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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“In other countries, he noted, the underworld had taken control over much of society. We need this Act to prevent this from happening. It is therefore necessary to extend the Act for a further period of five years, and we cannot afford not to. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“At this hearing by the Advisory Committee, detainees or supervisees are allowed to be represented by legal counsel. Third, the Advisory Committee will then recommend all such Orders to be confirmed or otherwise by the President after the Cabinet has endorsed it. Fourth, cases whose Detention Orders are confirmed are subsequently reviewed annually by a separate Review Committee, also comprising private prominent citizens. And fifth, another Review Board will consider cases of persons who have been detained for 10 years or more. All reports by the Review Committee and Board to extend the Detention Orders or otherwise must also be considered by the President. Sir, to briefly summarise the rationale for extending this Act, its provisions are only resorted to when the securing of a court conviction is impossible because of the unwillingness on the part of complainants and key witnesses to testify in court for fear of reprisals. The Act has substantially contributed to the maintenance of law and order in Singapore. It is still required as a key weapon to suppress secret society, drug trafficking and other criminal activities, as there is no indication that these criminal activities can be completely eliminated here in the near future. If the gangsters and other criminal elements detect even a slight wavering of the Government's will to deal with them firmly, then we will see more of them reverting to their old and lawless ways to terrorise and victimise innocent people. The Chairman of a Criminal Law Advisory Committee had told me, when I met a group of them recently, that he was glad that Singapore had the foresight to implement the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act. This has brought about much protection and safety to the law-abiding public.”
“But we cannot let drug traffickers off just because they succeed in intimidating witnesses or where the witnesses, being accomplices themselves, are unwilling to testify. We have to think of the interest of the rest of our society. As with secret societies and triads, we must continue to be tough in dealing with drug trafficking syndicates. Detention or supervision under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act together with the mandatory death penalty under the Misuse of Drugs Act are both indispensable weapons in our endless struggle against drug traffickers and pushers. If we relax on our tough anti-drug trafficking policy in Singapore, it will lead to a worsening of the drug abuse situation here because of our close proximity to the Golden Triangle as well as the constant threat of drug smuggling from West Malaysia. Sir, hon. Members may rightfully ask: what safeguards are there to prevent the Police and the CNB from taking the easy way out to lock up people and not to charge them in court at all? Let me assure Members that there are adequate built-in safeguards in this Act to prevent it from being abused. We have also introduced additional administrative procedures to ensure that enforcement agencies do not resort to using this Act without the strongest justifications. First, any proposal by CID or CNB to detain a person under this Act or to place him under compulsory Police supervision will be scrutinised by my senior officials and the Attorney-General before the Detention Order or the Police Supervision Order is issued. Second, an Advisory Committee comprising private prominent citizens, such as Justices of the Peace, senior lawyers and community leaders, will scrutinise the investigations and examine all documentary evidence and witnesses.”
“But we are unable to charge the syndicate leader in court because he had used his underlings to carry out all the drug transactions. No drug was found on him at all when he was arrested. His underlings also refused to testify against him for fear of reprisals not only against themselves but also against members of their families. The question is: are we to let him loose on the streets and only deal with his underlings? The answer is obvious. We eventually put him under Criminal Law detention. Let me give you another example. Early this year, CNB crippled an international drug trafficking syndicate operating from Singapore with overseas connections. The syndicate organised the delivery of heroin worth millions of dollars from Thailand to Europe and Australia, and was also involved in laundering huge amounts of money. Through CNB's intelligence and surveillance, eight syndicate members were subsequently arrested. Three members were charged in court and will face the death penalty, if convicted. However, five syndicate members were not found to be in possession of drugs when they were arrested and their accomplices were unwilling to testify against them. It is therefore impossible to charge them in court. Here again, we had to detain the five under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act. Sir, in my view, drug traffickers are the most despicable of criminals, because they undermine both the body and soul of our young and erode the very fabric of our society. With drug addiction also come crimes. That is why many countries consider drug trafficking as a threat to their national security. True, we have very strict laws against drug trafficking, including the mandatory death penalty.”
“Should we allow our Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act to lapse, the Malaysian triad members will be likely to take advantage of the situation and transfer their operations here. Let me now turn to the drug situation. During the last two decades, the world has witnessed the "globalisation" of the drug abuse problem and the situation has worsened drastically. The drug abuse problem used to be the concern of only a limited number of countries, but today countries which are not spared from the harmful consequences of drug abuse are the exception rather than the rule. The economic power and the political influence of drug cartels are rising rapidly. These cartels control the entire process of producing drugs, from the cultivation phase to the storage and distribution phases. Large amounts of drugs are stored at staging posts in certain countries to take advantage of weak or ineffective laws in these countries. Surely we do not want this to happen in Singapore. There are many drug syndicate bosses who mastermind and finance the operations but do not actually handle the drugs. In December last year, Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) cracked a major local drug syndicate led by a Malay Singaporean. A total of 36 members were arrested, and 18 kg of heroin and almost $140,000 in cash were seized. Of the 36 members, seven were prosecuted in court for drug trafficking, including two who will face the death penalty, if convicted. As for the rest, 18 were admitted to the Drug Rehabilitation Centres, eight were detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, two were prosecuted in court for drug consumption, and one was repatriated to Malaysia.”
“Even so, we cannot be complacent. In 1990, the Police uncovered an attempt by a Taiwanese to set up a karaoke lounge business in Singapore. When it was found out that he had connections with a major triad society in Taiwan, his application for a public entertainment licence was rejected. This episode reminds us that we need to be constantly on our vigilance if we are to prevent foreign secret societies from gaining a foothold in Singapore. Renewal of this Act will send a strong signal to warn any foreign triads that may be targeting Singapore for their operations. Sir, although we have succeeded in preventing triads from Hong Kong or Taiwan from setting up operations here, the close proximity of West Malaysia poses another problem for us. Traditionally, secret society elements from Singapore have been known to take part in secret society activities in Malaysia and vice versa. As recently as May 1992, members of the "3821" Triad Society operated in Johore organised a Triad Initiation ceremony at Layang-Layang in which 11 triad members from Singapore attended. The ceremony was aborted when the Malaysian Police arrived after a tip-off. The 11 Singaporean triad members were dealt with under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act when they returned to Singapore. Of the 11 Singaporean triad members, seven were placed under detention and four under Police supervision. Malaysia too has similar preventive detention laws, such as, the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969, the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 and the Prevention of Crimes Act, which are widely used to deal with her own secret society members, drug traffickers and other criminal elements.”
“(3) Increasingly violent Chinese and Vietnamese street gangs in the US specialise in home invasions, low-level drug dealing, and protection rackets. Sir, all these examples show what can happen if we lose our grip on the activities of criminal gangs; the relatively crime-free situation in Singapore will soon disappear. We must prevent this from happening at all costs. The same article also reported that Asian organised crime is spreading "like a giant spider web" across the world. According to our CID, many Hong Kong triads have been expanding their operations overseas, especially to countries like the United States of America, where there are large Chinese communities, in view of the imminent reversion of Hong Kong to China in 1997. But up to now, there is no sign that Hong Kong triads have attempted to move their operations to Singapore. CID attributes this to the deterrent effect of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act. In an interview reported in the New Paper on 8th July 1994, Superintendent Philip Choy of Hong Kong's Organised Crime and Triad Bureau also attributed this to Singapore's strict laws. He said at the interview, and I quote, "We have not received information that the triads see Singapore as a possible destination for their activities. But we know that some of them are spreading their wings and going to places like the United States, Canada and Taiwan." In 1992, during the Hong Kong movie stars' protest against triads, actor-director Eric Tsang was quoted as saying: "We want the police to look into our plight. We want the situation to be like Singapore, where police can offer protection. We have the money and we will pay for protection." The Singapore Police is able to offer such protection because of our very tough laws.”
“Ah Kong Gang then took control of gambling dens in Amsterdam and started a massive drug trafficking network covering Amsterdam and Germany with drugs smuggled from the Golden Triangle. Drug couriers were recruited from Malaysia and Singapore. A front company and mess were set up in Singapore. The Ah Kong Gang was, subsequently, crushed in Singapore with the arrest of several key Ah Kong syndicate members and leaders in Singapore under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act. During the arrest, a key Ah Kong syndicate leader asked the Police: "Why are you arresting me when we were actually trafficking drugs directly to Europe? We had avoided Singapore because of the tough laws. At the most, Singapore was merely a transit point for our drug couriers to Europe." The fact that this gang is now active in Amsterdam and Europe and not in Singapore because they had consciously avoided it speaks well of the deterrent effect of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act. Sir, the inability of these countries to deal effectively with triads will have grave consequences for them. In a recent Straits Times article of 7th July this year, it was reported that Asian gangs may pose the greatest organised crime threat in the future to many countries. Let me quote you some examples from the article. (1) Chinese triads, some with as many as 180,000 members worldwide, specialised in smuggling aliens and heroin into New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. They smuggle military weapons out of China, Vietnam and the former Soviet Union, with the help of the Russian mafia. (2) The tattooed Japanese yakuza, experts at high-level fraud, have penetrated the US real estate and banking industries.”
“There is no indication that secret societies or triads have been completely eliminated. In fact, triads have been a feature of Chinese society for a long time. In Singapore, triads have existed ever since colonial times when large numbers of Chinese immigrants first arrived from China. Even the British had problems trying to control the triads, and they had to resort to enacting this Act in 1955 to deal with the triads. Similarly, we still need this Act to keep these secret societies under firm control. In many countries, their Police are losing the fight against triads precisely because of the lack of sufficiently deterrent penalties. Hong Kong, for example, has not been able to curb the growth of organised triads in the colony ever since their emergency legislation enacted in the mid-1950s to deal with triad-perpetrated civil disturbances was repealed in 1960. Unlike the emergency legislation, the existing Hong Kong Societies Ordinance which deals with secret society activities does not provide for any special powers of deportation or detention without trial of known triad members. Australia's lack of such legislation has also hampered its efforts at curbing the growth of Chinese organised gangs in the country. Recently, it was reported in the New Paper on 20th July this year that a Singaporean secret society known as Ah Kong Gang is terrorising and dominating the underworld in Amsterdam. The same gang, first formed by Singaporeans, came to the notice of the Singapore Police way back in the 1970s when it first ousted the 14K Secret Society of Hong Kong in Amsterdam through violent gang clashes and warfare.”
“But we could not prosecute the remaining five Thais in court because their accomplices are not willing to testify against them in open court for fear of reprisals against their own families back home in Thailand. But we cannot let these five go scot-free because they are dangerous criminals who will not hesitate to kill people who stand in their way. They are now detained under this Act. And this put an immediate stop to such incidents at work sites. Sir, the effectiveness of the Act in curbing secret society activities can be seen from the significant drop in the number of secret society gang clashes in Singapore from 416 in 1959 to only three last year. Detention Orders issued against secret society members fell from 165 in 1984 to 27 in 1993. For the first half of 1994, 14 Detention Orders were issued against secret society members. In respect of drug trafficking, the use of this Act has also enabled us to cripple many drug syndicates and to break up their distribution networks in Singapore. Detention Orders issued against drug traffickers fell from 128 in 1984 to 19 in 1993. For the first half of 1994, the number of Detention Orders issued against drug traffickers has increased to 44 as a result of increased enforcement against drug traffickers and pushers. The Act has also been used effectively to deal with criminals who had committed serious crimes, such as, murder, gang rape and robbery with firearms, where witnesses were not prepared to testify in court. Detention Orders issued under this category fell from 20 in 1984 to zero in 1993, but we have five this year. As these statistics have shown, the Act is effective in suppressing secret societies and other organised crime gangs. But we should not be complacent.”
“The Police arrested two gang members at the scene and, subsequently, another 13 members who had gone on the run. Although there were eye-witnesses to the gang clash, none of them was willing to come forward to testify in court against the offenders. Eventually, we had to detain all 15 persons under this Act rather than to let them go scot free. In 1989, the MP for Toa Payoh GRC, Mr Davinder Singh, in supporting the extension of this Act, said, and I quote, "in the next five years, we are going to see thousands of foreigners coming into Singapore" and consequently, "there is a greater risk ... of proliferation of [criminal] activities in Singapore." He went on to say that if this Act would serve the purpose of deterring these foreign criminals, then he would support it for the next five years at least. Mr Davinder Singh has been proven right. Hon. Members will remember that during the latter half of 1993, between September 1993 and January 1994, two innocent security guards - one was 61 years old who wanted to remain active - and five construction workers were killed in six construction work sites where surveying equipment (called Theodolites) were stolen. All the victims were cold-bloodedly bludgeoned to death by the murderers using hammers, wooden poles or iron pipes found at the work sites. Police suspected that some foreign criminal elements were involved. Subsequently, 28 male Thais were arrested and eight of them were found to be connected with the murders of the security guards and the construction workers, and the thefts of the Theodolites. The eight Thais admitted verbally to the thefts and murders. We had sufficient evidence to charge three of them in court for murder.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act was first brought into operation on 21st October 1955. Since then, it has been extended by this House on eight occasions. The Act will expire on 20th October 1994, and the purpose of this Bill is to extend the Act for another five years. The Act provides for the maintenance of public safety, peace and good order and, in particular, for the detention and supervision of persons associated with secret society, drug trafficking and other criminal activities. Sir, the Act has proved to be a potent weapon in our fight against secret societies and drug traffickers over the years. Without invoking the powers of this Act, it would not have been possible for us to suppress secret societies and drug trafficking activities in Singapore. Why is this so? Because it is not always possible to prosecute secret society members successfully in open court as potential witnesses are unwilling to testify for fear of reprisals. Secret society members themselves also refuse to give evidence in court against their fellow members. It is the same with drug traffickers and their accomplices. Sir, we take no pleasure in putting a person under Criminal Law detention instead of prosecuting him in court. We will prefer to prosecute him in court whenever possible but where there are no witnesses or witnesses are unwilling to testify and the crime is serious, we have to think of the wider interests of society. To give you an example, there was a very vicious gang clash involving about 40 persons from two rival secret societies at Boon Lay Hawker Centre in February 1988. One gang member was killed and three innocent bystanders were injured.”
“The People's Association does not keep track of the political party membership of the CCC and RC members. The CCC and RC members are appointed based on their ability, dedication, resourcefulness and willingness to serve the community. MAINTENANCE OF PARENTS BILL Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [25th July 1994], "That the Bill be now read a Second time." - [Assoc. Prof. Walter Woon, Nominated Member]. Question again proposed.”
“There is nothing in the rules of the Community Centre Management Committee (CCMC) stipulating that an advisor to a community centre must not have political affiliation. An elected Member of Parliament will not automatically be appointed as the advisor of the CCMC. The People's Association's task is to implement the Government's social policies and programmes. To ensure the success of the Government's social programmes, the PA appoints capable persons who understand and support the Government's policies as advisors to advise the community centres. They need not necessarily be MPs. MEMBERS OF CITIZENS' CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES AND RESIDENTS' COMMITTEES (Percentage who are members of political party) 5. Mr Cheo Chai Chen asked the Acting Minister for Community Development, until June 1994, what percentage of the total number of Citizens' Consultative Committee members are members of a political party and what percentage of the total number of Residents' Committee members are members of a political party.”
“The administrative cost to renew a driving licence is about the same as what we collect. PAYMENT OF FOREIGN MAIDS' LEVY BY GIRO 6. Mr Ling How Doong asked the Minister for Labour why his Ministry insists that employers pay their foreign maids' levy by GIRO on pain of having their applications refused or permits revoked.”
“Sir, the fees for driving licences were last revised 16 years ago in 1978. Despite the increase in the cost of administration during this period, these fees have remained unchanged. I therefore do not see any need to reduce the driving licence fees as proposed. Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): What is the administrative cost to renew one driving licence?”
“Sir, queue-jumping at public places which causes danger to other road-users is already a criminal act and a punishable offence. Depending on the situation, action can be taken against a motorist under the Road Traffic Act for reckless, dangerous or inconsiderate driving or under the Road Traffic Rules for careless driving. If convicted, the offender can be jailed for up to six months or fined up to $1,000 for the first offence. There is no need to amend these legislation or rules as the existing penalties are adequate. Other forms of queue-jumping such as those which do not cause danger to other road-users are essentially discourteous rather than criminal acts. Police does not see any need to criminalise such acts. RENEWAL FEE OF DRIVING LICENCE (Reduction) 5. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the renewal fee of a driving licence will be reduced from $20 to $5 per year as the administrative costs do not justify a charge of $20.”
“The Internal Security Act (ISA) is still required. There is no question of repealing it. Singapore still has to contend with the threat of ethnic chauvinism, religious extremism, subversion, international terrorism and espionage. In the last 15 years or so, the Singapore Government has had to use the ISA to contain several of these threats. For instance, in 1979, 5 Muslims were detained under the ISA for attempting to establish an Islamic state by armed means. In 1985, 2 Singaporeans were detained for facilitating the supply of arms to a Sri Lankan terrorist group. In 1987, the Government detained 4 Malays who were spreading rumours of impending racial clashes and making active preparations for communal disturbances. In May/June 1987, the Government arrested 22 persons in connection with a Marxist conspiracy. In 1988, the Government detained Francis Seow following investigations into foreign interference in Singapore's internal affairs. UNITED NATIONS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX (Singapore's ranking) 14. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Trade and Industry why Singapore ranks only 43rd in the UN Human Development Index when we have one of the highest GDP in this region and what steps are being taken to improve Singapore"s ranking.”
“There are no plans now to compel school buses to fix seat belts for school children travelling in such buses as there does not appear to be a major problem of safety of children at the moment. However, the Traffic Police would keep an open mind on this subject, and would learn from the experience of other countries which have implemented this requirement. As far as we know, only Australia has made this requirement compulsory. Even then, it is implementing this in phases from 1st July 1994, starting with the heavy buses first. REVIEW OF INTERNAL SECURITY ACT 13. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he considers it appropriate now to review the Internal Security Act and, if not, why not.”
“(a) The gender breakdown of criminals who committed major crimes against property and persons from 1990 to 1993 are given in Table 1 (Cols. 223 - 224). Figures for earlier years are not readily available as they are in manual records. (b) The percentage of such crimes which are committed by ex-convicts is given in Table 2 (Cols. 223 - 224). (c) About 23% of ex-convicts revert to crime within two years of their release from prison. Table 1 & 2 - BREAKDOWN OF OFFENDERS AGAINST PROPERTY AND PERSONS BY GENDER 1990-1993, BREAKDOWN OF OFFENDERS AGAINST PROPERTY AND PERSONS WHO ARE EX-CONVICTS 1990-1993 (Cols. 223 - 224) SEAT BELTS FOR SCHOOL BUSES 12. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he will consider making it compulsory for school children to use seat belts in school buses in the interests of the safety of these children.”
“a) Between 1989 and 1993, a total of 1329 police officers retired at the age of 45. The breakdown by year is as follows: Year No. of Officers 1989 202 1990 167 1991 297 1992 356 1993 307 b) Out of the 1329 officers, 1197 or 90% sought and were granted permission to accept offers from the job market. c) Police have a job placement scheme for retiring officers run by their Welfare Division. Retired officers who wish to seek employment can register with the scheme, indicating the type of jobs they prefer. Their names are then submitted to interested companies for their consideration and selection. Most officers who applied through this job placement scheme were successful in finding employment. CRIMINALS AND EX-CONVICTS (Gender breakdown and percentage of crimes committed) 11. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the gender breakdown of criminals who committed crimes against property and persons from 1989 to 1993; (b) what is the percentage of such crimes which are committed by ex-convicts; and (c) what is the percentage of ex-convicts who revert to crime within two years of their release from prison.”
“A table comparing the rates of major crimes in cities including Hong Kong from 1990 to 1993 is given below. The statistics are based on returns submitted to Interpol. COMPARISON OF CRIME RATES FOR MAJOR CITIES (PER 100,000 POPULATION) 1990 - 1993 __________________________________________________________ YEAR 1990 1991 1992 1993 CITIES __________________________________________________________ Singapore 230 206 171 162 Hong Kong 448 486 478 434 Taipei 312 271 207 NA __________________________________________________________ Note: Major crime rates based on murder, rape, robbery, and violent theft, breaking and entering and theft of motor cars. NA -- figures not available Source: Interpol RETIRED POLICE PERSONNEL (Assistance to secure new job) 10. Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many police personnel retired yearly at the age of 45 from 1989 to 1993; (b) how many of them remain in the job market; and (c) how does his Ministry help them secure a new job.”
“2/94", a copy of which is also displayed in the Library of this House for the information of hon. Members. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 113), approves the reclamation by the Government of the foreshore and seabed east of Pulau Semakau containing an area of about 350 hectares as shown coloured pink on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 2/94" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 113), approves the reclamation by the Government of the foreshore and seabed east of Pulau Semakau containing an area of about 350 hectares as shown coloured pink on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 2/94" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore. Sir, at present, about 6,200 tonnes of refuse are generated daily in Singapore. The amount is expected to increase by 3.4% a year to 10,500 tonnes by the year 2010. Only 85% of the refuse can be incinerated. The non-incinerable refuse and the ash from the incineration plant are currently disposed of at the landfill at Lorong Halus. This landfill is expected to be used up by 1998. As there is no more suitable land for the development of landfill in Singapore, suitable landfill sites have to be found offshore. An offshore landfill is required to be developed on a 347-hectare site in the seabed east of Pulau Semakau. It will have a holding capacity of 63.2 million cubic metres and is estimated to cost $1.36 billion to develop. Reclamation of land would be required for this landfill. The offshore landfill would be developed in three phases. Phase One involves the construction of the entire perimeter bund around the 347-hectare landfill site, a refuse transfer station at Tuas and a refuse receiving station and other supporting facilities at the offshore landfill. Work on Phase One is scheduled to commence later this year. The landfill is expected to be operational by 1999 and is estimated to last us up to the year 2045. The area to be reclaimed is shown coloured pink on the "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN No.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Parliament, noting the Report of the Commission on Parliament Staff as contained in Paper Misc. 4 of 1994, accepts the recommendations of the Commission as contained in paragraph 8 thereof and resolves in accordance with such recommendations. Sir, following the announcement in December 1993 of the revision of salaries in the public service, a Commission consisting of the Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Finance, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission and myself was set up in accordance with Article 51(6) of the Constitution of Singapore to advise on the application of the revised salaries to the staff of Parliament. The Commission has presented its report to Parliament. This is in the paper I mentioned. A summary of the Commission's recommendations is contained in paragraph 8 of its Report. Besides the revision of salaries, the Commission has also recommended a restructuring of the Parliamentary service by adopting for the service a structure common to the Executive and Departmental services. In line with the revision of salaries in the public service, the revised salaries for the Parliament staff and the restructuring of the Parliamentary service are to take effect from 1st January 1994. The House is asked to accept and approve the recommendations of the Commission. Sir, the staff of Parliament have served us well and I hope that all Members will support this motion. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Parliament, noting the Report of the Commission on Parliament Staff as contained in Paper Misc. 4 of 1994, accepts the recommendations of the Commission as contained in paragraph 8 thereof and resolves in accordance with such recommendations. DEPARTMENTAL TITLES”
“I do not have the breakdown of offences committed by drivers of heavy vehicles, small vehicles, motorcyclists and the lot. They are all parking offences. To say that we do not have enough heavy vehicle parking lots, again, is missing the point. The point is that an offence has been committed and a summons given and he should pay the fine. If they know that they would commit an offence that they should not do it, they do not do it. If they think they cannot find a place to park in an HDB car park, find another place where heavy vehicles are allowed to park. And then take a bus or whatever it is to get back home. Having no car park lots next to your block is no excuse for committing a parking offence. 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. CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 2.08 pm”
“Two million people were given notices or summonses by the URA and HDB. Most of them paid up. By the time they get a third reminder, only 3% refused to respond and were given such warrants of arrest. So we do not have two million people waiting to be given this notice. Actually, this should be the final notice to all these people who have outstanding warrants of arrest to turn up and settle with the URA and HDB. For all the others, if they have committed an offence, they have to pay for it. That is the only way. You must pay for what you have committed.”
“To ask URA and HDB to give the list of offenders to the MPs, I could suggest to them. But I am not sure if every MP wants to be burdened with this. On average, it will be about 7,000 such persons in every constituency. If you are prepared to do that, I think HDB and URA will be prepared to oblige. But I am not sure that MPs want to take on this role. I think these people who have accumulated the fines should take this law as the final warning to them and better get to the offices of URA and HDB quickly and pay up before the law catches up with them.”
“And I would say that we are very tolerant with them. The URA and HDB give them three reminders before issuing them with a warrant of arrest. To say that a person is forgetful, he may have amnesia and that he cannot remember that he was given three reminders, I think that person needs some other kind of help. This person who is jailed because he could not pay up $60,000-odd fine chalked up 166 warrants of arrest. Can you imagine any person who just ignores warrants of arrest after warrants of arrest, and you say be kind and lenient to such a person? What sort of society will we become? A person who is prepared to disregard the law despite repeated reminders before a warrant of arrest is issued and, subsequently even with that, he refused to turn up in court before the Police decides to take action and you say we should be lenient to them. I think we should be very careful about suggesting this. How do we mitigate the impact of this new law on such people? The suggestion by Dr Arthur Beng is that perhaps URA give them time and work out an instalment plan, and HDB also does the same thing, I think, yes, we can ask them to consider. We can ask both authorities to consider working out an instalment plan for such people who voluntarily turn up at the URA or HDB office and say, "I have this summons. Please, I can't pay now, but can you let me pay by two, three instalments or whatever?" I believe those of us who have dealt with such cases will know that HDB and URA have been very accommodating. They have allowed these people to pay by instalments. It is only when they still default that they finally land themselves in court. And this person who accumulated 166 warrants of arrest is one such case.”
“Sir, referring first to Dr Arthur Beng's question about how many parking offences are committed in one year, I am told that there are two million parking offences committed in a year. The URA issued in 1992 about 840,000 summonses for parking offences. The HDB issued 1,246,000 such parking summonses. In 1993, the number was not much different. The HDB issued 1,236,000 and the URA issued 822,000. In other words, on average, we have issued about 2,060,000 parking summonses. I think this is a mind-boggling number. To suggest that there is a parking problem and therefore we should examine the parking problem and be more lenient to such people, I think we are not facing the reality. All of us have been to our constituencies, we are involved in what is going on, and we know that there are enough parking places. We are also aware that sometimes people take the easy way out. When they see that there is space available along the road, they just park there. Or they find that the car park is a bit too far away or it is already full when they come back in the evening, although there are other parking places available elsewhere within the region, they also decide to take the risk and park just outside their own block, and thereby commit an offence. I think it is not just the question of a person rushing in to send his goods or do an errand and miss out for five minutes and the parking attendant comes and gives him a notice. From what I know, I think our parking attendants have been very tolerant. They will wait for the person for five or ten minutes, and if the person does not turn up, he will get a ticket. I think that has been very liberal. To say that we are harsh, I would suggest that these motorists think twice before they commit an offence.”
“With the amendment, such motorists must think twice before ignoring parking summonses for they run the risks of losing their driving licences and the use of their vehicles on the road. Question proposed.”
“However, these measures are limited in their coverage and leave out those recalcitrant motorists who do not need such HDB services. The proposed amendment of the Road Traffic Act to withhold the renewal of vehicle licences and driving licences from recalcitrant motorists for parking offences will be more effective as it is more direct. It targets at all errant local motorists including those who do not need HDB services. Without a valid vehicle licence or driving licence, a person is not allowed to use a vehicle or drive on the road. If he does so, he commits an offence. Under the Road Traffic Act, the penalty for using a vehicle without a valid vehicle licence is a fine of up to $2,000. The penalty for driving without a valid driving licence is a fine of up to $1,000, or imprisonment of up to three months. As the current vehicle licence renewal cycle is six months or one year and the driving licence renewal cycle is one to three years, the amendment will compel motorists who own vehicles to settle their outstanding warrants of arrest quickly if they want to continue driving. Sir, this amendment to empower ROV and the Traffic Police to withhold the renewal of vehicle licence and driving licences of recalcitrant drivers who ignore reminders and warrants of arrest is necessary. We have to tackle this problem more efficiently. For a long time, we have been too lenient and too tolerant with these motorists. I believe it is time for us to take them to task. At stake, it is not just a minor offence of parking violation, but one of total disregard for the law. The act of illegal parking is bad enough. The refusal to pay up the fine despite reminders and subsequently a warrant of arrest is totally unacceptable.”
“Although such cases account for only about 2% to 3% of the total number of car parking notices issued, in absolute figures, the number is alarming and increasing. In the 1980s, the Police received from the courts an average of about 20,000 warrants of arrest annually. This figure rose three-fold to about 60,000 a year between 1991 and 1993. As at 30th June this year, there were 9,920 motorists who have accumulated a total of 51,046 warrants of arrest. This amounts to an average of five warrants of arrest per offender. This situation cannot be tolerated. Police have been taking action against these motorists. Since July last year, 9,180 offenders have been arrested. One of them had accumulated a staggering number of 166 warrants of arrest! He was fined $66,400 and in default sentenced to 664 days of imprisonment. He did not pay his fine and he is still in prison since 18th December 1993. Despite such enforcement action by Police, the number of outstanding warrants of arrest remains high. Using Police's limited resources to go after each and everyone of these errant motorists is not an effective solution. Many police officers have to be deployed to make house calls. In many cases, the errant motorists are no longer living at their last known addresses. Valuable Police resources are wasted on these recalcitrants. We need a more efficient way to bring these hardcore offenders to task. HDB has already introduced a number of measures against such parking offenders, such as debarring them from purchasing or renewing season tickets for HDB car park lots; withholding from them certain HDB services, such as the purchase and rental of shops, allocation of rental flats, approval of resale of flats, permits for renovation or upgrading and use of HDB facilities.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, the Bill seeks to amend the Road Traffic Act to enable the Registrar of Vehicles and the Deputy Commissioner of Police to disallow the renewal of vehicle licences and driving licences of applicants who have outstanding warrants of arrest against them. The purpose of this amendment is to deal with motorists who blatantly ignore the summonses and warrants of arrest issued against them for parking offences under the Parking Places Act. Currently, a motorist is allowed to settle the parking offence notice by paying a composition fine. If he fails to pay the fine after three reminders, he is summoned to Court. If he fails to appear in Court to answer the charge, the Court will issue a warrant for his arrest. When this happens, the Police will first send him a letter asking him to surrender himself at the Police Warrant Enforcement Unit at the Subordinate Courts Complex and settle his warrant of arrest by paying up the fine there. However, if he still fails to do so, the Police will then have to take action to arrest him and bring him before the Court for prosecution. Although the majority of motorists pay up their fines in time, there are offenders who still persist in ignoring the numerous and repeated reminders sent by the Police. In a major publicity campaign last year, the courts have made it clear that it is to the benefit of the offenders, if they are guilty, to settle their composition fines early. Not to do so may result in heftier fines when their cases are taken up in court. Beyond such a publicity campaign, the Government must impose deterrent measures to deal with recalcitrant offenders who disregard repeated reminders and warrants of arrest.”
“The Police received a report of an attempted abduction of a child at a supermarket in Hougang on 13th May this year. A 10-year old boy was shopping with his father when he was approached by a male Chinese. The male Chinese offered to buy the child something and requested the boy to follow him. The boy, however, refused to follow him and returned to his father. The latter was not aware of the incident. The child informed his mother of the incident only when he returned home. A police report was subsequently lodged by the mother. Police has investigated into the complaint but has not been able to identify any suspect. Police did not receive any report of attempted abduction of children at a daycare centre at Kallang. JTC AND HDB INDUSTRIAL PREMISES (Sale to sitting tenants) 7. Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) when the sale of Jurong Town Corporation and Housing and Development Board industrial premises to sitting tenants will be launched; (b) whether there will be similar discounts to sitting tenants as in the sale of HDB shops; and (c) whether consideration will be given to sell small plots of industrial land to enable smaller local enterprises to develop and own their industrial premises.”
“The Police are always sympathetic. ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF CHILDREN AT KALLANG AND HOUGANG (Police reports) 6. Mr Ling How Doong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the police have received any reports of attempted abduction of children at a daycare centre in Kallang and a supermarket in Hougang.”
“Sir, the various categories of hurt and serious hurt are all defined in the law and the Police look at the seriousness of the offence, ie, whether bruises and whatever injuries have been inflicted on the spouse. Then they will classify the case accordingly and seek the Attorney-General's advice before the case is to be determined by the court. The Police, when it comes across such cases as reported by the spouses, will certainly go to the scene and try to help sort out the matter and, if necessary, they will also caution the spouse who has committed the violence.”
“From January to March 1994, Police received 529 reports of domestic violence. 526 of these reports involved the causing of hurt. The other three cases involved more serious offences of Voluntarily Causing Hurt by Dangerous Weapons or Means and Voluntarily Causing Grievous Hurt. As for prosecutions, two of the three accused persons who had committed serious hurt were charged in court. One case was compounded. One accused person has been imprisoned for six months and given two strokes of the cane. Investigations into the third case is still going on. Based on the number of Protection Orders issued by the courts over the last five years, there appears to be an increase in domestic violence. A total of 512 Protection Orders were issued in 1993 compared to 230 Orders in 1989. However, this increase may also be partly attributed to a greater willingness on the part of the victims to seek protection through the courts. Spousal violence is not just another form of violent crime. It is a social problem that should be tackled in a coordinated manner involving the relevant Government agencies and voluntary welfare organisations. My Ministry has adopted this coordinated approach and has formed an inter-Ministry working group, comprising representatives from the Police, MOH and MCD. It will also include representatives of the Singapore Council of Women's Organisation. Various suggestions have been made on how to better help these abused spouses. These will be considered by the working group.”
“We recognise that many ex-Singaporeans can make positive contributions. If they want to work here, they can apply for employment pass just like other foreigners. Immigration Department will approve their applications if they satisfy prevailing Employment Pass policies. However, ex-Singaporeans will not be given preference over other permanent residence applicants just because they are ex-Singaporeans. To do so may unwittingly encourage more Singaporeans to emigrate, and later to return to Singapore and obtain permanent residence status if they cannot adjust to life overseas. Giving preference to ex-Singaporeans will also not be fair to our citizens who remain in Singapore to contribute to its development. Finally, as permanent residence is a step towards citizenship, it should not be given liberally to persons whose commitment to Singapore is suspect or who from the outset may have no intention to take up Singapore citizenship. An exception is made for female ex-Singaporeans who are married to foreigners and whose marriages have broken down or whose husbands had passed away. For this category of ex-Singaporeans we are prepared to give them preference when they apply for permanent residence. RESULTS OF 1990 CENSUS (Publication) 19. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the full results of the 1990 census and the relevant monographs have been published and, if not, what is the cause of the delay.”
“The experts were impressed with our system and endorsed the various schemes to integrate the Police into community life in Singapore. One of the functions of NPPs is to provide community services to the residents. This includes taking of police reports, dealing with loss and found cases, recording of change of addresses, registering deaths, etc. Currently, certain Police services to the public are offered by Police Divisional Headquarters and more specialised cases are dealt with by Traffic Police and CID. Police is considering devolving more services to the NPPs. This will bring an even greater range of police services nearer the community, thereby improving the quality of service to the public and integrating the police further with the community. APPLICATIONS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE (Preference for ex-Singaporeans) 18. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) if he will consider sympathetically the case of Singaporeans who had given up their citizenship and now wish to come back to Singapore on a permanent resident basis and are gainfully employed and (b) whether these persons will be given preference over other foreigners with similar qualifications who are applying for permanent residence.”
“There are presently 90 Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs) in operation in all the Police Land Divisions. Another one is being built in Choa Chu Kang and will be ready by the end of the year. By then there will be 91 NPPs under the NPP programme that was started in 1983. Over the past ten years, Singapore's population has shifted significantly due to urban renewal and the setting up of satellite towns such as Pasir Ris New Town, Choa Chu Kang New Town and Bishan. As a result some of the existing NPPs are no longer strategically located. Police is reviewing the number and locations of these NPPs to assess whether they are suitably located to serve the community. Wherever necessary NPPs will be relocated. The NPP system is an important component of community policing in Singapore. Police have made various improvements to the NPP system to enable them to be more responsive to the community. Two years ago, a `problem-solving' approach was introduced and it is still being emphasised. Under this approach, NPP officers are trained and encouraged to look at the root causes of community problems rather than just respond to the symptoms. One example was highlighted in the newspapers recently where an NPP officer responded to frequent complaints of noise pollution by residents. He discovered that the cause of the problem was a resident who suffers from Down's Syndrome. Feeling bored during the day the resident had become a nuisance. The NPP officer eventually found the resident a job at a nearby centre and the problem was solved. Our NPP system was originally based on the Japanese Koban system. In January this year, Police invited a team of experts from Japan to observe the progress of our NPP system as against developments in Japan and make recommendations to improve the system.”
“According to figures available to the Registry of Births and Deaths, the number of Singaporean women who had children out of wedlock for each of the years from 1989 to 1993 is as follows: 1989 - 1206 1990 - 1316 1991 - 1226 1992 - 1248 1993 - 1217 NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE POSTS (Increase in number) 17. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the present number of Neighbourhood Police Posts; (b) what plans there are to increase the number of NPPs; and (c) what steps are being taken to integrate the police further in the community life of the neighbourhood.”
“Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Home Affairs how many Singaporean women had children out of wedlock for each of the years from 1989 to 1993.”
“(a) The statistics are given at Annex B (Cols. 85 - 86). The increase in the number of persons sentenced to death in 1993, especially for drug-related offences was due to the faster court hearings and the switch from the two-judge system for capital cases to a one-judge system that year. It was also due to several successes by CNB in arresting members of major drug syndicates. Annex B - PERSONS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER AND DRUG-RELATED OFFENCES (Cols. 85 - 86) (b) As at 22nd April 1994, there were 99 persons in the death row. Most of them are either awaiting appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal, preparing their petition for clemency or awaiting the outcome of their petition for clemency. (c) Statistics have shown that the death penalty has a strong deterrent effect on offences such as kidnapping, firearm robbery and drug trafficking. Prior to 1973, firearm robbery was on the rise reaching a peak of 174 cases in 1973. A dramatic drop was witnessed following the introduction of the death penalty for such offences. There were less than 10 cases per year in the last five years. The introduction of the death penalty for kidnapping in 1961 had likewise resulted in a dramatic drop in such cases. There were only six cases of kidnapping reported in the last 10 years, compared to a peak of 38 cases in 1959 alone. In the case of drug trafficking, the introduction of the death penalty has the deterrent effect of preventing organised drug syndicates from establishing themselves in Singapore and has helped keep the drug situation here under control despite our proximity to the Golden Triangle. WOMEN WITH CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK 16.”
“As to his point that it is the wish of the people, the people wish him to be their MP, that is all. That is why they elected him to be their MP. I do not think the people say, "I want him to be our Advisor." As far as the PA is concerned, the Advisors are appointed by the Government. Whether the PAP takes credit or not, the PAP - it has been the Government for the last 30-over years - has never come out with policies that would benefit the Opposition. That is quite clear. The PAP, whenever it wins an election, will always plan and prepare the next election so that its policies will win majority support of the people, including using its agencies to ensure that its policies are well accepted by the people. Therefore, we organise programmes for them. There is nothing wrong, therefore, for the Government to get the PA to organise activities for the residents so that eventually they find that the Government has done a good job for them and vote the Government back again. I make no apology for that. 4.00 pm”
“All these policies that he opposed are in the Hansard. It is quite simple, just check it up.”
“This question is not new. In fact, he says that the Government has never made it known that the Opposition MPs are excluded from the CCs. I think I have said it before, even when I was the Minister for Community Development. I said he was not part of us and therefore he could not be an Advisor of our CCs. I have said it before, and I say it again that he does not belong to the PAP. Therefore, when we have to appoint Advisors, I find it very difficult to appoint him to help us explain our policies and help to garner the people together and organise activities for them. The observations that he made are perhaps his own observations. Those are not the observations that I know of from the people I know when I give them prizes and awards during those ceremonies. I think they know quite well that they are the ones who put in the hard work, and I commend them for it.”
“I think Mr Chiam is not right when he says that for the PA's programmes the funds are expended for the benefit of the PAP. I think that is just insulting the residents and the people who use the PA's programmes. These programmes are for the benefit of all Singaporeans. Every year, thousands of activities are organised for senior citizens, for the young, for the kindergarten children. There was a whole host of other activities. That is why the money is used for the benefit of all these people who take part in our programmes. No PAP MP says, "I am doing this because I am a PAP Member." A PAP MP is appointed as an Advisor because we believe that he understands Government policies and therefore would be able to carry out Government policies. PA is a Government organisation and being a Government organisation it must appoint people who can understand and support Government policies. I think it will be quite difficult for me to believe that Mr Chiam would support Government policies and therefore will champion the PA's cause. If he does, then he would not be sitting in the Opposition Bench. He will be part of the PAP. But to say that the PAP MP claims credit for the prizes won by the CC is just over-simplifying the issue. Whenever CCs win prizes, it is the grassroots leaders, the CCC, the MC and all those who have taken part in making the CC the best for winning the commendation medal or certificate. They are the ones who could claim the credit. The PAP MPs have given them the guidance but the work is really done by the grassroots leaders. Mr Chiam is asking me to let him run his CC. I think it is very difficult unless he can support our policies. Is he able to support our policy and go round explaining Government policy and say this is good for them? I think he would not.”
“At no time did I or the editors with whom I discussed my column prior to writing it, ever feel that debate had been "stifled" or the guillotine abused. I agree with Mr Wong entirely that coming to such a conclusion would certainly be "an unjust reflection on the conduct of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the discharge of their duties". I withdraw my offending words unconditionally. Indeed, as someone who has attended most Parliament sittings over the past 3 1/2 years, I am only too happy to put on record my respect for the Speaker and his deputies. In the eyes of this citizen, they have, at all times, discharged their duties with fairness and dignity.' Sir, Mr George has thus promptly and unconditionally withdrawn his criticisms and apologised for the innuendo in his article of 10th March. In view of this prompt response from Mr George, I will not refer the matter to the Committee of Privileges but will treat it as closed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on Friday, 11th March 1994, I informed this House that the article entitled "Hold the guillotine when issues are of public concern" by Mr Cherian George, published in the column "From the Gallery" in the Straits Times on 10th March 1994, was a breach of Parliamentary privilege and a contempt of Parliament. I told Members that I hoped Mr George, after reading my clarification of the procedures which apply to the Committee of Supply and to Members who wish to raise issues for debate, would withdraw unconditionally his criticisms of the proceedings, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and publish this retraction in the same "From the Gallery" column in the Straits Times. I also said that after I had read Mr George's response to my statement, I would decide whether it was necessary to make a formal complaint to the Committee of Privileges. Mr George responded to my statement in the "From the Gallery" column in the Straits Times of 12th March, entitled "No malice - and no offence meant". I quote: `I am glad I am given the opportunity to clarify my comments. They were most definitely not written in malice. I wrote the column out of a sincere desire to give constructive feedback to an institution which I hold in high regard. I did not presume in my column to say, nor did it ever cross my mind, that the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker had been unfair and improper in the way they applied the guillotine that day. Therefore I regret very much that my column, in Mr Wong's words, carried the innuendo that "the Speaker and Deputy Speaker had stifled debate and were not using the guillotine procedure in a fair and proper manner". I apologise unreservedly for having created this impression in any reader.”