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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“The Government agrees therefore that every opportunity should be created in the areas of education, vocational training and employment for the disabled so as to enable them to live as independently as possible. Public places should also be made accessible to the disabled to facilitate their integration into society. The Council, Sir, made 26 key recommendations covering a wide range of topics from special education, vocational training, employment and accessibility of public places and to measures of preventing disability. The Government has, in principle, accepted all the major recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Disabled, except, Sir, for three areas which it is still studying. One of these areas is the responsibility for the transportation of the disabled and the recommendation to help set up a transport fund. The other two are the appropriate authority to look after the mentally burnt-out patients and to coordinate vocational assessment, training and placement of disabled persons. On the Advisory Council on the Aged, Sir, Members will recall that the Agenda for Action adopted by this House also identified our ageing population as one of the major challenges in the coming decades. The Advisory Council has observed that the number of aged persons will rise from the present 221,000 or 8% of the population to about 835,000 or 26% of the population by the year 2030. To meet some of these problems envisaged, the Advisory Council has made 40 recommendations. The main thrust of the recommendations are aimed at creating an environment whereby the aged can continue to live a healthy and fulfilling life and encouraging the aged to remain with the family for as long as possible so that admission of the aged into residential homes will only be the last resort.”
“Of the 43 recommendations, I am pleased to say that the Government has accepted all the recommendations except three. These three recommendations are, firstly, designating SAF camps for selected high performance sports and to marshall all the available resources in support of such adopted sports. Secondly, reviving of supernumerary scheme for top national athletes in national service whereby top national athletes are posted to specific SAF units according to their various sports. Thirdly, establishing a department in the Military College to promote both recreational and sports excellence. Sir, the Government is not in favour of the first two recommendations as it is an established policy that military training, national service indeed, should take priority during the period of national service of a person. As regards the establishment of a department in the Military College to promote sports excellence, the SAF Sports Association, the physical training and sports branch of Mindef are set up specifically to do this job and therefore there is no need to have a separate arm in the Military College. On the Advisory Council on the Disabled, the Government shares the view of the Advisory Council that disabled people have the same rights as other people to take a proper place in society. And this should be the concern of everyone, the family, the community, and the Government to help them live as independently as possible. To a very great extent, Sir, the maturity of a society is measured by its attitude towards its less fortunate members. As we move towards the next century, we should ensure that the less fortunate should not be left behind.”
“For example, through increased funding and grants, through consultation and communications with the people, through Ministerial visits to constituencies, meetings with professionals and other groups, at forums, workshops, Feedback Unit inputs and, more recently, these six advisory councils. More than 400 people have been involved in the six advisory councils deliberations as well as the deliberations of the sub-committees and other committees formed by the advisory councils. More than 1,000 submissions have been received from the public. The councils have also held almost 120 dialogue and forum sessions. May I take this opportunity to thank them all for their input and contribution and the time and effort they have put in in coming up with very comprehensive reports that outlined the very important programmes that we should have in place to bring about a better quality of life. As Mr Tarmugi has asked, what is the Government's plan, decision, action, arising from these reports? Allow me to inform the House, Sir, that three of the advisory councils, namely, the Advisory Council on the Disabled, the Advisory Council on Sports and Recreation and the Advisory Council on the Aged, have sub- mitted their reports to the Government which have considered all the reports. The reports have been made public. The Advisory Council on Youth has also just completed its report and the Government is considering it. As for the other two advisory councils, one on Culture and the Arts, the other on Family and Community Life, they are in the last stages of finalizing the reports and when they are ready I am sure they will also be made public. On the Sports and Recreation Advisory Council's recommendations, they have made 43 recommendations in all.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as Mr Tarmugi has rightly pointed out, we have provided for the basic needs of our people. During the closing address by the Minister for Finance on the Budget debate last week, he also said that since we have provided for the basic needs of the people, we should now devote more of our resources towards defence, towards improving the quality of education, quality of health and also generally the quality of life. Mr Tarmugi also talked about the Agenda for Action which we have adopted in this House. Those of us who were in this House will remember that. The Agenda for Action which we adopted last year outlined four broad areas: nation building, economic growth and progress, human resources and education, social and cultural development. I must report that we have made progress in these four areas. Of course, more can still be done. To take us further to implement these four areas, particularly on nation building and social and cultural development, the Government formed six advisory councils recently to work out a set of programmes in these areas and to bring about a better quality of life. However, I would like to add here that the Government alone cannot bring about a better quality of life. It can, however, play an enabling role and provide the conditions that are conducive towards creating a better quality of life so that family and community cohesion can be promoted, culture enriched, and community facilities and services improved. And to achieve these objectives, the individual person, the families, the community organizations and the corporate citizens must be involved. On the Government's part, this process has been carried out systematically over the years.”
“Sir, from what I understand, especially during the last few days after the Thai Prime Minister met many Chinese leaders, there has been no change in the basic position of the Thais. That being the case, Asean's stand on Cambodia remains. HAWKERS SUMMONED ON CHINESE NEW YEAR'S EVE The following question stood in the name of Mr Goh Choon Kang - 4. To ask the Minister for the Environment (a) how how many licensed hawkers were summoned for "spill-over" of goods at their stalls on 4th February, 1989 (Chinese New Year's Eve) and where; and (b) how many illegal hawkers were summoned on the same day and where.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my assessment of JIM II was already published in the Straits Times on 24th February, and during the Committee of Supply debate on Foreign Affairs I have also given additional information. Nevertheless, I would like to summarize my conclusions. We are satisfied with the outcome, but we are realistic about the prospects. Despite the differences, JIM II had spelt out the basic elements of a political solution, including such key points as the withdrawal of the Vietnamese forces, International Control Mechanism and national reconciliation. After our extensive discussions, in Jakarta, the positions of the various parties have become clearer. But there are still more negotiations ahead on the details and the practical implementation of the broad principles set out in the Chairman's Consensus Statement. Sir, a political solution or settlement in Cambodia is only a matter of time. But further discussions and negotiations will be necessary. The inter-Khmer talks are likely to be difficult. Hun Sen has hardened his position on power-sharing among the four Cambodian parties and rejected an effective International Control Mechanism. It is my hope that all parties will show flexibility so that a political solution can be reached quickly and the suffering of the Cambodian people can end.”
“However, if the British FCO continues to use this isolated case which does not involve it to criticize the Singapore Government's decision and to create ill-will between the two governments, then it may be better for us not to have British QCs in Singapore at all. Right now there is still no intention to withdraw this privilege from the British QCs. The second point which the British FCO spokesman said was that "the second paragraph that Mr Lester pressed us to do this is simply untrue. He did not." I will have to trace the events that appeared in the press. On the 15th of March, reported in our Straits Times by the Straits Times London correspondent, the correspondent wrote that: 'He [referring to the spokesman] said Mr Lester had been in touch with the Foreign Office over the issue, but stressed that he had not pressed them to make representations on his behalf to the Singapore Government.' It is the FCO that said that Lester did not press them. What did we say in our statement? We said: 'The claim that Mr Lester had not pressed the FCO to make representations on his behalf ["the claim", this is not our claim, it is theirs] is clearly contributed by Mr Lester's frequent use of the Foreign Secretary's name and by FCO officials who stated that they were speaking under ministerial instructions.' Therefore, it was Mr Lester who had used the Foreign Secretary's name frequently and the British officials who had said that the Foreign Secretary had a personal interest in the matter, and that Mr Lester knew the Foreign Secretary, and that they were speaking on ministerial instruction. If the FCO spokesman does not want the Foreign Secretary's name to be used, then they should not have invoked it in the first place or allow Mr Lester to continue to use his name.”
“Sir, I too read the same article that appeared in today's Straits Times and I note that the British Foreign Office spokesman said that he did not anticipate getting involved in a battle over Anthony Lester. Neither does Singapore want to get involved or be in a tussle with the British Foreign Office on this matter. But there is a need to set the record straight, as Mr Das suggested. The Foreign Office spokesman said he was puzzled by the first sentence of our statement which says that it is a matter for the Singapore Government. I do not know why there is a need for him to be puzzled because all we said is that there is no basis for the FCO to express regrets on the Singapore Government's decision. The statement by the Ministry on 15th March clearly said that the Singapore Government had unilaterally allowed British QCs to appear in our courts and that this arrangement was not the result of any government-to-government understanding or agreement and can therefore be withdrawn unilaterally and without any reason although, in this case, the Government gave reason for not allowing Mr Lester to practise. If the FCO spokesman had not understood this vital point, then I think it bears repeating that British QCs are allowed to appear in Singapore as a privilege extended by the Singapore Government and not by a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom. This is a matter in which the UK government has no say and for which the British FCO has no business to express regrets. Let me repeat that we do not want an isolated case between the Singapore Government and a QC to lead to friction with the UK or to result in a withdrawal of the privilege for QCs to practise in Singapore courts.”
“Within our means and resources, we will continue to contribute to the welfare of the international community and the management of the international economy. There are many uncertainties. A settlement in Cambodia will reshape the regional order in Southeast Asia in ways that cannot be accurately predicted. ASEAN may face new stresses. Singapore has no choice but to adapt. To do so, we need an agile and alert diplomacy. To ensure that the Foreign Service will be able to match the challenges, there is a need to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of Foreign Service officers and to reward them adequately. Mr Chandra Das also asked whether the proposal to require Singaporeans to have at least half a tank of petrol before they go to Johor will discourage Singaporeans from going to Johor. Sir, the Government encourages Singaporean tourists to visit Johor. It is not the Government's intention to hamper the flow of tourists to Johor. The Bills are only intended to plug loophole in the current legislation. This is to allow the Government to continue to use petrol duty as a measure of restricting the car population and usage in Singapore. It should not discourage Singaporeans from going to Johor.”
“It is still too early to say what will happen. At present, there are more questions than answers. But a just settlement in Cambodia will ease Vietnam's integration into the regional order. Staffing in the Foreign Ministry to meet these Challenges Sir, the challenges and the opportunities ahead make it essential that Singapore develops an efficient and sophisticated Foreign Service. Our officers must be nimble-footed and alert. The importance of the Foreign Service is not in doubt. The conduct of diplomacy has become more professionalized, but we must have a stronger service to meet the tough challenges. More needs to be done to strengthen the staffing position. Conclusion Sir, the world is changing and Singapore must change with it. The major powers are reordering their relationships with each other, creating new opportunities and new challenges. Singapore cannot resist change but is well positioned to take advantage of unfolding developments. Our foreign policy is being adjusted to protect our national interests and take advantage of the opportunities in the context of a more fluid environment. We are emphasizing economic diplomacy. There is potential to expand economic and other kinds of relations with the Soviet Union and China. We are considering how best we can fit in as the United States adapts its regional presence to the new environment. We may find more common ground with a Japan that is seeking a new international role. We are looking beyond the settlement of the Cambodian problem to future relations with the Indochinese countries. As we become more developed, Singapore will also have to take on additional responsibilities.”
“That means both the external and internal aspects must be resolved together, and the Foreign Ministers also reaffirmed their determination to work for the interests of the Cambodian people by continuing their cooperation with the Coalition Government of Democratic Cambodia. They also reaffirmed their view on the future government of Cambodia, ie, sovereign, independent, neutral and non-aligned under the leadership of Prince Norodom Sihanouk. While Singapore may have been more outspoken, there is no difference in view on the basic question of supporting the Cambodians. The Post Cambodia Regional Order For the post-Cambodia regional order, it is worthwhile therefore being patient because the nature of the settlement in Cambodia will affect more than the bilateral relations with Indochina. It will have a profound influence on the basic questions of sovereignty and security. The issue is who will determine the future regional order and whether the decision will take into account the interests of all parties and countries concerned. The nature of the settlement will also determine whether there will be durable peace or whether Cambodia will continue to be a source of instability, threatening the security of its neighbours. Whatever the outcome, relations with Malaysia, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries will continue to be the core of our foreign policy. Over the last decade, Cambodia was the central political issue that bound ASEAN together. Once the Cambodian problem is behind us, ASEAN will have to find new rallying points or risk drifting apart, to the detriment of regional cooperation and bilateral relationships. Vietnam has said that it would like to join ASEAN. This could change the character of the organization and jeopardize further ASEAN cooperation.”
“ASEAN has encouraged the international community to suspend aid to Vietnam because of its invasion and occupation of Cambodia. This can be reassessed if there is a just settlement in Cambodia. Meanwhile, there is no international trade embargo against Vietnam. Singapore's policy on economic contacts is to allow normal commercial transactions to take place while discouraging aid, training, infrastructural development and trade in strategic goods. Trade with Indochina is an insignificant proportion of our total world trade. It is less than 1%. There are no complicating historical animosities between Singapore and the Indochinese countries. As a small country, we do not threaten their economic independence. As a relatively sophisticated economy, we can contribute technical expertise to their economic development in areas such as banking, oil refining, telecommunications, port management and air services. But the full development of the potential must await a comprehensive, durable and just settlement of the Cambodian problem. Mr Chng Hee Kok asked whethere there is a difference of opinion among ASEAN and whether we have taken too hard a stand. Let me assure him, Sir, that there is no difference in opinion among ASEAN countries. Just one month before the Jakarta Informal Meeting, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers met in Brunei Darussalam and we agreed and stressed that all parties concerned should strive for a comprehen- sive political settlement of the Cambodian problem involving both external and internal aspects in an integral way.”
“Now that China and the Soviet Union have decided to settle their differences, it is no longer in doubt that there will be a political solution to the Cambodian problem. The question then is: what kind of solution? The Second Jakarta Informal Meeting (or JIM II as is commonly called) that was held last month has spelt out the basic elements for a political solution, encompassing such key elements as the withdrawal of Vietnamese troops, an international control mechanism and national reconciliation. We now know more clearly where each country and party concerned stands on such key questions. What remains to be negotiated are the details and the practical implementation of the broad principles that have been setout in the JIM II Chairman's statement. Vietnam and the Heng Samrin regime have hardened their positions, perhaps in anticipation of being forced into serious negotiations or it could also be due to what Dr Lau Teik Soon mentioned regarding the publicity that Hun Sen received. Singapore believes that a just and durable solution, which will be in the interests of all Cambodian parties concerned, must be based on a total withdrawal of Vietnamese troops and genuine power-sharing among the four Cambodian parties under the leadership of Prince Sihanouk. We believe that there must be free and fair elections under the international supervision for the Cambodian people to exercise their right of self-determination. A settlement in Cambodia is only a matter of time. We are beginning to look beyond the Cambodian problem to our future relationship with Indochina. The scope will increase in step with progress towards a political solution. Diplomatic relations will be established after the Cambodian problem is resolved.”
“We provide training programmes in a wide variety of fields from public housing to software design, hotel management, air traffic control, port management and telecommunications. As a responsible member of the international community, Singapore will continue to seek other means of contributing, within our capabilities, to the welfare of the international community as a whole. Our contributions, however, need not be monetary. We will continue to offer training facilities and manpower in areas where we have expertise. Economic Diplomacy To take advantage of the opportunites and face up to the challenges, Singapore will need to emphasize its economic diplomacy. We should optimize the use of our limited human and other resources by better coordination between the Foreign Ministry, the Economic Development Board, the Trade Development Board, the Tourist Promotion Board and other agen- cies. This can help the Government to be more effective in alerting our private sector businessmen to new trade and investment opportunities, keeping our markets open and attracting foreign investments to Singapore. Japan As Singapore explores means of adjusting its international role, we may find a more common ground with a Japan that is also undergoing a similar process, albeit on a much larger scale. There may be a need for intensified consultations and cooperation with Japan on economic and political issues of mutual concern. There is scope to broaden and deepen bilateral ties. We can cooperate to extend joint technical training to developing countries in Africa and the South Pacific. Relations with Indochina Mr Das also asked about our relations with Indochina. The reordering of power relationships in the Asia-Pacific region will affect developments in Southeast Asia.”
“We will continue to support proposals for consultative dialogue among countries in the Asia-Pacific region. We recognize that our ability to influence events or developments is limited. But as a nation that depends on trade and foreign investment to survive, it is in our interest to continue to alert all countries to the growing stresses in the international trading system and to sound the alarm whenever the door threatens to close. ASEAN-US Initiative (AUI) Mr Das asked about the ASEAN-US Initiative or AUI. This is one possibility for reducing barriers that is being discussed. The US is the largest trading partner for the ASEAN countries. A study on the AUI has been prepared by academics from the ASEAN countries and the US. This envisages the establishment of a broad framework bilateral agreement within which each ASEAN country may conclude bilateral agreement with the US to mutually reduce trade barriers and increase investments and other economic links. If this can be achieved, the AUI will increase trade and investment between ASEAN and the United States. However, both Asean and the United States need to show greater interest for the AUI to progress or move forward. International Assistance We recognize our obligations in other areas too. The total amount of Singapore's current international assistance is about $36 million. It represents more than 0.1% of our GNP. This, I believe, compares favourably with more developed and larger economies like the United States which is 0.2% of their GNP, UK 0.28% and Japan 0.31%. Our contributions include donations to aid-related international organizations, Colombo Plan and ASEAN training awards, the imputed costs of other training schemes, bilateral assistance programmes and our contributions to disaster relief.”
“The main stumbling blocks, of course, are the differences between the developed countries on such issues as agricultural subsidies. Agreement has been reached on many areas. Progress depends on the ability of the developed countries to resolve their differences. We should not be too hasty to conclude that the recent developments such as the USA-Canada FTA and the move towards the formation of trading blocs or a single European Market in 1992 presages the break-up of the world trading system into regional blocs. The EEC has given us assurances that Europe will not retreat into a fortressed Europe. The US-Canada FTA can indeed be regarded as an example of how trade barriers can be reduced. Given the increased interdependence of the world economy, it is difficult for countries or for regions to shut themselves off from one another. While it is not desirable to form regional blocs there is merit in looser and more open arrangements such as the proposal by Prime Minister Hawke of Australia for a consultative arrangement on economic matters in the Asia-Pacific region provided such consultations are structured so as to assuage fears that we are moving into a Pacific trading bloc. They could serve to examine how regional countries could be better integrated into the world trading and financial systems. The Asia-Pacific countries are outward looking and depend heavily on the world markets and this could be in their own interest. Besides the Australians, the Japanese and the Americans have also made proposals for closer Asia-Pacific consultations. Some ASEAN countries have expressed an interest. We shall certainly study these proposals closely. Singapore also attended the Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference regularly.”
“The Trade Development Board led a mission last October to the Soviet Union and they have succeeded in establishing useful contacts with their counterparts in several foreign trade organizations. Both sides agreed that they should further explore the long term potential for business and infrastructural development as well as in the manufacturing and service sectors. Most European countries are also trying to reform and restructure their economies. This could lead to new economic opportunities and increased trade. We are also exploring the prospects in several East European countries. Playing a Responsible Role We want to play a responsible role. The evolving international landscape is not just political and strategic. New centres of economic power have evolved. This may result in a redistribution of the burden of managing the regional and international economic system. Singapore has long accepted the obligations of its membership in a global economy. We will continue to do so. We participated in the recent informal OECD-NIE dialogue or seminar in Paris. We think that as a result of this seminar with the OECD, the OECD countries now have a better understanding and appreciation of Singapore's position, in particular our open and free trade system. The dialogue will continue as and when necessary, but there is no foreseeable prospect for a non-formal mechanism. Sir, Mr Das is concerned about the world forming trading blocs which may pose a danger to the world trading system. My view is that the world trading system is fundamentally and basically sound. The on-going Uruguay Round is the latest in the series of trade negotiations intended to maintain the system. And it is the most complex set of multi-lateral trade negotiations since the formation of GATT in 1947.”
“We will never see eye to eye with the United States on such issues but we will continue to act in accordance with what we believe is right and in Singapore's interests. Responsibility in Singapore's future is for Singaporeans. I think no one can deny us that fact. If our friends in the United States and elsewhere accept this fact, then the relationship will continue to be healthy. China Economic relations with the PRC (People's Republic of China) are well-established. In 1988, trade between Singapore and China grew by 27% over 1987. Re-exports to China increased by 108% in 1988. Singapore businessmen have invested about S$650 million in China, mostly in tourism related projects and in manufacturing. There is great scope for further economic ties. Many Singaporeans can speak both English and Mandarin and they are well-placed to facilitate business between China and the West. Political relations are also evolving. The recent announcement by China to normalize their relationship with Indonesia is a positive development. We hope to establish diplomatic relations within a year after the normalization of Sino-Indonesian relations. The Soviet Union There is scope to constructively expand our economic ties and other kinds of relations with the Soviet Union. We are reassessing our approach to the Soviet Union to respond appropriately to evolving Soviet policies. There have been an increase in the number of contacts between the Soviet Union and Singapore. For example, last year the Soviet Deputy Prime Minister, a parliamentary delegation and several senior Soviet Foreign Ministry officials visited Singapore. I intend to visit the Soviet Union this year and details are being worked out. There will be more trade contacts and Singapore-Soviet joint ventures in business.”
“This is because the United States is also a Pacific nation. About 15% of the US population live in the states on the littoral of the Pacific Ocean (California, Hawaii, Washington and Oregon). California is America's most populous state and also one of the most influential. About 37% of the United States' trade is with the Asia Pacific region. This is more than that with the EEC. With such important interests at stake, the US must continue to make its presence felt - diplomatically, militarily and economically. The question is not whether there will be a US presence but what form that presence will take. The United States may find it necessary to redistribute its facilities more widely throughout the Asia-Pacific region and Southeast Asia. We are already providing logistics support in some areas. The US Navy calls at Singapore regularly for bunkering and repairs. All countries in the region must carefully assess whether a US presence is in their interest and, if so, how, and what more they can do to facilitate their presence. Mr Das also talks about the bilateral relationship between Singapore and the United States. Sir, there was some friction last year but Singapore and the US have decided to put this problem behind us and we look forward to the future and hope that it would be better. We share important common economic and strategic interests. President Bush and other members of his Administration, for example, Secretary Baker, are familiar figures to us. I expect that Singapore-US relations will continue to be warm and close under the Bush Administration. Given our different histori- cal experiences and traditions, debates on human rights issues will no doubt emerge from time to time.”
“After eight years of steadfast resistance to Soviet expansionism, the United States is also adjusting its domestic policies to deal with the twin deficits and adapting its regional presence to the new international environment in which it is no longer pre-eminent. Mr Chairman, Sir, change is a fact of life. It cannot be resisted. Singapore is not a major actor on the international stage. Our ability to influence events is limited. We can only adapt to protect our national interest or take advantage of opportunities to advance them. We must ride the wave or be swamped by it. As international politics become more complex, we will need to be more alert and agile. As we become more developed, our foreign policy will also have to take on new responsibilities. New issues will be placed on our agenda. Singapore enjoys good relations with all the major actors in the world. We are well positioned to build upon existing relationships and take advantage of unfolding developments. Mr Das and other Members are correct in saying that Singapore have to adapt our foreign policy in response to developments. Recently we called back all our Heads of Missions to brief and reorientate them to the changes that are taking place and help them better prepare for the job. The United States Sir, we are watching with interest the new American Administration's policies towards the global changes and how it will handle new political developments in the region. For more than two decades, the United States has been a vital source of stabilizing influence that contributed to the stability of the region. The United States presence will continue to be necessary to allow the region to grow economically. I believe that it will remain a major actor in the Asia-Pacific region.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asian political landscape is being reshaped. The major powers are continuing their internal adjustments. They are reordering their relationships with each other. The Soviet Union under Gorbachev is pursuing policies of internal restructuring very rigorously. It has accepted reality in Afghanistan and has sought accommodation with the United States that could significantly reconfigure the strategic balance between the superpowers. It is scaling down reliance on military force and emphasizing diplomacy and economic development. China under Deng Xiao-ping is continuing its reforms. The process of Sino-Soviet normalization is almost complete. In May when the two Soviet and Chinese leaders hold a summit, it will open up a new chapter in the Sino-Soviet relationship. New centres of economic and political power are also emerging. Japan is searching for a political role, commensurate with its economic strength and power, but also acceptable to its neighbours in the light of their experience with a resurgent Japan. South Korea and Taiwan are increasingly important actors on the world stage. These developments are changing the texture of international politics and relations. There is greater calm in international politics, with improved prospects for the settlement of many regional problems. At the same time, new issues and stresses are emerging as clear-cut international divisions based on ideology are being blurred and alliance systems are loosening and a more complex pattern of relationships of criss-crossing interests and relationships evolves. This poses new problems of international leadership and management.”
“Recruitment entry points will remain unchanged, because they are generally in line with private sector starting salaries. Legal Service The only exception is the Legal Service. This service has special difficulty in recruiting good graduates, because of the very high incomes of private sector lawyers. If you look back at Annex C, you will observe that no civil servant is likely in the foreseeable future to be paid anything like what lawyers earn in the private sector.”
“Annex F - NUMBER OF PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYEES (BASED ON 1987 INCOME) WHO EARNED MORE THAN SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS, BEFORE AND AFTER SALARY REVISION (Cols. 475 - 476) Other Pensionable Services The Administrative Service is one of five closely-related pensionable services. The others are the Administrative Service (Foreign Service Branch), the Intelligence Service, the Police (Senior) Service, and the SAF (Senior) Service. Similar revisions will be made to the salaries of all these services. Professional Services Annex G (Cols. 477 - 478) lists the Professional Services. There are 21. They go from Accounting all the way down to Surveying, by way of Dental and Meteorological and Scientific. These 21 services share similar salary scales with one another, and they recruit only graduates with good Honours degrees or with professional qualifications. Their Superscale grades are the same as the Administrative Service, although their apex grades are lower. There are also nine other services - from Commercial Affairs, Economic Research, and so on, down to the Police (Senior) Service which have scales similar to the Professional Services. Annex G - Professional Services, Departmental Services with Professional Services Scales (Cols. 477 - 478) Many of these 30 services also face recruitment difficulties. The Government has decided that this group will receive a 7% revision to basic salaries for both Timescale and Superscale grades, plus the extra (r) month of variable bonus. We will make minor adjustments to the longer Timescales to shorten them by two or three points, but the changes are not so drastic as for the Administrative Service. The details are complex and I will not burden Members with them.”
“The right-hand side shows when he will be promoted and how he will rank compared to the private sector. You can see there is a subsantial improvement. An AS will rank around the 56th, a DS, Grade G, will rank 27th, an SDS (Senior Deputy Secretary), Grade D, will rank 36th, and only beyond that point, when he reaches the Grade C, a year or two after that, does he begin to pull ahead of his contemporaries and move up. Annex E - NUMBER OF PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYEES (BASED ON 1987 INCOME) WHO EARNED MORE THAN TOP ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS, BY AGE (Cols. 475 - 476) If you look at Annex B again, you may make sense now of some of the other lines. The line we looked at just now was AS/A, (Administrative Service/Actual), that is the bottom line. The proposed promotion rate is the line AS/P, the solid black line. It shows you the same picture as Annex E. A young officer will be ranked about 30s until he reaches the age of 39, then he moves up compared to his contemporaries. It is right that he moves ahead of his contemporaries, because beyond Grade C, we should make salary comparisons not just within the same age group, but with the top wage earners regardless of age, because these Permanent Secretary posts are among the most responsible positions in the country. I mentioned two days ago the Permanent Secretary (Defence) whose job, I think, is among the largest. If you make a comparison between the Permanent Secretaries and the top wage earners in Singapore, you get the result which is shown in Annex F (Cols. 475 - 476). Before the revision, a PS, Grade A, ranks 263rd. After the revision, he ranks 137th. A PS, Grade C used to rank 676th, and will rank 364th. As I said, these are compared to 1987 private sector incomes. So the private sector is really further ahead.”
“Of course, not every officer expects to be promoted in this exercise, nor should an officer be promoted automatically because he happens to be occupying a post with an establishment rank which is higher than his rank. Otherwise the element of selectivity is lost. But overall promotion rates have to change if we are to achieve the full purpose of this exercise. Views of the Public Service Commission The Public Service Commission is responsible for promotions of officers. The Government has consulted PSC on these proposals. The Commission agrees with the salary adjustments and agrees with the concepts proposed to effect these adjustments. It also agrees that the changes will help to improve the Administrative Service. Impact of Proposed Changes These revisions will have a major impact on the attractiveness of the Administrative Service. I refer Members back to Annex B and also to Annex E. Annex E (Cols. 475 - 476) shows how the fastest moving Administrative Officer whose potential is Grade A will compare with his private sector counterparts as he progresses up the Civil Service ladder. The left-hand side shows the existing position and actual fastest movement. The right-hand side shows the planned ranks and the planned movements. At present, nobody has moved all the way to Grade A. The furthest a person has gone, according to the present promotion norms, is PS Grade C, age 44, where he ranks 24th in his cohort. Along the way there, as you can see, he is sitting well below the 100th mark. I said 150, but in fact, in his early 30s, they rank around 250. This is in comparison with 1987, mind you - 1989 Administrative salaries agains 1987 private sector salaries. So if we compare against 1989 private salaries, the position is even worse.”
“It will recognize that the PSs of larger ministries, and the CEOs of the major statutory boards, are Grade B, Grade A, or even Staff Grade posts. For example, the Head of the Civil Service is obviously a Staff Grade post. If the Head of the Civil Service is not Staff Grade, who would be? These establishment ranks will make it clear that Grade C is not the practical ceiling for Administrative Officers. All high flying helicopters look out and watch the cloud base and wonder whether they can go through. So this is to show the sun shining through the clouds. An hon. Member: It is raining. BG Lee Hsien Loong: It is not raining. These establishment ranks will provide reference points for assessing the potential of very able officers, and make it easier to assign them accurate potentials above the Grade C, and therefore to promote them faster. We have officers who could be Permanent Secretaries of big ministries or who could run large statutory boards like PUB or PSA or HDB, but because we only say he is Permanent Secretary, we assess his CEP at Grade C, and promote him at Grade C rates. He arrives at Grade C at the age of 50. He may have left by the age of 50. So with this, if we can judge, by the time a man is in his mid-30s, that he can be a CEO of HDB, for example, or Vice-Chancellor of NUS, then we say, "All right. That is equivalent to a Grade A post, we move him at that rate." I give these only as examples. These faster promotions are an integral part of this plan to make the Administra- tive Service more attractive. The Government could have packaged an equally attractive proposal comprising larger across the board salary increases alone, without speeding up promotion rates, but it would have been an inferior solution.”
“He may be a Deputy Secretary, Grade E, but you know that he has reached the ceiling grade and he is unlikely to go further, even though perhaps he is doing well in that grade. That is the CEP. Having worked out the CEP for each individual, we have tables to define for each class of persons this is your potential, this is the rate at which you will be promoted. Despite all this apparatus, in the last few years, promotions in the Administrative Service have been slow, for a combination of reasons. Permanent Secretaries have been conservative in assessing the CEPs of officers, our time norms for promotions have been a little slow, and even these norms have not always been followed, particularly in the lower grades. As a result, officers, particularly the young ones, feel a sense of frustration. They want out to go somewhere where they can move fast. To speed up promotions, the Government has shortened the promotion time norms. Generally, officers will be promoted to their final ranks by the age of 45 instead of 50. All intermediate promotion points will be brought forward accordingly. If you must reach Grade C by the age of 45, then when do you reach Grade D, Grade E, Grade F, Superscale all that is worked out. Able officers should reach the rank of PAS (Principal Assistant Secretary) two years earlier than at present, by the age of 30, within eight years of joining the service, a crucial milestone, because it is around that time that their scholarship bonds expire. Such an early promotion to PAS will be a clear signal to an officer that he is doing well. At the senior levels, the Government will no longer treat every Permanent Secretary post equally as a Grade C post, just like every other one.”
“If they take the soft way out and claim that nearly everyone is above average, then the scheme will fail. To prevent this, quotas will be set for each category of officers. In other words, Permanent Secretaries have to be hard and firm. They must have the courage to decide between two officers who is better, who is not so good, and recommend one for an above average bonus and another perhaps for nothing. And having done that, they must have the courage to face the officer and say, "This was my honest and well-considered judgment of you and I consider it fair." If we do not do that, the scheme will fail. Faster Promotion Faster promotions are as important a factor in retaining good officers as higher salaries. Promotions are a much more selective and discriminating method of rewarding good officers than salary increases. They give deserving officers a sense of forward movement in their careers, and show that the organization values their contributions, which an equally generous salary scale will not do. In the Civil Service, how quickly an officer is promoted depends on several things. Firstly, what we call his CEP (Currently Estimated Potential). Secondly, on the time norms for promoting officers with that potential. The CEP of an officer is formally assessed by panels of Permanent Secretaries and their deputies. For every Administrative Officer, we judge him, we assess him, we evaluated his powers of analysis, his powers of imagination, his sense of reality, his helicopter qualities and we make an assessment of how high he can go. He may be a junior Assistant Secretary, but you already know that he can one day become a Permanent Secretary.”
“The Government will introduce an annual, discretionary, non-pensionable performance bonus of up to two months of salary, based on individual performance, for Superscale officers in the Administrative Service. The Head of the Civil Service will consult the Permanent Secretaries and put up proposals to the PSC for endorsement. In other words, the Permanent Secretaries will discuss who should receive how much bonus. The Head of the Civil Service will put their recommendations to the PSC, the PSC will endorse. Actual bonus payments will be kept strictly confidential. Not everyone will receive the full two months of bonus. Only a small proportion of officers, the obviously outstanding ones, will. Another 20% to 25% of the above average officers will be paid 1(r) months. The bulk of the officers will receive a one month bonus. 5-15%, those who are under-performing or clearly below average, will receive no performance bonus. These groupings correspond to natural breaks in the performance ranking of officers. Although we state that two months is the maximum, we expect only 5-10% of officers to receive two months. Those who are well above average, in the top one-quarter or so of the population, you get 1(r) months. An average Superscale officer gets 1 month. A below-average Superscale officer, and you notice that I have put it as 5-15%, the lower bound is greater than zero, gets none. For this performance bonus scheme to work, the assessors will have to be rigorous and strict in ranking the performance of officers against their peers. They have to rank officers against their peers, to decide who is average, who is good, who is bad. Officers must have the courage to identify the outstanding, the above average, and the under-performers.”
“Therefore, they will not be consolidated in this exercise. Higher Variable Bonus The second component for the Civil Service is the Higher Variable Bonus. We have implemented flexible wages in the Civil Service by introducing a year-end variable bonus which depends on the state of the economy. So far, we have built up this variable bonus to reach months of salary. Part of the salary adjustment should go towards increasing this variable bonus. The Government will raise it by (r) month, bringing it to 1ª months in all, provided that the economy grows this year by 5 - 8% as expected. This (r) month is equal to a 4% increase in the basic pay, but with one important difference: whether it is paid depends on the state of the economy. Instead of paying the entire variable bonus in December, the Government will pay (r) month of the bonus in July and the remaining month in December. If by the end of the year economic growth turns out to be less than 5%, then, of course, this balance of 3/4 month will have to be reduced. New Performance Bonus Thirdly, the performance bonus. Rewards should vary not only with the state of the economy, but also with the performance of each individual. The Civil Service should move away from a non-discriminatory egalitarian system of rewards, based on the fiction that every officer is as good and productive as every other officer, to a system which ties rewards with performance, and singles out the outstanding from the rest. Performance bonuses will make the salary scheme more flexible, and give Permanent Secretaries an additional instrument for rewarding good officers.”
“The Government will be revising the salaries of Ministers and Judges. We will be pegging these political salaries to higher grade points to leave more room for promoting civil servants. The new Staff Grades IV and V will maintain the relativity between the apex of the Civil Service pay structure and the salaries of political appointees. At Staff Grade V an officer will receive a gross salary of $42,000 a month (including NWC). Compared to the private sector earnings of top executives, particularly Annex C, this is modest, not excessive. Those promoted to these new staff grades will be the most outstanding officers, particularly those holding extremely large and probably multiple job responsibilities. The Public Service Commission does not envisage promoting anyone to these new grades in the near future. It will be several years before any officers reach Staff Grade IV or V. Nevertheless, the real likelihood of attaining these higher grades is important for the morale of serving officers, and for attracting outstanding young people to join the Service. Members will notice that the new salaries are expressed in terms of basic pay. We have not mentioned NWC. In previous pay revisions, the Government consolidated NWC awards accumulated over the years into the basic salary, which meant they were locked in and became pensionable. The NWC awards after the last salary revision in April 1982 have not been consolidated. There are three of them: the 1982, 1983, 1984 awards. 1985 was a recession. There was nothing. 1986 wage restraint, nothing. 1987 was partial restoration. 1988 restoration but no new award. 1982, NWC awards are part 1983 and 1984 of the variable component of the salary, and they can be reduced in bad years.”
“473 - 474) shows the revised salary scales. First, the Timescales, Administrative Assistant, Senior Administrative Assistant, Assistant Secretary, PAS. Then on the next page, the Superscales, G, F, E and so on. You will notice that the Timescales have been shortened and the ratio of the top to bottom salaries in each scale has also been reduced. For the Administrative Assistant, the first and longest scale with 14 points, originally had a ratio of about 2.4 top to bottom. Now it is a ratio of about 1.4. Similarly, the later scales have also been shortened. For the Superscales, there is a straightforward 7% revision. Annex D - NEW ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE SALARY SCALES (Cols. 473 - 474) The percentage revision for Timescales is larger than for the Superscales, for several reasons. Timescales will not be included in the performance bonus scheme. Many officers are resigning long before they reach Superscale grades. Competitive salaries at the entry point and early in the career are important for retaining them, and also for attracting other graduates who did not receive scholarships and are not already bonded to the Government. New Staff Grades Besides increasing the basic salaries of existing Superscale grades by 7%, the Government is also creating two new Staff Grades, Grades IV and V (you can see them at the bottom of the page) to increase the maximum salary point of civil servants. The upper Civil Service grades and the salaries of Judges and Ministers are linked. For example, Judges are paid superscale A, and Ministers are paid Staff Grade I + 5%, It is expressed in terms of the Civil Service grade points. A top civil servant who reaches Staff Grade III (there is nobody in that grade now, but the grade exists) will earn more than any Minister except the Prime Minister.”
“The revision should not be taken as a benchmark for the National Wages Council deliberations, or for other salary negotiations in the private sector this year. Fifthly, and finally, this exercise, including other salary changes to selected services which my Committee is still studying, will be the definitive salary revision for the Civil Service this year. The adjustment to the CPF rate, which is due in July, naturally will also apply to the Civil Service. However, the Government does not intend to make any further salary changes after the NWC recommendations are published. We cannot have two bites of the apple in quick succession. These five principles apply to the whole Civil Service. For the purpose of this salary revision, the Government has divided the Civil Service into three groups: First, the Administrative Service and the other pensionable services. Second, the Professional and related services, and Third, the rest of the Civil Service, including the daily rated employees. Structure of Administrative Service Salary Package Firstly, for the Administrative Service specifically, the Government has decided to do the following: (a) We will increase basic salaries by 7% for the superscales, and by 13% to 20% for the Timescales; (b) We will increase the existing end-of-year non-pensionable Variable Bonus by (r) month; (c) We will introduce a new discretionary performance-based bonus of up to 2 months of salary for Superscale officers alone, in order to relate benefits to individual performance; and (d) We will speed up promotions, so that benefits will be commensurate with the potential of individual officers. Basic Salary Revision Because of the size of the gap between private and public sector salaries, some revision of basic salaries is necessary. Annex D (Cols.”
“Principal Considerations for Revision This salary revision package reflects five principal considerations. Firstly, as a fundamental philosophy, the Government will pay civil servants market rates for their abilities and responsibilities. It will offer whatever salaries are necessary to attract and to retain the talent that it needs. As the Minister for Finance stated in his Budget Speech, the Government can afford to do so, and this is only being fair to the officers concerned. Secondly, the salary revision must be consistent with the principles of wage reform. We should not simply increase basic salaries. Timescales should be shortened. Remuneration should vary with the state of the economy, and individual rewards should depend on each person's own performance. Thirdly, the revision must be selective, and not across the board. Salaries are not revised as a status symbol, or as a reflection of the worth of the service. They are revised only when officers are paid too little relative to the market. Civil Service relativities should not be ignored, but they cannot cause us to increase salaries across the board when the problems are more specific. In this exercise, the first priority for salary revision is the Administrative Service. This service has the most acute problem and needs the largest adjustments, followed by the Professional Services. The Government recognizes that some other services also face structural problems, but the Committee will examine them later. Fourthly, this revision is not a routine annual salary adjustment. It is designed to catch up with several years of rising private sector incomes, and to make public service careers more competitive with the private sector.”
“471 - 472) Need for Salary Revision A Civil Service career offers certain traditional advantages over the private sector more stable incomes, stability of tenure, plus significant pension benefits for those in the pensionable services. The Civil Service therefore need not match, dollar for dollar, the very highest incomes in the private sector. However, the free-market outcome proves conclusively that these positive factors do not compensate for the wide disparity between public and private sector incomes. Capable young men and women are no longer attracted by these traditional advantages. In a full employment economy, there are jobs everywhere. No bright young man believes that he will ever have difficulty finding a job. Civil Service pensions may be expensive to the Treasury, but that does not make them attractive to young people, more attractive than the full CPF contributions which every other job carries. The value of a pension is uncertain, especially for an officer near the beginning of his career, because the pension will only be collected somewhere in the very distant future, and it is indexed to the cost of living, unlike pensions for British civil servants. In other words, you are not sure when you will get it, and you are not sure what it will be worth when do you get it. Young people are under no pressure to accept PSC scholarships, and see no reason to do public service at a personal sacrifice. Able civil servants are opting out and they are not being replaced fast enough. Low salaries and slow advancement are major factors in low recruitment and high resignation rates. A substantial salary rise for the key individuals in the public sector, especially the Administrative Service and related services, is therefore essential.”
“He is earning well below the 100th person around $150,000. I will come back to this chart later. The Administrative Service has lagged far behind the private sector in remuneration. Annex B - COMPARISON OF PRINCIPAL INCOME OF TOP EARNERS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE AND PRIVATE SECTOR BY AGE (Cols. 469 - 470) There is another way to make this comparison with the private sector, and that is, to look at the top earners, profession by profession. Look at Annex C (Cols. 471 - 472). This is the average monthly income in 1987 of the top man, the second man and the third man in some of the big companies in a range of businesses. It is an average of three, four or five companies, showing how much their top three people are earning. They represent typical rather than maximum earnings. A typical top banker earns $141,000 a month. His second in command earns about $31,000 and the third earns $22,000. In comparison, the single most successful banker earns $197,000 a month in 1987. If we take sharebrokers, $122,000; lawyers, $102,000; multi-nationals, $64,000; even local companies, $50,000. The Prime Minister released a similar table in 1983, when we discussed Ministerial salaries in this House during the Budget debate. You will see from this table that most of the numbers are several times larger than the gross salary of a substantive Permanent Secretary, Grade C, whose monthly salary all-in, including NWC, is $16,000. The car dealer earns nearly twice as much. Annex C - AVERAGE 1987 MONTHLY INCOME OF THE TOP THREE EXECUTIVES IN A SELECTION OF LARGE SINGAPORE COMPANIES AND PROFESSIONAL FIRMS (Cols.”
“From a peak in 1975 of 260 officers, it has declined to 183 this year, down by 30%. Important public sector jobs remain unfilled for lack of suitable Administrative Officers. Annex A - NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS AS AT 1ST JANUARY OF EACH YEAR, 1974-1989 (Cols. 467 - 468) Salary Comparisons with the Private Sector Many of those who have resigned have complained, among other things, that promotions came too little and too late. The most successful of those who left the Service are earning 40% to 100% more than their contemporaries who stayed. In order to qualify to join the Administrative Service, a person must be practically in the top 30 in his year, in terms of performance. Then he will get an Overseas Merit scholarship, and has a chance of being absorbed into the Administrative Service. Or if he did not take a scholarship, he has to be of the same calibre: top 30. Annex B (Cols. 469 - 470) shows that in every age group below the age of 40, the most outstanding of the Administrative Officers is earning less than about 150 other persons of the same age in the private sector. This is a very complicated chart, Mr Speaker, but the dotted lines show how much the top earners of each age group are earning. The 1P line means the most well off person of that age. You can see the most successful person in Singapore is aged 39. He earned $2.6 million, one person. Those may be aberrations. So look at the 10th most successful person in an age group: the 10P successful person in an age group: the 10P line. Their incomes peak around the age of 40-41, about $350,000 a year. Similarly, for the 25th person, and the 100th person. The bottom line on the chart is the most successful Administrative Officer. That is the line called AS/A (Administrative Service/ Actual).”
“Unless we correct this situation early, the quality of the Civil Service which we have painstakingly built up will decline. Reliance on Scholars. The Administrative Service depends heavily for talent on returned scholars who went to university on Government scholarships. But in recent years this source has dwindled. More able students are refusing Government scholarships. Whereas a generation ago a Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship was the only way for many talented students from poor families to go to university, nowadays many parents can easily pay for their children to attend NUS, NTI, or even overseas universities. Not enough top students are applying for PSC scholarships to meet the public sector's expanded needs. Declining Recruitment and Strength. Annual recruitment in the Administrative Service has declined steadily from a peak of 37 in 1974 to an average of less than 10 per year in recent years. The number of non-scholars joining the Service has fallen even more drastically. In 1974, there were 23. They represented 62% of the intake. Two-thirds were non-scholars. Since 1980, we have had not more than one non-scholar per year. In some years, none. There is no queue of qualified applicants seeking to join the Administrative Service. Many of those within the Service have left as soon as their bonds have expired, and some even sooner. Every one of those who were recruited in 1975 and 1976 has left. So have three-quarters of the 1977 and 1978 cohorts, and half of the 1983 cohort. As the economy boomed after the 1985 recession, able young officers quit for more attractive jobs elsewhere. The strength of the Service has fallen steadily. Here I refer you to Annex A (Cols. 467 - 468).”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the Ministerial Statement today be continued beyond 1.30 pm. With the consent of Mr Speaker and the general assent of Members present, Question put, and agreed to, Resolved, That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, proceedings on a Ministerial Statement today by the Minister for Trade and Industry be continued beyond 1.30 pm. SALARY REVISION FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE, PROFESSIONAL, AND OTHER SERVICES (Statement by the Minister for Trade and Industry) BG Lee Hsien Loong: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has accepted the recommendation of the Committee on Scholarships and Civil Service Careers to revise salaries in the Administrative, Professional and Other Services. Justification for Salary Revision The need to revise salaries is most acute in the Administrative Service. This Service is a key national institution. Administrative Officers formulate and implement Government policies under the direction of the political leadership, to protect the security of Singapore, promote economic growth, and ensure the well-being of our people. The standards of ability, integrity and commitment expected of Administrative Officers are high. The most outstanding have to be as good as the best in the private sector. The Service must therefore always attract and retain its share of the top talent in Singapore. State of the Administrative Service Over the last 20 years, the Government has been able to identify and develop a core of young, able administrators to succeed the older generation of Permanent Secretaries (PSs). However, we have not succeeded in maintaining this flow of talent into the Civil Service. Our talent pool is inadequate for proper succession planning.”
“Sir, the Member is just going on and on, repeating the same thing. Is he saying that these allegations are true? If he is, then I think we will look into them again. 1992 OLYMPICS (Preparation) 4. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Community Development whether the Government has any plans to prepare our sportsmen for the 1992 Olympics to be held at Barcelona, Spain.”
“That is a non sequitur argument, Sir. Just because the word "disquiet" appears in both does not mean that they are related. It is quite clear in this Committee of Privileges' Report that all the allegations that Mr Jeyaretnam had put forward were totally disproved.”
“There were many allegations made by Mr Jeyaretnam, Mr Speaker, Sir. If Dr Lee Siew-Choh were to read this Report, ie, the First Report of the Committee of Privileges (Parl. 3 of 1987), he would find all of them there and that the Committee spent six full days in public hearings, televised over TV, and Mr Jeyaretnam showed no evidence whatsoever to substantiate his allegations.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just in case we run short of time for the remaining three Bills, I beg to move, That the proceedings on the remaining items on the Order Paper today be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That the proceedings on the remaining items on the Order Paper today be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. PLANNING (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 3.50 pm”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it has been a long day and we have covered a lot of ground. I propose that the four remaining items on the Order Paper be taken tomorrow. I beg to move, That Parliament do now adjourn. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That Parliament do now adjourn. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. Adjourned accordingly at Seven Minutes past Four o'clock pm. WRITTEN ANSWER TO QUESTION REPLACEMENT OF WATER TANKS OF HDB FLATS IN EUNOS GRC 1. Mr Chew Heng Ching asked the Minister for National Development whether the mild steel water tanks for flats in Eunos GRC will be replaced by precast concrete tanks; and, if so, when.”
“So when Dr Lee visited the home, it was between 9.30 and 10.30. That was not meal time and so he could not have known for a fact that they did not have enough to eat. He could not have known. It is not the tight control that we exercise that I come to know of Dr Lee's visit. Because if I did not know of the visit, he will stand here and say, "How's that the Minister does not know. That was a failing in the system." Sir, everything that happens in a Government department, as Ministers, we have a responsibility to know as much as possible. We do not know and we cannot pretend to know every detail of it. But the fact that Dr Lee bothered to show his concern for the welfare of the residents in the home, it was reported to me. There is nothing wrong with that. 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. STATUTES (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL Order for Second Reading read.”
“Sir, the only instance as was told to me why the residents asked for more was when Dr Lee visited the home with some of his friends. He brought some tangerine, and some cakes, but there was not enough to share around. So they asked for more. Had he brought enough, I think they would not ask for it. So the Home Superintendent, I was told, decided that in order to be fair they gave those cakes and tangerine only to the ladies rather than to the men because there were fewer women than men.”
“There is no point for the welfare officers to keep these vagrants or these destitutes longer than is necessary. The sooner we finish the job,the sooner we let him out if there is a place for him to go to. For those who can be rehabilitated, let me assure Dr Vasoo that we will try to do that and send the person back to society. As for Mr Chiam's comments, let me assure him that if a person is destitute and he has no place to go, and if he were to perform in a public place and becomes a busker - I think that is what the Member is referring to - then I think he will be picked up by the Environment Ministry, if not by the MCD, for causing a nuisance in a public street and noise pollution. There are times when a person is allowed to perform in public places, eg, during our cultural festivals. Then I think in those circumstances these musicians or show-biz persons would not be mistaken for vagrants or beggars.”
“So we must place some responsibility on that care person, who wants to be a care-giver, to really want to look after the destitute rather than to give an excuse for the destitute to get out of the home. Therefore, the penalties in this Bill are meant for the hardcore cases. In the old Act the maximum of three months' imprisonment is actually very lenient, and in imposing this old penalty the court actually is tied down to the maximum that is allowed in the law. So more often than not we see the person who has been imprisoned for only a month really, goes back again to the streets begging when he is released. So we have to extend this maximum to six months instead of the existing three months. It is a load of rubbish, I would say, of Dr Lee's earlier remark that these people do not have enough to eat. There is more than enough to eat. In the past the food was cooked in the home but because of some health control problems we decided to let outside caterers provide three meals a day, and this is not insignificant compared to what many people outside the home get. On clause 2(2) of this Bill, let me assure the Member that if he were confronted or approached by a welfare officer, and if he is able to account for his demeanour, I am sure he will not be treated as a vagrant. This provision is only for people who cannot explain or cannot account for their behaviour, eg, they cannot say where they come from, and so on, and therefore the welfare officer thinks that for their own welfare they should be placed in a home for investigation. The one-month period seemed adequate at first but we know that at times when we carry out a major operation there are many beggars and vagrants being placed in the home, and we need more time.”
“Sir, the welfare institution is a Government institution. I think it is not right for anybody just to walk in there and say, "I want to do this." Of course, if the Member wishes to see the place and visit a person, by all means, do that, but at least he should have the courtesy to tell the Superintendent beforehand that that is being done. I am not objecting to his visit because I think it is an eye-opener to him that the welfare home, after all, is not that bad. If it were, I am sure he will not find residents there; they would all have gone away. There is no security in the home. It is not a prison. That is why people can walk in and out of the place. Despite the comfort or the decent life in the home, there are still people who prefer to be outside than to be confined in the institution. The person who asked Dr Lee to go to the home to visit him is one such person. He prefers to be out rather than to stay in the home. He is a vagrant. There were complaints received about him, and therefore he was picked up and housed in the home. If he has visible means of support and there is somebody else looking after him, by all means, let the person look after him. In fact, he asked Dr Lee to be his care person, from what I understand. If Dr Lee is willing to do that, we will release the person to him. But Dr Vasoo has said, "Why do we want to penalize the care person?" It is because there are residents in such homes who actually want to get out and therefore persuade someone to take them away. And if the care person takes no responsibility for this destitute, and he goes back into the streets to beg again.”
“I thank Members for their comments, suggestions and contributions. Sir, the Government does not want to just pick up anybody from the streets and put them away in the welfare home, and therefore commit manpower and spend a lot of time and public money looking after them, taking care of their health and so on. That is not for the Government to do. The Government wants to take care of those people who are homeless, destitutes, in the streets and give them board and shelter and, if they are able-bodied, help them to re-integrate back into society so that they can become useful citizens. But there are people who just are not amenable to rehabilitation or welfare treatment. They prefer to go back to the streets to beg. For such able-bodied persons there is no need for them to beg. There are jobs available. There are jobs that go a-begging. We have 150,000 or more foreign workers. Why is there a need for able-bodied persons to beg? This Bill is directed at such people. It is not directed at people who are unable to work, who are homeless, destitutes or vagrants. For these categories of people, we will look after them in the welfare home. The welfare home is not that bad a place. I have been there. I know Dr Lee went there the other day and my officers told me about that. He went there unannounced, uninvited.”