Wong Kan Seng
Singapore
“We all want a better future for our children and the future generations. Amid the debates, let us not lose sight of what we are working for – we are working for the benefit and future of Singaporeans. Not for growth targets, not for foreigners, but for Singaporeans.”
“Mrs Mildred Tan also suggested doing a longitudinal study on the impact of new citizens on Singapore. I am told that there is a periodic study on the perception of integration and rootedness of Singaporeans and PRs. A study is now ongoing too.”
“All they need to do is simply declare that they meet the residential criteria. EASING IN US ECONOMY (Impact on Singapore) 9. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Senior Minister what will be the expected impact on the Singapore economy arising from the US Federal Reserve's announcement on 3rd November 2010 of a "quantitative easing" of the US economy…”
“Well, from the data I have here, 553 registered to vote before the 2006 GE and this is the data I have but Ms Lim may be right. There may be 1,000-odd that Ms Lim had mentioned. From what I am told now, we have 1,325 Singaporean overseas who are eligible to register to vote have registered.”
“But, as I said, there are so many other possibilities that they could come in and there could also be many possibilities that we could have missed and they have entered or left Singapore. LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS 2.”
“They are also recruiting people by offering them scholarships. So, we hope more of our companies can do that. Hopefully they come here to work for a while and, if they like our place, they may want to settle down. This is a place which they can think about. POPULATION AND TALENT DIVISION 5. Assoc. Prof.”
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“However good the rehabilitation programmes are, these programmes will not succeed unless the organisations have enough volunteers and counsellors who are dedicated and committed to the rehabilitation cause to implement these programmes. Secondly, the community must be prepared to re-accept into its ranks the ex-addicts who genuinely want to turn over a new leaf and give them a second chance. Ex-addicts who have strong support from their family members and their friends are those who are most likely to kick off the habit. Changing social prejudices and attitudes would take time, but it is something that we must continue to work at to help the ex-addicts successfully re-assimilate into our society. 3.00 pm On the privatisation of services, Mr Chng said that police officers should not waste their training by doing things which are not germane to their training or mission. Let me assure him that the Police always reviews its services to make sure that the services itthey performs are in line with itstheir mission, and if they are not, itwe will find other agencies who are most capable of doing them. Since we train officers to a high level of efficiency and proficiency, we do not want them to perform non-essential functions which are not police functions. Then the police officers who are freed from all these non-essential functions can spend more time on crime prevention, investigation and maintaining law and order. For example, the Traffic Police has already privatised the towing of illegally parked vehicles to private contractors. ItThey no longer tows these vehicles away. The driving centres are also now privatised. Police used to run athe driving centre, but this has now been privatised.”
“Under the community-based rehabilitation programme (CBR), more than 500 inmates have been emplaced on the Naltrexone programme since 1995. Mr Kenneth Chen asked about the success of the Naltrexone programme. It is too early to say how successful it will be, because the assessment time , which is the completion rate, is not due yet. It will only be in June this year. It is only after , after two years of being on the Naltrexone programme, that we will know whether or not they will go back to drugs. But so far, after completing one year without any breach of conditions, we have seen that more than 80% of them are still on the programme. This is a marked improvement compared to the 50% completion rate for the rehabilitation programme before June 1995. Under the CBR programme, addicts are also released into the community, eg, into half-way houses to continue with their rehabilitation programme in a more supportive environment. Agencies such as SANA and SCORE are also providing counselling and aftercare services to these ex-addicts. Providing employment opportunity is also an important aspect to the successful rehabilitation of the drug addicts. Agencies like SCORE have a number of schemes to help these addicts inculcate in them a strong work ethic and instill confidence and discipline in them, so that they can remain in the workforce. So far, 14,000 inmates and ex-inmates have benefitted from the SCORE's job placement services. What sort of problems do we face in tackling this drug addict situation? The Government and its agencies and the non-Government agencies face two main challenges in tackling this problem. Firstly, they need more active volunteers to assist in the after-care of these discharged inmates.”
“As some Members may have read in the papers in the last few days, Operation Phantom, which CNB mounted over the last few days, saw the biggest heroin haul from a single syndicate in its history that resulted in the seizure of more than 47 kg of heroin which is worth more than $2 million in the market. We also confiscated 116 phials of liquid ice as well as small amounts of cannabis and other kinds of drugs. A total of 29 suspects were arrested, of whom 10 may face the capital charge. Since 1996, I have spoken several times of the Government's intention to take very tough measures against hard-core opiate addicts. Unlike what Mr Chen has understood, we have so far not caned repeated addicts when we send them to court. The law has not come into force yet. But the law will come into force when the new amendments are made in this Parliament some time later. For these hard-core addicts, if they are convicted, they will be sentenced to a long term imprisonment of up to 13 years and 12 strokes of the cane. Feedback from the prison officers indicate that these announcements alone have had an impact on the DRC addicts. This is shown, for example, in the declining number of third timer and above addicts in the DRC. The number of third timer and above addicts fell from 2,850 in 1995 to 2,010 in 1997. In other words, fewer of the hard-core addicts are now under detention in the DRCs as a result of these announcements. Rehabilitation and after-care is an integral part of the Ministry's multi-pronged approach towards fighting drugs. Our rehabilitation programme provides treatment and after-care support, and also employment opportunities for the released addicts.”
“What this means, according to CNB, is that the drug suppliers, people who supply drugs to the addicts, are finding it more and more difficult to get drugs and therefore they reduce the purity level of heroin in the phials supplied to the addicts. Sir, we have kept the drug situation under control through a multi-pronged strategy of preventive drug education, tough laws, strict enforcement, rehabilitation and after-care. The National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), the Central Narcotics Bureau, the voluntary organisations, all work very closely together with the schools, the youth organisations, to organise preventive drug education talks. Anti-drug seminars, exhibitions, advertising campaigns are also conducted regularly to raise the public's awareness about the dangers of drug consumption. CNB has also kept up very heavy pressure on traffickers and abusers. In 1997, CNB mounted a total of 46 major operations which crippled 26 drug trafficking syndicates, and resulted in 2,150 arrests. It also conducted a total of 110 raids and checksed on night entertainment outlets last year. As a result of these raids, 200 people were arrested for ecstasy abuse, while two nightclub entertainment outlets had their operating hours actually reduced for allowing their patrons to use the place for drug taking. These raids serve as a very strong signal to the nightclub entertainment operators that it is their responsibility to help keep their premises drug free. The Ministry will not let up on the strong enforcement actions against the traffickers and abusers. So far, just this year, three major operations have been mounted against the syndicates and four dragnet operations were also mounted against the abusers. 93 and 457 offenders respectively were arrested in these operations.”
“Sir, first, let me deal with Mr Kenneth Chen's comments about the drug situation and whether all these success stories in the raids mean more worries because more people are still out there waiting to be caught. He heard that there are still more traffickers, because more people are demanding drugs and therefore the situation has not got better. Let me assure him that CNB is also equally concerned about the drug situation, and that is why it hasthey have gone all out to take enforcement actions against people who perpetrate the use of drugs, traffic in drugs or take drugs. But let me assure him that the drug situation in Singapore is under control. We do not have as serious a problem as in many other countries. Just for his information, the number of drug addicts arrested has actually fallen from 6,160 in 1994 to 4,750 in 1997. The relapse rate of drug addicts has also improved. The relapse rate means that people who took drugs and after a period, they went back to drugs. This has also improved. It has declined steadily from 81% in 1994 to 56% in 1997. But one indicator whether we are getting more drug addicts or not is the arrest of the number of arrest of new drug addicts, ie, people who are arrested for the first time. The number of new drug addicts arrested also registered a decline. Compared to 1996 when we arrested 1,420 new drug addicts, last year, only 1,130 new addicts were arrested. Other indicators such as the continued high price and low purity level of heroin also confirm that the drug situation in Singapore has actually improved. The heroin purity level dropped to an all-time low of about 3-4% in 1997, compared to 7% in 1996.”
“The CFP will provide a more structured, focused and coordinated approach for the Home Team to help CDCs engage and mobilize the community to take responsibility for their own needs. To start with, the CFP will focus on police issues. Activities that will form part of the CFP, for example, could include crime prevention, road safety, community-based problem solving and victim support. After about six months into the CFP, the activities could be extended to include other Home Team issues such as fire prevention, civil defence education, emergency drills, preventive drug education, care for the families of those who are incarcerated and helping those who are released from prisons to reintegrate into our community. I can assure the CDCs, the Chairmen and Mayors, that the Home Team will spare no efforts to help make this joint venture a success. Prof. Chin is also concerned about new towns and whether the Police will take an interest in the new towns or not. I can assure Prof. Chin that Police take an interest in all areas which are prone to crime. If there is a serious problem, the Police will attend to it. If not, Police resources will be diverted to places where it is most needed. In the case of Sembawang, particularly in the place where Prof. Chin is in charge of, from the data I know, I think it is a very safe place. Compared to national statistics, I think that area where Prof. Chin is in charge of has one of the lowest crime rates in Singapore.”
“The entire NPC programme will now be completed by June 2001, instead of July 2000. So it is about 11 months of delay. This slight delay in the physical infrastructure will not mean a delay in the transfer of the experience and knowledge gained from operating the NPC scheme. The Police will proceed to transfer the lessons learnt and experiences gathered from the operational NPCs. Sir, the Police Force has been successful in keeping crime rates down for nine years. Crime rate has become quite low and the people feel quite safe now to walk the streets. The Police will continue to keep the vigilance. But, again, let me say this: that the community has a part to play in keeping its own living environment safe and secure. The community cannot depend solely on the Police for its safety and security. People can take a proactive stance by forming Neighbourhood Watch Groups or Zones, for example. One major initiative that we are now actively responding to is to strike a stronger partnership between the CDCs and the Home Team. Safety and security are at the heart of the community's well-being and an integral element in the self-help building process. As such, I believe the Home Team can help the CDCs achieve their aim of greater community ownership of civil affairs, especially in safety and security issues. The Home Team plans to help each CDC develop a Community Focused Plan (CFP) to involve the community in safety and security issues. The CFP is basically a plan for joint proactive community and Home Team initiatives, programmes and projects, which are tailored to meet the safety and security needs of that particular community.”
“For example, now most of the on-scene investigations attended to by the NPC officers are processed within 40 to 45 minutes, compared to about double the time previously. The NPC has also enabled the Police to forge a stronger community participation, a partnership in the fight against crime. For example, the NPC has joined hands with the Tanjong Pagar-West Coast Community Development Council to organise wholesome activities for youths who are at high risk of becoming juvenile delinquents. The second storey of the Alexandra NPP will be converted into a centre for counselling of wayward youths. In December last year, the Queenstown NPC and the Citizens' Consultative Committee jointly organised a Queenstown Family Day with the twin objectives of increasing social interaction and raising crime prevention awareness amongst the residents. All these service improvements are quite apparent and clear to the residents. A telephone service audit, conducted by the Quality Service Unit of Clementi Police Station recently, revealed that the residents served by the NPC were very happy with the services received. There were no adverse comments from the respondents. And crime victims who were served by the NPC officers responded that the standard of investigation was good. Prof. Chin was asking whether, with the cut in the budget, our NPC roll-out plan would be affected or not, and what would be the roll-out plan for the next few NPCs. Let me say that the Clementi Police Division will have its full complement of NPCs, with the addition of three new ones in Jurong East, Clementi and Bukit Merah by April 1998. But due to the tighter budget situation, the roll-out of other NPCs will be staggered over a slightly longer period of time, compared to what was originally planned.”
“Let me report to the House that the pilot phase of the Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) scheme, which was launched on 1st October last year in Queenstown, indeed, has progressed very well. The residents in Queenstown are quite happy with the results so far. The Queenstown NPC is doing well in ensuring the safety and security of the neighbourhood. Now Queenstown NPC is a one-stop centre providing a wide range of police services. Response time has also improved. There are more frequent patrols, and crime reports receive immediate and better on-scene investigations. Although some NPPs are now closed after 11.00 pm, because there was not much demand and the place was rather quiet in those NPPs, the presence of police officers on the ground has actually not reduced. In fact, the presence of police officers has actually been increased on the ground. Patrol man-hours have increased by 13%, for instance. The number of quick response teams has also increased from five to seven during the peak hours between 6.00 pm and 1.00 am. And anyone who comes to the NPP, which is closed after 11.00 pm, can have quick and easy access to the Police through the Emergency Communication System installed at the particular NPP. Since the Queenstown NPC was set up, crime victims in that area are now better and faster served. Instead of passing through a chain of investigators, from NPC officers, divisional officers, and so on, now the crime victim is served immediately by the NPC officer who is a front-line officer dealing with the entire on-scene investigation process. As the NPC officers are better trained and now have greater authority in crime investigation, they can also process the case much faster.”
“The Police will also work very closely with the Community Development Councils and other grassroots organisations to come up with measures to see how we can make the place where we live more safe and more secure, and they will jointly come upout together with a Community Focused Plan, which I will elaborate later on, on how to get the community more actively involved in crime prevention. So actually it is a very simple, very commonsensical thing to do. Everybody should take extra care and precaution, and play histheir part to help keep crime rates low and not be complacent, especially during this period of economic uncertainty. Mr Ong Kian Min has made many complimentary remarks on the Home Team officers. I am sure they are very pleased to hear that. And I want to thank him for his support. I agree with him fully that home security and safety is as important as our external defence. Because if our home is not safe, people do not feel safe walking the streets and do not feel safe going out, I think we willare be just prisoners in our own homes, which the residents of some countries experience. ThenAnd I think no investors would want to come here. One of the reasons why many investors want to come to Singapore is that they feel that Singapore is indeed very safe, where they can work, and bring up their children too. And I can assure Mr Ong that the Home Team will continue to remain very vigilant in fighting crime and safeguarding our national security. Prof. Chin asked what has happened to the Neighbourhood Police Centres which we announced last year and what actions we are going to take in the next couple of years, and whether we could use more electronic surveillance equipment.”
“And iIf they have an alarm system, for goodness sake, please switch them on when they are needed. I know quite a number of these private residential properties have alarm systems, but, unfortunately, they were not turned on when the criminals and the robbers went into the house. Even when they leave their homes, residentsthey should take the necessary precaution of securing the home by closing the windows and doors, shutting the grilles and so on, and not like in one instance, where I read in the papers, they just left things as they were and walked out of the home, thinking that everything would be fine. The worst thing you can do is to tempt the robber or any perpetrator who may want to commit a crime, passing by your home and finding it is so unprotected and giving him an opportunity to commit a crime. Those living in private condominiums or even in landed properties can help to form Neighbourhood Watch Groups. In fact, I think it is good for them if they can form Neighbourhood Watch Groups not just for protection of their own homes, but also for the purpose of building neighbourliness. At, at least theyyou get to know theiryour neighbours. And Iif they see suspicious characters lurking around, I think they should report them to the Police as quickly as possible, and the Police will respond. 2.15 pm The Police, in fact, is going around helping to form Neighbourhood Watch Groups. In the past few years, they had formed 8,000 such groups in the private housing estates, including condominiums. And I would urge all those living in private estates, condominiums, landed property, to form NWGs as quickly as possible. The Police will help them if they are asked.”
“Whether we have more of such cases, again in 1998, I would say that it is too soon to tell. But in 1997, we had 42 such cases of private estate house robberies compared to only 17 in 1996. So we can see that there is an increase in house-robbery cases between 1996 and 1997. Again, there is no particular reason to explain this increase and neither is there a sign that the trend will continue. Mr Chng has asked what steps police will be taking to deal with the problem. The police told me that: Firstly, they have set up a Fast Response Task Force to respond quickly to apprehend the suspects when the cases occur. But again that depends on the residents and the people who were affected to report the commission of crime as quickly as possible. Secondly, they have deployed temporary police posts to areas which are affected by the robberies in order to project a higher police profile and visibility. Thirdly, they have intensified the crime prevention activities with the residents; and Fourthly, they have helped the residents form Neighbourhood Watch zones. Like some Members have said, I would like to stress also that crime prevention is not the sole responsibility of the police. All of us play a part. We must do our share and we must help to keep crime at bay. Although the crime rate has been declining every year for the last nine years, we must not be complacent and think that wethey will not be a target for criminals. There are indeed many measures which residents, the home owners themselves, whether they live in a HDB estate or in a private condominium or landed property, can take in order to make the homes more secure. For example, they can install good quality locks or alarm systems.”
“The victims come from different backgrounds and the reasons for their being murdered differed from one to another. Mr Chen has expressed concern that the public sense of well-being and security may be affected because of the economic downturn and more crimes like these murders may be committed. He wanted to know how many of these were due to economic reasons. CID has assessed that none of the 13 murders in January and February were the result of the economic downturn. In three out of the 13 cases, the perpetrators actually killed the victims in order to facilitate robbery, and the reasons for robbery could be many. The rest were either crimes of passion or isolated cases of fights and disputes. If these people could not settle the disputes, force was used and as a result people die. In 1996, seven of the 31 cases of murder involved robbery, as did eight out of the 37 in 1997. What is the police doing about the increase, and whether the number of murders will be further increased this year, as Mr Chng has asked. The year has not run out yet. I hope the number will not be large and it is still too soon to tell. But we know in 1997, there were 37 murder cases compared to 31 in 1996. But these were actually quite low figures compared to previous years, for example, between 1990 and 1995, we had between 42 and 58 murder cases. The number fluctuates from year to year. Five of the 13 cases committed this year have already been solved and CID told me that they were making good progress in the remaining cases and they are confident of solving more of them soon. Mr Chng is also concerned about the recent spate of reports of robberies or house-breaking incidents in private housing estates. Yes, indeed, there are some reports about house-breaking.”
“This we do through the intelligent desktop project and it will help us to attain the goal of 100% computer literacy for all our officers over the next few years. With all these on-going measures, we will work together to ensure that our senior and junior officers are trained, quality personnel who will be able to handle high-tech equipment and systems well into the 21st century. On Mr Chng's and Mr Kenneth Chen's concern about the crime situation in Singapore, in particular Mr Chen's concern about the CID's comments recently that the number of murder cases is not unusual, let me first assure him that CID is not taking the matter lightly, and they do not find the number acceptable. But what they are trying to put out is the fact that, "yes, indeed, we have a number of murders over the last two months. Let us take this in proper perspective and not be unduly alarmed by it, but at the same time not to be complacent about it". The CID actually compared the figures with previous years' figures and found that the figures, are no doubt high. But they are not really unusual, and they have given some numbers. For example, in 1993 and 1994, there were 15 and 16 murder cases just over two consecutive months. Eventually, we found the cause of those murder cases and since then we have no more such problems. But I agree with Mr Chen that the past record of high murder rates is not a good reason for us to feel comfortable about the situation. For the families of those who were murdered, our sympathies and condolences are certainly with them. But all these 13 cases in the first two months of this year were unrelated. We do not have a serial murderer on the loose. The murders are not concentrated on any particular geographical area.”
“Sir, let me first deal with Mr Chng's question about the training of the Home Team officers on the use of high-tech equipment. Let me assure him that we are very aware that we need to keep in touch with the changing times and, as a result, the Ministry has embarked on a number of acquisitions of high-tech equipment. Therefore, we will definitely pay a great deal of attention in training our officers on the use of high-tech equipment. Over the next few years, in fact, the Home Team will take a quantum leap in the use of information technology (IT) and other high-tech systems to help the Home Team in its enforcement efforts. I can assure Members that the Home Team officers will be properly trained in the use of these equipment. For example, all our police recruits are now trained in the use of command and control mobile data terminals that are needed for front line policing during their basic training. Recently, 550 immigration officers were also trained in the handling of sophisticated IT systems, namely, the Tuas network infrastructure, the entry and exit control upgraded system, the immigration automated clearance system and the automated character recognition system at the Tuas Checkpoint to facilitate Singaporeans and other users of the checkpoint to clear the checkpoint as quickly as possible. The Civil Defence Force, for example, also uses training simulators to train its staff our people on fighting LPG leakages and fires, flashovers and hazardous materials. They use these simulators to enhance training realism. Another target for the Ministry is to make the use of personal computers more universal within the next two to three years.”
“This will help to ensure the safety and security of Singapore.”
“The monitoring at checkpoints at the Causeway, Tuas, land checkpoints, seaport and the airport will all be stepped up. Police and Immigration will also intensify the checks at these checkpoints to detect the smuggling of illegal immigrants by vehicles. Let me give Members an idea of what the numbers are of those who were so detected. In 1997, 26 illegal immigrants and 11 smugglers were arrested, and 13 vehicles seized at Tuas and Causeway checkpoints. Vessels carrying illegal immigrants will be stopped by force, if necessary. And iIf they try to evade arrest despite being told to do so, then the Police Coast Guard, as I said, will use force to stop them. If they are arrested, these vessels will be confiscated and they will be disposed of or destroyed. In 1997, last year, 30 such vessels were seized together with 255 illegal immigrants arrested. Tightening of Visa Control Immigration also imposes visas to address the overstayer problem for some years, and visas have been imposed on people coming from countries such as the People's Republic of China and India. Last year, we also imposed visas on people coming from Myanmar and Bangladesh. We will consider imposing visas on other nationalities if they pose a serious overstaying problem here. Sir, given the regional situation, it is in the interest of all Singaporeans that we continue with our very strict and tough stance against immigration offenders. The Police, Immigration and the other agencies in the Home Team and indeed members of the public can also help us and we will spare no effort to detect and deal firmly with immigration offenders. The Home Team will closely monitor the situation, take the necessary actions, adjust the strategies and deployment and stay on top of the situation.”
“All illegal immigrants will ould be arrested, prosecuted, punished and repatriated. We will press for deterrent sentences against the immigration offenders, especially the people who smuggle them in. Enforcement Actions Police and Immigration have been conducting operations to arrest illegal immigrants and overstayers. Some Members have read about this in the papers in the last few days. Checks and raids have been conducted regularly at congregation points, construction sites, workplaces and even forested areas, because they could be a good hiding place for criminals. Police have also set up road blocks to sieve out immigration offenders. Lodging houses are also being targetted and harbourers will be prosecuted. An island-wide operation was conducted just a few days ago which resulted in the arrest of 91 illegal immigrants and 124 overstayers of various nationalities. Another island-wide operation lasting two days also resulted in the arrest of more than 200 illegal immigrants and overstayers. We will ask the courts for maximum sentences for these employers, harbourers and immigration offenders. Let me assure Members that Police and Immigration will continue with their relentless effort in enforcement against these immigration offenders, and we will flush them out as quickly as we can. Tighter Border Control Foreigners, who come to Singapore and who fit the profile of suspected illegal workers, will not be allowed to come into Singapore. In 1996, 97,710 such people who fit the profile of suspected illegal workers were denied entry into Singapore. In 1997, 92,400 such people were not allowed to come into Singapore. Police and Immigration will be more vigilant now in monitoring all our border entry points.”
“As this illegal immigrant problem is likely to get worse, I have asked the Police and the Singapore Immigration to be even more vigilant and to step up their enforcement action. Let me now outline or explain what these actions are. Increased Vigilance Like some Members pointed out, our first line of defence is our coastal front where we will enhance our patrols by the Police Coast Guard. The Police Coast Guard will do this with radar surveillance systems. That will help to detect all those who come by sea all round our island. I think some Members may have seen this on television a few weeks ago. The radars on board the PCG can detect any penetration of illegal immigrants on vessels from the sea. PCG also has land based radar stations to supplement the patrol boats and we will buy more patrol boats to increase the detection of these illegal immigrants. Police has also stepped up shore patrols and set up observation points, as some Members suggested, along the coast and at landing areas. Police Land Divisions are also deploying more men to patrol the illegal immigrant landing points. The Police Coast Guard has also increased deployment of its patrol boats in the Johor Straits and in the Straits of Singapore. The police has also stepped up intelligence gathering, because we just do not act without information. 1.45 pm While the Ministry empathizes with these poor hungry people who want to come here to work illegally, and they risk their lives to come a long way, we cannot afford to allow them to come in. Our primary responsibility is to safeguard the safety and security of all Singaporeans, and not let anyone come and remain here illegally to work, as they will pose a serious social and security problem for us.”
“This is because Singapore Immigration tightened up the entry requirement for some nationalities. Of the illegal immigrants arrested in 1997, the top five nationalities came from China, that is, PRC, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and India. In other words, not all came from the South, that is, Indonesia. The number of illegal immigrants has gone up significantly mainly through Malaysia. They came across the Straits of Johor. More than half or 53% of the illegal immigrants came in from the sea, 46% came in by land and less than 1% claimed that they came by air. For those who came by land, in 1997, nearly 400 illegal immigrants sneaked in through the Woodlands Checkpoint by hiding in lorries, while about 200 hid themselves in the car boots. And many more came by speed boats over the Straits of Johor. Sir, joint efforts are needed between the Singapore Police and the Malaysian Police to tackle this problem. The Singapore Police has sought the Malaysian Police's cooperation to stem out this illegal immigration problem. Both the Police Forces have already met and discussed the problem and they have exchanged information on the syndicated operations and the staging points where both forces can cooperate to weed out these illegal entries. We hope that the Malaysian government will take this problem seriously and deal effectively with the syndicates which smuggle illegal immigrants into Singapore from Johor, just as the Malaysian government is very concerned about the Indonesian illegal immigrants and they have taken up with the Indonesian government to solve this problem. The Malaysian government knows the seriousness of the problem they face with illegal immigrants from other countries, especially from Indonesia.”
“Sir, for the same reason that we are a small country with limited natural resources, Singapore is also not in a position to accept anyone who claims to be a refugee, whether he is an economic or a political refugee. We could otherwise be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people who want to come here and claiming themselves to be refugees. Therefore, anyone who enters Singapore's territorial waters illegally will be regarded as an illegal immigrant and he will be treated accordingly. If they come in through to our waters illegally, we will try to stop them. If they refuse to stop, then we will have no choice but to use force to stop them. Prof Chin asked whether we have the will to do so. Yes, let me assure him that we have the will and the Police Coast Guard (PCG) will have the will to stop these people from coming in. Sir, in the past, we have been kind enough to agree to take in Vietnamese refugees with third country guarantees for resettlement. And for years, we were saddled with them because these third countries which agreed to resettle them did not honour their guarantees. Eventually, when the camp had to be closed, these Vietnamese had to be sent back. We have learnt our lesson and we will no longer accept any refugee even if a third country promises to resettle them. Sir, let me give Members some idea of how serious the problem is by quoting the following numbers. In 1997, 13,910 immigration offenders, of whom 7,600 were illegal immigrants, were arrested. In 1996, 14,260 immigration offenders, of whom 5,710 were illegal immigrants, were arrested. Although the number of immigration offenders arrested as a whole dropped by 2.5% in 1997, the number of illegal immigrants arrested during the period has gone up from 5,710 in 1996 to 7,600 in 1997.”
“Let me explain why we cannot afford to be lax or kind to these illegal immigrants. Singapore is a very small country with limited natural resources. We therefore cannot allow people to come here just to stay and work illegally. They will pose a very serious and grave national, social and security problem for us. We therefore have enacted very tough laws to deal with these illegal immigrants and overstayers. We will enforce these laws vigorously which we will apply equally to all nationalities regardless of where they come from. If they come here illegally or prolong their stay here illegally, we will deal with them. The punishments prescribed under our laws are very severe. For example, illegal immigrants will be imprisoned up to a maximum of six months and will be given a mandatory three strokes of the cane. Overstayers will also be imprisoned up to six months, and if they overstay for more than 90 days, they will also be subject to a minimum of three strokes of the cane. We will be deliberately tough on those who smuggle in the illegal immigrants, the Taikongs, the people who employ them, harbour them or give them accommodation. These smugglers will be punished with imprisonment of not less than two years and caned a minimum of three strokes. Those who harbour and employ illegal immigrants will be jailed for a term not less than six months and fined a maximum of $6,000. But for those employers who employ more than five immigration offenders, whether they are overstayers or illegal immigrants, they will be imprisoned not less than six months and fined not exceeding $6,000 and caned. Since we amended the Immigration Act in 1989, many employers have been caned. In fact, since we tightened this up in 1996, seven employers have been caned.”
“Sir, I would like to reply to this question of illegal immigrants raised by four Members first, because I think it is a very important topic for all of us in today's climate where there is a regional economic downturn and that there is a fear of potential influx of illegal immigrants. But, first, I would like to assure Members that the Home Affairs Ministry is fully aware of this problem and has been dealing with it for some time. I also want to thank Mr Chng for his support for a higher vote for the Ministry of Home Affairs. I think my colleague in the Finance Ministry will hear him loud and clear and, hopefully, his plea would be answered. At the outset, let me first say that Singapore welcomes all foreigners to come here to work, visit, play or even to study. But they must come through legal channels. "Legal channels" mean they must come with proper papers and travel documents. When they come here for a visit, they apply for a social visit pass. If they work here, they apply for an employment pass, a work permit or other documents, such as a student pass if they want to study here. If they come in with these documents, we will endorse their stay here. Then, lawfully, they will be residents in Singapore. For those who want to come in by other means, then I think it would be very difficult for them not to be detected. Sir, we have taken and will continue to take a very tough stand against all the illegal immigrants and overstayers, and I group all these people as immigration offenders. These immigration offenders could also include their smugglers, the Taikongs, as mentioned by Mr Ong Kian Min. There are also , or the harbourers (the ones who allow them to live in their homes) or the employers of these people who give them jobs.”
“178, 175 and 204 accidents involving pedestrians crossing the road at zebra and signalised pedestrian crossings occurred in 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively. 191, 197 and 217 pedestrians were killed or injured while using these crossings in 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively. In an accident involving a vehicle and a pedestrian, either the pedestrian or the motorist could be at fault. The common causes of accidents where the pedestrian is at fault include failure to comply with pedestrian crossing signals and suddenly stepping onto the crossing without checking or giving sufficient notice to motorists. The common causes of accidents where the motorist is at fault include failure to give way to pedestrians, failure to keep a proper lookout, and failure of turning vehicles to give way to pedestrians at the pedestrian crossing. CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND EDUCATION SCHEME 2. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Minister for Labour (a) how many Central Provident Fund (CPF) account holders applied for the CPF Education Scheme in 1996 and 1997; and (b) what is the breakdown of the applications in terms of diploma and degree courses.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the proceedings on the Estimates for FY 1998/99 on 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th March 1998, be continued beyond 4.30 pm, and be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1 until 6.45 pm on each day. Sir, MPs have submitted a total 465 amendments. In order to allow Members to move their amendments, we have to extend the time. Resolved, That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the proceedings on the Estimates for FY 1998/99 on 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th March 1998, be continued beyond 4.30 pm, and be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1 until 6.45 pm on each day. [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL 1998 TO 31ST MARCH, 1999 (Paper Cmd. 3 of 1998) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 1.38 pm”
“The point of order, Sir, is that we should confine our debate to the Minister's Budget Statement and this subject about the EDB bond-breakers and the Member's exchange with the Chairman of the EDB should be fully debated on another occasion.”
“On a point of order. I am not intending to circumscribe Member's right of free speech. In this House, Members can bring up any subject. In the Minister's Budget Statement just two Fridays ago, he was elaborating the Government's financial policy and outlining the Government's Budget and these are important issues for debate in this House. I think we should confine our debate to the Budget Statement and at other times, raise a motion to have it fully debated as to whether or not we should publicise the names of the bond-breakers. I think there is another appropriate occasion to do so. We should not use these two precious days for debating bond breakers because there are 45 MPs wanting to speak. With 45 MPs squeezing into two days and if we just divide by the number of hours that we have, I think each MP will have very little time to speak. I am sure all 45 MPs want to have their say and express their views. But I would suggest that they keep their focus on the Budget.”
“Mr Zulkifli bin Baharudin asked the Minister for Community Development whether there are plans to integrate the provision of social services to residents of apartments that the Housing and Development Board plans to build for the elderly and whether there are incentives to encourage non-governmental social and community organisations to provide these services.”
“Currently, licences to operate amusement arcades are issued by the Public Entertainment Licensing Unit of the Police. As video games fall within the ambit of the Board of Film Censors (BFC), licensees must obtain approval from the BFC before they operate such games in the arcades. Police will only allow games which are approved by BFC to be operated in amusement arcades. BFC adopts stringent guidelines in the approval process. Games depicting excessive violence, sex, nudity and objectionable themes on moral, social or religious grounds will not be approved. BFC will also not approve racing games that are undesirable or unhealthy. For example, the racing game `Carmegeddon' was banned by BFC because it contained vulgar language, and encourage the player to knock down pedestrians, awarding bonus points for doing so. The players also get extra bonus points for "stylish" collision. The driving video games which are currently allowed in amusement arcades are those that involve motor racing that test the players' skills in avoiding obstacles and completing the race in the least possible time. We do not think these games will have any negative influence on the players' actual driving or riding habits. Police carries out regular enforcement checks at the amusement arcades to ensure that licensees do not operate video games that are not approved by BFC and the Police Licensing Unit. Police would also carry out a review of any video game which it receives negative feedback from the public. The Member can rest assured that both the Police and BFC would not permit games which promote excessive violence and reckless road behaviour to be operated in amusement arcades. INTEGRATION OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF APARTMENTS BUILT FOR THE ELDERLY 11.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That Parliament do now adjourn. Question proposed. BYPASSING OF PARLIAMENT 5.30 pm”
“I think there is a point of order. The Member has only one chance to speak. Unless he is seeking clarification of what the Minister had said, he has no second chance of reply.”
“The scan showed that Mdm Cheng had massive intracranial bleeding and accumulation of fluid with increased pressure on the brain. The CT scan findings were explained by the neurosurgeon to the family members at around 12.30 am on 21st October 1997. They were also informed of the need for an operation to relieve the pressure on the brain. Mdm Cheng underwent the operation a few hours later. Unfortunately, she suffered a heart attack during the operation and passed away at 5.45 am that morning. There was no undue delay in the various stages of the management and treatment of Mdm Cheng. She had suffered a massive stroke and had a very poor prognosis. The doctors had done their best given the circumstances of the case. SOCIAL AMENITIES FOR FOREIGN WORKERS 4. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Labour whether the Government has utilised part of the foreign workers' levy to provide social amenities to each of the national groups of foreign workers during their off days, and if there are, what are those social amenities.”
“As of 30th August 1997, a total of 940 recovering addicts and their families have benefited from the SCORE Counselling Centre. Other than SCORE, various religious and voluntary welfare organisations such as the Singapore Anti-Narcotic Association (SANA) also provide various in-care and aftercare support services for drug addicts. Conclusion In summary, adequate resources have been committed to put in place a comprehensive range of support services for rehabilitated drug addicts. We will continue to review the need for additional programmes from time to time. MADAM CHENG YOOK CHAN 3. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Health why was there such a long delay in treating Madam Cheng Yook Chan, who was admitted to the A & E department and ward 46 of Tan Tock Seng Hospital on 20th October 1997 and who passed away the next morning. Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Madam Cheng Yook Chan was triaged by the A&E specialist nurse at 4.49 pm soon after her arrival at the A&E Department of Tan Tock Seng Hospital on 20th October 1997. She had complaints of giddiness, sweating and vomiting. The A&E doctor completed his examination by 5.20 pm and the provisional diagnosis was stroke. She was kept under close observation by doctors in the A&E Department, and admitted into the ward for stroke patients at about 7.00 pm. The ward doctor reviewed her at 7.50 pm and she was given medication for her high blood pressure. The doctor also ensured that she had a clear airway for breathing and that her blood circulation was adequate. This is the standard treatment for the acute phase of stroke. A CT head scan was carried out around 10.30 pm after 8 other emergency cases that came in before Mdm Cheng were cleared.”
“Rehabilitated addicts can also enrol under SCORE's Corporate Adoption Scheme (CAS) after their release from the DRC. Under this Scheme, companies provide ex-addicts with jobs and appoint a mentor in the company to guide and assist the individual in adapting to the new work environment, and in regaining their self-confidence and esteem. SCORE has also been running a Job Placement Unit (JPU) since 1988 to assist released prisoners and drug addicts to find suitable jobs. The Unit helps to match the skills of the inmates to the requirement of suitable companies. So far, the Unit has helped more than 9,200 inmates to find jobs. Providing aftercare support Other than employment, strong aftercare support is also critical for the successful rehabilitation of drug addicts. For drug addicts who are sufficiently motivated to kick the drug habit, the Prisons Department runs a Community Based Rehabilitation Programme (CBR) which allows them to be released earlier into the community to continue their rehabilitation in a supportive environment. The emphasis of the CBR scheme is on stable work, regular counselling and continuous support from either the family members or the community in the halfway houses. The results of the programme have been encouraging, with a completion rate of about 80%. SCORE also runs a well-structured and comprehensive counselling programme, called the Aftercare Counselling Programme (ACP), for drug addicts. The ACP is a one-year programme providing individual counselling, group counselling and family counselling under qualified SCORE counsellors. Clients are encouraged to participate in social and recreational activities organized by SCORE.”
“Rehabilitating drug addicts is a key priority for Prisons Department and the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE). However, in providing support services for rehabilitated drug addicts, we must strike a balance between providing rehabilitative opportunities for addicts and imposing sufficient deterrence against drug abuse. Our current rehabilitative programmes focus on providing employment opportunities and aftercare support for drug addicts. Providing employment opportunities The inculcation of strong work ethic and discipline is a major focus of our rehabilitative efforts. Addicts who can hold down a stable job tend to be able to reintegrate into society more easily and lead a useful life upon their release from the Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRCs). Companies have set up workshops in the DRCs to provide work opportunities. These workshops provide inmates with a realistic work environment, and help them to work and learn on-the-job skills. SCORE also provides a variety of vocational and generic training courses for drug inmates. Since 1983, more than 5000 inmates have benefited from these training courses. As an extension of its vocational training programme for DRC inmates, SCORE recently initiated the Corporate Assistance for Rehabilitation (CARE) Scheme. CARE encourages companies and organisations in the private sector to play an active role in community service by contributing towards the training of inmates. Under this scheme, companies solely or jointly sponsor relevant training courses inside the DRCs. In return, the trained inmates are attached to the companies for at least 6 months after their release, where they put their acquired skills and knowledge to good use.”
“The Government does not publicly discuss individual retirement cases. IMPROVEMENTS TO ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL 52. Dr S Vasoo asked the Minister for Health what improvements in facilities and services have been made to Alexandra Hospital so far and what other new facilities will be added on.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That Parliament do now adjourn. Question proposed. BEYOND ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS 3.19 pm”
“Extensive investigation into the case was carried out by CID. No efforts will be spared in trying to identify the perpetrators. A photo-fit of one of the culprits has been obtained from the children and has already been published in the newspapers in an appeal for public information. So far, no one has been arrested for the case. CID would continue to work on the case and liaise closely with the complainants.”
“Since 1983, the People's Association has adopted the population catchment approach for building community clubs (CCs). Under the current norm, a CC is built in the centre of a population catchment serving about 15,000 dwelling units regardless of the constituency boundary. Each CC must be at least 1 km away from another CC. Hence, not every constituency or division will have a modern CC. A void-deck CC will be provided for a constituency or division without a modern CC. These guidelines will be closely observed. As a small country, we have to adopt special measures such as the population catchment approach for building CCs to maximise the use of our limited land, manpower and other resources. It ensures that the CCs are well utilised. WET MARKET OR SUPERMARKET FOR TAMPINES TOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD 7 22. Mr Sin Boon Ann asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board will consider developing a wet market or a supermarket for the benefit of residents in Neighbourhood 7 of Tampines Town.”
“This is because each time the EAS attends to a non-emergency call, it is less able to respond in time to a real emergency. The previous charge of $50 for each non-emergency call was lower than what some private ambulance operators charge. It is therefore hardly surprising that the number of non-emergency ambulance calls has increased steadily. In any case, the new fee of $75 barely covers three-quarter of the operating cost of the EAS. We intend to further increase the charge for non-emergency calls to recover its full cost of about $100, with effect from October 1998. Many countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia already charge full cost for non-emergency users of their ambulance services so that critical resources are properly allocated. In fact, even emergency cases have to pay for the ambulance services in these countries. With continued publicity on the new 777-0000 non-emergency hotline and SCDF's increased fees for non-emergency cases, the number of non-emergency calls to SCDF should be checked. In any case, we will monitor the situation closely. PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF PATIENTS BY 24-HOUR MEDICAL SERVICES CENTRE IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS 13. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked the Minister for Health whether he will request public hospitals to consider the establishment of a 24-hour Medical Services Centre to do preliminary screening of patients before directing them to either the Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E) or to other non A&E doctors.”
“The Singapore Civil Defence Force's Emergency Ambulance Service (EAS) is primarily intended to respond to life-threatening emergencies. For this reason, SCDF ambulances are well equipped and the crews are specially trained. SCDF has mounted sustained public education efforts over the years to educate the public on the proper use of the EAS. In February this year, 850,000 pamphlets and posters were distributed to households and public buildings to further reinforce this message. In April 1997, SCDF helped private ambulance companies to get together to set up a hotline service (777-0000) operated by CISCO to cater to non-emergency cases. The public is encouraged to call the 777-0000 hotline for non-emergency cases. The hotline is a 24-hour service provided by CISCO and is supported by Heng-Gref Medical Supplies and Services, Civic Ambulance Service and Econ Nursing Home Services. SCDF also continued its publicity drive on the hotline through the mass media and TCS has assisted in incorporating the appropriate educational messages in local entertainment programmes and documentaries. These programmes included "Under One Roof" on TCS5 and "Comedy Night" on TCS8. Despite these efforts, the EAS has been increasingly abused for non-emergency cases. While the number of emergency calls has hovered around 40,000 per year over the last 5 years, the number of non-emergency calls has nearly doubled from the 11,000 in 1992 to 20,000 last year. As a percentage of all calls received by SCDF, the number of non-emergency calls has risen from 20% in 1992 to 32% in 1996 and to about 40% in the first 8 months of 1997. We must take decisive steps to stop this misuse of the EAS.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That Parliament do now adjourn. Question proposed. THIRD CHILD MATERNITY LEAVE 6.05 pm”
“Sir, I think a primary 6 student will be able to answer that question. When you have no need to use the shelter, you use it as a storage space. You put whatever you want into the room for storage. But when tension comes about and when you need to use the shelter for protection, I am sure you would do the wisest thing in the world to save your own life and remove those things. 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. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.”
“These are expenses which the household would normally incur for their own protection. So there will be no question of tax exemption. There is no need for tax exemption.”
“And building shelters, conducting civil defence exercises and various things to make sure that we are well prepared for any eventuality is the right thing to do, which only a farsighted Government like the PAP would think of, and not people like Mr Jeyaretnam. I believe I have dealt with all the questions, Sir.”
“I do not think that is the intention right now because we have to assess realistically what are the likely types of weapons that are going to hit Singapore and then make a realistic provision for the shelters. I believe that this will be in good hands and have been studied and I will leave it to the technical people to consider upgrading the shelters as time goes on and as we build new shelters. Mr Chiam asked who bears the cost. I just said that the household shelter is actually the space within the home. And if it is within the home, then whoever uses the home will have to pay. In other words, the home owner will have to pay for the cost. The cost is not really that phenomenal. From what I know, for a 4-room flat, for example, at current price, it ranges from $6,000 to $8,000 for the strengthened space. And it works out to be about 4-5% of the price of a HDB 4-room flat. For a 5-room flat, it is about 2-3%. For a private flat, it is about 1-2%. And the larger the development, I suppose the smaller the percentage, depending on how many people they need to put into that shelter. I think the answer is quite simple. Home owners who use the shelter will have to pay for it. It is not wasted space like Mr Jeyaretnam suggests. He asked, why are we doing this? I hope he was in the House when I was outlining the rationale for this Bill. I said that Singapore must be prepared for all eventualities. Today, we are peaceful and we hope that the region will remain peaceful forever. But we cannot take things for granted and we must be prepared.”
“Similarly, for other types of development, I think there is also no need to exclude the shelter space from the GSA because shelter space is not an empty space. Shelter space is actually a space that can be used as a room, a storeroom, or as a pantry. Or in the case of a storey shelter, it can be a very large storage area. There is no need to make separate provision to exclude the shelter space from the GSA. Mr Chiam has noted that other countries have shelter programmes but they have taken a long time to build, and that is our plan too. It will take us a very long time to complete our shelter programme. But he said that he does not agree with clause 3(1) which requires households to have household shelter, particularly for people who own a small piece of land. If they own a small piece of land, they can build an underground shelter in the basement. Or they can turn that shelter into a room shelter or household shelter like an HDB flat and make good use of that household shelter. Actually the shelter does not eat into the small land that the land owner may have. He asked about the type of protection that the shelter will give. I believe that the technical people and the SCDF people, when they discussed the requirements and specifications, although these are not stated here because they may change from time to time depending on the kind of threats that we perceive, would have taken into account the need to provide adequate protection. But, of course, the more stringent provision we make, the higher the cost. And if we are going to take into account all kinds of scenario including nuclear blast, then I think the cost will be much higher.”
“The Member also said that more campaigns should be conducted to create more public awareness that we have shelters. Since the programme started, we have conducted a number of campaigns on a regular basis. In 1988, for example, we had a major public shelter programme exercise in Tiong Bahru. The following year, we had it in Lavender Station. In 1991, we had an exercise in Braddell Station. In 1993, we had an exercise in Newton Station. And last year, we had another exercise in Tiong Bahru MRT Station. As for the void deck community centre-type of shelters, I think the residents are aware that these are shelters, because some of them do go there. They send their children there for kindergarten classes or to buy things in bookshops, etc. Many of these shelters have been put to use, and when residents go there they would know that these are public shelters. But I will ask the SCDF to study whether we need to put up more direction signs that there are public shelters in these places. When the time comes when we need these shelters, definitely, we will conduct very extensive public awareness exercise to tell people where these shelters are. Mr Chen also suggests that the shelter space should not be included in the gross floor area. The amount of space taken up by the additional thickness of the wall for the household shelter is actually very minimal. Take the example of a 4-room unit. From what I am told, the additional space taken up due to the increased width of the wall is only about 1.5% of the total floor area of the flat. So there is actually no need to exclude this part of the household shelter from the calculation of the GSA.”
“Since the building plans started in 1983, it is about 14 years now, I think we have about 274,000 shelter berths and most of these are in public shelters such as MRT stations, schools, community centres, void decks, underground, etc. It is only since 1994-1995 that we started to have HDB flats incorporate household shelters in the flats. So with the development in Hougang, about 900-odd units already have these household shelters. And with the building programme of about 30,000 units of HDB flats a year, we expect, over time, more and more people will be covered. In addition to the requirement that new homes should have shelters, we are also building public shelters in the 14 MRT stations in the North East line. Since the programme started in 1983, we have built 274,000 shelter berths and 20 years down the road since the programme started, in 2003, 40% of our people would be covered by shelters. So there ought to be enough shelters as time goes on, unless we expect trouble in the year 2003, which I do not think is a likely scenario. Many countries which started their building programme long ago are still unable to provide adequate or enough shelters for all their people. Switzerland, Finland and Sweden are examples. It would take a very long time for us to provide enough shelters for all our people. Mr Kenneth Chen asked about shelters in commercial buildings and shopping centres, etc. We expect that in times of tension and hostility, people would most likely want to stay indoors rather than to go shopping. But if they are around the shopping complexes and there are no shelter spaces, there are still places such as MRT public shelters where they can take cover. So we do not think there is a need to require commercial buildings to have shelters.”
“Sir, let me first deal with the questions raised by Mr Chng Hee Kok. He asked whether land that has been tendered already would be affected by the CD Shelter Bill. For land that has already been tendered or not tendered, it really has nothing to do with the CD Shelter Bill. As far as the developer or whoever buys the land is concerned, it is the final selling price of whatever purpose they put the land to. If it is a commercial building, they will factor into account the cost of constructing the building. If it is for residential purposes, they will factor into account the need to provide a shelter, whether it is a storey shelter or household shelter. Only those building plans which are to be approved six months after the coming into force of the Bill will be required to include CD shelters. For those plans, that have already been submitted, we will give them enough time so that approval can be given for the plans and they will not be affected. In other words, when they have decided to tender for the land and price the homes or flats for sale to the people, that is, before this Bill comes into force, they will not be affected. It is only after the six-month period after the Act comes into force that they have to take into account the need to build CD shelters. We have consulted the professional organisations as well as some developers on the length of time that is needed to prepare for new building plans and we were told that the six-month grace period is enough. That is why I mentioned the six-month grace period. Mr Chng asked whether there will be enough shelters for all our people.”