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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“Of the four temple homes, one is sub-standard. None of the commercial homes is purpose-built for the aged. They all occupy converted dwelling houses. However, the majority of them will be able to meet the guidelines on minimum standard of care. Where existing homes, both voluntary and commercial, are unable to meet the minimum guidelines, the Ministry will give them a grace period of up to two years, in the first instance, to enable them to take steps to comply with the Regulations and to upgrade their facilities. Homes which are unable to comply with the Regulations after sufficient grace period is given will eventually have to close down. The Advisory Council on the Aged set up by the Government to look into the problems and needs of the aged has reviewed and endorsed the principles of this Bill. Sir, I beg to move. 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. PUBLIC UTILITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 12.22 pm”
“The Regulations to carry out the purposes of the Act may cover, among others, matters pertaining to: (i) the operation, management and supervision of the homes for the aged; (ii) the duties and responsibilities of persons licensed; (iii) the health, safety, nutrition and management of old persons; and (iv) the adequacy or suitability of premises, equipment, programmes and physical facilities. Even before the introduction of this Bill, my Ministry introduced in 1986 a set of guidelines on minimum standards of care for the homes for the aged. These include fire safety, building control requirements, specifications for sanitary and bath facilities, quality of meals, space per resident, staffing ratios and maintenance of relevant records. Some guidelines are mandatory and come under the jurisdiction of other legislation, eg, Building Control Act. The capability of existing homes to meet the new Regulations under the Bill have been carefully monitored. Of the 22 voluntary welfare homes, only four may have some difficulty in meeting the requirements or the guidelines because of poor facilities and low level of care. Two homes need funds to upgrade their present facilities. These homes are being helped by the Government to improve their physical environment and facilities. Another four homes are affected by redevelopment. We are also helping them to get land to put up purpose-built homes. The 17 community homes which are presently located in the void decks of HDB estates cater for the single, healthy, ambulant aged who are able to take care of themselves. Although they will come under the ambit of the legislation, they will be exempted from compliance with some of the Regulations which will not be required of them, eg, nursing staff, since they are all ambulant.”
“The Government's policy has always been for the aged to live with their families for as long as possible and my Ministry will guard against a proliferation of homes for the aged by monitoring admission criteria. I will not go into the detailed clauses of the Bill as the sub-titles of the sections are self-explanatory. I will touch on the main features of this Bill. Under this Bill, a "home for the aged" is defined as any establishment whose object is to provide residential accommodation and personal care for five or more old persons, whether able-bodied or disabled. An old person means any person of the age of 60 years and above. The Director of Social Welfare has the discretionary powers to approve the admission into such homes any person whose age is between 50 and 60. This provides for flexibility to permit the admission of peripheral cases between 50 and 60 years of age. For example, if a stroke patient aged between 50-59 requires nursing and personal care but there is no one to help him at home, he could be admitted into a home for the aged. Such an admission requires the approval of the Director of Social Welfare. The Bill, which will be administered by the Director of Social Welfare, (i) requires all homes for the aged to be licensed and to operate in accordance with the terms and conditions that may be specified by the Director; (ii) specifies the ground under which the Director may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or suspend or revoke a licence; (iii) empowers the Director or any officer authorized by him to inspect homes for the aged and the records therein; and (iv) empowers the Minister to make regulations to carry out the purposes of the Act and to exempt any homes from any or all of the provisions of the regulations.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, this Bill seeks to provide for the control, licensing and inspection of homes for the aged. The main aim of this Bill is to ensure the reliability and quality of care arrangements for residents in these homes. It is important to ensure that homes for the aged maintain a minimum standard of care. This is not only for the benefit of the residents in these homes but also that the families, if any, of the residents must be assured that their aged dependants are looked after adequately in the homes. Sir, there has been an increase in the number of homes for the aged in the last few years. In 1984, there were 51 homes with a bed capacity of about 3,700. In 1987, there were 71 homes with a bed capacity of about 4,400. The main increase is in commercial homes which are not purpose-built. The number of homes for the aged is expected to increase as our population ages. On average, about 2% of the aged population would require residential care. The number of frail elderly who are more likely to require residential care will increase to about 17,000 in the year 2000, and to 56,000 in the year 2030. We estimate that the demand for beds in residential homes for the aged will increase to about 5,500 by the end of this century and to 17,000 by the year 2030. There is a need therefore to introduce legislation now to guide operators of homes for the aged on acceptable standards of care. There are now 71 homes for the aged, as I mentioned, made up of three Government homes, 22 voluntary, 17 community, 4 temple and 25 commercial homes. More than 80% of the beds in these homes are occupied.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Debate be now adjourned. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Debate be now adjourned.”
“Then, will Singapore become the playground for foreign manipulators, as they all compete for a stake in our strategic position astride the junction of air, sea and communications routes? Sir, it is not just some US officials that tried to interfere in our domestic affairs. Some Americans, Australians and human rights organizations and foreign press have also tried to meddle in our domestic affairs. They were especially vocal in criticizing us for detaining the 22 Marxist conspirators last year. I would like to commend these organizations and people to read the thoughtful article mentioned by the First Deputy Prime Minister yesterday, the article by Dr Russell Kirk called "The Illusion of Human Rights". Dr Kirk cautions that "we ought to beware of supposing that all civil social benefits which US citizens enjoy are 'natural' rights, universally applicable". He asked why other nations should be expected to achieve in human rights what is imperfectly attained in the United States, when they lack US political traditions, long established US social institutions, and US material resources.”
“Gradually crystallizing over more than 200 years of history, the political culture has come to provide a political homogenity that stabilizes and holds America together despite its cultural and ethnic diversity. It provides an underlying strength to the political system and endows the system with its essential cohesiveness. It allows American political institutions to operate despite being daily beseiged by a congenitally suspicious press and importuned by a bewildering variety of ethnic, economic, regional and social groups, in whose clash and clamour many Americans believe is to be found the only truest and only form of democratic politics. But, Sir, this is their system, and we respect their right to believe in it. Against America's more than 200 years of history and societal development, Singapore has barely 23 years. Singaporeans must decide for themselves whether such an American-style politics would suit our cultural traditions, whether our more fluid and delicate social fabric can withstand the resulting pressures and centrifugal forces, and whether a government so weakened can provide the basic services needed to make our society function. I say it would not. American and other foreign diplomats must therefore bear these national differences in mind when operating in Singapore. It is tempting but incorrect to transpose American values to Singapore. In contrast to America, we have no politics of conflict, no adversarial press. Instead, we seek to build a political and social system based on consensus and harmony. Today it is interference by some US officials. The next time officials from another great power may be tempted to meddle in our domestic affairs.”
“The temptation, Sir, is perhaps more strong in Singapore than elsewhere in Asia because we speak English, because we have a relatively well-developed infrastructure with high-rise buildings, not unlike those found in American cities and because we are an open society. American newspapers, American magazines, American TV programmes and music, not to mention American fast-food chains, all are freely available in Singapore. But despite these similarities, we are very different. No country indeed can totally model itself on another and Singapore does not have the cultural, historical or economic base for an American approach to life and politics. This is a fact that is often overlooked by some well-meaning Americans whose good intentions are not necessarily matched by a strong understanding of the special needs and problems of other societies. Sir, one of the most important differences between Singapore and America is the approach to politics and government. America was founded by people fleeing persecution by governments in Europe. It was perhaps therefore natural for them to be suspicious of government. They still tend to think of government as, at best, a necessary evil. The role of the government is only to defend the country against external aggression and to protect individuals in the exercise of certain rights endowed by the Almighty, like life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the right to own property. Of course, no modern, industrial society can be really governed so simply or by a government that is really weak. But such beliefs have moulded American political culture.”
“When the US held the line in Vietnam at the expense of the economy and the American lives, giving non-communist South-east Asia a decade or more of peace and stability to focus on economic development, we appreciated the US sacrifice, and we openly said so. We are also one of the most vocal supporters of the United States presence in Southeast Asia because we believe that the United States has a strategic role to play in the region to counter the growing Soviet influence in the Asia Pacific region. We appreciate and support the US role in the regional balance of power. So we are on the same side of the ideological divide. But having said that, let it also be clearly understood that Singapore is nobody's client state. There are no US bases, no US troops present in Singapore. We never were a US colony. The US is and will continue to be a friend. But no country can afford to tolerate interference in its internal affairs, even by a friend. Why then does a friend want to interfere in our domestic affairs? Is it because Singapore can be made into a little America? Americans are proud of their political system. From the time the very first pilgrims fled religious persecution in Europe and landed in what is today New England, Americans have considered themselves not just another people or just another nation but as "a city on the hill"; a moral exemplar for the world. There is thus a tendency for some Americans to wish to intervene in the internal affairs of some other countries and to make them more like America.”
“Some are passed down by tradition, practice and convention. Some are written in agreements such as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. My colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, told this House last week about Article 41(1) of the Vienna Convention, and to refresh your memory, I quote: 'Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.' Notice the last sentence. It is a particularly important and fundamental principle which underlies all diplomatic behaviour. Once this basic principle is upset, then chaos will reign, and in chaotic conditions small nations like Singapore would be more vulnerable than larger countries. We are therefore most upset and angry that Hendrickson has transgressed the role of a diplomat and we protest very strongly about his behaviour and that of his superiors in this episode. Sir, time and again, we have reiterated that we are no pushover, no soft, pliable state or target for foreigners, whether they are government officials, foreign press or interest groups, to manipulate. We shall continue to repeat this until all foreign nations and groups understand it and take us on our own terms. We will not yield to any outside pressure on us to change Singapore into their own image. We always demonstrate the courage of our convictions. That is why other nations take us very seriously when we speak. When it is necessary for us to speak up, Singapore has always done so.”
“Just last Wednesday in Washington, the US State Department's spokesman, Mr Charles Redman, repeated this denial, and he said: 'As we have said repeatedly both publicly and privately, Mr Lambertson, Mr Snyder, Mr Helmer and Mr Hendrickson [the individuals cited in the Singapore Government statements] were engaged in normal diplomatic activity in meeting with Singaporeans in and outside of the government.' This is definitely not the case and we have repeatedly said so. We have repeatedly shown how this diplomat and his superiors have interfered in our domestic affairs. The US State Department's spokesman, Mr Charles Redman, has not been able to pinpoint which aspect of our charges is untrue. Mr Charles Redman went on to say: 'What our embassy officers do in Singapore is no different from the normal diplomatic contacts of our diplomats in every country of the world.' And listen to this: 'It is also no different than the conduct of Singaporean diplomats in the United States.' I would like to ask Mr Redman to quote me an incident where any of our Singapore diplomats in Washington went around identifying disgruntled Americans and urged them to form a party or stand for election against the US President or US government. We will then rein that officer in and tell him that we do not condone or permit such kind of activity. Indeed I will be astounded if Mr Robert Chua, the First Secretary in our mission in Washington, who was asked to come back in retaliation, went round cultivating a group of advocates and instigating them to form a new party to contest the US presidential elections because neither the Republican nor the Democratic Party is fit to rule. Sir, in diplomacy, as in physics, there are certain fundamental laws which govern the behaviour of bodies.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, any diplomat in Singapore is free to meet anyone he pleases, whether he is an Opposition member, whether he is a "dissident", an ordinary Singaporean, member of the governing party, in the course of his work to find out how Singaporeans feel about particular issues, subjects or even how they feel about the Government. Nobody denies that right of a diplomat to do this. But as you would have heard last week from the Minister for Trade and Industry who has given you a very vivid account of what Hendrickson did and from the Minister for Foreign Affairs about the specific transgressions of Mr Hendrickson, you will know that what Mr Hendrickson did is definitely not the norms of a diplomatic conduct that he has pursued. We feel, and I feel particularly, and I have no doubt that Hendrickson and his superiors did wrong. They were offside regardless of the denials of the State Department officials or the US Embassy spokesmen here. In the two Government statements that we issued, we have been very restrained in our language. We have chosen the words very carefully and the Cabinet has spent many hours poring over the paragraphs that you read in the newspapers. We have chosen appropriate words to expressour anger and our sentiments and we have done so in very measured tones. We simply asked for Hendrickson to be withdrawn. We did not expel him. But the next time another diplomat were to do what Mr Hendrickson did, then he will be expelled. The US spokesman in Washington as well as the Embassy spokesman here had denied that Hendrickson did wrong.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Debate be now adjourned. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Debate be now adjourned.”
“May I ask the Member to be patient. He will be told why afterwards; whether these two members were present at the meeting were right or Patrick Seong was right in his statutory declaration.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Debate be now adjourned. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Debate be now adjourned.”
“Which Amendment was, 'to leave out from "House -" in line one to the end and there to insert - "(a) rejects the recent action of the government against alleged subversive activities of Marxists, the United States government and foreign interest groups, and (b) calls upon the government to be more open and tolerant and declare that under our democratic system, legitimate pressure groups do have a say in our domestic affairs.".' - (Mr Chiam See Tong). Question again proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out, be left out."”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the motion of the Member for Braddell Heights today be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No. 44 so far as is necessary to enable Members to speak more than once to any question and without being subject to the time limit for speeches. With the consent of Mr Speaker and the general assent of Members present, Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That the proceedings on item 1 in the Order Paper today be exempted from the provision that no Member shall speak more than once to any question and from the time limits for speeches laid down in paragraphs 3 and 8(A) of Standing Order No. 44. ACTION UNDER INTERNAL SECURITY ACT Order read for resuming adjourned debate on Amendment [26th May, 1988] to Question [25th May, 1988], "That this House - (a) supports the firm action of the Government to prevent our country from being subverted whether by Marxists, communists, western powers or other foreign interest groups, (b) deplores, in view of recent disclosures, all foreign interference, particularly that of some United States' officials, in our domestic affairs, (c) calls upon the Government to be vigilant to all such groups and stop them from interfering in our domestic affairs, and (d) endorses the Government's detention, under the Internal Security Act, of the people involved in the attempt to subvert Singapore." - [Mr Goh Choon Kang].”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Debate be now adjourned. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Debate be now adjourned.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this motion is of public importance and therefore we should take our time debating it. Many Members have indicated to me that they would like to speak, and in order not to overload the proceedings for the day, I propose that we spread this debate over a few days till about Tuesday, 31st May, and we sit for about half a day each day. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, therefore, I beg to move, That this Debate be now adjourned. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Debate be now adjourned.”
“Point of order, Mr Speaker, Sir. If the Member for Potong Pasir wants to change the motion, he should move an amendment to the motion instead of making a speech.”
“Point of order, Mr Speaker. I think Mr Chiam is completely out of order in interjecting in this manner. He has his chance to speak. He will speak afterwards.”
“Beginning with Patrick Seong instigating some former detainees to issue a joint statement to the exposure of a grand scheme of collusion between some local Opposition elements and some Americans, the whole course is like the accidental discovery of white ant leading to a big termite nest buried underground. The whole intrigue of the Americans is to buy over and cultivate some professionals who are opposed to the Government and disgruntled with the present conditions, and help them enter Parliament. If this scheme had not been discovered in time, there might appear in Parliament a group of puppets subservient to and controlled by the foreigners. Outwardly, they may be playing the role of the Opposition, displaying the ploy of support for human rights and freedom while, in fact, serving foreign interests. How dangerous it is. Can we allow such incidents to happen?”
“People would not doubt that the activities of this scheme might bring about possible danger. What the people doubt is whether this group of schemers really have any political belief or principle or whether they are entirely devoid of any principle, but can be easily manipulated and made use of by others and are so malleable as to be easily swayed in their ways. When in detention they spoke in one way, after their release and rearrest they spoke in different ways, retracting and reasserting on different occasions. If this kind of people take hold of the reins of government, can they contribute any good to our country? If you say it is the handling of the ISD that has produced this result, how is it that there is somebody who has been in detention for over 20 years and yet remains very intransigent? Sir, however, in the present circumstances, the focus of attention of our people has been transferred from the marxist intriguers to the question of interference by foreign powers in our domestic affairs. We have seen from Government exposures, how western powers, particularly the USA, make use of Singaporeans to carry out subversion and to interfere in our domestic affairs, attempting to sway the course of our political development. This, once again, reminds us that the foreign powers are forever interested in and fixing their eyes on this little island of ours for its geopolitical and strategic value. Therefore, whatever it is, the Government must tighten its vigilance. At the same time the people must also always be on the alert to avoid being made use of by any foreigners. The recent instance of some US Government officials trying to interfere in our domestic affairs has aroused strong anger in our people against their demeaning behaviour.”
“All this should get the whole-hearted support of all our citizens. Sir, why have these subversive forces of various kinds and hues suddenly become active in the past two years? This calls for our study. I believe there are three reasons. The first, of course, is that they believe that the general election is round the corner. This is one chance in four or five years for them. The second reason is that the Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, may announce his retirement on reaching the age of 65 by the end of this year. The third reason is that they know that the political leadership of Singapore is presently at an important juncture of transition. The transition stage is usually a delicate stage. Therefore, the intriguers and subversive elements have come out in full force prospecting for opportunities and loopholes to cause unrest, create disturbances, fish in troubled waters, foster influence or lend support to puppets to serve their future interests. With the appearance of the Marxist intrigue groups, we know that the communist party and the leftist forces have not given up their attempt to seize political power through force and violence, in spite of the fact that the present socio -economic conditions are not in their favour. This group of schemers have connections with Tan Wah Piow who has connections with Malayan communist leaders. This is an indisputable fact. Some partakers of the intrigue might have really been made use of without being aware of it. However, it is manifestly clear that the activities of the schemers endanger national security. They do not use bullets or arms. But if their united front work of infiltration of churches and student organizations, etc, succeeds, great damage would have been done to our social fabric.”
“ACTION UNDER INTERNAL SECURITY ACT Mr Goh Choon Kang (Braddell Heights)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That this House - (a) supports the firm action of the Government to prevent our country from being subverted whether by Marxists, communists, western powers or other foreign interest groups, (b) deplores, in view of recent disclosures, all foreign interference, particularly that of some United States' officials, in our domestic affairs, (c) calls upon the Government to be vigilant to all such groups and stop them from interfering in our domestic affairs, and (d) endorses the Government's detention, under the Internal Security Act, of the people involved in the attempt to subvert Singapore." Sir, recently, incidents of Marxist intrigue groups and foreign forces attempting to interfere in our domestic affairs have, one after the other, been exposed. This shows that various kinds of subversive forces, left or right, internal or external, are once more on the move and trying to destroy our political stability and internal security. These forces represent different political ideologies, different groups and interests. But they all harbour undisclosed political objectives. What pains one's heart is the fact that in the face of such diverse kinds of external subversive threats, there could even be some Singaporeans willing to be runners for foreign interests, to the extent of treacherously collaborating with them in total disregard for our national interests. Fortunately, the Government took speedy and decisive actions, exposing the intrigues, arresting the subversive elements, stalling black operations from spreading further and preventing internal security and national interests from being damaged.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Geylang East Branch Library will be opened in late July 1988. It will be air-conditioned and has an initial collection of 100,000 books in Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English. It has also an initial audio-visual collection of 1,110 audio visual items including video tapes, audio cassettes and compact discs. The book loan system will be computerized. Readers will be able to access the Library's collection and reserve books by using the on-line Public Access Catalogue. Its other facilities are similar to the other branch libraries, eg, a multi-purpose hall, an open exhibition area, offices and meeting rooms. BILLS INTRODUCED PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (AMENDMENT NO. 2) BILL "to amend the Parliamentary Elections Act (Chapter 218 of the Revised Edition)", presented by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (Mr Goh Chok Tong); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament and to be printed. TOWN COUNCILS BILL "to provide for the incorporation of Town Councils to control, manage, maintain and improve the common property of housing estates of the Housing and Development Board, their constitution, functions and for matters incidental thereto", presented by the Minister for National Development (Mr S. Dhanabalan); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament and to be printed.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1988/89, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, the blind formed themselves into the Singapore Association for the Visually Impaired and they have their own training schemes too. And we have given them assistance. NATIONAL MANPOWER PLANNING 7. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the present national manpower planning and the various steps taken towards training and education are satisfactory and, if so, if he will elaborate on them.”
“A pilot scheme will start later this month to allocate purpose-built sales counters at Esplanade, Amoy Street and Telok Ayer Food Centres for disabled people to sell sundry goods. HDB is also shortlisting 20 food centres to set up sales counters for disabled people. This scheme is expected to begin in June 1988. (d) Skills training Scheme for Disabled People Two voluntary welfare organizations now provide formal training for disabled people who can be trained. The Singapore Association for the Deaf provides accredited training at NTC 3 level in dressmaking, furniture production and general welding for 112 hearing impaired people. The Society for Aid to the Paralysed provides pre-vocational training for physically disabled people in pre-press, offset printing and book binding. Five other voluntary organizations provide some form of informal on-the-job training for their respective clientele. One factor impeding disabled people in vocational training is the low literacy level. My Ministry, in conjunction with the VITB and the Skills Development Fund, has assisted the Society for Aid to the Paralysed and the Handicaps Welfare Association to set up BEST classes for their members. Since October 1985 134 disabled people have gone through the BEST classes. I have also set up a Vocational Training Co-ordinating Committee in October 1987 with members of the VITB, the Council for Social Service and the Voluntary Welfare Organizations to help identify, plan and implement appropriate skills training programmes for disabled people.”
“Sir, the Ministry does not have comprehensive figures on the extent of unemployment among the disabled people in Singapore. In 1985, my Ministry surveyed 4,385 disabled people aged between 16 and 55 years old. The results showed that 1,969 or 45% were employed, while 2,416 or 55% were unemployed. Of the 2,416 unemployed, 1,405 or 58% were unemployable. Of the remaining 1,011 disabled people, 531 of them were suited for open employment and 480 of them for sheltered employment. The assistance given by the Government and non-governmental organizations to help disabled people secure employment are: (a) Open Employment Government helped the Singapore Council of Social Service to promote employment opportunities for disabled people through public awareness programmes; set up a Centralized Job Placement Service for disabled people; assist voluntary welfare organizations to upgrade their sheltered production workshops. The Government provided a building to house the Central Job Placement Service and a production sheltered workshop at a nominal rental. It also gave $38,000 to start up the centre and an annual operating grant of $44,500. In 1987, before the setting up of the Central Job Placement Service, 212 jobs were found for the disabled. (b) Sheltered Employment The Singapore Council of Social Service's sheltered production workshop for disabled people should be ready in August 1988. Five voluntary welfare organizations already provide sheltered employment for 435 disabled people in assembly work, packing, pasting and book binding. (c) Additonal Employment Outlets Since 1986, there is a scheme to allocate hawker licences and stalls to disabled people. 27 disabled people have obtained stalls through the scheme, but six have since given up their stalls.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1988/89, and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 28th March 1988.”
“I think the appropriate time to raise this subject really is in the Ministry of Finance estimates. And with the support of the Members, I think one day we hope that it will succeed. I agree with the comments made by the Member for Bukit Batok with regard to sports excellence as well as physical fitness. As to his anxiety about the swimming complex and the sports complex in Bukit Batok New Town, I have a bit of good news and a bit of not-so-good news. The good news is that the swimming complex in Bukit Batok will be opened to the public on 4th April. The not-so-good news is that the sports complex in Bukit Batok New Town is not ready yet. It is likely to be ready in the middle of next year. So the residents of Bukit Batok may have to wait a bit longer and, if necessary, go and use the school fields and some of the other facilities within the vicinity of Bukit Batok. But meanwhile, if you want to train, jump into the pool.”
“This includes the outpatient medical expenses insured at the Singapore Sports Council Sports Excellence Centre as well as other nominated centres. But we know that the provision of modern sports complexes and facilities alone will not be enough to produce sports champions. It requires indeed the dedication and the commitment of individual sportsman. The Member for Tanah Merah also suggested that employers be encouraged to grant leave as well as to give the sportsmen time-off. I think the Sports Council has tried its best to encourage the companies and employers to grant such leave to these sportsmen and sportswomen. And I am happy to note that in many instances, these employers are very cooperative in granting leave. In the minority of cases, some employers do put their profitability before sports and as a result some may not be able to get leave from their employers. I would like to urge these employers to grant leave to these sportsmen and sportswomen, especially when they represent our country in international tournaments and international games. The Member also noted the performance of the FAS under the leadership of the Member for Changi. I would also like in this House to register my appreciation for the services that he has performed for the FAS for the last six years. With regard to the National Stadium loan, this is the problem that the Sports Council faces ever since it took the loan. And despite the repeated pleadings and appeals, the Ministry of Finance has not yielded in converting the loan into a grant. As a consolation, the Ministry has finally agreed that this loan would be an interest-free loan. That is good news. But the not-so-good news is that the accrued interest, about $845,000 must be paid.”
“This Sports Aid Fund gives assistance to sportsmen and sportswomen who have excelled in sports and individuals as well as teams who also qualify if they meet the standards. They are given money to train, to travel and to learn from others. They are also given money to buy specialized apparatus and equipment and, in some instances, even compensation for loss of pay that the Member also referred to earlier on. In addition to giving to individuals, this Sports Aid Fund is also given to national sports associations which have programmes to encourage and promote excellence in sports. The fourth programme that the Sports Council has is in the form of a special training assistance programme called STAP and in consultation with the Singapore National Olympics Council, these funds are given to finance a special ad hoc training assistance programme to prepare the national contingent to the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games as well as the Olympics. There is also an annual subsidy to the National Sports Association of about $300,000 given to 52 national sports associations to meet their expenses to prepare their teams for international tournaments. The sixth programme is a new one called the Sports Excellence Assistance Programme or SEAP. This was set up only last month to help raise sports standards of local sportsmen and sportswomen. Two categories of funds are available under the SEAP - one is for individual sportsman or woman who can receive up to a maximum of $7,000 a year; the second category is for the teams. The amount available for an internationally-ranked team varies from sport to sport depending on the size of the team. There is also medical care given to the participants of the SEAP programme in the form of an insurance coverage.”
“Sir, I thank the Members for their comments on the Singapore Sports Council and its activities and its efforts in promoting sports among our people, making them more physically active, healthy and more sports conscious. Indeed the Sports Council has played a major role in the last many years in bringing about this "Sports for All" policy for all Singaporeans so that they have the consciousness to remain fit. On the question of whether the Sports Council has done enough or not, we will have to look at the results that they have produced as well as the various schemes that the Sports Council has come up with in promoting sports for all as well as sports excellence. Some of the steps that the Sports Council has taken in promoting sports excellence are, for example, giving free coaching under the various training schemes to selected youths in the areas of track and field, swimming, water polo, badminton and water-skiing. They have also provided a special weight training room in the National Stadium itself and this is available to all sportsmen and sportswomen who want to develop strength and power in their muscles. Secondly, the Sports Council has also given awards and scholarships and every year the Sports Boy and Sports Girl of the Year Awards are given to the youths who have excelled in sports. Sports scholarships are also awarded annually to encourage sports excellence in sports and academics among youths in the junior colleges, polytechnics, the technical institutes and the university. Today, we know that about 184 young boys and girls have benefited from these scholarships. Thirdly, the Sports Council also gives financial assistance in the form of a Sports Aid Fund which was established in 1982.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1988/89, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, our Museum definitely is small by comparison with, say, some of the American or the British Museums. But we are a very small country. Within the limited space that we have, we try to do as much as we can. Although there were considerations of expansion, but these are still in the planning stage, no firm decision has been made, and I do not know where the Member got the information that we plan to set up an institute of this Museum. As regards the funds that we have for acquisition, it is not very much. It is just enough for its present needs but we have other schemes as well to encourage other well wishers who want to contribute to the Museum. And arising from such a scheme, which is a tax exemption scheme, the Museum has been able to receive donations to the value of $1.08 million during the last one year, a sum which is not to be sniffed at. The idea of conducting or carrying out some of the activities of the Museum at the community level I think, while worthy of consideration, may not be feasible because many of the items in the Museum are just not easily displayable in community centres for short periods of time, especially when it requires a lot of planning and a lot of resources to put them up. Conducting tours for adults, I think there are enough literature in the Museum for the adults to pick up when they go to the Museum and it is not really necessary or even useful to conduct tours for the adults. But for school children, we do have programmes for school children.”
“I will try to do this in two minutes. Promoting the interest in the study of history is not just the role of MCD. Really the right place is the Ministry of Education. But since we have the two departments - we see for us the role in creating this awareness particularly in our adult population as well as among our children who care to visit such places. And indeeed there have been a number of exhibitions organized by the Oral History Unit together with the Archives on the different aspects of Singa- pore, whether it is Singapore River, whether it is about the Japanese War, whether it is about vanishing trades and so on. These things are done periodically. As regards making available the resources and the materials in these two depositories, the Archives and the Oral History Unit, this is already being done. Students and researchers who have an interest in the materials kept by these two departments have free access to them provided they have a legitimate interest in it. I believe the newspapers recently have also been to the Archives and the Oral History Unit to see what materials they can find so that they can write stories for the readers. And this has been done too. As regards the wealth of information and experiences among the various senior citizens in the Clans, the Member may wish to know that there were a number of projects that try to capture the experiences of such senior citizens in the various Clan Associations, and these are in the form of a project called Communities of Singapore, Chinese Dialect Groups, and so on. What the Member has suggested have in fact been carried out by the two departments. What perhaps is needed is the publicity to be given to such activities so that more people are aware of them.”
“Sir, if Members were to recall, it was really at the behest of the Member for Yio Chu Kang that I asked the Marine Parade Branch Library to experiment on a trial basis the opening of library on a Sunday. We tried that out between March and August 1986 and we found that, yes, there were people who used the library but they were not in the large numbers that we expected. We have also a factor to consider and, that is, the use of the existing resources that we have in the library. The lack of manpower or womanpower is definitely a serious consideration because if you want to provide additional services, you really need people to manage the place. If you cannot get additional resources, then something got to give. During the last two years, the National Library has undergone a review of its services, in particular in relation to the computerization of office procedures and systems. And arising from this computerization programme, the Library staff have been drastically reduced. But this computerization programme has not been completed yet. I think it will be completed by the end of the year. And when we have finished that computerization project, we will definitely do another review of the staffing complements that we have to see whether we are able to open the library on Sundays.”
“Sir, I must thank the Member for his concern and comments on the importance of literary writings. Lest we get away with the impression that the Government or the Singapore Cultural Foundation did not assist such groups at all, let me assure him that grants were also given to such organizations in their literary pursuits. I do not have the details here. In addition to the few members who were given the Cultural Foundations' grants that appeared in the papers the other day, there are many more that did not appear and that is because in the past when the Singapore Cultural Foundation gave a grant it does so quietly without publicity and without fanfare. Maybe we should do more of that so that more members of the public are aware of the kind of activities undertaken by the Cultural Foundation. We have story-writing and essay competitions and so on that have been organized over the last 10 years, I believe, and as a result of which we now have a number of local plays and stories written purely from a Singapore perspective or on a local setting. Such efforts are actually in progress and let me assure him that they have not been neglected.”
“The second one is the Social Group for the Deaf, run by the Singapore Association for the Deaf. The third one is the Spastic Adults Club, run by the Spastic Children's Assocation of Singapore. But as far as possible, even for disabled senior citizens, they should try to join the activities of the Senior Citizen's Club within the vicinity because they are more accessible and it is easier for them to get down to the void deck than to go somewhere else which is far away.”
“Sir, if 173 Senior Citizen's Clubs all over Singapore have unimaginative and stereotyped programmes despite the fact that these are individually run by different groups of people, different interests, I cannot imagine what it will be like if we have a national Senior Citizen's Club that runs activities for the senior citizens. I think it will be much worse. But if the idea is just to coordinate the activities of senior citizens, that is already currently being done by some organizations, for example, SAGE does some of this coordination when the need arises. It is better, in my view, that Senior Citizen's Clubs be allowed to run in a way that the members want to run it. If they want to visit a church or temple, or if they want to visit Kusu Island, or wherever they want to visit or do things together, let them do what they want to do, rather than by a centralized organization. I share his concern that dialect groups or clans may dominate particular Senior Citizen's Clubs. But I think that should not deter them or discourage them from getting more of the others who do not belong to the clan or the particular race to join the club. And if need be, perhaps they could also get the assistance of the other ethnic groups to set up additional clubs within the community centre or within the RC so that they can provide the interaction among the different clubs. As regards the Member's suggestion about setting up a special disabled elderly senior citizen's club, I think there are already such organizations that provide for the disabled in three welfare organizations that I know of. One is the White Cane Club for the Blind and that is run by the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped.”
“Can I reply to your question? Before the Member for Kebun Baru refers all his Town Council cases to us for investigation, let me say that if this were done, then I think it will take up a lot of resources which could be put to better use in looking at individuals who come to us for assistance because the 482 cases of the HDB would require a lot of investigators, a lot of inquiry, a lot of effort in determining who really is a genuine hardship case. So if these people that the Member has in his Town Council are really in need of assistance, ask them to come and see us. There may be 500 of them, but ask them to see us. But do not send us a list of 500 names.”
“Nevertheless Government, having considered all the factors, has decided to increase the public assistance rate for a single-person household from $90 to $120, for a two-person household from $140 to $185, for a three-person household from $180 to $240 and for a four-person household from $220 to $295. On average, the increase is about 33% and I believe this is a very substantial increase which will go in some way towards helping these unfortunate people to subsist in our society.”
“Too small a sample. Well, we can get a statistician here to work out for the Member that 29 is not a small sample. If you get a 30-people sample out of a population of 3,000 that is an adequate sample. So 29 out of 482 is an adequate sample. From the sample, we know that just about 20% of them required genuine assistance. But let me say this about public assistance cases. We know that many of them are in genuine hardship and in a difficult position. We also know that there are many voluntary organizations, welfare organizations, many concerned individuals who have chipped in to assist this group of people in addition to the assistance given by the Government. But we ought to know that public assistance is given as a financial relief only to people who just do not have the means of economic survival for a number of reasons, and the Member to know the criteria that we adopt in classifying a person as a public assistance case. Just briefly, let me say that the criteria are: the person must be an aged destitute or disabled, mentally ill, chronically sick or unfit to work or widows or deserted wives and children under 12 years old. There could be others who do not comply with these three criteria, and if they require assistance we have other schemes to assist them as well. But in view of the assistance given by the various voluntary organizations and individuals and being mindful of the fact that there is this group of people who require assistance from the Government, the Government has decided to revise the public assistance rates with effect from 1st April this year, not on the basis of inflation or cost of living increases, because if we just base on that alone, then we know that the cost of living increase hardly is more than 2% over the last four years.”
“Sir, the Member for Kebun Baru says he will continue to urge us to set up this council. I think I have given the answer earlier that even though we may define a certain category as poor, not all of them need assistance but for the cases who need assistance we will try to find a way to help them as much as we can. That is the position that we will continue to take. Although the 29 cases referred to us by the HDB is not a large number, out of the 482 cases that they have who are in rental arrears of four months or more, I was told that these 29 cases were selected at random. And if you know what random means, they are picked without regard to specific biases.”
“Sir, to be very brief on the last point brought up by the Member for Yuhua on the subsidy for infant care, whether the child is under two years old or two years old to six years old, the Government has decided to grant a $100 subsidy if the child is in a child care centre. As long as the child is below six years old, this subsidy of $100 is equitable. I do not think we can find a way to say that if the child is below two years old, the subsidy should be $200. It is actually up to the parents and the child care operators to decide whether or not to have the child in the child care centre. If the child care operators find that it is not profitable and not effective enough in the use of resources to take care of children under two years old, then perhaps they can raise the fees and hire more people to cope with such children. I do not think at this point in time we will consider increasing the rate of subsidy for children under two years old. As regards the other care arrangements for children, there are other care arrangements such as the foster mother scheme or the family day care scheme that the Ministry takes charge of. The idea of training all private foster care-givers, while it is good in principle, I think is going to be very difficult to carry out because child care-givers in the private sector are so numerous that even if you put resources to train them, I do not think the resources will be put to good use. While it is important that child care-givers are trained, I think it is also important for parents when they look out for child care-givers to make sure that the child care-giver has the ability to manage a child.”
“Sir, I think the most appropriate and probably the best time that the Member should have raised this question was when the Head of the Ministry of Home Affairs was up for debate yesterday, on the 23rd. In fact, when the Minister for Home Affairs amply answered the questions raised by the Member for Chua Chu Kang in regard to foreign wives, permanent residence and so on. If the Member is asking me here why, after registering a marriage, we subsequently do not allow the foreign spouse to remain in Singapore, let me just inform him that under the Women's Charter, under the laws we have, if an individual wants to marry a person and so long as he fulfils the requirements under the Women's Charter to get married, the Registrar of Marriages will definitely oblige him and allow him to marry the person that he wants. But when it comes to settling down and being a resident in Singapore, that is an entirely different matter altogether. The appropriate time that he should have raised this matter was with the Minister for Home Affairs. Lest he thought he had been denied the opportunity, let me just refer him to the Hansard of 27th March 1986 [Vol. 47, No. 16, cols. 1395-6], I think he can have all the answers that he wants. If that is too long ago perhaps he can refer to the Hansard of 23rd March 1988 which will be printed shortly.”
“If you are an ex-resident, then maybe it is better for you to go to the new constituency and serve its RC. As regards his suggestion about giving grants, I would just briefly touch on that. While it may be a chore, and sometimes takes up a bit of time, to raise money, I believe that in the process of raising money, members of the RC actually get to know one another better and in that sense build up greater camaraderie and friendship.”
“So I believe these facilities are adequate and if there is a need to do more or to provide more, if they can justify, I will be prepared to go to the Ministry of National Development to put up his case. As regards the specific request of the Member for Telok Blangah about the duration of Chairmanship of the RC Chairman, the Advisor actually has the discretion to appoint a person to be a Chairman for any number of years. And if the Advisor feels that a period of two years is an optimum period for the person to be a Chairman, so be it. Just appoint him for two years. But if the Member for Telok Blangah is suggesting that the Ministry fixes a period of two years so that the Advisor is relieved of the odium of releasing the Chairman, the incumbent Chairman, I think that is not a very good idea. I think it is better to leave it to the individual Advisor to decide whether to keep the Chairman for a year, two years or three years, depending on how effective the person is and depending also on whether there are others able and willing to take on the Chairman's job. Because I know that in some constituencies it is just not easy to find a Chairman because of the high mobility in the housing estates. As regards the request to allow a member to remain serving in a particular RC even though he has moved to another estate, I would suggest that that member joins a new service that we have started. It is called the Community Resource Volunteer Scheme. They can join the Scheme and provide service for the particular RC. But I do not think that it is a good idea for an ex-RC member to continue with the RC when there may be other residents who want to become members of the RC. After all, RC is for residents.”