Teong Eng Siong
Singapore
“Sir, on a point of order. (In Mandarin) Sir, just now the Minister said that by suggesting the granting of citizenship to these people I would be inviting competition because they would then be allowed to apply for hawker licence and HDB flats. I did not say that.”
“Only two? Mr Chua Sian Chin: Two out of 35 from the Land Divisions and 18 from the Radio Division. I think that is sufficient. If the Member is not aware, may I say that we have asked the Management Services Department of the Ministry of Finance to make a recent study into the adequacy of patrol cars on patrol at any one time.”
“Very often on pay days they crowd into the post office and pack up all the space, and the small number of staff would be kept very busy. According to my understanding, the small post office there will soon be receiving payments for PUB bills for the benefit of the people there. Of course, this will be convenient to the residents there.”
“Sir,I have also noticed that roads built under the gotong royong scheme are much better than those built by the contractors. Even after several years of use, these roads are still good.”
“Sir, in view of the Parliamentary Secretary's satisfactory explanation. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $159,839,000 for Head O ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $1,213,685,000 for Head O ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head P -”
“Another problem concerns the many HDB flats in certain areas which have not been taken up after allotment and have been left vacant for a long time. There are many such vacant flats in my constituency, for instance. Marsiling (a part of the Woodlands New Town), and I believe the same is true of other housing estates. Why?”
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“Mr Speaker, Sir, I feel that the introduction of this Bill at this juncture is most appropriate because the building industry has been growing very rapidly recently. The Government and the private sector are both engaged in the construction of buildings. Furthermore, the network of roads is being extended continuously. This means that the use of sand and granite is increasing every day. This Bill provides for the licensing and control of sand and granite quarries with provisions for safety measures. Without these safety measures, workers may be injured or killed, thus bringing misery to their families. So the introduction of this Bill should be welcomed. I would also like to point out that with the implementation of the Bill, the revenue of our country will also be increased and it will be a great help to our country financially. Just now, the Member for Kallang spoke at great length on how workers should be safeguarded against accidents. I feel that people working in quarries are risking their lives. So if there are no adequate safety measures in the quarries, the workers are liable to be injured. This Bill merits the support of all Members of the House. I also feel that there should be regulations to implement this Bill so that the objectives can be achieved. Mr Barker: Sir, the Bill has not as yet been passed and Members are telling me what to put into the regulations! I wonder whether they are jumping the gun, as it were, or barking up the wrong tree, telling me to induce my colleague, the Minister for Labour, to do this, that and the other. Suffice it to say that we had no Ordinance before. We now have a Bill which is really necessary and perhaps should have been introduced some time ago to control the operations of sand and granite quarry operators.”
“I hope there will be teachers to fill this gap, and also that art courses will be conducted. If the Institute of Education develops along the proper channels, it will be able to produce sufficient talented people for our nation. 4.16 p.m.”
“Sir, I feel that the Institute of Education Bill is an important Bill because it will make provision for the training of teachers in our country. In recent years, we have heard from various sources that we will raise the quality of our educational system in order to produce qualified personnel who will be able to make a contribution to our country. The Institute of Education will become a higher institution of education for our country and can change the nature and quality of our educational system for the better. It is most appropriate for Members to contribute their views to the House on this Bill. I would like to add only a few points. The Member for Jurong has said that at present there are shortcomings in the courses conducted by the Teachers' Training College. He feels that some of them are of no practical value. But he has not suggested to the House how to improve these courses so as to make them more practical in order to benefit the younger generation. We have often stressed that there is a shortage of technical and managerial personnel. We have often heard that the number of students turned out by our schools cannot meet the demands of our industries and various institutions. I would like to ask the Minister to pay special attention to this problem and get the Institute to speed up its output of students. The second point that I would like to make is that we should have teachers and teacher educators with good physique because we are striving to build a rugged society. So we should also pay attention to this aspect of physical education, particularly for teachers. The final point I want to make touches on the field of culture. We are very short of artistic personnel - artists, cultural activists and others in the field of fine arts and drama.”
“Only thus can this large-scale exercise receive the full support and co-operation of the people, and the objectives of the White Paper achieved, so that in the 1970s we can have a completely new and efficient system of public transport. 6.16 p.m.”
“To sum up, the various proposals enumerated in the White Paper not only create a new task for the people in the transport industry but they also pose a new challenge to all the people. They will have to adapt themselves to the new situation brought about by this reorganisation. Of course, to reorganise in tow the public transport service is a very onerous task. However, I believe that under the spirited and experienced leadership of the Minister for Communications, the programme will be smoothly carried out. I would, however, like to remind the Minister of several points. First, the reorganisation should be carried out with the utmost care, and sympathetic consideration should be given to the livelihood and difficulties of the people affected by the reorganisation. The reorganisation should also not adversely affect the development of our commerce and industry and the livelihood of the people in the transport industry. In addition to this, there is the attitude of Government servants. Recently, I received certain complaints about the discourteous and arrogant attitude of public servants towards members of the public. If this is true, I urge the Minister to look into this problem and see to it that the officers concerned carry out their work efficiently. Public officers should understand that they are servants of the people and their salaries come from the taxes paid by the people. Therefore, they should serve the people courteously. They should not abuse their powers and embarrass or oppress the people, especially now that we are carrying out a large-scale reorganisation of the public transport service. Public servants should maintain a fair and just attitude in carrying out their duties.”
“I feel that all matters relating to transport and communications should be under the Ministry of Communications. Not very long ago I suggested to the Minister that these departments should be merged into one and the Minister took a favourable view of my suggestion. Now I will repeat here that the Minister should merge together all the various departments which now deal with the public transport service. Hence, the R.O.V., the Traffic Police, the Car Parks Division and the road building section should come under one department. Under a unified management, a unified policy on public transport will not only be achieved but, at the same time, it can also better cope with the problem of public transport in our country. We can achieve a double result with less effort. Sir, with the increase in taxis, I feel that the Ministry of Communications should lay out more parking lots for them in order to enable the taxi drivers to pick up their passengers more conveniently. I also feel that all car parks should be open to taxis as well. This will enable the taxi drivers to take their lunch or to rest there. At the moment, foreign imported cars and other kinds of vehicles can park in the car parks. Only the taxis cannot. What is the reason for this discrimination? If the taxis are allowed to park in the car parks, they are prepared to pay parking fees. After all, they are also local citizens. Why should there be discrimination against taxi drivers? It is really difficult to comprehend this situation. I hope the Minister will, in the reorganisation of the public transport service, take the necessary measures to remedy this unreasonable situation.”
“It can be set up either with private capital or capital from the Government. The Government can even set up its own local vehicle assembly plant. In partnership with the private sector, it can set up a jointly-owned car manufacturing factory which can assemble or make various kinds of vehicles. It is no problem for the Government to get the money to do so. At the same time, we have people with the necessary expertise to set up such a factory and manage it. This will provide long-term investment opportunities which will save a lot of foreign exchange and also provide more jobs for our local citizens. So it is like killing two birds with one stone. I hope the Minister will seriously consider this point. Next I come to the question of the administrative system in the Ministry of Communications. I think it should be unified. In addition to the reorganisation of the public transport service and the purchase of more vehicles, there is also a need to have enough public officers and adequate equipment to cope with our requirements. The most important point is that the administrative system should be unified. At present the system works on this basis. The R.O.V, is responsible for the issuance of vehicular licences and the collection of vehicular taxes. The Traffic Police is in charge of traffic regulations and the testing of drivers. The Car Parks Division is in charge of car parks and taxi stations. But this division is under the Ministry of National Development. This triumvirate set-up will necessarily give rise to confusion and will affect the efficiency of the public transport service. The three departments should be unified into one in order to do away with the confusion obtaining at the moment in the various departments.”
“They are also necessary to importers and exporters. They cannot carry on their business without them. At the moment, there is no plant for locally assembled goods vehicles. Therefore, the new vehicles will have to be bought from abroad. As a result, we will lose a lot of foreign exchange. I therefore suggest that the replacement of goods vehicles should be carried Out progressively so as not to affect the business of those sectors in industry which use them. Next I come to the setting up of vehicle factories, either Government-owned or joint ventures. According to the White Paper, in the 3-Year Plan, it is necessary to buy 900 buses at a cost of $31.5 million, and 2,400 taxis at a cost of $20.7 million. The total equipment cost is about $50 million. In addition, there will be an increase of 450 school buses, and a total of 2,200 goods vehicles will need to be replaced. Undoubtedly a very large sum of investment will be involved. In its conclusion, the White Paper also points out that this is a great challenge to the people in the transport industry. First, there is a very good opportunity for investment in the transport service and, as a result, the drivers and other people involved will have better jobs. If the White Paper is not wrong, there will be about 6,500 new jobs created. Second, the motor industry, especially the locally-assembled vehicle industry, will have greater opportunities open to it. Third, the local banks, finance companies and the Development Bank of Singapore can also avail themselves of the opportunity to enter this field. It is correct to say that it is a great challenge to all of them. I feel that given determination and spirit, the commercial firms and the industrialists should be able to set up a vehicle assembly plant.”
“The Taxi Drivers' Association is also of the opinion that at the present stage no more taxi-driver licences should be issued because there are now more taxi-driver licences than taxis. There are 14,000 taxi-driver licences, whereas the number of taxis is only 3,800. Hence, many taxi drivers with licences do not have any taxis to drive. They cannot do anything but stay at home. The Association proposes that in the process of setting up a Workers' Transport Co-operative, the authorities should take into consideration the ratio of the number of taxi drivers to the number of taxis before any decision is made. The Association has also made a new proposition regarding the retiring age of taxi drivers. It thinks that any taxi driver on reaching 60 years of age should be allowed to continue with his occupation provided he is certified by a Government doctor to be healthy and fit for his job. There is no need for a grace period of three years. I think most of the propositions have merit. The White Paper is aimed at improving the public transport service of Singapore. On the other hand, the Government has the duty to safeguard the livelihood of the taxi-drivers. It should try to avoid causing any difficulties to their livelihood when the new measures are implemented. Now I would like to touch upon the replacement of overage goods vehicles. According to the Table of Statistics in the White Paper, of the 6,652 goods vehicles, about 30 per cent of them, namely, 2,200, are already 15 years old and they need to be replaced. On this point, I am of the opinion that the replacement should be carried out in stages, because goods vehicles are very important to the transport industry, to our prosperous building industry, and the Port of Singapore Authority.”
“So the purchase of every new taxi will incur a loss in foreign exchange. If we can extend the age limit, we will not lose any foreign exchange but instead will be able to provide jobs for those people in the taxi business. In addition, according to the White Paper, the Transport Advisory Board has proposed the age limit of taxis to be set at 10 years. Of course, this has the concurrence of the representatives of the people concerned. I believe this proposal is of practical value, and in view of the valid reasons given. I think the Minister should carefully reconsider and change the age limit to ten years. Now I would like to touch upon the increase in the number of taxis. According to the White Paper, the Government intends to issue 1,200 new taxi licences, 200 of which will be for special taxis. On this question the Taxi Drivers' Association has, in its memorandum, put forward a different proposition. According to the Association, our transport system at the moment is already in a state of confusion. There are various kinds of taxis, for example, ordinary taxis and SZ taxis. And if there is to be another kind of special taxi, then it will create further confusion, especially to tourists from abroad. Therefore, the Association suggests that these 200 taxis should also be allocated to the proposed Workers' Transport Co-operative. If the Government decides to increase the number of these special taxis to serve passengers, then, in that case, the marking of this type of taxis should be different. For instance, a different colour should be painted on the top of these taxis in order not to mislead the passengers.”
“If we set a seven-year limit on this make of taxi, it means that every year there will be a depreciation loss of $2,000. Thus these taxi owners will not be able to make a profit out of their cars. The second point is the emission of excessive smoke. According to figures given in the White Paper, out of 1,413 buses, there were 515 cases of smoky exhausts. Of the 6,652 lorries, there were 1,828 cases of smoky exhausts. Of the 3,816 taxis, there were 894 cases of smoky exhausts. From a comparison of these figures, we can see that there were fewer cases of taxis with smoky exhausts than buses or lorries. This goes to prove that taxis are better maintained than other public transport vehicles. In addition, taxis have to undergo inspection twice a year. If a taxi is found to be in poor condition, it will not be allowed to operate. From this, we can see that taxis are subject to very strict controls. All the complaints by these Associations concern the livelihood of several thousand people. According to statistics, 4bout 1,000 new taxis will be made available to taxi drivers to own their own vehicles. For instance, recently the Government licensed 600 taxis which belong to this category, and they were bought on hire-purchase terms or from loans from finance companies. If the seven-year age limit is imposed, then the taxi owners will incur an unnecessary loss. At the same time, this will also adversely affect the proposed Workers' Transport Co-operative, to which the Government has given a $6 million loan. In the end, the Government may not be able to get back the money loaned out. Who then is going to pay for it? Another matter is the saving in foreign exchange. At the moment, there are no locally produced or assembled taxis.”
“According to the White Paper's proposals, the age limit of taxis is set at seven years. In other words, if taxis are over seven years old, they will be delicensed. With this stipulation, within the three years of the implementation of the plan, about 30 per cent of the present 3,800 taxis, or 1,200 taxis, will have to be replaced. Undoubtedly this measure will have very serious consequences for taxi owners and drivers. Sir, I have received a memorandum from the Singapore Taxi Drivers' Association, representing the labour side, and also a memorandum from the Taxi Transport Association, representing the taxi owners, complaining about their problems. The Singapore Taxi Drivers' Association thinks that the age limit of taxis should be set at ten years, because taxis are better cared for and looked after than private vehicles. The Taxi Transport Association also holds the same opinion, and has advanced very good reasons to support this view. The first reason is the cost of a taxi. At the moment, the majority of taxis are of the Morris Oxford model. The cost of a taxi together with accessories is $9,500. On top of it, there will be an expenditure of at least $5,000 to pay for licence fees, tyres, insurance, inspection and repair charges, etc. And the yearly income is about $6,000. Balancing out, the yearly profit will be not more than $2,000. If a taxi is de-licensed according to the seven-year stipulation, then after depreciation of $1,000 per year and payment of interest, if it is acquired on hire purchase, how can a taxi owner or driver make a profit in the end? There are also some taxis of Mercedes-make. The cost of such a taxi and accessories is more than $15,000.”
“This White Paper also proposes several measures to rectify the situation, the most important of which are to improve the services of buses, taxis, school taxis and school buses, the amalgamation of bus companies, and the eradication of pirate taxis. Another important measure is the anti-pollution campaign which is aimed at maintaining the health of our two million people. This should merit our support and attention. The White Paper also proposes to impose an age limit for various kinds of public vehicles, and to purchase a further number of buses, taxis, and other vehicles which will involve an expenditure of $50 million. From all these measures we can see that the White Paper is a significant and historic step in the reorganisation of our public transport service. Sir, these measures will have far-reaching effects on those who are engaged in the transport service. The reorganisation plan is expected to be completed in three years, and as it will affect the livelihood of tens of thousands of our people, I suggest that the Minister should carry it out with the utmost care and tact. In implementing it, he should formulate good, practical and proper methods and regulations in order to improve the public transport system. At the same time, he should try to bring about a better transport system that will help our people and promote our industrial and commercial development. Furthermore, the reorganisation plan should not adversely affect the livelihood of the workers and others who are engaged in the transport service. If it is carried out in this way, everyone will support the Government in its far-reaching and farsighted reorganisation of the public transport system. I would now like to touch on the introduction of the age limit of taxis.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on the 22nd July of this year the Minister for Communications introduced a White Paper on the Reorganisation of the Motor Transport Service of Singapore. This Paper, which contains several thousand words, enumerates the various problems facing our public transport service. It also very frankly discloses the various shortcomings which the Ministry of Communications has faced in the past. For instance, in its foreword, the Paper gives three possible reasons for the present unsatisfactory state of our public transport service, namely: `(a) Lack of definite policy in the past, with ad-hoc decisions being made as and when problems arise (b) Lack of continuity in the incumbent of the important post of Registrar of Vehicles (ROV). Since 1959 (11 years ago) there have been eight officials filling this post. This state of affairs is certainly not conducive to proper management of the Department. (c) More financial support is needed to recruit an adequate number of qualified staff, to provide proper facilities and equipment to enable ROV to perform, implement and to enforce its multifarious duties.' On this point the White Paper specifically mentions that the income of the Registry of Vehicles totalled $60 million in 1969, whereas the expenditure was only $1.2 million. Sir, I agree with the three reasons given. In fact, the situation in the R.O.V, in the past was rather chaotic. At the same time, it is only a branch of the Ministry of Communications which has control over it. The Ministry of Communications was set up only in 1968.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I will ask only one or two questions. I have been given to understand that the control of the banking business in Singapore has been very strict. After the passage of this Banking Bill, can the Minister say whether new licences will be issued to `the banks in Singapore? If so, what conditions should be complied with?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary why the Malay stream pre-university classes are only in the Sang Nila Utama Secondary School. Will the Minister also consider the setting up of Malay pre-university classes in the Ahmad Ibrahim Integrated Secondary School? This is because in the Sembawang area, there are many Malay stream students. If pre-university classes are established there, it will be convenient to all of them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Bill is in relation to the economic expansion incentives and relief from income tax. The Minister has talked at length in this House on various aspects relating to the status of pioneer industries, tax exemption and other matters. According to him, the Bill can help our economy to progress further. However, I have several questions which I would like him to clarify. First, if the amendment Bill is passed, will it have any adverse effect on those industries with a smaller capital? For instance, as a result of this Bill, investors with a smaller capital will not invest here. Second, what are the reasons behind the introduction of this amendment Bill? Third, how much revenue can our country get every year after the Bill is passed?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to congratulate the Minister on introducing the Science Centre Bill. This shows that our Government is interested in advancing the technological knowledge of our country. Our country is small, and therefore we cannot expect to compete with other advanced countries in this respect. We are not able to build an atomic reactor. At the same time we cannot imagine that we will be able to assemble a satellite to survey space, because this project will entail a lot of expenditure and human resources. Nevertheless, I would like to congratulate the Minister on his far-sightedness and effort in modernising our country. To have modernisation, we must have technology. Mr Speaker, Sir, on the face of it, this Bill will not arouse the interest of the people because it concerns science and technology. It seems to have nothing to do with the workaday life of the people. However, for the nation, this is a very important Bill. This is because it will help promote technology and science in our country. The main purpose of this Bill is to set up a Science Centre. I am aware that the centre will entail a lot of expenditure. This Bill also provides that public donations will be exempted from income tax. This is a very enlightened measure. I would like to raise a few questions and hope the Minister will clarify them. Firstly, what benefit will the centre bring to the country? Secondly, where will the centre be located and what will the Government spend on the building and equipment of the centre? Thirdly, what kind of research will be carried out, and with what methods? 3.57 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the authorities have carried out a crime prevention campaign, and an exhibition was staged in the hope that crime will be reduced and prevented. I would like to know from the Minister whether the crime rate has decreased after the staging of such a campaign. Mr Lim Kim San: From reports gathered, the crime prevention campaign has been quite a success. A lot of people have seen the display and the kind of preventive work that can be done. It is too early for me to say whether there has been an appreciable decrease in crime as a result of this campaign. If people take to heart the lessons that can be learnt from this campaign, I am sure there will be a decrease in crime. JURONG TOWN (Strengthening of Police force) 7. Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider strengthening the Police force in Jurong Town in view of the increasing number of criminal activities there.”
“For example, after two years' training a national serviceman should be given a job as soon as possible by the Government or through the Government. But in some cases there is a delay of two to three months. I do not know what the reason is, but there is an undeniable delay. Therefore, we should take steps to remedy the situation to ensure that there is no delay. Another point that I wish to raise with the Minister concerned is this. There are certain national servicemen recruited from the private sector. I do not know whether they are paid according to salary scales provided in the National Service Regulations or whether they continue to draw the same salary as they have drawn in private employment. If it is the practice to pay them according to the rates of pay given in the National Service Regulations, then they are at a great disadvantage, and I would like to ask why. In any case, Mr Speaker, this is a good Bill in principle, because it looks after the interests of our national servicemen in respect of employment. I support it 3.38 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, the main aim of this Bill is to ensure that those who have completed two years' national service will be given priority in employment. This is, in my view, a very wise measure because, as we all know, national servicemen have taken part in national service training in the national interest. They have been trained militarily in order that they can shoulder the great responsibility of protecting our country, our lives and our property. Therefore, to those who have sacrificed so much for the national interest and who have spent time and energy on military training in the defence of our country, it is only right that we should look after them when they have completed their national service. The employers, therefore, have a part to play in this respect. If the national servicemen are sure of getting jobs after their two years' training, then members of their families will have no worry about national service. This will enable the national servicemen to concentrate more on their training. In this way, they will contribute more to national defence. Mr Speaker, Sir, notwithstanding what I have said, I have certain misgivings about the administration of this Bill. With the increase of national servicemen in years to come, the task of the Director of Employment, as provided in this Bill, will be made increasingly difficult. Therefore, there is bound to be some delay in the placement of jobs for the national servicemen. So I would like the Minister concerned to exercise proper supervision over the work of this department to ensure that it is efficient and effective and that there is proper liaison between the employers and the department. As far as I know, Mr Speaker, at the present moment there is some delay in placing a national serviceman in a job.”
“Perhaps this may not have any direct bearing on this Bill, but I wish to mention the traffic police in passing. If the Minister for Communications cannot answer my points. I think the Minister for Defence will do so. I have received complaints from members of the public that the traffic police are on the road not to maintain a free flow of traffic, but to catch traffic offenders. They hide behind pillars and other places and keep watch on passing vehicles. Why are they doing this? They do it because, by hiding themselves from the motorists, they will be able to catch those who break the traffic rules, take down the numbers of their vehicles, send them summonses and probably bring them to court. Of course, I agree that traffic offenders must be brought to book and dealt with according to the law. This is part of the duties of the traffic police. But I think you will agree with me, Sir, that they have more onerous and more important duties to perform, i.e., the maintenance of a smooth and orderly flow of traffic on our roads. It is not their duty to hide behind pillars and other places to catch traffic offenders. If they do this, how can they direct the flow of traffic? This attitude is not correct and should be rectified accordingly. I do not know whether the Minister concerned agrees with me. Mr Speaker, Sir, though this amendment Bill is very limited in scope, it is by all standards a necessity aimed at promoting the free flow of traffic and ensuring the safety of pedestrians so that the roads will no longer remain, as the saying goes, the mouth of the tiger. In view of this, I support this amendment Bill.”
“It will also reduce the rate of fatal accidents among them. The fact that the Government has compelled them to wear crash helmets has resulted in a great demand for these helmets and, because of this, the price of helmets has gone up. This will impose a great burden on the users of these helmets. I hope the Minister will adopt measures to ensure that the price of crash helmets is reasonable. Another clause in this Bill provides that certain categories of traffic offenders will have to pay a composition fine of $50 instead of the present fine of $20. Although the increase in the composition fine will act as a deterrent on the regular traffic offenders, it is, however, in my view, a bit excessive. If it is only a very minor offence, such as parking in a non-parking area or waiting beside a white line, then a fine of $50 in such cases is very unreasonable. Mr Speaker, Sir, taxi drivers will be the people most affected by this regulation because they spend most of their 24 hours on the road in order to earn their livelihood. If the fine is increased to this extent, their livelihood will be made more difficult. In view of this, I suggest that in the implementation of such legislation, consideration should be given to the merits of each case. For example, those minor cases which I have mentioned should not fall within the ambit of this provision. But in the case of rash and inconsiderate drivers, speedsters or those who dash past traffic lights, thereby endangering the lives of other people, the punishment should be adequate in order to ensure that such people obey the traffic rules. Mr Speaker, Sir, this amendment Bill reminds me of the policemen on traffic duty and their attitude towards their work.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it cannot be denied that at the present juncture the traffic congestion in our Republic is becoming worse and worse. This is particularly so during peak hours. If there is a traffic jam on a certain stretch of the road, then there will be a queue of vehicles as long as a few miles. The question is how to enact the proper legislation and to incorporate the necessary measures so as to improve our road traffic conditions. We must maintain a free flow of traffic on our roads. This is the unavoidable responsibility of the Ministry of Communications. However, as far as this amendment Bill is concerned, there is limited scope for solving the traffic problem. This Bill contains provisions which deal only with the load of vehicles, the control of the emission of smoky exhausts, the compulsory wearing of crash helmets, the enhancement of certain penalties and so on. This is only a superficial attempt to solve our traffic problem. The fundamental problem of traffic congestion still remains. For example, the revision of our public transport system, the widening of our roads and the safety of road users -these problems have not been touched upon. Nevertheless, since the traffic problem is becoming worse and worse, even these minor measures are helpful. Mr Speaker, Sir, as you know, the International Seminar on Road Safety, which was held in the Republic and which ended yesterday, tried to find solutions to minimise road accidents. It is expected that this seminar will make many recommendations so that we and other governments will benefit from them. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me now touch upon certain provisions in the Bill. One of them relates to the compulsory wearing of crash helmets by motor cyclists. This is a very good provision because it will ensure their safety.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I think I have to clarify one point.”
“On this basis, I express the hope that in the earlier stages of the implementation of this Bill, the punishment meted out to offenders should not be too severe. A warning should be given to the first offender. We should enforce the law with some humane considerations. I believe that only in this way can we achieve better results. Sir, in order to ensure the smooth implementation of this Bill, I wish to suggest that, firstly, a publicity campaign should be carried out in the newspapers, over the Radio and Rediffusion and on T.V. to make the people understand the intentions of the Bill and to help them obey the law. Secondly, in places where smoking is banned, such as cinemas or buses, notices should be displayed in the four official languages so that members of the public are made to realise that the ban is on and that no offence should be committed out of ignorance. I hope the Minister will give due consideration to my proposals. Sir, generally speaking, it is my view that the Bill has the same good intentions as the "Keep Singapore Clean Campaign", that is, to inculcate in our people good social habits and discipline. I believe this Bill will receive wide support from the people. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“But, in any case, it is my view that in order to bring up a healthy second generation, we have the responsibility of educating our younger generation, particularly children in the schools, to cultivate good habits, which include the habit of not smoking. I do not know whether the Minister for Health agrees with this point of view. No doubt we are an open and free society and everybody has the freedom to indulge his propensity for smoking. But this freedom is limited to the extent that it should not interfere with the comfort of others. Therefore, in public places like cinemas or public buses, we should respect the feelings of those around us. We must not do things which will cause them any discomfort or inconvenience. For example, in the cinema, if you are concentrating on the screen and enjoying the show and the people around you happen to be smokers who have no regard for your feelings or your comfort, then you will be literally smoked in! These people will continue to smoke, and because they smoke, they may cough and spit. This will nauseate you. This kind of public behaviour will really adversely affect the feelings and comfort of others around them. Mr Speaker, Sir, there are some cinemas which screen notices requesting the audience not to smoke. But people who are smokers continue to smoke, and because there is no enforcement of these notices, they are simply ignored. I believe this Bill will bring better results and make our public places, like the cinemas, better, healthier and cleaner places for those members of the public who wish to enjoy the facilities provided. I must however admit that it takes time to cultivate a good habit.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill seeks to prohibit smoking in certain places which include cinemas. Undoubtedly this measure will cause some inconvenience to smokers in certain places at certain times. Possibly these people may include some Members of the House who have taken to smoking. But to those members of the public who are non-smokers, this Bill brings good tidings. As a non- smoker, I welcome the introduction of this Bill. Sir, speaking dispassionately, smoking is a bad habit. Medical practitioners have made researches into smoking and have found that it is harmful and will cause cancer of the lungs. They therefore advise people that if they value their lives at all, they should not smoke. From the economic point of view, smoking is a waste of money because money is literally going up in smoke. Of course, to people who have money, the amount that they spend on smoking is negligible. But to a person whose monthly income is $100 to $200, the necessity to satisfy his urge to smoke by spending a dollar or two a day will bring considerable hardship to his family. In spite of the harm in smoking, the number of smokers is not decreasing. That is because one man's poison is another man's food. Sir, the Bill before us today is not to enforce a complete ban on smoking. It seeks to ban smoking only in certain places. As a matter of fact, nobody at the present juncture expects the Government to introduce a Bill to ban smoking totally, because doing so will be unwise. That would mean a loss of revenue in terms of hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
“Sir, does the Minister mean that as long as a person is a permanent resident of Singapore, even though he is not a citizen, he is liable to be called up under this Bill?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister has omitted to answer one of my questions. What is the Government's policy with regard to non-citizens?”
“The questions are: (1) Whether the implementation of this Bill will create a labour shortage in our labour market. If so, has the Minister any remedial measures? (2) What is the Government's policy in relation to applications by students in colleges and universities for delayed or postponed national service? Has the Government any better arrangement whereby there can be a balance between military training and the education of the boys so that there will be no shortage of personnel for nation building, and no undesirable consequences in this respect? (3) The Bill contains certain provisions regarding the employment of national servicemen. These are all very good. But if certain employers disregard or infringe these provisions, what measures will the Government take to deal with them? (4) The Government has announced that it will give priority of employment opportunities to national service personnel. This is a very reasonable measure and it has been announced many times. But I have recently received complaints from people who have undergone two years' full-time national service. Their complaint is that they have not been able to get any jobs even after two or three months of their release from national service. I hope the Minister can investigate into this matter and try to remedy it. However, national service is the bounden duty of every citizen. If we want our country to survive, we must ensure that we have stability and progress. I fully support this Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the purpose of this Bill is to provide various measures for enlistment of persons who include: (i) all those persons who, on reaching the age of 1 6½ years, should go for national service registration and medical check-up; and (ii) all those persons in the age group between 18 years and 40 years who are citizens and who are required to enlist for national service. The Bill also provides for full-time national service, reserve service, and mobilised service in cases of emergency. All these are explained in great detail in the Bill. Sir, although our national service scheme has been implemented for only a few years, the facts have shown that we have achieved 100 per cent success. All parents understand the Government's policy of building up our national defence because they realise that, as an independent newly emergent country, we should have our own defence capability. Therefore, they encourage their children to take up national service in order to receive military training and to shoulder the sacred task of defending their country. Our young men have also shown their courage, resolution and loyalty in national defence. I believe that, for the sake of our national defence, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, all loyal citizens will not oppose national service and will not object to its importance to our country. They will agree with the principle of national service. On the other hand, we must also recognise that since the implementation of the national service scheme, we have been experiencing a shortage of labour or skills in certain fields. In this respect, I would like the Minister to clarify the Government's policy of opening the door wider to non-citizens to apply for work permits.”
“I am not prepared to withdraw my amendment. Question on the amendment put, and negatived. The sum of $2,300,000 for Head 98 ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head 101 -”
“Sir, I am not quite satisfied with the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary. I would like to give an example and I wish him to explain the position. Three years ago the vote for Sembawang Constituency was about $100,000. Last year the vote was only $18,000. This is a reduction of 80 per cent. I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to make a calculation himself and see how much reduction in the provision has been made.”
“Not yet, Sir, I have another question. Although the Parliamentary Secretary may have answered the question raised by other Members, I am concerned with Sembawang Constituency. It is a different proposition. There is a road called Jalan Pasar Sembawang. About 100 families live along this road. The people here used to have stand-pipes, but these have now been removed. We have made representations to the U.R.S.C. but approval has not been given for their replacement. The residents have complained to me about it. I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to pay special attention to their request and that it will be approved by the U.R.S.C.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 98 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 101*. (* The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting.) Mr Speaker, Sir, there is a provision of $2.3 million against the title "Urban and Rural Services". I would like to ask a few questions. It seems that there is a reduction in the provision for the rural areas. If we compare the provision made for Sembawang Constituency a few years ago and the sum allotted now, we see that there is a reduction of about 80 per cent in the provision. I believe this is true for all the rural areas, for example, Changi, Nee Soon and Thomson Constituencies. We must provide an adequate amount of money for facilities in the rural areas. Amenities of many kinds are provided in the city area and we should not spend too much money there. I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to make more provision for the rural areas. Under item 011 there is a provision of $1 million for the extension of water supply. Many stand-pipes have been removed by the Government. However, before they were removed, water mains should have been laid so that the installation of waterpipes to the individual households would be facilitated. Mr Ho Cheng Choon: Mr Speaker, Sir, on a point of order. I have already replied to the question on water mains.”
“Sir, I am satisfied with the answers given, but I hope that the staff concerned with this project will also pay attention to the answers given by the Minister. I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting - (3) That the sum to be allocated for Head 95 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 302.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 95 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 206. Sir, one item of this vote is for Sembawang Road Improvement (10 m.s. to 13 m.s.). I think this stretch of Sembawang Road includes a road in the Nee Soon area. Since this road improvement project involves two constituencies, I think the Member for Nee Soon, who is now here, would also like to express his views on this project. Sir, I have several questions to ask and I would like the Minister to pay special attention to what I am going to say. This project for extension of roads has affected 40-odd shops and private houses. May I ask, when will this project start? The second question is: how does the Government propose to deal with the shops and dwelling houses affected by this project? The third question is: what compensation is the Government prepared to pay them, and in what form?”
“Sir, since this is a project to help farmers, it deserves praise. Therefore, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, does this unit provide free services to the farmers?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 93 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 102. Sir, this provision of $25,500 is for the Poultry Broiler Research Unit. Firstly, I wish to know what kind of research work this Unit will carry out. Secondly, will it be useful for the development of agriculture in our country? Thirdly, will the farmers benefit from the research? And, fourthly, how many employees are there in this unit?”
“Sir, I am satisfied with the Minister's explanation and I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Mr Ng Yeow Chong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 92 be reduced by $10 In respect of subhead 406*. (* The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting.) Sir, what I wish to raise under this amendment is purely a question of technicality. According to my view, this subhead, which involves a sum of $1.8 million, should be more appropriately placed under Head 1207 - National Development Division - in the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure and not in the Development Estimates. If this is done, the details of the various posts of officers in charge of administration of urban renewal schemes and the various items of Other Charges Annually Recurrent can be shown in the Estimates and subject to scrutiny by this House. May I ask the Minister for Law and National Development to give his comments to this House?”
“From the Minister's explanation, does it mean that our urban renewal scheme will be unprofitable?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 92 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 403. The provision for subhead 403 is a big one. It amounts to $11 million. I would like to know what the Government intends to do with this big sum of money. What purposes will this money be used for? Why should there be such a big vote? What are the uses when the plans are completed? Has the Government any plans to build houses or residential estates or other types of buildings on this land?”
“I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood in the name of Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon - (5) That the sum to be allocated for Head 92 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 401.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 92 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 302. This is also a provision for the reclamation of land from the Singapore Swimming Club to the end of Tanjong Rhu. I would like to ask the Minister two questions. Firstly, how many acres of land will be reclaimed under this reclamation scheme? Secondly, are there any plans to build a road stretching from Tanjong Rhu to Clifford Pier? If there are, when will the plans be implemented? Mr Barker: Under this scheme, 125 acres of land from the Singapore Swimming Club to the end of Tanjong Rhu will be reclaimed. So far, about 30 acres of land have been reclaimed. The first project that will be completed along the whole East Coast reclamation is a road from Bedok right up to the end of Tanjong Rhu. If we are to cross from Tanjong Rhu into town, we will either have to build a bridge which will be too long, or reclaim some more land, and that will be a possible third phase and it will take a very long time.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for his detailed explanation and I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 92 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 301. This sum of money is to be used for the East Coast foreshore reclamation scheme. This scheme is a very farsighted one, because Singapore is short of land. That is why we have to extend our land by reclaiming from the sea. I would like to pose a few questions to the Minister. Firstly, in respect of the present East Coast foreshore reclamation scheme, how many acres of land have been reclaimed? Secondly, how long will it take before we can use this reclaimed land? Thirdly, what plans does the Government have and what buildings will be built on this reclaimed land?”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his detailed explanation, and I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $753,100 for Head 90 ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head 91 - The following amendment stood in the name of Mr Ho Kah Leong (1) That the sum to be allocated for Head 91 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 101.”
“The current demand for mapping from numerous departments and statutory bodies, such as the Planning Department, the Public Works Department, the Ministry of Health, the Land Office, the Housing and Development Board, the Economic Development Board, the Jurong Town Corporation, the Public Utilities Board, the Bases Economic Conversion Department, and the Ministry of Interior and Defence, has come about as a result of the accelerated rate of planning and development in various fields. Maps are a prerequisite for all planning and development projects and for effective and efficient administration. The setting up of the Mapping Unit in the Survey Department is, therefore, a vital necessity. The sum of $540,000 represents the full capital cost of the purchase of comprehensive equipment needed to operate an independent Mapping Unit. The various items, if the Member is interested, are: $ Printing machine 135,000 Camera 84,000 Automatic proofing press 102,000 Guillotine 20,000 Kern stereoplotter 45,000 Wild plotter 45,000 Negotiations are in hand to obtain some of the equipment at the Dover Road Mapping Unit of the British Services when their facilities are transferred to the Singapore Government at the end of this year. If the Member is interested, the establishment of the Mapping Unit will require a staff of 57 under the Chief Surveyor.”