Yatiman Yusof
Singapore
“I would like to ask whether this concept would be incorporated together with the parks development, and whether MEWR is working closely with the National Parks Board. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Yes, Sir.”
“In areas where there are both land and water bodies, such as East Coast Park, Sembawang Park, Seletar, MacRitchie and Bedok Reservoir Parks, the gardens or park developments often end at points where the land meets the water.”
“We work hard in stimulating growth for this sector and then work towards providing the manpower needed either by bringing in talent and expertise from abroad or training them locally.”
“Facing an open sea, it could be developed into a seasports centre for those who love to go yachting, boating, sea-kayaking, wind surfing and even sports fishing. The untouched Semakau Island could be a unique place for nature lovers to view its fauna and flora.”
“If they do so, they would have to chalk up the difference with cash. I appreciate the assistance that the HDB gives to them by allowing them to defer their payments, but this does not solve their problem. I also know that in some instances, HDB did consider the request on a case-by-case basis.”
“Sir, since 2003, the MDA has worked with MediaCorp to subtitle the Prime Minister's National Day message, something which Ms Olsen said is not a big deal, but we have made a start.”
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“For the NCMP's information, there are 72 news organisations or agencies in Singapore, and there are currently 37 cable TV channels in Singapore, of which more than three-quarters are foreign channels like the CNN, BBC and CNBC, transmitted through SCV, some of which had even featured the hon. Member in their programmes. In addition to these, there are more than 5,000 publications, including Time, The Economist and AWSJ. Sir, Singapore has become an international media and financial centre precisely because we allow a free flow of information within our country. Singaporeans, including the Opposition MPs, have many channels of communications. Opposition Members can publish party newsletters, write books and host Internet websites. In effect, you can say and publish anything you want within the boundaries of law, and this applies to the Speakers' Corner. There is no pretence about it. These are facts. Sir, Singaporeans have used all these openings to their fullest. We understand that a new generation of Singaporeans have shown that they want to be heard and that they have views and suggestions to contribute. We are listening to them. So it is evident in the way they articulate their views robustly in frequent letters and complaints to the domestic newspapers. A study of the forum pages of local newspapers shows that readers have been much more forthcoming in expressing their opinions on a range of issues over the past few years. If the Member cares to look into the letters that had appeared in The Straits Times' Forum page for the last one week commenting on Kendrick Tan Cheng Kang's case, he would understand what I meant. A writer, named Benjie Pedro, whose name sounds a bit foreign to us, had this to write about the Forum page, in November last year.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the NCMP moved the Adjournment Motion on three grounds. First, he is dismissive about the Speakers' Corner. Secondly, he thought that the Speakers' Corner is a great pretence, because of the conditions tied down. Thirdly, there is a need for registration, and the question why the speaker's name and speech need to be recorded. I thought he would come up with something really big, really philosophical, but he was merely playing the old records. Sir, I rise to oppose the motion made in the name of Mr J B Jeyaretnam. The Constitution of Singapore provides for the right to freedom of speech and expression. We have no need for a Speakers' Corner to prove that this freedom of expression exists in Singapore. The Speakers' Corner must be seen in perspective - it is no more than an additional venue for Singaporeans to speak up on issues of concern to them and it is free of licensing requirements. The Speakers' Corner is set up in response to calls for an outdoor venue where people can speak on any subject they want to without prior application for a licence. It is an exemption from the Public Entertainments Act. There is a big difference between having to apply for a licence and just putting your name down and a few other details before proceeding to deliver your speech. Registration does not require approval; it is just a notification, and a check for eligibility. Sir, the NCMP talks about the absence of free speech in Singapore. We have always had free speech. Indeed, no other city in Asia has the same ready access to local and foreign news wires, magazines, television and radio channels and the Internet for our citizens to communicate their views.”
“Anyway, Sir, he had asked the same question in 1993, 1996 and 1997 without fail. I am offering the same reply. I am afraid my reply will be nothing new to him. I would like to inform him that the children's libraries here are built with the support of the NLB according to certain planning parameters such as geographical factor, population density, age group, proximity to other libraries, and not according to the parliamentary constituencies. We are targetting 100 CCLs and our objective is eventually to have it everywhere, hopefully, including Potong Pasir, many, many years later. Nevertheless, if Mr Chiam is impatient, there is nothing to stop him or his Town Council under his charge to set up his own library subject to the approval of the HDB and other relevant authorities. After all, Mr Chiam himself said that it costs very little. Just put tiles on 10,000 sq ft area, put up a wall and hence we have a library.”
“The building will incorporate the latest technology to transform the library into a borderless library with state-of-the-art facilities and connectivity to information all over the world. Mr Chew also asked about IT initiatives to increase library utilisation. Since 1995, with its NL.Line, NLB has opened its doors to a network of borderless libraries, linking the publicly funded libraries in Singapore to overseas libraries. The amount of information available on-line, such as databases, CD-ROMs and optical discs, has grown tremendously that library users can now access some 400 databases and news services worldwide. The NLB has created a network of borderless libraries by co-operating with overseas sources of information including the National Library of China, Shanghai Library, British Library and Russian State Library. The NLB has also developed a Student Virtual Community (SVC), launched in September 1999, to connect students to the information world and promote interaction over cyberspace. More recently, the NLB spearheaded the creation of HuayiNet, a major resource portal on the Chinese Diaspora. This was launched last month. Sir, Mr Chiam See Tong has asked for a neighbourbood library in Potong Pasir. Somehow he assumed that there has been some favouritism. But I think he did not get his facts correct. The Marine Parade Library was set up not as a new library but as a replacement of the old library. The old library in Marine Parade, known as a regional library, has already been there since Marine Parade Town was built. Secondly, he appears to be exaggerating the danger of travelling in public areas in Singapore, picturing Singapore as though it is like New York. I think he has overdone it.”
“To help make Singapore an attractive Film Centre, the Commission is currently studying what countries with more mature film industries offer in terms of business incentives and film financing and how we may learn and adapt from them. These alone, however, are not enough. Creative scriptwriters, talented film-makers and good business and marketing sense are also crucial. Sir, to turn Singapore into a thriving film industry hub including 3D features will thus require sustained effort to develop talent in all aspects of film-making and sound business and marketing acumen, essential elements to a vibrant film industry. I am hopeful that slowly but surely we shall get there. Mr Chew asked about the special features of the proposed new National Library Building. The National Library is Singapore's main repository of books, information and resources. The new building must reflect Singapore's aspirations to be a learning nation. It will be a one-stop library, offering an integrated learning experience with its special reference libraries such as the Singapore Heritage, the Arts and Business Libraries. For example, the Singapore Heritage Library will hold a comprehensive collection of all materials on or about Singapore. It will be a world-class centre for research on Singapore. The new library building will also house the Central Regional Library. Collectively, the building will house about one million library books and other library materials. In addition, the building will also have a multi-media centre, exhibition hall, auditorium and a select range of outlets like cafes and other shops to enhance the library experience of the visitors.”
“Sir, Dr Ho Tat Kin and Mr Ravindran asked about the development of our film industry and of Singapore as a film centre and whether we have enough local talent. Sir, the formation of the Singapore Film Commission in 1998 was timely as its role of nurturing and supporting local talent in film-making, the production of Singapore films and a film industry in Singapore will help us towards our goal of becoming a Film Centre. Last year in this House, it was reported how the Commission has been helping the local film industry in three main areas: talent development, facilitation and financing. For talent development, the Commission gives out scholarships, bursaries and grants for film-related courses and programmes. Sir, the Ngee Ann Polytechnic's Film Sound and Video School works closely with the Commission. As the local film industry grows and foreigners choose to produce their films here, we envisage a shortage of film professionals, which we gradually have to build up through continuing programmes to nurture local talent and by bringing in foreign talent to supplement them. Facilitation is a key initiative of the Commission. Local film-makers can and indeed do come to the Commission for help either for a general letter of support or for specific requests. Film-makers sometimes still have difficulty with some agencies and we are working with them to see how these can be resolved. In the area of financing, the Commission gives out small grants to makers of short films. Dr Ho raised the matter of co-productions. I understand that discussions on two co-productions with Singapore producers are underway, one with Canada and the other with Indonesia. The Commission also works closely with the Economic Development Board, the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Arts Council.”
“MITA, of course, will continue giving its support wherever it can. On the Red Lion National icon, Dr Toh See Kiat feels that there is a need to regulate the use of the Lion icon, which is our national icon. The Singapore Lion symbol, introduced in 1986, has been widely publicised, used and accepted as our national symbol. It is included in MITA's National Symbols kit where guidelines on its use are given. The symbol is already protected under Rule 14 of our Trade Marks Rules and internationally under Article 6 of the Paris Convention. Only Government organisations are allowed to use the symbol. Other organisations wishing to use the symbol must seek MITA's permission. We are constantly looking at ways to promote its usage in keeping with its image as our national symbol.”
“Noted script doctors have been invited to run script seminars and script laboratories in Singapore to encourage the growth or the production of better script writers. A Facilitation Committee will help film-makers by making it easier for them to obtain permits for location shooting and other necessary requirements from Government and statutory boards. This Committee will also help run courses to educate film-makers on the legal and business aspects of film-making. They are also looking to develop and widen the pool of technicians, such as lighting and camera people. Mr Rai said that he was impressed by what he saw and what the Australians are doing. In actual fact, we have sent a study group to places outside Singapore, including Australia. So the Film Commission, from the experience of the visits that were made, will work with the Economic Development Board and the relevant agencies to help the industry such as in the setting up of post-production facilities and granting of further tax incentives. We must remember that world-wide, film-making is a risky business as no one can predict whether a film will succeed or fail at the box office. But I am hopeful that with proper planning and encouragement, Singapore can become a regional centre for the film industry. With regard to Mr Peh's comment on TCS' film-making venture, we welcome the move. TCS' Raintree company, which has widely advertised in our local TV, has produced its first movie Liang Po Po, which was a success at the box office. There is certainly synergy between the TV and film industries, not just in terms of the common pool of talent and actors that they all share, but also in terms of the supporting industries. TCS' move will therefore result in a more vibrant media scene.”
“Details of the festivities have been announced and reported in both local and foreign media. Time magazine, Sir, for instance, carried a positive report on our proposed festivities. This is the report [indicating] that appeared in the Time magazine. And may I ask the Clerk of Parliament to distribute them to hon. Members? [Copies of report distributed to hon. Members.] More information will be found in the Millennium website and released to the media in the course of the year. 6.00 pm On the promotion of film industry, Mr Chew Heng Ching and Mr Shriniwas Rai spoke of promising prospects of the local film industry and called for more incentives to help film makers. Mr Peh Chin Hua said that TCS should produce more local films and show them in cinemas. With the success of Money No Enough last year, things are looking good for our local film industry. Liang Po Po made quite a successful debut recently, and it is reported that 12 other films will be released this year. Incentives such as the Pioneer Incentive Scheme and the Development and Expansion Incentive, which allow tax holiday of 5% to 10%, or a reduced tax rate, have been offered. A few companies were awarded these incentives in the early 1990s but there were not enough films being made then. Today, there is greater optimism. People are seeking for new ideas, looking for new locations, trying to angle into the new growing industry. On our part, the Singapore Film Commission has set up committees to help film makers. A Funding Committee will invest up to $1 million on four feature films and $200,000 on 40 short films every year. It recently awarded some $300,000 to two local film-makers, quite a big amount for our standard. The Film Commission will also support the development of good scripts.”
“On the millennium celebrations, I think Mr Chew is right in saying that, strictly speaking, the new millennium is not in the Year 2000, but in the Year 2001. Even a person like Arthur C. Clarke, the famous science fiction writer, feels so strongly about people calling next year a new millennium that he issued a public statement to correct it because the Gregorian calendar starts with Year 1 and not Year 0. The 21st century does not actually begin until 1st January 2001. Nonetheless, the year 2000 has a profound psychological effect on many of us and our sense of time. Most countries have indicated that they would celebrate the millennium. Do we intend to do so? Yes. Together with the rest of the world, Singapore will welcome the new year with a host of events. MITA is coordinating these events, which are organised by both public and private sectors. Starting this month, they will span 18 months. These events will mostly ride on existing programmes such as the Arts Festival, the National Day Parade and the usual year-end light-ups and countdown shows. The incremental expenditure should not be significant. President Ong will launch the Singapore Millennium 2000 Logo on 20th March 1999 together with Singapore's Millennium website. The logo will serve as a visual unifier for the whole range of nation wide celebrations, with its accompanying slogan "A Shared Heritage, A Common Vision". Some of the other activities include commemorative markers, such as time capsule, sculpture and a Millennium clock. Millennium coins and stamps and a new series of currency notes will also be issued. A number of countdown shows at various parts of the island are also being planned. These bashes will set the mood for Singaporeans to ring in the new century as one people.”
“Thank you, Mr Jeyaretnam. There was an academic study conducted in 1995 on the perception of the domestic press in Singapore. This study has shown that overall, about 70% of the random sample of people approached thought that the quality of the local newspapers was good and only 3.5% thought that the quality was bad or very bad. More than 36% of those surveyed said that they had a lot of confidence, some 54% had some confidence, and less than 10% had little or no confidence in our newspapers. I felt that the independent survey conducted by an academician is a clear indication of the kind of support that the newspapers are getting.”
“The Minister, in answering a question earlier, had said that we do not think that we should apply high-handedness in imposing censorship. So there is such a thing as an alternative media for us to go into. For the reasons I have stated, I urge Members of this Chamber to reject the motion.”
“Mr Low Thia Khiang said that the SPH newspapers are like flowers blooming from one stem, if I may translate correctly his metaphor. But he again insinuated that it was not independent and casts doubts on the merger of the Sin Chew Jit Poh and Nanyang Siang Pao into Lianhe Zaobao and asked why Shin Min decided not to be together. I think the people who run the newspapers will have valid commercial consideration as to why Shin Min must remain Shin Min and not being bound together and why Sin Chew Jit Poh and Nanyang Siang Pao are kept together. In Malaysia, where they have a similar paper, they remain so. It is best that we do not speculate because I believe that it is purely a business consideration. The question of NPPA, big bosses having close relationship with the Government and the psychology of fear and the rice bowl issues that he played up, as I have pointed out earlier, have no basis because I myself had experienced that. On the points made by Mdm Claire Chiang, I respect her position that she believes that there must be competition and an alternative view prevailing in Singapore. But she leaves it for the market to decide whether this competition and provision of alternative view via the press could be sustained commercially. But when we talk about competition of ideas, the press is not the only media where such competition could take place. People are talking about having a Hyde Park corner in Singapore for free speech. In fact, our Internet is far more effective, more blunt, and a more frank form of Hyde Park and it spreads far beyond the shores of Singapore. I think that is the avenue in which everyone can move into and use.”
“The whole point of management shares is so that newspapers, which are important national institutions, are run responsibly in the interest of Singapore. Today, as I said earlier, the majority of the management shares are held in the hands of the private people, by established corporations which are among those which have significantly contributed to Singapore's success. Fifthly, Mr Zulklifi also talked about setting up of a Press Commission or, what he said, a Press Council. In Singapore, many different professions have come together to establish bodies to cater to their respective professional interests, set guidelines to self-regulate their industry and so forth. For example, the advertising industry has come together to set up ASAS and the broadcasters have set up the Broadcasters Association of Singapore. If the media fraternity is keen on setting up a body like a Press Council or Press Commission, I think it is for them to decide. Finally, he suggested that by providing freer environment, there could be a community-based newspaper being set up at the local level, say, town council. I would like to assure the Member that, as the Minister has assured during the Budget Debate, the avenue is open. And if it is commercially viable, why not? Somebody should take the lead. But we should leave it to the town council or the regional council to decide. Currently, the town councils I understand, are having their own monthly bulletins. If some of them thought that they could run a daily or weekly publication, it is up to them and I think MITA would look at their application seriously. I would also like to comment on views expressed by other speakers.”
“Therefore, the Government has no control whatsoever over the appointment of the editor or director of the SPH because the remaining two-thirds of the voting powers are in the hands of private companies such as the Great Eastern Life Assurance, OCBC, Overseas Assurance Corporation Limited, UOB, OUB, Fraser and Neave. These are companies with tremendous credential and they were successful because of their independent mindedness and these are the groups that are holding majority share in the SPH. I think once and for all, let us go through the figure, compute and see whether all these assumptions, presumptions and imputations are true indeed. But let me assure you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that this is not so. Referring to the speech made by the NMP, Mr Zulkifli, I am encouraged to hear that Mr Zulkifli feels an unfettered press is not for Singapore and that some checks and guidelines need to be in place. In his speech, he gave six reasons why he supported the motion. He believes that there should be, first, competition, and second, there must be debate and newspapers must provide these two elements - debate and competition. His third and fourth points are inter-related. He talked about having an independent but non-adversarial newspaper and claimed that the Board of Directors and the editor of the SPH are generally perceived as biased or pro-Government. And for that reason, amongst others, the SPH has credibility problem with its readers. I have explained in terms of numbers, management shares which have been shrouded in darkness, that is not so. The Government does not appoint editors or the Board of Directors, though the Government's approval is required for any person to hold management shares.”
“Let me first take some time to explain this management share and the fear, implication and imputation that the management shares had been the key factor in - (a) resulting with the Straits Times or SPH group losing its credibility among its readers; (b) the feeling of fear among the editors, hence, self-censorship among them; (c) the income from advertisers; and (d) the belief that editors can be changed. I asked for some figures on these, the total list of the SPH shares. The management shares that we are talking about - every newspaper will have two types of shares: ordinary shares and management shares. For each management share, the holder will have 200 votes. Let us go through the figures. The SPH has, as I was told, about 3.4 million management shares, multiplied by 200, it is translated into 740 million votes. Out of these 740 million votes, two-thirds of the votes belong to private companies. Only one-third of the votes, of these management shares, are owned by the Singapore Telecommunications Limited, the DBS, POSB - three major banks plus people that the NCMP had named, such as Mr Lim Kim San, Mr Michael Fam, Mr Lee Hee Seng, Mr Wee Cho Yaw, Mr Tang I-Fang, Mr Tjong Yik Min, Mr Cheong Choong Kong. These individuals of 10 persons have total votes of 2,000. Together with these Government-owned companies and the 10 people, we have not more than one-third of the share. With one-third of the share, can we vote to change the director or the editor of a newspaper? Simple arithmetic will say that this is not possible.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. If that is the case, in an open market, in a free market, readers would react and the readers' reaction did not confirm Mr Jeyaretnam's assertion that they are being deprived and denied of information. So where is the logic of his argument? And he argued that his principle of freedom of information and press is not only western-oriented, it is being practised in India, Thailand and Sri Lanka. I just want to ask him this question: yes, I agree, but at what cost? Look at Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. They find great difficulties in achieving consensus and moving the society towards one direction, therefore providing long-term benefit to every individual in society. Is that not a more basic right than merely giving the right of expression? So these are the points which, I believe, must have been misread by the NCMP and I hope his presentation would not influence our mind. Then he argued too that in order to be democratic, we must believe in what SM had said in 1950s and 1960s. We have to accept that time has changed and it requires intelligent-minded people, rational people who believe in the future of the society, to think along the line where the overall benefit of the community is being secured first. Many speakers had used the NPPA as an argument. I think all of them, except one, used this argument either to hint that because of the NPPA and the presence of the management shares, the editors and journalists are afraid, as what Mr Low Thia Khiang said, that the "rice bowl" factor can cause them to think twice and protect their interest. I was an editor before, for many years. I must confess to the House that under no circumstances did I move away from performing my duty as a responsible editor of a newspaper.”
“He argued by saying that people have the right to know. Is he saying that the local press which have shared increased circulation over the years have been denying the readers from the information that they were looking for? If that is the case, is it not only logical for the readers to react by not buying the newspaper and thus reducing the circulation? If that is the case, how do we reconcile the point raised by my colleague, Mr Peh Chin Hua, that the circulation of all the newspapers, The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian had increased? Lack of choice? I think the answer is quite clear.”
“We do not stop reports which disagree with the Government. As an international trading and financial centre, it is not in our interest to stop such reports. But local and foreign newspapers must allow the Government to correct their unfair or inaccurate reports. This is important because the Government must be able to put across its case to Singaporeans to which it is responsible. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the question is whether the local newspaper is partisan as it does not, as both of them claim, give the Opposition sufficient coverage during the GE. This is a matter of opinion. Many of our fellow PAP MPs were complaining that they were not given enough coverage, far much less than the Opposition during the GE. On one-to-one, on per square inch covered by the newspapers during the GE, I can bet the Opposition got far more coverage than the Government candidate. Let us measure the pages, see the pictures, and see its quantum coverage, including the heading. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the NCMP, in his long speech, said that press freedom is the hallmark of a civil society and insists that a free press is an important institution to achieve the targeted freedom of expression. Let me remind the hon. Member that in any country, America included, there must be some rules pertaining to expression. I read a report some time ago, when Rupert Murdoch wanted to buy a radio and TV network in America, he could not do so because he is not an American. He is an Australian. So I think it is not fair to impose demands on Singapore when in other countries, where the NCMP had quoted widely on the so-called right of expression and freedom, they are also having their own rules. And we understand that this is highly necessary for a society to have some regulation, otherwise it would not work.”
“The press can disagree and debate on national policies with the Government, encourage public dialogue and convey divergent viewpoints. We do not control the press. We do not control what the press publishes. They are free to publish what they want based on their editorial policy and professional judgement, provided they uphold and protect our national interests and national cohesiveness. For our society to hold together, it needs institutions and high points which citizens look up to. The media has the responsibility to preserve these high points and not diminish them unnecessarily. Public surveys have shown that the local press is well regarded by Singaporeans. Its credibility among Singaporeans is higher than the credibility of the established Western newspapers among their own readers. The NCMP, Mr Jeyaretnam, calls upon the Government to announce its readiness to grant a licence to a newspaper company. As pointed out by the NMP, Mdm Claire Chiang, it is academic because it is a hypothetical question. The party has yet to submit a request. I would like to inform Members in this Chamber that in March last year in this House, during the Budget debate, the Minister for Information and the Arts stated that if the market can accommodate another newspaper, we will not disallow it. Like existing newspapers, a new newspaper must operate within the NPPA. One requirement is that newspapers published in Singapore must not come under foreign control as they must feel a deep sense of responsibility for Singapore. They must guard Singapore's interest when dealing with sensitive issues such as defence, internal security, race, language and religion. Newspapers which circulate widely here must also give Government the right of reply, a subject which the NCMP had raised earlier.”
“Every region, every country in the world, would like to have their own perspective. Whether it is in the Middle East during the Middle East War, or even during the Falklands War, there is need for the countries in the region to establish their point of view, their perspective and to convince the world that there is another viewpoint. And for Singapore, such perspective is even more crucial because Singapore is a compact city-state populated by people of different races, languages, religions and cultures. Racial and religious emotions can easily be whipped up and passions inflamed by irresponsible rabble rousing. We also live in a complicated region which requires us to manage our foreign relations in a sensitive way. In short, Singapore has managed the information flow by not blocking it. And we believe in it. We would not block it but by stating our point of view in competition with the world view. So our local media understand this position and they share this position. Our newspapers have a "Singapore" perspective, seeking to forge consensus and facilitate nation-building. They understand that they best serve Singapore by accurate reporting, clear analysis and intelligent interpreting of events and developments through Singapore eyes for Singapore minds. The local press, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, has not adopted an adversarial role just because news organisations in some countries have done so. Singapore does not subscribe to the US model of the press as a "fourth estate". We have never and we will never. I am happy to note that the NMP, Mr Zulkifli too, believes in a non-adversarial press. However, it is in the interest of Singapore to have a press that reports accurately and objectively.”
“NCMP, I am sorry. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Singapore is an open society and an international trading and financial centre. As a financial centre, our markets must be as up to date as other major financial centres, such as London, New York or Tokyo. Singapore's economy is powered by a free flow of information. In recent years, we have also become a media hub. Today, no city in Asia has the same ready access to news wires, magazines, newspapers, television channels and the Internet. There are currently over 40 cable TV channels in Singapore, of which more than three-quarters are foreign channels transmitted "live" through the Singapore Cable Vision (SCV). These include news channel like CNN, BBC and CNBC. The BBC has a 24-hour FM radio service operating in Singapore. International news agencies, such as Reuters, Bloomberg, AP, AFP and Nikkei are all represented in Singapore. Singapore is also served by numerous foreign newspaper magazines. The well-known ones among over 5,000 foreign publications like Time, The Economist, The Asian Wall Street Journal have significant circulations here. Singaporeans, including the Opposition, have many channels of communication. No matter how they argue about the coverage during the election, Opposition Members can hold public meetings, publish party newsletters, write books and host Internet websites. The fact is that Singaporeans have many avenues for the free exchange of ideas and views. Because there is such a diversity of news and information services, we need a "Singapore" perspective. The NMPs, Mdm Chiang and Mr Zulkifli, may use different languages but both believe that there is this need for a "Singapore" perspective. This "Singapore" perspective is important to hold us, Singaporeans, together. This is nothing new.”
“The latest date for public housing to be fully cabled will be March 1999. For the benefit of the Member, Jurong will be fully cabled by March 1999. As for the other areas, Bukit Timah will be cabled in December this year; Jalan Besar and Bendemeer, by January next year; Yio Chu Kang and Tanjong Pagar by March next year. GRANTING OF LICENCES TO INDIVIDUALS TO OPERATE TAXIS (Government's policy) 6. Mr Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Communications if he will outline the rationale for the Government's policy of not granting licences to individuals to operate taxis. Dr John Chen Seow Phun (for the Minister for Communications): Sir, prior to 1975, taxi licences were issued to individuals to operate taxis. However, this arrangement was unsatisfactory. Taxis were poorly maintained. There were malpractices and abuses. And some owners of taxi licences were not driving but hiring out their taxis to others and simply collecting rental. Worse, syndicates emerged to control and exploit taxi drivers. The result was unreliable and unsafe taxi services. Commuters suffered. To upgrade taxi services, we have since 1975 issued new taxi licences only to bona fide taxi companies or organisations which have the resources and expertise to manage the pool of drivers and fleet of taxis. As a result of this policy, today the three taxi companies, namely, Comfort, CityCab and TIBS, operate a combined fleet of 15,900 taxis. Commuters enjoy a wide range of services, including Premiere Taxi Service, Mercedes Cabs, London Cabs, Airport Direct and even Cab-Pooling services. Under the new policy, anyone can obtain a taxi driver vocational licence from LTA and rent a taxi from one of the taxi companies. Nobody, I repeat, nobody has been stopped from earning a living as a taxi driver.”
“Currently, the CCL is built with the cooperation and sharing of the cost with the PCF. There is a formula that we work out. You have to come out with some amount and the National Library Board will come out with some amount too. It is not so much the issue of dollars and cents. It is made on the basis whether geographically, in terms of utility, the place deserves to have one CCL. This is the basic question that we have to tackle first.”
“Mr Goh Choon Kang raised the question about the provision of a library at Braddell Heights. Under the Library 2000 Development Plan, Singapore will have five regional libraries, 18 community libraries and 100 community children's libraries (CCLs). I think this answer will also be relevant to Mr Chiam See Tong's question. Of these, three regional libraries, 11 community libraries and 100 community children's libraries will be built in Phase 1, and the remaining under Phase 2. When we decide to build the libraries, we consider a number of factors. Among them is the size of the new town, whether it is big or small and what is the density of the new town. The second factor is accessibility: how close the library is to the public transport hubs, such as the MRT, bus interchanges and so on and so forth. And also the spread of the existing libraries over Singapore. Based on these criteria, the library serving Serangoon New Town will only be built in the year 2004, which is under Phase 2. In view of this, I think there is no possibility of co-relocating a new library with the Braddell Heights Community Club because the time frame is not feasible. Meanwhile, we have plans also to have the CCL for Braddell Heights and it is expected to be open in 1998. On the question raised by Mr Chiam, whether there will be a library in Potong Pasir, as I said earlier, we will consider the location of the CL based on the demand, population density and accessibility. As far as the CCL is concerned, yes, we plan to build 100 CCLs in the year 2003, but it must be located within walking distance. With that, I must say that it is not necessary for every constituency to have one library. I would say that it is a remote possibility for Potong Pasir to have such a library.”
“I think that is the thinking of MITA's approach and it is working very well. We think that it is worthwhile to give it a try. 2.30 pm”
“I am glad to hear that the Indian community is getting together to organise their own Speak Tamil Campaign. This follows a similar effort by the Malay groups. Basically, the Government supports the Speak Mandarin Campaign, Malay Language Month and the Speak Tamil Campaign. Technically, the Government is capable of coordinating this. But we are not so sure whether this is the best and effective way really to promote the campaigns. There are quite a number of reasons. Firstly, whilst the Speak Mandarin Campaign emphasises on the use of Mandarin as a language itself, the Bulan Bahasa month, for example, emphasises more on the use of correct Malay and Bahasa Baku. And I think for Tamil language, the emphasis is different because not all Indians speak Tamil. There are so many other Indian languages too. So we thought that it is better for the Government to allow the community to take the leadership with the Government providing the necessary support. For example, while MITA is helping with the Speak Mandarin Campaign, the Committee to Promote the Use of Mandarin is led by Prof. Wee Chow Hou of NUS and he has four sub-committees. Each of the four sub-committees is chaired by people from the private sector. So we thought that the initiative by the community group would be the best solution to the promotion of language. On the part of the Government, we provide them with the financial support and we are quite happy that the private sector is also forthcoming in giving their support. For example, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Singapore Press Holdings are holding this annual oratorical contest and other Mandarin promotion activities. SPH is equally supportive of the Bulan Bahasa month, for example, by giving the committee financial contribution.”
“Sir, Mr Choo raised three questions. The first question is related to whether it is possible for SBA to give rebates on TV licence for senior citizens. Currently, there is no provision for SBA to provide rebates. Besides, there is only a small number who request for some consideration because of their economic condition. On the average, there are only two requests per month. The SBA offers payment by instalments for those who are facing difficulties. The second point is whether there is a survey conducted on fees charged by SCV and whether they are happy with the programmes provided. SCV is currently conducting its own inhouse survey on response from the residents. I am sure they are equally concerned about promoting cable TV and they are doing everything possible to get feedback and, in the process, looking into ways and means in which they could provide better services. After all, they are going to be a competitor to the existing TV services. The third point is whether it is possible to make some kind of arrangement for payment of TV licence fee through the existing bodies, such as HDB, and so on. The Government, in principle, is looking into this arrangement. Some time will be needed to work out the formula and over a period of time, we will be able to look into it and come out with a suggestion.”
“Between 1994 and 1996, the Ministry banned only the publications belonging to the International Bible Students Association. The reason is that the Association was part of the Jehovah Witnesses Group which is unlawful in Singapore. There were seven publications belonging to this Association that were banned. No other local or foreign publications were banned. During the same period too, a total of 2,628 new local publications and 157 new foreign publications were granted a licence to publish and circulate in Singapore. CHARTERED AMMUNITION INDUSTRIES PTE LTD (Loss of investment) 5. Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Finance how much has been lost by the investment of Chartered Ammunition Industries Pte Ltd (a subsidiary of Singapore Technologies) of $1,600,000 in Sino-Singapore Medical Disposables (Pte) Ltd.”
“Previously, the Ministry of the Environment has given opportunities to those who are old, handicapped and the unfortunate so that they could run hawker stalls. But now the opportunities are not there, they are required to put up their tenders. I feel that those who participate in such tenders are those who have the money. Therefore, how could we assist those who are unfortunate, who are unable to get employment, who are unable to obtain their stalls so that they could carry on with their living and have a better life. I would like to support the motion by the Member for Bukit Timah.”
“Otherwise, the increases in prices will continue to be in their mind. I hope, as I have said previously, we should follow the Telecom pricing, that is, from $50, it was reduced to $40, because of competition. But despite that, they have a multi-billion dollar profit. I hope the success of SingTel could be emulated by other Government departments or agencies so that it will not directly affect the people or save the expenditure of the people as a whole. Mr Speaker, I agree with the Ministry of Education's effort to inculcate in our students, especially from primary schools to tertiary level, the National Education programme. But I hope the Ministry of Education will look into the question of whether the teachers have been given a wide perception of the issues which have been raised by the adult students, especially those from the colleges or universities, and may be difficult to give a rational answer. I hope this should be considered and intensively thought over by the Ministry of Education so that it will not raise unsatisfactory response from the adult students. In this connection, I also hope that MUIS will take this opportunity of using what has been provided by the Ministry of Education in the area of National Education and promote it among the full-time Madrasah students so that they will be inculcated with the national spirit of Singapore. I hope the Ministry of Education should provide such facilities if they are required by the Madrasah schools in future. Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I have found from the speeches of our leaders that we hope those who are poor will become rich and those who are unfortunate will become fortunate, and that the living standard of all Singaporeans will be comfortable.”
“Therefore, we are always calm and we will always think over it before giving our response. I would like to congratulate the people of Singapore who have not reacted according to their whims and fancies against the action that has been taken by our neighbour. I hope this orderly way will continue in the future and it will be followed by the next generation, with God's grace. In this way, we should also be careful because Singapore has a multi-racial community. In this dispute with our neighbour, there is a possibility of some roughs who will inflame and stir the feelings of the races who are not successful and escalate it into a racial issue. This will affect the peace and harmony of living in Singapore. I hope every community should continue with the present characteristic by living together in harmony and respecting each other. In this way, any rough who would like to inflame any race into reacting will not be successful and will not affect Singaporeans of different races, religions and languages. Mr Speaker, after the general election, I was given a lot of congratulatory speeches but in a sinister way some said that there were many things that would happen, especially the increases in prices. The perception of these voters is that once the PAP has won, we will hear about increasing prices eventually. This perception may be true. We have heard about the increases in bus fares and there will be many more that are coming. Therefore, the perception of the voters is quite true and I hope we should think over this in future and all the statistics given by the voters should be reviewed or scrutinised. If we are able to space out these statistics and give them out, maybe they will not have such a perception about things.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there is a vast gulf between what is reality and what is perception and the bridge to reality from perception is time and effort. When the Member spoke about the situation in Iran, it was naive of him not to sense things going on in Iran moving towards the anti-Shah movement. So information is important. And it is also inaccurate for the Member to say that the Government here did not strive and did not make an effort. When the Prime Minister introduced the concept of interlocking relationship, what does it mean deeply inside? We were sincerely, honestly and vigorously pursuing this kind of cooperative relationship. But there is a need to have mutuality in this, and that is the factor which is absent. That is the one that creates the gulf which Mr Chiam did not see it. And what led us to view his view as rather naive was that he did not see the indications that things are not moving towards that direction. Encik Harun bin A. Ghani (Hong Kah GRC)( In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, Singaporeans are lucky to have a Prime Minister and his Cabinet who are open-minded, rational, firm and positive in their attitude. The charisma of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet has brought about the same characteristics among Singaporeans to be rational, open-minded, positive and also calm in their reaction. Therefore, all the demonstrations and speeches that have been made against our leaders in Singapore, we also feel the painful reaction. We are angry. We are unhappy but we are still open-minded, rational and positive in our attitude. And we did not pick it like small children. This is one of the examples of the charisma of our Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers which has been emulated by the people of Singapore.”
“When the Member for Potong Pasir asks a question about the economic union, the point that we want to make here is that we make a distinction between what is perception and what is reality. In yesterday's debate we were dealing with reality and figures showed that there were no investors coming to Singapore in 1964. Our economic growth was negative. Those were the realities. Mr Chiam deals with perception. It is his perception. He is entitled to perceive that in future, this economic union could be a reality. He can cite Europe. We can also cite what happened to North and South Korea. Those are the realities versus perception. So I think if you want to continue with this debate, it is better for us to understand the psychology of what made the reality in 1965 and what are the expectations now. We had tried through ASEAN, working through our ASEAN economic project. It did not take off, because the ground, the climate was not fertile for such an idea. Perhaps Mr Chiam's idea could be a reality in 30 years' time. But we are talking about now. Mr Peh Chin Hua (Jalan Besar)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to seek a clarification from Mr Chiam See Tong. I fully agree with the views of the Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Tang Guan Seng. Mr Chiam See Tong is proposing a union with Malaysia. May I ask him, as the Secretary-General of SPP, does he think that there is a possibility of a union between SPP and the PAP? If he thinks so, will it not be just a wishful thinking of his own?”
“But you say "playing in the property casino".”
“I just want to ask Mr Low to make a very clear stand on this issue. He had earlier applauded when Singapore agreed to have this case on the forensic finding to be taken up by an international arbiter. Our basis for agreeing to an international arbitration on a forensic matter is because forensic is a science by itself. But when he said that our agreement of allowing the independent forensic examination to be done as our willingness to have the judiciary to be examined internationally, I think he is mixing oil with water. Our judicial system has been proven to be transparent, factual, able, and we have stood the test of time. The fact that we agreed and decided to sever our Appeal Court from the Privy Council in London is a clear indication that we are confident of ourselves. But the Workers' Party Member of this House insists that because we have agreed on a forensic matter, we therefore should agree to have an international arbitration to decide on the facts and law on the Flor Contemplacion case. If that is so, what would be the Workers' Party's stand if supporters for the late Van Damme insist that we should take this matter to the international court? And there are so many other cases in which the Singapore court had, based on facts, found a person guilty. Will the Workers' Party then insist that every such case should be referred to international arbitration? This is the question which the Workers' Party must answer, as a matter of principle.”
“Sir, I am not so sure how the Member for Bukit Gombak arrived at the figures that he mentioned and the conclusion he came out with. But just as Dr Michael Lim, I share our concern affecting the poor. Sir, Singapore has been known to be most prudent in managing the financial assistance of the poor, the sick and the disadvantaged, and those incapable of supporting themselves and their families. The thrust of our policy is that such assistance should not blunt the initiative and discourage them from becoming overly dependent on the Government. We are happy to learn that the Acting Minister for National Development is actively looking into helping those belonging to the lower income bracket and those renting the HDB flats to own them. And this year's Budget, the Minister for Finance is seen as a Minister who is pro-people too by presenting his pro-people's budget. I am sure the Acting Minister for Community Development may wish to consider moving in tandem by reviewing the Public Assistance scheme to meet the increase in cost of living, GST, etc.”
“Those unlucky ones may have to go through 10 ballotings, and I have come across a case where they have gone for 14 ballotings. This means having to wait for three to four years, which is not unusual, before they are assured that they are finally getting their flats in about two years' time. So the total waiting time could be five to six years, a long waiting period indeed. Although this system has been refined by giving priority to non-upgraders, the unhappiness remains. Similar problems, though not much less severe, are facing those wishing to rent flats as the number of rental flats too is rapidly declining. In view of this problem, I would like to join my colleagues, the Members for Thomson GRC and Bukit Batok, in urging the Minister to review the current system and policy on HDB flat allocation. I would appeal that we go back to the old system of first-come-first-served basis.”
“Sir, I would like to share the view expressed by my two colleagues who spoke earlier. Sir, the HDB is synonymous with Singapore's success story. It is not only providing housing for the people but also it upholds our philosophy of transparency and fairness in allocating flats to Singaporeans. Its ability to empathise with the need of all people is admirable. It is also known to be responsive and sensitive to the changing and rising expectations of Singaporeans. However, it is in the last part of this unconsciously pursued image building process that the HDB tends to face some big problems, and "some" refers to the question of policy and method of flat allocation. Sir, in the old days, the flat allocation policy was based on a simple four-word rule: first-come-first-served. There is tremendous merit in this approach. It is transparent, it is simple, non-controversial and very widely perceived as fair. However, in its eagerness to improve its service to the people and to meet the diverging tastes, choices and needs in the ever-improving quality of flats, the walk-in selection and the quarterly balloting system were introduced. Many Singaporeans, especially my constituents, are unhappy with this new arrangement. This is because under the current situation luck tends to rule over certainty and in the minds of the applicants, transparency becomes blurred. When certainty is a must for those planning ahead for marriage or are going for upgrading, the failure to match this with the availability of flats within a predictable time-frame can be very frustrating. Of course, some are lucky while others are very lucky. After a try or two, they got their flats.”
“So it is something we should encourage. Members will remember that I mentioned in this House before that Mr Low Chuck Tiew contributed some of his paintings to the Hong Kong Museum. I met Mr Low Chuck Tiew a few months ago and I found him a treasure house of knowledge about Chinese calligraphy and Chinese arts. His depth was marvellous. So I invited him to be an adviser to our Asian Civilisations Museum, and he has accepted. This is the way we will do it. We will co-opt expertise where they are available. We will train where we can, and we will recruit where we can. In this way, we will maximise the chances of success for our entire effort in heritage. But I am pleased to note that the ground is much more favourable now. Without having hard statistics to support me, but just on the basis of my subjective impression, I find many young undergraduates showing great interest in the arts and, many who are overseas, sometimes against the wishes of their parents, have decided to do courses in art history, in archaeology and so on. This partly reflects the fact that the job prospects for culture and heritage in Singapore are much better today than they were, say, five or ten years ago. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [BG George Yong-Boon Yeo]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE GOODS AND SERVICES TAX BILL (Motion)”
“Mr Goh Choon Kang raised the problem of a lack of professional expertise in the museum area. That is very true but we are now working very hard to overcome this lack of expertise. The National Museum has been recruiting. We have also been buying expertise in the form of consultants and we are prepared to engage foreign curators if local curators are not available. I think what we want to do here is not to be excessively nationalistic, but to source expertise wherever and whenever expertise is available. Take, for instance, the present peranakan jewellery exhibition at the National Museum called "Gilding the Phoenix". I commend the exhibition to all Members. It is very well done and it is a splendid collection. I myself was surprised when I toured the exhibition with the First Lady when she opened it, that the Peranakans in fact have a separate set of jewellery just for mourning. They call it tuahar jewellery, which is all white. So I asked the curator, "How did this come about?" because it is not in the Chinese customs. Neither is it in the Malay customs because the Malays do not have tuahar. So it is a mutation, a curious adaptation of Chinese mourning practices in the use of white for mourning and the Malay's love for ornamentation and jewellery. This exhibition was curated by a young man called Mr Edmund Chin who used to work for the Monetary Authority of Singapore and who took a whole year off just to work on this exhibition. So for him, it had been a labour of love. I overheard the conversation between him and the First Lady and he was talking in the Peranakan patois, and they were enjoying themselves fully as they went through the exhibits. So here is the National Museum co-opting talents outside the Museum and to the benefit of all of us.”
“We have the Singapore Heritage Society and indeed last year, when we had an exhibition at the Ford Factory, the work was largely done by members of the Heritage Society. So I am thinking of establishing a Heritage Trust which should be a civic organisation supported by the National Heritage Board, an organisation which is somewhere in between a fully private and a fully public body. I think that way we will be able to strike a balance between getting people outside to help us and at the same time giving them enough support so that they will not be running around trying to raise funds all the time. And it is very important. If you look at the gun emplacements at Labrador Park and many other such sites in Singapore, the grass is well trimmed and flowers are planted, but it is not the same. When you visit a site and there is someone to tell you the story, it comes to life and then it achieves its full value. Otherwise, you just pass it by as another ruin and the whole import misses you. Mr Yatiman Yusof was concerned that owners of premises which are being investigated for possible historical artefacts may be left uncompensated. Let me assure him that our objective is not to cause inconvenience to them. Indeed, we have to minimise inconvenience and if compensation is justified, then compensation will surely be arranged. As to his concern that the residents of Kampong Glam have not been kept informed of the proposal by Mr Ridzwan Dzafir's working committee on the Malay Heritage Centre, I will ask the committee to consult freely those who have lived in the area or who show a special interest in the area, so that when the Centre is finally established it will become an organic part of what is, in fact, a very historical location in Singapore.”
“They may not appreciate, young as they are now, art in all their aspects, but they should at least know. One day, they will recall, and they will recall with satisfaction and they would have improved in the process. But, of course, we must make it easier for the teachers by providing explanatory booklets and maybe simple quiz sheets so that the teachers at the end of the day can ask the students to put something down. And maybe those who do well in these quizzes can be given small gifts or maybe hamburgers at a fast-food joint or something. I am sure we can work out some such ideas to make it more lively and more interesting for our young school children to visit heritage centres. On Mr Ho's concern about some of the sites in Singapore being not well maintained and with stories untold, this is a problem which has vexed MITA for some time. Last year, in conjunction with the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the fall of Singapore, we made a special effort to spruce up these sites and, in fact, to open some sites which were never opened before, like the Percival Tunnel Complex at Fort Canning and the Johore Battery at Changi. But we have no organisation to keep these open. So after organising exhibitions for a few weeks, we sealed these sites and it may be some time before they are reopened. I am against the National Museum taking over all these sites because the National Museum is already over extended. I think their plate is already over full with projects. But at the same time, this is an area which we should not neglect. So I am thinking of a way of co-opting members of the public, individuals and corporations, who are interested to help us.”
“Sir, I am also glad to know that the Government is encouraging every community here to set up its own heritage centre. For example, for the Chinese community, a museum on Chinese emigration will be set up at the former administration block of the Nanyang University. This is a very significant project. The Government has also promised to provide financial assistance to the various communities in this direction. I believe that this kind of work needs not only financial assistance but also expertise. I would like to ask whether the Government has any plans to help these various communities by providing them with the necessary expertise. Sir, I support the Bill. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank Members for their encouragement and support. Let me first answer Mr Ho Peng Kee's concern that when we develop community heritage centres, each community will be interested only in its own ethnic heritage. That will be wrong. I fully agree with Mr Ho that we should encourage mutual sharing and mutual understanding so that a Chinese Singaporean, for instance, should feel somehow that the Mahabarata, the Ramayana and the Hikayat Hang Tuah are somehow a part of his heritage, a part of his inheritance, and feel enriched by it. And vice versa; that the Malays should also see in the Chinese and the Indian something which makes them what they are today. I will take Mr Ho's suggestion that MITA should monitor the pattern of visits to these centres when they are established, and indeed MITA is already working with the Education Ministry to encourage our school children to visit exhibitions at our museums. For instance, the exhibitions of Imperial China at Empress Place are truly outstanding and it is a great pity if our school children are not marched through.”
“" The National Heritage Board, when established, will be able to work towards the preservation of our cultural heritage and artefacts and create favourable conditions for this purpose. Apart from material conditions, we should also have some talents in this field to come forward to do the work. Unfortunately, I believe that we are in dire shortage of such talents in Singapore. So to carry out this work of preserving our heritage, I think we will have a great obstacle here. I would like to ask the Minister what plans he has to develop and nurture such talents that are so badly needed in Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, we know that we are a society that places emphasis on commerce, science and technology. People do not seem to give much weightage on culture and artefacts. Even in our own university, there is no Department of Archaeology. Even if we have such a subject, graduates majoring in the subject will not be able to find jobs easily. Now, with the establishment of the National Heritage Board and we are launching all our efforts to preserving our cultural heritage, we need more of such talents. I believe that, at the beginning, we may find it necessary to recruit such talents partially from overseas. But I hope that the Minister will not overlook the need to develop such talents locally. Mr Speaker, Sir, from my knowledge, there are people in Singapore who are interested in culture and in the preservation of culture. They have done some studies and research on this. I think we have such people around, albeit not many in number. These people are working quietly because of their own personal interest. I hope that after the establishment of the National Heritage Board, we will be able to take advantage of these rare talents that we have locally.”
“Sir, sometime ago, I raised in this House the question of acquisition of our cultural artefacts which could possibly be buried in Singapore, its surrounding islands and seas, and the possibility of introducing laws to effect their acquisition. In this connection, I wish to thank the Minister for incorporating clauses under the Miscellaneous Provisions in clause 46 the power to achieve this aim. However, the element of compensation or compensations to those who suffer loss as a result of the acquisition work is not clearly stated. Another question that I would like to ask the Minister is: since the effort to preserve or redevelop certain places or locations with historical significance will also involve some degree of participation from the communities who had been part of the life of such places, I wonder whether their aspirations and participation are given sufficient consideration. As an example, when we decided to preserve the Kampong Glam area, whether we had made the effort to seek for the opinions or views of those people who are living in this area. Sir, I support the Bill. Mr Goh Choon Kang (Braddell Heights)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, now that we have made certain achievements in economic performance, we are beginning to spend some time and effort on cultural matters and development of the culture of Singapore. To preserve our cultural heritage is an effort in the spiritual construction of Singapore. Therefore, I welcome the National Heritage Board Bill which seeks to set up a centralised coordinating statutory body for the preservation of our national heritage so that we will be better able to carry out the work of preserving our cultural heritage. Mr Speaker, Sir, as the Chinese saying goes, "to do a job well, we must have the good tools in hand.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill. Mr Speaker, no society could be strong and resilient if it detaches itself from the past. A Spanish-born American philosopher, George Santayana, once said, "Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness ... Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to fulfil it." Sir, for a country with a short history, such linkage to the past is a crucial factor in building the foundation for the future. It is an amalgam needed for the evolution of a great society. The setting up of the National Heritage Board with the objective of bringing the National Museum, the National Archives and Records Centre and the Oral History Department, therefore, must be seen in this context. After the setting up of the National Arts Council, the formation of the National Heritage Board is a logical step. The introduction of this Bill is. therefore, both timely and essential. Unlike my colleague who said that this is a bit too late, to me, Sir, the Bill is a first step that provides a seriously coordinated effort in proactively using the past to the optimum in educating the future generation of their past history and culture. In doing so, we are also meeting the challenge of whether we have the wisdom to use wealth to enrich and elevate our national life and to advance our quality of civilization. We have committed ourselves into the Next Lap and our varied past that stemmed from the rich Chinese, Indian and Malay civilizations are assets to us. The setting up of this Board, therefore, should ensure that these multi-cultural aspects of Singapore are sufficiently projected and represented.”
“Sir, hearing my Parliamentary colleague from Yuhua dishing out the divorce figure, it is quite depressing. In fact, the figure given by her was for 1990. In 1991, the figure has gone up to 12 per day. Twelve couples decided to go for divorce per day. Sir, I am not going to talk about the divorce itself. But what I am more concerned here is the side-effect of a broken family. We have cases involving various anomic behaviour such as vandalism, juvenile delinquency, higher failure rate in school, crime and violence, some even involving suicide as the side-effect of a broken family. We are aware that attention is given to couples involved in divorce. Proper counselling is given to them, if not by the MCD, by the lawyers themselves. However, what seems to be given less attention is those who are directly or indirectly affected by a broken family. I am referring to the children of a broken family. Right now, we are depending mostly on voluntary service organisations to provide the support services to broken families. The question I would like to ask the Ministry is, apart from the existing counselling and support services provided by the Ministry, what are the other steps it has in mind to help and assist children from broken families so that they will be able to live as healthy adults.”
“Because of this, Sir, we risk losing our real identity and also risk losing a precious instrument in which we are able to educate and build a framework of mind among the young to know their own country first before the other places. We have learnt from the past that Singapore has been accused as one of those metropolitans with tall, glass, modern towers and lacking in identity. Following that, we are working hard to preserve those that remain as ours - Tanjong Pagar, Little India, and so on. My point is that we have to learn from this, and in terms of names, it is critical for us to preserve our identity and to make sure that Singapore remains unique and known throughout the world.”
“As a result, Sir, we have names which are quite alien to us, such as, to name a few, Allsworth Park, The Aspine, Bullion Park, Casa Contendere, Palais Renaissance, or are difficult to pronounce, such as Casa Esperanza, The Collonnade, Juniper At Ardmore, La Ventura, just to name a few. But some are good examples where the developers are able to creatively mould the local element with the sophistication of the modern life. Such examples can be found in names such as Bedok Court, Balestier Tower, Arang Court, Pasir Ris Garden, Peranakan Place, Kismis View, Lengkong Court. As the target group of the buyers are young, well travelled, English-educated professionals with big salaries, the naming of residential estates becomes an even more delicate operation. Sir, the Advisory Committee tries to set guidelines to assist in a rational and systematic way of naming the streets and projects, to preserve historical names of the places, and, most important, to reflect Singaporeanness of such projects. Sir, upmost in our mind is the question of nation building and how this concept of nation building could be presented through naming of the streets, projects and buildings, so as to reflect our creative endeavour of preserving and enhancing our national identity. If market forces and popular taste are to be allowed to dictate the market, one day we will have California, Aspen, and some Japanese names appearing in the middle of Singapore landscape because the developers and those educated in such places are more interested in buying places with special names.”