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 Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.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 4 of 9.
“If no hawker was fined on Lunar New Year's Eve for extension of stall, how does he account for the raid and exorbitant fine on hawkers at Lim Tua Tow Market, as mentioned in this House by the Senior Parliamentary Secretary some days ago? Mr Eugene Yap Giau Cheng: Sir, the point raised by the Member for Braddell Heights in Parliament on 16th March 1989 was that for three consecutive days during the Lunar New Year our officers raided the Lim Tua Tow Market and issued summonses to stallholders who had extended their stalls. Sir, may I have your permission to clarify that the Ministry did not issue any summons against stallholders in the Lim Tua Tow Market for extension of stalls during the three days preceding the Lunar New Year. In fact, Members of this House may wish to know that no single summons was issued to stallholders at this market for extension of stalls for 11 clear days before the Lunar New Year. However, three illegal hawkers operating outside the Lim Tua Tow Market were summoned on the eve of Chinese New Year. These three illegal hawkers were not licensed stallholders in the Lim Tua Tow Market. They were there actually to take the business away from the licensed stallholders. Sir, the Member for Braddell Heights also informed the House on 16th March that one of the Lim Tua Tow stallholders was fined $800 for extension. Sir, our records show that the highest fine imposed by the court on a stallholder in the Lim Tua Tow Market is $500, and not $800.”
“Question No. 4, Sir. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment (Mr Eugene Yap Giau Cheng) (for the Minister for the Environment): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am answering on behalf of my Minister. Every Lunar New Year period, the Hawkers Department gives a concession to stallholders in hawker centres to display their goods beyond their stalls, so long as extensions do not cause obstruction to other stallholders or inconvenience the public. However, no stallholder is allowed to set up stalls outside of the hawker centre proper. If he sets up stalls on the road or public concourse, then he will be given a summons for illegal hawking. Sir, on the 4th February 1989, that is, Chinese New Year's Eve, no licensed hawkers were summoned for displaying goods beyond their stalls. This includes hawkers at the Lim Tua Tow Market. A total of 38 illegal hawkers were summoned for selling goods at various places on the 4th February 1989. 19 of them were found selling outside various markets.”
“The postal department must take immediate steps to remedy their shortcomings. They must find out what has gone wrong with our postal service. Is there a shortage of postmen or postwomen? Has the Telecoms Authority planned to take steps to upgrade the postal service system as it has done to the telecommunciations service?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, Singapore has made great progress in the field of telecommunications. Much time, efforts and money have been invested to develop a telecommunication system which can rival that of any other major cities in the world. However, as we forge ahead in the field of advanced technology, ironically, we have lapsed in the traditional postal service which should remain a reliable means of communication. Of late, non-delivery and late delivery of letters and parcels have become so fre- quent that, if left unchecked, the members of the public will lose confidence in the service. Mail inserted into the wrong mail-boxes in HDB housing estates and other high-rise buildings have become common. I do not know whether such problems exist nation-wide but, at least, I know for a fact that problems exist in the eastern part of Singapore. We appreciate the difficult job of a postman who has to deliver many letters a day. However, a postman must exercise care when inserting mail into the mail-boxes. Mail inserted into the wrong mail-boxes are either thrown away or left lying around somewhere in the homes of other people. Non-delivery of letters can cause great inconvenience, financial losses and even troubles to people. It is uncharacteristic of the postal department to lapse in their service to the general public. In fact, we have always been proud of our postal service. In the past, mail delivery was very efficient. Normally mail would take one day, or at the latest two days, to reach the addressee. But now, the situation is different. Mail normally takes two or more days to reach the addressee. If the addressee is not so fortunate, he may receive his mail one week later or may not receive it at all.”
“Two days ago I heard from the Senior Minister of State for Education that no schools will be built in Changi. Why is there a site reserved for school building programme? My second question is that I want to find out from the Minister of State what kind of housing development is going to take place on this land?”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Minister of State whether lighting will also be provided for another overhead bridge which is presently under construction?”
“With regard to the Solid Waste Management, Sir, I have often observed that there is a frequent congestion at the Lorong Halus Refuse Dumping Ground. Vehicles loaded with garbage line up along Lorong Halus and stretch into the newly constructed Tampinese Expressway. I wonder what is the cause of congestion at this place. As regard the existing incinerators, would the hon. Minister also tell us whether they are able to cope with the incineration of the increased volume of refuse? I do not know whether at this stage they have reached the saturation point that calls for more incineration plants to be constructed. The other point on Pulau Semakau Island for future offshore dumping, I just want to find out from the Minister whether there is a real need to go so far away to dump our rubbish. Is it a cost effective project and whether in Singapore island itself there is any more land available for the dumping of refuse?”
“Sir, I will make it very short. I just want to pose a few questions.”
“Anyway, I am quite satisfied with his answer. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before I withdraw my amendment, I just want to find out from the Hon. Minister as to why the Changi Beach Park has not been provided with any shelters.”
“The shelters, of course, can be designed and constructed to blend with the surroundings. I hope the Hon. Minister will look into this matter. Mr Peh Chin Hua (Jalan Besar GRC)( In Mandarin): Sir, I fully agree with what Mr Teo said just now. I would complement by saying that if we want to build a gracious society with a gracious life, then we should within the constraints of land, find ways and means to build and improve our parks and recreational facilities to create a gracious environment, because in a society like Singapore where the pace of life is very hectic, parks and recreational facilities in natural landscape will provide soothing environment for our relaxation after a day's work. Therefore, I would like to know whether the Ministry has any plans to open up new parks around the Housing Board estates to help Singapore progress towards a more gracious society. Another question is, apart from the parks in the Housing Board estates, whether more parks and other recreational facilities will be developed around Singapore. I also want to know whether the Singapore River banks will be developed into a belt for relaxation and recreation with fishing, barbecue facilities, pavilions and camping sites so that our young and old can go there to relax themselves, enjoying a truly gracious life.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head T be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TD 1500 of the Main Estimates. Sir, I am speaking on the Parks Programme of the Parks and Recreation Department. Singapore, although small, has many big beautiful parks all over the island. The bigger ones near the beaches are Pasir Ris Beach Park, Changi Beach, East Coast Park, just to name a few. The Parks and Recreation Department must be commended for providing and maintaining these parks not only to meet the needs of our young and old citizens but also to enhance the environment with added greeneries to the, otherwise, dull and monotonous concrete highrise buildings nearby. During weekends and public holidays, large number of people go for their outdoor activities - some in organized groups, others in families or individuals. The senior citizens go for their morning or evening strolls. Some are practising Tai Chi or Qi Gong. Others jog around while some hold barbeque parties or even fly kites. In fact, there is a variety of healthy activities. All this goes on well when the weather is fine. But we know that Singapore's weather is unpredictable. It shines at one moment and rains heavily at the next. When it rains, most people are often caught scrambling around, looking for shelters in the park. Some people even squeeze themselves in telephone booths for shelter. Many others, including senior citizens and young children, are often drenched if there is not a shelter nearby where they can take refuge. I observe that there is inadequate or lack of shelters in some of our parks. I would like to request the Parks and Recreation Department to consider providing more shelters in our parks for people.”
“Sir, is it possible for the NPP to be set up earlier than the end of the year?”
“May I ask the hon. Minister whether there is an increase in the number of secret society activities or criminal activities involving students in recent years?”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Minister of State how many of these offenders are foreigners, in terms of percentage?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the Senior Minister of State whether in building the road divider and installing the signalized traffic lights provision can be made for a U-turn at the junction of the traffic light. Dr Lee Boon Yang: I will ask the Public Works Department to look into this request. CHANGI CONSTITUENCY (Primary and secondary schools) 2. Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Education how many more primary and secondary schools will be built in Changi Constituency.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill. In particular, I would like to speak briefly on Part VI of the Bill, ie, touting. Touting has been going on in Singapore for a long time. The so-called pimps who prey on the tourists are touts of the worst kind. I think most of them are gangsters. Enhancing the fines and jail sentences for touting is most welcome. Unscrupulous touts do not take no for an answer from the tourists. They are so persistent that some of them go to the extreme of being abusive to the tourists. If touting in the tourist belt, especially along the Orchard Road shopping complexes, is not eradicated, Singapore's image as a shopping paradise will surely be badly tarnished. The touts often harass the tourists into buying from them counterfeit watches and other imitation goods. They will try every trick to fleece the unwary tourists. Sir, a great part of our earnings is derived from tourism and many people in Singapore are depending on the industry for their livelihood. We must not let the touts or any others to undermine the STPB's efforts to attract more tourists into our country. Mr Speaker, Sir, some days ago it was reported in the New Paper that touting has now spread to Changi Airport but in a different form. Sir, the illegal touting activities pose a threat to the security and safety of aircraft and passengers. Changi Airport with a reputation of being the best airport in the world must not allow the presence of touts within its premises. Hence the passing of this Amendment Bill is timely to deter the touts from pursuing their illegal activities. I hope more police enforcement action will be taken against these touts. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister of State which voluntary organization will be running the child care centre?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in my conclusion, let me just highlight one Government department which has done well in their public service. The Singapore Police Force has done a commendable job in their endeavour to win the confidence of the people. Their efforts have paid dividends. More Singaporeans are cooperating with the Police to minimize crime and apprehend criminals. The police officers manning the neighbourhood police posts are shining examples of civil servants who are trained to be courteous and helpful to the public. This has encouraged the public to cooperate wholeheartedly with the Police. I hope that more Government departments will emulate the Police Force. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion.”
“If some civil servants choose to discriminate against a certain class of Singaporeans, then the consequences could be as damaging as racial strife, if left unchecked. I would, therefore, strongly urge all civil servants, especially those who have direct dealings with the public, to be more courteous and sensitive to human feelings. Civil servants must realize that they are part of the government - the Executive arm of the Government. Their actions will either reflect well or adversely on the image of the Government. If a few wayward ones are rude and unhelpful to the public and show no concern to their needs, the public will misconstrue that the Government is uncaring and unsympathetic. Hence, our courtesy messages will then sound hollow. Little things like courtesy, helpfulness and understanding will undoubtedly go a long way in making the public, irrespective of their class, feel wanted and at ease, even if their requests cannot be met. Sir, I am also fully aware that there are some members of the public who can be uncooperative, unreasonable, pushy, aggressive and sometimes quarrelsome when they go to see the civil servants. Even under such conditions, civil servants must not lose their cool. Mr Speaker, Sir, the policy of posting newly recruited civil servants in the course of their training to attend the meet-the-people sessions conducted by the PAP MPs is a step in the right direction. These sessions are fruitful as they provide an opportunity for new civil servants to hear, at first hand, the types of problems and complaints brought up by the people to their MPs. I suggest that all civil servants, especially the front-liners, should also be given the opportunity to attend the meet-the-people sessions.”
“Of course, I do not expect the Civil Service to be as accommodating and flexible as the private sector. However, I do wish to see a more courteous and understanding Civil Service. Courtesy would certainly make life more pleasant for everyone; it will help us to be psychologically better adjusted with less pent-up frustration. A concerted effort must be made to internalize ways of behaviour which will make us co-exist pleasantly and harmoniously in our crowded urban environment. Courtesy together with compassion would go a long way to upgrade the quality of our lives. Sir, I have dealt at some length on the theme of courtesy and human compassion. This is because I am somewhat disturbed by the number of people who complain to me at my regular meet-the-people sessions about callous, impatient, ill-mannered and rude civil servants. I am told that there are still some wayward civil servants, who are in direct contact with the general public, who have been reported to be arrogant and oblivious to the needs of the people. The illiterate and the less privileged people are usually the victims of such unkind encounters at government departments. These people too have feelings and emotion. As such, civil servants should respect their individuality and dignity. As for the literate who can directly communicate with civil servants in writing, they, too, have complaints against the Civil Service. They have to wait for months before they can get acknowledgement to their letters or sometimes no reply to them at all. This should not happen as it tarnishes the image of an efficient Civil Service. Mr Speaker, Sir, the President in his Address stressed on racial and religious harmony. I would like to add the importance of class harmony.”
“As civil servants have access to information which could affect the lives of thousands of people, any civil servant who is found to be corrupt, no matter how minor the offence may be, should be weeded out of the Civil Service and properly dealt with by law. The best way to prevent corruption is, of course, to instil pride in one's work. A reasonable salary and good prospects for promotions for the deserving ones are, of course, important ingredients too. It is heartening to note that in the Addendum on the Ministry of Finance, it has been stated that the next step in public sector wage reform will be a revision of salary and career structures so as to keep up with the new conditions in the labour market. On the subject of integrity, I am proud to say that our Civil Service is held in very high esteem by governments in both developing and developed countries around the globe. Even people who do not see eye to eye with us cannot but admit that we have a clean and uncorrupt Civil Service. The civil servants must uphold this pride for ever and ever. Thirdly, Sir, civil servants are expected to be courteous and compassionate in their dealing with the public. From my personal experience, I would say that our civil servants do not lack these qualities. They are impartial and firm, but sometimes they tend to overdo it, thinking that a civil servant must never show compassion and empathy to the members of the public. They emphasize so much on efficiency that they have been branded as "devoid of emotion". As a result of this false premise, many a civil servant has been accused of being callous, brusque and even rude by the public. Others have been likened to robots, unsmiling and unfeeling when dealing with the public.”
“In a fast-changing modern technological society, nothing stands still and nobody remains unaffected by the change, least of all the Civil Service. Sir, let me now dwell on some of the essential qualities of good civil servants. Firstly, they must be loyal to the master they serve. No government worthy of its name can afford to harbour disloyal civil servants. Only loyal civil servants would be able to implement government policies effectively and efficiently. In fact, in a meritocracy, which we are, the power of the bureaucratic sector is ever-increasing and the Government places a lot of trust on experts and expertise in planning and implementing government policies. Any Government policy, no matter how well intended, if not implemented with humaneness, tact and flexibility, will reflect badly on the image of the Government. Civil servants are public servants. Their duty is to serve the people. The public's expectation of them is that they will have to serve them to the best of their ability. Disloyal civil servants can even bring about the collapse of an elected government. It is a well-known fact that the political party in power in a democratic state may come and go, but the civil servants remain to serve the public whichever political party is in power. Therefore, if any civil servant should disagree so strongly with some of the government policies as to feel that he is going against his conscience in implementing such policies, then it will not be worth his while remaining in the Civil Service. The second quality that civil servants must possess is integrity. Without integrity, corruption is inevitable. No corrupt government can look after the well-being of its people.”
“This happens because many of our front-line civil servants are not doing enough or unwilling to take the trouble to explain Government policies and rules and regulations to members of the public who approach them for assistance in the first place. As a result, the PAP Members of Parliament often find themselves doing the job of petition writers. Sir, allow me to comment on some aspects of our Civil Service. Among other things, the Addendum on the Ministry of Finance has mentioned that public servants will be trained and upgraded in order to serve the public better. First and foremost, I would like to stress that we have a good Civil Service and we are proud of our civil servants as a whole. Singapore owes its prosperity and progress, to a great extent, to our Civil Service. It is not an overstatement to say that. Had it not been for their dedication and efficiency, Singapore would not be what it is today. The success story of Singapore is, to a very great extent, the story of the political leadership and the Civil Service working in tandem. The contributions of the civil servants, especially the top-notch civil servants, are invaluable. However, the role played by the junior civil servants is just as important, for example, a piece of machinery, no matter how sophisticated and excellent, may break down even if only a single component in it malfunctions. Sir, our population is becoming better educated. It is expected that they will be more aware of their rights and thus becoming more demanding. To meet their higher expectations and demands, the Civil Service must continue to upgrade and improve itself so as to better serve the general public.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just one point in response to the Member for Cairnhill. He had given a quotation in Chinese, "Bai nian shu ren" ( ) "Bai nian shu ren" does not mean that it takes 100 years to cultivate a person; by which time he would have been dead. But if the reward is cultivated, it lasts more than 100 years. Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to give my wholehearted support to the hon. Member for Siglap who has moved the motion to thank the President for his Address at the Opening of the First Session of the Seventh Parliament. Singapore is a democratic country. In any democracy, the government comprises three distinct branches, namely, the Legislature, the Judiciary and the Executive. The separation of power and authority is essential for the working of a genuine democracy. However, this does not mean that the three branches of government have nothing to do with one another. On the contrary, if a country is to be governed well, the three branches must be appreciative of one another's role. They must not only understand one another, but also their work should in fact complement one another's whenever and wherever possible. As an elected Member of Parliament, my main duty is to look after the welfare of my constituents, acting as a transmitter of grassroots thinking and to help pass laws which will improve their lot and at the same time bring greater stability, prosperity and security to all Singaporeans. However, Sir, I also find myself spending a great deal of my time interpreting, explaining and re-explaining basic Government policies, rules and regulations to my constituents.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for the reply. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I just want to find out from the Minister how soon will this revision of salaries come about.”
“Fourthly, to provide study awards to children of nurses with outstanding school results. Fifthly, to present long-service awards to nurses who have served more than 10 years. Sixthly, to give special incentives, eg, free holiday tours to outstanding nurses. Lastly, to provide better and more comfortable rest areas for nurses. Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Sir, I would like to thank the Member for Changi for his long list of suggestions. I will ask my Ministry officials to review them and see how they fit in with the fringe benefit system of the civil service. But there are a few points which I can reply on immediately. First, child care services. I believe that these were provided in certain hospitals earlier on, but unfortunately they proved to be unpopular and were therefore withdrawn. Scholarship to nurses for upgrading: yes, these are being provided. Every year we do send quite a good number of nurses for upgrading courses. Long service awards: I am not too sure how much flexibility we have in this area. Also, Incentives for outstanding nurses: all this have implications for the civil service. I will ask my officials to look into them.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head P be reduced by $10 in respect of Code PD 1000 of the Main Estimates. Sir, I would like to further comment on the problem of the shortage of nurses in Government hospitals. Nursing not being the most glamorous career, unlike that of the Singapore Girl, cannot be expected to attract many young aspiring school leavers. The Minister has identified the problem that contributed to the shortage of nurses and promised to revise their salaries. I shall not delve on the subject further apart from appealing to the Minister for Finance who is here this morning to be on the generous side when revising the pay scales. We have to be realistic and face the hard facts of life in a modern materialistic society. We can only get what we are prepared to pay for. We will be most unrealistic and we will only be kidding ourselves if we expect to reproduce Florence Nightingales of yester year. It is high time the Government boosted the nurses' public image not only to raise their salaries but also to improve their welfare and general working conditions. It is also high time something concrete is done to make nursing a more rewarding and satisfying career for school leavers who may have an inclination for it. Sir, I have a few suggestions to make for the Minister to consider. Firstly, to provide child care centres at the workplace for nurses who are married and have young children. The charges should be minimal. Secondly, to provide scholarships and bursaries for deserving nurses to pursue relevant courses to upgrade themselves. Thirdly, to promote a better public image of nurses along the line of what is being done for teachers by using the mass media.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, for Question No. 9, the Minister has given the answer yesterday. I therefore withdraw the question. 11.20 am [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] COMMUNITY CENTRE ACTIVITIES (Malay participation) 10. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Community Development what efforts he is making or has made to get more persons from the Malay community to take part in the activities of community centres.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Singapore's skyline has changed. With many high-rise buildings now in Singapore, some rising to more than 50 storeys high, like hotels, commercial buildings, private and public dwelling apartments, fire fighting has become more complicated for the Fire Service Department if a fire were to break out in any of the high-rise buildings. Sir, surely we do not want to see a towering inferno in Singapore. In the past, fires which destroyed kampong houses were rampant. Fire fighting at that time was not so complicated because the buildings were low-rise. But now the demand for fire fighting service calls for the provision of a more sophisticated type of training and equipment. I would like to request the Hon. Minister to enlighten us on the type of skills training that the Fire Service Department has been conducting for its fire service personnel and the type of fire fighting equipment acquired to fight high-rise fires as well as to save lives. I would also like to find out from the Minister whether our Fire Service personnel are being sent overseas for training.”
“Sir, I raised an issue yesterday with regard to the conversion of vacant market stalls into cooked food stalls, and I have not got an answer yet from either the Minister or the Senior Parliamentary Secretary.”
“Sir, will these taxis queuing along Airport Boulevard pose a hazard to oncoming traffic?”
“Sir, many of the less popular markets still have vacant stalls not taken up by applicants. I am not referring to the one at Cuppage Centre. I would like to find out from the Hon. Minister whether the exercise carried out by the Hawkers Department some years ago to convert the vacant market stalls into cooked food stalls in some of these markets is still going on. If so, how many conversions have been completed and whether they have been allocated.”
“So I feel that the Government is exercising control too strictly. We should give them more liberty to make their own arrangement. I hope that the Minister would review the policy on this matter and consider carefully suitable measures to rectify the situation.”
“We all know that the eating houses under the HDB have to pay a rental of about $10,000 or even more per month. In fact, they have been paying very high rental and this is not lessexpensive than those eating houses in the private estates. Since the operators of these eating houses dare to pay so much for the eating houses, they should know how to operate their business. But what surprises me most is that the Ministry of the Environment has put them under very strict control, say, on the display of the stalls, how to place the tables and chairs in the coffeeshops, the number of stalls allowed, the number of tables and chairs allowed and the spacing, etc. In other words, all these matters are strictly controlled by the Ministry. Sir, I do not know of any country in the world other than Singapore which has imposed such restrictions as the display of tables and chairs in eating houses. Maybe the Minister would enlighten us with some examples in other countries, if there are any. Of course, we know that the Ministry should control them on matters of hygiene and safety. But as regards the other minor matters of the display of tables and chairs, it should be left to the eating house operators to do their best and up to their business ingenuity. Since they have paid so much rent, they should have their ways to attract customers. They feel that if there are too few stalls, they may not be able to attract customers and get good business. And if they put too many tables and chairs, it may cause inconvenience to the customers or cause a congestion. They know how to make adjustments, if necessary. I feel that they should be given a free hand to make this judgment, as they only would know what is the most appropriate arrangement.”
“For example, what is the minimum degree of refrigeration necessary for proper storage of food, like meat and sea food, to ensure freshness; whether harmful food additives are randomly used in food preparation; and on crockery, whether the chipped or cracked crockery, which is likely to collect bacteria or other harmful organisms, is still being used. Sir, these are some of the examples. Another matter I want to raise is on enforcement by Health Inspectors. Often, enforcement officers call at the food establishments or food centres to make their inspection. Normally if they do discover anything that is not in compliance with standards of proper hygiene, they will issue the operator with a summons to appear in court. Granted, Sir, these officers have a duty to do; but what I am appealing to the Hon. Minister is that they should refrain from issuing summonses so freely and inconsiderately. If the food operators are not complying to the rules correctly, it is the enforcement officer's duty to correct them and to guide them accordingly, but not to punish them in the first instance. This should be part of an educating process for restaurateurs and all those who have dealings in cooked food business. If the enforcement officers can help to educate the food operators on the proper ways of food preparation as well as maintaining cleanliness at the workplace, such as the kitchen and the wash area, instead of issuing them with summonses, it will go a long way to ensure that we continue to maintain a high standard of food preparation and food serving in all eating establishments in Singapore. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon (Yuhua)( In Mandarin): Sir, I would like to talk about the problem of display in the restaurants and coffeeshops in HDB estates.”
“Sir, more and more Singaporeans are eating out at restaurants and food centres these days. It has indeed become the lifestyle of many of us. Therefore, I urge the Ministry of the Environment to ensure that food served in restaurants and food centres are of good quality, wholesome and safe for consumption. What I am concerned about is that every now and then I read in the newspapers of cases of food poisoning and of restaurateurs being prosecuted and fined for not adhering to proper food hygiene standards when preparing food. These are known cases. There must be many more food poisoning cases which are not reported every year. I would appreciate it if the Hon. Minister could enlighten us whether the incidents of food poisoning are on the rise every year, especially during the Chinese New Year period when many Singaporeans, in their belief that, for good luck, they ought to eat raw fish or Yu-sheng as they call it in Chinese. As most of us in this House also believe it, we too eat raw fish for good luck. However, Yu-sheng, or the raw fish dish, is not the only dish that can cause food poisoning if it is not well prepared. Improper practices of general food hygiene by food handlers are also factors that could contribute to food poisoning. I would like to find out from the Hon. Minister whether there are written guidelines given to those people who deal in cooked food. If there are, they must be simple enough for food handlers to understand.”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister a few points. Firstly, I would like to ask the Hon. Minister whether there could be more newsreel and more on-the-spot reporting during News presentation. Sir, I heard the Minister mentioning just now one programme called "Neighbours". I noted that the programme comprises artistes who are all Chinese. In this programme could there not be a multi-racial cast in some of the episodes? This, to my mind, will go a long way towards breaking down racial divides and help build inter-communal understanding and harmony within our multi-racial society.”
“The Mindef "recall" message on the TV screen, for example, has been very effective for our national service reservists. Sir, on news presentation, I must say that our TV news readers are doing a fine job.”
“Sir, I would like to comment and suggest on some of the areas in which SBC can do better. The programme "Today in Parliament", introduced a few years ago, is a very enlightening, thought-provoking programme for which Singapore is the first country to introduce it on our TV screen. It has been generally well-received by viewers. It enables viewers to watch highlights of the parliamentary proceedings from the arm-chairs of their homes. It would be more useful to the viewers if the presentor for this programme could give a brief explanation of the parliamentary procedures, the issues or Bills to be debated, etc, before the programme is telecast. This will enable the audience to have a clearer understanding of the whole proceedings. Nevertheless, we are grateful and thankful to the five gentlemen behind the TV cameras in this Chamber for their skill, patience and tolerance. In the case of a Chinese classical drama, SBC could explain the significance of the different costumes, facial make-up and various basic movements. In this way, the audience, especially the young, will also learn to appreciate classical drama. Today, Sir, sad to say, very few young people are able to understand, let alone appreciate, classical dramas or cultural shows which are part of our cultural heritage. Sir, apart from highlighting the launching of the various national campaigns, often with fanfare, SBC could do more by periodically reminding the people of such campaigns even though the month-long duration for each campaign is over. Theme songs can be played over the radio and on TV. Selective slogans of each campaign can appear on the TV screen in the midst of a show. This is important if we want the message of a campaign to sink into the sub-conscious minds of the people.”
“Sir, thank you for the opportunity given to me to speak on this subject of SBC programmes. Sir, since its establishment in 1980, the SBC has been doing a wonderful job. Its programmes have been steadily improving day by day in terms of quality, quantity and variety. It has managed to maintain a fairly good mix of programmes that inform, educate and entertain. Special mention should be made on programmes like "Friday Background", "Feedback" and "Today in Parliament". These programmes are very informative, educational and often thought-provoking. They contribute quite significantly in our effort to build a mature, cohesive and united nation. They influence Singaporeans in general to be more political conscious and also mindful of the nation's well-being. SBC has also done its fair share in helping the Government to carry out the various national campaigns every year. These are Courtesy Campaign, Speak Mandarin Campaign, Crime Prevention Campaign, Safe-Driving Campaign, Anti-Smoking Campaign, Productivity Campaign, and so on. Its effort in producing dramas with local themes in Chinese, Malay and Tamil has been particularly successful. Therefore, its ambitious move to continuously recruit and train more and better local talents for our drama productionm is commendable and indeed a step in the right direction. I would like to congratulate the SBC for a job well done. There is always a high demand among viewers for good quality production and SBC, in this instance, cannot afford to rest on its laurels. To help improve further and enhance its programmes, SBC should continue to invite viewers to contribute useful feedback, constructive comments and criticisms with the aim of continuously upgrading its performance and achieving greater heights of success.”
“The reason given by the Resettlement Department was that these shopkeepers were no longer in physical occupation or operating their business on the resettlement site when the new policy came into force. Sir, this is grossly unfair to the shopkeepers who had obediently wound up their business to make way for some development projects. Surely some compassion must be granted to these people. Special consideration must be given to them. I would like to appeal to the Hon. Minister to consider such appeals very favourably so that it will ease the hardship of these people affected by development projects.”
“Sir, after 28th July 1987 when the new resettlement policy came into effect, shopkeepers are no longer offered alternative premises. Those who are still operating after 28th July 1987 are offered cash compensation amounting to $26,000 in lieu of shop premises. This amount is paid to the shopkeeper who is singly operating the shop. However, if there are two operators operating in the same premises, it is classified under the multi-tenancy scheme. In such a case, the amount of $26,000 should rightly be equally shared between the two operators, each getting $13,000. But this is not so. One operator will get $13,000, and the other will get $6,500. Why is it so? Mathematically, this is not correct. After all, each operator runs his own business which is different from the other. The people who are affected do not really understand why the amount of $26,000, when shared between two operators operating different types of business in the same premises, is not divided equally between them. May I ask the Hon. Minister if he could enlighten us on the rationale for the unequal share of compensation for such resettlement cases. On another issue, I would like to touch on shopkeepers who were told to wind up their business due to urgent requirement of the resettlement site before 28th July 1987. These shopkeepers were in the meantime still waiting for offer of shophouses. After 28th July, when the new resettlement policy came into force, these shopkeepers who had just ceased their business at the resettlement site at the request of the Resettlement Department, lost everything just because of the new policy. Not only did they become ineligible for compensation of $26,000 but they were also not offered preferential treatment to enable them to tender for a shophouse.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I make it clearer? There are nurses who resigned to join a private nurses association, and these people take up nursing service through this agency centred specially for private patients.”
“Sir, may I ask the Hon. Acting Minister whether he is aware that many nurses have resigned to join the private nursing service specially catered for patients individually?”
“Sir, I would like to speak in Mandarin. But before I do that, would you allow me to comment on what the Member for Potong Pasir has just said? It is better for me to say it in English for his own convenience.”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister whether these people have been warned first and whether they have been told of the reasons for such actions taken against them before these written summonses were issued?”
“Sir, may I ask the Hon. Acting Minister, firstly, whether his Ministry would bear the cost of such vaccination and, secondly, if the cost has to be borne by the people, how could this be made cheap and affordable for the people to be immunized against such disease? Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Sir, it is precisely because the cost of the vaccine is very high that the Ministry is looking into the implications of making it compulsory. The vaccination is now being made available to the public. For newborn babies, the cost of three doses of vaccination would come to about $60. For adults, the cost of a cycle of three doses would come to $120. This is very much cheaper than what is offered in the private sector. In fact, for adults, it is offered at the cost of the vaccine itself. VACANT LANDS AT PASIR PANJANG ROAD/ALEXANDRA TERRACE (Development plans) 9. Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Minister for National Development whether there are plans to develop (i) the vacant land between Alexandra Terrace and Alexandra Lane and (ii) the piece of land (from Perak House) next to the Pasir Panjang Community Centre.”
“Sir, may I ask of the Hon. Minister, if the reservist is the only son of the family and upon whom the family business depends very much, would his request for deferment be specially considered if the period or time to him is not suitable for him to leave his business? BG Lee Hsien Loong: Mr Speaker, Sir, we will consider the matter sympathetically. But it is not possible to approve deferment on the basis that the reservist is the only son, because he is likely to remain an only son for many years to come. You cannot have a deferment every year until your younger brother grows up. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] HDB FLATS (Price Increase) 2. Mr Chew Heng Ching asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board has any plan to increase the prices of flats in 1987.”