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.”
The complete record
Every one of 319 lines we hold for Wong Kwei Cheong, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 7.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the majority of the worksites are still not provided with the minimum protection, in terms of work platforms and overhead shelters, to ensure the safety of workers. Contractors have to incur additional expenses in order to provide satisfactory safety provisions, The use of metal scaffolding to provide this safety measure is. no more expensive than providing conventional safety measures. The Ministry had, in fact, conducted a study on the cost impact on the use of metal scaffolds. The study showed that the use of metal scaffolding to satisfy safety requirements is no more expensive than using conventional measures such as work platforms and overhead shelters. Hence the contention that the use of metal scaffolds will impose undue financial strain on contractors is not justified. It can be said that the increase in expenditure on safety measures required by the new legislation only underlines the fact that some contractors have been neglecting the responsibilities in this area.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Occupational Cancer Prevention Programme was launched in late 1978 with the following activities: (a) Identification of workplaces with occupational cancer hazards; (b) Environmental monitoring and control of such workplaces: (c) Medical monitoring of workers exposed to cancer hazards; (d) Health education of workers and management; and (e) Setting up of an informal register of exposed persons. In launching this programme, more than 4,800 questionnaires were sent to various establishments to identify users and determine the extent of usage of cancer-causing agents. The Ministry then proceeded to confirm the presence of the hazards and to monitor the workplaces and the workers involved. So far, 63 establishments have been placed under the programme and 910 workers monitored for exposure to two cancer-causing agents, namely, asbestos and benzene. Workers exposed were given talks on how to minimize the risk of exposure and to take precautionary measures. Other cancer-causing agents such as arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, vinyl chloride monomer and aromatic amines, will be included in the programme in phases. At present, statutory medical examination is compulsory for workers exposed to asbestos and benzene under the Factories (Asbestos) Regulations, 1980, and the Poisons (Benzene) Rules, 1974, respectively. MINDEF COMPUTERIZATION PROGRAMME 5. Mr Sia Khoon Seong asked the Minister of Defence what steps are being taken by his Ministry to encourage greater computerization in line with the stated national policy towards computerization.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, about 240 safety officers are needed to meet the demand of factories which are required to employ safety officers under the Factories (Safety Officers) Order, 1975, At present, the Ministry has registered about 150 safety officers. The shortage of about 90 registered safety officers is expected to be overcome in the near future when the trainees from the next few batches of the National Productivity Board's safety officers training course successfully complete the course. To ensure an adequate supply of safety officers, the NPB will step up the training of safety officers. The Ministry is also reviewing the three pieces of legislation on safety officers, namely, (1) the Factories (Qualification and Training of Safety Officers) Notification, 1975; (2) the Factories (Registration and Duties of Safety Officers) Regulations, 1975; and (3) the Factories (Safety Officers) Order, 1975. The needs for the services of safety officers for the various industries, the prerequisite qualification and training and the duties of safety officers to be employed by the various industries will be re-examined in the light of our experience. OCCUPATIONAL CANCER PREVENTION PROGRAMME (Progress) 4. Mr Goh Chee Wee asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour what has been the progress of the occupational cancer prevention programme; and whether the Government will consider introducing compulsory medical examination for workers exposed to occupational cancer hazard.”
“(b) Safety Officers Certain classes of factories have also been required to employ safety officers and to establish safety committees. These safety officers help to identify hazardous situations and make recommendations to management to rectify them. They also help to implement safety measures. (c) Enforcement To ensure that safety standards for the protection of workers are complied with, continuous enforcement action has to be taken. To increase efficiency, selective enforcement in factories and industries which are more hazardous has been practised. (d) Advisory Committees In addition, the Ministry has set up Advisory Committees to look into the special problems encountered by the ship-building and ship-repairing industry and the construction industry, so that appropriate recommendations on preventive measures can be made. (e) Promotion The Ministry places great emphasis on the prevention of accidents and has been continuously promoting safety awareness through the organization of various campaigns, exhibitions, workshops and safety months. Since 1972, a total of 21 of these have been conducted. (f) Training and Education Furthermore, numerous safety training courses have been conducted for safety personnel, workers, supervisors and management. Special mass orientation and safety instruction courses have also been conducted for workers in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing and the construction industries. From the measures just related, it can be seen that the Ministry has spared no efforts to ensure that the lives of our workers are not unnecessarily exposed to risk and jeopardy. In spite of this, the Ministry will continue to look into better ways to prevent accidents at workplaces.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there were a total of 4,575 accidents reported to the Factory Inspectorate in 1977 as compared with 4,554 in 1978, 5,277 in 1979, 6,087 in 1980 and 6,046 in 1981. Although the number of accidents has increased over the years, the industrial safety situation has not deteriorated. The increasing number of accidents has to be interpreted in the light of the increasing number of workers employed in industry and the resultant increased exposure to risk in terms of man-hours worked. To give proper weight to these factors, the accident severity and frequency rates have to be calculated to establish if the industrial accident situation has improved or deteriorated. The accident severity rates in 1977 was 501 mandays lost per million man-hours worked compared with 504 man-days lost per million man-hours worked in 1981. The accident frequency rates for the five years from 1977 to 1981 were kept within the limits of 5.0 and 6.5 accidents per million man-hours worked. Hence, in these terms, it can be said that the industrial accident situation has not deteriorated. My Ministry has taken various measures to improve the industrial accident situation. These measures are as follows:- (a) Safety standards One measure is to set safety standards to be observed in the industry. These have been prescribed through legislation. Special safety requirements are also laid down to protect workers who are engaged in work which may expose them to risks. For instance, there are special safety provisions for workers who are exposed to the risks of falling objects or debris from heights, asphyxiation and fire and explosion. These standards and requirements are being reviewed continually to ensure that they are up-to-date and relevant.”
“None. Mr Ho See Beng; EMPLOYMENT ACT (Protection against dismissals) 2. Mr Liew Kok Pun asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (a) whether he is satisfied that the present Employment Act gives sufficient protection to a worker with respect to his tenure of appointment; (b) whether he is aware that there are certain sections of the Act that leave workers completely at the mercy of the employer; and (c) whether he thinks it is necessary to have a law against unfair dismissal.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since the raids were started last year, a total of 76 worksites have been raided. In 1980, four stop-work orders were issued, 68 offences were compounded and a total of $8,525 were collected as fines. In 1981, a total of 12 stop-work orders were issued, 50 offences were compounded and a total of $10,300 in fines were collected.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry will take the following measures to reduce accidents in the construction industry. (a) Amending the Building Operations and Works of Engineering Construction Regulations to make further requirements on the provision of safe working platforms, safe access to workplaces and proper overhead shelters. These amendments will indirectly encourage and promote the use of metal scaffoldings. The use of metal scaffoldings will also have the effect of changing the method of construction. Construction will be carried out inwards from properly erected scaffoldings and working platforms. This will help to prevent many of the accidents resulting from workers falling from heights and workers being struck by falling objects. (b) The Ministry will also continue with its programme of stringent enforcement at construction worksites. It will also continue to conduct surprise inspections and swoops on worksite recalcitrant contractors. (c) Finally, the Ministry will continue with its programme of safety mass orientation for workers in the construction industry. This mass orientation will acquaint existing and new workers with the hazards of the industry and the remedial measures.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, for noise-induced deafness in the early stages. the noise level is about 50 dBA in the speech frequencies 1-3 kiloHertz (kHz). More excessive cases, or proper noise-induced deafness, are caused by noise levels that exceed 50 dBA in the speech frequencies 1-3 kHz. PURCHASE OF PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITH CPF CONTRIBUTIONS (Particulars) 17. Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (a) how many applications have been received for the use of Central Provident Fund contributions to purchase private residential property as at 31st July, 1981, and how many of them have been approved: and (b) how many of the successful applicants are able to pay for their property in full.”
“However, over the long term, after the implementation of the wage correction policy, the industry is expected to introduce measures, such as computerization and mechanization to raise productivity and to economize on its use of labour. Nevertheless, the Ministry will continue to monitor the labour situation in the industry and will introduce remedial measures as and when required.”
“Sir, guidelines will be issued in relation to lighting, such as screen and character size, brightness and contrast, work station and general illumination levels, viewing distance and angle, and minimizing screen glare. Guidelines will also be issued in relation to ergonomic aspects, such as keyboard and screen heights, seat heights and leg-room. Guidelines will also be issued in relation to suitable work rest breaks as well as preplacement and annual vision testing. HOTEL INDUSTRY (Manpower shortage) 5. Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (a) whether the hotel industry is now facing a shortage of manpower; (b) how acute this problem will be by the late 1980s, taking into account the growth of the tourist industry and the construction of new hotels; and (c) what measures will be taken by Government to alleviate the problems. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Labour (Mr Eugene Yap Giau Cheng) (for the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour): Sir, from various sources, including hotels, the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board and the Singapore Hotel Association, the Ministry gathers that the labour shortage in the hotel industry is not acute. The shortages are mainly in occupations such as waitresses and chambermaids. To alleviate the immediate shortage of workers, the Government has recently reviewed and liberalized work permit policies allowing the service sector, including the hotel industry, to employ workers from traditional as well as non-traditional sources. Over the next five years, another 13,500 rooms are expected to be added and more workers will be required.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as at 30th April, 1981, the amount collected through the $230 per month levy on construction workers from non-traditional sources was $475,242. The Ministry of National Development is working out several schemes to provide financial assistance to assist contractors in their mechanization efforts. Details of these schemes will be announced and disbursements made soon. The House was told at the Parliament sitting on 20th March 1981 (Hansard, Vol. 40, No. 11) of the rationale for the levy. The levy imposed on employers of construction workers from non-traditional sources is intended in a way to raise the wage cost of employing such workers so as to discourage employers from an over-reliance of foreign workers. It is also to exert pressure on such employers to resort to more labour-efficient and mechanized methods of construction. If we made foreign workers available cheaply to the employers in the construction industry, then there would be no incentive to these employers to employ local workers and train them to attain a higher skill and to go into mechanized methods of construction. The rationale still holds, and it is therefore not opportune to withdraw the levy. JALAN KAYU CONSTITUENCY (Construction of more public lavatories, complaints against HDB staff, and tidying up of vacant land) 11.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, if the hon. Member for Khe Bong can bring such an employee who has not received an increase in wages as a case for conciliation, our Ministry officials will certainly look into the matter. LEVY ON FOREIGN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS (Particulars) 10. Mr S. Chandra Das asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (a) how much money has been collected so far by way of the $230 monthly levy imposed on each foreign construction worker from non-traditional sources; (b) what proportion of the money has been disbursed to assist employers in the construction and building industry; and (c) whether it is opportune to withdraw this levy for the moment in view of the severe labour shortage and spiralling construction costs.”
“Sir, in a tight labour market situation that we now have in Singapore, it is unlikely that employers would let their employees have reductions in their take-home pay at the end of the month.”
“Sir, the Government is also concerned about the erosion of CPF savings of members who already own their homes, and who are not using their CPF savings for any of the approved purposes. Such members can be assured that the rate of interest on CPF savings is presently being reviewed by the Government, with a view to giving members a better interest rate than the current interest rate of 61/2%.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the CPF was originally set up mainly as a savings fund of members for their old age. However, the CPF can also be used for other purposes, as is well known by the Member for Punggol. With effect from 1st July 1981, 38 1/2% of CPF savings can be used to purchase houses under the approved housing schemes such as the HDB, JTC, HUDC and Mindef housing schemes. CPF savings can also be used to purchase shares of Singapore Bus Service Limited. The Government has also agreed to allow CPF members to use their CPF savings to redeem outstanding mortgages on private residential properties, with effect from 1st June 1981. From 1st January 1982, they can use their CPF savings to purchase private residential properties. The amount of CPF savings that can be used is limited to 90% of the savings in the Ordinary Account and 90% of the monthly contributions to the Ordinary Account. If the CPF Home Protection Insurance Scheme is approved by Parliament, CPF members who have used their CPF savings to purchase flats or houses, and who have outstanding mortgages on these flats or houses, can use their CPF savings to pay for the premium of the mortgage reducing cover under the scheme.”
“We have to bear in mind the 1979-1980 increase of almost 15O% in the weighted-average price of OPEC crude oil. Like the first drastic oil price increase in 1973-1974, the OPEC hikes have led to recession and a surge of inflation in the industrial countries. In our plans to achieve high growth rates, we must aim to keep inflation to a minimum so as not to cause hardship to the lives of our salaried employees and the lower income group. I do not think of voicing the unhappiness felt by many Singaporeans over the increasing prices of HDB and HUDC flats, the PUB charges, and the bus fares. I only hope that the public sector, in particular, will work harder to improve their management and operational efficiency so that the additional costs due to inflation can be met without excessive price increases to the consumers. 4.13 p.m.”
“We can adapt their management practices to our local conditions and cultivate the right environment in which our workers and management can work together as a highly productive team. We should not follow the British model, as it has too long a history of antagonism between workers and management. We should learn from the German model and the Japanese model where the workers participated with their employers in ensuring the profitability and success of their companies. The Government can, of course, encourage good management-labour relationships, if necessary, through legislation. The Central Provident Fund Job Record Scheme was recently introduced to help discourage frivolous job-hopping. In addition the Minister for Labour, in his Addendum to the Presidential Address, has stated that amendments will be made to the Employment Act, the Industrial Relations Act, the Trade Unions Act and the Trade Disputes Act to ensure their relevance to the economic and social conditions of the 80s. I presume that such amendments will lead to better cooperation between unions, workers and management and will promote a stable and peaceful industrial climate for team work and for productivity increases. However, in the final analysis, good management-labour relationships will still depend on management. Employers must strive to ensure that workers remain in their jobs by creating a more favourable working environment and providing them with training and career development opportunities. Mr Speaker, Sir, may I next refer to the Addendum on the Ministry of Finance where it is stated that the money supply shall be expanded so as to achieve a real growth of 8-10% per year for our economy. It would be useful to know the inflation rate that has been provided for in projecting this growth rate.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I fully support the Motion moved by the Member for Mountbatten in expressing our thanks to the President for his Address at the opening of this Parliament. Singapore's economic growth, in terms of real gross domestic product, averaged 8.7% in the 60s and 9.4% in the 70s. Since 1979, Singapore has been restructuring its economy through a higher wage policy to ensure that growth will be maintained at high rates. In order to keep their operations profitable, most companies have responded to the higher wage policy by increasing their productivity through the introduction of automated equipment, and streamlining their management to save on labour. This year shall be the third and final year for the implementation of a higher wage increase of about 20%. From next year wage increases shall be commensurate with actual productivity increases. With our skilled workers and better management, we should be able to maintain high productivity increases. The emphasis for the 80s should, therefore, be on economic growth through productivity increases by good management. The President in his Speech ha3 very aptly drawn our attention to the necessity of developing a new management and labour relationship, where both management and labour can be seen to work as a team. Our workers must identify their interest with the interest of their company; and management must be able to motivate their workers. Management and labour must learn to work in close harmony, each keenly aware of his role and responsibilities in the company's effort to produce good quality products at competitive prices. We can learn from the West and from Japan.”