Yaacob Ibrahim
Singapore
“Our museums can do more to have spaces that touch on the subject of precolonial history and to give people access to the archeological finds. At the same time, acknowledging how that history has impinged on our own history and the myriad strands of diversity of ideas, lifestyle, food, religions that have come together to enrich our own ex…”
“For instance, SingPost invested in a $45-million mail sorting machine that has automated 95% of the mail sorting process. To make it easier for its postmen to deliver mail, SingPost has also introduced more delivery vehicles, such as three-wheel scooters and customised mail delivery trolleys.”
“With cyber threats growing globally, this Bill is timely to empower CSA to safeguard essential services from disruptions by cyberattacks, prevent and respond to cybersecurity threats and incidents, and to establish a licensing framework to improve the credibility of cybersecurity services in Singapore. Sir, I beg to move.”
“Our postal rates continue to be among the lowest among economies, such as the United States, Hong Kong and Norway. For parcel delivery, which does not require a licence from IMDA, it is fully open and competitive, and many local and international players provide services in Singapore today.”
“Factually aims to clarify widespread or common misperceptions of Government policy or incorrect assertions on matters of public concern that can harm Singapore's social fabric. Over the years, the site has addressed inaccurate assertions about various matters, such as housing, the economy and finance.”
“The amendment ensures that IMDA's regulatory framework for the deployment of telecoms cables stays relevant as copper cables are increasingly being phased out and replaced by optical fibre cables.”
The complete record
Every one of 236 lines we hold for Yaacob Ibrahim, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 5.
“If the couple does not agree to do so, the party wishing to proceed to the Civil Court can apply for leave from the Syariah Court President to grant them permission to proceed to the Civil Court. For the House's information, and as mentioned by the Minister earlier, Muslim couples have in the past chosen to proceed to the civil courts. However, this avenue was closed as a result of the case of Madam Salijah Latif. This amendment restores this avenue. The question is whether re-opening this avenue is the right thing to do. The so-called parallel jurisdiction approach this amendment adopts has raised fears that it will dilute Islamic law in Singapore. Let us consider the practical impact this amendment will have in greater detail. Would a Muslim couple be given similar justice if they proceed to the Civil Court instead of remaining in the Syariah Court in the case of an amicable divorce? I am not a lawyer. But I believe both the Syariah and Civil Courts would take into account the interests of the wife, husband and children in making decisions pertaining to ancillary matters. In such cases, Muslim couples would not be short changed if they proceed to the Civil Court. Hence, with this amendment, such couples would have more legal avenues and would likely be able to resolve ancillary matters in a shorter time. A divorce is never easy. The sooner the couple and the children can get on with their lives, the better it will be for all parties. So under what circumstances would different legal outcomes arise? Mr Speaker, there are instances where the outcome under Islamic law is different from the outcome under civil law. Consider the following example. The husband renounces Islam after the divorce.”
“The amendment would allow the Syariah Court President to sign the transfer documents if the husband fails to do so after being instructed. This is a significant move towards reducing the financial pain and anguish which has too often been associated with Muslim divorces in Singapore. Another key change made by this amendment is the strengthening of section 53. With this change, the Syariah Court now can make use of the infrastructure of the civil justice system to punish errant couples. Section 53 gives powers to the court to jail anyone refusing to comply with court orders. However, making use of these powers requires an entire support system. For example, the setting up of bonds and services of a bailiff are needed in order to ensure that the jailed person's rights are observed. The Syariah Court does not have these facilities. With this amendment, the Syariah Court can tap into the existing resources of our justice system. This approach should be seen as an opportunity for the Syariah Court to develop further its own strength and human resources. Mr Speaker, Sir, perhaps the most significant change this amendment would bring is the adoption of the so-called parallel jurisdiction approach. A couple, as mentioned by the Minister earlier, can now choose to proceed to either the Civil Court or remain in the Syariah Court after a divorce has been granted. As a result, ancillary matters such as custody, maintenance and the disposal of the matrimonial home can now be dealt with in either the Civil Court or the Syariah Court. However, to proceed to the Civil Court, both parties, ie, the ex-husband and ex-wife, would have to agree to do so.”
“MUIS' new role in the regulation of halal certification should reassure the Muslim community that outlets with halal certification are halal throughout their operations. Similarly, with this amendment, MUIS will have the power to regulate and penalise travel agents offering haj packages. With these changes, Muslim pilgrims will be better protected and they can concentrate on the rituals without worrying about flights, hotel, meal service, ground transportation and other related matters. This amendment would also allow MUIS to form companies to develop fully its assets, especially its vast land bank, which it holds under wakaf or trust. The role of wakaf is essentially charitable. Properties remain in perpetuity but the profits are channelled to help charitable institutions. The Minister has assured us that MUIS will not be directly involved in the running of these companies. However, the amendment gives MUIS an avenue of ensuring that its assets are optimally developed. This will ultimately benefit the community at large. These changes, as I said earlier, are a reflection of the growing expectations of the community and of the community's expectations that MUIS plays a greater and effective role in the affairs of the community. Hence I support totally the changes to MUIS. Changes to Syariah Court This amendment also has a major impact on the Syariah Court, which is empowered to deal with Muslim personal matters in Singapore. Over the years, many Muslims have resorted to the Civil Court to seek enforcement of judgments. We frequently hear about the problems Muslim women and their children face when husbands refuse to sign the transfer documents for the matrimonial home. Often, these women do not have the financial resources to set up a household on their own.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this amendment to the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) is indeed very comprehensive and wide-ranging. It covers two major institutions governing Muslim life in Singapore, namely, the Islamic courts, better known as the Syariah Court, and the Muslim Religious Council of Singapore, better know by its Malay acronym, MUIS. The amendment constitutes the first major amendment to AMLA since its inception more than 30 years ago. AMLA was approved in this House on 17th August 1966 after it was sent to a Select Committee. In 1975, changes were made to allow Muslims to make contributions to the Mosque Building Fund via the CPF check off system. Two review committees were formed: one in 1985 and another in 1992. These committees recognised the need to close some gaps in the existing legislation and to provide new powers to key Islamic institutions to keep up with a changing Muslim population in Singapore. However, in closing these gaps, careful deliberation was also needed given the very sensitive nature of any attempt to change matters pertaining to Singapore's Muslim institutional framework. I must therefore congratulate the Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs, Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, for finally closing the loop after 13 long years. We, as a community, had to close the gaps. Changes to MUIS Mr Speaker, Sir, the changes the amendment makes to MUIS are indeed welcome. The move to empower MUIS to regulate halal certification and pilgrimage or haj reflects the need to better manage changing expectations within the community. Many food outlets in Singapore have recognised the growing Muslim market and have turned halal in order to attract this market.”
“Sir, are there any plans to mount a public education programme to discourage drivers from using handphones while driving? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, I think this topic has been in the news repeatedly when cases are highlighted. I think all drivers know that Police takes a very serious view of handphone driving. So there is no need for a dedicated campaign. CYCLISTS KILLED OR INJURED BY MOTOR VEHICLES (Statistics) 26. Mr Charles Chong asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will provide statistics on the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured by vehicles on our roads from 1988 to 1997 compared to the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured by cyclists on pedestrian walkways over the same period; and whether his Ministry will consider amending the Road Traffic Act to classify bicycles as vehicles. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, statistics on the number of cyclists killed or injured by motor vehicles on our roads are readily available only for the period 1992-1997. On average, 15 cyclists were killed and 17 seriously injured each year in road accidents . A bicycle is currently already classified as a vehicle under the Road Traffic Act, and bicycle riders are deemed to be vehicle drivers. Under both Road Traffic and Pedestrian Crossing Rules, it is an offence to cycle on a footway or pedestrian crossing. 1.30 pm”
“Sir, on the issue of bollards, to the best of my recollection, they are not placed in front of the bus stop but away from the bus stop, because there is a bus bay. So are there any studies done to show that this measure has been effective and, if so, are we planning to implement it island-wide?”
“Sir, two supplementary questions. As mentioned by the Minister, where space permits, bus bays will be incorporated. But the recent accident at Bendemeer Road, which is a major trunk road, the bus stop does not have a bus bay. Is there any guideline on where we would have bus bays? Given the fact that Bendemeer Road is a major trunk road, I think a bus bay would be very useful. The second question is that in previous years, to the best of my recollection, because of accidents by buses, bollards have been raised at certain bus stops, some of which are along Clementi Road in front of the university. Would that measure be effective and implemented island-wide?”
“From the numbers given by the Minister, I get the impression that illegal immigrant workers constitute about one-third of illegal foreign workers. The number seems to be stabilising. So there is no cause for concern that the economic incentive is attracting people across our borders illegally to find jobs. Is that a correct assessment of the situation, Sir?”
“Sir, could the Minister comment on the adequacy of the current penalties to deal with the various immigration offences: overstayers, illegal immigrants, syndicates who run such rings, and if they are not adequate, whether he intends to revise them in the future?”
“Through failure, we will learn what works and what does not work. Sir, the inventor of the plastic soda bottle was one person by the name of Nathaniel C. Wyeth. The invention, as I discovered, did not come very easy. His initial search yielded a very terrible-looking bottle. But he persisted, and used, "all his failures and knowledge of things that wouldn't work as a springboard to new approaches." He also said, "if I hadn't used those mistakes as stepping stones, I would never have invented anything?" By the way, Sir, the success of the plastic bottle has created an environmental problem for modern researchers to deal with. Nonetheless, all inventors share some common traits. They thrive no matter what the odds are and they are always dreaming of perfecting an imperfect world. Perhaps we may want to allow our school children to dream.”
“Studies have shown that gifted children often lose their spark after going to a mainstream school. Can we, therefore, teach creativity in our schools today? An important feature of creativity, as seen in the above descriptions, is experimentation, discovery, and a child-like curiosity to check things out. Imagine a child learning to feed himself with a spoon. He will fail several times. But through the experience, he will learn something about how to grip the spoon, about the consistency of the food which is all over his body, about his hand-eye coordination, and about dealing with the frustration of not being able to have his food. But perhaps, most importantly, he will experience the ultimate thrill of being able to do something for himself. All this may not come about if he is spoon-fed all of the time. It is the nature of creativity to experiment. But experiments can lead to success or failure. Are our students prepared to deal with failure? Is our system sympathetic to failures so that, like the child learning to feed himself, the student can pick himself up and achieve his objective? Many tertiary students I met recently spoke about the need for stable jobs. I sense that this preference could be due to a fear of failure. Why is this so? Howard Gardner again observed that the US system is a system of "infinite second chances". Perhaps the perception is that our system does not provide enough second chances. Sir, I believe that we have to create opportunities in schools for our children to explore and innovate. We can teach some basic skills. But we have to leave the rest to the students to discover, but we must also counsel them and tell them that failure is not a bad thing. Failure is part and parcel of the process of discovery and innovation.”
“Sir, I applaud the Ministry of Education for embarking on programmes in school to develop thinking skills and promote creativity. I understand that, for example, in the past 10 years or so, more schools have implemented Edward De Bono's thinking strategies. The reports which I have seen in the newspapers seem to suggest that school children find such programmes more enjoyable and enriching. And teachers too find these programmes useful in encouraging students to pursue self-learning. The need to encourage independent thinking and a spirit of innovation have been spelt out in the list of Desired Outcomes also known as the `8888' list. Sir, the education system, as it stands now and in the future, will have a large impact on the type of society and the position that Singapore achieves at the international level. Many Members in this House, including myself, have argued that for Singapore to make the next grade, we need innovations and creative ouputs which can match the best in the world. Creativity will determine how our companies compete in the age of ideas. Hence, we need to mould creative minds and innovative spirits from among our people. But, what exactly is creativity? American psychologist, Howard Gardner, defined the exemplary creator as "a strong-minded individual who often retains child-like characteristics such as self-centredness." Ms Wu Yee-Ping, CEO of Music Pen Inc., a New York based company, believes that "creativity begins with a child-like curious mind which is not afraid to take risks and experiment." Ms Wu received the Award for Excellence in Science and Technology from New York. And she runs her company by encouraging her designers to be creative and bold. If these are the characteristics of a creative mind, then how do we teach it?”
“But at the same time, we also need to look into ways of preventing child abuse. The effects of child abuse are long lasting. Child abuse leaves physical and emotional scars that are likely to be carried into adulthood. Moreover, victims of child abuse are more likely as adults to be violent towards their children. We jail the abusers today but they will eventually be released and continue to be parents. How do we ensure that abuse does not recur? Good parenting is not an attribute that we can turn on and off automatically. As parents, we too need support and guidance. Can we take some proactive steps to help parents become better parents? Can we not mobilise resources to help the community agencies put in place counselling and care programmes for parents? Can we not identify new parents at risk and provide them with support and information about parenting and community resources? Sir, could the Minister inform the House on any new provisions to protect our children and, in particular, would he tell us whether steps are being taken to help parents develop healthy and supportive family environment? What are we doing to help abusers move away from rage, neglect and violence in their parent-child relationship? The Chairman: We have got one to two minutes more. But we have had a very long day. Do I have your assent that we stop here for the day? Hon. Members indicated assent. Thereupon Mr Deputy Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House.”
“Sir, I want to move away from child care to the problem of child abuse. On 14th October 1997, an unwed father was sentenced to 10 years for causing the death of his three-month old son. In today's Straits Times, a mother, sentenced for child abuse, had her sentence doubled by the courts. She was described as a cruel animal who should not be a mother. Winnie Ho's tragic case, perhaps more than any other case recently, has galvanised public awareness of child abuse in Singapore. There is enough ground support for the Government to ensure wider protection of innocent children and to take abusive parents to task. While child abuse cases provide dramatic and visual proof of the need to intervene, punish violent behaviour in the family setting, they also raise many questions about the causes of such disturbingly violent behaviour. Some recent reports seem to suggest that child abuse is precipitated by stress. A report in the Sunday Times of 15th March 1998, for example, quoted a one Mr Chong Meng Fat who had been sentenced for inflicting harm to his 8-year old daughter as saying that his job as a security guard was too stressful. Many families no doubt are emotional and economically ill-equipped to care for their children. Caring for a child on low income combined with the inherent stress of caring for highly dependent young child can be overwhelming. Many harried parents feel overwhelmed by the relentless onslaught of responsibilities with their jobs, children and themselves. But child abuse is not an inevitable outcome in stressful environment. Sir, we need to look at both ends of the child abuse problem. I strongly support any Government move to ensure that child abuses are appropriately punished.”
“In my view, it is not satisfactory. We should consider providing facilities which are equivalent to a school with proper curriculum for the young residents in the Boys' Home who are still schooling. As one of the objectives of the Home is for the purpose of rehabilitation, the staff or counsellors' contact with residents is very important because they can, through their contact and communication with the residents, impart or extend their values to the residents and help convert them. This is part and parcel of the counselling and rehabilitation programme. From what I know, the supervisor to resident ratio of the Home currently is 1:40 in the day time, and 1:80 at night. Sir, with this ratio, I do not think the Home could discharge its task of counselling or conversion well. The staff to resident ratio must be strengthened to enhance the quality of counselling in converting the residents and helping them to return and contribute to society just like any ordinary young person. Sir, I really hope that the Government would look into the running of the Boys' Home seriously with the injection of funds and manpower to provide a proper programme to help the young and perhaps innocent residents to return to society and start a new life. Sir, I have got another cut. May I continue?”
“For example, near the Malay Village, several knives were found stuck to trees and a Police officer was slashed by a youth after he resisted arrest. Sir, in this context, could the Minister enlighten the House on what preventive measures have been taken currently to help our youths to deal with their time wisely? Given what has happened at the Boys' Home, could the Minister also give us an update on plans by MCD to ensure that problems such as rioting do not recur? Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay: Sir, the topic I would like to talk about is Boys' Home. Sir, the Boys' Home is a place for the juvenile offenders, a place for receiving punishment for their wrongdoing, yet at the same time it is a place for them to continue with their education and rehabilitation. As a Member of the GPC for MCD, I have had the opportunity to visit the Boys' Home in Clementi. I discovered that some of the residents there are as young as 13 years old. From their look, they do not seem "evil" as those portrayed in the western films showing juvenile offences. I feel that with proper guidance, counselling and continuing to attend school upon completion of their short stay in the Home, normally about two years, most of them could turn over a new leaf, just as any youngster now in secondary school. Sir, from what I have observed, the Home is more than 100 years old. There is a lack of facilities and it is overcrowded. On the one hand, we could consider the rundown condition of the premises as one form of punishment for the residents. On the other hand, the poor training facilities could affect the outcomes of the rehabilitation programme. Worse still, there are neither proper school premises nor programmes for the normal school curriculum, except the offering of BEST and WISE classes.”
“Sir, according to reports, the number of juvenile offenders has, in fact, stabilised over the past two years. The numbers peaked to about 2,500 in 1995, before falling to about 2,100 in 1996, and to 2,147 in 1997. This is encouraging and it demonstrates the effectiveness of our current juvenile delinquency policy. I am sure, and this is where Mr David Lim would agree, that the ban on the admission of 16-year olds to tea dances outlets must be in part responsible for this decline in offenders. I understand the Inter-Ministry Committee on Juvenile Delinquency is now working with the CDCs to reach out to school dropouts. We seem, therefore, to have the situation under control. However, Sir, as we have heard from Mr Rai and Dr Vasoo, the popular perception is, in fact, contrary to the picture presented by these figures. The rioting at the Singapore Boys' Home on 17th December 1997 has raised some concerns. Are the programmes in place at these homes truly able to help the boys turn over a new leaf? Are the boys at these homes receiving adequate counselling? Is there a lack of resources at these homes? These concerns are not only being voiced in relation to the boys at these homes but also in relation to youth now living outside such institutions and, in particular, the school dropouts. If the boys from the homes are not helped, they may negatively influence others once they are released back into society. This failure to help will ultimately feed a never-ending cycle of juvenile delinquency problems in Singapore. Anecdotal evidence seems also to suggest that more youths are bolder these days. I was informed that during the recent festive seasons, there were several minor clashes between youth and Police.”
“Concessions are given to the elderly, for example, for admissions to museums, the Zoo, Sentosa, Science Centre, Bird Park, Night Safari and concessions for public transport and entry into sports facilities managed by the Singapore Sports Council. So the array of concession facilities is indeed many, and we will try to multiply the number in time to come. I would like to assure the Member that my Ministry will pursue the question of increasing the number of concessions, not only to what we have now, but also increasing the quality of concessions. For example, previously they could only go into one class but maybe we could ask for concessions for a higher class. We will continue to do so. I think I have answered all the questions.”
“I do not know whether the Member has heard about this, but we have formed three networks along regional lines to coordinate services for the elderly in the Western Sector, Central Sector and Eastern Sector. In this network system, a lead agency coordinates the activities of the other agencies to promote community and geriatric care, which means there are some professional inputs here and some expertise being brought into play in the organisation of the activities. For example, the Community Care Network led by NCSS, with the participation of MCD and MOH, addresses the issue of service fragmentation, service gaps and barriers to service utilization. Then there is geriatric care. Ministry of Health chairs a Coordinating Committee involving MCD and NCSS also, to monitor supply and demand for geriatric care, develop and review operational procedures and promote coordination among service providers. More will be done to form inter-ministry and inter-agency committees so that networks can be formed to coordinate and monitor the programmes better. So we will indeed follow up with the Member's suggestion. Let me come to Dr Toh See Kiat on concessions for the elderly. The Member suggested that MCD play a more active role in persuading organisations to provide concessions for the elderly. Let me assure the Member that we have been doing so and we will continue to do so. There are two types of concessions that the Member may wish to know. One is for the general population of elderly persons. In other words, eligibility is based purely on age. It applies to all aged persons. The other pertains to services used by selected elderly such as those for day-care centres and rehabilitative services.”
“All you need are some tables and chairs in a corner where senior citizens would drop by, congregate and just chat, perhaps having a drink or two. It may seem unstructured or informal, but these are the things which the senior citizens need. They do not want any structured activities. They do not need anything which is structured or formal. All they need is a place to come down to every time they feel like it, to meet their friends, to chat, to exchange gossips, to talk about their children, grandchildren, or whatever. So there are indeed various needs. Some senior citizens will need such very informal activities while others will need the more formal ones which are to be held in community centres or organised by the various welfare organisations. Each voluntary welfare organisation has got its own mission and expertise. It is better for us to leave it to them to exercise this mission and expertise, because they are better placed to provide the services which they know best and which they are very committed to. So I do not think it is wise for us to organise all of them, structure them so tightly that they have no freedom to move, that they do not have the initiatives to come up with new programmes and ideas to serve the elderly. But I do agree with the Member that there is certainly room for improvement in integrating the programmes and services to ensure a more coordinated and better approach. Indeed we would also try to help VWOs where the management is rather weak, so that they can operate better and have better programmes to serve the community. With regard to coordination, one step which we have taken is the formation of three networks.”
“Let me touch specifically on an important but often neglected aspect, ie, the social and emotional needs of the elderly. Quite naturally, the family plays an important role in fulfilling the needs of the elderly, and they always benefit from being in the family setting. Our public education efforts encourage the family and society to respect and help the elderly to have a role and for the elderly to use the opportunities around them to help them lead meaningful lives. Let me now move to Prof. Low Seow Chay's topic. I thank the Member for Chua Chu Kang for his comments on the services for the elderly. There are indeed a variety of services and programmes - I have mentioned some just now - provided for the elderly by the different VWOs. The very fact that there are different VWOs and many of them are providing services should not be construed as a haphazard way of doing things and unprofessionally. There are different categories of elderly persons - the well elderly, the frail elderly and non-ambulant elderly. And the needs of these different categories of elderly people are different. So we need different bodies or organisations to provide specifically for their needs. Some prefer opportunities for informal and unstructured activities and interaction, whilst others prefer more formal and organized activities and programmes. There are three specific goals in the delivery of services and programmes. One is to help the elderly remain physically, mentally and socially active; two, to make available a continuum in the variety of care and support for the elderly; and third, to run services and programmes based on the concept of the family as social insurance in the care of the elderly. Take Senior Citizens Corners, for example. They may not look much.”
“For example, the major initiative which I can mention is the public education efforts to change public perception of the elderly and encourage the elderly to be physically healthy and socially and mentally active. That has become one of our philosophies on how the elderly should proceed through life. Another recommendation of the Howe Yoon Chong Report was the employment of the aged. This was reinforced by the Advisory Council for the Aged in 1988 which led to the legislation to extend the retirement age to 62, and later perhaps to 67. So the Howe Yoon Chong Report has been given the due regard that it deserves. With regard to retirement planning, I cannot agree more with the Member that retirement planning is important. Indeed, we have been advocating the retirement planning concept since 1987 when we launched the public education programme on aging. The importance of pre-retirement planning is promoted among employers in the workplace, and seminars are organised with the companies and also with other agencies such as the Singapore National Employers' Federation. And quite apart from making employers aware of the need for their employees to prepare for retirement, we also help employees to prepare for retirement. This is equally or not more important, that we prepare the employee himself or herself for retirement. My Ministry works with agencies like the People's Association and other VWOs and also SAGE to provide pre-retirees with information for retirement planning. In the coming year, my Ministry will also be working with the Ministry of Labour's Back-to-Work programme to reach out to more people. With regard to support services for the aged, there are many services already set up for the aged.”
“Together, they provide a total of 700 places. The average utilisation rate is about 60%. Another four centres with 120 places are in the pipeline, and there are also plans to set up at least another eight new centres by the year 2000. We are aware that the health of the elderly vacillates between progress and regress, and they change from one state to another. As such, every effort is made to try to site the SDCs near to day rehabilitation centres, so that the elderly can be conveniently transferred from one facility to another with a minimum of fuss, and with convenience for their families. We will also continuously strive to provide a more coordinated and integrated day care programme to cater to the well elderly, frail elderly and elderly with disabilities. Dr Lily Neo proposes that BASC centres and Centres of Activities for the Retired and Elderly (CARE) to be sited in community centres. The Member may be pleased to know that both the People's Association and my Ministry support this proposal. The PA, through the CDCs, will continue to facilitate the setting up of such centres at the community centres jointly with voluntary welfare organisations in areas where there is demand for such services. But the Member should understand that these will also have to take into account the competing demands in the community centres. Nevertheless, we support this proposal and we will pursue it. Mr Shriniwas Rai mentioned the Howe Yoon Chong Report and how he regretted that it was not given the attention that it should be given. The Member may wish to know that contrary to what the Member believes, the Government indeed places importance on the recommendations of the Howe Yoon Chong Report.”
“But if the private enterprise or organisation can come out to say that they are willing to provide some welfare services, we will consider the kind of support that we can give them. Let me now go to Dr Lily Neo and her issues and concerns on the BASC. The Ministry would like to thank Dr Lily Neo for her constant support of the Ministry's programmes, especially for the BASC, and now the new institutions which she calls CARE. The Member may wish to know that there are 82 non-profit BASC centres as at February this year, providing a total of 5,890 places. Another 75 centres are run by private operators, which are different from non-profit organisations. The Ministry plans to build another 74 non-profit BASC centres by the year 2000, and this will bring the total number of non-profit BASCs to 156 and the number of places to 10,400. We feel that this will be sufficient for our needs until 2000. If need be and if we find that demand is more than what we have supplied, we will definitely look into building more BASCs. As for CARE, as Members are aware, there are two types of day care programmes for the elderly. One is the social day care centres (SDCs) which come under the purview of my Ministry, and the other is the day rehabilitation centres which come under the purview of the Ministry of Health. Currently, there are six social day care centres offering a total of 207 places with a utilisation rate of about 80%. Another 10 SDCs are in the pipeline and these can offer another 500 places. If there is demand, my Ministry will certainly look into it and, if necessary, we will build more SDCs. As for the rehabilitation centres, there are currently 17 centres catering to the frail and elderly sick, and three catering to those suffering from senile dementia.”
“But whatever structure we take, whatever we decide, we must continue to help the elderly to lead meaningful lives and to contribute to society. There are two basic philosophies which we hold. One is that the aged should be encouraged to live healthily, be financially independent, be socially active for as long as they can, and the Government holds on to this philosophy to ensure that our aged are healthy and that they will keep on contributing to the community. The second philosophy is that the aged should preferably live within the community, integrated in the community and preferably also with their families. As far as possible, we try to avoid putting and shunting our aged in institutions away from the community. I think this would answer Mr Rai's concern. We will have to pay attention to the specific difficulties of the care givers, the family members' trials and tribulations to take care of the aged, especially the frail aged and the sick aged, and we will have to ensure that there are enough facilities and community support to help the carers of the aged in the future. Let me now go to Mrs Yu-Foo's suggestions. She has many good suggestions which I will ask my officials to look into. She also emphasises the need for coordination, and I have mentioned earlier that we also accept that principle, and we will indeed be looking into how we can coordinate our programmes and our projects better. She made one suggestion about more private enterprises coming into the scene to provide facilities or services for the aged, and asking for Government support, preferably financial support, for this. Personally, I am reluctant to give direct financial support, especially to private enterprises, when the motive is profit.”
“My Ministry, for example, also works closely with HDB, the Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Labour. We have close consultation at various levels in our Ministries. So from policy conceptualisation to programme implementation, there is very close consultation and this approach has served us well. But as the number of the aged grows, so will the impact on the rest of the society. Therefore, we would need to look at the problem of the aged holistically and comprehensively and an integrated approach be taken in our national response to address the needs, concerns and aspirations of our aged population. 5.45 pm There is also merit in having one agency, be it a Ministry or department, to take a lead role in coordinating and in putting things together to ensure that there is a seamless provision of service and a continuum of service being given to the aged. The lead agency, among other things, will have to provide overall strategic direction and policies for the elderly, and ensure a very coordinated response across Ministries and across programmes, and ensure that there is inter-Ministry coordination on issues of the aged which do not fall under any Ministry. My Ministry has been examining ways to further enhance policy coordination and policy development, and we are in the process of re-evaluating our approach in dealing with the aged and exploring the feasibility of my Ministry assuming the role of the lead agency. We will review our resources. We will review the expertise that we need, the steps that we have to take before we make any recommendations and before we offer ourselves to take on this lead role.”
“Several Members have mentioned the proportion of the aged increasing between now and the next century and how fast we are aging. In one study, it was stated that we are the fastest aging community in Asia, surpassing even Japan. In 1997, the aged 65 years and above in Singapore was 7% and it was forecast that by 2018, the proportion will double to 14%. It took Japan about 26 years to achieve the same increase. But it will take us only 21 years. So that gives a broad idea of the seriousness of the issue of the aged and how we want to handle the future when many of us, including Mr Iswaran, will be getting old, and how our children will handle their future. Aging, Sir, is an inevitability. So we must prepare for it. I agree with Members that it is indeed a major challenge for our community and everyone, and I mean everyone, the Government, the community, the VWOs and corporations, will have to put their minds together and look for solutions which will be best for our community. The issues and challenges are multi-faceted. They are very wide-ranging and we have to plan and lay the infrastructure to meet the needs and aspirations of a growing number of better educated aged, as mentioned earlier by Dr Yaacob. Their needs will be different. Their aspirations will be different from the elders now, from our fathers and indeed from even our own aspirations. So we will have to think of what we have to do to fulfil these aspirations, concerns and needs. The current approach now, Sir, is to draw the expertise of the various Ministries in planning and providing facilities and services to the aged and there are very close consultations among these various Ministries.”
“With the greying of Singapore, we will need to address the needs of two groups, the independent healthy old and the dependent frail old. We must begin to view both the old and the young as resources, each with their own abilities and capabilities. Society needs to provide opportunities for people of any age group to contribute economically or to volunteer their services as long as they are willing to do so. In fact, studies have shown that those who continue to live a healthy and active life tend to have less medical problems. Societal norms will also have to change to reflect this move away from treating the elderly as though they were children or senile. Studies have shown that a single elderly who remarries tends to live longer and healthier. But second marriages will carry other implications for the family. At the same time, we cannot ignore the problems of dependency among the sick and frail elderly. Many today have raised the concerns about this group. Their numbers will increase in future and they will also live longer in various stages of dependency. What can we do now to help this group of persons in the future? Sir, could the Minister inform the House of the current thinking in MCD concerning this problem? The Minister for Community Development (Mr Abdullah Tarmugi): Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to step in at this juncture to answer Members. I have decided to speak now because I think the problem of the aged is a very serious one, as has been mentioned earlier by many Members. And I would like to thank Members for their very generous support by calling on the Minister for Finance to give more funds to my Ministry. I hope that the Minister will hear these plaintive cries and do the necessary. Sir, the issue of the aged is a very important one.”
“There are many implications to this demographic scenario. For example, there will be more of the aged including non-ambulant cases requiring care. Whose responsibility would it be then to take care of the sick aged? Studies have shown, for example, that senior citizens' response time during driving would be eight times longer than that of a younger person. Will we need to obligate senior citizens to retake their driving tests then? These are some of the implications that both Mr Chan and I are looking at as part of the Singapore 21 Committee. I do not intend to elaborate here our findings. But there are some concerns that I would like to share. Many whom we have met have suggested that there is a glaring need for a national focused approach to the problem of aging. Some have even suggested that a Ministry of the Old be set up to take care of the aged. I am not sure whether they envision a young or an old man to head this Ministry. I do not think that these are wise suggestions. But underlying these suggestions is a concern that somehow society does not seem to care for the old. An elderly gentleman in fact said that it is better to die than to be old in Singapore. We have to change this view. Clearly, that is a problem of perception or "agism", to use the term coined to describe prejudice and discrimination against the elderly. Do we view the old as a spent force and therefore not provide resources for them? I do not think Mr Iswaran at the age of 68 will be a spent force. If anything, I am sure he will be able to contribute as long as he is healthy. Clearly, we should move away from the definition of the aged than ignore the need for independence among the healthy old.”
“Sir, in the year 2030, Mr S. Iswaran, the youngest Member of this House, would be 68 years old if he told me the truth about his age. He will then join the ranks of the senior citizens, those who are 60 years and above. This group which now constitutes about 9% of the population will increase to about 25% in the year 2030. After leading a successful life as an economist at MTI, a corporate executive at Singapore Technologies and as a Parliamentarian, Mr Iswaran in 2030 would be deemed to be in his twilight years. At the same time, my son would be 35 years old then, at the prime of his life and probably doing things which are different from his father. The ratio of working adults to senior citizens would be 3:1, decreasing from the ratio of 10:1. We have heard all these statistics earlier. With life expectancy increasing and marriage and child births taking place later in life, Singapore in 2030 is expected to have three or even four generational families. What does all this mean for us today? We have heard that Singapore is a rapidly aging society. We are a country which caters to the young today. Can we do the same 30 years from now? The senior citizens of tomorrow, such as Mr Iswaran, Mr Chan Soo Sen, Dr Toh See Kiat, myself and many others in this House, would be mobile, highly skilled and literate and by all accounts will value our personal independence. The demands of this group and those of my son would be different and must be attended to. How then do we cater to a group which is seen as a spent force and a group which is seen as the engine of growth? Are these descriptions appropriate or even meaningful in this context? How do we cater to the likes of Mr Iswaran and company who spend their adult life building a Singapore for my son and his generation?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head R of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code RH 3100. (In Malay) On 14th February 1998, the month-long Chinese Cultural Festival was launched. A number of interesting events were held. For example, to attract the English speakers, Teochew opera was presented with English subtitles. The Festival succeeded in attracting many sponsors such as the People's Association, the Federation of Chinese Clans Association and Shell group. This shows that there is no lack of grassroots organisations and corporate bodies who are prepared to support cultural and artistic programmes. In this connection, there is feedback that the Malay community would also like to hold a similar festival. This is a good idea and I hope it would have Government assistance. I am not referring to financial assistance, although we will not decline it. The assistance needed is in the form of opportunities to publicise the festival in the mass media and Government media, and publicity by organisations like the Singapore Tourism Board and SIA. At the same time, assistance is also needed to secure performance venues. I believe the Malay community, like the other communities, want to spread their culture not only to the other communities but also to the tourists. In view of the fact that this will be an inaugural effort, Government assistance, as I mentioned earlier, will be important to ensure the success of this festival. Our dream to make Singapore a cultural hub needs the contribution of all communities in Singapore. The Malay community would also like to contribute in one way or another towards making this dream a reality.”
“I read, for example, in the Asia Magazine of 6-8 March 1998, that there are critics of this vision. A reader, Mr John Faulkner wrote that, and I quote, "the SAC could be one of the most celebrated white elephant in Asia:". I am confident that he will be proven wrong. I would urge the Ministry to double its efforts at realising our vision. We need not beat our chest and declare this to the world. Let us work quietly but conscientiously towards this dream. I would like an update from the Minister on what more is being done by MITA. Making ourselves into a hub does not entail just providing buildings and a good regulatory framework. That is the easy part. We must also ensure that our people are interested in, and support and donate generously to the arts. It is also important to ensure that our people can pursue careers in the arts in a financially and intellectually supportive environment. I have been told that arts groups in Singapore are constantly in search of funds. And we have just heard Mr Tay appealing on behalf of our local arts group. I support his appeal and I wish MITA could consider further ways of assisting these groups. But let us do more to ensure that the successes that we have achieved thus far in the arts are not whittled away by the economic slowdown. If so, our dream of becoming a hub for the arts and the media may just become a pipe dream.”
“Sir, I recently saw a full-page print advertisement by the EDB which reads: "How do you reach three billion people in Asia? Simply get a desk in Singapore." This summarises our vision of becoming the centre or hub in Asia for the media and the arts. I understand, for example, that industry heavyweights such as Discovery, HBO, Sony Entertainment - just to name a few - are already in Singapore. This is good and I believe we must continue to make every effort to attract wire service providers, arts providers, major exhibitions, theatrical performances and the like to Singapore. We must also examine our regulatory framework to ensure that these companies find Singapore an attractive place in which to operate. I understand, for example, that the move to allow 100% foreign ownership for broadcasting companies has been well received. This is a good beginning. My concern is whether given the current economic turmoil, our efforts to realise our vision are being cut back or whether foreign companies have cut back or avoided setting up operations in Singapore. It is not uncommon to cut funding and reduce efforts in the arts and media when there is an economic crunch. However, our efforts to consolidate during this period so that we are well placed at the next economic boom must also apply to our effort at making Singapore a hub for the media and the arts. We are investing heavily in many areas. During a briefing by the Singapore Arts Centre to GPC (MITA), we were told that Singapore is not investing $500 million solely for the sake of her three million people. This investment is meant to have an international impact. I applaud this vision. And this must be our vision even in these difficult times.”
“First, based on the study I cited earlier, improvements in the school children's academic performance in key subjects such as mathematics can be achieved. Secondly, such a programme would help to create more well-rounded students. And this is in line with our efforts to move away from examination performance as a sole criterion for university admission. The arts scene would also benefit tremendously from such a programme. An arts education programme will help us cultivate and develop the art followers of tomorrow. This is a vital component for the development of a healthy art scene. Furthermore, as has been noted in some reports, the arts usually survive due to generous donations from individuals and corporations. It is highly unlikely that those without an interest in the arts will want to make generous donations to the arts. Sir, the Arts 2005 Plan which I mentioned must be approached creatively. I share the concerns of MOE on the burden that incorporating the arts into the school curriculum would place on students. Perhaps this is where MITA and the private arts groups can come in and share their experiences and insights in developing the arts. I do not believe we should approach the arts education programme in the same manner as we approach a mathematics programme, for example. The arts curriculum need not follow curriculum time. I believe that if we can bring together experts from MITA, the arts groups and MOE, we can find creative ways to introduce arts to all school children in Singapore.”
“Sir, a report which I read in the Life Section of the Straits Times on 19th February 1998, noted that studies in the US showed that art and music may make children smarter. It seems that fine arts help the brain to focus on learning other skills. The researcher concluded that there are logical links between music and mathematics. It was also reported, and I quote, "learning from the arts can help build emotional skills". I am glad to note that in Singapore we also have embarked on an arts education programme. The National Arts Council launched last year the 6th Arts Education Programme aimed at bringing the arts to the students through a variety of events, some even staged by the students themselves. The Chairman of the NAC, Mr Liu Thai Ker, noted that the young formed the second largest audience at last year's Festival of Asian Performing Arts. He also pointed out that schools have increased their bookings for arts programmes and that the Arts Education Programme has reached about 60% of schools in Singapore. These are healthy signs of a growing art scene and art following. I am confident that all this will contribute to our Prime Minister's vision of a gracious society. Sir, I wonder if the time is not right for MITA, being the lead agency, in conjunction with MOE, to push further the development of the Arts Programme in Singapore. I believe we should make arts part of the core curriculum for all school children in Singapore. I am not advocating that we implement this immediately. What I am suggesting is that we have a plan, say, an Arts 2005 Plan providing for all schools in Singapore to eventually have an arts programme in place. The benefits that would flow to students from introducing a universal arts education will be tremendous.”
“Could we not mobilise groups at the ground such as those affiliated with the People's Association, arts groups, media, and other concerned individuals to work together on programmes and activities that will strengthen our sense of belonging and cohesion? Private groups are well placed to reach out to a wide audience through their varied and fresh perspectives, diverse fora and activities. Let us not restrict our efforts such that we end up inadvertently writing off some groups in our country. To encourage private groups, we may want to consider putting aside some funds for them to conduct activities related to National Education. Let us tap all available resources to build a nation with a strong sense of self. This is a time for us to re-double our efforts to ensure that the small man in the street, small community groups and other concerned individuals are involved in, and contribute to nation building.”
“Sir, the thrust of our National Education programme has been to create a sense of awareness among our young about how this country of ours came into being. I understand that schools and tertiary institutions have already embarked on a variety of programmes and projects with their students. Sir, I am also concerned about the need to introduce NE to the general population. In this regard, could the Minister enlighten us on the efforts thus far taken by his Ministry to bring the message home to the general population? Sir, this effort is all the more important during this very difficult time. I echo the sentiments of my Chairman, Mr Chew. During the recent debate on the Budget statement, I spoke about the need for Government to do little things to calm the financial jitters of the average Singaporean. Now is the time perhaps for us to consider big things to reinforce the message of unity among our population. We have heard of the need to rally Singaporeans so that as a nation, we can ride out this economic storm which is blowing our way. We do not know how this storm will develop. Will it become a typhoon or will it just fizzle out into a tropical thunderstorm? We do not know and we cannot take any chances. Hence, I would urge the Minister to consider ways in which we can reinforce our sense of rootedness to Singapore. What can be done to placate our anxieties and yet strengthen our cohesion as a people? I wonder, Sir, if the time is not right for us to also consider roping in the efforts of private groups in this endeavour.”
“But I am not sure that given the current regional economic crisis, their complaints are merely strategic hyperbole. Our petty traders are feeling the pinch. They do not make a lot of sales, yet their business costs seem to be high. In my area several stalls have closed down. We need to do something for these people. I would urge the Government to consider some help for these people. Sir, I am tempted to appeal to the Government to consider a balanced budget. Many in this House have spoken about the need to stimulate the economy. However, it is also good to have that small budget surplus for this coming year. The Minster has assured us that off-Budget measures will be considered if the situation warrants it. In this instance, the surplus will definitely come in handy. On the other hand, using part of the surplus to assist companies to grow and develop, as well as to help families tide over their finances during this difficult period, is an investment in a better future for all. The question is how much of the surplus to use now or later. If we use all of it now and things get worse, we may end up facing a negative growth with no surplus to fall back on. If we tighten our belts too much, we may end up with heavy pockets but the economic flu may turn to pneumonia. We need to avoid the temptation of emptying out our pockets, but we must take measures to stimulate the economy so that we are in a good position to strike at the next economic boom. I support the overall thrust of the Budget, but I urge the Government to address some of the concerns I have raised. Sir, I support the Budget Statement.”
“Sir, the move to continue giving rebates on HDB service and conservancy charges and rentals to citizens is indeed welcome by many. I noted some unhappiness among citizens living in 5-room flats as to why they have been left out. Given the current economic difficulties, they too would feel the pinch. However, I am sure they would understand that these measures are meant to help citizens in certain income brackets. There is, however, a group of people which I am concerned about. These are the very poor, perhaps destitute who often have no social networks to rely upon. Some, I believe, are on public assistance. The full impact of the regional economic crisis could lead to price increases. In this regard, I wonder if this group of people would not be affected. I would urge the Government to consider increasing the public assistance amount to this group of people. It would show that despite our difficulties, this Government does care for those who are really in need. Sir, the week after the Budget was announced, I came across two groups of people wanting to see me during my meet-the-people session. The first was a group of people running small businesses at HDB shops and the other was a family running a stall at a wet market. The former was complaining about fines levied on them for displaying items along the corridors fronting their shops. They complained bitterly about poor business and how it was difficult to make ends meet. The latter group wanted to give back their stall to HDB due to bad business. Bad or slow business seems to be a recurring theme whenever I do my market visits. I know that all businessmen complain of bad business even in good times. It is a business strategy to evoke sympathy from potential customers.”
“But the Government can do little things to calm our financial jitters and to allow us to face the expected difficult time in a stronger psychological state of mind. Can we consider, for example, increasing childcare subsidies so that working parents can concentrate on doing a good job at their work place? Can we not delay the increase in the maid levy? I am sure we can find other ways to bolster the staying power of our fellow Singaporeans. Sir, I welcome the Government's move to continue investing in the young. I see there are many students in the Strangers' Gallery. Spending on education will not be reduced despite the economic uncertainty. This emphasis on the continued importance of human resources is the right signal to send to the ground. In this context, measures must also be introduced to continue to protect our young from unhealthy addictive habits such as smoking. I am glad to note that duties on cigarettes will be increased in line with our national policy to discourage smoking, especially among the young. Sir, I would encourage the Government to increase the duties even further. Despite all the campaigning to discourage smoking, anecdotal evidence shows that it is on the rise. All in all, smoking is something we can have less of and even possibly eradicate from Singapore. But I understand that Singapore being a cosmopolitan society and wanting to attract foreign talent must be careful not to unnecessarily alarm people with draconian measures. Nonetheless, Sir, I would support any further increases in duties on cigarettes if it helps to protect our young from wasting their health and damaging their future. The income earned from such duties could be put to good use, perhaps in some of the areas I have mentioned earlier.”
“Finally, as noted by the Minister, small companies still lag behind in the area of worker training. I hope we can do something to ensure that SMEs do not lag behind even further. We must not allow some SMEs to dismiss as a hollow platitude the Government's view that during this period, we should consolidate, build up our core capabilities and strengthen our fundamentals. It is the role of Government to ensure that confidence in the economy and market place is restored quickly. Everyone and not just the business community must feel confident. I agree that it is important for the people to support and have faith in this Government's ability to govern and to protect, especially people's livelihoods. But how do we achieve this with this Budget? How, to borrow a term from Admiral Teo, do we ensure that our people sector can ride out the coming storm and come out of it better off than they were before? What can Government do to encourage optimism, strengthen resilience, and promote strong work ethos among the people in this difficult time? The last thing we want is for the people to throw in the towel. Financial incentives to encourage workers to train are one good way. The ordinary worker, however, may feel hard pressed to go for two or more jobs during this period instead of going for some training programme. Training programmes for some will be at best a difficult option with uncertain payoffs. And what about people who do not require training? What about people who stay put in their job and help their companies to grow? What about those who choose not to migrate but instead decide to hang in here with all of us? What can we do for these people? Yes, I do agree that we must all realise that things will be difficult this year.”
“Such successes would show that these programmes can assist these companies in building their core capabilities and developing adequate in-house expertise that will help them to ride out the economic crisis that may hit us this year. On the same point, Sir, I am somewhat disappointed that there are no special provisions in the Budget to assist SMEs to become more competitive. I understand that the LEFS scheme is a useful device to help companies continue their operations. This is important. But can we do more to help these companies to grow and develop core capabilities? Sir, I share the view of the Finance Minister that the role of government is to ensure that good business conditions prevail. Given the current regional economic crisis, shaping up confidence internationally and domestically has become all the more important. Yet it may appear to some SMEs that confidence domestically does not seem to come their way. For any SME, an investment into a new product or service is a major undertaking. In this time of uncertainty, they would be cautious as any wrong move may wipe out their entire operations. While we do not want SMEs to go into bad investments, we also do not want them to be overly cautious. An undue fear of risk ultimately may not be good for their continued good and development. The Government is in a good position to assist SMEs in this area and to bolster confidence in their potential. I share what Mr Lim has just spoken. Sir, can the Government consider increasing funds to the SMEs to allow them to invest in new areas so as to stimulate the economy? I am not advocating corporate welfarism. Perhaps, we could consider an arrangement where both the SMEs and Government share the risk in new areas of investment.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget Statement presented by the Minister for Finance, Dr Richard Hu. In fact, after this year's Budget Statement was delivered on 27th February 1998, a Member of this House remarked to me that he wished he was working in the financial sector. This summarises a commonplace perception that this year's Budget is primarily aimed at bolstering the financial sector. Perhaps given the economic downturn and the difficulties faced by certain financial sector players, this emphasis on the financial sector is understandable. But the economic downturn is not restricted only to the financial sector. Hence there is a perception that the Budget does not go far enough to help other sectors of the economy and the ordinary man. Sir, I would like to express my concern here, especially for small and medium-sized companies. The move to expand the scope and range of the Local Enterprise Financing Scheme (LEFS) is indeed welcome, given the credit squeeze companies are facing today. Companies benefiting from this scheme are invariably small or medium sized. However, some have expressed concern that the smaller SMEs may also be "squeezed" out by larger SMEs who are expected to enjoy the lion's share of the benefits of this new initiative. I would urge the Government to ensure that all deserving companies are able to enjoy this scheme without regard to their size. Last year, I spoke about the need to encourage SMEs to undertake research and development work. I wonder if the Minister could enlighten the House on the successes of the programmes undertaken by PSB to help SMEs grow and develop.”
“Rather, regulations are needed to ensure that the Singapore electorate is given a fair and honest chance to examine parties and their manifestoes and ideas. If we allow parties to use videos, we endanger what we have achieved thus far in our political life. Do we really want this? Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“At the same time, we must also ensure that Singaporeans have adequate means of examining political parties and their programmes for themselves. Parties can now publish newsletters, books and periodicals to disseminate their ideas, programmes or opinions on current policies. Parties can also broadcast their local messages during election time. These dissemination opportunities need to be kept open and protected to ensure a healthy contest of ideas. This amendment is, in fact, a reflection of an ongoing process in our society. As society changes and new technology develops, we would need to re-examine our regulatory framework for political discourse. This re-examination will need to seek the proper balance between the need to provide political parties with the opportunity to disseminate the ideas and stimulate political discussion and the need to prevent the McDonaldization of political campaigning. Sir, even though I support this amendment, I do have some concerns. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, we are moving towards a more participatory-style of Government. It is an attempt to involve more people at all levels in order to create a thinking nation. Given this new thrust or attempt to create a more participatory political culture, we should ensure that any legislation must be clear and precise in setting the parameters of unacceptable political activities. We must ensure that non-partisan groups, such as those raised by Mr Chew Heng Ching, which can make a positive contribution to policy-making are not frozen out of the process. The regulation of political life is not borne out of a desire to simply restrict political discussion.”
“Visuals can have an impact that far overshadow and even distort the substantive issues or messages raised in a campaign. The excesses of American political campaigning made a very big impression on me during my stay in the US. During the presidential contest between Michael Dukakis and George Bush, the Republicans launched an advertisement which in effect reduced Dukakis' prison reform programmes to that of releasing unrepentant and dangerous prisoners. The famous Willie Horton advertisement highlighted the case of Willie Horton - a prisoner who committed a crime shortly after being released on a weekend furlough programme in Massachusetts, which was the home state of Dukakis. The advertisement was aired continuously throughout the campaign and this led to a significant opinion shift to George Bush. Dukakis' prison programme and crime prevention record as a whole went largely unexamined by the American public. As the Willie Horton case illustrates, the use of videos can lead to the sensationalisation of issues, reducing the contest of ideas to a process similar to that of selling soap or detergent. I do not think we want political contests in Singapore to go down that road. Yes, we need to protect the Singapore electorate. Yes, there will be those who will argue, such as Mr Simon Tay, that Singaporeans are smart enough to discern the honest leader from the snake oil salesman. But do we really want to take our chances and then have to repair the damages? Even in a mature democracy such as the US, slick political advertising can mislead the electorate. I would rather that we take proactive steps to ensure that sensationalism and demagogic appeals have no place in our political process.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill. I believe there is a need for us to plug some of the loopholes which have surfaced over the years due to changes in technology as well as to strengthen the deterrent effect of the Act through increased penalties. New provisions to prevent the use of minors in obscene video trafficking are also timely. I believe these provisions dealing with obscene films and videos need no further discussion, as evident in the statements made by Members earlier. However, the Bill also sets forth new provisions dealing with political films and videos. When assessing this part of the Bill, the basic question that we need to ask is what sort of political life we want for Singapore. There are currently various avenues and ample opportunities for political parties to disseminate their ideas and programmes. Political parties can publish newsletters, books, and periodicals at any time of the year. During election time, they are given air time to broadcast their message and programmes to the Singapore electorate. While there are those who decry the lack of opportunities, I believe political parties do, in fact, have the opportunities to provide Singaporeans with detailed and in-depth information through publications and broadcasts. So the point made by the hon. NMP, Mr Simon Tay, of unequal impact may not bear with altogether. Yes, I do agree that at first sight the restriction on political videos and films may appear heavy-handed. However, on further reflection, I do believe that Singaporeans would agree that it is better to put the cap on the genie than to let it out of the bottle. Highly visual media such as videos present a greater danger as manipulatory propaganda tools than publications.”
“Could the Minister take a more proactive approach?”
“Sir, I wonder whether the Ministry could consider taking a more proactive approach in terms of reviewing transport needs, especially working in tandem with upgraded precincts. Every time we move around and meet some of the residents from the upgraded precincts, they are very happy with upgrading, but they are always unhappy about when the transport system will be reviewed and upgraded to move in tandem with the upgraded flats.”
“Sir, in view of the problem that has been raised by the Minister and Encik Ibrahim, I wonder whether MUIS and the Minister have considered approaching the Saudi authorities to increase the quota. Evidently, based upon the amount that they are paying outside the official system, the pilgrims can well afford to pay for the packages that we have in Singapore.”