Wee Toon Boon
Singapore
“Under the present provision, a medical officer is required to appear in Court for the purpose of giving evidence to prove that a particular mosquito or insect is, in fact, a disease-bearing insect.”
“The Bill provides, inter alia, for the appointment of a Licensing Officer and Assistant Licensing Officers, the manner of the application for the licence, the duration of the licence and the inspection of creche premises. In addition, it empowers the Minister to make regulations to carry out the purposes and provisions of the Act.”
“The time limit during which legal proceedings may be instituted in respect of offences has also been extended from the original 28 days to 56 days from the time of purchasing a sample of the article or food or appliance.”
“However exalted a soldier may consider his civilian occupation and standing, he is not outside the scope of military discipline once he is in uniform. The strong measures introduced in the Bill will deal appropriately with those predisposed to insolence, indifference and indiscipline which must not and cannot be tolerated.”
“Planning for the project will also take note of future development; that is to say, there will be one additional continuity studio for news service and one additional music and general purpose studio.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the fact is this. Everyone has agreed that we should develop and promote healthy culture so that our people and the younger generation can be properly brought up. In the past, because of our political struggle and other circumstances, the development of culture was neglected.”
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“Sir, during the Committee stage of the House, I shall introduce amendments for increasing the penalty of fine and imprisonment and for specifying the minimum and maximum number of strokes of the cane. Exemption from the punishment of caning is granted to all women and men who are more than 50 years of age and those who have been sentenced to death. Clause 3 also provides that the punishment of caning shall not be imposed on first conviction in the case of an act of vandalism involving writing, drawing, painting, etc, with a delible substance such as crayon, chalk or pencil and not with an indelible substance such as paint or tar. Clause 4 provides that the written authority or the written consent as the case may be required for a person to put up posters, etc, shall be produced on demand to any member of the Police, the Special Constabulary, the Auxiliary Police or any member of the Naval, Military or Air Force of Singapore or of those lawfully present in Singapore. A person who fails, refuses or neglects to produce such written authority shall be guilty of an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding $500. Clause 5 provides for the seizure of posters, placards, bunting, etc, to serve as exhibits. In clause 6 the offence is made seizable and non-bailable. This means that any person may arrest one who engages in an act of vandalism and hand him over to the police. An important feature of the Bill is the fact that not only the person or persons who actually do these acts will be punished but also those who cause such acts to be done. It is common knowledge to Members that anti-national elements use children and other young persons to smear and mar public and private property.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Members will be aware of the reasons for this Bill, for we have witnessed for some time the sorry spectacle of people of ill-will smearing and defacing our fair city. The writing of slogans, drawing of pictures, painting and marking or inscribing on public and private property has been rampant. Indeed, even the sides of drains have been used by anti-social and anti-national elements in the name of democracy, but their crude artistic feats in effect destroy and deface what democracy has built for the people. Singapore has also recently witnessed acts of vandalism like the theft of insulating oil from electrical power stations and the wanton damage to fountains. Damaging or destroying public property which is provided for the benefit of the people must be considered extremely serious, for it is the people themselves who ultimately pay for the services and amenities provided by the Government. However, there are, regrettably, certain irresponsible persons in the community who find a cruel joy in destroying and damaging public property. In the interests of the nation, it is therefore necessary that the minority who cause damage should be dealt with severely. The provisions of the Bill are simple and straightforward. Clause 2 of the Bill defines "private property", "public property", and "act of vandalism". An act of vandalism includes stealing, destroying or damaging any public property. Clause 3 provides that not only a person who commits the act of vandalism but also one who attempts or causes any such act to be committed shall be guilty of the offence. Persons who are convicted of the offence of vandalism shall, in addition to fine or imprisonment, be liable to caning.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, these holiday camps are established mainly for the purpose of the have-nots, i.e., the working class. We know that the haves, i.e., the well-to-do, have their own facilities for weekends and holidays. So due to lack of amenities in the past for the working class, the Government has established holiday camps in the island for the use of the majority of the working class. There is no necessity to establish a special camp for the use of the N.T.U.C. In fact, Mr Speaker, Sir, from the records, it is observed that many unions have made use of these camps in the past. 4.00 p.m. With regard to the point that strict supervision should be exercised when applications for the use of the camps are made, I can assure the Member for Kampong Kapor that every step has been taken to see that whoever uses the holiday camp is a bona fide case.”
“With regard to the question of women police constables, at present we have enough to cope with the present situation. Therefore, there is no need to augment the present strength. However, there are vacancies in the present strength of women police constables, and these vacancies will, of course, be filled in due course. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $40,301,620 for Head 0402 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. Head 0501 -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since our Party came to power, the Singapore Police Force, which is an important arm of the Government, has been re-moulded from a colonial Police Force into a people's Police Force. It is well known that the Police Force is a friend, helper and guardian of the public. Unfortunately, during the last two years when we were in Malaysia, the Police Department was taken over by the Central Government from our State Government. Therefore, during those two years, the Police Force was not under our control and some officers and even the rank and file from the Federation came down here to serve in our Police Force. In those circumstances, we believe that the good image of the Police Force we had built up during the pre-Malaysia days was erased and that a bad image was created. However, Mr Speaker, we are now an independent country and the Police Force is again controlled by us. Every step is being taken to erase the bad image that was created during the period when Singapore was in Malaysia. I can assure the Member for Delta that our Police Force now has gone hack to the pre-Malaysia days when they gave a good impression to the people that they were not colonial tools used to oppress and suppress the people; they are law officers going about their duty to help protect the people of Singapore. 6.00 p.m. Just now the Member for Delta has cited a few instances that occurred during Malaysia days. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am afraid that that was beyond our control. However, if any police officer misconducts himself now, he will, of course, be subjected to disciplinary action. And if anyone is aware of such misconduct, he can report it to the police or to the Ministry concerned, and immediate action will be taken.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with regard to the police quarters at Kampong Arang, these are, in fact, not police quarters. It is a block of flats leased by the police department as a block and given out to the police for occupation. So if the occupants of these flats have any complaints of defects or damages, they should refer or report it to their officers, or they can even write direct to the Housing and Development Board, because the Board is responsible for the maintenance of these flats. With regard to the old barracks in Woodlands, Geylang, Keppel Harbour and other places, they have been built since prewar and no improvements can be made to them because the structure is such that it would cost too much to carry out the improvements. But on this matter, probably when new police stations are constructed with quarters attached to the police stations. I think these quarters will be better than the ones I have mentioned here. I believe that the Department is aware of the fact that Inspectors who have risen from the rank and file are still occupying these quarters and, of course, appropriate remedial measures will be taken. 4.45 p.m.”
“I think this is the basic solution to their complaint. Probably the N.T.U.C. can organise the campaign, and I am sure the Traffic Police will be prepared to co-operate with them to launch it. The emitting of excessive smoke is an offence under the Ordinance administered by the Registrar of Vehicles. I am not in a position to clarify this matter. On the suggestion that the owners of taxis should be made to take the responsibility rather than the drivers, I am told that this point has been taken note of by the department concerned, and it may well be that amendments will be made to the present Ordinance. Mr Ho See Beng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to make my point clear to the Member for Changi as well as the Minister of State of Defence. I am not at the moment suggesting that the police should overlook the offences of taxi-drivers. My point is that for first minor offences, like going against the red-light signal or parking too far out from the side of the road, consideration should be given to them that they should not be fined as high as $20. 4.15 p.m. My information from the Taxi Drivers' Association is that not only a fine of $20 is imposed, but sometimes in one day a taxi-driver receives three or four summonses of this nature. So I wonder whether the Minister concerned will take the trouble to check with the Traffic Police to see if my information is correct or not.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I was a bit taken aback by the Member for Bras Basah when he said that the Police Force is harassing taxi-drivers and the public in general, and that we are exploiting the taxi-drivers' earnings in order to supplement our revenue. I am sure that is never the intention of the department, and this has never been the policy of the Minister for Finance of our Government. Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the crux of the matter is that it is up to the drivers themselves to observe traffic rules. From what the Member for Bras Basah has said, it appears that there is no dispute that they have committed a breach of the Traffic Ordinance. Therefore, there is no question that the police are harassing taxi-drivers. The fact is that taxi-drivers are committing traffic offences. It is the duty of the police to see that laws are being observed, particularly when children and workers are using the road. The police have to see that motorists who are using the road are not a menace to pedestrians or cyclists, or, for that matter, to the motorists themselves. In the circumstances, the police will have to see that the rules are observed by everyone. With regard to the question of fines being imposed by the police, I understand the Traffic Police Department has been very considerate towards taxi-drivers. Those who have committed a first minor offence are usually given a letter of warning. But for those who repeatedly commit offences under the Traffic Ordinance, in the interest of the public and the safety of the road-users, a deterrent penalty will have to be imposed. So I would say that if taxi-drivers do not like the fines being imposed on them by the Traffic Police, it is up to them, especially the Taxi Drivers' Association, to promote a campaign of good driving.”
“Whatever they do or say, they cannot affect the future of Singapore - a nation that has the will to succeed in the face of onslaughts from anti-national elements, communalists and the illegitimate children of both these elements, the crooks. In conclusion, Sir, I would like to associate myself with the motion which has been moved by the Prime Minister.”
“The fact of life in a turbulent world must be accepted and South-East Asia is today a troubled area. It would be foolish for us to say. "Out with foreign bases." The Barisan, however, use the existence of the bases as a weapon for malicious attack. Trincomalee in Ceylon was for quite some time retained as a British naval base after Ceylon's independence. President Nyerere called for the assistance of British troops sometime ago to quell a rebellion, and today Zambia is asking for British troops to guard the Kariba Dam. Would the Barisan say that the independence of these territories is "phoney" and neo-colonialist? The rub really comes when the Barisan Sosialis endeavour to dissuade the people of Singapore from joining the volunteer force for their own self preservation and security. Can the Barisan Sosialis guarantee the people this by dissuading them? We do not want large standing forces because a small nation cannot afford to have them in the first place, as its primary duty is to ensure the social and economic progress of the people. Again, we cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be an aggressor. Our size rules that out completely. However, there is no reason why we should not have a volunteer force. If the people of Singapore can fight and win against the colonialists, the anti-nationalists and the communalists, the courage and quality of our youths can also meet the challenges for our survival and protection. There is no doubt that our youths will respond to the call of duty and their responsibility as citizens of an independent country. The Barisan have lost the battle to do Singapore in.”
“We have exposed and isolated the anti-national elements and we have shown the communalists that we will not stand any nonsense. Independent Singapore is confident of building a tolerant multi-racial nation which will be the pride of Asia and the world. We are sure that our experience in tolerant multi-racial unity will find its echo in the neighbouring territories and lead to unity with our kith and kin elsewhere. In this sense our independence is a boon. That we are independent and sovereign no one doubts, except the pro-Communist Barisan Sosialis. They have boycotted this first session of the Parliament of Singapore and history will damn them for this stupidity. The Afro-Asian world has acknowledged our independence, and we have been admitted into the United Nations. But to the Barisan Sosialis our independence is "phoney". The term "phoney" has been so much used by them for every conceivable reason that one wonders what they really mean by "phoney". Indeed, I am beginning to think that the very existence of the Barisan Sosialis is "phoney", because they exist not for Singapore but for others who are not interested in Singapore and her people. But if they would really apply their minds to what has happened to Aidit and the P.K.I., they would have enough time to mend their ways. Otherwise a similar disaster can well befall them. The Afro-Asian countries have accepted us as truly independent and sovereign, committed to a policy of non-alignment. Even Russia and Yugoslavia - Communist nations - have understood why we still require British bases. We are a small nation and it is only natural for small nations to require assistance for defence until their territorial integrity can be assured by other means.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the process of history is relentless and continuing. We who are here today as the elected representatives of our people never did hope in our fondest dreams to be in this House today to run the affairs of an independent nation. We entered Malaysia because we believe in Malaysia - a re-unification of the people who were artificially separated by a colonial power who saw in separation the way to successful colonial rule. Colonialism has, however, historical limitations, for the process of time wears down colonial domination. People elsewhere have achieved freedom from colonialism by revolution and counter-revolution. But we in this part of South-East Asia have achieved independence by nationalism against the colonial power that knows and understands the storms that nationalism can evoke. Indeed, political and economic expediency saw the graceful withdrawal of colonialism from Malaya and Singapore, and what we, who struggled against colonialism, achieved was a social and political change for the better. For a time we felt that we had found the answer to our ills in Malaysia. But history had destined otherwise for us. Colonialism raised its ugly head with obscurantist slogans of one race, one language and one religion, and the whole structure for which we fought collapsed. Our stand for a nation of Malaysians, multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious, foundered on the base of racial fanaticism and we were forced out of a national entity which we sincerely helped to create and nurture. What we were forced ho accept we have accepted. And now it is for us to show all concerned that we can travel the road of independence under our own steam and overcome all difficulties. Indeed, we have travelled a long and arduous road. We have overcome colonialism.”