Tay Beng Chuan
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we believe that so long as we could maintain and manifest this spirit of tripartism among the Government, the labour and the management, with each party giving its best, and all working with sincerity and unity, we will surely pull through these difficult times and head for a brighter future.”
“Many of them are having problems with cash flow, labour shortage and high business cost. On top of that, because of Government's policy of opening up, the various MNCs and Government-linked companies are competing with the SMEs in the limited and almost saturated market, and many of these companies may have to resort to retrenchment again…”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to clarify with the Minister for Manpower and also in response to Mr Yeo. What I said just now was that I confirmed the strong existence of Government, labour and management tripartism in Singapore. Like the labour side, the management side has also made a lot of sacrifices.”
“Yes. (In Mandarin): What I would like to say is that in this tripartite arrangement, both labour and management have made sacrifices and contributed towards the economy of Singapore. Should not the Government also chip in by making its contribution and make its presence and participation felt?”
“Sir, is the Minister aware that the abolition of second-class postage for printed materials by SingPost has resulted in a substantial increase in the postal cost for business magazines and newsletters alike, which can no longer be posted at a cheaper second-class mail?”
“In order to encourage and justify certain preserved buildings for further redevelopments, would PMB consider granting them certain incentives to further redevelop such shabby buildings, for instance, by giving greater plot ratio and greater height to encourage them to carry out redevelopment?”
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“Sir, under the circumstances, we wish to appeal to the Government to exercise greater flexibility and relax the policy for extension of work passes in the interest of achieving optimal manufacturing productivity. Sir, may I go on to my second cut?”
“Sir, I wish to refer to the work permits for unskilled foreign workers, now known as RO passes, being administered by the Foreign Manpower Employment Division of the Ministry of Manpower. Under the current policy, semi-skilled, that is R1, and unskilled, R2, foreign workers are granted an R work passes for two years. Although employers can apply for the extension for such work passes, they can file no more than two extensions. Therefore, an unskilled foreign worker is only allowed to work in Singapore for a maximum of six years. Although I appreciate that this cap is imposed to minimise the social problems resulting from the protracted stay of unskilled foreign workers in Singapore, certain sectors of the manufacturing industry are heavily reliant on the contribution of these so-called unskilled foreign workers. These workers may not possess any paper qualifications or professional skills. They are, nevertheless, highly proficient and experienced in their respective jobs. It normally takes a number of years to train up this group of unskilled workers, who are well-versed with production processes. It is therefore a pity that by the time they have become fully trained, their employment may have to be terminated under the current policy. Once these unskilled foreign workers have reached the maximum of six years' stay in Singapore and are thus required to leave, employers have no choice but to recruit another batch of unskilled foreign workers and train them all over again before they become competent enough. Overall, productivity will suffer as a result. Employers are faced with the dilemma for it is critical that the production process should not be disrupted. Recruiting locally is also not a solution because Singaporeans are not interested in jobs of this nature.”
“The Government must find ways and means to encourage or get our MNCs, as well as GLCs, to contribute their part to the general well-being of the local business community, with the principal objective of creating a pro-business environment for all enterprises in Singapore, both big and small. The MNCs and GLCs have ample resources with the facilities, direct access to information or even relevant authorities for their business operation and expansion. As such, they do not feel the compelling need to join or contribute to the local trade and industry associations. On the other hand, many of our trade and industry associations exist to serve the needs of SMEs. And with the limited membership dues collected, they find it extremely difficult to make a strong commitment of their limited resources to the implementation of any national economic plans such as the SME 21, or even to promote IT applications among the SMEs in support of Singapore's IT plan. The situation calls for Government funding as well as more voluntary or even mandatory contribution of resources from the MNCs and GLCs, and even our very successful local enterprises, to enable our local trade and industry associations to draw up various schemes and programmes to effectively service the business community. I therefore urge the Ministry to take the initiative, together with the major trade and industry associations, to draw up some concrete measures, including certain financial and technical assistance schemes for the SMEs and their trade associations as a big step towards building a vibrant, resilient and cohesive business community where all enterprises, big and small, can contribute to the growth of the economy.”
“Sir, based on its Desired Outcomes, the Ministry of Trade and Industry appears to be only interested in nurturing only the more successful local enterprises and forging a strong partnership with the MNCs. If this is its main direction, how could we expect MTI to channel adequate resources to give priority attention to achieving the aim of the SME 21, which is to build up the capability of the SMEs? SMEs are indigenous to Singapore and are important constituents of the Singapore economy. The SME 21 plan launched in January has given due recognition to this and wants to make a concerted effort to assist SMEs keep pace with the rest of the economy as a critical part of the national plan to sustain Singapore's economic growth. Given its importance, I feel that this should have been given and reflected in the Budget Statement or budget provision for MTI. In fact, there is not a single provision for the promotion of the implementation of SME 21 in the Budget. How could the local business community react positively to the objectives of the SME 21 without a very clear and strong commitment on the part of MTI? Like the lower-income group among the heartlanders in HDB estates, who have been assisted to move on to the mainstream of life through substantial help and support by both the Government and the community, the SMEs who can be classified as the lower-income group in the competitive business world, would also require greater care and help before they can be singled out as successful enterprises in their own right, and thereon to be nurtured as world-class companies. In forging a strong partnership with MNCs, the Government ought to guard against creating a misconception of favouring the MNCs at the expense of our indigenous SMEs.”
“Sir, we notice that in the new fiscal year, the Government will be allocating $3.3 billion to the public service for manpower expenditure, an increase of as high as 10.8%. Yet, the Government is forecasting an economic growth of only 4.5% to 6.5% for this year. As we all know, any increase in salaries in the public sector would bring about a vicious cycle in the other sectors of the economy, resulting in an unconstrained escalation in wage cost in Singapore. Now, the private sector is trying to exercise wage restraint to cut down business cost, but the public sector persists in its argument of having to attract talents and keeps on making substantial upward adjustments to wages. Is this not contrary to the cooperative spirit of our tripartism? As such, I would urge the Government to exercise extreme caution whenever it raises the salaries in the public sector, to avoid accelerated escalation in business cost and the burden on the taxpayers. Sir, the Budget for the new century is of utmost importance to our development. It is the motivating force to move us into the knowledge-based economy. I am very pleased with the Government for all its efforts in this aspect. However, we must always take note that in this globalised economy and era of information technology, we are bound to face some rapidly changing situations. I hope that the Government will continue with its style of adopting appropriately to changes and conforming to the wishes of the people. Whenever necessary, the Government should be resolute in making prompt decisions and adopt suitable measures to lead the people in the spirit of our tripatism to counter the challenges of the new century and move into the knowledge-based economy for our future development.”
“No wonder some businessmen are now asking: "Is the Government sincere in wanting to share the happiness and bitterness with the business community? Why is the Government not sharing the fruits of the economic recovery with them in line with the spirit of tripartism?" Sir, as we are strongly encouraging our businessmen to be adventurous in opening up new markets and developing new products, we should appreciate that these businessmen are in dire need of more surpluses and capital to back them up in order to accept the challenges. As such, I hope that the Government would further reduce more taxes to enable our enterprises to enhance their competitiveness, and strive for more operating surpluses and accumulate enough capital to develop their business. In this respect, I would urge the Government to grant our local enterprises, particularly the newly established SMEs, special tax concessions, such as allowing them reliefs from their taxable income, similar to the personal reliefs in individual income tax. Alternatively, the SMEs could be allowed to pay their income tax on a progressive scale to alleviate their tax burden. Sir, I commend the Government for allocating funds to the Medifund, the ElderCare Fund, and the top-up of $250 to the ordinary accounts of the CPF members, so that our people would get to share as much as $685 million from the budget surplus of YA1999. However, compared to the $3.2 billion surplus, this amount is still relatively small. Perhaps, the Government would consider allocating some funds from the surplus to finance the various industrial and commercial organisations so that they could conduct various skills upgrading activities and training programmes for workers in the various trades and industries.”
“This is incredible! Many Singaporeans could not help asking: Has the Government been over cautious in formulating and implementing the cost-cutting package introduced by the Government to help the people tide over the financial crisis? Or was it because the Government had been half-hearted in its efforts, resulting in it being unable to produce better and more comprehensive results? Perhaps the Government was not practising what it preached when it advocated the tripartism of labour, management and Government. Furthermore, is the Government planning to conduct a full review on the manner in which it formulates the annual Budget to avoid a repetition of such a huge gap in the estimates which sends the wrong signal to the business community and causes the business community to lose faith in the Government's economic strategies? Sir, generally, enterprises must have rich financial resources to survive, develop and undertake risks involved with exploiting innovative business. At this time when our economy has just recovered from the recession and the situation of our neighbouring economies is still not certain, most enterprises would need to accumulate more reserves from their operating surpluses for contingency use, just like any government. However, it is regrettable that our Government seems to be in a great hurry to withdraw the 10% rebate on corporate tax from this year's Budget. At the same time, the property tax rebate on industrial properties is reduced from 55% to 25%. Although the Government announced a reduction of 0.5 percentage point in the corporate tax rate to 25.5%, this will not take effect until next year. Generally, the people will find such lack of generosity difficult to accept.”
“At the same time, the Government had also shelved some of the less important development plans, thereby saving some hefty sums of expenditure for the Government. As such, not only has the Government not injected the $5.1 billion as promised into the economy, but it received a bumper surplus of $3.2 billion instead. From the business community's point of view, the surplus obtained by the Government on this occasion could not help but give people the feeling of "robbing Peter to pay Paul". Those in the construction industry are particularly unhappy. Because of the serious impact of the financial crisis, coupled with intense competition, building contractors had to resort to bidding below cost for the limited contracts offered by the Government, in order to survive and to retain their staff and workers, much to the benefit of the Government. The big and small building contractors in Singapore could be said to be in a sorry plight in the process of dealing with the impact of the financial storm. They had not only to try and save the industry which seemed unable to recover after a setback, through self-sacrifice, but also to try their best to keep the rice-bowls of their employees. This is something that warrants our attention. Moreover, the construction industry has all along been an important link in our economy, and cannot be neglected. As such, I would urge the Government to bring forward as soon as possible the development projects which it had shelved so that the construction industry can restore its vitality earlier and catch up with the other sectors of our economy on the road to recovery. Sir, in actual fact, the difference between the $3.2 billion FY 1999 budget surplus achieved and the $5.1 billion budget deficit predicted was really tremendous.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the business community in Singapore, I would like to thank the Government for its able leadership in strongly advocating the tripartism of the labour, management and the Government to adopt the cost-cutting package to deal with the Asian financial crisis, enabling Singapore's economy to recover steadily last year and achieving a 5.4% growth for the whole year. Sir, after having gone through this financial crisis, I deeply appreciate the spiritual strength of tripartism of labour, management and the Government which is a pre-requisite for Singapore's economy to develop and remain stable in the face of chaos. We must carry forward this spirit of tripartism at all costs. In view of this, I must present for discussion in this House the views of the business community on the way the Government dealt with the cost-cutting package and the huge budget surplus achieved last year, with the hope that the Government would continue to conform to the wishes of the people and adopt appropriate measures to enhance the business community's confidence in the labour-management-Government tripartite strategy. Sir, because of the economic recovery in FY 1999, we were able to turn deficits into surplus, enabling most workers to retain their jobs and many enterprises to survive. It can be said to be happiness all round. However, many Singaporeans told me that the Government could be said to be the biggest winner in the financial bumper harvest. According to the Finance Minister, last year's revenue from COEs and income tax was much more than predicted. On the other hand, tender prices for the Government's development projects were substantially lower.”
“Sir, are there any long-term solutions being initiated by the Government to recruit effectively bilingual senior officers to explain the nitty-gritty or intricacies of Government policies and plans to the older generation of the Mandarin-speaking or non-English speaking businessmen so as to win their hearts and minds in the implementation of these policies and plans? BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Mr Speaker, Sir, we are mindful of this need and we have been building up our capability in this area. MORAL AND SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS 9. Mr Noris Ong Chin Guan asked the Minister for Education if his Ministry will (i) assess the effectiveness of the approach adopted in schools with respect to moral and sex education and (ii) consider adopting a more holistic framework in educating our youth on sexual responsibility and family values, where necessary, collaborating with other agencies such as the media, parent advisory groups, non-government organisations and other relevant Ministries.”
“We have engaged a consultant to carry out a comprehensive review of the electricity industry and to recommend how competition in the sector could be further enhanced. The consultant has just completed its review and we are now evaluating the changes recommended by the consultant. We will announce the changes once we have obtained feedback from industry players. Number of players There is currently no limit on the number of players in the generation and retail sectors of the electricity industry. Companies that want to generate or supply electricity in Singapore can apply to the PUB, the Regulator, for a public licence. The PUB will evaluate the application to ensure that the proposed project complies with our technical requirements, rules and regulations to safeguard system security and that the applicant has the financial capability and technical expertise. A public licence will be granted if these requirements are met. There is no plan to impose any limit on the number of players in the future. With the liberalisation of our electricity market, the number of players in the generation and supply segments will be determined by market forces.”
“To facilitate competition, Singapore Power was structured as a holding company with five separate subsidiaries, namely two generation companies (PowerSenoko and PowerSeraya), a transmission & distribution company (PowerGrid), a supply company (Power Supply) and a piped-gas company (PowerGas). Another power station being built in Tuas was put under a separate company, Tuas Power Ltd (TP), owned directly by Temasek Holdings, so that it could compete against the SP generation companies. To facilitate competition in the generation and supply sectors, the Singapore Electricity Pool (SEP) was established as an exchange for trading electricity. The Government decided in March 1999 that the next step in restructuring the electricity industry was for Singapore Power to fully divest its generating companies to Temasek Holdings in 2001. This will bring about ownership separation of the generators, which are the contestable part of the market, from the transmission and distribution network, which is the non-contestable part. All generators will have a level playing field. The transmission and distribution network will be regulated tightly as a natural monopoly. In the year 2001, there will be four competing generation companies, PowerSenoko, PowerSeraya, Tuas Power and SembCorp Co-gen. Review of Industry Structure Many more countries have now liberalised their electricity services. As a result, electricity prices have dropped significantly. Consumers have benefited with greater choice, better product innovation and better service quality. To ensure the competitiveness of our electricity sector, MTI will further liberalise the electricity market with the aim to put in place a fully competitive market.”
“In respect of the $40 million regionalisation finance scheme for Indonesia, the rules are quite rigid and I would like to know whether they can be relaxed somewhat to include the purchase of existing Indonesian under-capacity companies so that the Singapore businessmen do not need to use new funds to build a new factory or to purchase new equipment because there are quite a lot of under-capacity companies. I would like to ask the Minister whether this could be considered in this scheme. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Mr Speaker, Sir, we had a seminar with many Singapore businessmen last week. It was so heavily subscribed that we had to reduce the number of executives which each company was allowed to send for the seminar. Comments had been made. Their feedback is now being analysed and we will liberalise the rules as much as we can, but without losing sight of prudential considerations. We must be aware of the unstructured investment environment in Indonesia, the difficulty of enforcing contracts, and we must not forget that public monies are involved here. But where we can be liberal, we shall try to be. RESTRUCTURING STATUS OF POWER INDUSTRY 6. Mrs Lim Hwee Hua asked the Minister for Trade and Industry if he will give an update on the status of the restructuring of the local power industry, particularly with regard to the introduction of competition to both electricity generation and supply, and whether there is any intention to limit the number of players in each segment. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Mr Speaker, Sir, since 1995, the Government had taken several steps to restructure the electricity industry, starting with the corporatisation of the Electricity and Gas Departments of the Public Utilities Board (PUB) to form Singapore Power Ltd (SP) on 1st October 1995.”
“Sir, since Pacific Century Cyberworks is also bidding for a share of the Cable & Wireless HKT, I would like to know what is the Ministry's position on that.”
“SingTel was the first of a series of Government enterprises to be privatised and it was part of the Asset Enhancement Scheme. The drop in its share prices will reduce public confidence in this scheme.”
“In the light of the proposed merger, we know that SingTel's share price has fallen below its listed price. Dr Richard Hu Tsu Tau: Sir, I think share prices will have to reflect what the market demand is and Government is in no position to influence it directly. I am confident that SingTel management has done all it can to strengthen the position of SingTel but the Member should realise that, all telecom monopolies as SingTel was, are subject to extremely strong competitive pressures as a result of deregulation. The same situation has happened in all countries where share prices of monopolies tend to take a major hit because their overseas IDD calls are usually the ones first hit by competition. As far as SingTel is concerned, they have expanded overseas into many areas, Belgium, UK and Australia, and Members have read in the press that they have made several moves to acquire other telcos, but with mixed success, unfortunately. I did not get the second part of the question. Can the Member repeat it?”
“Sir, I would like the Minister to clarify. Since the public listing of Singapore Telecom, the share price has fallen below the listed price. I would like to know whether sufficient efforts have been taken by Singapore Telecom and the relevant authorities to restore the confidence of the Singapore shareholders to achieve the original purpose, ie, to enhance the scheme to give Singaporeans a stake in Singapore.”
“Sir, this Bill provides for the formation of the IDA as a statutory board, with the transfer of staff, properties, rights and liabilities from NCB and TAS to the IDA. Clauses 6 and 7, together with the Second Schedule, of the Bill spell out the functions and duties of the IDA. Broadly, the IDA will perform three key functions. First, it will promote and facilitate the growth and development of an efficient and internationally competitive ICT sector in Singapore. Second, it will carry out licensing and regulatory functions, and help maintain effective competition in the ICT sector. Third, it will promote an Information Society in which ICT is readily accessible and available to all Singaporeans. Clause 18 provides for the transfer of properties, assets and liabilities of TAS and NCB to the new IDA. Clause 19 provides for the transfer of employees of TAS and NCB to the service of IDA. Sir, the technological advances and market developments in the ICT industry are driving the digital revolution. The merger of the NCB and the TAS to form IDA is an important step to better manage the convergence of IT and telecommunications technologies in Singapore. It will allow us to have an integrated and focused Statutory Board which can then work towards leveraging on the opportunities of the digital revolution. It will help develop Singapore into a progressive Information Society and position us as a dynamic and vibrant knowledge-based economy. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“However, the non-content aspects of broadcasting, which are convergent with IT and telecommunications, such as interconnection, the technical standards for cable infrastructure and the re-broadcast infrastructure in tunnels and within buildings, will be transferred to IDA. Both the IDA and SBA will work closely on such issues. Sir, my Ministry will be taking a two-stage approach in establishing the regulatory framework for the info-communications industry. The merger of NCB and TAS is the first phase. Instead of two specific regulators, NCB and TAS will be merged into an integrated agency, the Info-communications Development Authority, to oversee the development and regulation of the ICT industry and infrastructure. The IDA Bill constitutes the new statutory board and lists its broad functions and duties. The Telecommunications and Postal Services Bills provide the detailed regulatory powers of IDA in the telecommunications and postal sectors respectively. The regulatory provisions are generally taken from the existing TAS Act, with some revisions and enhancements. These will be discussed in the second reading speeches for the respective Bills. The second phase will be the introduction of separate legislation to deal with the legal and regulatory issues arising from the convergence of the telecommunications, IT and broadcasting industries. As convergence is a new phenomenon, we are studying the issues involved, as well as learning from the experience and legislation of other countries. I am targeting to finalise this new legislation next year after IDA has sorted out all the technical issues. Mr Speaker, Sir, I shall now touch briefly on the main provisions in the IDA Bill.”
“And broadcasting was related to radio and television. Today, all three sectors are inter-related. You can send a fax through the computer, talk to friends overseas through internet-telephony or watch a television programme on the computer through the Singapore ONE broadband multimedia network. Equally importantly, we are finding that promotion and development of the info-communications sector can take place effectively only if there is an integrated perspective, one that includes the issue of regulation. It is therefore necessary to review the existing organisational structures to improve policy co-ordination and implementation in the face of rapid technological developments. This will enable us to foster the integrated development and application of ICT in Singapore. It is for this reason that Government has transformed MINCOM into the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and decided to merge TAS and NCB into the Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore. Members may ask why not go one step further, and merge the SBA with IDA. After all, convergence also involves the broadcasting sector. We have, in fact, considered this. Up till now, the SBA has been responsible for content regulation across the various mediums, including both broadcasting and the Internet. This responsibility remains separate from the other aspects of ICT industry development, promotion and regulation. Traditional broadcasting can be regulated independently. Therefore, the Government decided that the principal responsibility for broadcasting and content regulation will remain with the SBA.”
“" Sir, the Government first announced, in March this year, its intention to merge the National Computer Board, or NCB, with the Telecommunications Authority of Singapore, or TAS. The Bill seeks to effect that merger to form a new statutory board, the Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore, or IDA for short. First, let me explain the reasons for the merger. Information and communications technology, or ICT, will be of increasing relevance to Singapore as we move into a knowledge-based global economy. ICT-related industries will constitute a key growth sector in this knowledge-based economy. ICT will also be the enabling platform for building competitive strengths in other economic and industrial sectors of Singapore. Prior to the merger, the promotion, development and regulation of the ICT sector were undertaken by various Ministries and statutory boards. The NCB, which was under MTI, was responsible for the development of the IT industry. The Singapore Broadcasting Authority, or SBA, under MITA, took charge of the broadcasting industry while TAS, under the then MINCOM, handled the regulation of the telecommunications industry. While this arrangement has worked well in the past, the circumstances and imperatives have changed. Technology changes and business trends are leading to a convergence of the telecommunications, IT and broadcasting sectors. Transmission technologies have become increasingly substitutable. Consequently, the traditional industry-based regulatory boundaries are breaking down. Just a few years ago, telecommunications were related to telephones, telexes, fax machines, radio and handphones, while IT was basically computers used for scientific calculations, financial operations and word processing.”
“But if you are not doing well, and you say, "Now, I wish to treat myself more generously because I do not feel quite as pessimistic as before" then I would say, "Have a care." 2.25 pm BILLS INTRODUCED FUTURES TRADING (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Futures Trading Act (Chapter 116 of the 1996 Revised Edition)", presented by the Deputy Prime Minister (BG Lee Hsien Loong); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. SECURITIES INDUSTRY (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Securities Industry Act (Chapter 289 of the 1985 Revised Edition) and to make related amendments to the Monetary Authority of Singapore Act (Chapter 186 of the 1985 Revised Edition)", presented by BG Lee Hsien Loong; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. LEGAL PROFESSION (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Legal Profession Act (Chapter 161 of the 1997 Revised Edition)", presented by the Minister for Law (Prof. S. Jayakumar); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. FACTORIES (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Factories Act (Chapter 104 of the 1998 Revised Edition)", presented by the Minister for Manpower (Dr Lee Boon Yang); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. INFO-COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE BILL Order for Second Reading read. The Minister for Communications and Information Technology (Mr Yeo Cheow Tong): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time.”
“Would DPM enlighten us whether Government will still be advocating the wage restraint measures, as the measures introduced last year were meant to retain our competitiveness? If we were to restore the wage cut so quickly, then our competitiveness will still be eroded vis-a-vis our neighbouring countries. Besides, some sectors of our economy have yet to recover from the economic downturn. BG Lee Hsien Loong: I referred in the statement to what the NWC had recommended this year. Their overall recommendation was wage restraint but they also made specific provisions for companies not doing well, companies doing well, companies doing very well, and depending on which category you fell into, there were different guidelines. If you are doing well, then you should reward your workers through bonuses or wage increases, preferably in the monthly form, and if you are doing very well, then you should do it and put most of the money into the monthly variable bonus. That was at the time when the economy was forecast to grow between zero to 2% for the year. Since then we have revised our forecast. Now we think the economy will grow by about 5% for the year. I think that overall the recommendations are still valid because they have built into them flexibility to allow for a range of performances of companies and next year in May the NWC will meet and discuss again. I would expect that, from the company's point of view, what really matters is your company's performance. If your company is doing well, and more companies fall into that category, then more companies will be able to pay bonuses, increases and monthly variable components.”
“Sir, would the Minister update the House on the Singapore-Indonesia Bilateral Trade Finance Guarantee (BTFG) scheme proposed by Singapore in 1998 to help restore established trade between Singapore and Indonesia?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, generally, the people of Singapore are more willing to divulge their personal feelings on national issues, under the non-partisan circumstances. These personal or "inner" feelings are a reflection of the real feelings of the people. As an NMP, I feel that my most important mission is to reflect these real feelings of the people in an objective and an unbiased manner to Parliament, to enable the Ministers to give detailed explanation or clarification on the relevant issues or policies. Mr Speaker, Sir, with more Members in this House, the one-hour allocated for Questions for Oral Answers is clearly inadequate to deal with the great number of questions raised by the Members. I concur with what Dr Lee Tsao Yuan has said just now. I suggest that the time for Oral Answers be increased by another hour. Mr Speaker, Sir, the new Parliament House is not only dignified and stately, but it is also equipped with state-of-the-art communications facilities. I firmly believe that with the continued efforts and cooperation among all Members of this House and the secretariat, our system of parliamentary democracy will be further developed as we step into the new millennium, to make greater contributions to the people of Singapore. I support the motion standing in the name of the Prime Minister.”
“I hope that the Government will also keep in mind this saying that "even the wise are not always free from error". In introducing policies affecting the daily lives of the people, the Government should listen more to the feedback of the people, pool the collective wisdom of the masses to ensure that the new policies or measures may be perfected. As such, I suggest that after the Second Reading of a Bill in Parliament, the Minister in charge should take more time to consider the views presented by MPs before taking the Bill through its Third Reading. If this can be done, I am sure the people will have more confidence in the legislative process of Parliament and in the Government's sincerity in wanting to listen to the people. Mr Speaker, Sir, having gone through the practice and developments all these years, the Parliament of Singapore has evolved into a unique model. This model is no longer just a representation of arguments or confrontation between the ruling Party and the Opposition. With the establishment of NCMP and NMP, no matter what the outcome of a General Election may be, there will always be Members from the ruling Party and the Opposition party or parties in this House. In addition, there will also be non-partisan representatives of the business community, professionals, trade union movement and grassroots organisations. This multi-channel system of parliamentary democracy has instilled in this House a vital new force and a new flavour of life. At the same time, it has increased participation from the people sector of society, so that the relevant non-governmental organisations will be more active and more systematic in collecting feedback from the people, thereby making even greater contributions to our system of parliamentary democracy.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Parliament will be moving to its new premises today and I am privileged to be a witness to this important event, and I am somewhat overcome by a multitude of emotions. Although I have been a Nominated MP for just two years, deep in my heart I fully realise that Singapore's political stability and prosperity depend entirely on the sound operation and development of our system of parliamentary democracy. Having heard the incisive speech by the Prime Minister, my conviction is further enhanced. With regard to the contributions by the past Members, we have not only to record our appreciation to them, but also to take them as our model, so that we can all put in concerted efforts to carry on perfecting the existing system. Mr Speaker, Sir, our parliamentary democracy is derived from the British system. Yet we are able to adapt it to suit our multi-racial society and to perform even better. This is indeed remarkable. In our various amendments to the Constitution, the Government introduced quite a number of highly controversial systems such as the GRC, NCMP, Nominated MP and Elected Presidency. These have not only added life to our political arena but also attracted the interest and esteem from the international communities. However, with the persistently pragmatic approach, the Government has been able to explain all these issues to the people through this House and other channels, and eventually won the support of this House and the people so that the various systems or policies could be implemented smoothly and effectively. In the process, sometimes the people may feel that the Government is too hasty in pushing through some of its policies and find it difficult to accept these policies, or have some complaints over them.”
“Therefore, I suggest that the Government should reach out to the people and collect feedback from the people on how to perfect this Elected President system, and make this a "World Class Political Project". In other words, if there is a need to amend the Constitution again to perfect this system, the Government should go ahead and do it without any hesitation.”
“The people of Singapore want to know in the event of an Elected President having to face a strong but free-spending and persistent government in the future, under the present mechanism, can this set of principles be solely relied upon to stop the government from squandering away our reserves? Yesterday, the Prime Minister, the Senior Minister and the Finance Minister, Dr Richard Hu, had already given a very detailed explanation on the problems encountered by the Government and President Ong during the past six years. However, from the long-term point of view, it is apparent to us that there are still a lot of worrying and complicated issues which need to be resolved. In view of this, I support the motion standing in the name of Nominated MP Mr Rai to give this House the opportunity to further discuss the issues, and give a clear explanation to the people of Singapore. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I sincerely hope that through this round of frank and sincere discussion, and with the joint efforts and mutual cooperation between the next Elected President and the Government, our unique Elected President system will make further progress, thereby laying a solid and effective foundation for our political development, and for the long-term benefit of our people. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, everything in this world is continuously changing and developing. Our unique Elected President system is no exception. It is, after all, just a six year-old little boy. It needs to be carefully looked after and nurtured by his parents. He also needs regular medical examinations, takes the medicine and receives medical treatment whenever he is sick. Only then, can he grow up to be strong and healthy.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, from the views expressed by the media and the public, it is apparent that our people are very concerned with our present Elected President system. Some people would like to know how the Government views the difficulties encountered by President Ong in the execution of his duties, and whether the Government is determined to seek a long-tem solution to the problems, or to give the President more resources to exercise the powers vested in him by the Constitution. Is the Government happy with the way the election for the first and the second Elected Presidents was conducted? What is the people's reaction to the nomination of the second Elected President? If, in future, candidates for the presidential elections have to be proposed and endorsed continuously by the Government before they can be considered eligible to stand or worthy of support, then will this not run contrary to the original intention of the Elected President system? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, based on the working experience over the past six years, President Ong and the Government have entered into a convention and formulated a set of principles to safeguard the national reserves and this is published in the form of a White Paper for the people of Singapore to read. This is very encouraging. However, because the Government originally had no intention to move a motion in Parliament for the contents of the White Paper to be debated, it has caused some Singaporeans to be skeptical over the feasibility and sustainability of these principles.”
“I believe it is the common prayer of all the people of Singapore that we continue to have a good Government and a good President. However, from the long-term point of view, this is not something to be taken for granted. Apart from the wise choice of the voters, we must also endeavour to fine-tune the Elected President system through extensive practice and exploration, so that this system will give full play to its fullest effect when necessary. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the business community in Singapore, let me take this opportunity to offer our heartfelt congratulations to Mr Nathan who was returned as the second Elected President of the Republic of Singapore this afternoon. I firmly believe that he will be a well-respected and popular President, like President Ong. When the Government instituted this office of an Elected President, its intention must surely be that the Elected President would no longer be having just a ceremonial function. The President has also the custodial power to safeguard our national reserves and maintain the integrity of our civil service. In view of this, the responsibility of the Elected President is indeed very heavy and important. Such a heavy responsibility will be put to test only when our nation faces a very serious internal or external crisis, or a severe economic crisis which requires the Government to draw on the reserves, or when an important decision has to be made on some key appointments in the civil service. As such, we have to be prepared for the worse, and fine-tune our Elected President system based on the most fundamental interest of our country so that we would be able to deal with any sudden crisis.”
“As the Prime Minister has said yesterday, President Ong has proved that this "second key" system of safeguarding our national reserves and key appointments in the civil service is indeed feasible. It is even more commendable that President Ong has impartially and selflessly revealed some of the problems encountered by him in the execution of his duties, just before he steps down, to enable the people to openly discuss the issues and have a better understanding of the real object and working of our Elected President system. As Senior Minister Lee said yesterday, this debate is useful as part of the education for our people. More importantly, this will enable the Government to take stock of the views and reactions of the people on this system after it has been in operation for six years. President Ong has announced his decision not to seek re-election. This is indeed a great pity. However, we should respect his decision. We must record our affirmation and appreciation for the great contributions he has made to the country and the people. Therefore, I am very glad to learn that the Government will be giving a farewell party to President Ong on 30th August to pay tribute to the great contributions he has made to the country and the people. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, President Ong once said, "Having a good government is far better than having a good President to check on the bad government." These sincere words and earnest wishes truly bring out President Ong's love for the country and the people, and his noble sentiments. As a matter of fact, the people of Singapore can be said to be extremely lucky to have not only a good Government, but also a good President.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, at the swearing-in ceremony on 1st September 1993, President Ong Teng Cheong gave the assurance that he would do his best to unite the people of Singapore to jointly build up a prosperous, gracious and compassionate society to make Singapore a wonderful country. He also vowed to carry out his duties fearlessly, selflessly and without bias or prejudice, to protect the interest of the people of Singapore, to reach out to fellow citizens from all walks of life, to understand their aspirations, and at the same time maintain a good working relationship with the Prime Minister, the Government, so as to create a rational system of checks and balances on the political system of Singapore, thereby enhancing the political stability of Singapore and ensuring that Singapore has a government of high standing that will continue to work for the well-being of the people. During the past six years, President Ong encountered many difficulties. However, he lived up to the expectation of the people, and earnestly practised what he advocated to undertake the heavy responsibilities and accomplish the very high target that he had set for himself. This has enabled Singaporeans from all stations of life to stay united amidst the recent Asian financial crisis to tide over the crisis and emerge even stronger to march into the next century. Based on the working experience and knowledge accumulated during his term of office, President Ong also collaborated with the Government in formulating the principles to safeguard our national reserves in the form of a White Paper which is the subject matter of our debate today.”
“However, in my opinion, an interim period of four years may be insufficient for the land surveyors who are currently not registered surveyors to prepare themselves for the new industrial criteria. I am however, very pleased to note the latest amendment in the Bill which states that upon receipt of application filed before the expiry of the four-year period, the Minister would consider granting an extension to the original transitional period of four years by another two years, and making it six years in total. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, while I fully advocate the rationale for upholding the excellent service standards in the land surveying business, especially in Singapore's service-oriented economy, we must also ensure that those who will be adversely affected will be given the necessary assistance to adapt to the changes, and that the costs of delivering such services are kept competitive.”
“Under the new ruling, even the registered surveyors would also not be able to employ any assistant surveyor unless the Land Surveyors Board is satisfied that the person to be employed as an assistant surveyor possesses the necessary qualifications recognised by the Board. These constitute substantial changes from the current industry practice and require careful thought especially in terms of their impact on both the service providers and the end-users of the industry. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would therefore like to ask the Minister whether he could provide statistics on the number of non-registered surveyors and assistant surveyors who will be adversely affected by these legislative changes and what sort of measures are being taken to help those surveying professionals adapt to these changes so that they can continue their practice to make useful contributions and earn a living in their field. I would also like to ask the Minister whether his Ministry has studied the supply side of the surveying profession in introducing such a legislative change. Is there already a shortage of qualified professional surveyors to meet the growing industrial needs? Moreover, I wish to ask whether the new restriction will lead to a severe shortage of supply, thereby hindering the construction work and increasing the price and cost of the surveying works. Clause 10 does provide a transitional provision, whereby all land surveyors who conduct surveys, other than cadastral surveys, be permitted to engage in carrying out such surveys for a period of four years from the date of commencement of the Land Surveyors (Amendment) Act 1999.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support in principle the Land Surveyors (Amendment) Bill which basically aims to raise professional standards of all works performed by the land surveyors in Singapore. This is in line with our current efforts to achieve world-class standards of service in all our institutions to maintain our international competitiveness. However, in our keenness to introduce legislative changes to achieve a higher standard of practice and service in a particular industry, due consideration must also be given to the interest and welfare of the existing service providers and workers who have contributed to the growth of the industry. This is not only to avoid or reduce undue hardships to those adversely affected by the legislative changes of the industry but also to help them to accept and adapt to these changes so that they can continue with their service and contribution to the industry. With this amendment to the Land Surveyors Act, all land surveyors including those who do not conduct cadastral surveys, will be required to be registered under the Act. Currently, only land surveyors who conduct cadastral surveys need to be registered. The existing definition of "cadastral services" within the Land Surveyors Act (Chapter 156) would be rendered obsolete, and the amendment would then be applicable to all types of survey services. Directly affected by this new ruling would be those surveyors who may have a track record of relevant and time-tested surveying experience, but lack the requisite professional qualification to register themselves with the Land Surveyors Board in order to enable them to continue their practice in the surveying industry.”
“Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [BG Lee Hsien Loong]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. INSURANCE (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 1.57 pm”
“If they are overseas and you go and look for them, that is you are taking it on yourself, but they are not operating in Singapore. The Member also raised a question of gifts, gratuities, benefits and other rewards from insurance brokers. I presume that when Mr Tay refers to "incentive bonus", he means everything received by the broker other than the brokerage or the fee. Clause 24 of the Bill seeks to prohibit brokers from receiving any payments from an insurer including gifts, except as remuneration for services rendered in arranging a particular contract of insurance or settling a claim. And the payment in such cases cannot vary according to the number of contracts, the amount of premiums or sums insured that are placed with a particular insurer. The clause prohibits the giving of production bonus which is tied solely to the broker's business volume. This bonus is paid to brokers for achieving certain levels of business volume with a particular insurer. The rationale for the prohibition is that when an insurer offers such production bonuses to a broker, it is likely to influence that broker to place most, if not all, of its business with that insurer, whereas, in fact, the broker has a duty to his client to source for the most appropriate cover and terms for his client. Such a restriction is also found in the Australian Insurance Agents and Brokers Act, 1984. Again, the objective in the Australian legislation is to ensure that the broker's impartiality is not influenced by incentives or volume-based remuneration and to ensure that the broker's obligation to his client is not compromised. Under the Bill, other than volume-based incentive bonuses, brokers are not prohibited from receiving other types of incentives such as profit commissions and persistency bonuses.”
“So clauses 7 and 23 of the Bill essentially ensure that neither brokers nor agents are allowed to assist unlicensed insurers to write domestic Singapore risks. Where there is a lack of expertise or capacity in the local insurance industry, MAS will grant exemption for the risks to be placed directly with overseas insurers. And the majority of risks that have been granted exemptions are marine hull and liability risks. The statistics for the last three years show this. For example, in 1998, we received 160 applications for exemptions for lack of expertise or capacity locally. Out of these 160 applications, 158 were approved. For marine hull and liability, we received 49 applications last year, and all were approved. We recognise the need to develop marine hull and liability expertise and to increase the local capacity so as to help develop Singapore's international maritime hub. So we have taken the lead to attract specialist maritime insurers to Singapore and we have also provided tax incentives for their offshore marine and hull liability business. The Member suggested that we should undertake an overall review of the insurance industry and the legislation which applies to it. This is indeed what we are in the process of doing. MAS is currently reviewing our admission policy on insurers and we hope we will have some clear conclusions within a few months. But even if we are to open up the insurance market in Singapore, no overseas unlicensed insurers will be allowed to operate in Singapore unless they are registered with MAS. This upholds the principles of insurance regulations of the international regulators, because if they are not licensed and they operate here and something goes wrong, the Government will be responsible.”
“It deems premiums received by an intermediary as having been received by the insurer, but the insurer remains liable to the claimant for any claims monies made through an intermediary. Basically, this is a consumer protection measure, because it seeks, firstly, to protect consumers from paying premiums a second time where an intermediary does not pass the money on to the insurer. And, secondly, to ensure that the claimants will receive their payments where an intermediary fails to transmit the claims money. The boundary between the insured and the insurer is put on the side of the intermediary. The intermediary is on the insurer's side. This provision is applicable to both brokers and agents, as it is also found in the Australian Insurance Agents and Brokers Act, 1984. It is deliberately designed to apply to both brokers as well as agents, because whether or not an insurance broker is only the agent of the insured depends on the facts and circumstances of a particular case and the type of the insurance business, and the common law rule is that in some cases, the broker may actually be acting as an agent for the insurer. Mr Tay Beng Chuan raised two questions. The first one has to do with basically marine hull insurance. First, may I clarify that there is no restriction whatsoever on a person who wishes to place insurance risk directly with an overseas insurer. If the rates are more competitive, you may choose to go there, and that includes shipping companies or anybody else. But an overseas insurer is not licensed to operate in Singapore. An unlicensed insurer is not allowed to write domestic Singapore risks. This restriction is similar to that of most jurisdictions, including the US.”
“The incentive bonus paid to the insurance brokers has not caused problems to the insurers, neither has it prejudiced the insuring public. If clause 24 is passed, this would mean the loss of an estimated 20% of income to each affected insurance broking firm, resulting in possible retrenchment of their employees and translates into the loss of an important source of revenue. Mr Speaker, Sir, a regulatory framework is indeed necessary. However, over- regulation in business practices will unfortunately stifle business initiative. Singapore businesses need to have a certain leeway to survive, thrive and excel in the global marketplace. Where appropriate, they should be allowed to operate within a reasonable market practice. I propose that MAS conducts a thorough review of the insurance industry and how it is performing its role of serving the rest of the business community with a view to amending those laws which are no longer appropriate for the promotion of Singapore as an international business hub. Mr Speaker, Sir, with the exception of clauses 23 and 24, given the foregoing reasons, I support the Insurance Intermediaries Bill. BG Lee Hsien Loong: Mr Speaker, Sir, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua asked about the assumption of liabilities of insurers on behalf of brokers. She said that she could understand why insurers would assume liabilities on behalf of agents, but does not see why they should do so on behalf of brokers. Clause 4 of the Bill holds insurers accountable for liabilities of agents and brokers in respect of premiums collected from policyholders by the intermediaries and claim payments made to claimants through intermediaries.”
“Singapore's financial industry has been undergoing deregulation and liberalisation with the removal of barriers to full foreign participation in the domestic banking sector. Similarly, measures would be taken to liberalise the insurance sector to fully develop Singapore as a regional financial hub. The Insurance Intermediaries Bill does not appear to make sufficient provisions for this. If local insurers supplying uncompetitive rates are given undue protection under this Bill, Singapore's shipowners would be greatly disadvantaged. I believe that it is imperative for the Singapore shipping community to take advantage of the most competitive rates available worldwide. At the same time, the local insurance intermediaries should be given the liberty to source quotations from overseas insurers. It appears to me that the principle embodied in clause 23 is tantamount to protectionism of the local insurers. Surely, this is contrary to the fundamental tenets of an open economy which Singapore champions. I also wish to refer to clause 24 of the Bill which relates to the restriction of receipt and payment of any gifts, gratuities, benefits or other rewards (however described) for the services of a registered insurance broker. In other words, insurance intermediaries, specifically registered insurance brokers, will be prohibited from receiving an "incentive bonus" from the insurance companies which they deal with. Many small and medium-sized insurance broking firms are receiving such an "incentive bonus" from the insurers in Singapore. Moreover, this form of remuneration is acceptable and has always formed part of the remuneration received by insurance brokers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to refer specifically to clause 23 of the Insurance Intermediaries Bill which states in no uncertain terms that: "No registered insurance broker shall, in the course of its business as such, negotiate any contract of insurance with the insurer (whether directly or through an insurance intermediary), except with a registered insurer acting in the course of his business as such." References to "contract of insurance" are further spelt out in subclause (3) as not applicable to the reinsurance or business relating to risks outside Singapore. Notwithstanding the fact that Singapore intends to provide local insurers the opportunity to write business, the restriction creates a position where Singapore shipowners are forced into paying uncompetitive local rates for certain specialised insurance. Marine hull insurance is an example which I will elaborate on. I am personally involved in the shipping business and am conversant with the procedures whereby insurance intermediaries obtain quotations on marine hull insurance. The quotations by the overseas insurers on marine hull insurance can sometimes be only 50% or one-third of the quotations obtained from local insurers and yet the insurance intermediaries will be bound by clause 23 of the Insurance Intermediaries Bill to engage local insurers even if their rates are extremely uncompetitive vis-a-vis the overseas insurers as long as they have supplied the quotations. Subclause (5) does provide for exceptions where the MAS will grant approval by reason of exceptional nature of the risk or other exceptional circumstances. However, in practice, the shipping industry has not benefited from such approvals from MAS.”
“The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed) (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, I did not know the First Lady, Mrs Ong, well, but well enough to say that Mrs Ong was a mother, a professional, an entrepreneur and a First Lady who was determined, strong-willed and full of benevolence. When I was Editor of Berita Harian, and covering the former Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew's visit to China in 1980, President Ong and Mrs Ong were in the delegation. I saw Mrs Ong then as someone who was gentle, gracious and caring. Mrs Ong was very concerned about our needs and welfare, especially for the reporters who were covering the visit. Singapore has lost a First Lady who was full of dedication and one with the true spirit of being a Singaporean. May her soul rest in peace. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion moved by the Prime Minister.”
“Besides her passion for her alma mater, she was also deeply concerned with education, charity, welfare of women and children, as well as the latest situation and development of culture and the arts in Singapore, giving them her wholehearted support. The female nature of love, kind-heartedness, patience and concern for others was manifestly revealed in the person of the First Lady. Fifthly, her courage and unyielding fight against her illness. Two and a half years ago, she was diagnosed to have suffered from cancer, but she exercised tremendous perseverance to battle against her illness. She showed no sign of being dispirited or depressed. She carried on discharging her duties as the First Lady, greeting the people with her usual smile, receiving foreign dignitaries, and even went on overseas trips with the President. From her smile, we could see a strong and courageous woman who loved life and work and was full of fighting spirit, battling against her illness. She had not been overwhelmed by her disease but continued to live, and lived bravely. These noble qualities had shaped a superlatively unique image of the First Lady. Mr Speaker, Sir, the First Lady devoted her whole life to her family, society and the nation. She worked steadfastly and silently all the way until the end of her life. She was the epitome of the virtues of Asian women. The physical body is finite, but the spirit lives on eternally. The love that the First Lady has left behind will stay forever. Her smile, demeanour, integrity, noble moral character and poise will always remain in the minds of the people of Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the business community, I fully support the motion standing in the name of the Prime Minister.”
“In the family, she was a good wife and a good mother, devoting herself body and soul to look after her husband and her children and creating a warm home for them. This enabled the President to concentrate on his work without having to worry about things at home. The two sons could devote themselves to their studies to become useful citizens of society. The First Lady must be given due credit for the great success achieved by the President and the two sons today. During President Ong's term of office as Minister and subsequently as the President, Mrs Ong was always at his side, silently giving him all the support. Her cordial smile, her gracious and elegant demeanour, her simple outfit gave people the feeling of being very approachable and respectable. Thirdly, she was devoted to her duty and enthusiastic in her work. The First Lady was the most reliable partner of her husband's career. When her husband was holding the ministerial position, she took over the bulk of workload in their architectural firm. After her husband was elevated to the high office of Presidency, her official duties became even more busy and heavy. Yet, she did not drop her responsibility in the architectural work. She divided her time and energy on both her public and private career, attending to each and every aspect of life with great success. Her spirit of love for work and devotion to duties is something that is worthy of our admiration and praise. Fourthly, her passion for her alma mater and society. The First Lady's love for her alma mater is well known to everyone. She had made the reconstruction of Nanyang Girls' High School her lifelong aspiration.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the First Lady, Madam Ling Siew May, passed away on 30th July 1999. The business community felt a great loss in the passing away of the First Lady. On behalf of the business community, I would like to convey our deepest sympathy and condolence to President Ong. Having read the life story of Mrs Ong, I was greatly touched. Mrs Ong was an exemplary model of an Asian woman cultivated under traditional Asian culture and values. Her contribution to family, business, society and the nation was the pride of womenfolk in Singapore, and the pride of the people of Singapore. Allow me to raise the following five points to illustrate the greatness of the First Lady: First, she was very hardworking and dedicated. She went through severe hardship in her younger days. After spending an unhappy childhood in an orphanage, she travelled across the ocean to Singapore at the tender age of 11 to study. All the problems in coping with a very different language and living environment did not overwhelm her. Instead, it inspired her to cultivate in herself a fighting spirit. She overcame the difficulties in learning English and the other subjects, and successfully completed her secondary and high school studies. Eventually she went overseas to study in Australia and became the first Asian girl to graduate from the Faculty of Architecture in the University. At a time when the society was still very conservative, as a female and a Chinese-educated student, she overcame many difficulties and went on courageously to achieve academic success. This spirit of enduring hardship and self-reliance is worthy of our emulation. Secondly, she was a good wife and a good mother, diligent and thrifty.”
“Our common goal is to create our own vision together (gongquang yuanjin). So to realise the ideals of S21 is an ongoing heartware project. Therefore, we should use our "heart" to realise the following: (1) we must work wholeheartedly as a united people for the nation; (2) we must have a loving and caring heart to ensure family cohesion; (3) we must have an enthusiastic heart to deal with people and to create the collective will to build a world city; (4) we must have a loyal heart to the nation, then we will be able to extend our will beyond the boundary of our country; and (5) we must have a persevering heart to ensure that we are able to give full play to collective wisdom and efforts to create this common vision. I hope that my humble suggestions will stimulate and encourage more views and opinions on this subject so that we will be able to translate these ideals into a simple language for all to remember easily and for all to realise it in due course. I support the motion standing in the name of the Minister for Education.”
“For the sake of national interest, we should also support the Government in its meritocractic approach. We should not only welcome foreign talent, but also share our experience and knowledge with them. This will also enhance our expertise and skills. If we can pull the collective wisdom and strength of all the people together, we will be able to realise our ambition and vision, and this is the meaning of "unity is strength" (zhongzhi chengcheng). I believe that Singapore has many citizens who are currently working overseas under the regionalisation or globalisation initiatives, or studying for higher degrees. This is to ensure that they can have better lives for themselves and their family, and to become outstanding citizens of the country. So a good man shall cherish high ideals to reach out to the world. This is a very true statement. Being physically outside Singapore, it is inevitable that they may be somewhat dissociated from their homeland. However, so long as Singaporeans, especially the young ones, can feel the esteem and concern of the country for them, and can always keep in mind the motto of "spreading our wings for the nation" (zhanchi weiguo), their hearts will always be with Singapore - our homeland. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, to encourage our people to manifest their spirit of active participation, we have to take care not to induce them to follow blindly, to participate in some meaningless controversial arguments or to do things which may undermine our national unity and racial harmony. Our idea is to create a good vision for ourselves through collective wisdom and collective efforts. What we should stress is to encourage every citizen to take part actively in community development and welfare work.”
“It is only in such a city that everyone and every talent will have the opportunity to give full play to his potential. Whether we can realise this idea or not, I think the part played by the Government is very crucial. We know that in some countries where those in power are arrogant, narrow-minded and very exclusive, public opinion is never taken into account when policies are implemented. Then the intellectual and the wise, whether at home or overseas, will distance themselves from the tyrannic government. In such circumstances, whatever dreams you may have will remain just dreams. There is no chance of these dreams becoming a reality. Although this is not the style of the present Government of Singapore, we must remain very vigilant to ensure that the high officials who are over-ambitious and impatient do not have this kind of a problem and completely disregard consultation with the people. Otherwise, we will be sowing the seed of evil and the people's heart will be lost. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, all along I endorse the Government's decisiveness and high efficiency for the development of our economy, culture and education. But when we are evolving into a knowledge-based economy of the 21st century, if we depend only on the Government or the few elites in the Government service, we will not be able to handle the excessive information explosion in this IT age. Therefore, the Government must adopt a more open attitude and maintain closer relations with the civic organisations in order to get more reliable and more accurate information and also constructive opinions for the formulation of state policies as points of references. Of course, as citizens, we will also benefit from the enlightened policies of the Government.”