in Singapore, with only one or two confirmed infection cases per year. The disease affects mostly the elderly whose resistance, as you know, is low. It is, however, a treatable disease if detected early. A study conducted by my Ministry from 1991 to 1996 showed that the Legionnaire's bacteria can be found in about one-third of airconditioning cooling towers. However, the risk of outbreak of Legionnaire's disease is very small because only 11% of these cooling towers were found with levels above the threshold level that can give rise to a problem. And even then, only 2.5% of the bacteria belongs to the strain that can cause an outbreak of the disease. This means, in effect, only one in a few thousand cooling towers in Singapore is at risk. To prevent any possible outbreak of Legionnaire's disease, my Ministry has taken steps to ensure that cooling towers in Singapore are properly maintained.”
“Experience in other countries has shown that catalytic converters can last the lifetime of a car if there is no physical damage caused by accident or "poisoning" by leaded petrol. Cars are inspected at regular intervals. Any malfunctioning of the catalytic converter can be detected when the emission test is conducted during the inspection. Since 1st July of this year, cars equipped with catalytic converters are required to comply with a more stringent emission standard. This standard is set so that a non-performing catalytic converter can be quickly and easily identified. If a vehicle fails the emission test at its periodic inspection, the owner will not be allowed to renew his road tax until he rectifies the fault and passes the test. A new catalytic converter must be installed in order to pass the test. 2.45 pm Sir, Prof. Low asked about the indoor air quality policy. Let me first clarify that the mechanical ventilation system in air-conditioned buildings is built to a certain standard as specified by the Building Control Division and not by my Ministry. These standards specify, among other parameters, that the minimum amount of fresh air supplied for the building must be there. They also specify the number of air changes required per hour. Air-conditioned offices in Singapore therefore are designed and built to ensure that the enclosed environment is healthy and conducive for work. I believe what the Member is referring to is the publication called "Guidelines for Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises". This document, which was published by my Ministry in conjunction with specialists in the private sector, is to inform the management of office buildings the practices of ensuring good indoor air quality. For example, ventilation outlets should not be blocked.”
“Sir, Dr Wang Kai Yuen asked about the control of building construction noise pollution. My Ministry has always been the authority controlling noise nuisance from construction sites, although before 1989 the Building Control Division had also stipulated some control measures when it issued permits to carry out building works. My Ministry shares the Member's concern on the noise problem faced by the residents when construction activities take place close to their homes. We have also noticed an increase in public complaints this year compared to last year and the previous year. We recognise that it is difficult to apprehend the culprit, even though we may have audiometric recording meters installed at the site. My Ministry will examine how best such nuisance can be reduced further, particularly during the night and on rest days. We will review our standard and we may have to impose more punitive measures against the recalcitrant. Our aim is to strike a balance, and this balance is very important, between minimising noise nuisance and maintaining essential development. The Member said that we give the "big boys" a slightly different sort of treatment. This is a perception that people have. I am a very strong advocate that perception is a mosaic of reality. But if perception is not being erased, somehow or rather the reality will succumb to perception. And because of that perception, we will make sure that this perception is erased. Sir, Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay asked about the air pollution control policies. Let me say that catalytic converters are designed to last a minimum 160,000 km. On average, this works out to some 10 years, the same as the life-span of a COE for a new car.”
“Sir, let me first thank all the three speakers for their constructive observations as well as suggestions. Let me first answer Mr Choo Wee Khiang. I agree fully with the Member for Jalan Besar GRC that any anti-social behaviour, be it urinating in lift or littering in public places, must be frowned upon. The number of people caught urinating in the lift has dropped quite significantly. In 1995, it was about 40. Last year it was only 14. The urine detection device installed by the Town Council inside the lifts has certainly been an effective deterrent. Under the law, the offence of urinating and defecating in lift carries a maximum fine of $1,000 for the first offence, and $2,000 for the second and subsequent offence. The penalties are considered adequate for now. If the situation warrants it, my Ministry will consider heavier penalties. Sir, in the case of littering, my Ministry notes that the offence is still very common. Last year, a total of 7,790 litterbugs were caught and punished. This was a third higher than 5,707 litterbugs caught a year before. When it started in 1992, there were about 4,000 only. So the maximum penalty, through our Corrective Work Orders, has not been a sufficient deterrent to make some people take the extra effort to put litter in its proper place and my Ministry is therefore considering increasing the penalties for littering. I understand the sentiments of the Member about gracious living, advocated very strongly by our Prime Minister. The buzzword at the international level is sustainable development. In our case, a sustainable city. What does this mean? It boils down to sustainable community. That is why I fully agree with the MP's observation. We will try to do our best.”
“Sir, the Ministry is aware of the growing number of school-going children and that is why we are building an additional school at Tampines Street 33. When the time comes, I am quite sure we will consider the request if there is a necessity. For instance, the Member has asked about Changkat Primary School which is nearest to his constituency. My officers have tried their best by increasing the number of places from 400 to 405 next year, though not many, to ensure convenience. MRT EXTENSION LINE TO CHANGI AIRPORT 3. Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Communications whether he will provide details of the proposed 6.4-km MRT extension line to Changi Airport.”
“Sir, students who meet the minimum entry criteria for JCs will be admitted, as the presence of sports persons will enrich the life of JCs and help motivate other students to be interested in sports. JCs do make special provisions to admit students talented in sports if they meet the minimum entry requirements. Sir, university admission will continue to be guided by the ability of the candidate to cope with tertiary studies and to follow the courses in order to benefit fully from their academic experience. We must ensure that those admitted to NUS or NTU will be able to achieve success in their studies. The university will consider on a case-by-case basis outstanding national sportsmen or sports persons who have marginally missed the cut-off point for the courses they apply for. It is not sufficient that they meet the minimum entry requirements.”
“Pupils who are selected for higher level representation, like State or combined schools, are now given greater weightage for their achievements. Winning medals at international and regional competition, such as SEA games, are awarded additional bonus points. Fine-tuning of the ECA grading system is a continuous process which will be carried out by the Ministry from time to time to ensure its effectiveness.”
“Sir, the Ministry of Education has all along considered ECA as an important component in our education system. At present, ECA performance as reflected in ECA grades in secondary schools can be used to gain admission to three-year pre-university courses at pre-university centres and centralised institutes. To give ECA an added push, the Ministry has decided to allow the use of ECA points for entry into junior colleges. This will come in the form of bonus points for ECA which give pupils with ECA achievements an advantage in gaining admission to a junior college of their choice. This scheme will come into effect with the JC intake in 1998. Similarly, the four polytechnics will accept the same bonus points for ECA starting with the intake of students in 1998. In the case of universities, Sir, it is important that they maintain academic standards and ensure that the students are able to cope with their chosen course of study. Therefore, they do not give bonus points for ECA. However, for two applicants of equal academic merit, the ECA record may make a difference. The ECA grading system has been in place for many years. Over the years, several revisions have been made to streamline the scheme so as to make it fairer to different groups of ECA as well as different ranges of sports achievements. In the last revision done in 1994, greater recognition had been given to pupils taking part in sports. It also took into account the different levels of participation. For example, a pupil who takes up a sport for four years would previously earn 3 points. Now he will get four points. Points are also given now for house or class representation which was not previously given.”
“8 kg and the heaviest was 11.5 kg. So the average school bag was 6 kg. In Primary Five, the lightest was 2.9 kg and the heaviest was 10.9 kg, an average of 6.7 kg. This wide range of weights, even among pupils attending the same class, indicates that many pupils are unnecessarily carrying heavy school bags. Parents can help their children to pack their school bags according to the daily time-table and the day's needs to ensure that their children do not carry heavy and unnecessary accessories. If water bottles are carried, they should bring empty bottles to fill up at the water coolers in the schools. We now have four or five water coolers in each school now with the TAF (Trim and Fit) programme. The number of water coolers in each school will be increased from the current one to 200 pupils, to one to 120 pupils. Parents can also buy for their children light-weight school bags, which weigh around 300 gm. In addition to the above, MOE has also taken other measures to help reduce the weight of pupils' bags. CDIS consciously prints most of their primary textbooks and workbooks in either two or four parts to be used at different times of the school year. CDIS also prints worksheets which are kept by teachers and issued to pupils in units as and when they are required for use. Lower primary teachers will also normally keep the pupils' art books, exercise books and workbooks in the school. With all these measures and the cooperation of the parents, our school children need not carry heavy school bags, even though it will mean that they will be more robust, as suggested by Dr Soin.”
“Sir, may I respond to Mr Peh's concern about students studying at the airport. We agree with Mr Peh's proposal that during the examination period, places such as classrooms, libraries in schools, the National Library and its branches, as well as reading rooms of community centres and RC centres, should be made available in the evenings for students to use as study areas. This would certainly alleviate the need for students to use Changi Airport as a study area. Sir, while the Ministry of Education is in no position to forbid students from studying at the Airport, it had always urged students to avoid using the Airport for studying. The provision of more study areas, as suggested by Mr Peh, will greatly help students who are in need of conducive study areas outside their homes. The second matter raised by Mr Peh, Dr Ho Tat Kin and Mr Choo Wee Khiang concerns us all. Let me give the answer, especially on the concern of Mr Choo Wee Khiang about the weight of school bags. My Ministry is aware of the issue of heavy bags. Last year, it instituted a pilot project to instal lockers in 10 primary schools. MOE has evaluated the impact of these lockers in reducing the weight of school bags. The lockers have helped to reduce the weight of school bags by between 23% and 38%. This is a significant reduction. The Ministry will be considering the installation of lockers for other primary schools. However, space is still a problem. Other measures may be more effective. In analysing the weight of school bags carried by students, the Ministry noted that there is a wide range in the weight of school bags of pupils, even among the primary schools and among those attending the same level. Let me give Members an example. In Primary Three, for example, the lightest school bag was 3.”
“Sir, let me answer Mr Choo Wee Khiang. He made a specific recommendation about the setting up of constituency counselling committees. I would like to inform him that currently, schools are working closely with social service agencies in their vicinity to help counsel children with problems. There is already in place a network system of self-help groups, the police, and other voluntary welfare organisations to provide further assistance to pupils in need. The Ministry is currently looking into ways to further strengthen the existing network. Instead of setting up a counselling committee, as suggested by Mr Choo, the People's Association could complement the present network by providing courses on parental skills to help parents of problem children. At present, counselling for students and parents conferencing are being conducted by schools.”