Tan Boon Wan
Singapore
“May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary: do the residents really have a choice of flat? The flat type is being built, they are asked to select, and they are allocated. Do they really have a choice?”
“Sir, I have spoken on the issue of difficult neighbours in previous years. Anecdotally, quarrels among them do not seem to have abated. What is the state of relationship among the residents of our HDB flats? Many problems can arise between neighbours who live in close proximity to each other, practically separated by just a wall.”
“Sir, shops in the precinct and neighbourhood centres are generally facing difficulties and the shopping malls are bustling with activities. However, shops in some areas are doing well. Where the actual demand has fallen, due to the relocation of residents, a return of the shop for a HDB grant is appropriate.”
“Sir, recently, legislation was tightened to rein in the activities of the loan sharks. In spite of the heavy penalties, their activities continued. Innocent victims are still targeted by the runners. I would therefore like to ask the Minister for an update on the loan shark situation.”
“I hope that MAS will also look at this from the viewpoint of legislation or guideline. Although I have discussed this issue with the housing loan as an example, this appeal for new flexibility and consideration for the borrower applies to all personal loans, including credit card debts. Financial Literacy”
“On this issue, both the pro- and anti-sides have their own good reasons for the stands that they took. In deciding the matter, the Government has taken both views and made a decision that takes into account both of them and is in the overall and long-term interest of Singapore.”
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“I am the current Chairman of the Singapore Quality Institute, which is an association for quality professionals and promotes the quality discipline in Singapore. Notwithstanding this responsibility, I want to state that I am plumbing for quality as I personally believe in its importance. Practically everyone has touched on the topic of competition in the last few days. Two men, chased by a hungry tiger on an open plain, quickly understand the meaning of competitive edge. Just outrun the other chap. A competitive edge is, thus, simply being able to do something better than your competitors. And the longer you can maintain this, the better the competitive edge. Quality can be the basis of a competitive edge for Singapore. Why does a person pay so much for a Mercedes Benz when he can buy the same capacity car of another make for much less? The answer is quality, perceived or otherwise. Dr Ng Eng Hen also referred to Starbucks' order-to-froth-time quality target a few days ago. Quality is even more critical when it comes to service and, in our economy of the future, the service component is slated to become even more important. Mr Ong Kian Min eloquently elaborated on the service component yesterday. Years ago, Hong Kong had a very poor reputation for service. Today, this image has changed. What about Singapore? We have a good reputation for product quality. Singapore-made products are respected around the world. We must thank SISIR, then PSB and now known as SPRING Singapore, for this happy state of affairs. On the other hand, I think we have room, lots of room, for improvement in quality in our services sector. Let me share with you an example. I think Singaporeans deserve better taxi services. While many taxi drivers provide good service, many do not.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for this opportunity to join in the debate. I support this motion to thank the President for his Speech. It is difficult to speak after more than 60 of my fellow hon. Members of the House, including some Members from the Frontbench, have had their say. You had yours. So many issues, ideas and suggestions were covered that one could literally say that no stone was left unturned. Let me quickly add that I agree with and support most of what were said. Hence, whatever I now say will evoke a sense of deja vu. I receive friendly hints that my chance of being appreciated increases the less I speak. With Professor Chin's words "somnolent" and "soporific" ringing loudly in my ears, I reckon that I would be tempting fate to perform a rendition of issues, ideas and suggestions already repeated many times over to an audience who had sat stoically here listening to them for the last five days. I intend to heed their advice but will stretch the edges. Let me therefore reduce the odds by confining my remarks to just one topic: quality. First, let me quickly add a few words on our civil service. Although DPM Lee had spoken on the matter yesterday, I decided earlier to say this. I would like to add my support to the call to our civil servants to implement policies humanely, giving sympathetic consideration to those who deserve them. However, I must add that in my dealings with the civil servants the last few years, I have found them to be humane and caring, but also cautious. They must be careful. We expect them to be so. But this should not stop them from being humane and caring. I know they can, they have, and should be more so in the future. I return now to the topic of quality. Here, I wish to declare my interest in the topic.”
“Businesses will definitely welcome the improved access to funds by the Government introducing an improved Local Enterprise Finance Scheme. But I like to join my Parliamentary colleagues, Mr Leong Horn Kee and Mr Lew Syn Pau, to call upon our banks to help. The cost of funds is a very important business cost. A lowering of this interest rate will go a long way to help reduce this cost element. The Government is showing a very good example by cutting the salaries of Ministers, political office holders, senior civil servants and also the MP's allowance. It shows that the Government understands the suffering and pain of the people. However, the real answer to our current crisis and difficulties is a strong economy. I urge the Government therefore, and I know they are doing what they can, to concentrate its full resources to revive the economy and to grow a strong economy that will pull us out from this difficult period. Meanwhile, I would urge Singaporeans to take the many opportunities which are made available by the Government for retraining and upgrading for a New Economy. Singaporeans will have to be less choosy in selecting the jobs they want, or the location of the job they want, and perhaps take a lower salary and tide through this difficult time. By working together, we will solve the problems that we have today. With proper planning and the Government looking at the strategy, I look forward to a stronger future for Singaporeans of this generation and for our children and their children as well.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for this opportunity to speak. The people are hurting. More of my residents are coming to see me about housing loans, utilities bills they cannot pay, increasing utilities bills, loss of jobs, looking for new jobs, worry about their children's education. Therefore, the measures that DPM has announced are very welcome. And those measures are very reassuring to the people in Singapore because it demonstrates that the Government understands and cares about how they are coping with the problems. I am particularly pleased to note that the Government is freezing the fees for undergraduate and polytechnic tuition. I wish I knew this last night. Because last night, one of my residents came to me and said, "I am very worried about my daughter. She is going to the university next year and the fees are going to increase." And I assured her that the Government will make sure there will be fee loans, and so forth. And if I had known this, I would have told her, "Don't worry, the fees will be frozen for one year, and perhaps longer, and it becomes more affordable." So I think these are very welcome. And as a lecturer in the university, I am quite sure my students will be very pleased to know that the fees will not be increased for one year. Easing of cash flow of new HDB flat buyers would also be very useful. A lot of residents come to me and ask for help because they cannot pay the 20% downpayment. By staggering the downpayment in two stages of 10% each is very helpful to many of them. The utilities bills, as I have said, have been increasing. The reduction of tariffs and extension of utilities rebates will also go a long way to help them.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister if he knows what the reasons are for the employers' reluctance to employ older workers and what can the older workers do to change the perception that employers may have of them of not being suitable for their work.”
“Next, it must ensure that the content and quality of instruction and the output criteria befit a university degree. If this is done, we can be confident of the quality of its graduates and that its degrees will be recognised and accepted. It does not have to be exactly like NUS, NTU or SMU. It will find its niche. It will not be worse than the education that the students will receive overseas. An education in the fourth university will be less demanding and the parents will continue to enjoy the company of their children and the latter, the guidance of their parents. Sir, I support the proposal to set up a fourth university.”
“Sir, before I go into this cut, I wish to declare that I teach at the National University of Singapore. I am glad to note the support that the Government has given to our universities. University places have been increased. Over the years, our universities have contributed to the development of the country, successfully meeting the high level manpower needs of the nation. Recently, however, the tempo of change has speeded up. The pace can be described as fast and furious, the change radical. The impact would be long term with changes to the culture of the institution. The resultant and intended consequences of the changes may not necessarily match. The implementation of the changes can significantly influence the result. It may be helpful for the Ministry to watch the changes and the impact and advise the universities, where appropriate and necessary. Sir, more of our young seek a university education. Among them are graduates from our polytechnics. Although university places have increased, they are not able to meet the growing demand. If they cannot get into local universities, parents are prepared and will continue at great sacrifices to send their children to overseas universities. Today, many of our young are studying overseas and the number is set to increase. Upon graduation, most will return home. I therefore welcome the move by the Government to set up a fourth university. Some concerns have been expressed on the quality of this university. These concerns can be met, if the establishment of the institution is premised on our needs for its graduates, and the students are being able to undertake a university education. The university can set appropriate entry criteria to make sure that only qualified students are admitted.”
“As neighbourhood schools are an integral part of the community, I also urge the schools to work with our community leaders. I am sure that our community leaders are eager to help build schools that the community can be proud of.”
“Sir, neighbourhood schools are the main providers of education for our children. While parents are not happy with the standards of these schools, they are horrified of the behaviour of the students. This is generally how the neighbourhood schools are perceived. We need to correct this perception for it has serious repercussion on the community. If a neighbourhood school is perceived as being problematic, good students in the community would not want to go there. Firstly, this will put pressures on the good schools and frustrates successful students and their parents. Secondly, by failing to attract good students, the quality of the student body in the neighbourhood schools will drop. Sir, we know that a school with a poor image saps the self-esteem and morale of its students. The teachers and principals are probably similarly affected. Low esteem and morale leads to poor behaviour which explains the behavioural problems of these students. The situation is aggravated when the quality of the student body drops. It thus goes into a vicious cycle with the problems worsening with the years. We must break this vicious cycle. Can the Ministry do more for our neighbourhood schools, especially those poorly perceived by the community? Can more resources, such as teachers, be provided? With more teachers, the class size can be smaller so that each student can receive more care and attention and help. This will be particularly helpful with English Language teachers as the standard of the language is generally low in neighbourhood schools. I urge the Ministry to give more attention to our neighbourhood schools. These are the main providers of education for our young in the community. The well-being of our schools bears upon the quality of our young.”
“Sir, I had intended to speak on the problems of ceiling leaks between neigbours. But my fellow parliamentary colleagues have already spoken in depth on this issue and I would not repeat it. I would, however, like to join them to appeal to the HDB to use its influence, resources and power as the landlord to expedite the solutions to the problems wherever necessary and appropriate.”
“HDB has sold many of the neighbourhood shops. Many owners have rented out these shops. I have seen shops that enjoy good business fold. A common refrain is that landlords have increased the rent. There is nothing left for the tenants after that. Landlords should charge a fair market rental that reflects a reasonable return on their investments. Reasonable rental means reasonable cost. This translates into lower prices for the customers. Everyone benefits. The landlord gets a good steady rental, the retailer makes a satisfactory return for his hard work and the residents enjoy fair prices and good service. Hence, I urge our landlords: please do not raise the rent just because your tenants enjoy good business. Tenants go into business to make money. They work hard for their profit. It does not motivate them to work if the fruits of their efforts are being creamed off. Neighbourhood retailers bring convenience and needed services and products to the community. We should help to ensure their continued viability and presence.”
“Sir, our neighbourhood retailers face difficulties. I join my parliamentary colleagues in expressing our concern, and to urge the Government to help them. I support many of the suggestions made by my colleagues. However, no business can survive if the customers do not support them and do not need their products and services. The issues of the management of the shops, and their relevance to the community, impinge upon their long-term viability. They need help with these issues. But to overcome their difficulties, they must want to change; they can help themselves. Today, in many neighbourhood centres, retailers have come together to form merchants or business associations. To help themselves, they can carry out market surveys to determine the needs of the communities they serve. They can get consultants to advise them. They can organise courses to upgrade their management skills and the skills of their workers. They can also organise visits to learn from successful shopping centres. 1.00 pm The Government recently unveiled a slew of supports under Retailers 21. I am confident that it will go a long way to assist retailers. However, if retailers want to help themselves, I hope that the Government would consider making available this support, both funds and expertise, to the neighbourhood merchants and business associations. If this is possible, this help will be brought closer home. The help can then be specifically tailored to the needs of each neigbourhood shopping centre. By being directly involved, the retailers will be better motivated with a sense of ownership of the support programmes. Training will be more accessible and convenient to the retailers and their workers. Sir, I also want to make an appeal to our landlords.”
“If you make an order for viagra through the Internet, you might be worried what people might think if this information were to get into the public domain, and you would like to see some privacy provisions in place for this sort of thing. Sir, what I would like to propose, as an initial step, is that all companies which are involved in e-commerce transactions should be required to state clearly and simply their privacy policy, ie, what they will do with the private information that they collect from each customer. The customer can then opt in or out, depending on whether he sees the company's policy is good or bad. We should encourage companies, particularly those thinking of going into e-commerce, to develop a best practices approach to Internet trading, one aspect of which is clearly a good privacy policy. But I certainly hope that the Ministry will study and quickly bring before this House a Bill to give a statutory basis to privacy on the Internet. I am sure that e-commerce will benefit as a result.”
“com to order books, and sometimes other products. In the early days, Amazon.com would just take your order and send you the articles you ordered, and that would be the end of the transaction. But, gradually, the company developed ways and means to allow you, first, to keep track of your order. At the same time, it kept track of what you ordered. So, the next time you log on, they will say, "Hello, welcome again. Here are our recommendations for you." And there will be a new list of books which they have tracked, which they will then suggest that you look at. Now, they have gone one step further. They kept track of everyone as a group, so that they can recommend to you books which others of similar taste have ordered, so that you too can be advised as to what else you can order. In this way, they have, of course, increased their commercial appeal. Sir, this type of matching of personal data and so on suggests privacy risks, and it also suggests that companies of this type will build up huge databases which one day could be sold for profit. Of course, I thought that since I was ordering from Amazon.com, I have no worries of this happening. Until recently, I heard from a report that Amazon.com was about to be acquired and that if it were to be acquired, it was going to sell its customer database. Now, they come in for some very severe criticism, and they have decided not to do that. But this actually suggests that there is a very serious problem and that if we want e-commerce to grow, we must also have the legal infrastructure in place to make sure that individuals, consumers who use e-commerce, should have the confidence to do so. And this is particularly so in the case of e-banking. But it is also the case where you buy health products, for example, on the Internet.”
“But Singapore is positioning itself as an e-commerce hub, and many of us who have used e-commerce, including e-banking, have found it to be somewhat akin to an addiction. Like opium, you take a bit, you want to have more. But, like opium, you always have this nagging feeling that you are doing something not quite right. Where is this sense of insecurity coming from? I think it comes from the fact that there is a genuine fear that whatever you disclose to a dot-com company for your purchases and so on, whatever personal information may one day be compromised. And this fear is actually a very real one. Anyone who has used e-banking or e-commerce will always be looking at his credit card numbers and saying, "Where will this reappear next time?", whether it be in Japan or in other parts of the world. So, one of the reasons that is fairly well documented why consumers are diffident towards e-commerce is their fear that their personal information may be disclosed, and that if we want e-commerce to move ahead, we will need to come out with a clear policy on consumer security and privacy. Sir, this issue should be tackled sooner rather than later. There is a view that we should allow the industry to regulate itself, but it is likely to be a recipe for inertia or long-term wrangling as to what the proper procedures should be. In the US, they have virtually given up on that, and there are currently eight Internet privacy Bills to be considered by the new Congress. And I would like now to ask the Minister to take action to determine the policies of consumer privacy as a means of encouraging the growth of Internet commerce. Sir, let me just provide a familiar example of the need for privacy. Many Singaporeans here, including Members of this House, must have used Amazon.”
“What else can the people expect from our companies? Do we have a secure and user-friendly on-line payment system which users can trust and use? More broadly, what progress have we made in e-banking? Again, personally, I feel it is not much. Do their own experience and those of foreign banks which have found the journey into e-banking rough disillusioned our banks? I have read that foreign banks have encountered great difficulties. Some have scaled down their on-line operations and others have even folded. 6.30 pm Sir, it is my fervent belief that, at least for us, the new economy is inevitable. The questions asked earlier may not be easy to answer but thereupon the outcome of our efforts to become an information society. Besides the need to build an information infrastructure, we need our people, organisations and institutions to be information oriented. I am glad to hear the Minister explain the effort made to make our people computer literate. This necessitates mindset change among all parties - people, workers and captains of our industries and institutions. Much work needs to be done by the nation, by everyone, to move into the information age. I urge that we do not relent on this task, and especially in the discouraged atmosphere of the mauling of the dot-com companies and of shattered dreams, that the Government takes the lead in maintaining the momentum of this drive towards the information society in the new economy. Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung (Sembawang): Sir, rumours that e-commerce is dying or has died are, as usual, greatly exaggerated. I think e-commerce is going through a bad patch, and several dot-com companies have disappeared.”
“Sir, the dot-com frenzy has ended abruptly and in the process dashed many hopeful dreams but regardless, communication and information technologies will relentlessly move on to change our lives and our organisations and institutions. This, we must remember. We must therefore continue with our efforts to adopt information technology to transform for the new economy. The dot-com saga must not distract us. But I have this nagging feeling that the national impetus towards adoption of information technology has somewhat lost steam. Have we really lost the drive? For example, are we satisfied with the penetration of usage of broadband? My fellow parliamentary colleagues have spoken much on this issue and the Minister of State, Mr Lim Swee Say, has replied as much. But I believe that there is much more that we can do, and we must do. I therefore want to add my voice to the appeal to the Government to seek even lower costs of broadband access and to raise the quality of service. I still feel that the broadband access charges are high, even though the Minister of State has said that the prices are internationally competitive. The cost of ADSL and cable broadband access remains outside the means of the average household. What progress have we made with e-commerce? The Government has used itself to spearhead this drive. How many Government services are now available on-line? How much of the transactions have really gone on-line? My gut feel is that we have made some headway in the public sector, but not much in the private sector. In the private sector, how many transactions are available on-line? How much has actually gone on-line? I know that some supermarkets have website ordering capabilities. How many other companies have emulated them?”
“These are the people who are unable to cope in an increasingly competitive new economy. In the United States where the upper end earns over 400 times those at the lower end it is an indication we are living in a world where the income gap will continue to widen. The feeling of having lost out will increase among those who are less successful. The sharing of the success of the nation will be important for the unity of the country. The system to support those in need needs to be strengthened. This became evident during the recent economic crisis. The solution is not merely financial. The issue is how to help them to get out of the rut and on their feet again. How can we help those who are unemployed to get a job? What can we do to help those who have become structurally irrelevant become employable once again in the new economy? In a rapidly changing world where a person is expected to have many careers in a lifetime, such help will become routine. We need to devise a more robust support system to help our people. Sir, social cohesion is crucial for a nation. In a new economy, social pressures arising from the impact of information technology will stress social cohesion. We must consciously and proactively tackle these pressures. The Government understands the urgency of the task and has taken steps in this direction. More, however, can and needs to be done. Sir, I support the Budget.”
“All societies moving into the new economy will face them. Several of my fellow Members of Parliament have spoken on these issues. Let me add my views to them. The new economy needs people who are information technology literate. People who cannot use information technology will be cut off from the many new opportunities that will become available. They will be confined to the less meaningful and low-paying jobs which at the same time will also decrease. People who are tuned to the new economy will thus earn more. The divide between the well-off and the less well-off will widen and become more entrenched with the IT factor. Who are those affected? They are not only people without or with low education but also the older people who grew up in a world without computers and have problems learning to use it. The digital divide will widen the income gap. This is the reality of the situation. But what is important is to make sure that everyone shares in the benefits of the new economy. I am glad that the Government is allocating more money for education and has spared no effort to introduce IT into our classrooms at all levels, schools, junior colleges, polytechnics and universities. The positive outcome of this effort will be seen in the years ahead. But I would like the Government to do more for the rest of the population - the old, the working people and all the others who are not IT-literate - to help them learn to use the computer. This will open the new and increasing well-paying jobs and opportunities to them. Let us also retain jobs that do not really need to be computerised for the others who cannot adapt to information technology. No matter what we do, there will always be some who will fall through the net.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. This year we truly cross into the new millennium. If this marks our journey into a new future, then surely Minister Richard Hu has ensured that Budget 2001 befits the occasion. This is indeed a commendable Budget. There is something for everyone. It caters to both the future and the present. The Minister has prepared this Budget with an eye towards the future. He has reduced the corporate, property and individual tax rates. Unlike rebates, these alter the tax structure for the long term. He has made available more money for education to ensure that our young are well prepared for the future. In an increasingly uncertain world, he has provided for national security. He has ensured that research efforts will not be hampered for the lack of funds. This reflects the Government's thinking and vision of a competitive globalised future. The Minister has not forgotten the sacrifices of the people. He remembers their contributions to the sterling recovery and performance of the economy last year. He has generously shared the economic surplus with the people with, for example, increases in tax, rental and service and conservancy rebates. Some people, like Mr Chiam See Tong, have described this as an "Election Budget". But surely at all times, it is the hope of a government to be able to announce a generous budget that a country can afford. I congratulate Minister Dr Richard Hu on Budget 2001. Sir, Singapore will encounter many challenges as we transit into the new economy which is dictated by information and information technology. Among these, let me highlight the issues of the digital and social divides. These are divisive issues for a society. These issues are not unique to Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the two fires in Ang Mo Kio GRC took place near festive seasons when the stalls were heavily stocked with the impending festive demand. I do not know if this had caused the fire. But it certainly must have made the fire worse. I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary if he can ask HDB to look into ways to manage the storage of goods in the market and, secondly, if he can ask HDB to improve the design of the market to reduce the possibility of fire and the consequence should it occur? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Minister for the Environment, in his walkabout in the Clementi ward, has made an announcement of a market upgrading programme. The Minister will, at an appropriate time, elaborate on the plans to make markets more spacious, less fire hazard and definitely a better place to shop and eat. Assoc. Prof. Toh See Kiat: Mr Speaker, Sir, does the Senior Parliamentary Secretary not have this opinion that because the HDB is the landlord of many of these hawker centres and the town councils are merely managing agents, they really have no authority or power to buy insurance, or do anything to co-pay for this insurance? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Mr Speaker, Sir, we have checked with various insurance companies. The premium needed to insure for a temporary market is really quite low. It is something like between $1,000 and $2,000. So when the Government comes up with a substantial amount of co-payment, grassroots organisations should be able to afford the other half of the co-payment.”
“Yes. Could the Ministry of the Environment and HDB consider paying 100% of the insurance premium? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Mr Speaker, Sir, HDB and the Ministry of the Environment have considered this suggestion from the grassroots organisations because we have been in contact with them. We feel that the grassroots organisations should take ownership of the markets and the market stalls. HDB's and ENV's responsibilities really are to rebuild the burnt down market. In other words, we will reinstate the burnt down market. But that would take some time, maybe one year, and in some cases, 1 1/2 to 2 years. In the interim, the stallholders are not exactly out of the loop because HDB and ENV will help them relocate to vacant stalls in the vicinity. Any stall that is vacant, we will give them. So HDB and ENV will help them to this extent. HDB and ENV have considered the appeal that they need to earn a living in situ, in other words, their customers are there, they need to be there. After a long process of consultation, we are considering buying additional insurance to build a temporary market, very close to the burnt down market for a short period of time. And that burnt down market will take some time to build. The cost of defraying that temporary market should rightly be borne by somebody other than the Government. But the Government will come in this round to provide a substantial co-funding and we want the grassroots organisations to take ownership of the market and provide the other part of the co-funding.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether he could ask HDB and ENV to consider paying 100% of the premium for a temporary market in view of co-sharing. The parties who are likely to co-share would be the CCC, town council, or, maybe, some other grassroots organisations. These organisations work very hard to raise money ---”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister of State said that there is no hardware and no software problem. Evidently, the train has gone missing. And, if it was not for a hardware or software problem, how could the train have gone missing?”
“We should espouse instead the philosophy of being the best we can be. Hence, I urge parents not to pressurize their children beyond their capabilities. They should not have unrealistic expectation of them, making unrealistic demand on their capability and performance. Parents should thus encourage their children to do their best. We should allow our children their time, their space so that they can have their childhood. Sir, if every party plays his, her or its part in promoting the welfare of the family, I am sure the quality of family life for our citizens will improve. I support the motion.”
“Sir, thank you for this opportunity to speak on this topic. Sir, our children are the future of the nation. They are nurtured in the fold of the family. The family is a pillar of the stability of the nation. There is thus no question of the importance of strong families to the future of Singapore. Many factors make for a happy family. Government policies impinge on the family. I am delighted to note that over the years, the Government has made visible efforts to implement family supportive policies. More can be done and I am confident that more will be done. Workers from happy families are more productive and I urge all employers to make the effort to make the workplace an environment friendly to the family. As an employer, the Government has been responsive to the needs of the family, introducing family-friendly practices and facilities. Many companies have also put in efforts and funds to do so. They are good examples to follow. I urge the employers to do more and others who have not done so to consider and implement family-friendly practices. Sir, family members, especially parents, also have a major role in creating a happy family environment. I want to add on to a point that Dr Lily Neo raised in her address - stress caused by the education system. I believe that hard work is necessary for success. Children have worked hard for their success. There is no alternative even for those naturally endowed. We should not ask the Ministry of Education to merely make our education system easier for our student for his own sake. MOE has been reviewing the system to make our system better able to meet the needs of our future in the new economy. MOE has adapted our system to be performance-based, each student to work at his or her own pace and capability.”
“Sir, I notice that some of the roof-tops of the carparks are beautifully decorated. I wonder whether the Ministry will consider beautifying the exposed carparks by painting them in nice colours so that neighbouring residents looking down the carparks will have a far more pleasant environment to look at?”
“Sir, in conclusion, let me say that with over 93% of each year's cohort completing secondary education, we have achieved almost universal education at both the primary and secondary levels. In making primary education compulsory, the country is putting a lot of efforts for the few who drop out. We are doing this because every Singaporean counts. To the PAP Government, this is not merely a slogan. The money and efforts used to make primary education compulsory will be money well spent and effort well expended. However, for Compulsory Education to work, society, especially our parents, must understand and support it. I urge the people to give Compulsory Education for our young their fullest support. Sir, I support this Bill.”
“The efforts will not only be in monetary terms, but also non-monetary support for the children in their school work, for example. The community will be asked to do more, but the Government must take the lead. The Government must be prepared to provide the funds to help those needing financial assistance and to enable grassroots and community organisations to provide other support. Sir, our parents have done a marvellous job in providing and caring for their children. They must continue to take responsibility for their children's education. I hope that the availability of Government and community assistance to parents does not constitute a moral hazard in respect of this responsibility. However, given the keen concern and interest of parents in general to the education of their children, I am hopeful that making primary education compulsory will not diminish this sense of responsibility. Sir, Senior Minister of State for Education, Dr Aline Wong, and her Committee on Compulsory Education and many other people and organisations have put in much time and effort to study, discuss and understand the issues involved in Compulsory Education. Their contributions have strengthened this Bill. We owe them thanks for their time and effort. Mr Chiam is unfair to cast doubt on the report and therefore the efforts and time of so many people. Where is the politics? Anyone reading the report cannot fail to see that it is an excellent, fair and comprehensive report which is sensitive to the nature of the Singapore society. In his speech as a whole, Mr Chiam has in fact agreed with the report. He only squabbles over some fine details which would after all change with time and circumstances. I am sure most Singaporeans will not agree with Mr Chiam's criticism of the report.”
“But they may not be as concerned about national identity and cohesion or, most probably, they do not know what needs to be done to ensure that their children grow up to be strong Singaporeans. Hence, I hope that the Ministry would develop a basic national education syllabus with materials that can be used to inculcate this important integrative spirit in these children. The national education syllabus adopted by the national school system can be adapted for this purpose. Immersion programmes during vacation time, like those organised for young Singaporeans living abroad could be part of the syllabus. The Ministry should then make this syllabus compulsory under clause 4(1). Sir, a good policy is not only strong in concept, but also effective in its implementation and enforcement. Implementation and enforcement will cost money and bodies. I presume the Ministry of Education will have people to administer and enforce Compulsory Education. I believe that principals and teachers will also get involved, adding to their responsibilities. They must be trained and prepared for the task. Enforcement will be an issue and effort must be made to thoroughly investigate each case and to ensure that only those really guilty of neglect are punished. I am assured by the Minister's assurance. Children may not be in school for many reasons. Some may be family problems and others may be financial in nature. Making primary education compulsory does not automatically change the financial ability of families to afford the education. The Government must recognise that in moving towards Compulsory Education, additional efforts will be needed to help these families register and keep their children in school.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for this opportunity to speak on the Bill. I remember well the reply that Minister Teo Chee Hean gave just over a year ago in response to an Oral Question by NMP Mdm Claire Chiang on Compulsory Education. I agree with the response. With some 97% of our young already in the national education system at the primary level, there is no pressing need to make education compulsory. So when Prime Minister announced some two months later that the issue of Compulsory Education was to be reconsidered, I was surprised. However, the Prime Minister went on to explain that, to the Government, the statement that every Singaporean matters is not merely a slogan. We have the means to give every Singaporean child an education. So we should do it. In the new economy, life would be better for every educated Singaporean and his or her family. Sir, the decision to take another look at the issue of Compulsory Education thus has its origin in the heart, not just in the head. For everyone who thinks that the Government has an ulterior motive, let him or her dispel this doubt. The PAP Government cares for the people. It has the interest of Singapore and every Singaporean at heart. Our children need the knowledge to fit into the new economy. They also need the knowledge and experience to help build national identity and cohesion. These are the two key objectives of our national school system. Sir, recognising that here are needs that cannot be met within the national school system, the Bill proposes to allow some of our young to be educated outside of it. I am confident that parents of these children have a vested interest to ensure that their children receive the needed knowledge for their future economic wellness.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply and beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“I am unable to answer some of the questions that Dr Tan brought up because that was not the objective at all of introducing information technology in schools and if introducing information technology in schools was for that purpose, I will not agree with it. As for the other matters which Dr Tan has raised regarding what we have done for teacher training and so forth, I believe my colleague, Mr Chen has given a comprehensive reply on Wednesday.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head L of the Development Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code LB 5100. Sir, it was envisioned that information technology would alter the face of education, especially it would drastically change the way that instructions are delivered and this would reduce the number of teachers needed in our schools. An example is the use of on-line courses or e-learning. The instructions are computerised and automated. It is done once. It does not depend on the number of students or the number of batches of them. Thereafter, every student is brought through the delivery process by the computer. The Ministry has used IT in our schools for teaching and learning for several years. I have a few questions on the impact that IT has made on our schools so far. Have we taken sufficient advantage of the potential of IT in the delivery of lessons in our schools? How is IT being used in the delivery of lessons? Has it since reduced the number of teachers needed? If so, how many less? What is the saving in manpower cost from these reductions? And finally, what further impact and role will IT make in the delivery of education in our schools in the future? RAdm Teo Chee Hean: Sir, the purpose of introducing information technology in schools was not to replace teachers. That was not the intention at all. In fact, as I have said many times in this House, teaching is a completely human enterprise and the purpose of introducing information technology in the schools is to give the teachers and students quite another tool in which to pursue teaching and learning.”
“There are many ways to divide proximity and we have decided to treat those within two kilometres as one group and those within one kilometre as another group. It will be very complicated to go down any further than that. We can assure Mr Yeo that all students will be able to get a place in the school within their DGP. We will also consider what Dr Tan has raised, which is, what happens if students do not have a school within two kilometres. We will see whether we can devise a system for that. As for having schools to set entrance examinations, written or otherwise, I am really not in favour of that. We already have quite a lot of examinations and pressure for students in school. But I must agree with Mr Peh though that whatever primary school that our students go to, the quality is generally quite good. As we can see, students who come from very neighbourhood schools can do very, very well. And when we have students who have come from neighbourhood primary schools, at the end of Primary 3, they do have an opportunity to take the evaluation for the Gifted Education Programme and some of them do go for the Gifted Education Programme and they transfer schools in the process. We have also seen that students who have stayed on in their own primary schools have done very well. For example, one of the top students in the PSLE last year came from one of our neighbourhood primary schools, and I imagine that in future, we will continue to see some of this happening.”
“Sir, children enjoy priority in selection when they register at a primary school within two kilometres of their home. This makes sense as this arrangement reduces the distance and the amount of time needed for them to commute between home and school. Therefore, ideally, every home should lie within the two-kilometre radius of a primary school. But this is not always the case. Some of these exceptional houses are in Nee Soon South, the ward that I am in. I have a request to make to the Minister. Would he consider allowing children from such houses anywhere in Singapore to enjoy priority selection at the nearest school to their homes as it is for such children, the nearest school is already far from home? If these children do not study in the nearest school, they will have to travel to a school even further away. Hence, compared to a child that lives within two kilometres of a primary school, these children are disadvantaged twice over. RAdm Teo Chee Hean: As time is running out, I thought I should come in now and at least respond to some of the questions that Members have raised in case I do not have time to answer afterwards. The P1 registration system balances many different considerations, including previous loyalty and contributions to the school as well as proximity to the school. Proximity to the school is actually one of the considerations which receives quite a lot of weight because there is a limit to previous connections with the school after the old boys as well as siblings have been taken into account. Whatever is left is divided into two, half of that goes to students who have previous connections with the school and the other half to those who are living within the proximity of the school.”
“ITE is planning to introduce an Immersion Programme to strengthen the information network and rapport between ITE and schools. The programme will serve as a platform for secondary school teachers to experience first-hand the improved teaching environment in ITE, to find out about the different courses and modes of training available, talk to ITE students and obtain feedback on the progress of their ex-students and their strengths and learning difficulties. The programme will include in-house briefings, workshops and sharing sessions, as well as tours of companies which offer apprenticeship training to ITE students. The apprenticeship training scheme allows students to work to earn some income as they continue their education at ITE. The tours will help teachers to gain a better understanding of the career prospects of ITE students. Sir, ITE has really come a long way. We are encouraged by ITE's achievements and the positive change in public perception. We hope Members of this House and the public can continue to support ITE in creating a fruitful educational experience for our students.”
“To ensure that these students can learn at a comfortable pace, they were given a different curriculum which focused on the teaching of English Language and Mathematics and a practical, hands-on approach in learning, so as to prepare them for a technical education at ITE. We have made significant progress in achieving these objectives. Since the introduction of the Normal (Technical) stream course, an additional 10% of the Primary 1 cohort has completed 10 years of education. The first three cohorts of Normal (Technical) stream students have completed their secondary education. This has provided them with the necessary foundation in language and mathematics for a technical education in ITE. Three quarters or more of the Normal (Technical) pool of students are enrolled in ITE each year. ITE will continue to encourage even more to enrol. I am pleased to report that our Normal (Technical) students have done well in their ITE training. Of the 4,033 Normal (Technical) stream students who have enrolled for full-time ITE training in January 1998, 2,204 have graduated with NTC-2 qualifications and 1,013 with Certificates in Office Skills, marking a success rate of 80%. The percentage of Normal (Technical) students who have been awarded Certificates of Merit is also comparable to those from the Normal (Academic) students who enrolled in ITE. Sir, I have said enough about the benefits of ITE education. How can we spread this message even further? I believe our school teachers can help to encourage more students to further their education at ITE with their counselling on career development. ITE's next target would be the teachers who can help to make things happen.”
“Also, a higher percentage of them achieve Diplomas with Merit, as compared to non-ITE graduates. Dr Tan has asked whether ITE education prepares the young for a KBE. I would like to stress that ITE has always made it a point to stay relevant to the needs and development of the economy by regularly reviewing its curriculum and programmes. Employability skills such as communication skills, mathematics, IT, industrial studies and social studies are taught to ensure that students will be able to cope with demands beyond their own areas of specialisation. ITE has also introduced four courses during the last two years in response to the growth in IT and chemical process industries. However, we must recognise that with the rapid pace of technological developments, knowledge and skills will become obsolete very quickly. The only way to ensure skills relevance is through training and retraining. In this regard, ITE will gear up in terms of training capacity and programmes so that more ITE graduates and the workforce in general can upgrade and renew their skills to remain employable. Sir, ITE's intake comprises mainly three levels of students from secondary schools: first, the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) as well as the `O' levels. Dr Tan has specifically asked about the performance of the Normal (Technical) stream students. If Members recall, the Normal (Technical) course was introduced in 1994 to allow the more practice-oriented students to go through 10 years of general education, before undergoing technical training.”
“It gives an account of how ITE has given students a headstart to a worthwhile career by providing a technical education and how teachers, through their enthusiasm in teaching and faith in these students, have inspired learning sometimes against seeming odds. Today, ITE is a reputed post-secondary educational institution with a network of 10 modern and well-equipped institutions, offering a wide range of engineering, technical, business studies and service courses. ITE students are proud to be in such a vibrant learning environment. The premium placed by employers on ITE education did not come about just by better packaging and selling. The latest employment survey conducted by ITE showed that the mean monthly gross salary of ITE graduates had increased from $1,321 in 1997 to $1,469 in 1998. This is despite the economic downturn. The employment survey also reflected a strong industry demand for ITE graduates - 92% of 1998's graduates were employed and 87% of them obtained their first jobs within three months from graduation. In short, there is real substance in an ITE graduate. Sir, we all know that ITE students are practice-oriented and are quick at assimilating hands-on training. There is nothing wrong in being practice-oriented, especially when you are good at it. But there are also many who are academically inclined - they may develop this trait a bit later than others. About 15% of ITE students move on to polytechnics and 2% go on to complete their university education. The statistics also suggest that ITE graduates who go on to polytechnics are likely to do well there. Generally, they achieve a higher pass rate than other non-ITE graduates and in most instances, the pass rate was 100%.”
“The concern about ITE's image is understandable, given that the number of students entering ITE constitutes a significant 25% of each cohort. Dr Wang believes that technical education deserves a much higher profile and reputation, an image that people should have in their mind. I fully agree with him and I would substantiate this point. Since the establishment of ITE in 1992, concerted efforts have been made to improve the public perception and image of ITE. There are many parties to thank for. Firstly, the Government has invested, on average, $170 million a year over the past five years in ITE to expand campuses and build modern facilities. ITE students now study in a conducive environment and have access to the latest high-tech equipment and information technology. Secondly, the quality of teaching has improved. The care and concern shown by ITE teachers have helped boost students' self-esteem, confidence and motivation. Thirdly, the media has been most supportive of ITE. In 1999 alone, there were 284 favourable mentions in media coverage in the form of press reports, TV exposures and radio broadcasts. This is a 21% increase over 1998. As more and more ITE graduates make some headlines with their successes, ITE has found it useful to consolidate these success stories as an encouragement to staff, students and parents. I have given to Members of the House here a copy of an annual publication by ITE titled "I did it my way" [indicating]. The title is reminiscent of the well-known song by Frank Sinatra, but it has a ring of confidence and a certain pride in it. The current publication features 23 ITE alumni who are now successful professionals or entrepreneurs and also those who have excelled in the pursuit of further studies in polytechnics and universities.”
“Sir, four out of every 10 students do not go to the polytechnics or the universities. They are encouraged to go to the Institute of Technical Education to acquire skills that will fit them into the factories and offices. As Singapore globalises and our industries move into high-tech, it is important that we train all our people at every level to the best of their capability. This is one of the reasons for starting the Normal (Technical) stream to cater to students who are not academically strong. By now, several Normal (Technical) stream cohorts have graduated. I wonder if the Minister would share with the House the performance of the Normal (Technical) students to-date. How many just stopped after they completed their secondary education? How many of them proceeded to the ITE? How many managed to transfer to a Normal (Academic) stream? Among the latter, how many went on to take the "O" level examinations? 3.00 pm Sir, we are fast transforming into a knowledge-based economy. I am sure that the training that the Normal (Technical) students are getting at the ITE is preparing them for such a future. We should therefore get as many of them as we can to go to ITE. What more can we do to achieve this, so that more students can participate in the very exciting and challenging future before us? The Senior Minister of State for Education (Mr Peter Chen): Sir, I would like to thank Dr Wang and Dr Tan for their interest in Technical Education. Their interest is well-placed because our technical institutions have been tasked to provide technical training for secondary school leavers, so as to meet the economy's demand for technicians and skilled manpower.”
“Besides, this information is also useful for national manpower planning. If we know the amount of manpower we will have in each area or expertise, we can then encourage more to study in areas where manpower is scarce and discourage others from studying in overcrowded areas.”
“Sir, going to university is a major decision. It often means sacrifices and commitment by the students and their families. It is an investment for the future. The students would therefore want to study a course that is useful to help him find a job. To decide on a course, a student would want to know how many Singaporeans are already taking the course. The GPC Chairman (Education), Dr Wang Kai Yuen, has just said, despite the fact that in the depth of recession, some students were unable to find jobs, yet the industries were calling out for graduates of particular disciplines, such as IT, which they required. So there is, in fact, disparity in the demand and supply in the various courses. If students know exactly who are studying what courses, this information will allow our people to better allocate their time and resources in pursuing their courses of study. Right now, it appears such information as available is partial, not complete. Singaporeans can take three major routes to obtain a university education. They can study in the local universities. They can study at distance learning outfits in Singapore, or they can study in oversea universities. We have information on the local universities. Recently, we obtained information on the number of people studying for university degrees through distance learning outfits in Singapore. We know that there are about 22,800 pursuing their degrees through this route. Many of these long distance learning students are doing business and management courses. What we still lack is information on Singaporeans studying overseas. I wonder if it is now time for the Ministry to collect information of our people who are studying overseas, in particular the courses they are studying and the number of students studying them.”
“Sir, teachers are critical national resources. They help to educate our children. We need to have enough teachers to meet the needs of our schools. But do we have enough teachers in our Ministry? Not only is the total number of teachers important, but there must be sufficient numbers of them in the various disciplines. Here, again, how do we fare in this latter criterion? How many new teachers did we recruit in the past two years? Our teachers are committed and dedicated but some have found the job stressful and unsatisfying and, thus, they leave. Could the Minister share with us how many teachers left the service again in the last two years and how many of those who resigned were already trained? Where a teacher resigns, this is a waste of valuable resources to the education service, especially when he or she is already trained and productive. Did the Ministry make an effort to find out why these teachers decided to throw in the towel? What has the Ministry done to retain our teachers? What more can the Ministry do in this area? With the continued strengthening of the economy, I would also like to ask the Minister for his view of the situation this year. Sir, I think it is important for the Ministry to reassure our teachers of their importance and that it will make all possible efforts to provide teachers with meaningful and satisfying careers.”
“With more time and effort, our bonding will strengthen even further. We must never relax this important aspect in the education of our young. Sir, I come now to the last issue of my cut. Some people have advocated that more money should be spent to educate our good students so that they can be even better. We need capable people to lead. This makes sense. Others have advocated that more money should be spent to help those who are less able. They need more help to level up. This also makes sense. On the latter line of argument, many parents therefore have suggested that more and better resources be deployed at the primary school level. If primary students have a good and strong foundation, they will need less help in the future years. The allocation of resources for education is thus perplexing. Just how has the Ministry of Education been allocating its resources? Many would like to know how the money budgeted to the Ministry of Education is allocated to the schools. The neighbourhood schools in my area and both elsewhere in Singapore could make do with more help to become even better schools.”
“Sir, Singapore needs wholesome and confident citizens capable of adapting to and operating in different and changing circumstances. We must be able to function effectively as individuals, as members of our families and communities in which we live and work and as citizens. To be able to do so, Singaporean needs a holistic education. This is a task that our Ministry has set for itself to provide. One of the things the Ministry has done in order to achieve this goal is to establish the Desired Outcomes of Education for the various levels of education. It would be interesting to know the mechanism that the Ministry has established to measure the achievement of these outcomes by our students. Based on the results obtained, is the Ministry satisfied with what we have achieved so far? The success with a holistic education is especially important as we become a global city by plugging ourselves into the international economic network. What more can our schools do to enhance this important goal of producing wholesome and confident citizens? Sir, we have been very successful in bridging the differences between our races and building strong bonds among ourselves. We have every reason to be proud of our achievements in this area. However, we must never take our racial cohesion and harmony for granted. Some may say we have arrived at our destination. And even if we have, we cannot take for granted that we can stay here without further efforts and care. Recent events in Kosovo, India, Nigeria and, closer home, in Indonesia, show how deep-rooted the feelings of race and religion are. We must never take each other for granted, even if we can. We must continue to build on the respect and understanding we have for each other.”
“Sir, in the next few minutes, I would like to touch on four areas: first, the undermining of our traditional values; second, the importance of a holistic education; third, the importance of multi-racialism; and fourth, the allocation of resources to our schools. The shift to a KBE dictates the need for change in our education policies. The importance and urgency of the task are not in question. We must imbue in our people, especially our young, the capability to search and use information. We must encourage our young to be more creative and innovative. These additional skills and aptitudes would make our people more effective in the new economy. I commend the Ministry for its vigorous response to this challenge. But the response should not undermine the traditional virtues, such as hard work, effort and discipline, that we have worked hard to cultivate in our society. These values will always be relevant. In our push for change, we must not inadvertently demean these traditional values. Take, for example, creativity. Are we overselling it? Do we need everyone to be "creative"? The impression now given seems to be that unless you are "creative", you will have no role in the future. As some of my learned colleagues in the House have pointed out earlier, many jobs that involve using our hands will remain. Besides, is everyone good at being "creative"? 4.00 pm So my concern is not the call to our young to be creative and innovative, to be willing to take risks, but I am concerned that we may oversell these qualities, sometimes, even to the exclusion of the traditional virtues. It takes a long time, perhaps a generation or two to effect a mindset change. If it is not done right, it will take an equally long time to correct it.”
“However, if the legislation has been amended to admit this form of evidence, then I assume that there is some basis for its use that will stand up to scientific and legal scrutiny. This is important as most vehicles, be it motorcycles, cars, lorries, trucks, etc, do emit some smoke sometimes. I would appreciate it if the Minister could share with the House the basis upon which video evidence is now used as evidence and, in so doing, help to answer some of the questions that I have just raised and hence assure the public of the soundness of this new practice. Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay: Sir, in Singapore, foul smell is not a pollution controlled parameter, unless it causes public nuisance or public health. It is not uncommon that people are irritated by foul smell, either from rubbish bin centres, rubbish chutes, liquid leakage from garbage trucks and smell from the farms. Most of the people in the garbage collection business proudly claim that their operations are mechanised. However, in their dealings with foul smell from garbage, nothing much has been done, partly because there is no environmental control requirement and partly because the people are immune to the smell after their frequent daily contact with garbage. I feel that some odour standard should be set by the Ministry to keep all the odour generators from moderating their emission. Certain operational guidelines could be recommended for the bin centres, chutes and liquid leakage from garbage trucks, so that some physical installations are in place to avoid or reduce the generation of foul smell. Sir, foul smell is not only in Chua Chu Kang. I think places like Cheng San and other places also have a similar situation.”
“Sir, motorcyclists are now charged for the offence of polluted exhaust based on video evidence. This topic was recently discussed in the media but doubts linger. The practice of using video evidence for this purpose is a departure from previous practice where a vehicle was stopped to have its exhaust measured for pollutants. Some measurements were made and if the numbers exceed some values, the motorcyclist was then charged. Today, it seems that an enforcement officer merely carries a video camera, takes a video of a vehicle with smoke emitting from its exhaust and then sends the motorcyclist a summons. This description may seem simplistic, but this is how the public sees it. Many questions come to mind. Some dangerous gases are colourless and not all coloured gases are dangerous. Besides, what is captured on the video also depends on the lighting conditions at the time and place. In the past, some numbers had to be adduced by measurement to substantiate the charge. Unless the legislation has been changed, what scientific basis has been used to unmistakably correlate the video evidence to the previously used measurements in terms of the nature and density of the polluting chemicals? I ask this question because some motorcyclists who have been so charged had sent their vehicles for the mandatory annual check-up of their machines. The vehicles passed the exhaust test carried out in the traditional way. I want to clarify that the check-ups were carried out at about the same time that the vehicles were said to have committed the polluting offence. The motorcyclists assured me that they did not modify their vehicles in any way before the check-ups. As a result, they were very baffled.”