Teo Chong Tee
Singapore
“Sir, may I be allowed to express my heartfelt thanks to the Ministers for Communications, especially Dr Yeo Ning Hong and Mr Mah Bow Tan, and all the various transport authorities, for finally agreeing to bring the MRT extension line to Changi Airport after nine long years. [Applause].”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Minister of State for Education whether he is aware that there is a growing population in Simei Estate, in particular, and there are a lot of young children who are now in our PCF kindergarten education centres? So we see a need for a primary school to be built within the Simei Housing Estate.”
“Having heard the Minister of State's reply, I have got a supplementary question. Why is the extension line not planned to go beyond the passenger terminals to the airline cargo complexes and engineering complexes where there are several thousand workers who are also dependent on public transport?”
“In view of the above circumstances, may I request the Minister to, firstly, consider reviewing the rules on the forfeiture of the security bond to protect the interest of the Singaporean employers and, secondly, consider allowing Singaporean employers whose maid has run away to employ another maid without delay while they search for the m…”
“Given the emotive element of this issue, it would be helpful if Singaporeans are informed of its progress from time to time and the approximate time-frame for the implementation of the committee's recommendation. Sir, I would appreciate it if the Minister would consider this suggestion.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply and beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $51,364,070 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $257,500 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.”
The complete record
Every one of 408 lines we hold for Teo Chong Tee, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 9.
“Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to join in the debate. Sir, our Home Ownership for the People Scheme introduced in 1964 to encourage Singaporeans to own the HDB flats they live in has proved a resounding success. Today, close to 90% of the HDB flat dwellers own the flats they live in. Since 1964 the HDB has built more than 700,000 flats for the middle income groups. To give Singaporeans wider choices, HDB has also invited private architects, engineers and contractors to design and build better designed state-of-the-art flats in new estates. Coupled with a long term programme to upgrade existing HDB flats, we can proudly claim that our record in public housing is indeed second to none in the world. With the introduction of town councils in all HDB estates, more and better amenities and facilities are being continually added to the existing ones in the vicinity of each estate. All this has greatly improved the standard of living in all HDB estates and enhanced the value of the flats. However, Sir, the special attention given to residents in HDB estates in the last few years has resulted in some unhappiness among some residents in private estates. Some have brought up the question of fairness on the part of the Government in granting such high subsidies to HDB residents in the upgrading scheme. The success and publicity of the scheme has certainly made some private house owners feel that their welfare has been somewhat neglected. Of course, they do not expect the Government to upgrade their private houses for them. But they do feel that some kind of upgrading work could be done to improve the public areas - the open space and parks, for example.”
“Sir, the Minister has not answered my question regarding cash grants for those hawkers who are not prepared to carry on the business.”
“Sir, dengue fever is posing a perennial threat to our health. However, thanks to the vigilance of the Ministry of the Environment and its public education on the spread and prevention of the disease, it has never been allowed to spread to epidemic proportion. But are the preventive actions adequate? There are still reports of outbreaks of the disease in scattered areas in Singapore. As the Aedes mosquitoes, which carry the disease breed in clear water, and mostly indoors, more stringent measures must be taken to stop the breeding in homes. Could the Minister enlighten the House whether the disease is now under control? Sir, on the subject of mosquito-transmitted disease, there were reports that a number of people in Ponggol had been infected with malaria last year. Recently, malaria cases have also been reported in the southern and eastern parts of Singapore. Can the Ministry of the Environment assure us that the disease will not pose a threat to us as it used to be years ago? This assurance is important because, according to the World Health Organisation, the organism that is responsible for malaria has developed resistance to once effective drugs, such as quinine. This present drug-resistant strain of the organism poses a much greater danger to human lives than the old organism. And up to now, there still is no vaccine that protects against malaria.”
“Sir, at last year's National Day rally, the Prime Minister announced that the Government would sell hawker stalls to the stallholders at 20-30% below market value. Based on feedback I have received, many hawkers are happy with the announcement and are eagerly looking forward to buying the stalls. However, since then very little information on the matter is available. As property prices are skyrocketing all the while, many of the hawkers who intend to buy the stalls they are operating now are worried that soon the stalls may be priced beyond their means. Could the Minister please allay the fear of these potential buyers of the stalls? Also, would the Government consider allowing them to use part of their CPF savings to pay for the stalls if they have CPF savings? And what about the hawkers who are unable to raise enough fund to purchase the stalls they are operating now? Will they be allowed to continue renting them? If not, they will be most unfairly deprived of their means of livelihood. May I ask the Minister what is the alternative plan for these hawkers who are unable to purchase the stalls? Sir, there will also be hawkers who may want to call it a day by giving up their business, maybe for health or for old age reasons. Some may find such a sale scheme not attractive enough and want to give up their trade. In such cases, may I suggest that the Government offer them a cash grant so that they can gracefully retire from their hawking business.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. But the reply is a disappointment not only to me but all those who are affected by the withdrawal of the bus services to the Airport. Nevertheless, I have heard from the Minister that the subject is not closed. And since it is not closed, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Even if SBC wants to have more revenue from commercials and they have to introduce some stories which feature gang fights and so on, I think they should be screened at the later part of the evening. As parents, I think we have to take a stand somewhere. In one of the recent TV serials ---”
“No doubt, there are incidents of violence or episodes of extra-martial activities happening in real life, but they do not happen every day. But if you look at the TV programmes, these things are shown almost every night. So our children will think that this is part of life and they will accept it. Just a few days ago one of my parliamentary colleagues told me that his eight-year old daughter was watching a television programme and when the female character was pregnant against her wish, this eight-year old daughter spontaneously remarked, "Well, ask her to go for abortion." Just imagine, even an eight-year old girl thought that pregnancy is no big deal, she can just go for an abortion! Many teenagers are watching all these movies which suggest free sex and all these undesirable activities. They are beginning to take this as part of life. So as parents, sometimes we feel that perhaps we are being too conservative. We cannot keep on telling our children not to watch the TV and say these are wrong moral standards, wrong values. A few days ago, we read in the newspaper that two primary students were kissing each other. So the reporters interviewed the principal and the principal said, "Well, for young children, this is a process of growing up." As adults we have to lead them. Just when the family and the school are trying to lead the young people and teach them the right values, they have been watching TV and seeing all these undesirable activities being shown over and over again. There is a conflict between our teaching and the TV influence. During the early part of the evening, I think we should screen more shows which are "clean" and which have good content.”
“Even when it was telecast in Hong Kong it was criticised by people from all stations of life in Hong Kong. The serials Ninjas in Town and Heaven's Will propagate superstitions of demons, ghosts and monsters. When the popular serial The Unbeatables was screened, every Tom, Dick and Harry in town was talking about gambling. Even school children were imitating the gamblers' tricks. Ironically, this year, which is designated the International Year of the Family, SBC has been screening the Bond of Love which seems to give its blessings on extra-marital affairs. Take a look at the weekend programmes on TV, you will find low quality, bad taste, nondescript horror movies or action films in which big time gangsters were featured as heroes. No doubt, we need to have some story lines and some scenes which could attract the attention of the people, but we should not be featuring all these gangsters and gamblers as the heroes in the films. So we should not have all these bad guys being featured as heroes. 2.00 pm We understand that in the Western world some 20-30 years ago, their family concepts were also very conservative. But today, why is it that the moral standards in the West have gone to such a low state? There are so many single parent families in the West. And after one or two generations, they are beginning to accept free sex. Look at the West, there is such a big generation gap and members of the family could not get along with one another. The parents could not control their children. I am very worried that sometimes our media will influence our moral standards in society. Of course, we cannot blame it on just one film or some scenes in a film. But if this is allowed to go on, even the moral standards of our adults will be changing.”
“More often than not, it is the perception and judgment of the receivers themselves that decide whether the information they receive is to their benefit or not. This could easily lead to the receivers losing their own directions under the influence and impact of the large variety of information before them, resulting in their pursuing the extremes and moving towards an anti-social trend. When we talk of this problem, perhaps we may feel that this is something which cannot be controlled. There is a strong influx of information coming out from other countries. Although it is difficult to control, we should build our retaining wall to prevent this flow of information or at least we should be able to survive after the impact of this information from other countries. Singapore is such a small country. Our resources are limited. When we face this influx of information, are we going to flow with the trend or are we going to pay a cost to learn from this experience? This is one very important problem for us to decide. I agree that the television programmes produced by the SBC have been improving. The programmes that they have telecast, such as the documentaries, news reports, current affairs programmes and some art coverage over Channel 12 are very good programmes. Whereas in the drama section, the TV serials produced in the first two to three years, such as the Awakening, Good Morning, Teacher, etc. received enthusiastic following and support by the people. However, in recent years, the TV serials produced by SBC have moved towards the trend of excessive violence, sex and the propagation of wrong values. This may lead to negative influence on our society. My colleagues have mentioned many examples. For example, the Angels of Vengeance has too many scenes on violence.”
“00 pm news bulletin is meant more for students and blue collar workers while the 10.30 pm news is catered more for business people and professionals. From feedback, Sir, the two time slots are not the most convenient and suitable time for people to watch news. 7.00 pm is too early in the evening. People have just got back from work or from school and are preparing to take their dinner or to take their bath. It is just too early to watch news because people have yet to settle down after getting back from work or from school. On the other hand, 10.30 pm is a little too late for the working people. By the time the news finishes, it would already have been 11.00 pm. SBC should consider rescheduling the broadcasting time for our English news bulletin. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon (Yuhua)( In Mandarin): Sir, yesterday my colleagues here have discussed and debated on various topics, touching on the privatisation of SBC and its moral values. I would like to follow up today. With science and technology being so advanced today, all kinds of information are available and easily accessible to the people. Satellite transmission, television, video tapes, laser discs, etc. have not only shortened the distance between countries but have also facilitated the exchange of commercial and industrial benefits, academic, scientific and technological updates, news and information as well as the exchange of intelligence. However, under this situation where science and technology is so advanced and information so easily accessible, it is extremely difficult to control the flow of information. Among the information which is flowing so freely, some are good and some are bad.”
“But such efforts do not seem to be complemented by what they see on TV at home. In fact, what the schools are trying to do can often be erased just by a flick of a TV button. The daily staple on TV is too full of commercials, frivolous skits, soap operas, many of which are lacking in educational, cultural and moral contents. It is rather ironical to note that in its infancy a few years ago, SBC was able to produce quality Chinese programmes, such as wu suo nanyang [ ], which has valuable educational and historical content, whereas today with maturity and more sophisticated know-how and technical skills, it has resorted to producing less wholesome programmes. There are just not enough of wholesome, healthy programmes catering to the needs of the more serious viewers and, in particular, to the young. Speaking of the young, it was not too long ago when our Asian cultures molly-coddled our young in the warm cocoon of the family. But today in many families, the TV and the domestic maids have taken over. Granted, in modern Singapore today, it is futile to lament about the good old days. But I think it is not too late to do something to arrest the erosion of our time-tested values which have seen us through thick and thin over the years. Also, SBC should undertake a more active role in disseminating information and educating the populace on important Government policies and issues. It can make use of the SBCText for this purpose. For example, if someone needs to find out more about GST or the new medical benefits for civil servants, he can find the information he needs in SBCText. Sir, one other area that I would like to cover is the news bulletin in English. Regarding our English news bulletin, I understand that the 7.”
“Sir, educators and sociologists in the West have blamed television for many of the social ills in their societies; among them the breakdown of the traditional family units, the astronomical increase in crime rates, the shockingly high number of children born out of wedlock - as high as 70% among certain communities; the poor academic performance in schools, to name but a few. Of course, we all know that television itself is not the culprit; the real problem stems from the kind of programmes the stations dish out to the people. When incessantly fed with harmful materials and garbage over a long period of time, it is only natural that the minds of the viewers will be poisoned or filled with filth. Sir, I am saying all this because I feel that as a Government, it is our sacred duty to help retain, safeguard and promote our wholesome traditional Asian values which have helped to bring us to where we are today. One way to do this is for SBC to produce better programmes. The first step is to employ innovative script writers, directors, actors and actresses. If such people with better talents are not easily available in Singapore, SBC may have to cast its net wider to get them from countries in the region. As for imported programmes, SBC should be more judicious in its selection of the programmes. They should not just cater to the taste of the viewers. In a young nation like ours, maybe MITA and the Ministry of Education should work more closely together so that one may not unwittingly undo what the other is trying to do. For example, in our schools, we try to instil in our pupils the shared national values as well as shared family values. We also painstakingly try to promote mutual respect and understanding among the different ethnic communities.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether he will enlighten the House as to when the plan will be finalised.”
“Sir, the Minister may not be aware that all these services that the Minister has just mentioned are not direct services to the Changi Airport and people coming from far away parts of Singapore have to travel quite a long distance to work in Changi Airport. It incurs a lot of time and is very inconvenient for them. So I urge the Minister to try and persuade the Public Transport Council or SBS to look into this very seriously.”
“Sir, bus service No. 16E and also the Scheme B service 149 are operating during peak hours and I think they are quite inconvenient for the shift workers. May I ask the Minister whether he would ask SBS to reinstate service 149 and service 390 because these services will be convenient for the airport workers coming from different parts of Singapore.”
“Sir, in view of the increasing number of heavy vehicles moving along Simei Street 3, because of the construction of the Eastern General Hospital, I see a need for an overhead bridge to be provided not only for the students but for the residents. I hope the Minister will consider that as a priority.”
“Sir, in view of the time factor, I just want to ask the Minister what is the latest progress with regard to my consistent request for an extension of MRT line to Changi Airport.”
“With the help of my grassroots leaders, I have closely monitored the SBS service in Changi. My conclusion is that the residents' grouses are valid, and their requests reasonable. However, Sir, all my requests made to the SBS on behalf of my residents for better bus service have been turned down. Their replies have always been predictable and stereotyped, ie, in their assessment, there are enough buses serving the residents in Changi and that the buses are plying the right routes, contrary to my findings and personal observation and my constituents' experiences as bus commuters. Sir, this is not the right place nor time for me to elaborate on the full details of inconvenience experienced by my residents. Suffice it to say that many of them feel disappointed and even angry with the SBS for the callous manner in which they deal with their problems and requests. Being their MP, I too feel disappointed. I must say that I find dealing with the SBS more difficult than dealing with any other Government departments; to me at least, they appear to be more bureaucratic than the bureaucrats. Sir, as the SBS has the monopoly in my constituency, they do not seem to listen to the feedback provided by me and my constituents. Hence, I am appealing to the Minister for help. I know that the Minister for Communications is a very helpful person. Therefore, in this respect, I would like to appeal to the Minister to look into our request for an improvement in the bus service situation in Changi.”
“Sir, a bus company's main objective, like that of any other business companies, is to make money - and for that matter, as much money as possible. As the saying goes: "If you scratch a Saint deep enough, you will find self-interest." So, without the Government's close supervision and scrutiny to ensure that making good money, the bus companies will, but serving the people they must, it would be naive for us to expect the kind of public bus service we have in Singapore today. I am saying all this because I desperately need the help of the Hon. Minister to help improve the bus service in my constituency. Changi is one of the biggest constituencies in terms of land area; it is made up of more than 70 HDB blocks in Simei Estate, 10 blocks in Bedok North, five blocks in Changi Village, ten clusters of private housing estates scattered all over the constituency, Loyang Industrial Estate, Changi Airport, Selarang Army Camp and, of course, the two offshore islands of Pulau Ubin, which is a very popular spot for picnickers, hikers and even tourists, and Pulau Tekong, an important army camp. Of course, I do not expect the bus service to go to Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong. There is also a Changi beach, which is a popular spot for picnickers. As such, the demand for SBS service in Changi is indeed very high. All along, the public bus service in Changi has not been quite adequate. The re-routing of services often aggravated the situation. Over the years, I have received many requests and complaints from residents for better bus service. Many have written to me, more have met me at my meet-the-people sessions. Many have also written directly to the SBS. I have carefully studied my residents' requests and complaints.”
“Sir, I would just like to find out from the Minister how many licensed abattoirs are presently supplying slaughtered poultry to wet markets and other retail outlets and whether approval will be given for more abattoirs to be set up in different parts of Singapore for the convenience of the poultry sellers.”
“Sir, on the subject of vector control, I would just like to ask the Minister whether the dengue fever cases are on the rise in Singapore, which areas in Singapore are more prone to having the outbreak of this sickness, and what measures are being taken to educate the public to help keep this disease under control.”
“It does not need a trained psychologist to tell us that a man with an injured ego will become spiteful, vindictive and revengeful. So instead of learning a lesson from his CWO stint, the litterbug may graduate into super-litterbug. Worse still, we may even turn him into a vandalist, damaging public properties out of spite and to make his money worth, so to speak. Sir, I would therefore like to urge the Ministry of the Environment to be more humane in their enforcement of the CWO on future offenders. The purpose of the CWO is meant to be educational and not punishment. I therefore would like to propose that the CWO be modified so that it will serve its original intended purpose.”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in the debate on the recently introduced Corrective Work Order (CWO). That the CWO is meant to instill some civic sense into the recalcitrant litterbugs by requiring them to clean up the public places, and to serve as a deterrent to would-be litterbugs, certainly has the support of all right thinking Singaporeans. Singapore must continue to live up to its good reputation of a clean and green city. However, Sir, many Singaporeans, including myself, were shocked by the way the first 10 CWO offenders had been publicly treated. What Singaporeans saw on TV and in the newspapers vividly brought to mind how the so-called counter revolutionaries during the Cultural Revolution in China were ridiculed and humiliated, that is, paraded as dunces in the streets to the amusement, boos and jeers of the on-lookers. The wearing of the coloured vest of shame with the words "Corrective Work Order" boldly inscribed on it, indeed, reminded us of the so-called enemies of the people in Mao's China when the Red Guards reigned. Sir, now, in a democratic and humane Singapore, even rapists and hardcore criminals are not made to suffer such shame and indignity. Quite obviously, the Ministry of the Environment had gone overboard in meting out the punishment in this instance. The implementation of the CWO is totally out of proportion to the offence committed. For one offence, the offenders were punished more than once -first, in the court, second, in public places and, third, adverse publicity in the local and foreign media. Sir, a means must be able to achieve its end. I very much doubt that by publicly shaming and humiliating the CWO offenders will achieve the purported end of the CWO. In fact, it may have the opposite effect.”
“To make use of this endowment fund, the revenue and income received and earned can be used to stabilise the medical expenses, medical fees, PUB rates and other basic necessities so that the burden of the people can be reduced. The cost of doing business can be reduced, and Singapore enterprise can maintain their competitiveness internationally. This will be of benefit to the economy of Singapore and the livelihood of our people. I hope the Government will consider this. In short, Mr Speaker, Sir, the Budget benefits both the companies and the individuals. By comparison, bigger companies with more profit can enjoy more tax reductions. Individuals who earn more money can also get more tax rebates. If this trend is allowed to develop, then the gap between the rich and the poor will be widened and social cohesiveness will be weakened. This is certainly not in the interest of our country. Most Singaporeans in the middle and lower income groups may benefit, to some extent, from the tax reductions. But I hope this is not a prelude to a greater burden of tax to be shouldered by the people. In the shadow of the GST, the people have the feeling that a great storm is brewing. Up till this year, taxpayers are the ones who were affected by the budget. However, in every household, these may be just one or two members who are taxpayers. With the introduction of GST, everybody will be affected, whether you are old, young, male or female. No one can escape from it.”
“They have received very handsome and spectacular profits in the past and I believe that they will continue to make large profits in the future. The problem is these organisations also provide basic services like basic services like telecommunication and telephone services by Telecom, and water and electricity supplies by the PUB. These are statutory boards. When they are privatised, when they increase their charges as they have to look after the interest of shareholders, Singaporeans, being also shareholders, will suffer in silence. More importantly, the Government can wash its hands off any responsibility, when there is any increase in charges. So by the same extension, if Government companies are privatised and they get their companies listed, then medical expenses can very well go up and the Government can tell the people that you are the shareholders, you also benefit from the profits made by the companies. So the more increases there are, the more profits you will get. The Government can tell the people that. By that time, Singapore will really become a so-called "free market economy" where the more you pay, the more you make. If the Government is really sincere in sharing the fruit of success with the people by returning the profits to them, or to have a better and fairer distribution of their wealth, there are other channels for doing so. For example, the subsidy to the HDB can be increased so as to ensure that the prices of HDB flats can be maintained at a certain level. The people can also get direct allocation of fund for the upgrading of their flats so that they do not have to pay for the upgrading. The Government can also set up a "basic services endowment fund".”
“What we should focus our attention on is that when you reduce the rate of personal tax, those with a chargeable income of more than $400,000 per annum will benefit by a 3% reduction, whereas those in the lower-income group will only benefit by a 1% reduction. This kind of tax reduction will only benefit the higher income group and create an unequal distribution of wealth and will widen the gap between the rich and the poor. Mr Speaker, Sir, the special feature of this year's budget is the "CPF topping up scheme for purchase of shares". The Government will pay $200 into the CPF accounts of Singapore citizens above the age of 21 on condition that they must put into the CPF at least $500 from March to August this year. The Minister's estimate is that we need $200 million for this. We have over 2 million accounts in the CPF. How are we going to distribute the $200 million? And where would the $200 million come from? What is even more puzzling is that the people are required to first put in $500 into the CPF account before they can enjoy the $200 top-up. What is the reason for this? I would like the Minister for Finance to announce the following information after September: One, how many Singaporeans have put into their CPF accounts $500 in order to enjoy the $200 top-up? Second, how many people have voluntarily increased their CPF contribution in order to enjoy the $200 top-up? Third, how much money will be collected by the CPF Board from the people of Singapore under this scheme? Mr Speaker, Sir, the top-up scheme is to enable Singaporeans to buy shares in statutory boards like the Singapore Telecom and possibly the PUB when they are privatised. The idea is to let the people enjoy the fruits of our economic success. Sir, these statutory boards enjoy monopoly in Singapore.”
“In order to expand our external economy, the local SMEs should have sufficient capability and financial resources before they can compete successfully overseas. If the local enterprises have even to fight for their survival locally, how do we expect them to succeed overseas? More disturbing is that in our budget this year, the amount to be given to assist the SMEs through the EDB has been drastically reduced. Does this mean that the Government will pay more attention to those enterprises that will have the potential to develop overseas and leave the local SMEs to swim or to sink? We must not forget that the local SMEs are owned by Singaporeans. It is only the Singapore-owned enterprises which are the bona fide enterprises of Singapore. It is only when such enterprises can expand overseas that we can really expand and consolidate "Singapore's external economy". Therefore, the Government should take realistic measures to encourage the growth of local enterprises so that they will have certain strengths to develop overseas in order that they will not succumb to their inherent weakness when they are away from their home environment. As regards the 2% capping of medical fees in tax deduction, Mr Chiam See Tong has already dealt with the matter and I do not wish to go further into it. For the taxpayers, the increase in personal tax relief by $1,000, the 5% tax rebate, and the rebates for service and conservancy charges, etc, are something that should have been done, and should be done when the country is enjoying a lot of tax surpluses, especially when the estimated revenue of Government will still be increased by more than $476 million after the implementation of these tax cut measures.”
“Both individuals and companies will get benefits and the objective of the statement is very clear, ie, before the implementation of the GST, some sugar coatings are being given to pave the way for the GST to make people believe that the GST is not only painless but also beneficial to the people. Mr Speaker, Sir, GST is one of the major changes in the tax structure in Singapore with far-reaching effects. The characteristic is that whether you are poor or rich, you have to pay GST. But what we are debating on today is the financial policy and I would not like to dwell too much on the issue of GST. I will speak in greater detail during the Second Reading of the Bill. Here I would like to deal with the financial measures which will take immediate effect this year and which are not related to GST. This is to avoid confusing the people with fiscal measures of this budget and those of which to offset the GST, thus diverting the attention of the people. In terms of enterprise, corporate tax will be reduced by 3%. This reduction will better benefit the big companies, especially the MNCs. The local small and medium enterprises will not benefit very much by the 3 percentage points because their profits are smaller. It is disappointing that SMEs in Singapore have not received the attention that they deserve. Last year, through various fiscal measures, they were forced to restructure. This year, generous incentives are given for overseas investment. Overseas expansion will further consolidate the economy of Singapore. This is a step in the right direction. But I doubt whether the local SMEs will be able to gather enough strength in the short time given to them to have the capability to go overseas and undertake greater risk.”
“Minister for Finance that the tax deductibility of expenses on medical benefits by employers should be a capped percentage of total employee's remuneration. However, there have been views that a fixed capped percentage on the tax deductibility of medical expenses will hurt the small scale companies with lower paid workers more than companies with higher paid workers. Allow me to elaborate. I will give an example. Company A has 10 employees earning $12,000 per annum each and Company B has five employees earning $24,000 per annum each. At this cap of 2%, both companies can claim a tax deductibility as high as $2,400 per annum. This, however, has ignored the fact that Company A has twice the number of staff as Company B. I believe that Company A, with more employees, should rightly enjoy a higher tax rebate than Company B. Following this argument, will the Hon. Minister consider a varying cap be implemented, ie, the capping of the individual expenditure be based on the number of employees to ensure a more equal distribution of medical benefits per employee and thereby prevent significant disparities from occurring. Sir, in my deliberations, I only urge the Government to reconsider and fine-tune some of the issues after listening to the views and voices of the people. This way, we can bring the phrase "something for everyone" closer to all Singaporeans. With this, Sir, I support the motion on the Budget Statement moved by Minister for Finance. Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, on the face of it, the Budget this year appears to be one that pleases everybody.”
“Sir, one other area that I would like to highlight involves the more than 55,000 households earning $1,500 per month or less and living in landed properties or 4- and 5-room HDB flats, shophouses, condominiums and private flats. These households may not necessarily be financially better off than owner occupiers of 1-, 2- and 3-room HDB flats. With the Government's encouragement for multi-tier family households, I believe that a significant number in this group may have many members living under one roof. It is in this light that I believe that a property tax rebate alone may not be sufficient to offset the impact of GST on such households' daily expenditures. For example, given two families of eight persons each, the first family may be able to purchase two 3-room HDB flats whilst the second family, due to financial constraints, may only be able to purchase either a 4-room or a 5-room HDB flat. Under the proposed scheme, the first family will be able to enjoy rebates on service and conservancy (S&C) charges and property tax on both 3-room flats. The second can only enjoy the rebate on property tax even though it may be a multi-tier family living together. Would the Government perhaps reconsider and include rebates for S&C charges as an additional benefit for this group as well? Sir, in a similar manner, households living in landed properties, condominiums, etc, may also not be financially better off than those living in 1-, 2- or 3-room HDB flats. Since there are no S&C charges for this particular group, would the Government consider a higher property tax rebate for these households? Next, Sir, I agree with the Hon.”
“Sir, with regard to the 20,000 families earning $1,500 per month or less, it has been proposed that since this group is too diverse to be reached by a single rebate or subsidy mechanism, the Government will instead work through the Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC) to administer assistance to families who need help to cope with the GST. To ensure that the CCCs are consistent and effective when extending grants to families under this scheme, the Government should perhaps produce guidelines and measures to help grassroots leaders manage these programmes fairly and efficiently. Their ability to do so can be further enhanced if professional training could be provided for them. For example, how to differentiate between actual welfare cases and hardship brought about by GST and the amount to be paid. Furthermore, in order to properly assess the needs of such families, personal visits by grassroots leaders may be required, similar to those currently practised by the Social Welfare Department of the Ministry of Community Development whereby officers are sent to individual homes to assess the applicant's need for welfare aid. This type of assessment would normally involve probing into the privacies of families which may cause unnecessary embarrassment to the families concerned. In the long run, this may even deter people from coming forward to participate in such a scheme. If this happens, these residents may alienate themselves from the grassroots leaders for fear of being stigmatized. This, in turn, would undermine the very function of grassroots leaders. Hence, to make the scheme a success, the Government should make every effort to assist the CCCs in their work.”
“Perhaps, the Government may want to reconsider the Singapore Allowance limit increment of only $30 to recognise their past contribution towards nation building during our early years as an independent state. Alternatively, the Government could closely monitor the impact of GST on this group of people and take compensative steps to alleviate their financial plight, if necessary. Sir, it is a well-known fact that the main concern of Singaporeans about the GST is the fear of profiteering on the part of unscrupulous shopkeepers and traders. This fear, whether real or imagined, stems from past experiences. For example, whenever the Government announced an increase in the rate of NWC allowances for Government and statutory boards' employees, prices of food and daily commodities invariably increased as well. The Government and the Consumers Association of Singapore could do little to curb shopkeepers and stallholders from capitalising on the larger pay packets of the workers then. This often led to the Government being blamed for the "price-hikes". As a result of their past experience, the people are now naturally also worried that shopkeepers and stallholders will take advantage of GST and increase prices excessively, especially by "rounding" up the prices. Although consumers can help themselves by simply not patronising the profiteers, it may also be worthwhile for the Government to take the initiative and assure the public that (if need be) it will take effective measures against offenders to curb profiteering.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, kindly allow me to first commend the Hon. Finance Minister for his innovative package of tax and non-tax measures to help Singaporeans offset the impact of GST as revealed in the Budget Statement for the financial year 1993/94. Sir, by and large, the Budget Statement has been well received by members of the public. Indeed, the rationale for the introduction of the GST package to strengthen and develop an external economy, to continue to invest in the future and a broad based consumption tax system to promote enterprise and growth and thereby remain internationally competitive, is widely accepted as sound. Furthermore, no other country which imposes a similar tax (like the GST) has given such wide ranging and comprehensive rebates and offsets to its people to cushion the impact of the GST. However, Sir, whilst I recognise that much effort has been expanded to ensure that the introduction of GST is as painless as possible for all the households, there are invariably mixed reactions from the people. If Mr Speaker, Sir, will permit, I would like to highlight some of them. I am particularly interested in the views of the lower-income groups, such as the low-income retirees and pensioners. They generally feel that the Government can do a little more to alleviate their financial difficulty in the face of GST. In the first place, the expected rise in income of 5% to 7% over the next five years will not benefit them significantly. Furthermore, most low-income retirees deposit their CPF savings with banks and financial institutions and depend on the interest accrued for financial support. In the light of low interest rates, coupled with inflation, the GST may further compound their financial difficulties.”
“Sir, I am still not satisfied with the answer, but I will try and pursue it further in this House. With that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $42,618,770 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $543,322,800 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head F --”
“Sir, I just want to request the Minister, Mr Mah Bow Tan, to seriously consider my request for a line to Changi Airport.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head I be reduced by $10 in respect of Code IF 3100 of the Main Estimates. Sir, in the book The Next Lap, page 90, under the heading "Public Transport", I do not come across any statement indicating that the MRT line will be extended to Changi Airport. If I may quote from this book: 'Within five years, the MRT will be extended to Woodlands. In the longer-term, possibly to Hougang and Punggol.' Sir, I am very disappointed that nothing is mentioned about Changi Airport MRT line, in spite of the fact that the airport is world renowned and having been voted the best airport for four times. For three consecutive years in this House, I had spoken on this subject requesting for the extension of the MRT line to Changi Airport. But as you know, the former Minister for Communications and Information, Dr Yeo Ning Hong, responded by saying that the MRT central line to Changi Airport was not a viable proposition. Sir, I do not understand what is meant by a "viable proposition". If the MRTC only considers the residential population as the main criterion to justify for the MRT line, then under such criterion, the MRT will never come to Changi Airport. Sir, Changi Airport has several thousand workers working there and the number is large enough to form a substantial base of commuters to ensure the viability of the MRT line to Changi Airport.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“At the same time, I hope the Ministry of Information and the Arts would consider adopting some award system, like those in the other countries such as the Golden Horse Award in Taiwan, the Golden Rooster Award and Hundred Flower Award in China. Such awards will help Singapore Broadcasting Corporation and our local film industry to carve a niche in the international film scene. It will also help to pave the way for our future artistes to grow up to become superstars like Chow Yuen Fatt, Jackie Chan and Maggie Cheung. I hope that the Ministry of Information and the Arts would study and consider this suggestion.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R be reduced by $10 in respect of Code RG 3100 of the Main Estimates. Sir, the decision by MITA to privatise SBC and to introduce subscription TV will, I am sure, be welcomed by most Singaporeans. This is because, with the rising level of education and affluence, viewers will be more demanding and discerning in what they watch. A privatised SBC will have more leeway in formulating its policy and in bringing in talents. Viewers will therefore expect to see more programmes of higher quality and variety. Coupled with three additional pay channels to be manned by Singapore Cable Vision (SCV), may I ask the Minister whether some means will be taken to avoid too much duplication of programmes over the different channels, and also what measures will be taken to ensure that there will be no drop in standards of programmes aired over Channels 5, 8 and 12. These three channels will continue to be tuned in by viewers who do not subscribe to pay TV. Mr Peh Chin Hua( In Mandarin): Sir, during the past few years, there has been marked improvement in the quality of locally produced SBC Chinese Drama Serials. Some of them are even comparable to the production of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. However, I feel that the encouragement given by us to our artistes and producers is insufficient to bring about a spiritual catalytic effect on them. For this reason, I hope that the Ministry of Information and the Arts would consider presenting an annual Best TV Drama Serial Award, as well as Awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress in our TV Drama Serials. It will serve to encourage our local actors, actresses, and producers.”
“Sir, I just want to ask the Minister whether he has any plan to provide the service of a mobile library in my constituency.”
“This may encourage householders at least to take some precautionary measures to prevent mosquito breeding in their homes. Sir, all said, I still feel that the best way to wipe out the dangerous Aedes mosquitoes is public awareness of the danger of the Aedes mosquitoes. This is best done through public and school education. A national campaign may also be necessary. May I then ask the Minister whether the Environment Ministry has any plan to introduce a public education programme this year to increase the public's awareness of the possible danger caused by Aedes mosquitoes? 1.45 pm”
“Sir, I am very concerned about the continuing resurgence of dengue fever in Singapore. In 1989, 944 cases were reported with two deaths. In 1990, 1,733 cases were reported with three deaths, and last year there were 2,179 cases with six deaths. In the first seven weeks of this year, 273 cases have already been reported. This is quite alarming in our ultra modern society. Reports of outbreak somehow come mainly from the north-eastern and eastern parts of Singapore. As no known vaccine is yet available in the market, residents in the affected areas are at risk of contracting the deadly disease. At present, fogging and the spraying of insecticide seems to be the only means to control the Aedes mosquitoes. Fogging and spraying, however, calls for the cooperation of the occupants of houses and flats affected. This often presents a problem, due to possibly ignorance or attitude of the householders concerned. Sir, most people have the impression that fogging will dirty their homes. As such, they will rather not open the door to the Ministry of the Environment officers. Some of them are also fearful that if mosquito larvae are found in their premises, they would be prosecuted. The Ministry of the Environment needs to address this problem of cooperation. I feel that much more publicity and public education may be necessary before the menace of the Aedes mosquitoes could be eradicated. Also, many people, either due to laziness or ignorance, do not change the water in the flower pots and vases often enough to prevent the breeding of mosquito larvae. Perhaps, some kind of chemicals that could stop the breeding of mosquitoes could be made easily available in the market.”
“The positive approach is often a long and tedious one, but the results are sweet and long lasting. Whereas a "quick-fix" approach often aggravates the original problem. The positive approach is through education, and the negative approach is through punishment and fines, although it cannot be denied that sometimes punishment and fines are necessary. In this respect, Sir, I have my doubts if the mooted Community Service Order would achieve its objective in Singapore. Littering is quite unlike housebreaking or robbery. It is much more difficult to apprehend the culprits, many of whom may be recalcitrant offenders. I would therefore urge that we should inculcate in our citizens the right values. They should be made to feel ashamed if they are caught littering themselves, and take pride in not doing so. This should begin in the homes and continue in kindergartens and schools and even colleges. I am sure with more public education, we can look forward to a healthy living and clean environment. Finally, Sir, may I ask the Minister whether there are plans to launch a public education programme. I believe that such a programme will raise the people's sense of collective and social responsibility. The ideal is to educate and cultivate such civic consciousness in our citizens so that it becomes a habit and a norm.”
“Sir, despite our strict anti-littering law, littering remains a problem in Singapore today. The number of persons prosecuted for littering reached a record high of 10,056 in 1990. It is a safe bet to say that nine out of 10 litterbugs are not caught in the act. Therefore, much more concerted effort is needed to stamp out this shameful and degrading act of many a Singaporean. I believe that public education is one of the best ways to rid Singaporeans of this anti-social act in the long run. The launching of the "Clean and Green" mascot frog to help save our environment saw a big drop in the number of persons prosecuted for littering in 1991. The figure dropped from 10,056 in 1990 to 4,250 last year. Therefore, I hope more such public education campaigns can be launched. The Ministry of the Environment must be congratulated for its fine efforts in controlling the littering problem. Sir, besides public education, school and home education is equally important, if not more so. For one reason or another, one seldom hears of "Use Your Hands" campaign in schools nowadays. I remember in the olden days, especially in Chinese schools, keeping the classrooms as well as the school compound clean and tidy, including washing the lavatories, used to be part and parcel of a school child's total curriculum, as it were. Why not now, Sir? We all know that good habits should be inculcated young. And helping to keep places other than one's own home clean is definitely a habit worth inculcating in every one of our citizens. Perhaps, the Minister for Education could consider my humble suggestion. Our express wish is to bring about a more gracious and caring society. One way to do this is to adopt a positive or constructive approach rather than a negative or "quick-fix" approach.”
“The stallholders will, of course, pass the cost to the consumers. In the end, it is the consumers who will be the ones to suffer. I therefore would like to propose that new markets should not be tendered out to single operators, but leased directly to the members of the public with some kind of concession or priority given to stallholders in old markets affected by relocation. In this way, market rentals for stalls will not be driven too high.”
“Sir, in the 1970s and early 1980s, food centres and wet markets were built to relocate street and back lane hawkers to improve the standards of hygiene and the health conditions of the stalls. It was also to provide residents with easy access to them. By 1983 the authority had stopped building wet markets, as all street hawkers had been properly accommodated in food centres and markets built by HDB. Now the building of new wet markets will be accompanied by the demolition of old and dilapidated ones. This will mean the relocation of stallholders now operating in the old markets. Under the existing policy, these affected stallholders will have three choices open to them. They can either choose to give up their stalls and receive a lump sum compensation, bid for the new stalls, or rent them from a single operator of the market. Whether they bid for a stall or rent one from the sole operator, the rental fees they have to pay will definitely be higher than what they are paying now, judging from the current market forces. As many of the affected stallholders may not be able to afford the new rentals, their livelihood will be affected. It will not be easy for the affected people to find another means of livelihood because these people have been hawking all their lives. May I therefore request that the Government work out some kind of scheme to give them priority over fresh applicants when it comes to allocation of stalls in the new market. Also, I think it will not be a good idea to tender out the new market to single operators on term lease. This is because the prospective operators will definitely bid at very high prices in order to get the term lease. The successful bidder will in turn charge stallholders exorbitant rents to make a handsome profit.”
“They should not only be functional but also modern looking and blend well aesthetically with the surroundings. Stringent measures should also be taken to keep them clean and pollution free at all times. Sir, while on the subject of wet markets, the second point I want to speak on is poultry slaughtering in wet markets, and I have a few questions to ask the Minister. In how many such markets has the slaughtering of poultry been phased out so far? Has any survey been conducted to find out consumer acceptance of abattoir slaughtered poultry? Has the business of the stallholders been affected with the phasing out of poultry slaughtering in wet markets? What assurance do the consumers have as regards the freshness of dressed poultry? If abattoirs are required to date tag the dressed poultry, the Ministry must ensure that the date tags are not tampered with. What measures are there to ensure that the unsold poultry are not treated with chemicals so as to preserve its freshness? Sir, until there are enough service abattoirs to supply dressed poultry, the phasing out of poultry slaughtering in wet markets should be done in stages. This is to ensure that both the consumers' and the stallholders' interests are not compromised. 1.30 pm”
“Sir, I just want to touch on two points: one, wet markets and, two, poultry slaughtering in wet markets. Sir, it is indeed good news to many Singaporeans, especially housewives, that the Government has decided to change this "No More Wet Markets" policy. The Government is now reintroducing wet markets in the new town centres. In fact, my residents in Changi, particularly those living at Simei Estate, are also happy that a new market and 29 more shops are to be built in the Estate for their shopping convenience. Sir, since 1983, when the Government stopped building wet markets, many supermarkets like NTUC Fairprice and Econminimart, for example, and other mini and dry markets have mushroomed all over Singapore. However, these so-called modern marketing facilities, though conveniently located and with cleaner environment, have never been able to replace the traditional wet markets. The general public still prefers the traditional wet markets. The reason for this is not difficult to understand. Firstly, the wet markets not only offer a wide range of market produce to consumers at cheaper prices, the produce sold is fresher too. Secondly, more often than not, the transactions in a mini or dry market are usually cold and impersonal. On the other hand, the dealings in a wet market are usually warm and friendly. Stallholders are courteous. Regular customers are often addressed by names. One must not forget that not only can customers practise their bargaining power in a wet market, they are even given reasonable price reductions, if they happen to be regularly patronising the same stalls. Although the reintroduction of wet markets is to be welcomed, the Government must ensure that the new markets to be built should match with time.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, one question for the Minister of State. With regard to the hospital in Simei, I would like to ask when will the construction work begin and when will it be completed. 1.30 pm”
“I urge the Government to pay more attention to these mental patients and I hope that the Government would start an educational campaign to let our people understand what is mental disease and what is psychiatric problem so that these mental patients would have the courage to seek treatment. The Government should educate our people and teach them how to maintain good mental health. Perhaps, the People's Association could help in this aspect. 1.15 pm At the same time, the Ministry of Health should educate our people, particularly the bosses, the employers, the proper approach to accept the mental patients. Perhaps, the mental problem may be a very minor one. The employees would not dare to disclose this in their application forms because they are afraid that they may be rejected or dismissed when this is known to the employers. I also hope that the Government will continue to educate these patients so that they will accept treatment at the Government hospitals. Perhaps, we could decentralize them so that they may not have to go to Woodbridge Hospital. They can receive treatment even at our polyclinics. We should even have a "Mental and Psychiatric Week" so that our people will understand and accept that this is part of life. It is not something that is incurable. Mr Chairman, Sir, if we say "Health is Wealth", then I hope the Government would actively consider providing better and more effective treatment for the mental patients.”