Tony Tan Keng Yam
Singapore
“One of the problems which they have in Britain is that, up to recently, they have no means to stop people coming into Britain and preaching in their mosques messages of hate, jihad and violence. Here, MUIS monitors our mosques very carefully, what is being preached at Friday prayers.”
“Sir, I am not going to enter into a debate about whether the war in Iraq is justified or not. That is another issue. But I would say, Sir, that with all the measures which have been taken over the last three years since 9/11, including the war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, the arrest of the Al Qaeda leaders, the detention of the JI lea…”
“Sir, we are extending the CCTV coverage in our bus stations, MRT stations and other places in Singapore where people congregate. It is a part of life now. For example, at our MRT stations, all our CCTV cameras are those where the films are recorded and we can analyse them. Surveillance is one of the effective ways of deterring terrorism.”
“The Muslim community in the UK has contributed to the healing process and has worked hard with the other communities to strengthen the moderate voice of Islam.”
“I would say again, Sir, that what we should do is when you see something which is suspicious, if you see a bag which is left unattended, report to some authority. We will look into it. We have to. And I am glad that we are getting more reports today, be vigilant.”
“It could reach here. We have to live with it. We support the war in Iraq. We believe that it is good for us to join the coalition led by the US against terror. The fight against terror is worldwide. We cannot opt out by not taking part. We are in it. We must continue whatever the difficulties.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,158 lines we hold for Tony Tan Keng Yam, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 18 of 24.
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of this Bill is to make provision in accordance with Clause 2 of Article 145 and Clause 2 of Article 147 of the Constitution of Singapore for additional expenditure in excess of the provision authorized by the Supply Act, 1982. The additional sum has been scheduled as a Supplementary Main Estimate which has been considered and approved by tHe House as Command Paper No. 1 of 1983. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time. Third Reading”
“Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLY BILL Order for Second and Third Readings read.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." In accordance with Article 145 of the Constitution of Singapore, heads of expenditure to be met from the Consolidated Fund other than statutory expenditure have to be included in a Bill to be known as the Supply Bill. The purpose of the Supply Bill before Members is therefore to give legislative approval to the appropriations from the Consolidated Fund to meet expenditure in the financial year, 1st April 1983 to 31st March 1984. The heads of expenditure and the sums that may be incurred in respect of each head are shown in the schedule to the Bill. These have been approved by the House in the Main Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year, 1st April 1983 to 31st March 1984, and appear on page 17 of Command Paper No. 2 of 1983. The Supply Bill, when approved, will empower me to issue warrants, authorizing expenditure up to the amount for each head as shown in the Bill to be paid out from the Consolidated Fund. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time. Third Reading”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolutions." Question put, and agreed to. Resolutions accordingly agreed to. SUPPLY BILL”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply have come to certain resolutions. First Resolution reported - "That the sum of $7,011,131,420 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Main Estimates for the financial year 1st April, 1983 to 31st March, 1984, contained in Paper Cmd. 2 of 1983." Second Resolution reported - "That the sum of $7,788,607,100 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Development Estimates for the financial year 1st April, 1983 to 31st March, 1984, contained in Paper Cmd. 2 of 1983."”
“Sir, I am most happy to give the assurance to the Member that this is a matter which I would ask the VITB to do as quickly as they can. As I have explained to the Member for West Coast, in so far as the BEST Programme is concerned, this is a new activity for the VITB. I think it is fair that we give them time to consolidate what they have achieved. But as soon as it is practicable, I can assure the Member for Kebun Baru that we will make sure that the VITB looks into this matter, which I fully agree with him is pressing and is very necessary for those of our existing workers in the workforce who may not be able to benefit from the BEST Programme. We will get this done.”
“Sir, I do not know what to say except that I agree with the Member.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to assure the Member for Ayer Rajah that the PUB is not consciously neglecting the upkeep of Pandan Reservoir. In fact, the PUB has a regular programme for the maintenance of all reservoirs in Singapore, including the Pandan Reservoir. Last year, in 1982, the PUB spent a total of $266,400 on the upkeep of Pandan Reservoir and the PUB employed 15 persons to maintain the Reservoir. The grass in the turfed areas, mainly on the slope of the dike, is cut once in three weeks and I do not think we can say that the Reservoir has been neglected. The Member may also know that, unlike the other reservoirs, Pandan Reservoir has no land around it. It consists of a manmade dike which encircles the Reservoir. The dike is 6.15 km long with a 6-metre wide laterite track at the top which is meant to be used for the maintenance of the Reservoir. However, since its completion in 1974, residents in the area have been using the track for jogging. I am sure the Member would like the PUB to allow this activity to continue. If the Member for Ayer Rajah would give me details of the areas of the Reservoir which are not being maintained, I promise that I will go with him one Sunday evening to have a look at it and we shall direct the PUB to do what is necessary.”
“Apart from this, STPB is also encouraging investors to develop new tourist attractions in Singapore. These investments will, however, take time to materialize. I expect that 1983 will be a difficult year for the tourist industry. While the STPB will re-double its efforts to attract more visitors, the tourist industry must also play its part. I would urge hotels, travel agents, department stores and other members of the tourist industry to increase their own marketing efforts and to provide good value and service. It is only through such joint efforts that we will achieve a healthy and vibrant tourist industry in the years to come. BILL INTRODUCED MASS RAPID TRANSIT CORPORATION BILL "to establish a corporation for the construction and operation of a mass rapid transit system in Singapore, to assume the functions, assets and liabilities of the Provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority, to repeal the Provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority Act 1980 (No. 18 of 1980), and to make provisions for purposes connected therewith", recommendation of President signified, presented by the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (Mr Ong Teng Cheong); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. CLAUSE: MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF SINGAPORE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1983 TO 31ST MARCH, 1984 Order read for resumed consideration in Committee of Supply [6th Allotted Day], [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 3.03 p.m. Head T (cont.) - Amendment moved (22nd March, 1983), "That the sum to be allocated for Head T be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead TE-01 of the Main Estimates." - [Mr Liew Kok Pun].”
“To arrest the decline in tourism growth, the following measures have been taken by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board: (i) Firstly, STPB has revamped its marketing and promotion strategy. The Board is placing more emphasis on markets such as USA and Japan which are expected to recover sooner from the recession. STPB has also intensified its promotion in new markets such as South Korea. New marketing tactics which have more direct influence on potential travellers have been introduced. These include postcard campaigns and in-store promotions in large department stores in Europe and Australia. More imaginative publications and promotional materials are also being used, many of which have been of prize-winning quality. More media and TV crews from the major tourist generating countries have been invited to Singapore to generate greater news coverage and awareness on Singapore. To get greater mileage from its marketing promotions, the Board has also stepped up its joint promotion programmes with airlines, hotels, travel agents and other tourist related organizations. (ii) Secondly, STPB has stepped up its efforts to promote Singapore as a Conventions and Exhibitions Centre. Conventioneers and exhibitors generally spend much more than the average tourist. The results of STPB's efforts have been heartening. The number of conventions involving regional and international participation increased from 158 in 1979 to 270 in 1982. (iii) Thirdly, STPB has devoted greater attention to developing our tourist infrastructure. More recreational and cultural activities such as the Dragon Boat Races, the Mooncake and Kite Festivals have been organized or sponsored by the STPB to make Singapore a more lively place and to induce tourists to stay longer in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in 1982, the number of tourist arrivals to Singapore increased by 4.5%, less than half the growth achieved in 1981. The growth in our tourist arrivals began to slow down significantly in the middle of 1982. In December 1982 and January 1983, we experienced for the first time in many years declines of 3.3% and 2.9% respectively in tourist arrivals. There are several reasons for the declining rate of tourist arrivals. The key factor is the recession in the traditional tourist generating markets such as Europe, USA, Australia and some of our Asian markets. The effect of the recession on the tourism industry has not been peculiar to Singapore. Most countries experienced either declines or very low growth in tourist arrivals in 1982. Growth in world tourism slowed down from 1.3% in 1980 to 0.85% in 1982. The slower growth is also partly due to the fact that, in terms of cost of hotel accommodation, Singapore has become an expensive city to visit compared to other Asian competitor cities. Over the last four years, hotel room rates in Singapore have doubled. The hotel industry has felt the impact of the slower growth in tourist arrivals. The average hotel occupancy rate fell from 85.7% in 1981 to 80.8% in 1982. In January 1983, it fell further to 73.2%. In line with the fall in tourist arrivals, the growth in real output of the hotel industry dropped from 10.4% in 1981 to 4.5% in 1982. The restaurants and the retail trade sector also showed slower growth in real output of approximately 5% in 1982 compared to a high growth rate of 9% in 1981. Similarly SIA no longer experienced the brisk business of the previous years; the passenger-kilometres covered by SIA grew by only 5%, less than half the rate in 1981.”
“Many local companies have found the lack of technical knowhow a serious handi- cap in their effort to upgrade to higher technology activities. To help these companies, the Small Industries Technical Assistance Scheme (SITAS) was recently established to assist them to enlist the help of technical consultants. 90% of the approved cost of engaging such consultants is eligible for reimbursement under this Scheme. Since the Scheme was announced in October 1982, six applications have been received, of which three have been approved while the remaining three are being evaluated. TOURIST ARRIVALS (Measures to arrest declining rate) 7. Mr Rohan bin Kamis asked the Minister for Trade and Industry what are the reasons for the declining rate of tourist arrivals in Singapore; what is the impact on our industries especially the hotel industry of this declining rate and what steps are being taken by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board to attract more tourists to Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) established in 1975, concessionary loans and/or equity capital are granted to industrial projects with high technological and skill content and to supporting industries critical to Singapore's industrial development. As at January 1983, a total of $157.6 million had been committed to 17 companies under the Scheme. Of these companies, one is local, three are joint ventures between local and foreign investors and the rest are foreign. Capital assistance is also extended solely to local industries through the Small Industries Finance Scheme (SIFS) established in 1976. Under the SIFS, funds are provided to participating banks at long-term fixed interest rate for onward lending to small and medium-sized local manufacturing or technical service companies to help them to modernize and expand. As at 31st January, 1983, a total of $235 million in loans had been granted to 626 companies under the Scheme. Apart from the CAS and SIFS, EDB's general package of tax incentives is also available to local companies to help them invest in or develop into capital intensive or high technology industries. As at 31st January, 1983, 43% of pioneer certificates and 68% of investment allowance certificates had been granted to wholly local and joint venture industries. In all, these projects have been granted 44% of the total tax incentives allocated to all industries. In addition, the Product Development Assistance Scheme (PDAS), set up in 1978, was designed specifically to stimulate the growth of local applied research and product development. As at 31st January 1983, PDAS grants totalling $1.41 million had been awarded to 15 firms engaged in approved in-house product development work.”
“There are 79 Primary 6 classes, 93 Secondary 4 classes and 8 Pre-University classes with an enrolment of 1,126, 966 and 99 respectively. In Ang Mo Kio constituency, 200 Primary 6 students, 140 Secondary 4 students and 40 Pre-University students are now attending tuition classes in Mayflower Secondary School. Most of the teachers come from the Ang Mo Kio area itself. These classes are managed by the Al Muttaqin Mosque Management Committee. Mr Speaker, Sir, MENDAKI would not have succeeded as well as it has but for its representative character. The Council of MENDAKI consists of representatives of 11 different Muslim organisations in addition to all Muslim Members of Parliament. The Muslim community of Singapore is an ethnically diverse community. The Council of Mendaki is conscious that its responsibility is to uplift the educational standard of all Muslim children and not of Malay children alone. May I, Mr Speaker, Sir, in conclusion remind the House that MENDAKI is not an organ of the Ministry of Social Affairs. It is a voluntary effort on the part of the Muslim community. In my capacity as Chairman of the Council of MENDAKI, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the support it has received from the non-Muslims of Singapore.”
“With computerization of the Registry's records, the Statistics Department will also be able to compile statistics on Muslim marriages more speedily and directly from the data entered into computer tapes by the Registry staff. There will be savings in manpower for the Statistics Department, as staff no longer have to extract the raw data from application forms submitted by the couples. MENDAKI (Response from Muslim Community) 9. Mr Yeo Toon Chia asked the Acting Minister for Social Affairs what has been the response from the Malay community, in particular from residents in Ang Mo Kio constituency, to Mendaki, and what progress has been made in its programmes to date. The Acting Minister for Social Affairs (Dr Ahmad Mattar): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am pleased to inform the House that the response to MENDAKI from the Muslim community has been very encouraging. The Muslim community in Ang Mo Kio is no exception. The enthusiasm of the Muslim community was evident at the 13 dialogue sessions which members of the MENDAKI Council have so far held with the residents of different localities. The questions posed, and the suggestions made, at these sessions prove that Muslims are now more conscious than ever of the importance of education. MENDAKI has, I believe, succeeded in putting the message across to Muslims that the improvement in the educational attainment of Muslim children depends no less on parents as on the children themselves. Before MENDAKI launched its tuition classes, it held six briefing sessions for parents of the children who would be attending these classes. More than 500 parents attended these sessions, at which MENDAKI officials explained what they, the parents, could do to complement the work of MENDAKI. In all, MENDAKI has so far opened nine Tuition Centres.”
“Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Acting Minister for Social Affairs if he will report on the progress of the construction of the new Registry of Muslim Marriages, and state what new or better facilities will be provided in the new building, with details concerning the computerised registry system, its benefit and improved service. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Affairs (Mr Teo Chong Tee) (for the Acting Minister for Social Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the new Registry of Muslim Marriages will be housed under the same roof as the Registry of Civil Marriages. It will be completed soon and staff are expected to move into the new building by the middle of April 1983. The new Registry of Muslim Marriages will be more spacious than its existing premises. It will be in quieter surroundings. The Bersanding Hall will be tastefully decorated and can accommodate up to 90 persons who wish to witness the Bersanding ceremony. There are make-up rooms for the bride and the groom to freshen up before the wedding ceremony. The new building is located in park-like surroundings and couples will find that there will be many picturesque areas in Fort Canning Park suitable for taking photographs after their wedding. The records of the Registry of Muslim Marriages will be computerized towards the end of this year. The computerization of the marriage records will lessen the work-load of the staff as they no longer have to manually retrieve information on marriages solemnized. Staff can also update information on the marital status of persons whose records are in the Registry of Muslim Marriages, e.g. when they have been granted a divorce by the Syariah Court.”
“Method of Application The Economic Development Board (EDB) normally advertises in the local press three months in advance before the commencement of the diploma courses for the three Institutes. Applicants are invited to apply for the various courses through the EDB. Allocation of Training Places Applicants are required to sit for an aptitude test and attend an interview before a panel comprising members from the EDB and the Institutes. Progress Report The GSI has recruited three batches of students since February 1982. The intakes are scheduled six-monthly, in February and August. 50 students are accepted per intake and this will increase to 100 from August 1983 onwards. There are 151 students currently undergoing training at the Institute. It will reach its maximum enrolment capacity of 450 by February 1985. The JSIST has recruited two batches of students since February 1982. Current student enrolment is 100. Another batch of 50 students will be recruited in August 1983. From 1984 onwards, a systems analysis course will be offered to graduates of tertiary institutions. JSIST is expected to reach its maximum enrolment capacity of 250 by August 1984. The construction of the FSI will be completed by April 1983. The Institute will take in the first batch of 50 students in August 1983. The intake of students is scheduled six monthly. The number of students per intake will increase to 100 from August 1984 onwards. The Institute will reach its maximum enrolment capacity of 400 by February 1986. REGISTRY OF MUSLIM MARRIAGES (New location and Computerization of records) 8.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, both the German-Singapore Institute of Production Technology (GSI) and the Japan-Singapore Institute of Software Technology (JSIST) have been in operation since February 1982. The French-Singapore Institute (FSI) will take in its first batch of students in August this year. Courses Available The GSI offers a two-year diploma course in production technology with emphasis on cutting technology and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) techniques, design (i.e. tool and die, jigs and fixtures), production processes and industrial engineering. The JSIST offers a two-year diploma course in programming and systems analysis. From January 1984, it will also offer advanced three- and six-month courses in systems analysis. The FSI will be offering a two-year diploma course in electro-technology with emphasis on control engineering, instrumentation, electronics, robotics, Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing or CAD/CAM, micro-processor and computer applications. Entry Requirements Applicants to the above courses must be Singapore citizens or permanent residents. In addition, they must possess passes in at least two 'A' level subjects, one of which must be Mathematics, and General Paper or English at 'O' level. However, the GSI and FSI will accept applicants without such passes if they possess the relevant National Trade Certificate (NTC) 2 or EDB's Craftsmen Certificate with a minimum of two years' relevant working experience and a GCE 'O' level. For the more advanced systems analysis courses at JSIST, only applicants with tertiary educational qualifications beyond 'A' level will be accepted.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in making these projections, it would be senseless not to take into account the number of jobs available. MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF SINGAPORE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1983 TO 31ST MARCH, 1984 Order read for resumed consideration in Committee of Supply [4th Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head J (cont.) -”
“Service conditions are constantly reviewed to ensure that they are kept competitive with comparable institutions overseas and comparable jobs found locally. Postgraduate scholarships at internationally renowned institutions are also being awarded to outstanding graduates to attract them to take up university teaching as a career. The Ministry of Finance has been generous in its allocations of funds to support the building expansion programme of the institutions. Teachers in schools have put in a special effort to ensure that sufficient numbers of suitably qualified pupils are produced each year to take up places in the tertiary and other training institutions.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Council on Professional and Technical Education (CPTE), of which I am the Chairman, had made a comprehensive set of projections on the professional, technical and skilled manpower requirements of Singapore up to 1990. These projections were based on the targetted rates of economic growth laid out in our Ten-year Economic Development Plan. A summary of these projections appeared in the Annex to the 1981 Budget Statement, entitled "Highlights of the 10-Year Economic Development Plan". The conclusion of the CPTE study was that the enrolment of our tertiary and training institutions would have to be increased substantially, particularly in engineering and technical courses. As a result of the study, the various tertiary and training institutions have significantly expanded their enrolment in recent years. For the information of members, I will now circulate the latest enrolment projections (Cols. 1359 - 1374) of our various tertiary and training institutions up to 1990. As these take into account the CPTE projections, they provide some idea of the kind of jobs we expect to generate in the future. Relating it to the institutions will also give a better picture of the academic or professional qualifications needed. projections - PROJECTED ENROLMENTS OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, 1982 - 1990, VOCATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL TRAINING BOARD PROJECTED ENROLMENT BY COURSE 1982 - 1990 (Cols. 1359 - 1374) To meet the expanded training needs, it will be necessary to increase the number of qualified teaching staff and build more schools and institutions as well as expand the existing ones. The various institutions have been conducting intensive staff recruitment exercises on an on-going basis, both locally and overseas.”
“MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF SINGAPORE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1983 TO 31ST MARCH, 1984 Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 3.20 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the financial community with the encouragement of the Government established the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) in 1974 to meet the training needs of officers and employees working in the financial sector. Since its inception, the IBF has organized a series of training courses relating to banking, finance and the management of financial institutions. It has also organized seminars and conferences to upgrade the skill and sophistication of staff in the financial sector. The activities of the IBF can be broadly classified as follows: (1) The IBF Diploma course. This is a two-year broad-based executive development programme leading to the award of the IBF Diploma in banking and finance. (2) Structured programmes for specialized areas of finance. One example is the comprehensive 10-week foreign exchange training scheme to train foreign exchange dealers in order to alleviate the current acute shortage of such personnel. (3) Ad hoc courses on subjects of topical interest. These include talks and seminars on topics such as financial futures and the international banking system. The IBF will be introducing two new courses, one on gold trading and the other on financial futures. These are aimed at training dealers in futures trading and equipping the financial sector and the public with the knowledge of the futures market. The IBF is also studying the feasibility of organizing developmental training programmes to impart basic banking skills such as credit analysis, international banking, loans syndication and funds management. All these courses will benefit our local bank officers and employees and help them to do their job better.”
“We have a population that is well tested, that has been exposed to equally perilous dangers in the past and each time we have overcome what appeared to be insurmountable obstacles. Our children will inherit a Singapore that will be a far cry from the riot stricken, impoverished city which was the lot of some of us in this House in our younger days. Our children will have the benefit of being better prepared to face the world in the 1980s and the 1990s. From time to time, no doubt some of us may have occasional doubts as to whether the younger generation will have the moral fibre, the resoluteness that is characteristic of Singaporeans and symbolized by the hard-headed, realistic, honest policies pursued by our Government over the last 24 years. The ways of the young may appear to be somewhat strange to us but I believe that lessons learnt by the old have not been wasted. These lessons can be transmitted to those who are now in schools, doing their national service, in the universities and those who are embarking on their first jobs. All of us are human. One of these days all of us will pass away from the scene. In due course of time, our children will inherit the Singapore which our ancestors and we have built and I believe that they will do us proud. Much obliged, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. [Applause]. 8.00 p.m. Question put, "That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1st April, 1983 to 31st March, 1984."”
“Let me just pass this schedule (Cols. 917 - 918) around which shows the distribution of personal income tax based on assessments completed in 1982 [Copies distributed to Members.] schedule - DISTRIBUTION OF PERSONAL INCOME TAX BASED ON ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED IN 1982 (Cols. 917 - 918) I do not have to say more. It shows that the bulk of our personal income tax is in fact collected from the higher income groups. 75% of our taxpayers numbering some 369,000 people with chargeable incomes of less than $10,000 pay only 8.7% of the total tax that is assessed. On the other end of the scale, are those taxpayers with chargeable income above $100,000. This comprises some 5,091 taxpayers assessed last year. They were only 1% of the total number of taxpayers. They paid $265 million or more than one-third of the total tax assessed. The Member has also complained that our personal reliefs are too low and has compared us unfavourably with reliefs given by a neighbouring country. I think he should not only take tax reliefs into consideration but also the tax rates. In Singapore, our tax rate for the first chargeable group of $5,000 is only at 4% whereas in that neighbouring country the lowest rate is 6%. So I do not think that he can compare one thing with another unless he takes the whole thing in perspective. I am running out of time, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, but I think that this has been a very interesting Budget debate and I thank all hon. Members for their constructive suggestions and their comments. As I have said in my concluding remarks in the Budget speech, many Members have noted in their speeches that we live in perilous times. While I am apprehensive I am not discouraged. We have seen the dangers ahead and we have taken the necessary precautions.”
“Did you not say, "within"? Perhaps we should go back to the old cottage industries where the home is the work place! Again, on a more serious subject, the Member has criticized the Government's taxation policy with regard to reliefs and implied that the Government is managing our economy and our financial policy only to the benefit of those who are rich while neglecting those who are poor. In other words, we are squeezing the poor in order to benefit the rich.”
“The Member for Anson has also suggested that the Government should provide workers with homes within their work places. This is a new concept of worker benefit which I am not familiar with.”
“I shall move a little faster now. The Member for Serangoon Gardens also talked about ASEAN, particularly the ASEAN industrial projects which have not moved as much as we would like. Basically, the reason is that the conditions under which all the five countries have to participate in the projects are becoming a little difficult for the projects to get off the ground. My own feeling is that the new agreement on the ASEAN industrial joint ventures is a much more promising approach. I would now like to say a few words on the expenditure budget, since the Member for Rochore has commented that he has scrutinized acutely our strip-tease Budget. This has also been commented on by the Member for Whampoa. He has expressed concern over what he called the serious budgetary lapses that have occurred each year when the expenditure and revenue estimates presented by the Government differ markedly from what is actually spent and earned. For example, in FY 1982-83, Government revenues were under-estimated by 22% while development expenditure was over-estimated by 15%. This under-estimation of revenue and over-estimation of expenditure, in my view, reflects the conservative and prudent approach taken by the Government in the management of public finance.”
“As regards land, this is a topic which has been raised by several Members, including the Members for Clementi, Whampoa and Rochore. We must use land carefully in Singapore because it is a finite resource. We must also ensure that there is always sufficient land set aside to generate economic growth while, at the same time, to satisfy the housing, recreational and social needs of our population. We all know that developers of land for economic use are motivated by profit consideration, as are all businessmen. I am not sure whether it is wise for the Government to direct businessmen to build hotels, offices or condominiums. I think it is best to leave such decisions to the businessmen. But it is right that the Government should make sure that as much informati6n as possible is available to the businessmen so that they can make a careful and considered judgement. The Government is monitoring the situation to ensure that our Master Plan continues to be relevant and appropriate in the light of new economic and social circumstances. I think that with the high pace of construction and high usage of land likely in the next few years, I am inclined to agree with the Member for Whampoa that perhaps it is time now for the Government to make an overall study of the economic use of land in Singapore in order to ensure that this finite resource can be put to the most efficient use. This is a matter which we will take up with the Ministry of National Development. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, do I have to stop at 8.00 o'clock.?”
“If companies wish to pay a high price for some programmes, that is their privilege, but the SDF will make sure that this is not at the cost of the SDF funds. The Member for Yio Chu Kang has also brought up a number of points on the development of Singapore as a financial centre, particularly with regard to the management fees incurred for managing funds. Members will know that these management fees are incurred by companies which deal in stocks and shares and are fully deductible if they are part and parcel of the expenses in buying and selling the stocks and shares and the profits from these sales are subject to tax. But, on the other hand, companies which are engaged in investment holding and do not deal in stocks and shares are subject to tax only on the investment income, not on the profits realized from the sale of such stocks and shares. Companies will have to make up their minds whether they wish to be dealing companies or to be investment holding companies. They cannot have the best of both worlds. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Finance has been most generous in giving a concession by allowing a deduction of 50% of the management fees incurred by the investment holding company. Furthermore, there is the problem of defining what is capital gain and what is dealing gain. There is, in fact, an abundance of case laws which can give guidance in deciding whether in any particular case the gain is income gain or a capital gain. In fact, to my knowledge, no country in the world has given an explicit explanation of what is an income gain as against a capital gain. If the Member for Yio Chu Kang has any information which we do not know, I would be very pleased to hear from him.”
“It is in this way that our small local companies can make use of the SDF funds which they have contributed. In fact, almost two-thirds of the total SDF grants have gone to our local companies. Since most of our local companies are small, this shows that our small companies have also made use of the SDF funds. Furthermore, the annual commitments of SDF grants have been increasing. In 1980 it was about 18% of the annual collections, in 1981, 49%, and in 1982, 60%. Perhaps in 1983 it will reach 100%. The number of applications received in 1982 has more than doubled compared to that received in 1981. I am glad to see that the momentum in training is quickly building up, although I would like to remind Members that we are still a far cry from the state when training is required as an integral part of a company's operations. My fear is that with the present recession some companies may be tempted to cut back on their training programmes in order to reduce costs. This is most undesirable. Not only will it be a setback for us but I believe it will also impair the ability of companies to take advantage of the recovery which must come one of these days. The Member for Yio Chu Kang has speculated that fees for training courses have gone up because it is so easy to get money from the SDF. This may be true, but the SDF has built into its criteria an evaluation of the cost effectiveness of the training programmes which it subsidizes. Companies have also been advised that they should weigh the likely benefits of the training programmes to which they send their workers. If the prog ramme is not cost effective, the SDF will reduce the level of support which it gives or, indeed, reject the applications from the companies.”
“Once the Continuing Education and Training Department of VITB, which is responsible for the BEST programme, has acquired enough experience in running the BEST programme, it should turn its attention to the categories of workers which have been referred to by the Member for West Coast. Perhaps one possible way is to teach them simple practical skills which do not require a knowledge of English or Mathematics. For example, these can be simple mechanical skills. However, there is a limit to what we can do to train employees for these simple mechanical skills. If workers want to upgrade themselves, then at some stage they must at least learn the rudiments of Mathematics or English so that they can handle the more complex machinery which our companies will introduce. In this respect the trade unions can help the Government significantly to reduce any difficulty which the older workers may have in this area. A variety of views have been expressed by Members regarding the Skills Development Fund. The Members for Leng Kee, Chong Boon and Thomson feel that the scheme should be reviewed. The Member for Kebun Baru is a strong champion of the SDF. We should not just look at the disbursement figure of $27 1/2 million which has been mentioned several times. A further sum of $102 million is due to be paid out when companies complete their approved training programmes. I do not think that small companies are at a disadvantage as there are many avenues through which they can avail themselves of the SDF funds, for example, by using the Interest Grant for Mechanization scheme. Moreover, several trade or industry associations, like the textile trade and the hotel trade, have joined together to set up industrial training programmes which are funded by the SDF.”
“In all fairness, we must recognize that it was the trade union movement who first recognized the need to upgrade the skill not only of those young people who are going to join the workforce but of those people who are already in the workforce so that the workers will be able to work in the new type of industries which we are attracting to Singapore. With regard to the Basic Education for Skills Training (BEST) Programme, a suggestion was made by the Member for Boon Lay, whether workers who had been retrenched and could not find employment could be enrolled in Government-approved training courses and receive Government assistance while undergoing training. On the whole, I would agree with the Member that, as far as possible, we should help retrenched workers to enrol in our training centres and to acquire new and relevant skills which will improve their chances of re-employment. I am not sure whether giving them a subsidy by way of direct financial assistance is a good measure in the long run. The experience of several Western countries has shown that the existence of such benefits is often a disincentive to people to look for work. So far, getting a job has not been too difficult in Singapore because we still have a labour shortage. But the Government will do its part to encourage companies to keep their workers and to retrain them. In this respect the Skills Development Fund is prepared to give generous financial support. The Member for West Coast has also raised the point about those workers who have not been to school at all or who are too old to have the potential to study English and Mathematics which are the aims of the BEST programme. In this respect we must realize that the BEST programme is still at a very early stage.”
“On the whole, automation and mechanization have been beneficial. It has not only helped to increase output per worker but it has also reduced the absolute number of workers required in existing economic activities and enable employers to deploy these workers in other activities. The workers who have been displaced by automation and mechanization should be trained for new jobs within their existing firms. In this respect, I would like to mention and to bring to the notice of Members the recent agreement by the Japanese company Nissan who has signed an agreement with the trade unions whereby the trade unions have undertaken to help the company to introduce robots to mechanize the operations, but on the understanding that no workers will be displaced or lose their jobs as a consequence of the introduction of these robots. This is a far-sighted move and should be emulated by our employers in Singapore. Workers must never fear that their jobs are put at risk by the robots, by the new equipment, which have been introduced by employers and companies, and it is foolish of companies and employers to use mechanization and robots as a means of reducing their workers and creating unemployment. This is the surest way to ensure that such a programme will fail, Several Members have spoken about the BEST programme. Here, I would like to acknowledge the assistance of our trade union movement, the NTUC, in getting this programme off the ground.”
“Following the Save Water campaign in October 1981, owners of recreational complexes comprising public swimming pools, clubs, cinemas and places of interest were requested to instal water saving devices such as self-closing, delayed action taps or showers and constant flow regulators in their public washrooms. I am pleased to say that the response from the owners has been encouraging. With regard to the commercial, construction and industrial sectors, the use of thimbles is not so effective because of the different nature of their usage of water. These sectors account for about 30% of the total water consumed in the Republic. I believe that it is in these sectors that we can do more to reduce wastage. The manufacturing industries can, for example, look into reducing consumption of potable water by re-cycling their water. They could use sea-water or industrial water in their manufacturing processes. The JTC is undertaking a programme to see how water can be saved in these sectors. The Member for Serangoon Gardens suggested that we encourage the formation of science and technology clubs in community centres. Judging from the runaway success of the computer clubs, this shows some promise in promoting the further understanding and appreciation of new developments in science and technology. I shall ask the Science Council to follow up this suggestion of the Member. The Member for West Coast brought up a very important point, i.e. the effect of automation and mechanization on jobs. The rapid pace of mechanization and automation in Singapore has brought about significant structural changes in our economy. So far we have been able to harness the new wave of automation and mechanization to help solve our labour shortage problems and reduce our dependence on foreign workers.”
“Even after the revision of 40% or 50%, existing lessees still pay very low rentals as compared to new lessees. For example, the lessees who are occupying inland sites in Jurong pay 78 cents to $2.70 per square metre per annum and, after a 50% rental adjustment, this will rise to $1.17 to $4.05 per square metre per annum. This is approximately 14% to 48% of the current market rental of $8.40 per square metre per annum. Also to assist firms from having to bear a large rental revision every five years, JTC has given the firms the option to opt for a new yearly rental revision scheme whereby land rentals will be revised every year subject to a maximum increase of 7.6% each year. The rental revision by JTC is necessary to ensure that those companies which lease land from JTC at very cheap rentals many years ago will pay rentals somewhat closer to the economic value of the land today. The new industries which have gone into JTC recently have not been affected by the land rental revision. The Member for Chong Boon has brought up the matter of PUB installing thimbles and suggested that this be encouraged. This was started by the PUB in 1979 to instal thimbles in private high-rise apartments and also in HDB flats. By the end of 1982, the PUB had completed its programme of installing thimbles in approximately 150,000 existing high-rise apartments and HDB flats. New high-rise apartments and HDB flats will have the thimbles installed at the same time when their water meters are installed.”
“JTC's primary objective is to provide industrial land at low cost to industries and to ensure that this land is used efficiently. Members know that JTC does not sell land. JTC leases industrial land on 30 years' tenure to manufacturing firms who are required to pay an annual rental instead of a lump sum payment. This prevents firms from speculating on the rise in the price of land but rather forces them to concentrate on maximizing the efficiency and productivity of the manufacturing operations. It also prevents the hoarding of land by manufacturing firms beyond what they actually need. JTC land rentals are revised every five years subject to a maximum increase of 50%. The last five-year revision of JTC land rentals was made in 1978. Since then land rentals have generally increased by at least two to three-fold. Revision of JTC land rentals is scheduled for this year. For this revision in 1983, JTC has taken several factors into consideration. This includes the current recession, the Government's economic policy to maintain our competitive edge as compared to other countries, the rentals paid by the existing lessees as compared to new lessees and the need again to ensure the maximum usage of land. After careful deliberation, JTC implemented a three-tier increase in land rentals in January this year. First of all, there is no increase in rentals for existing lessees who are paying the current market rental. For those who are paying a very low rental, the increase is 50% and for those paying slightly higher rentals, which are still below the market rates, the increase is 40%. Out of the 1,791 existing lessees, 57% are affected by the 50% increase and 26% by the 40% increase.”
“Among the tax incentives, for example, the Capital Assistance Scheme and the Research and Development Grants are available to potential tenants. Also the rentals which were originally $22.75 per square metre for standard factory buildings in the Science Park have now been lowered to $19 per square metre which is comparable to the JTC ground floor rent. For selected Park tenants, EDB is also prepared to negotiate a further reduction in rentals on a case-by-case basis. With regard to the lease rate for land, this is $11.60 per square metre per year. I think we all agree that this is quite reasonable and there is no further need to reduce this rate. The Member for Thomson has brought up the point that Government needs to give some assistance to manufacturing in these difficult times. In fact, of all the sectors in our economy, manufacturing has benefited more than any other sector from Government incentives. In fact, in some ways, they have benefited a little too much. The incentives which are available are investment allowances, investment grants for mechanization, grants for raining costs, research and development grants, the Product Development Assistance Scheme whereby grants are given to local companies and double deduction of expenses of R&D operating costs. The subject of JTC rentals was brought up by the Member for Tanah Merah and also the Member for Thomson. We all know that land is a scarce resource in Singapore. It is a primary requirement for all economic activities and in the manufacturing sector in particular. Like all factors of production, we need to ensure that our land resources are used to the maximum efficiency that is possible.”
“As at the 31st of January this year, a total of $235 million in loans have been granted to 626 local small companies under the SIF scheme. The EDB has also a comprehensive package of tax incentives to assist our local companies to invest in, develop high technology and capital-intensive products. Many local industries have taken advantage of these tax incentives. Again as at 31st January this year, wholly local companies and joint venture companies (that is, a joint venture between a local company and a foreign company) have been granted 43% of the total number of Pioneer Certificates and 68% of the total number of total investment allowance certificates granted by the EDB. Overall, in fact, the local and the joint venture companies have been granted 44% of the total amount of tax incentives granted to industries. This reflects that the Government is alive to the problems which are faced by our local companies and also we realize that there is a need for local companies to acquire technical assistance for them to upgrade into high technology areas. In this case, we have come out with what we call the Small Industries Technical Assistance Scheme (SITAS) which is to encourage small companies to obtain the use of technical consultants to help them in their upgrading effort. Under this scheme, 90% of the approved costs of engaging such consultants can be reimbursed by the Government. I come now to the point on the Science Park which was brought up by the Member for Chong Boon. There are, in fact, quite a number of companies which have negotiated to be residents of the Science Park. Their identities will be made public at the appropriate time. EDB is fully aware of the need for proper incentives to be given to attract good tenants to the Science Park.”
“It is encouraging to note that increasingly new local investment commitments are being made in high growth, high technology sectors, such as computers and computer peripheral equipment, photo voltaic cells and industrial robots. Local companies have also invested in sophisticated equipment to provide the critical components which are needed for the fast growing computer peripheral industry in Singapore. Realizing the importance for local companies to upgrade and automate their operations and diversify into new high technology industries, EDB has instructed its international network of promotion offices to help any local company who wishes to establish contact with appropriate foreign firms. EDB will continue to grant generous tax and financial incentives for such joint venture projects which involve the manufacture and development of high technology products. With regard to the help given by Government, some statistics on applications to the Interest Grant for Mechanization Scheme would be relevant. In this case, for example, last year out of 398 applications received from local companies for the Interest Grant for Mechanization Scheme, two-thirds or 260 had been approved. Another problem which local companies also face is lack of finance. In this case the Government established the Small Industries Finance scheme in 1976. Under this scheme, long-term fixed interest rate finance is provided by Government to participating banks for onward lending to small viable local manufacturing or technical service companies in order to assist their technical modernization and expansion. This scheme has been very successful. The scheme with a little bit of modification is now also extended to cover medium-sized local companies with fixed assets of between $2 million and $5 million.”
“But governments today have more contacts with each other and hopefully we have learnt some lessons from the Great Depression in the 1930s when grievous policy errors were made. I am hopeful that even if we should have another economic disaster, this will not be as prolonged as in the 1930s when the Great Depression lasted for ten years. Under today's circumstances, with the political pressure which the unemployed can exert on legislators, I think that governments will be forced to act in concert and hopefully the Second Great Depression, if it comes, will be over not in ten years but in three to four years. But in those three to four years, we must make sure that our economic structure is not permanently damaged and that hardship to our citizens is minimized where possible. I think the key must be to keep unemployment as low as possible and to keep as many people in the workforce as possible so that their skills will not go stale with disuse, their time is not wasted, and when the depression ends we shall have a head start over other countries. I now come to the subject of local companies, which was raised by the Member for Chong Boon and also by the Member for Kebun Baru. In 1982, local investments amounted to $540 million, which constituted 31% of our total investment commit- ments. These commitments came from both new investment projects as well as projects to upgrade existing manufacturing operations through automation. Investments were in sectors which covered the Petroleum, Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing, Iron and Steel Fabrication, Metal Products, Food and Plastic industries.”
“The Member for Whampoa has mentioned that he is more hopeful that this time the international monetary system will not suffer a breakdown because more people are now aware of the problem and are talking about the massive overhang of debts which, as we all know, is giving international bankers recurrent nightmares. We must all hope that he is right and that my fears will prove to be unfounded. Various proposals have been floated in the international financial press about solutions to the debt problem. In particular a person named Felix Rohatyn, a New York merchant banker, suggested an expanded version of the Municipal Assistance Corporation (MAC), which was the instrument he devised to save New York from bankruptcy. In the present case this would mean that it would have to be an international institution guaranteed by governments which would take over the bank debts owed by the developing countries and convert these debts into long-term debts at lower interest rates. The banks who had lent the money would then have greater security of getting their money back but they would suffer a loss in recurrent earnings. Such a scheme would, however, require legislative approval from the major developed countries, particularly the United States. I think we all know that Congress is already known to be unhappy about being asked to use taxpayers' money to bail out banks which have got into trouble through their imprudent lending. The situation may change when there is a crisis because adversity concentrates the mind wonder- fully. The question is whether such international cooperative effort can be activated without a major economic crisis to stir Congressmen and Parliaments into action. We have to wait and see.”
“I am pleased to inform the Member for Geylang Serai that the TDB has an active programme of export promotion, including beefing up our overseas trade offices, increasing the frequency of our trade missions abroad as well as concentrating on improving the core of marketing expertise within Singapore. The Government is also keeping a close watch on developments in protectionist legislation abroad and our offices are always on the alert against such moves and we intend to protest vigorously against any unfair measures to restrict trade. But above all, we must continue to improve our products and services with a view to enhancing quality and reducing cost. We must move towards the production of high quality, sophisticated high value-added products and services because where there are trade restrictions in the form of tariff duties, so long as our products and services can be competitive we can still overcome such tariff and we can also capitalize on economies of scale in order to lower our production cost. By working as a group with our ASEAN neighbours we can also improve trading relationships with other countries. I would like in this respect to mention that the impact of ASEAN as an economic grouping has gained recognition throughout the world. In the last round of our multi-fibre negotiations with the EEC, for example, it was because ASEAN negotiated as a group that each of us, each of the five ASEAN countries, was able to get better benefits than if each of us had negotiated individually.”
“When the price goes down, then of course the tariff must go down. Indeed in November last year, following a decline in the fuel oil price, the PUB reduced the electricity tariff by 1/2 cent per kilowatt hour. This resulted in a reduction of between 2 1/2 % and 3% in the average electricity rate to our industries and consumers. Since November last year the posted prices of fuel oil have actually not changed, although the spot price of oil has changed. This is why for the three-month period commencing 1st February 1983, there has been no change in our electricity tariffs. The next adjustment will be on 1st May, 1983, and it is likely that we can look forward to good news. Protectionism is another subject which has been mentioned by several Members in their speeches. I think many Members have also highlighted the increasing tendency of countries to resort to non-tariff barriers which are particularly detrimental to our exports. Singapore, as we all know, is an open economy. We rely significantly on our export of goods and services to sustain our economic growth. However, this does not mean that we are helpless or cannot take any action against the adverse influences of protectionism. I think we can mitigate these effects, first, by searching for new markets not only in the non-traditional countries, like the newly developed countries, but also in new product areas which are less susceptible to protectionism, for example, in the high value-added items such as computer peripherals and sophisticated machinery. Members will also know that we have formed the Trade Development Board to assist our manufacturers and traders to promote their products abroad.”
“Our investment in the Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore, which has also been a subject of some comments from Members, was committed in 1977. At that time, of course, there was no oil glut. There have been no new investments committed in the complex apart from what was originally envisaged as forming part of this complex. The latest downstream project to produce ethylene glycol was committed in January this year. But it still remains an integral part of the complex as it was originally planned. It is not possible to operate the complex economically without this particular downstream unit. Undoubtedly, this complex will find the going very tough for the next few years. I do not think that we should try to hide this fact. But we have invested heavily in the complex together with our Japanese partners and we must regard this project as an investment for the long term. The Member for Rochore has queried about the impact on Government revenues as a consequence of the decline in oil prices. He mentioned particularly the excise duty on petroleum, It is too early for us to try and work out what will be the decline, although there will undoubtedly be a drop in Government revenue from this source. It will depend upon what are the final prices quoted at the petrol pumps. In connection with this matter, the Member for Thomson has raised the matter of PUB electricity tariffs and suggested that they should also go down when the oil price goes down. I fully agree with him. He will remember that since August 1982 the PUB has adopted a system of three-monthly automatic adjustment of the electricity tariffs. I think this system is more equitable as the consumers will be charged the prevailing fuel oil price paid by the PUB.”
“Industry orders for equipment declined and this shows that businessmen are still very hesitant about investing in new equipment. Such a lack of confidence does not augur well for a sustained economic recovery. And it is only with a sustained recovery that our industries and our economy can benefit. While I, like all of us, would like to see an early recovery in the U.S. economy, I think that it is only prudent for us to guard against being taken in by a false spring. The decline in oil prices announced last night will undoubtedly be good for the world in the long run, and therefore it will be good for Singapore. But in the short-term, it may be disadvantageous for us. The drop in oil prices will, for example, affect the export revenues of those of our neighbours who are producing oil and this, in turn, must affect our trade with them. Furthermore, a decline in oil prices must hit those economic activities which service the oil exploration programme in the seas around us. And as we have all read in the press, production at our refineries has also been affected. In so far as the refinery programme is concerned, the Member for Whampoa has asked whether in the light of the present downturn in oil prices whether Government should continue to encourage oil refining activities. The Government has actually not given any tax incentives for any increase in basic crude distilling capacity in recent years. But due to the changing petroleum product patterns resulting from energy conservation, the oil refineries have been forced to modify their refining plants through upgrading projects such as visbreakers, hydrocrackers and platformers. These units essentially take one or perhaps more product streams from a refinery and upgrade them to higher value products.”
“But Members may have read in the press recently about the upturn in the leading economic indicators in the United States for January. Some may wonder whether this signifies, as has been claimed by a number of U.S. administration officials, that the recession has ended and the recovery has begun. Unfortunately, January 1983 is not the only month in which the index of leading economic indicators has shown an upturn. In fact, if we were to study the index carefully, we will find that the index has been predicting a recovery in nine out of 10 months since April last year. And yet the U.S. economy continues to be in recession. In the third quarter of 1982, the U.S. economy only showed marginal growth, 0.7%. In the fourth quarter of last year, the U.S. economy actually declined by more than 2%. I am therefore inclined to view the rise in the January index with some caution. And indeed after the initial euphoria, senior economic advisers in the United States Government have also started to warn the public and to express their reservations that the January rise may not indeed mark the beginning of the long awaited recovery. And I think that their caution is understandable. Although the rise in the January index was indeed substantial, the highest in 33 years, it was due mainly to the sharp increase in the money supply which resulted from a sure in the public investing in the new money market deposit instruments which banks and savings institutions in the U.S. can now offer. Last year in April 1982, when the index of leading indicators also showed a significant upturn, the financial components were also a principal factor for the rise in the index. In January, although almost all the components of the index rose, one important component fell.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like, first of all, to thank all the hon. Members for their constructive suggestions and the keen interest which they have taken in the Budget debate. While not glossing over the difficult economic times which we are now going through, Members in their speeches have in my view reflected a sense of determination, a sense of readiness to come to grips with economic realities that must augur well for Singapore as we tackle the somewhat rocky road that lies ahead of us. Some of the matters brought up by the hon. Members in the debate, for example, the increased rates of public assistance allowances mentioned by the Member for Serangoon Gardens, more financial assistance for Government-aided primary and secondary schools raised by the Member for Buona Vista, are I think more within the ambit of particular Ministries. I do not think it is appropriate for me to discuss such matters in detail in my reply, but I do hope that the Members concerned will raise the questions again at the appropriate time in the Committee of Supply. I am quite sure that my colleagues in the Cabinet will be very glad to answer their questions in detail. In my reply, I shall first discuss the economic and financial policy of the Government and then go on to discuss particular taxation issues raised by various Members. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the economic circumstances in which this Budget has been framed have been amply spelt out in the Budget Statement and further commented on eloquently by the Member for Chong Boon, the Member for Whampoa and other Members in their speeches. I do not intend to go over familiar ground. Members already know that we do not expect an easy road ahead.”
“- [Minister for Trade and Industry]. Question again proposed. 3.20 p.m.”
“Sir, I beg to move the Motion* standing in my name as it appears on the Order Paper. *The Motion reads as follows: That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders,:-- (1) an additional day, namely, Tuesday, 15th March, 1983, be allotted for the debate on the motion for approval of the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1983/84 moved by the Minister for Trade and Industry on 4th March, 1983; and (2) the allotted days named by the Minister for Trade and Industry for discussion of the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1983/84 in Committee of Supply be, as a consequence, altered to 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th March, 1983. Sir, I have been informed that quite a number of Members have indicated that they wish to speak in the Budget debate and that it is unlikely that one day will be sufficient. It is for this reason that I have been asked to move this Motion standing in my name in the Order Paper. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, - (1) an additional day, namely, Tuesday, 15th March, 1983, be allotted for the debate on the motion for approval of the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1983/84 moved by the Minister for Trade and Industry on 4th March, 1983; and (2) the allotted days named by the Minister for Trade and Industry for discussion of the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1983/84 in Committee of Supply be, as a consequence, altered to 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th March, 1983. ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [4th March, 1983], "That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1st April, 1983 to 31st March, 1984.".”