Wong Kwei Cheong
Singapore
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head S of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code SJ 1500. My cut is on job placement and labour market information services. According to the 1995 Economic Survey of Singapore, the unemployment rate in June 1995 was 2.7%, slightly higher than the 2.6% a year ago.”
“Sir, my amendment is on conciliation services. According to the 1995 Economic Survey of Singapore, about 8,800 workers were retrenched in 1995 compared to 9,444 in 1994. Most of them were retrenched from the manufacturing sector, mainly the electronic products and textile and wearing apparel industries.”
“Sir, to help low-income families own 3-room HDB flats, the Government has raised the income ceiling from $1,000 to $1,200 in January 1996. Can the Minister give a report on the number of low-income families that have benefited from this revision? HDB has also bought back 3-room HDB flats from the open market for resale to HDB applicants.”
“Sir, the Minister has announced that with effect from 28th August 1995, the CPF Housing Grant Scheme has been revised as follows: $40,000 grant to be given to first-time buyers to buy a 2-room or larger resale flat. Those married children buying near their parents' home can apply for $50,000 grant.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head W of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code WK 3100. Sir, I am speaking on the strengthening of international trade. According to the 1995 Economic Survey of Singapore, exports in 1995 rose by 14% to $168 billion compared to 23% in the previous year.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head W of the Development Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code WH 5200. According to the 1995 Economic Survey of Singapore, Singapore's gross expenditure on research and development in 1994 amounted to $1,175 million, up 18% from 1993.”
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“This also contrasts with the style of the second generation leadership, which encourages the contribution of ideas from the ground on its policies and programmes. One of the suggestions that have been made is for Mendaki to set up a special committee to administer the fee subsidy. It is not reasonable to view the formation of such a committee as being contrary to Mendaki's spirit of self-help. Mr Speaker, what is important is Mendaki must have the full support of the community, and I am confident that the Malay/Muslim community will not hesitate to give this. Close cooperation and mutual support between Mendaki and the community is necessary if the Malay/Muslim community is to realise its educational, economic and socio-cultural objectives. Mr Speaker, I support the motion.”
“In this regard, we need to provide new impetus so that the arts too can also play a role in enhancing racial integration. Mr Speaker, the decision over the channelling of tertiary fees for Malay students to Mendaki has now been finalised. The scheme will be launched in academic year 1991/92, ie, next year. I am confident Mendaki will be able to do its job, especially considering the available pool of manpower and expertise that can be mobilised for the purpose, both within the Malay and the non-Malay communities. This approach is nothing new. Mendaki itself has already started co-opting a number of non-Malays into its Advisory Council. I believe this working together is very appropriate and is a reflection of the true spirit of Singapore. The successful adoption of such measures will be very significant to the spirit of multi-racial cooperation in this country. I also believe this is part of the intention behind the shared values we are seeking to evolve, as these measures help to enhance understanding and unity between the different communities. Such measures are also not contrary to the spirit of self-help that Mendaki subscribes to. Neither are the points made recently by members of the public, in the mass media, over this issue. These points were made in the interests of Mendaki. It is important for us to appreciate them in the spirit of consultation and not simply dismiss them as irrelevant or accuse those who raised them of ulterior motives. This will only expose our inability or failure to appreciate the opinion of our own people and to evaluate them in a fair-minded manner. I think it is unreasonable and, indeed, contrary to the Malay ethos for us to be so.”
“In the 25th Anniversary Celebrations, I notice a number of events in which all the different communities took part. I hope such events will be an annual feature. Apart from this, we should also be sensitive when drawing up plans for the future. Are these plans actually capable of forging a sense of nationhood and unity? Or does a Government plan or policy hurt the feelings of a particular community? As we look into a particular plan or policy in terms of its objectives, let us not neglect the aim of fostering unity among the citizens. It is well and good to bring together the gifted among our students, as is being done in the SAP schools, but would we speed up integration by grouping students of one particular race or community in certain schools? I feel this matter must be given attention. As we enter a new phase of nation-building, new challenges will arise in this issue of integration and unity. The arrival of Hong Kong workers, or perhaps the re-acceptance into our fold of Singaporeans who have married foreigners, along with their children, are new challenges to our achievement of national unity. Effective measures must be taken in order that these new citizens among us will be imbued with the same sense of unity already existing here in Singapore. Another way in which racial integration could be accelerated is through the arts. As we know, the Government encourages the growth of artistic activities in every community, but what we might not have realised is that these activities have not reflected the realities of life in this country. For instance, whether in dramas, stage plays, on radio and on television, the issues portrayed or dealt with are those of just one community.”
“Although we have yet to meet problems capable of thwarting or hampering our plans to move on into a new phase, we must always be on the alert in order that our vision does not remain just a vision. Mr Speaker, what I wish to deal with today are not new challenges but old ones that had never gone away. These are the lack of a sense of nationhood and the need for unity and integration among the people. President Wee Kim Wee has pointed out that without a strong sense of nationhood and unity among the people, our progress into the future will be a lopsided one. Efforts to foster the spirit of nationhood and unity are progressing the way we want them. Public and private institutions are playing their part to mould this spirit. But has it actually matured? Are we satisfied with just the fluent mouthing of the pledge by our children every morning in school? Is it enough just having mass participation in National Day celebrations? Are we happy just to organise cultural quizzes, because awareness of the basic cultural practices of every community will help us enhance unity among our citizens? It is time we reviewed to what extent the spirit of nationhood and unity exists in this country. Have our efforts all this time actually fostered unity and a mature sense of nationhood? Have the latent negative attitudes and sentiments we hold towards one ethnic group or other been shed? And have we as a people, the people of Singapore, revealed our true faces? I think we can build up this spirit by holding more events of a national character. We should hold one or more festivals capable of drawing the participation of all communities without affecting their respective cultural and religious sensitivities. Our National Day is just one example.”
“To keep in touch with these overseas Singaporeans, our embassies and trade representative offices abroad should spend more effort to build up a bigger Singaporean community so that Singapore migrants would feel they are wanted and gradually their affiliation and identity with Singapore would grow stronger. It would be to our advantage to absorb these people whose experiences are enriched by their exposure from the western countries. Therefore, may I suggest our Government provide incentives and opportunities for these people to return and serve Singapore. Hong Kong, for example, has very successfully managed to retain the services of their local entrepreneurs while their families continue to live overseas. In spite of her uncertain political future, yet Hong Kong's economy depends very much on the success of her local entrepreneurs. Singapore, likewise, can learn from Hong Kong, and try to retain those who may decide to depart. At the same time, we should nurture and develop our own core of local entrepreneurs and help build Singapore as the Switzerland of Asia. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to support the motion. Encik Abdul Nasser bin Kamaruddin (Hong Kah GRC)( In Malay): Sir, I fully support the motion moved by the Member for Tanglin to thank the President for his Address at the opening of the Second Session of the Seventh Parliament. In his Address, the President dealt with the challenges we constantly face in our endeavour to build a better and more comfortable life for our people. The people on their part need new challenges to inspire them to strive towards an improvement in their economic and social position.”
“I do not intend to elaborate further on this point as several MPs have during the last Budget debate emphasized on the need for a separate statutory board to promote the interests of our local entrepreneurs. However, with sufficient incentives and prospects of success, what I hope is that one day our best graduates may opt to be entrepreneurs as a first choice, instead of queuing up to join a Government department, or work for an MNC. Another possible solution to the lack of entrepreneurship is to attract the large number of Singaporeans that have migrated and worked overseas for many years. Among them, there are many who chose to go abroad because they perceived better opportunities there. The interesting thing is after they have stayed 10 or 20 years abroad, and built up a professional or business career, their desire to return or at least send their children back to Singapore for an education has grown deeper. This is very natural after they realised Singapore has drastically transformed itself from a small trading port to a great metropolis. That Singapore has become a major communication centre in the Asia Pacific region may not have been expected by many of those who have migrated. To these Singaporeans, this delightful discovery enhances their wish for closer affiliation with Singapore. Even if it may not be practical for them to uproot their entire families, it would be feasible for us to establish some exchange programmes or boarding schools to enable their children to return to Singapore for just a few years.”
“This mutually beneficial endeavour can expect good support from the govern- ments of Indonesia and Malaysia. Thus, we have solved the primary problem of a small population and limited geographical resources. I hope we may eventually extend the triangle of growth concept to the whole of Indonesia and Malaysia with Singapore, not just restricting it to Batam and Johor and Singapore. The triangle of growth may act as a catalyst for economic expansion for the whole region. Indonesia and Malaysia can then fully benefit from the spill over of Singapore's economic growth, and Singapore can share in the economic development of these two countries. The second handicap that I would like to highlight is the lack of domestic entrepreneurs. Traditionally, our best graduates have been drawn into Government service, or by the multi-national corporations (MNCs) where the pay is good and the risk minimum. Our economic success over the last 25 years depended greatly on the success of these MNCs operating in a conducive business environment as provided by our efficient Government. However, we have yet to produce enough successful local entrepreneurs that can play just as significant a role as the MNCs in propelling Singapore into the 21st century. The Government has recognised the contributions to be made by our entrepreneurs and has set up an Enterprise Development Division within the EDB. However, as the primary role of EDB is to attract foreign investments into Singapore, I would like to repeat the appeal that I made during the recent Budget debate, that the best way to promote local entrepreneurship is to establish a separate statutory board entrusted with the specific task to promote local entrepreneurship in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of the motion of the Member for Tanglin to thank the President for his opening Address. The President, in his Speech, has elaborated on the Government's present and future programmes to create a better life for all Singaporeans. I would like to join my fellow PAP MPs in the wholehearted endorsement of these programmes. This year, we celebrate our 25th Anniversary. I would like to join my fellow Singaporeans in thanking the Government for having guided us to where we are today. We are at the heart of the world's most dynamic economic region and we have a standard of living higher than many Western countries like Spain or Ireland. We are indeed proud to be called Singaporeans. As our President has mentioned in his Speech, this year will be a watershed year in our political development. Mr Goh Chok Tong will take over as Prime Minister by the end of the year. Under his leadership Singapore will strive to create a better future for all Singaporeans: a Singapore with sustained economic growth, a Singapore seeking and mastering new challenges, a creative Singapore, a Singapore where her people work as a team. These are indeed worthy goals to strive for. I am confident that Mr Goh and his colleagues in the Cabinet can lead us to this Singapore. Of course, there are handicaps we must overcome. I will highlight two of the well-known ones. First, our limited geographical resources and population dictate that our growth will soon peak if we continue with the strategy that has brought us here so far. Therefore, the growth triangle concept is truly a stroke of genius. By channelling some of our excess capacity to our neighbours, Batam Island and Johor, we strengthen our economic base, and give ourselves room for economic expansion at lower costs.”
“Moreover, do we have enough specialists who can diagnose and treat complicated cases faster and more effectively? I would also like to ask the Acting Minister what his Ministry is doing to ensure more medical specialists are being trained. Many private hospitals have already set up branches in Singapore. In 1989, it was estimated that private hospitals delivered almost half of all babies in Singapore. Yet, they do not have neo-natal intensive care units, and seriously ill and premature babies have to be transferred to Government hospitals at great risk to the babies. May I ask the Acting Minister what his Ministry is doing to ensure that the major private hospitals recognise their responsibility and establish their own neo-natal intensive care units? Finally, may I ask the Acting Minister what incentives have the Government introduced to encourage private hospitals to upgrade their medical facilities so as to develop Singapore into a Medical Centre of Excellence?”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Acting Minister if we have enough trained medical personnel to help Singapore develop into a Medical Centre of Excellence. I understand the intake of medical students to the National University of Singapore was maintained at 200 from 1982 to 1985. However, since 1986, the intake has been decreased and may even be reduced to 150 this year. Will the decrease in the number of medical students being trained compromise our manpower requirements and therefore adversely affect our drive towards excellence? In 1989, the doctor to population ratio for Singapore is 1:791. In comparison, the ratios for other developed countries are as follows: West Germany, 1:400; United Kingdom, 1:667; Japan, 1:667. As the standard of living in Singapore is rapidly approaching that of the developed countries, it is clear that we do not have enough doctors to serve our health conscious Singaporeans. I am afraid, Sir, the decrease in medical students being admitted to the National University of Singapore will compromise our manpower requirements, and further raise the doctor to population ratio, and will adversely affect our drive to excellence. May I ask the Acting Minister what is the ratio that the Government has targeted to ensure that Singaporeans have easy access to good medical care? In the 1986 report of the Economic Committee, it was recommended that the Government must further encourage the development of private medical facilities, particularly in specialist medical services. May I ask the Acting Minister for a progress report on development in this area, particularly the kind of specialist medical services that have been introduced into Singapore since 1986?”
“Sir, the Minister of State has not answered my question on the promotion of venture capital industry in Singapore.”
“Sir, the Economic Development Board in its 1988/89 Annual Report described the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Master Plan which was initiated in 1988 as a means for the promotion of local enterprises. May I ask the Minister for a progress report of companies that have benefited from this SME Master Plan and how it has helped to promote entrepreneurship in Singapore. During the Committee of Supply debate on MTI last year, I had asked for a progress report of how local entrepreneurs had benefited from EDB's $100 million venture capital fund. May I repeat the same question this year and hope the EDB has invested more capital on local SMEs than in foreign venture capital funds. As many venture capitalists in the private sector are interested to support local entrepreneurs who have started risky but sophisticated technology projects with long term significance, I would like to ask the Minister what incentives the Government has introduced to promote the growth of the venture capital industry in Singapore. Finally, I would like to give my support to Mr Chandra Das for his call that the Government should set up a separate statutory board to look after the interests of SMEs in Singapore. This appeal was also made by the Member for Thomson and by myself during last year's debate on MTI. I hope this year the Minister will consider this proposal more favourably.”
“Sir, last year during the Committee of Supply debate on the Ministry of Labour, I suggested that the Government should provide more incentives for women to work either full-time or part-time. May I join the Member for Boon Lay in requesting the Ministry of Labour to make a study of part-time employment and the possible amendments to the Employment Act in order to protect part-time workers. I hope the Minister can now make a progress report of my requests made almost a year ago.”
“If such a reduction in CPF rates has helped more senior citizens to re-join the workforce, may I request the Minister to consider reducing the CPF rates for married women, say, after 40 years old, in order to encourage more of them to re-join the workforce.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, according to the 1988 Annual Report of the Ministry of Labour, the labour force participation rate of women rose progressively from 45.6% in June 1986 to 47% in June 1987, and to 47.8% in June 1988. However, these figures are still low compared to other countries like Japan and USA where the labour force participation rates for females are about 49% and 53% respectively. Another disturbing point is that Singapore women continue to drop out of the labour market after marriage, presumably to look after their families. This can be seen from the 1988 Ministry of Labour's Annual Report which shows that for June 1988, the labour force participation rate for women reaches a peak of 80.9% for the 20-24 age group and then drops continuously to 11.9% for the 60-64 age group. In contrast, the labour force participation rates for women in other countries like Japan, UK and USA shows a peak for women at about the 20-24 age group, drops and then goes up to a peak at the 40-44 age group before declining again with increasing age. This shows that women in these countries re-join the workforce after raising up their children. In view of our tight labour market, may I ask the Minister what measures have been taken by the Government to encourage more women to join the workforce, especially after their marriage? May I also ask the Minister if the labour force participation rate of our senior citizens has been increased when CPF rates were reduced last year from 40% to those below 55 to 25% for those between 55 and 59; 15% for those between 60 and 64; and 10% for those above 65.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister for a progress report of actions taken against touting activities, ever since the new touting law under section 36(1) of the Minor Offences Act came into force on 9th June 1989. In particular, I would like to know the number of police raids conducted against touts in the Orchard Road area, the counterfeit goods, especially watches seized, the number of touts arrested and the number of touts imprisoned. Under the new law, have touting activities been finally brought under control? If not, what other measures will be introduced to solve the problem?”
“According to recent estimates, there are about 89,000 families or 14% of the total number of households in Singapore with a per capita income of less than $200. These are families that need to stay in rental flats. As a matter of policy for the 1990s, I hope the Minister can assure this House that a minimum number of HDB rental flats will be retained in the 1990s for poor families. I would also like to appeal to the Minister to review the eligibility criteria for the application of rental flats. In particular, in line with the recent Government policy to encourage young mothers to have more children, the HDB should allow applicants who are below 29 years of age to apply for rental flats. Currently, many young Singaporeans refrain from marriage as they are not able to purchase HDB flats and they are too young to apply for rental flats.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to touch on the rental policies of the HDB. The HDB has announced in today's Straits Times that it will transform the Board into a people-oriented and efficient body. HDB residents can then expect quick repairs of defects in flats, friendlier and faster other services, and the cut-back in red tape. The HDB has announced that priority be given to 60,000 complaints of defects in flats built in the 1980s. This policy will benefit greatly HDB residents, especially those staying in the Cairnhill Constituency, as many of the HDB flats in Cairnhill were built in the 1980s. What I would like to know from the Minister is the fate of the HDB rental flats that were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Is it the policy of the Government in the 1990s to completely destroy all the rental HDB flats and to resettle the residents in other owner-occupied HDB flats? Currently, in Cairnhill Constituency, there are rental HDB flats at Winstedt Drive as well as at Race Course Road. These rental flats have been very badly maintained. Moreover, there are many rental units that have been left vacant for months and I have received endless requests from constituents who would like to rent these empty units. I am sure the same condition exists in many parts of Singapore. I certainly hope that the Minister will consider extending the maintenance policy of HDB for flats built in the 1980s to HDB rental flats built in the 1960s and 1970s. Although it is the policy of the Government to encourage more Singaporeans to live in owner-occupied HDB flats, I hope the Minister realises that there are many Singaporeans who cannot afford to buy their own HDB flats.”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Minister of State whether the figure of 8,086 for professionals is included in the overall figure of 20,038 that he has just announced?”
“However, the proposed Presidential Council as defined in the Bill is purely advisory in nature, and have no powers to delay or invoke Ministerial decisions. Under clauses 8(4) and 9(4) of the Bill, before the Minister can make a prohibition order, he must inform the Presidential Council which will then make written representations within 14 days of the Minister's notice. The Minister is only required to have regard to such representations before making the prohibition order. However, once the Minister has decided to issue the prohibition order, it is almost irrevocable, as clause 11(4) of the Bill states that the Presidential Council can only recommend that the order be continued, revoked or varied in any manner. If the Minister disagrees with the Council's recommendations, there is no provision in the Bill that the decision be reconsidered. In short, the Minister's decision is final. Sir, under our present Government, our Ministers, especially our Minister for Home Affairs, are just and fair. I am confident that the powers provided under the Bill will not be abused by the Minister. However, there is always the possibility that sometime in the future, Singapore may not be so lucky as to have fair and just Ministers. May I suggest, Sir, that the Minister provide more checks and balances into the Bill, for example, by giving more powers to the Presidential Council. In cases where serious disagreement arises between the Minister and the Presidential Council, such cases can perhaps be referred to the Judiciary. Sir, may I commend the Government for coming out with a well-reasoned White Paper and a Bill on Religious Harmony. As the Bill will be referred to a Select Committee, I am sure that there will be widespread support by most religious leaders in Singapore.”
“I hope the Minister can consider this point and replace clause 8(1)(a) with words which connote the objective view of a reasonable person. A second point which I hope the Minister will consider is that it is quite easy for a religious group to violate clause 8(1)(b) of the Bill, ie, to be seen promoting a political cause. This is because some religious causes may also be regarded as political causes that happened to be taken up by opposition political parties. For example, there are churches which feel that foreign workers in Singapore are poorly treated by their employers and have set up facilities to cater to their emotional and physical needs. The Workers Party, for example, used to take up in Parliament the problems of foreign workers, especially when they have difficulties marrying Singaporeans. Would the Minister regard such causes as religious causes or political causes? This is one example of moral and social issues which are not only political but also religious in nature. These issues belong to both the political and religious domains. It is therefore necessary for the Bill to define what is to be considered improper conduct more precisely so that the line between political and religious issues can be drawn carefully. This will ensure that only genuine cases of political activism in the guise of religious activity conducted by one religious group against the government are prohibited. My third point concerns the establishment of a Presidential Council for Religious Harmony under clause 3(1) of the Bill. I give full support to such an establishment as the Presidential Council will assist the Minister on matters affecting the maintenance of religious harmony in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to maintain religious tolerance and harmony. This is vital to the future survival and prosperity of Singapore as we live in a multi-religious and multi-racial society, and we must be sensitive to the religious beliefs, practices and cultural heritage of Singaporeans of different religions and races. The Government in its White Paper on Maintenance of Religious Harmony has given many examples of how inter-religious tensions can arise when persons try to promote their own religious beliefs without adequately considering the sensitiveness of other religious groups in Singapore. I do not intend to repeat these examples but may I refer to a very popular practice in Singapore, and that is, the use of HDB void decks for funeral wakes. Sir, many of us have attended funeral wakes out of respect of the deceased; and some of us, as MPs, have also received complaints at the Meet-the-People sessions about the noise, especially at night, created at such funeral wakes. Sir, what if a person, say, a Muslim, complains to the Minister that such funeral wakes violated clause 8(1)(a) of the Bill as they cause feelings of ill-will or hostility? Will the Minister issue a prohibition order requiring monks to refrain from conducting funeral wakes, as required under clause 9(1) of the Bill? I know the Minister is unlikely to take such action, but the point I wish to make is that the phrase "causing feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility" as defined in clause 8(1) of the Bill connotes a subjective view of a person who feels offended and complains to the Minister.”
“If such nominated MPs have political ambitions and can perform well in Parliament, they may even win enough votes at the next general elections and be returned to Parliament as elected PAP MPs or even as elected opposition party MPs and develop into a team of coherent, constructive, and loyal opposition Members. Hence, I am convinced that this amendment Bill will enhance the development of parliamentary democracy in Singapore and ensure Singapore's survival as a democratic and prosperous city state. Sir, I support the Bill. 3.46 pm”
“In the General Elections of 1976 and 1980, the PAP won all the 69 and 75 parliamentary seats respectively. In the 1984 General Elections, the opposition parties, the SDP and the WP, each won one out of the 79 parliamentary seats. In the 1988 General Elections, the SDP won one of the 81 parliamentary seats; the WP lost all their contested seats and decided to accept a Non-Constituency MP seat. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is obvious that what the Prime Minister said about opposition parties in 1972 remains true today - that Singapore just hasn't got the kind of people who are coming into politics that can develop into a team of coherent, constructive and loyal opposition Members. This amendment Bill will help to encourage more people of the right calibre to join the political arena as Nominated MPs. The amendment Bill ensures that such nominated MPs will come from a wide cross-section of the people, as clause 5, section 2(1) of the amendment Bill states that the Special Select Committee shall invite the general public to submit names of persons who may be considered for nomination by the Committee. Such nominated MPs would not need to go through the electoral process and would not have a constituency to look after. They are not constrained by party policies. Neither do they need to pander to popular sentiments in order to win votes at the next election. Hence, nominated MPs can speak their minds freely during parliamentary debates and may even out-perform elected MPs over sensitive issues.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of this Bill to amend the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to provide for the appointment of a maximum number of six Nominated Members of Parliament. As stipulated in the amendment Bill, such appointed Members of Parliament shall serve for a term of two years commencing on the date of their appointment, and shall have the same voting rights in Parliament as a Non-Constituency Member. Mr Speaker, Sir, seven PAP members have just spoken on the Bill and as we can see, four have given their full support, two have strongly objected, although they have to vote with the Party, and one has given his conditional support. I support this Bill, Mr Speaker, Sir, as I firmly believe that this amendment will further enhance the development of parliamentary democracy in Singapore. The Government, moreover, has this idea of allowing a group of "Non-elected Members of Parliament" into Parliament for many years. In fact, as early as 1972, our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew has suggested that some parliamentary seats be reserved for representatives of tertiary institutions. The Prime Minister made this suggestion after the PAP had won all 65 seats in the 1972 General Elections. At the press conference held on 3rd September 1972, after the results of the General Elections had been announced, the Prime Minister expressed his worry over the problem of getting a constructive opposition, and I quote: "But I think the problem of getting an intelligent, constructive opposition has got to be solved, and Singapore just hasn't got the kind of people who are coming into politics - are not likely ever to develop into a coherent, constructive, loyal opposition." Since 1972, this problem has remained unresolved.”
“How would the HDB monitor the case if, by definition, part of his family is in, say, Hong Kong, and he has to travel between Singapore and Hong Kong frequently? It will be very difficult for the HDB to make sure that he is living in the flat.”
“Sir, what if the family of the permanent resident lives in, say, Hong Kong, and he is the only one living in Singapore, will he be allowed to buy an HDB flat?”
“Sir, can the Minister inform the House how much additional costs were incurred as a result of these delays?”
“Moreover, an examination of the balances of CPF account holders reveals that as at December 1988, less than 4% of active CPF account holders are really in a position to spend $100,000 from their CPF to pay for overseas tertiary education. The income bracket of this upper 4% is perhaps high enough to enable them to afford overseas tertiary education without drawing upon their CPF savings. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, Sir, the CPF education scheme will benefit the lower income Singaporeans. It is also a step in the right direction. And it would be difficult for any Singaporean in future to say that he was deprived of an opportunity for tertiary education in Singapore because his parents could not afford it.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of the Bill. The original objective of the CPF scheme when it was first introduced was to ensure that Singaporeans have sufficient funds to see them through their old age after retirement. Through the years, the uses of CPF savings have been expanded to include the purchase of HDB flats and private properties, medical treatment, purchase of shares for investment and now for higher education under the CPF education scheme. The cost of tertiary education in Singapore is still affordable to most Singaporeans, except fom some lower-income groups. Therefore, the introduction of the CPF education scheme will greatly benefit the lower-income groups. The Minister for Labour has pointed out in his speech that about 500,000 CPF members will be eligible to participate in the CPF education scheme. Currently, this represents more than 52% of the active CPF members. The Minister for Labour has emphasized that the CPF education scheme will not cover expenses for overseas tertiary institutions as a 3- or 4-year course will easily cost more than $100,000. Unlike the Member for Ayer Rajah, I support this policy, as this is essentially a loan scheme and repayment of interest plus administrative fees will have to be made over a 10-year period once the course of study is completed. If overseas tertiary education is included in the CPF education scheme, then the debt of the recipient will be an enormous one. I am sure most parents would not want their children to be responsible for an enormous 10-year debt the moment they start their first job.”
“As regards the CPF rate for older workers, the Government has already decided to lower the rates, 40% for those below 55 to 25% for those between 55 and 59, 15% for those between 60 and 64, and 10% for those above 65. I think these rates are already substantially lower than the rate of 40% for younger workers. And I would prefer to try out this arrangement first for a few years before we consider any changes. If we do change, the problem to remember also is that there are a lot of older workers who will be affected. So it could mean a pay cut. Although on the other hand, of course, by so doing you create more jobs for older workers. That is on the plus side. But we have to balance the two factors. At this point in time, I think the Government will be reluctant to make further changes to the CPF rates. Sir, I think I have answered the points.”
“One person differs very much from another in terms of physical health, agility and so on, with age. So we should not have a cut-off point and apply it to everybody. In my Ministry's Addendum to the President's Address, we have set a three-year timeframe to allow employers and workers to come to terms on raising the employment age. If the results are not successful by the end of that period, we will have to consider legislation. But I think we should give the employers and the unions some time to work out the proper arrangements. If the Member has read today's report in the Straits Times which is based on my Ministry's Labour News, fourth quarter of 1988, I think he will be more encouraged than he was a moment ago. In fact, as at December, there were 142 companies which have already raised the retirement age. Of these, 102 are from the service sector, mainly the banking, insurance and hotel sectors. The manufacturing sector records 40 companies having done so. The response has tended to be better from the service sector than from the manufacturing sector. Maybe it is because a lot of manufacturers employ young girls. So they do not feel the urgency. But I hope they will not delay this too long. In fact, since this report came out, I am pleased to report that there has been further progress. Between July 1988 and February 1989, 165 collective agreements, more than the 142 given here, have raised the retirement age beyond 55. And these are the collective agreements which are registered with the Industrial Arbitration Court. So progress is being made. I am not so pessimistic as the Member.”
“I have made this suggestion before and I would like to repeat my suggestion again, that the Minister should consider encouraging part-time work by reducing or removing completely the CPF contribution of part-time workers. The Minister has mentioned earlier the difficulty of defining "part-time workers". I understand the problems involved. But it is not an impossible task. Other countries like Japan have a proper definition of part-time workers. I stand corrected, Mr Speaker, Sir, as I have not read the Japanese Employment Act. But I was told that the part-time workers are not only defined but are also protected by the Japanese Employment Act. Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Speaker, Sir, first, I would like to deal with the question of retirement age which has been raised by Dr Vasoo. This is not a new topic. It has been discussed in this House and so I shall be brief. I share with him the concern that we should make better use of our older workers, not only to retain them beyond the age of 55 but also to attract back to the labour force those people who have already retired. The numbers are substantial and I think they could be a very useful supplement to our workforce. The problem is basically one of attitudes, I think. The tendency is for many employers still to look at older workers, those aged 55 and above, as too old, too unproductive and so on. But we only have to look around at our own colleagues who are 55 and above to realize that Singapore has changed. Singaporeans are no longer old at 55. In fact, they may not even be old at 60. And in some countries like the US, they have outlawed this stipulation of an age limit for jobs. People should be assessed on the basis of their intrinsic abilities.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I will be speaking on part-time employment. The Minister may recall that during the debate in the Committee of Supply last year, he agreed to study the problems of part-time employment with the unionists and the employers. May I ask: (a) for some comments on the results of this study; and (b) what amendments, if any, will be made to the Employment Act to help promote part-time work, and to protect part-time workers. According to the Labour Force Survey of 1988, there were 18,310 female part-time workers in June 1988, and 8,100 economically inactive females who intended to join the labour market as part-time workers within the following 12 months. However, the number of female part-time workers is very small, less than 2% in fact, compared to last year when there were 1,034,300 females aged 15 years and above and only 494,300 of them were working women. In view of our acute labour shortage problem and our restrictions on the use of foreign workers, it is important that the Government provide more incentives for females to work either full-time or part-time. According to a 1988 Labour Force survey, about 74% of part-time workers could not work full time because of housework and child care. It is encouraging to note that the Government will help to set up more child care centres at the void decks of HDB estates. This will certainly help more females to work full-time. May I also suggest that the Ministry of Labour conduct a detailed study to find out why such a small percentage of our females are working part-time. It is certainly not because there are not enough part-time jobs, as the Labour Force survey showed that 84% of the female part-time workers have no difficulty getting the jobs.”
“If foreign workers are indeed more expensive than Singapore workers, then employers are forced to engage foreign workers because of the acute shortage of workers and not because they are cheaper. My final point, Mr Chairman, Sir, is on part-time employment. The Minister may recall that during the debate in the Committee of Supply last year, he agreed to study the problems of part-time employment with -”
“They expect higher wage increases for 1989 since the proposed increase in foreign workers' levy and employers' CPF contribution will increase total wages by about 6% by July 1989. If normal annual wage increases are added on, total wages will again increase by more than 10% in 1989. May I ask the Minister for statistics to compare our total wage increases in 1988 with that of other NICs, that is, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea. Is it also possible for the Minister to compare our estimated wage increases for 1989 with that of the NICs? I sincerely hope, Mr Chairman, that we will not make the same mistake again as we have done in the early 1980s and raise our total wages so much that once again our goods are no longer competitive in the world markets. Under amendments to the Immigration Act expected to come into force soon, the labour market will be further tightened. According to a Straits Times report of 24th March, about 8,500 Thai workers are expected to be repatriated last weekend. May I ask the Minister: (a) How many more illegal foreign workers are expected to be repatriated before the March 31st deadline for repatriation; and (b) What assistance, if any, will the Government provide to employers affected by this sudden loss of workers. The Minister may recollect that in last year's debate in the Committee of Supply I have requested the Labour Ministry to check a point raised by some industrialists - that the cost of foreign workers in Singapore is not really cheap. In fact, when we take into consideration housing, transport and other costs, it is actually higher than the cost of Singapore workers by as much as $80-$100. May I ask the Minister if such a study has been done.”
“Sir, CPF has evolved from a strictly old-age savings scheme to one that helps members to meet their basic needs of retirement, housing and health. Yesterday, the Minister for Labour announced the CPF education scheme that will enable CPF members to invest part of their CPF savings in tertiary education for themselves and their children. On this aspect, Mr Chairman, Sir, although I am a member of the GPC (Labour), I do not think I agree with my Chairman, the Member for Kebun Baru. I do not have the figures but perhaps the Minister for Labour could enlighten this House on how much CPF moneys were collected, say, last year, and how much was withdrawn for housing, health and retirement. I do believe that every year there is a sizable balance remaining in the CPF accounts. And even on the CPF education scheme, if there are members who support the extension to overseas education, I will be there to support that proposal. As a further improvement to the CPF scheme, may I make a suggestion to the Minister which I have proposed during last year's debate in the Committee of Supply. Mr Chairman, Sir, employees begin to make CPF contributions when their total wages per month exceed $200. According to the June 1988 Labour Force Survey, the median monthly income of woman part-time workers was $250. Since the Government is promoting part-time work, may I suggest to the Minister to raise the wage level where employees begin to make CPF contributions from $200 to, say, $400 so that part-time workers can have more take-home pay. Next, on the labour market situation. The Singapore National Employers' Federation has estimated that the total wage increase in 1988 was 11.3%.”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“I must add that some owners of Kimlin Mansion have paid their conversion fees about 10 years ago and have yet to file an application for strata title conversion. May I suggest that the Minister study the problem and amend the relevant portions of the Land Titles (Strata) Act and simplify the procedures to make it easier for residents of such apartments to obtain their strata titles.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head S be reduced by $10 in respect of Code SA 1500 of the Main Estimates. I would like to bring to the attention of the Minister some problems faced by owners of private apartments that were built mainly in the early 1960's and registered under the provisions of the Registration of Deeds Act. There are many such apartments in Cairnhill Constituency, such as Pacific Mansion, Far East Mansion and Kimlin Mansion. The maintenance of such apartments is usually carried out by the developer who collects maintenance fees in order to maintain common properties and grounds of the estate. Following the introduction of the Land Titles (Strata) Act, many of the developers try to convert the estate to strata sub-divisions as they found that housekeeping common properties and grounds is a thankless effort. The owners are also keen on the conversion as they can then form a management corporation to upkeep their own estates. Unfortunately, under existing regulations the conversion process is a very difficult process. Let me illustrate. The Pacific Mansion Residents' Association spent five years of hard work with their developer before they could achieve a reasonable settlement and file an application for strata title conversion with the Registry of Land Titles and Deeds. They owe their success to their former MP, Dr Tay Eng Soon, to whom they are most grateful. However, because of some administrative procedures, they still have to wait several months before obtaining their strata titles. Presently, I have taken up the case of Kimlin Mansion. I hope the residents of Kimlin Mansion will not have to wait five years before they could submit their application for strata title conversion.”
“I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $107,741,200 for Head V ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $641,225,500 for Head V ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head I -”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head V be reduced by $10 in respect of Code VI 3100 of the Main Estimates. Sir, the productivity movement was launched in September 1981 with the primary purpose of improving the productivity levels of our workforce. May I ask the Minister (a) how successful has the productivity movement been in raising the productivity awareness of companies as well as workers and has this productivity awareness been monitored by the National Productivity Board through regular national surveys; (b) how many quality control circles have been established to-date and how many workers are currently participating in QCC activities; and (c) has training become a tradition in Singapore, and what assistance is provided by NPB to help companies improve on their training activities. Can the Minister also give current figures comparing the productivity levels of our workers with that of the newly industrialized countries, ie, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan and also that of Japan?”
“Just a point of clarification, Sir. I thought the venture capital fund was set up to help local small industries, not foreign small industries. So why are we investing the venture capital fund in overseas venture capital funds? Mr Eugene Yap Giau Cheng: Sir, as I said in my reply earlier on, we also want a window to high technology and by investing in such funds we will be able to gain access to such high venture technology companies.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, in a recent question for oral answer to the Minister for Trade and Industry on assistance to local entrepreneurs, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has replied that as at end of 1988, the Government has given about $1.38 billion to small local industries under the various Government financial assistance schemes. This is very encouraging news. It shows that the Government recognized the fact that small local industries can play a greater role in the next phase of Singapore's economic development. However, information on the progress made by our local entrepreneurs are rather difficult to find. May I suggest to the Minister that a separate chapter on small local industries be included in future reports of the Economic Survey of Singapore, as it has done for productivity and for tourism. The Economic Development Board Annual Report 1987/88 has a small section on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). But information supplied was rather scanty. May I ask the Minister for examp- les of companies that have benefitted from the multi-agency network set up by the EDB to assist SMEs. In particular, how many SMEs have benefitted from EDB's Venture Capital Fund and how much has been paid out from this fund. Finally, Mr Chairman, Sir, may I join the Member for Thomson in requesting the Minister to consider setting up a separate statutory board with the primary objective of helping small local industries. After all, EDB was set up with the primary objective to attract foreign investments. With concerted efforts, perhaps one day some of our SMEs may grow into large and strong enterprises that straddle the world markets.”
“Sir, I have asked for Government studies, not academic studies.”
“May I ask the Minister: (a) What are the Government's projections of tourist arrivals for the next five years? And how such targets can be achieved? (b) Is the Government seeking more meaningful cooperation amongst the ASEAN countries so as to remove some of these invisible trade barriers and help promote tourism in Singapore as well as in the region?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in 1988, visitor arrivals to Singapore grew by 14%, to reach 4.19 million. According to the 1988 Economic Survey of Singapore, the average occupancy rate of gazetted hotels rose 10.6 percentage points to 79.3%, the highest in six years. This is indeed good news for the travel industry. However, we must not be too complacent. Firstly, with the increasing occupancy rate, hotels will continue to raise their room rates. Some hotels, I was told, have already increased the room rates by more than 20% com- pared to the rate in 1988. We must not begrudge hoteliers from making some money and recovering their losses during the recession years. But neither should the Government encourage hoteliers from increasing their room rates so much that they price themselves off the market as they have done in the early 80s. May I ask the Minister: what plans the, Government has made to ensure that our hotel rates will stay reasonable so as to ensure a steady recovery of our travel industry in the long run? In spite of economic benefits of tourism to Singapore, I hope the Government has also studied the various social ills such as prostitution and drug trafficking. If we travel along Bencoolen Street, we can usually find groups of tourists travelling on the cheap, ie, carrying the haversack and living in cheap hotel dormitories. May I ask the Minister whether the Government has made any studies on the adverse impact of tourism on our social and cultural values and on our moral conduct? Finally, Sir, in view of the smallness of our economy, there is an upper limit to the growth of visitor arrivals to Singapore. Moreover, we are increasingly facing new forms of invisible trade barriers, such as high exit taxes imposed by Indonesia, from our traditional tourist markets.”
“Yes, I withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“The danger of pedestrians being knocked down by motorists was highlighted when a woman pedestrian was knocked down by a passing van on 4th March as she was crossing from Wisma Atria to Lucky Plaza. For the sake of public convenience and safety, I hope the Minister can look into this matter and consider restoring the traffic lights at this location until such time when the PWD can open the underpass for public usage.”
“Secondly, I have also mentioned last year that many people will be adversely affected during the course of construction of the Central Expressway. The value of some properties, particularly condominiums, has depreciated considerably as they have lost some common facilities like parking and land for recreational use. Some residents of Cavenagh House, in particular, have approached me for assistance as they have lost not only some of the parking facilities but also the swimming pool. I hope the Minister will consider providing sufficient land for such condominiums to restore their recreational facilities after the completion of the Central Expressway. My next topic is on traffic lights and underpass systems. Last year, the Member for Radin Mas complained about the large number of traffic lights along Orchard Road which contributed to the frequent traffic jams along the road. He suggested the construction of more pedestrian underpasses or overhead bridges to replace some of the traffic lights. The Minister has replied that he would ask the PWD to completely review the number of traffic lights along Orchard Road. Perhaps as a result of this Ministerial directive the traffic lights near the Orchard Road MRT station that controls pedestrian traffic between Lucky Plaza and Wisma Atria was removed on 13th February this year. The Minister may realize that as far back as 1985, an underpass linking Lucky Plaza and Orchard Square has already been built at a cost of about $4.2 million by the developers of Lucky Plaza. However, the PWD has not yet opened this underpass to public usage as the balance 10% of civil work has yet to be completed by the PWD or the Orchard Square developer.”