Toh Chin Chye
Singapore
“--- And meet their friends. I do not know. How do we go about it? Supposing we have an impasse. We cannot find anyone who is willing to take on the job of the President. It is a lonely job, yes. I have no ambitions to be called "His Excellency".”
“28 also provides that if the Government is going to change the Constitution in order to modify the powers of the President, he must go and seek a mandate from the people twice (not once, but twice) - first,in a general election and win a two-thirds majority, come back to this House, change the Constitution, and then take the amendment bac…”
“The Minister has not made it quite clear what is tax avoidance, what are the examples of tax avoidance that he would like to close. The Comptroller of Income Tax no doubt has many cases on his hand. If the public, who are paying taxes, are given to know what is legitimate and what is illegitimate, then I think they would be more at ease.”
“It will be invidious for special legislation to be passed for companies that provide essential services so that Government control over them can be maintained.”
“For a whole family to lose their property just because of the act of one is unjust. It is similar to what happened during the days of the Emergency in Malaya when whole villages were resettled because a few were deemed to have collaborated with the Malayan Communist Party. It is exactly the same principle.”
“And, of course, on the HDB side, its accounts will show a deficit because it has to pay high interest, or vast amounts of money in terms of interest, back to the Government. Yesterday the Member for Rochore pointed out to this House the sum of $8.8 billion which was loaned by the Government to the HDB.”
The complete record
Every one of 563 lines we hold for Toh Chin Chye, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 12.
“To answer the other question of housing for doctors, I have looked into this problem. I am given to understand that HUDC flats are now available for sale to doctors, and therefore the urgency to provide housing no longer exists. As regards the two weeks' leave and overtime pay for medical officers are concerned, I would suggest to the Member for Kim Seng that he writes to me and I will take it up. I am quite curious about the two weeks' leave for medical officers. I did not know that the two weeks' leave was cancelled. I do not have any idea about the overtime pay. I have to be very careful about overtime pay because I am in no position to guarantee overtime pay. There will be other civil servants who will also demand overtime pay. I think Ministers deserve some overtime pay too!”
“What I have said for dentistry also applies to medicine.”
“Mr Speaker. Sir, to answer the last question first. It will be ideal indeed if more Singapore citizens were to opt for medicine or dentistry. If there was a reduction in the number of Singapore students wishing to do this discipline. I put the blame fully and squarely upon the professional associations themselves, the Singapore Medical Association and the Singapore Dental Association. At some point of time they did put out statements that Singapore was having a surplus of doctors and that there were no jobs for dentists. The net result of it all was that parents who read that statement in the newspapers believed that there was no future for their children if they did medicine and dentistry. And. therefore, we landed in a situation where we had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for Singapore students doing medicine and dentistry. When I was in the University, I remembered very clearly that we had to lower the number of points to admit Singapore citizens into the Medical school. I do not think that was a very good idea because the result is that we are going to have third-class doctors. If someone is prepared to be trained or treated by third-class doctors, that is all right with him. But I am not going to be treated by a third-class doctor. I think it will do the Medical school every harm if it was said that our students are less than mediocre. Likewise, in the field of dentistry, we are taking in students who opted for dentistry not as their second choice but their third or fourth choice. And so we ended up with having three or four Singapore citizens opting to do dentistry for a few years. It was only last year that we got a good number of Singapore citizens opting to do dentistry, even so not all of them chose dentistry as their first choice.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the fact is that the Changi military hospital is under the administration of the Ministry of Defence and not under the Ministry of Health, although it is true that the Ministry of Health has got a few of its professional staff there to assist the soldier-doctors in the Changi Hospital. I am in no position at all to explain away the negligence which the Member for Anson has mentioned just now. However, I would like to inform the House that currently there is correspondence going on between my Ministry and the Ministry of Defence as to who is going to take over the administration and responsibility of running the Changi military hospital, If it is going to accept civilian patients, then of course the Ministry of Health will have to have a hand in its administration and running thereof. But I must inform the House that as of this moment, national servicemen are in charge of the Changi military hospital. A statement has been issued to say that it is prepared to accept civilian patients. I think the statement came out two weeks ago. We should correctly make the fullest use of the hospital. But if we were to run the military hospital as a civilian hospital, then the cost of running it is going to be very high indeed, because we have to pay the hospital staff civilian rates of pay whereas national servicemen are being paid national service rates of pay. And there is an enormous difference as far as the Ministry of Finance is concerned. Hence, the correspondence that is going on between my Ministry and the Ministry of Defence. But I am quite sure that in the end the Finance Ministry will have the last say. However. I would like to point out that civilians are now being accepted by the Changi military hospital. 5.45 p.m.”
“Sir, the Changi military hospital is under the administration of the Ministry of Defence, and I am afraid I am unable to answer the Member's question.”
“If he were to turn to page 39, under subhead BAA 1109, Radiologist. Grade G, he will see down there Note (iii) which says. "Includes one prf Senior Radiologist. Grade E. One ms (107)." So I had to go and find out what is the meaning of "prf" and "ms". If he turns to page 5, he will find out what is the meaning of "prf". It says. "Post(s) regraded from ..." and "ms" means "Present holder promoted on merit to scale . That is one. If he looks under "Surgeon. Grade G, there is a footnote (iv) which says. "Two prf Senior Surgeon. Grade E and two prt Senior Registrar/Registrar/Medical Officer (111/116/124). Two ms (107)." All that it adds up to is that these are three physical bodies who have been promoted to Grade E although they were holding a post in Grade G. They have recently undergone a promotion exercise and so they are in Grade E. So there is no loss at all in the total number of Grade E posts. If he were to go through the pages for the Ministry of Health, he will find similar explanations as given in the footnotes. I am afraid this is a sort of Alice in Wonderland puzzle for me. It is like a Cheshire cat. Sometimes it eats and sometimes it does not eat. Mr N. Govindasamy: Sir, as I said, I am just wondering whether this is all done deliberately to confuse the people into believing that we have got sufficient Surgeons and sufficient senior officers. However, since I have got some more amendments later on. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker. Sir, the reduction of 55 Division I posts, as mentioned by the Member for Telok Blangah, is due to the fact that there is now available local post-graduate training facilities. These are supernumerary posts which were held against doctors who once upon a time were sent abroad for training. But as we now have these facilities, it is considered not necessary to have that large number of supernumerary posts. However, that does not mean that we do not want to recruit an equivalent number of doctors. I must confess that the Establishment List presented by the Ministry of Finance is more mystifying than clarifying. I myself had to do a little piece of research to answer the question which has been raised by the Member for Telok Blangah. May I refer him to this little booklet called the Establishment List of Singapore for the Financial Year 1st April, 1976 (031st March, 1977 (Paper Cmd. 4 of 1976). I was very puzzled indeed why there was a reduction of three posts at Grade E level in the Singapore General Hospital. Let me do a little explanation. I wonder whether the Member for Telok Blangah has got a copy of this book.”
“I will stop now to give Members a chance to ask me other questions.”
“Again, this is a problem which is being examined very closely in my Ministry apart from the other programmes which we hope to implement within the Ministry. Over and above all this. I would like to emphasise that the Ministry of Health's primary function is probably less curative and more on preventive medicine. The way to do it is to activate medical education for the man-in-the-street, so that he learns how not to fall sick and, therefore, how not to go to the hospital. It is not necessary for a sick person to be referred immediately to a hospital. There are outpatient dispensaries where doctors are well qualified to examine the patients and the charge is only $3, including medicine. The Member for Anson has also said that the medicine dispensed by the hospitals is not effective whereas the medicine dispensed by the Chinese sin sehs is effective. He rather shook me. If that is true, then I think we ought to close down our hospitals and advise all patients to seek whatever treatment is available in town. But I do not believe it is as simple as that.”
“Much of the bread-and-butter of dentistry involves simple filling and extraction, Dental therapists are not allowed to perform an operation on the soft tissues. They are not allowed to do orthodontics whereas the professional dentists are allowed to do so.The difference is that dental therapists do not have the two year-course of Higher School Certificate that the University dentists have. All in all. I think it is very unfair for the Member for Kim Seng, who has just returned from London and who was not here when the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill was passed, to give the poor dental therapists a bashing. We have got the first batch of dental therapists in the first year of training. They will not pass out until after 1978. Even so, they would have to have another 10 years' supervised experience before they can be out on their own. It was a mistake of the Ministry of Health to have allowed the Division II dentists' registry to run down. The end result is that dental assistants who had been hired by these dentists are finding themselves out of job because their bosses have retired and they have not been replaced. I know it because they have written to me. We have got to understand what exactly it is that we are prepared to pay for. If the taxpayer in Singapore is prepared to pay a special levy for medical and dental services, then I would be fully in favour of charging the taxpayer accordingly and give the service that he is asking for. But the Member for Anson earlier on complained about the increase in hospital fees. Here, we have a contradiction. On the one hand he wants a service and on the other hand he refuses to pay. You cannot have your cake and eat it. Either you pay for what you consume or you do not consume because you cannot pay.”
“, make the most use of whatever manpower resources you have. It is impossible for a country with 800 million people to provide medical services of the standard that we see in Western countries. I do not see how China will ever have such large numbers of Western-trained doctors to serve every commune in the countryside. Therefore, they have a short course of three years for "barefoot" doctors after which they can provide primary health care. The same situation applies to Singapore, particularly to dentistry. I do not say that Division II dentists are quacks. By gosh! I have not yet been to a Division II dentist but my old amah used to go to a Division II dentist and she paid only $3 for a tooth extraction, If she had gone to a Division I dentist she would have to pay $30 There is an enormous difference in fees between going to a Division I dentist and a Division II dentist. The dental therapists that we are recruiting will come from the dental nurses who would have to have a minimum of five years' experience after three years' training. Dental students who graduate from the University of Singapore undergo a mere four-year course of training, immediately after which, even without housemanship, they are allowed to treat patients by themselves. On the other hand, dental therapists are not permitted to do so. Even after training for four years, they need to have ten years' supervision by professionally qualified dentists before they are allowed to go on their own. Therefore, if a patient has to decide whether he wishes to be treated by an experienced person or by an inexperienced one, he would rather be treated by a person who has the requisite experience.”
“It is a fact of life that even Colombo Plan scholars who were sent abroad to study medicine, had paid up their bonds at substantial rates, $40,000 each, and just buzzed off. I was responsible for trying to bring the establishment of the Medical Department in the University of Singapore to full strength by changing the scheme of service in the University, hoping to get better and brighter young doctors willing to teach. But unfortunately not all of them have lived up to my expectation. Worse still, the seniors have set the bad example in that after promotion either to the professorship, associate professorship or even to senior lecturership, they would pack off within three years or so. This is the answer to the Member for Kim Seng. As for the nurses, my sympathies are always with them. Mind you, if you are a patient in a hospital, you see the doctor only once in the morning. But the nurses see you for 24 hours a day. If I were the Member for Anson, I would be very careful when talking about the behaviour of the nurses, because they are going to look after me for 24 hours a day. The doctor diagnoses the ailment and puts the stethoscope to your chest. The technician takes your electrocardiogram. The doctor then prescribes the medicine and that is that. It is the nurses who give you the medicine and the injection. It can be very painful sometimes if they inject you at the wrong place. Mr Speaker. Sir, I really do not know how to put my finger on the particular problem that the Member for Anson or the Member for Kim Seng has raised, But one point raised by the Member for Kim Seng is about dental therapists. In China they have what they call "bare-foot" doctors. It is a very simple philosophy which is being practised in many developing countries, viz.”
“I thought I was boosting the morale of the doctors, but it turned out to the disadvantage of the Ministry of Health and the University. It is also true that doctors are not stupid. They do read their newspapers. They follow political events in the region and they know what has happened in Indo-China. When a three-star General buzzes off to the United States, he becomes either a taxi-driver or a waiter in a restaurant. On the other hand, ri you are a doctor and you migrate to the United States you are wanted. I have my own forebodings that a good number of our doctors in Singapore are registered not only in Singapore but also registered overseas, because Australia. New Zealand and the United Kingdom permit the registration of doctors even though their physical presence is not required in those countries. 4.45 p.m. I remember it was last year, just before the Australian Government announced the closure of its registry for medical doctors, when I was told the story that SIA was carrying Singapore doctors to Perth or Sydney and Qantas was bringing them back, These are human failings and doctors are not without their failings. I would be the last person to say that doctors are "Gods". Although they are healers, they do look after their own welfare as well. Let us be honest. The Member for Kim Seng would be a good Political Secretary to me if he is willing to serve in my Ministry at a salary of $1,750 per month. He can resign from his present post in the University where he is probably getting more than I can give. He can be my Political Secretary and do a little campaigning on how to keep our doctors in the Ministry and in Singapore. It will not be a great loss as long as these doctors stay and practise in Singapore. But it will be a loss when they migrate.”
“But we have to face the fact of life that many doctors do make use of our hospitals and the University as a stepping stone whereby they can acquire experience at public expense and after some time they resign. When I was at the University it was very marked indeed that the moment someone was promoted to an Associate Professor, he was called "Professor" by his students and patients. In less than three years, most of them would resign. So knowing that this is the way doctors behave, I think the remarks of the Member for Kim Seng should be directed at his own colleagues and not to the Minister for Health who, after all, is trying his hardest to keep the doctors. It is not in my position to go along and give them more money. This is a prerogative of the Treasury which ties salaries up to other professions. But if taxpayers are willing to pay a special sum of money for better health service, then we can suitably reward doctors, nurses and other para-medical staff. If the Member for Kim Seng were to go round and propagate his idea that there should be a special health service tax. then I think it is quite possible for us to retain our more senior doctors so that they do not go into private practice or migrate. I live to regret what I said in a speech when I was at the University - that Orchard Road was the Harley Street of Singapore. The end result was that "specialist centres" popped up all over the place. Orchard Road is bigger than Harley Street now. Anybody who has got a little cubicle in the complex called the Specialist's Centre becomes a specialist. Whether or not this helps the migration of doctors from the public sector to the private sector is debatable.”
“for women doctors, just as of this moment male doctors are obliged to undergo 2� years' national service. Some of these national service doctors come under the control of the Ministry of Health. Others are under the Singapore Armed Forces. There is indeed a complaint about discrepancy between the treatment accorded to male graduates and female graduates and I give due notice that (it may be at some future date) I will make it compulsory for all those who have undergone an expensive medical education to return in kind by performing similarly 2� years' service in the Ministry of Health. With regard to the recruitment, loss and establishment strength of doctors. I can provide figures for four years as follows: Number of Doctors Resigned Recruited or Retired Net Gain 1972 61 59 2 1973 144 61 83 1974 119 87 32 1975 90 74 16 It is fair to say that those whom we recruited were of medical officer grade and many of them did not have a higher or postgraduate medical qualification. Some of those whom we lost did have seniority and specialist qualifications. In 1975. 13 Singapore citizen doctors with a higher qualification and 42 without a higher qualification, had resigned. Among Malaysian citizen doctors, no one with a higher qualification had resigned, but nine without a higher qualification had resigned. One doctor from India with a higher qualification had also resigned and there were others too - one with a higher qualification and two without a higher qualification - who had resigned. I must confess that it is not a good trade-off -losing an experienced doctor and gaining inexperienced medical officers.”
“7% Completion of contract or termination of temporary appointment - 4.5% Other reasons - 10.0% So there are at least 48.1% of doctors who were honest enough to admit that they were leaving the Government service because they could earn a higher income. I am just asking myself: how long is the Member for Kim Seng going to stay with the University too' I hope he does not let me down. It is a fact of life that doctors are mobile. At one dinner function I had occasion to meet the President of a Royal College of Surgeons from the United Kingdom. I asked him why did he study medicine instead of engineering, since his country was in the forefront of the industrial revolution and that engineers performed a dominant role in promoting economic growth in his country. His answer was very simple: medicine is the most secure job. It means that doctors can move about, particularly doctors in the English speaking world. Singapore doctors are brought up in the English language and so they are welcome to migrate to Australia. Canada, the United Kingdom. New Zealand and the United States. It is a fact of life that many of our young graduates, while preparing for the final year for M,B.B.S., do go up to Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur to take the external examination conducted oy the American Council for Foreign Medical Graduates, so that after they have graduated they could put after their names "M.B.B.S., E.C.F.M.G.". I am not sure whether the Member for Kim Seng has done that, but he should know as he has lived in a hospital among the medical undergraduates, most of whom have done this. This applies not just to the Malaysian undergraduates but also the Singapore graduates as well. Assuming that we are critically short of doctors, I have no hesitation to impose compulsory national service .”
“On the contrary, the demand to enter the nursing profession is there and I can assure the House that we will be able to tap the best of applicants. Whether or not the younger nurses are bullied by their superiors, that is a matter which I am not aware of. All I know is that I visited a private hospital recently and when it was known that I was going to visit this private hospital, everything was made spick and span. The attendants and the nurses were alerted. Patients were given new pyjamas and the Administration told me to come along again another time. It is true that sometimes the administration of a hospital can be slack. Because a hospital operates 24 hours a day for 365 days a year, many of those working in the hospital - doctors, nurses and paramedical staff - sometimes, do take things for granted and that many of the routine matters appear to them to be unimportant whereas they are important to patients. I have emphasised to the Medical Superintendents that this point must be looked into and I hope to see a distinct improvement. The Member for Kim Seng himself incidentally works in the General Hospital and so he should be in a position to know whether there is any improvement or not., If he does come across rude nurses, please do let me know and if he comes across affectionate nurses, please also inform me. With regard to emigration of doctors. I am afraid this is a problem which is of concern to the Government. As such. we did do a survey on doctors who were in Government service, asking them the reasons for leaving the Ministry of Health. The first results which have been evaluated have come in. The reasons given for leaving Government service are as follows: Higher income - 48.1% More job satisfaction - 25.5% Better working conditions - 5.2% More freedom - 6.”
“Mr Speaker. Sir, I am not quite sure what questions are being asked of me. However, to come to what the Member for Anson has said with regard to the behaviour of nurses in our hospitals, I would like to say that, by and large, I believe the nurses are doing their best. I would like to ask any Member of this House whether he would like to take on the job as a nurse and work on a night shift and, probably with a wife waiting for him in the house, to see whether he would be able to withstand all the stresses and strains that are demanded of him without losing perhaps his composure. That settles the complaint that nurses are rude. We have initiated a scheme in the Ministry whereby nurses are being encouraged to regard patients as human beings and not just objects to be treated. Somebody has given us a sum of $10,000 and this has been deposited in the POSB. The interest accrued will be used for merit awards to nurses commended by the Medical Superintendent or the Heads of Units. It will not be granted on the basis of patients voting for the best nurse, because it is not possible to ask a pediatric patient or a geriatric patient or a mentally unsound patient at Woodbridge Hospital to vote which nurse is the best nurse. Hence, we have to have a scheme which will allow some Unit Heads leeway to judge which nurses are performing their duty and more than that. Far from receiving complaints that nurses are rude, I have on the other hand received letters, and there have been letters written in the Chinese papers, commending on the good behaviour of nurses. I have been very pleased and I have transmitted these letters to the Medical Superintendent of the hospital concerned. I do not believe we are facing a situation where it is impossible or difficult to recruit nurses.”
“In fact, I am thinking of a scheme whereby patients could be treated as outpatients at home rather than in hospitals, partly because of the increasing cost of hospital charges and partly because it has been shown in other countries that more deaths occur through cross-infection at hospitals than if the patients had been treated as outpatients. Nonetheless, I like to assure the Member for Anson that the Ministry of Health is not that inhumane as to impose a heavy penalty on very sick patients who deserve a waiver of fees. If he can put up the case to me, we can always look into the matter.”
“Mr Speaker. Sir, I am not aware of the accident, which the Member for Anson mentioned just now, involving school children who were travelling in a bus. If he could give me particulars of the date and the time when they were taken to Toa Payoh Hospital, I would be able to find out more about the treatment that was given to the accident victims. However, I can assure the Member for Anson that it is not true that the Outpatients Unit at Toa Payoh Hospital is manned by an Anaesthetist. I must confess that the Accident and Emergency units in the hospitals are not up to the standard that I would want them to be, and currently my Ministry is undertaking an exercise to reform them. We have, in fact, sent three persons abroad recently to study how emergency operations are carried out in other hospitals. With reference to the cost of ward charges. I can assure the Member for Anson that there is always a social worker in the hospitals who looks into the home background of the patient. If the social worker finds that such a person is unable to pay for the ward charges or medical treatment charges, then it is quite possible for a petition to be made to the Medical Superintendent who will refer it to the Ministry which will, in turn, examine the application and, if necessary, charge at a lower rate or even waive the charges. Nonetheless, I think it ought to be made quite clear that the hospitals do cost the Ministry a very substantial sum of money and our job really is to teach the people of Singapore not to get into hospitals.”
“The other related consequential amendments in addition to this major amendment are the inclusion of the definitions of veterinary medicinal products, veterinary surgeon, veterinary centre and veterinary biologics. The amendments to section 39 are necessary so as to restrict the use of the title "dispensary" to only pharmacists, doctors and veterinary surgeons, in other words, persons who have been properly trained and qualified. This is to prevent the abuse of the titles. This is also in conformity with the provisions of the Pharmacist Registration Act which contains similar provisions. Section 74 has also been amended to include the word "storage or supply" so that premises other than pharmacies which sell, supply or store medicinal products can also be brought within the ambit of this Bill. As it stands, section 74 only provides for the registration of premises other than pharmacies but are used for the retail sale of medicinal products. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed."-[Dr Lee Chiaw Meng] Adjourned accordingly at Twenty minutes to Eight o'clock p.m.”
“Such a practice on an international approach will no doubt ensure that those who manufacture medicinal products for international trade conform with international standards of manufacturing, hire properly trained personnel and meet other requirements, such as properly built premises and storage areas as well as equipment which are of a reasonable standard that will ensure that the consumer is given a fair deal. Conforming with agreed international standards locally will mean that Singapore manufactured medicinal products will be able to find international outlets as well. The major amendment to the Bill is the inclusion of the Minister for National Development as the Minister who will be responsible for performing functions relevant to veterinary medicinal products. As a consequence the Director of Primary Production will be responsible for the licensing of veterinary medicinal products. The powers that are conferred upon the Minister for National Development or the Director of Primary Production in the Bill will complement powers that have been vested in them under the provision of the Animals and Birds Act. This, however, does not mean that my Ministry and the Ministry of National Development will work separately, Where there are common areas of interest the two Ministries will be working together in close liaison. Section 73 of the Act empowers the Minister for Health to establish committees which will comprise persons who will be invited for their expertise they possess. Such cooperation is necessary so that veterinary medicinal products consumed by animals do not contaminate or cause adverse effects on human beings when they are slaughtered for table meat.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." Members of the House would have read the official report of the Select Committee and the reasons for the proposed amendments. In summary, the submissions received by the Committee generally reflect that the Bill is acceptable to those who have a vested interest in its provisions - those who deal in traditional Chinese medicinal preparations and those dealing in western type medicinal preparations. The representations made, as Members will note, are for fear that rules or regulations, if applied rigidly, will cause difficulty to the trade. The fear has also been expressed that the fees imposed may be so high as to cause financial difficulty. I would like to reiterate that the purpose of the Bill is not to stifle trade by rigid implementation, neither is it the Government's intention to increase revenue by such a legislation. Because patent or ready-made medicinal preparations are easily available from shops and even sarabat stalls, it is necessary that the consumer be protected by ensuring that the contents of such medicinal preparations conform to standards of safety, efficacy and reliability, particularly when many patent medicinal preparations can be bought without a doctor's prescription. In this connection the World Health Assembly at its last sitting has called upon member-states to participate in a certification scheme for the quality control of pharmaceutical products moving in international commerce. My Ministry is taking action to participate in such a scheme as well as looking into applying the revised requirements for good practices in the manufacture and quality control of drugs as formulated in the report to the Director-General of the World Health Organisation.”
“They will then be placed on a separate list in the Dentists Register, distinct from Division I (qualified) and Division II (unqualified) dentists. The Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill seeks to provide for provisional registration for these dental therapists in the first 10 years of their service and their enrolment in the Register of Dentists if they pass a qualifying examination. Provision is also necessary to prohibit dental therapists from performing certain dental procedures. The opportunity is also taken in the Bill to make changes in the Dentists Registration Act. They are administrative in character and are summarised in the explanatory statement attached to the Bill. In the first recruitment exercise carried out this year there were 167 qualified applicants, of whom 24 were male and 143 female. They were given a manual dexterity test. Twenty trainees were finally appointed, 16 of them were females and four males. I ought to add that there was no significant difference between the number of males and females who passed the manual dexterity test. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill-[Dr Toh Chin Chye]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. REGULATION OF EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 2.50 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Singapore has faced a shortage of dentists for a long time with little hope of changing the present dentist population ratio of 1 : 5,500 to a more desirable ratio of 1: 2,500 which would meet the demands for dental treatment by the population fairly adequately, unless the number of dentists is considerably increased. There are at present 249 qualified dentists in Division I of the Dentists Register and 171 unqualified dentists in Division II of the Dentists Register. In addition there are also 230 dental nurses who provide systematic dental treatment for about half the primary school population of 360,000 children. Because of the shortage of dentists a scheme has been launched this year to train a new category of dental operators, known as Dental Therapists. They attend a three-year course, at the end of which they should be able to perform straightforward dental procedures such as extractions, fillings and making dentures. Twenty student dental therapists have been enrolled this year and from next year onwards 40 student dental therapists will be enrolled each year. Dental therapists, however, will not be permitted to carry out surgical operative procedures on the soft tissues and bone of the jaws. For the first 10 years after the completion of training, dental therapists will be provisionally registered to work only under the supervision of qualified dental surgeons either in government dental clinics or private dental practices. After 10 years of service under qualified dental surgeons and subject to their passing a suitable qualifying examination, they will be allowed to work on their own as registered dentists but restricted to the class of work for which they have been trained.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The amendments that are proposed in the Bill are necessary to ensure confidentiality to persons who seek treatment relating to family planning in any institution or clinic maintained or managed by the Singapore Family Planning and Population Board. This amendment complements those provisions contained in the Voluntary Sterilisation and Abortion Acts which also prohibit persons from disclosing relevant matters unless the person concerned gives express consent. The same penalties are also provided for in this Bill. Since the inception of the Board, the number of people seeking family planning advice or treatment has risen from 30,410 in 1966 to 229,365 as at 1974. This represents 87.6% of married women in the reproductive age group making the Board the biggest institution from which treatment or advice is sought on family planning matters. It is important that the confidence of such persons is maintained and they need not have any doubts as to the confidentiality of the treatment they seek from the Board. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill-[Toh Chin Chye]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. DENTISTS REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read.”
“Sir, I think the Member for Anson does not realise that the Singapore General Hospital has 1,500 beds whereas the Toa Payoh Hospital has only 450 beds. That explains the difference. Secondly, it is true that the number of Accidents and Emergency attendances at Toa Payoh Hospital .has increased considerably this year as against last year's figures for the simple reason that we are reorganising the Accidents and Emergency Units in all hospitals. We know that the Accidents and Emergency Unit is a very sensitive unit and that it is considered unpopular or is a cinderella in all hospitals. But we are going to make sure that all housemen and medical officers spend some time in this unit as it gives them a broad scope of training. The figures which I have given in the list apply to the year 1974. I do not have the 1975 figures. DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS (Cols 1311-1312) JTC EXECUTIVE FLATS (Use of CPF contributions to purchase) 3. Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for Labour if he will consider the utilisation of Central Provident Fund contributions by contributors to purchase "Executive Flats" built by the Jurong Town Corporation.”
“But if the Member for Anson had experience in dealing with businessmen, traders or hawkers, he will fully understand that regardless of what type of weighing machines we use, there are always ways and means by which dishonest traders can cheat housewives. It is not the metric system or the imperial system that is being used to cheat housewives. It is the machine that is being used. So the Member for Anson has to be a little more patient before we can find effective results next year. In fact, I anticipate that it will take another three to four years before metrication in the markets becomes feasible. Mr P. Govindaswamy: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $4,314,600 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $60,260,000 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head M -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it was stated in the Addendum to the Presidential Address that metrication in the public sector has been completed more or less and that efforts of the Metrication Board will be directed at the private sector beginning this year. However, before we embark upon this campaign it is necessary that the infrastructure should be laid. It is true that metrication appears to be slow in the private sector but, in reality, if the Member for Anson were to visit supermarkets, emporiums and if he buys petrol at petrol stations, he would have noticed that all measures are now in metric. What has happened, of course, is that we have introduced metrication so gradually and so painlessly that it has not been felt. But we have got to be very careful at the retail trade sector, particularly in the markets where housewives and servants do not fully understand the relationship between the traditional kati and the metric measures of a kilogram. The Metrication Board has come out with a model of a daching calibrated on the metric scale. Unless we first abolish the present daching scale which is calibrated in katis, it is obviously very wrong and foolish of the Metrication Board to suggest introducing two types of dachings, because then housewives would be cheated. Therefore, a considerable amount of propaganda and some legislation may be necessary before we can induce hawkers to convert to the metric system. The Weights and Measures Office, which is attached to the Ministry of Finance, is really concerned with the daching and they have to be consulted. With due consultation it is quite possible that we can abolish the daching and insist on other types of measuring instruments.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there was some dispute between the Port of Singapore Authority and my Ministry on the inspection of ships for what is called "hot work", which means that welding will be allowed in ships when it is declared free of inflammable vapours. For several years the Chemistry Department was responsible for issuing licences for hot work in shipyards. But because of the increasing number of tankers coming into port, the PSA which is responsible for the waters around Singapore believes that the duty of inspecting ships falls upon the Authority rather than on my department. This problem was then studied by the Management Services Department of the Ministry of Finance which recommended that the ship inspection section of the Chemistry Department should be transferred to the PSA. Cabinet approved the transfer to enable the PSA to carry out its function more smoothly. But whether they are able to perform the job better than the Chemistry Department or not, I am in no position to tell. If there are more explosions, then I think the Member for Anson should put this question to the Minister for Communications.”
“Talking of doctors, if the Member for Anson had read his newspaper two days ago, he would have come across an article published by the medical profession in which complaints were made of doctors in Singapore migrating overseas. Obviously it seems a bit absurd that if we are to keep on taking in more doctors or more students for training in medicine and the end-result is to cause more migration because they cannot compete among themselves, then we are investing in a holed pocket. For this reason there is a need for a quota. We cannot keep on taking in endless numbers of students who, by virtue of the profession they are trained in, have very great mobility. Medicine is one profession which provides a student with this particular mobility. He can move from one country to another country. Canada is short of doctors. Australia is short of doctors. New Zealand is short of doctors, and so also the United States. So doctors can move very freely. I think it is very important that those who are accepted into the medical school in Singapore should have some sense of obligation. Considering that we have spent a considerable sum of money on their medical education, they should at least devote their skills for some years to patients in Singapore rather than think of their own selfish interest. Their running away from competition among themselves, or the so-called rat race, is not going to help us solve the problem. 4.00 p.m. However, our anticipation is that by 1980 the University will be able to taking a total of 6,700 undergraduates as compared to the present number of 5,500 undergraduates, i.e. 1,200 more by 1980. This is another five years' time. This represents probably a 22% increase. I last made a speech that we could increase by 25% in 1982.”
“I am in full sympathy with the Member for Anson and all other parents who find it difficult for their children to enter our local University. I must say that the difference in points for admission of students into the University varies from a maximum of 64 points obtained at an HSC examination to a minimum of 32 points, which is a difference of 100%. We cannot go lower than that because we have undertaken a statistical study and discovered that there is a correlation between the grades obtained at the A level and performance at the University. This has not only been our experience but it has also been the experience of universities in the United Kingdom. In the absence of other indicators of ability, we have to rely entirely on the grades obtained at the HSC examination. For this reason we can only take in students who satisfy not just the minimum grade but the accepted grade. For example, in areas of study like medicine and engineering, we require students who have performed very well in the HSC examinations. Otherwise among the students who have been taken below these accepted grades, the possibility of their dropping out is very high. They will drop out of the course in the first or second year, because these are tough courses. I believe that it is preferable for us to train doctors who can cure than to train doctors who cannot cure. So the Member for Anson will accept the fact that standards have to be maintained and that we just cannot absorb or admit students on an ad hoc basis without bearing in mind quality, as well as the possibility of meeting our manpower needs.”
“Nonetheless, it is our intention that we should conduct experiments so that solar energy can be utilised for industrial purposes rather than for domestic purposes and in this way we hope we will be able to be less reliant on fossil energy. Or equally, with the growing use of air-conditioning in supermarkets, shopping complexes and domestic homes, the Department is conducting research into methods of using solar energy for air-conditioning. However, the research has not been completed because the Department is still waiting for vital pieces of equipment which are necessary for the development of apparatus that will be used as an air-conditioner. This is all that I can say as far as alternative sources of energy are concerned. Of course, the Member for Anson will realise that even the oil-producing countries are less interested in the use of solar energy but more interested in the use of nuclear energy. If he had read the newspapers two days ago he would have learned that the Shah of Iran had already ordered nine nuclear reactors from the United States. I think it is in our interest that we should look for alternative sources of energy. I share with him his concern. On the question of non-citizens in the University of Singapore who have taken a leading part in creating problems, I would only add that the Member for Anson must be aware that prohibition of entry against six non-citizens has already been issued and they will not be allowed to enter into Singapore again. But we do take note of the recommendation or proposal made by the Member for Anson that non-citizens should not be permitted to hold office in student organisations in Singapore. Thirdly, the Member has asked how many students can be accommodated at Kent Ridge.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my Ministry has been studying alternative sources of energy besides the present usage of fuel oil. Our main consideration, of course, has been to collect information and data on the use of nuclear energy, in conjunction with the Public Utilities Board. However, I must warn the Member for Anson that my Ministry is not directly in charge of generating energy for public consumption. All that we do is to act as an information gathering centre which can be used to provide relevant data for the Public Utilities Board. No decision has been made on the use of nuclear energy in the near future as there are still many pressing problems which the Public Utilities Board is facing, over and above which the Public Utilities Board has still to operate its new fossil fuel power station at Senoko. However, some research has been conducted by the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Singapore on the possibilities of using solar energy. The Member may be aware that Singapore is not a desert. Singapore is covered with clouds very frequently and it seems to be raining almost every day. But we have first to collect information on how much sunlight or radiation from the sun falls on Singapore throughout a whole year. This information has now been obtained and we are using the data to formulate ways and means by which solar energy can be used. The use of solar energy for cooking in villages which are not supplied with electricity or gas is quite common in India and other African countries. These solar cookers can be bought very cheaply. However, I do not foresee in the near or distant future Singapore housewives turning on to solar cookers.”
“If the Member for Anson had been to Toa Payoh on Saturday night, he would have seen me and officials of the Metrication Board trying to encourage the illiterate constituents in Toa Payoh to use the metric system. I do admit, together with the Member for Anson, that many people are still not very conscious of the metric system. But if the Member for Anson can tell me whether one pound of mutton is cheaper than one kati of it, or why he prefers to buy a metre of sari to a yard of sari for his wife, which is cheaper, then I will be able to answer him how widespread metrication is. Be rest assured that my Ministry is doing its very best to try to standardise the weights and measures, but we cannot avoid manipulation, whether we use the imperial weights and measures or the metric system. Currently, the Metrication Board is discussing with a number of daching manufacturers, so that they will be able to use the daching and yet use the metric system. The experiment is now in progress and, when completed, we will go out to the market and tell the hawkers how to sell in grams and kilograms.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, our work in developing Singapore as a brain centre is progressing very smoothly. If we have not been talking a lot about our work, it is not because our brains have been resting or sleeping, but because our brains have been doing a lot of thinking and planning. It is quite true that Singapore will have to live on its ability to export soft-ware and hard-ware services, and we do this through education in post-secondary schools and in the universities. This is one reason why my Ministry is working very closely with the universities, together with the Polytechnic and the Ministry of Education, in developing courses of study which will be of relevance and use to the young people of Singapore. The Member for Anson has a misconception about the use of the Science Centre which is coming up in Jurong. The Science Centre essentially will stimulate young students and adults to be able to read a little more about the application of scientific principles in technology. It is due to be completed in 1975. Currently, we are busy collecting exhibits from various industrial firms which will be shown at this Centre. There is no central scientific facility in Singapore. Our facilities are scattered in many branches and divisions of Government Ministries, and it is not possible for me to tell the Member whether the scientific facilities in Singapore are being fully utilised. With regard to metrication, the strategy for 1974 is to introduce it at market level, that is, among consumers. To-date, most Government departments and statutory bodies have already completed the first phase of metrication, and we are now aiming at mass consumers.”
“Mr Speaker, I think I made it very clear that the general public in Singapore is not accustomed yet to comprehending the metric units used either for distances, or weights, or for other measures. Therefore, it will require time to reinterpret how long is a mile in terms of kilometres; how heavy is a kilogram in terms of a kati, and so on. For this reason, we have no specific programme to involve the conversion of taximeters into the metric system. However, sometime in the future, by 1975 or a little later we hope that the passenger as well as taxi driver will have been used to the metric system, and therefore it will then be possible to change the taxi-meter to the metric system. On the retail trade, I do not think it is possible to abandon customary measures so soon. Amahs and housewives who go to market are more accustomed to buying goods in terms of katis and tahils. It will be very foolish of us if we were to insist on an immediate change of their purchases to the kilogram when they do not know how many kilograms are equal to a kati. It is in this transitional period that we have to exercise extreme caution; otherwise we will find that retailers will make use of this opportunity to exploit housewives and consumers. Hence, we have deliberately said in the White Paper that as far as the private sector is concerned, particularly in the retail trade area, we will go slow on metrication until the people of Singapore are more educated in the metric system. COMPENSATIONS FOR RESETTLEMENT (Request for increase) 2. Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for Law and National Development, in view of the rising cost of living, if the Government will consider increasing the rate of ex-gratia compensations payable to eligible families affected by resettlement.”
“In many government departments, fees and charges for the various services rendered are now based on metric units. The Public Utilities Board, for example, now charges for water in cubic metres. Care has been taken to ensure that these changes do not result in any increase at the expense of the general public. In departments where technical matters are involved, the change to metric is a little slower. But the Public Works Department, the Housing and Development Board, and the Public Utilities Board have all finalised their programmes with a target date of 1975, by which time they hope to he completely metricated. The bulk of the metrication programme is still in the planning stage. Nevertheless, packaging of paints in metric units was introduced in July, 1972, and the Metrication Board is likewise looking into similar conversions for other packaged goods. In the construction industry, which is affected to a great extent by the building activities in the private sector, metric conversion programmes for bricks, various types of tiles, pre-cast hollow blocks, reinforced steel bars and sawn timber, were completed. In all cases it is the policy of the Government to give whatever support it could provide, such as restricting the purchase of materials for use by the public sector to those designed in metric. The introduction of the metric units to the retail trade, however, will be gradual so as not to cause the lay public any undue hardship. Moreover, it will need time to educate the lay public on the metric system. Nevertheless, the sale of textiles by the metre was introduced in March 1972, on the initiative of the Chambers of Commerce themselves. This has now become the widespread practice among the larger departmental stores.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since the White Paper entitled "Report on a Study of the Proposed Conversion to the Metric System in Singapore" was submitted to Parliament in November, 1970, we have achieved as much progress as we could. On the whole, the measures we have recommended in the White Paper have been adopted. The Metrication Board has concentrated its initial efforts in introducing metrication to Government departments and statutory bodies. It has more or less been completed, and the Metrication Board is now directing its attention to the private sector, including the industries and the retail trade. Among the measures which have been adopted for metrication is documentation by the Trade Division, the Department of Customs and Excise, and the Statistics Department, which requires traders to declare the goods and have their excise duties assessed in metric units. The Post Office too is currently operating in metric units. Another programme implemented and which has great impact upon the general public is the introduction of metric units to the various aspects of road transport. The Public Works Department, the Registry of Vehicles, the Police Department and private organisations, such as the Automobile Association of Singapore and the National Safety First Council, were all involved in the planning of a programme for the smooth introduction of speed limits and distance markers in metric units. Recently, motorists came into contact with metrication when they began to buy petrol in litres. A campaign is currently being planned in August to make motorists accustomed to reading speed limits in kilometres per hour. For this campaign we are seeking the co-operation of petrol pump stations.”
“Mr Speaker, the answer to the statement made by the Member for Anson is an English quotation which says that "You can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink". The reason why the port worker earns more money is due to the increased tariffs, although there are even fewer number of ships coming in. I think that gives him the right answer. PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION (Sports promotion through community centres) 2. Inche Abdul Aziz Karim asked the Minister for Culture if the People's Association will give full support to the National Sports Promotion Board by mobilising all its resources at the community centres in bringing about a new milieu in sports in the Republic.”
“I have in my answer earlier, Mr Speaker, said that this has been going on since 1964, and the PSA has assured these daily-rated port workers a monthly minimum earning which has been computed 26 times the sum of the individual worker's basic salary, plus cost of living allowance, shift allowance, housing allowance, and so on. This is still going on.”
“But it is unfortunate that at this period when there is a recession in world trade, particularly between Japan and the United States, the slack or the leisure time which should have been occupied in fruitful work has not been made available. I am afraid the Port Authority is not responsible for this, as it is not in control of the world economic situation. However, I would like to assure the Member for Telok Blangah that no gang labour registered with the Port Authority will be regarded as redundant labour. Mr N. Govindasamy: Just one more supplementary question, Sir, lf, by the increased output of the workers, they are able to earn 20 days' wages for work which they would normally perform in 16 days, as the Minister has said just now, would the PSA guarantee 26 days' wages as they had been promised, irrespective of the fact whether work is available for them or not? In respect of easing out casual labourers who are just staying behind and doing nothing, when is it going to take place?”
“Casual labourers consist of unemployed workers registered with the Ministry of Labour and also with the Pont Authority. The registration of these casual labourers does not imply that the PSA will automatically offer them work daily. But on those days when the casual labourers report and offer themselves for work and should there be no work, a payment of $1 is made to each worker so as to assist him to recover his travelling expenses. The present poo1 of casual labourers has been on the register since February 1971. The total number is about 424 as at the end of March 1972. During the first quarter of 1972, no casual labourer has less than 14 days' work in a month. In fact, casual labourers have an average of 19 days' work per month. However, it is the policy of the Port Authority to gradually ease out the pool of casual labourers into the general labour pool, and this should be so particularly at this moment when there is a shortage of labour in Singapore, and it is important that we should not keep such a large pool of casual labour around the port. But after consultation with representatives on the Board, we have agreed that the pool should be eased off gradually so as to enable the casual labourers to re-adjust themselves to another form of work. What I have said, Mr Speaker, points out the fact that the improved methods which have been adopted at the Port have increased productivity, and the fact that the average worker is earning a month's salary in half the time that he used to do should ordinarily be regarded as a boom to the industry.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there has been no reduction at all in take-home pay because of the improved productivity. What has happened, of course, is that the port workers earn a full month's wages for working 19 to 20 days of the month, and for the rest of the month they go on holiday. I think this is the reason for the impression that there has been a reduced workload at the port. However, since 1964 the PSA has guaranteed its daily-rated port workers a monthly minimum earning computed under an arithmetical formula of 26 times the sum of the individual worker's daily basic salary, plus his cost of living allowance, average shift allowance payable, plus 30 times his daily housing allowance. This minimum earning does not include any incentive bonus payment, which is dependent on productivity. I would like to add this further information to assure the Member for Telok Blangah that the integrated gang labour during the first quarter of this year had an average of 25 days' work, and most of them earned either more or less than what they earned last year. For the period January to March 1972, as compared with the same period for 1971, out of a total of 2,122 integrated gang labourers, 1,376 had increased earnings whilst 746 had decreased earnings. The port and shipping industry is an industry in which there can be no consistent level of work. On some days, more work is performed above the average requirements, while on other days there are shortfalls. It is for this reason that the PSA has resorted to a pool of casual labour who could be asked to supplement the normal labour force on those occasions when the demand for labour exceeds the supply, and who also act as substitutes for permanent labourers who are on leave or absent.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." This Bill seeks to bring the financial year of the Science Council in line with that of the Government, which is, 1st April to 31st March. The amendment proposed in clause 2 (b) of the Bill is consequential, and it requires that a report from the Science Council is submitted before the end of June. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.-[Dr Toh Chin Chye] Bill considered in Committee: reported without amendment: read a Third time and passed. SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES BILL Order for Second Reading read. 4.18 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, metrication has not yet been extended to hawkers; so the Member for Anson can be rest assured that the problem has not arisen. There is the Weights and Measures Division in the Department of Trade, which regularly inspects the measures used by hawkers. In the distant future, when hawkers begin to metricate, he can be assured that the Division will be very active in inspecting the balances, or whatever measures the hawkers will use. It is true that the Chambers of Commerce had taken the initiative to ask textile shopkeepers to sell currently by the metre instead of by the yard. This began in March. But not all shops are following this new practice, but we expect that over a period of time even the smaller shops will gradually follow suit. In order to prevent shopkeepers from profiteering on this change, members of the Metrication Board and the Consumers' Association of Singapore have been visiting textile shops to watch the progress of metrication. To-date, the report that I have got so far is that there have been no serious complaint of cheating. In fact, there are some textile firms selling by the metre, but are charging rates at the old measure, i.e, by the yard. In other words, they are prepared to round off the old measures into metric, so that the consumer, in fact, stands to gain rather than lose. In view of this, the Metrication Board intends to publicise those shops which are charging at the old rates but measuring out with the metre rule instead of the yard rule.”
“Mr Conceicao: Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply, and I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“The areas of research which the Centre will initially embark upon will be in market research, particularly for export products, distribution and transportation analyses (both national and international), management information and control systems and procedures, corporate strategy, long-range planning assistance, economic analysis of growth potential in relation to changing economic, political and technical environment in this region and throughout the world, industrial feasibility survey, including cost-profit projections for specific products, processes, and industrial undertakings, industrial engineering, technical problems peculiar to our tropical environment, such as corrosion control or insulation problems, product innovation and adaptation to meet local and other market requirements, and increasing total value added in manufacture. Subsequently, when the Centre has begun its initial operations, it will embark upon more technical studies which are confronted in the engineering and applied sciences. The problem which we are now confronted with is manpower. It is not the purpose of the Centre to recruit very highly qualified and very expensive personnel to form a nucleus for this Centre. But it will try to utilize whatever expertise there is available in Singapore, particularly in our institutions of higher learning. Some of the contract work can be farmed out to such experts or they can be brought in as consultants. The key person, who will be the manager of the Centre, is now being sought, and when appointed, the company will be launched as a non-profit making institution. At the moment, my Ministry is engaged in drawing up the Articles of Association and Memorandum for the company. When this is done, we hope to get the Centre going sometime in 1972.”
“It is true that civil servants, both in the Government and statutory bodies, are very much pre-occupied with routine matters of administration and day-to-day operations of their departments to apply their minds to work out solutions to problems confronting them, or even to sit down and identify the problems which they may have to deal with in executing any particular policy. This is particularly so of the public sector, and generally so of the private sector, where the multi-national companies have invested heavily in Singapore. For this reason, my Ministry commissioned the Stanford Research Institute last year to do a study on the setting up of a Centre for Applied Research in Singapore. Their report suggests that such a Centre should be established as a private company limited by guarantee, and will have no shareholders, in order to maintain confidentiality of research reports and in order that the company can call itself a non-profit making institution so that it will not have to pay income tax to the Government. It will also have no dividends to pay out. But the ultimate objective of the company will be to sustain the costs of the research efforts that it puts in. The Ministry of Finance has promised a sum of money to initiate operations for the setting up of the Centre for Applied Research.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I indicated last year that I would appeal to the Ministry of Finance for a Deputy Secretary as and when the volume of work in my Ministry grows. Members can now see for this year that there is provision for such a post. However, the provision is only for nine months as it is the practice of Treasury to allocate only nine months' salary for a new post. Apparently, they spend the remaining three months looking for a suitable person. I do certainly hope that the Establishment Division of the Ministry of Finance will be able to appoint someone competent enough to fill the post of Deputy Secretary in my Ministry. The post of Principal Assistant Secretary continues to remain in my Ministry. Members would perhaps like to know that it is not very easy to get people who are versed in administration as well as in science and technology to occupy this post, because at the moment people who are so qualified prefer to obtain a similar job outside the public sector where it is more convenient and better paid. Because of this competition which the Government is faced with, there may be some delay before we can find a suitable person. I have no objection to replying to the Member for Katong on the Centre for Applied Research. As Singapore's industrialisation and economic growth continue to progress, it has become obvious that multifarious problems are popping up to confront the Government, statutory bodies, and the private sector.”