Yeo Cheow Tong
Singapore
“Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Health in light of the recent report on fungal corneal infections (a) whether those who contracted the contact lens related fungal corneal infections will suffer permanent damage to their eyes; and (b) how long will his Ministry take to conclude its investigations into the causes of these contact le…”
“My Ministry performs a regulatory role and what we do is that we try to ensure that we have a conducive regulatory environment for the growth of this industry in Singapore. Let me tell him what we are doing in some areas.”
“Sir, on her two questions, whether we are satisfied that the school buses are collecting fares during the school holidays, as I mentioned just now, the school bus service is a contractual service between the parents and the service provider. It is therefore up to them to work out the terms and to abide by the terms.”
“Sir, on the first question, whether there is any abuse by owners of buses while using the 50% rebate, the answer is no, because LTA monitors very closely.”
“Sir, I have to repeat my answer. We are not responsible for regulating school buses and therefore will not be involved. SCHOOL BUSES (Installation of seat belts) 5. Assoc. Prof.”
“Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) if his Ministry will increase the cap of $10,000 per disabled person over their lifetime for the Assistive Technology Fund scheme; and (b) if not, whether there will be a flexibility to adjust the funding cap for this scheme based on the applicant's need, as j…”
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“Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Health in light of the recent report on fungal corneal infections (a) whether those who contracted the contact lens related fungal corneal infections will suffer permanent damage to their eyes; and (b) how long will his Ministry take to conclude its investigations into the causes of these contact lens related fungal corneal infections.”
“Dr Wang Kai Yuen asked why the two parking lots at Empress Place were removed. These two parking lots were removed to allow for better management of traffic flow along Empress Place. As Members are aware, Empress Place provides access to several buildings supporting the arts scene. As these buildings do not have public parking facilities, some limited public parking facilities were provided along the road. But they would not be sufficient to meet the entire parking demand of visitors to the various buildings. Instead, the nearby public parking facilities at Connaught Drive and at Parliament House are intended to cater to this demand. Despite the clear road markings to prohibit parking along certain stretches of the road, like around the bends, many motorists continued to ignore these restrictions. I believe Members would recall the incident where an illegally parked car caused traffic to come to a standstill along Empress Place in October 2005. This incident not only affected other motorists, it also significantly inconvenienced tourists visiting the area. We must avoid a repeat of such incidents. Therefore, a decision was made to introduce an added deterrence, in the form of yellow zig-zag lines to prevent motorists from parking illegally along the bends. The removal of the two parking lots along this stretch of road is consistent with the marking of zig-zag lines and will facilitate the Traffic Police’s enforcement action in this area. CONTACT LENS RELATED FUNGAL CORNEAL INFECTIONS 16.”
“My Ministry performs a regulatory role and what we do is that we try to ensure that we have a conducive regulatory environment for the growth of this industry in Singapore. Let me tell him what we are doing in some areas. Firstly, CAAS helps to open the overseas markets for the MROs by entering into agreements with other aviation authorities, to mutually recognise the work done by the MROs on foreign aircraft and aircraft components. Secondly, CAAS has been working with SIA and our other MROs on the servicing of new aircraft types, including the Airbus 380 and the Boeing 787. This will further expand their potential customer base. Finally, we will earmark additional airport land to support related activities such as airframe maintenance, business and general aviation, and small aircraft assembly. This will enable our aerospace industry to ride on the growing demand from low-cost carriers and the potential growth of business aviation in Asia.”
“They generated close to $11 billion in tourism receipts. Had we adopted a protectionist stance, our economy would have lost out, fewer jobs would have been created and Singapore would not be the vibrant tourism and business hub it is today. Sir, the Australian government has made its decision. It is a decision we have to respect. And we have to move on. We will continue to hold discussions with other partner countries to enhance our air links with them. In the meantime, we already have a reservoir of available air rights with many other countries that SIA and other Singapore carriers can make use of to achieve future growth. Sir, Mr Gan and Mr Ong asked whether we are negotiating for more routes and air rights for SIA and our other carriers. Let me assure them that we are. For this year, we will be discussing with several countries, and with our ASEAN partners, on additional air rights. In addition, the ASEAN Transport Ministers at our last meeting agreed on a roadmap that includes the lifting of all restrictions on passenger flights between ASEAN capitals by 2008. We have asked our senior officials to study this further and to accelerate the milestones of the roadmap and extend the proposal to go beyond capital cities to other points within ASEAN. Our aim is to have an open skies in ASEAN to realise the full vision of the ASEAN Economic Community. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Chew Heng Ching) in the Chair] 4.36 pm Sir, Mr Wee asked about what we are doing to help the maintenance and repair and overhaul (MRO) industry in Singapore. As Mr Wee has observed, the promotion of such industries comes under MTI. But we do work with MTI and EDB very closely on developing the whole sector as an industry that we want to develop in Singapore.”
“Sir, Singapore and Australia share very similar strategic and economic outlooks. We cooperate extensively in many areas, including education, trade, defence and security. We signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2003 which has augmented our trade relations and people-to-people flows. It was also affirmed in the FTA the commitment of both countries to achieve an OSA within a reasonable timeframe. Sir, the bilateral relationship is therefore a close and mutually beneficial one. We are confident that it will strengthen in the years ahead. However, the absence of an OSA means that the full potential of this partnership may not be realised. Mr Ong has asked whether we have done the right thing in being helpful and generous to Qantas in Singapore, and what leverage remains for us. As some Members have observed, we have already granted Qantas substantial fifth freedom rights in Singapore and no longer have this as a bargaining chip. But what we have done is the right thing. We must not lose sight of our main goals, which are to grow the Singapore economy and our Changi aviation hub. This means placing national interest over the interest of any Singapore carriers. SIA has had to compete openly against all the foreign airlines that we have opened our doors to. This policy has forced SIA to constantly improve its service quality, product offering in order to stay ahead. In the process, its customers have benefited immensely, and so has SIA. Sir, open competition is always in the consumers' interest. For instance, the entry of low-cost carriers and the competitive response of full-service carriers have reduced airfares and widened travel choices. This contributed to our record nine million visitor arrivals last year, a 7% growth.”
“First, let me thank Mr Ong Kian Min, Mr Andy Gan and Prof. Chin Tet Yung for their remarks on our attempts to get an open skies agreement (OSA) with Australia. Sir, I fully understand and appreciate their strong disappointment over Australia's decision to continue denying SIA the right to fly the trans-Pacific route. Sir, as Members are aware, we have been holding talks with Australia on the OSA for the last 10 years. Despite the delays and postponements that took place during this extended period, we have reasons to be confident, especially over the past three years, that we would be able to achieve progress on this. At the same time, the Government has, in good faith, unconditionally facilitated and encouraged the growth of Qantas Airways and its associate in Singapore, Jetstar Asia, at Changi Airport. Mr Ong and other Members have asked whether we have been misled by Australia. Let me explain the developments in our discussion with our Australian counterparts. On more than one occasion, there were clear indications by senior Australian leaders that both sides would work towards concluding an OSA. Our understanding was that the issue was largely one of working out an acceptable roadmap for the OSA to be phased in, taking into account the impact on Qantas. This was in fact agreed between the then Australian Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, and I when we met in Canberra in February last year. This was also widely reported in the mass media. We had, therefore, in good faith, expected the Australian government to honour its words and were hopeful that this issue would be resolved within a reasonable timeframe. However, this latest decision suggests that the Australian government has abandoned any commitment to work towards an OSA with Singapore.”
“Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked for seat belts to be required on school buses. Sir, if Dr Tan had been here a few days ago, he would have been able to take part as this was raised and debated. Sir, let me assure Dr Tan that LTA is reviewing this and we will have the decision in due course. We will definitely and carefully balance the need for safety versus the cost impact. Sir, Dr Wang Kai Yuen felt that the current segmentation of categories A and B distorts the allocation of car quotas and it is timely now to amalgamate them into one. Sir, I think the rationale for the current segmentation is still relevant today. The conversion of the COE prices for the two categories in recent years means that actually there is no great benefit to merging them now. There may be a variation of a few hundred dollars, usually. The times when the gap was so big, I think, are very rare. This is because it is hard for us to predict the future preferences for car sizes. For example, consumer preferences may change as fuel prices move up or down, or as big cars become more fuel-efficient, driven by the high fuel prices. More importantly, if the economy booms again, on a sustained basis, the demand for bigger cars may grow. As such, I think preserving the separate categories will safeguard the interest of smaller car buyers and there is, therefore, no immediate need to merge them. But let me assure Dr Wang that my Ministry will continue to monitor the trend and take his views into serious consideration should the recent trends of lower category B prices persist over the long term. International Maritime Centre”
“Sir, Mr Ang Mong Seng talked about wheelchair-accessible buses. Sir, let me assure Mr Ang that the pace of introduction of the new wheelchair-accessible buses is already very rapid. There is no way that we can change all the buses today, because it would be very wasteful. To try and retrofit the ramps on existing buses would also be very costly. What we are doing is we are going to fit the new buses as they come in with the ramps. The figures show that about 40% of the entire bus fleet will be replaced by those with ramps in the next five years. This works out to about 1,500 buses. We will be introducing 1,500 buses with ramps over the next five years. 4.00 pm Sir, LTA is working with the bus operators and the relevant VWOs to ensure that we have an effective deployment or plan for the limited number of WABs for the initial years. We will also enlist the help of the VWOs to publicise the bus services where these buses are being deployed. Every WAB will have a special wheelchair label prominently displayed at the front of the bus for easy identification so that the wheelchair-bound riders would know which bus to get on to.”
“So are they having an overly high rate of return? The answer is no. Actually, their rate of return has been very modest. I do not have the figures here but the rate of return is in the region of about 4%-6%, which, I think, for an operation with such an heavy capital investment, these are quite modest figures, as I am sure, Mdm Phua, being from the private sector, would appreciate. Mdm Phua asked about traffic congestion along Braddell Road. I would advise her to communicate with LTA and we will look into it. Sir, now, let me move on to Mr Chiam's questions. He has asked for the feeder service fares to be reduced. He quoted a fare of 90 cents for the LRT and 80 cents for the trunk service. Actually, the feeder fare is exactly the same as the fare for the trunk bus services. That means that for the feeder fares and the LRT fares, for people with the ez-link cashcard, the fare is 64 cents today, not 80 cents or 90 cents, as quoted by Mr Chiam. But if they pay by cash, the cash fare is 90 cents, and this is the same for both feeder services as well as for the trunk services. The cash fares are higher. For those who do a transfer, they enjoy a 25-cent rebate, that means those who take the feeder bus, they pay 64 cents, but when they transfer, they get a 25-cent rebate from that 64 cents. So, in actual fact, they pay only 39 cents. So the fares are already very low. And the advantage for those on the feeder services is that it is a flat rate. So even though they may travel a longer distance than the first bus fare band, they do not have to pay additional fare, like what those passengers on the trunk service have to pay. I think they are already treated very well, and they are paying a lot lower than what Mr Chiam had feared.”
“Sir, when compared with 10 rail and 10 bus operators from cities in Asia, Europe and North America, our two operators, SMRT and SBS, came up amongst the top in each of these four areas. For example, SMRT's rail system was consistently ranked the top three in the KPIs. For buses, the KPIs showed that SMRT Bus and SBS Transit came in either first or second in the KPIs. In terms of fares, which are normalised using the purchasing power parity or gross national income per capita for comparability, Singapore's public transport fares are amongst the lowest. Sir, our strong ratings are an affirmation of the quality of our public transport system and the operators. But I think our challenge is not what happens today, but how do we keep pace with the rising commuters' expectations. My Ministry, together with the PTC, would therefore continue to engage the key stakeholders to ensure that we continue to have a public system that serves the needs of most Singaporeans and that remains affordable. Sir, Mdm Cynthia Phua also asked how do we make sure that the PTOs do not just ask for fare revisions but use their reserves to reduce fares. Sir, let me clarify that, as the KPIs have shown, our system is among the most cost-effective and most affordable. This is well borne out by the past fare adjustments. Let me give her some data. If you look over the past 18 years, wages have gone up by an average of 182%. Our fares have gone up by only 17% for the buses and only by 33% for the MRT. That is because we deliberately kept the MRT fares very low for the first couple of years when the MRT started. So I can say that the bus operators have done our commuters a world of good, by keeping their operations very efficient and by keeping the fare increases very low.”
“One of the things you can measure, for example, will be how the individual bus services comply with the scheduled headways. At the moment, we lump them altogether, so it all looks very good. But there could be a few services that are actually having a very poor compliance. This will allow PTC now to identify exactly where are the problem areas. Mdm Cynthia Phua also asked whether we benchmark. Sir, yes, we do benchmark the operators regularly to ensure that they offer a quality service that is convenient, efficient and affordable to Singaporeans. Sir, let me explain how they have measured up. First, we do opinion surveys. The opinion surveys showed that the vast majority of the public is satisfied with our public transport system. That is the silent majority. The survey showed that more than 80% of the public respondents agreed that Singapore's overall land transport system provides adequate choices, and is well-integrated and efficient. In addition, our system is also rated very highly by foreigners when compared to Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris and Tokyo, which have very good and well-developed public transport systems. Besides the surveys, LTA also carries out benchmarking, which I have mentioned, and let me go into this. The four areas of benchmarking are: firstly, system utilisation, which measures how well the assets are used to generate revenue, without compromising on service quality and safety; secondly, fares, which give an indication of cost to the commuters and affordability; thirdly, productivity, which refers to how efficiently the resources are being used; and fourthly, financial performance, which in our case is important because, unlike most other cities, we do not subsidise operating cost of the operators.”
“This makes it less attractive for our workers to work there and, therefore, employers there have had to compensate them in some other ways for this inconvenience. Some employers pay a higher salary. Others offer a dedicated company bus shuttle for their employees because these shuttle services are faster, they are more direct and flexible, and can be customised to cater to their special work arrangements, like their shift hours. Sir, at the end of the day, the employment market in Singapore is an open and competitive one. Workers who are structurally unemployed will need to be re-trained for the jobs that are available, whether these are in Tuas or elsewhere in Singapore. And employers will need a competitive remuneration package if they wish to attract the right worker, in keeping with the demands of the job, their workplace, and the skills required. This applies definitely to employers in Tuas too. Sir, let me now move on to the points made by Mdm Cynthia Phua. She asked about the quality of service, whether we are setting QoS standards which are relevant to the commuters. The existing QoS standards, which were first developed in 1994, have been evolving in tandem with the service demand and the increasing expectations of commuters. To this end, PTC recently reviewed the existing standards, and they have come up with a new set. The revised set is now being refined by the PTOs for implementation later this year. The existing bus standards used to measure averages over a period of time, usually on a per week or per month basis. This does not really reflect the everyday experience very well. The new QoS standards will be more sensitive to individual incidents of, for example, overloading and long waiting times, and will better reflect the experience of commuters.”
“45 pm Sir, Mr Ong suggested that we carve Tuas Industrial Estate out of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) and allow other players to come in to provide mini-bus services. We have actually considered this before. Our conclusion is that this is not likely to lead to better service level at today's fares. This is because the bus ridership pattern is very peakish in Tuas, like in most industrial estates, and the travel time also coincides with travel time elsewhere, ie, whoever operates there cannot be using free capacity freed up because the buses are lying idle, and therefore be able to offer a low-cost service. Sir, without the USO, the bus operators will only ply during the peak hours, with very little coverage during the off-peak hours, in fact, little or even no coverage. Also, the bus operators operating mini-buses may not be able to enjoy the same economies of scale as SBS and SMRT do. So, in short, the workers in Tuas may be worse off than today, as there will be no guarantee that fares will be the same or lower than the current level, and the service may not be available throughout the day. Sir, I must admit that the employers in Tuas do face a bigger transport challenge and, therefore, the workers there face a bigger transport challenge than many other places in Jurong. For example, the travel time for bus commuters can be very long, in view of the sheer physical size of Tuas. Let me give an example. The four bus services that ply Tuas Industrial Estate take between 50 minutes to more than one hour just to go from the Boon Lay Bus Interchange to the end point of their service in Tuas, that means, that one-way trip can take almost an hour or more.”
“But this should be one-off measures to tide the lower-income earners over a difficult period and should not be relied on as a systemic or on-going measure. Sir, Mr Ong lamented about the reluctance of the PTOs to widen the use of travel concessions and season tickets. These are granted by the PTOs to various groups of individuals, such as pre-school children, students and senior citizens, to help lower their cost of travelling. These concessions remain the prerogative of the PTOs, and they are actually cross-subsidised by the majority of full-fare-paying commuters. The PTOs have, therefore, been very prudent about extending the travel concessions beyond the present groups, as it would ultimately result in other commuters paying higher fares. Sir, Mr Ong also talked about Tuas. First, let me assure Mr Ong that Tuas today is already adequately served by public transport. There are now four public services serving Tuas with a total fleet of 41 buses, and they link Tuas Industrial Estate to Boon Lay MRT Station and the Boon Lay Bus Interchange which are located together. SBS has planned its bus schedules to match the ridership, which is concentrated during the morning and evening peaks, with very low demand during the off-peak period. PTC has periodically checked and found that the bus services to Tuas are quite adequate. By 2009, the public transport to Tuas will further improve when we have completed the Boon Lay Extension. This will extend the East-West MRT line westward into the Jurong estate into the Joo Koon Circle area. There will be a new MRT station and bus interchange there. Workers will find it a lot more convenient and accessible when the facility is ready. 3.”
“But they were even much higher before. In Singapore, the Government is committed to helping low-income earners. This is well reflected in the Prime Minister's announcement in his Budget Statement of the $2.6 billion Progress Package. As Members know, we also have a host of financial support measures for low-income earners. In addition, MCYS adopts a many-helping-hands approach by partnering VWOs and community organisations, such as the CDCs, in reaching out to identify those genuinely in need of help and reaching out to help them. This system of general assistance focused on the low-income earners is a better way, instead of giving out subsidies to the entire population or by targeting subsidies at particular services. This allows recipients' discretion on how to use their financial assistance; it also prevents distortion of consumption patterns and avoids misallocation of resources. To take Mr Ong's example, I think it is better for us to provide financial assistance to his lower-income worker living in Tampines and let him decide whether to spend it on additional transport costs by taking a job in Tuas on the other side of the island, or to use the money on worthwhile things, such as a computer for his children. This way, we neither distort his travel patterns nor his needs. But when special circumstances require additional help to be given, we are ready and able to rally such support. For example, when transport fares were increased last year and the economic outlook at that time was still uncertain, the transport operators, together with the community organisations and the unions, were able to provide additional financial support targeted at the lower-income groups.”
“These "B" signals go green before the rest of the usual traffic light, and therefore the buses are able to move off before the rest of the traffic. This allows the buses a head start, to weave through the different traffic lanes, especially if they have to cross the road to make a turn later on. Sir, as an example of the new approach that LTA has taken, LTA conducted a trial for a full-day bus lane along Orchard Road recently. This helped to improve bus speeds by 15% from an average of 13 kph to 15 kph. As a result of the positive results, we will be implementing full-day bus lanes permanently along Orchard Road. LTA will look into the feasibility of extending this to other roads. LTA will also be deploying traffic wardens to ensure that bus lanes are kept clear during operational hours, complementing the Traffic Police's efforts of enforcement against illegal parking in the bus lanes. Sir, Mr Ong talked about his happy experience in London as a student when he was able to use the heavily subsidised concessionary passes. I would not join Mr Ong in extolling the virtues of the London system. This is because the low concessionary fares enjoyed by Mr Ong was a result of heavy government subsidies. The financial subsidies to cover operational deficits in London continue today, but it is under better control because the operation of buses and the maintenance of trains have been contracted out to private operators who undertake to manage the system more efficiently. But they are still running at a big loss and, therefore, have to be subsidised. Let me give an example. Last year, the subsidy for the London bus operations alone amounted to S$1.65 billion and the subsidy for the London Underground system amounted to S$2.25 billion. These are huge figures.”
“We have, as a nation, invested a lot of money on our MRT lines, and we owe it to the people from whom the funds came from that we optimise the use of our MRT system. That is why we have regulated the PTOs to ensure that there is minimal duplication of services along the parts of Singapore where the MRT line runs. But it does not mean that everything is cast in stone. There are some places where the MRT lines are already operating near to maximum capacity. At those places where the MRT lines are already quite fully utilised, I think there is scope for us to introduce bus services to complement the MRT services, and I will ask LTA to examine that. Sir, Mr Ong Kian Min asked about the priority measures to smoothen bus travel, and I think Mr Wee also asked about that, ie, the congestion on the road does not allow the buses to keep to their schedule. So what are we doing to help smoothen the bus travel? All bus systems in heavily built-up cities face the same problem of variable arrival times at the bus stops and bunching of buses due to congestion. Therefore, our experience in Singapore is not unusual or unique. To improve the general traffic flow, LTA will continue to carry out road improvement works, such as road widening where space is available, and improvements to the junctions and traffic light timings, etc. It will also work with PTOs on various traffic schemes to improve the reliability of bus services. The most common and effective one, which Mr Wee also mentioned, is the provision of the dedicated bus lanes along heavily-used roads during peak periods. Another measure is the "B" traffic light signals which ensure that buses are given priority at suitable traffic light junctions.”
“As Members are aware, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) has been enhancing the incentives for green vehicles. From 1st January this year, buyers of new hybrid cars can now enjoy a tax rebate equivalent to 40% of the car's open market value, an increase from 20% previously. This further narrows the cost differential between the green cars and the conventional ones. With the enhanced rebates, the annualised total cost of some green vehicles is similar to, if not lower than, those of conventional cars. But even though their upfront prices may be a little bit higher, green vehicle owners enjoy savings in fuel costs. Green vehicles tend to be more expensive than conventional ones as they do not enjoy huge economies of scale at the present moment. But I think this is likely to change in the years ahead. Firstly, more people are becoming more environmentally-conscious. Coupled with high oil prices, more motorists are therefore likely to go green. As a result, car manufacturers are responding with a greater choice of hybrid and other green vehicles. We are hopeful that more environmentally-conscious Singaporeans will also find green vehicles more attractive in time to come, especially if fuel prices remain high. My Ministry will continue to work with MEWR to continue to monitor the developments in the green vehicle market and to review the policies on a regular basis. Sir, Mr Wee Siew Kim asked for more competition between the different modes of transport in the public transport sector. Now I know why he was so interested, being on the Board of SBST. Yes, I think it will help SBST if there is more competition. Definitely. But I think we have to look at it on a national basis.”
“I will ask LTA to follow up on Mr Ong's suggestion. Sir, Mr Ong may also like to know that LTA is working with interested service providers to make traffic information available to motorists on a personalised basis, ie, the driver can find out exactly what to expect while he is driving, about the traffic conditions on the roads that he is going to be travelling on. Whether such a service will eventually be available will depend on the demand and, hence, its viability. This is because the service provider will have to make some investments and will therefore have to charge for such personalised information. Mr Ong also asked how LTA and the Traffic Police manage public events. When there is a major public event that is being planned, the current procedure requires the organisers to consult the relevant agencies, ie, LTA, Traffic Police and others, to identify the impact on road users and to implement the appropriate mitigation measures to minimise the impact. This would include traffic control plans at key road junctions and advance publicity of the event so that the participants and the general public are aware of the event and the potential traffic impact. Motorists are also advised to use alternative routes. I think Members would have noticed in recent months that there have been a lot of advisory messages on our signboards. I can assure Mr Ong that LTA will continue to work closely with the Traffic Police and event organisers to manage public events so that they do not congest the island too much. Sir, on green vehicles, Mr Ong has observed that the hybrid cars are still more expensive than conventional petrol-driven ones, and they are not that convenient to use because of lack of fuel points.”
“LTA will therefore be studying how to improve the expressway speeds during the evening peak. Sir, Mr Ong also commented that while 95% of the expressways are above 45 kph, the other 5% are below the threshold and a motorist would be unhappy if he is caught in the 5% of the expressway every day. I would like to explain that the traffic speeds are measured during the peak hours over the entire stretch of all our expressways. Even for the stretch within the 5%, the traffic speed is only marginally below the optimium speed range, ie, from 40 kph to 44 kph. Otherwise, the ERP would have been increased. Since the average motorist's journey would go beyond the affected stretch, he will be driving along stretches which are quite free-flowing and he will hit certain stretches that are congested. And since 95% of the roads are quite free-flowing, that 5% would only constitute a small part of his entire journey. 3.30 pm Mr Ong suggested colour-coding roads according to their travel speeds to better manage traffic jams. Sir, the colour-coding of roads according to different levels of congestion is already being done in the form of an interactive map on the one.motoring website. The different colours represent the different speeds the road will be operating at that point in time. Therefore, we would encourage motorists to consult the map before they start their journey. But for motorists along the road, LTA currently makes use of the electronic signs above the expressways to convey information on the on-going traffic conditions along the expressways and some major roads. I agree with Mr Ong that the messages could be more informative and helpful, especially in giving motorists an estimate of the time it will take them to clear the traffic congestion.”
“We will monitor the impact on traffic conditions closely and we will review the rate again in 2008. But I would urge Members to realise that in view of our land constraints, it is not possible to maintain the 3% growth rate indefinitely. Sir, Mr Ong asked what is the COE quota for the coming year. I am pleased to inform him that the total COE quota for 2006 is 131,127. This quota is just marginally lower than the original quota announced for quota year 2005, which was 132,581. The reduction is due mainly to a lower number of adjustment to COEs introduced for this year. Mr Ong also expressed concern that the KPIs for expressways seem to be declining. Let me explain. The KPI is an average figure derived from both the morning and evening peaks. Therefore, his observation that the KPI for expressways has dropped is correct. This is because the ERP system is managing the morning peak traffic very well. However, the traffic situation during the evening peak has been deteriorating. I am sure many motorists, including Members here, would have also experienced this. The percentage of expressways with speed above 45 kph in the morning peak was 100% in FY03 and 99.1% the following year. On the other hand, the percentage for the evening peak period has fallen from 98.8% in FY03 to 96.8% in FY04. This is quite a big drop. Overall, this has led to the average KPI declining. So without the ERP on most expressways during the evening peak, we can expect the average KPI to further decline in line with the growth of our vehicle population. That is why on 1st August 2005, we implemented the ERP along the north bound CTE during the weekday evenings, from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Since the introduction of the evening ERP, traffic speeds along the north bound CTE have definitely improved.”
“Sir, let me thank Members who have spoken on my Ministry's budget. I thank them for their views. Let me now proceed to answer the points that were raised. Mr Ong asked about the outcome of the vehicle growth rate review. Since the introduction of the VQS in 1990, our vehicle population growth rate, as Mr Ong stated, has been set at 3% a year. The rate was last reviewed in 1999, when we decided that it should be maintained at 3%. My Ministry has completed its latest review, and we have agreed and decided to retain the vehicle growth rate also at 3%, but only for the next three years. In reviewing the growth rate, we took into consideration our ability to further expand the road network, the traffic conditions on our roads, the extent of road charging, the planned development of public transport infrastructure and the need to allow more people to fulfil their aspirations to own cars. Sir, the vehicle population grew by 44% from 1989 to 2005, a period of 16 years, while the road network only expanded by 17%. Although the roads are fairly free flowing today, Members will agree that the traffic has definitely become heavier over the years. We have controlled congestion through the use of ERP, coupled with road expansion and improvement works. This has resulted in better utilisation of the overall road network capacity. Sir, however, our road expansion will slow down in the years ahead as we become more built-up, especially in the city areas. We envisage that, at the most, our roads will increase by another 8% over the next 15 years, half the rate of the previous 15 years. Having weighed the various considerations, we have decided to maintain the vehicle growth rate at 3% for three more years.”
“Sir, the reason why our school bus fares have been kept so low is the ability of the owners to use their buses for multiple journeys. If they were only to use them for that one trip a day, I am sure the cost of the bus fares would be much, much higher, and this applies to owners of both school buses as well as all owners of non-school buses. DEBATE ON BUDGET STATEMENT (Business Motion) Resolved, That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, an additional day, namely, Wednesday, 1st March 2006, be allotted for the debate on the motion for approval of the financial policy of the Government for FY 2006/2007 moved by the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance on 17th February 2006. - [Dr Lee Boon Yang]. QUESTION TIME (Business Motion) Resolved, That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, Question Time may continue for up to 30 minutes from the commencement of a sitting on the days allotted to the Committee of Supply on the Expenditure Estimates for FY 2006/2007. - [Dr Lee Boon Yang]. ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [17th February, 2006], "That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1st April, 2006 to 31st March, 2007." - [Prime Minister and Minister for Finance]. Question again proposed. 12.18 pm”
“Sir, on the first question, whether there is any abuse by owners of buses while using the 50% rebate, the answer is no, because LTA monitors very closely. The owners of such buses are required to submit a list of the school children they are carrying and this list is then checked with the school to make sure that it is a genuine list and not a list of phantom riders. Sir, on Prof. Ong's second question whether the 50% rebate on road tax would not offset the cost of the installation of seat belts, the 50% rebate is meant to put the owners of these non-school buses on par with the owners of school buses because, as I mentioned earlier, the owners of the school buses are exempted from the COE premiums.”
“Besides the one-time installation costs, this measure will also reduce bus seating capacity. This is because bus seats meant for two adults are currently allowed to seat three children below the age of 12. This 3:2 seating ratio would not be possible if seat belts are made part of the regulatory requirement, and this is likely to lead to higher school bus fares. LTA will also consult stakeholders and take into account other factors, such as other passenger-control measures, accident trends and statistics. Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim: Sir, from my understanding of the LTA website, bus operators can request for a 50% rebate of the annual road tax if they can justify that their buses are substantially used to ferry school students. My questions are: (1) Has there been any misuse of this benefit of the annual 50% rebate by bus operators claiming that they do ferry students while, on the other hand, their buses are being used to ferry operators and so forth? (2) Since these buses enjoy a 50% rebate on the annual road tax, would these annual savings of road tax not be able to offset the installation cost of the seat belts?”
“Sir, Prof. Ong Soh Khim asked for seat belts to be required on all school buses. Let me assure her that we also share her concern about the safety of children travelling in school buses. Currently, LTA has put in place a comprehensive set of safety measures for school buses which have helped them to achieve a good safety record. As part of the safety requirements, LTA imposes a strict vehicle speed limit of 60 km/h for school buses and requires the buses to undergo compulsory periodic inspections to ensure their roadworthiness. LTA also requires all school buses with licensed capacity of more than 30 children to have a licensed attendant to look after the safety of the children. An attendant is also compulsory for all buses carrying young children to kindergartens or childcare centres, regardless of the capacity of the bus. In addition, since January last year, all newly-registered school buses are required to install automatic hazard lights that blink to warn approaching motorists when the bus stops to pick up or to drop off school children. These buses must also have a reflective triangular 'Children Crossing' sign with red blinking lights at the rear of the bus. Again, another safety measure. Sir, as a result of these safety requirements, there have been no cases over the past six years of children suffering serious or fatal injuries while travelling on a school bus. Nonetheless, in view of the recent accident involving a school bus, we have asked LTA to review with the Traffic Police the circumstances leading to the accident and also the need to require the installation of seat belts on school buses. Members will appreciate that we need to consider this carefully in view of the cost impact on parents using such bus services.”
“Sir, I have to repeat my answer. We are not responsible for regulating school buses and therefore will not be involved. SCHOOL BUSES (Installation of seat belts) 5. Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for Transport whether his Ministry will legislate that all buses that are used to ferry school students be equipped with a seat belt for every seat given that the annual 50% road tax rebate that is given to these buses will have offset the cost of installing seat belts.”
“Sir, on her two questions, whether we are satisfied that the school buses are collecting fares during the school holidays, as I mentioned just now, the school bus service is a contractual service between the parents and the service provider. It is therefore up to them to work out the terms and to abide by the terms. If the parents do not agree with the terms, I am sure they can find other alternatives. Similarly, the second question on whether the consumers are exploited because the school buses pick up the students so early, I am sure the bus operators have got good reasons. Again, if the parents do not agree, they can always look for another school bus service or find other alternative means of transport. And the public transport system is right there for them to make full use of. Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim: Sir, I was a student myself in primary and secondary schools. I was taking the school bus then and my parents had to pay, although we were very poor.”
“Mr Speaker, as Question Nos. 3 and 4 are addressing the same issue, may I take them together?”
“The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) technology has been adapted for car parking applications. It has been applied at enclosed car parks with designated entry and exit points. ERP antennae would be positioned at the entry and exit points of the car parks to record the entrance and exit times of vehicles. The car parking charges are then deducted from CashCards inserted in the in-vehicle unit (IU) as the vehicles leave the car park. Prof. Ivan Png has asked about the application of the current ERP technology for use in streetside car parking, such as those along a road. The Land Transport Authority is open to working with the relevant agencies to provide assistance to assess the technical feasibility of adapting ERP technology for streetside parking in unenclosed areas. However, whether this is eventually implemented or not will depend on whether these agencies find it operationally practical and cost-effective to replace their current car parking systems with such technology. TOURISTS VISITING SINGAPORE (Figures) 3. Dr Geh Min asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the number of tourists visiting Singapore annually over the last 10 years; (b) what was the annual tourist revenue over the same period; (c) what is the breakdown of types of tourists, areas and patterns of spending; (d) what are the significant changes in (a) to (c) above; and (e) what are the projections of the above for the next 10 years.”
“Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) if his Ministry will increase the cap of $10,000 per disabled person over their lifetime for the Assistive Technology Fund scheme; and (b) if not, whether there will be a flexibility to adjust the funding cap for this scheme based on the applicant's need, as justified by the social worker and/or therapist from the volunteer welfare organisation or hospital.”
“Mdm Halimah Yacob asked if pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) will have lower steps to make them more accessible to the elderly and the disabled, and whether the new bridges that LTA builds will be elderly and disabled-friendly. As mentioned in our response to a similar query by the Honourable Member Mr Ivan Png at the last Committee of Supply, LTA has revised the design of the staircases of new POBs to conform to BCA's Code of Practice on Barrier-Free Accessibility in Buildings since 2000. The step heights of POBs have been reduced from 175mm to 150mm while the step widths have also been increased from 288mm to 300mm. As for existing bridges, the new standards will apply as and when they are due for replacement as it is not cost effective to conduct a massive replacement exercise. Going forward, LTA will look into providing ramps for POBs where there is a need, for instance, where there are no at-grade crossings nearby, and where space permits. Generally this applies to POBs spanning expressways and semi-expressways. In addition, LTA will also be implementing colour contrast strips at the edge of each step to enable the elderly and the visually handicapped to discern the steps better. Much as we would like to make POBs more accessible to the elderly and the disabled, it is not possible to provide ramps across-the-board, given that many POBs are located in densely built-up areas, with land-take constraints. In fact, at-grade crossings are more accessible than POBs and are the preferred form of crossing for the elderly and physically challenged. Therefore, to better meet the needs of this group, LTA will endeavour to provide more at-grade crossings at suitable locations. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FUND (Increase and flexibility) 3. Assoc. Prof.”
“Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for National Development whether the URA will reconsider its decision not to proceed with covering the canal and closing part of the front service road for pedestrian walkways in front of Beauty World and Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, which was a proposal published in URA's 2001 Concept Plan for the Anak Bukit area and which will provide better pedestrian connectivity and inject greater vibrancy into the area.”
“Taxis provide the convenience of a door-to-door service akin to private cars. Hence, taxis are allowed to stop to pick up passengers as long as it is safe to do so, and the traffic rules permit this. If street hails were restricted to specific locations, this would adversely affect the service provided by taxis and result in inconvenience to passengers, especially the elderly, persons with disabilities and those carrying luggage. Nonetheless, the LTA recognises that in certain areas where demand for taxis and traffic volumes are high, some measure of control over the stopping of taxis is necessary to prevent traffic obstruction. Hence, along certain roads in the CBD, taxis are not allowed to pick up or drop off passengers over the entire day or during certain time periods, except at specific taxi stops. This helps ensure that taxi boarding and alighting are carried out in a safe and orderly manner. According to Traffic Police records, there were 1,061 accidents involving taxis which resulted in injuries or fatalities in the first 10 months of last year. The Traffic Police does not track the number of accidents caused by the sudden stopping of taxis along the roads to pick up or drop off passengers. Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim suggested that taxi drivers should be penalised for stopping abruptly to pick up or drop off passengers at any location they wish. Like all other motorists, taxi drivers are required to comply with all traffic rules, and should not stop indiscriminately or cause danger to other road users. Taxis which breach traffic rules will be subject to the relevant penalties. Column No : 2121 URA'S 2001 IDENTITY PLAN FOR ANAK BUKIT AREA (Reconsideration) 4.”
“Owners and hirers of goods vehicles are allowed to use their vehicles to transport their workers to their places of work or business, so as to reduce business cost. To ensure the safety of workers transported in the rear of such vehicles, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has put in place a set of measures. For example, the workers must be safely seated at a height of not more than 3.2 metres from the ground and the vehicle must not travel faster than 60km/h. According to statistics provided by the Traffic Police, there were nine fatalities and 488 injuries to workers carried on the cargo decks of lorries and pick-up trucks in road accidents from 1st January 2000 to 31st December 2004. The breakdown is as follows: a) In 2000, there were 1 fatality and 94 injuries; b) In 2001, there were 2 fatalities and 115 injuries; c) In 2002, there were 1 fatality and 100 injuries; d) In 2003, there were 5 fatalities and 92 injuries; and e) In 2004, there were no fatalities and 87 injuries. When normalised, this corresponds to an annual average fatality rate of 3.6 per 100,000 vehicles and an annual average injury rate of 196 per 100,000 vehicles. The fatality rate is about eight times lower and the injury rate is about six times lower than the annual average fatality and injury rates of all road accidents over the same period. The LTA and the Traffic Police will continue to monitor the situation closely and conduct strict enforcement against lorry owners or drivers who violate safety rules when they are carrying workers on their vehicles. Column No : 2113 SPORTS COMPLEX AT PASIR RIS DRIVE 29. Dr Ahmad Mohd Magad asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports when will the planned sports complex in Pasir Ris Estate be built.”
“Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for National Development, in respect of Town Council-Lift Upgrading Programme (TC-LUP), whether his Ministry will consider (a) setting a guideline that Town Councils will only be allowed to select HDB blocks where the flat owner's share of the lift upgrading cost per benefiting unit does not exceed $3,000, similar to that in HDB's Lift Upgrading Programme; (b) HDB sharing a percentage of the total TC-LUP cost; and (c) raising the percentage of eligible flat owners' approval of the programme from 75% to 80% for the TC-LUP to proceed for a block of flats.”
“LTA observed that many pedestrians were dashing dangerously across Cecil Street at the location where the previous junction used to be, and the road divider in the middle of Cecil Street in fact turned out to be a convenient refuge for pedestrians and facilitated the jaywalking. To discourage jaywalking, the divider was removed and replaced with continuous double white lines and raised reflective pavement markers. This then created another problem. With the physical barrier of a road divider removed, a few motorists from Robinson Road did not see the revised road signs and markings, and tried to cut across the junction to enter D'Almeida Street. This resulted in the accidents mentioned earlier. The LTA acknowledges that it should have anticipated this possibility and regrets not having put in appropriate measures earlier to prevent such accidents from happening. Since 5th October, the LTA has put up spring-loaded posts to form a barrier at the junction and to clearly indicate to motorists from Robinson Road that they are not allowed to cut across to D'Almeida Street. The road kerb at D'Almeida Street has also been modified to indicate that access to the road is only via Cecil Street. I can assure Members that LTA does place the highest priority on the safety of pedestrians and motorists, while keeping the road network efficient for all. It will continue to monitor the Cecil Street/Robinson Road junction closely and put in additional measures, where necessary, to improve the traffic situation and ensure the safety of all road users. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS TOWN COUNCIL-LIFT UPGRADING PROGRAMME (Review) 1. Assoc. Prof.”
“Mr Ong Kian Min asked about the number of accidents that have occurred in the vicinity of the junction of Cecil Street and Robinson Road. Our checks with the Traffic Police (TP) revealed that there are no reports of fatal accidents or injuries at this location since July 2005. LTA's traffic cameras detected five minor accidents between 30th September and 4th October, before LTA put in the closely-spaced posts on the night of 4th October. Since then, there has been no record of further accidents. Let me explain why LTA needed to make changes to the traffic at this junction. Some Members may already be aware of the heavy traffic conditions along Church Street, Cecil Street and Robinson Road, caused by the convergence of these three major roads at the junction of Cecil Street and Robinson Road. The traffic situation is expected to be further exacerbated by the future developments in the New Downtown, to which the three roads will link. LTA modified the junction to create a two-lane slip road along Cecil Street with a new road divider and, at the same time, disallow traffic from Robinson Road from entering D'Almeida Street. LTA also improved the road markings and signs to guide motorists and forewarn them of the changes at the junction. As a result of the changes made, the vehicular throughput has improved by about 16% from 1,900 vehicles per hour, to 2,200 vehicles per hour. However, this meant that pedestrians could no longer cross Cecil Street at the intersection with Robinson Road. They would have to use the pedestrian underpass at Cecil Street or the pedestrian crossing at the junction of Cecil Street and Church Street, 80 metres away.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) allows the installation of fog lamps on vehicles so long as such lamps comply with the requisite safety standards. The front fog lamps improve the illumination of the road in front of the vehicle while the rear fog lamps make the vehicle more readily visible from the rear when visibility is poor. Hence, such lamps should only be used during adverse weather conditions which result in reduced visibility, such as during heavy downpour and in hazy conditions. The LTA agrees that the indiscriminate use of rear fog lamps may cause confusion to other motorists following behind. LTA's enforcement officers have been advising motorists on the proper use of fog lamps. The LTA will continue to educate motorists on the proper use of fog lamps and take more stringent enforcement action if necessary. TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AT JUNCTION OF CECIL STREET/ROBINSON ROAD 26. Mr Ong Kian Min asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many traffic accidents have occurred in the vicinity of the junction of Cecil Street and Robinson Road at the corner of Republic Plaza since changes were made to that junction in July 2005; and (b) whether the Land Transport Authority will place greater emphasis on the safety and convenience of pedestrians and motorists when considering further improvements to the design of that intersection.”
“Sir, of the accidents that occurred, none of them resulted in death. LISTED COMPANIES ON SINGAPORE EXCHANGE (Quarterly reporting requirement) 8. Mr Leong Horn Kee asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the advantages and disadvantages of requiring companies listed on the Singapore Exchange to do quarterly reporting as opposed to half-yearly reporting; (b) what is the estimated additional cost per year for the listed companies to comply with the current quarterly reporting requirement; and (c) whether his Ministry will consider allowing all companies listed on the Singapore Exchange to choose whether to do quarterly or half-yearly reporting of accounts.”
“Sir, LTA has put in place a set of rules under the Road Traffic Act to ensure that owners or drivers of goods vehicles who transport their workers in the rear of a vehicle do so safely. Drivers must display a label on their vehicle indicating the maximum number of workers that can be transported, based on the space requirement of 4 square feet or 0.372 sq metres per person. For example, a pick-up can carry a maximum of nine to 13 persons depending on its size. If goods are transported, the number of persons will have to be reduced accordingly. The workers must be safely seated at a height of not more than 3.2 metres above the ground and the vehicle must not travel faster than 60 km per hour. Sir, LTA takes a serious view of violations. It conducts regular enforcement actions against vehicle owners or drivers who violate safety rules. Last year, LTA issued 218 summonses to owners or drivers of goods vehicles caught carrying workers in excess of the maximum capacity on the cargo deck. For the first eight months of this year, 112 summonses were issued for such violations. This represents a drop of 22% compared to last year. Accident statistics from the Traffic Police show that last year, there were 51 accidents involving lorries carrying workers on the cargo deck. For the first half of this year, there were 16 accidents - again, a drop compared to last year. The LTA will continue to monitor the situation closely and, if necessary, step up enforcement.”
“Sir, I will ask LTA to take a look at it. PICKUP TRUCKS CARRYING PASSENGERS (Accidents and violations) 7. Mr Arthur Fong asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the number of traffic incidents involving pickup trucks carrying passengers in the rear; (b) what is the policy on the number of passengers allowed in the rear of these trucks; and (c) what is the number of violations in the last two years.”
“Sir, that is why I said that new exits or entrances would only be added if the need arises and after careful consideration, precisely because we cannot afford to have too many exits and entrances; otherwise we will end up causing a lot of vehicular shifting from lane to lane, thereby resulting in the slow-down of traffic. In terms of whether the current exits and entrances are too close to each other, that is a problem of Singapore. We are a small island and, therefore, to ensure that the highways are properly utilised, we need to have enough exits and entrances from the built-up areas, especially the new towns. And because of the small size of Singapore, unfortunately, there is a certain distance that has to be observed. Nonetheless, LTA does take that into consideration when planning all these exits and entrances, and we try to space them as far apart as possible.”
“Sir, additional exits will be provided as and when the need arises. In fact, additional entrances into the TPE will also end up introducing more traffic into the TPE. As for the Jalan Kayu Flyover, I think that is all part of the expressway system that is being built and is meant to cater to current as well as future demands. Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim (Nominated Member): Sir, I would like to ask: in the design of the expressways in Singapore, are we having too many entry and exit points that we actually defeat the purpose of having these expressways? Are the entry and exit points too closely located, causing the frequent increasing and decreasing of speed, thus causing these localised jams at the entry and exit points?”
“Hence, as our vehicular population grows, it will be all the more important to complement our road-building programme with judicious demand management policies, including controlling vehicle population growth and usage charging and, most important, shifting more commuters from private vehicles to public transport.”
“Sir, the Tampines Expressway or TPE serves the towns of Sengkang, Punggol, Pasir Ris and Tampines in the North-East corridor, linking these towns to major expressways, such as the Central Expressway and the East Coast Parkway. LTA recently conducted a site survey at the TPE during the morning peak hours and found the traffic along the TPE generally smooth flowing, with average speeds above 60 kph. However, there was localised heavy traffic at a particular stretch of the east-bound TPE between Punggol exit near the Punggol West Flyover and Pasir Ris Drive 12 exit near the Api Api Flyover. During the morning peak hours, there is a high volume of traffic heading towards the industrial area via Pasir Ris Drive 12. To improve the traffic situation at this location, the LTA will be extending the deceleration lane to facilitate smoother filter movement into Pasir Ris Drive 12, thereby allowing through traffic along the TPE to move more quickly. To cater to the needs of the growing towns of Punggol and Sengkang and the industrial estate in Pasir Ris, I am pleased to inform Members that LTA plans to widen the TPE between Punggol West Flyover and Pasir Ris Drive 12 over the next five years. The tender for this project is expected to be called by 2007. Moreover, when the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway or KPE is fully operational in early 2008, the additional capacity provided will help to re-distribute traffic better and relieve the load on the TPE. However, I would like to remind Members that while the LTA will continue to enhance and optimise our road capacity, ultimately, there is a limit to what we can do, in view of our limited land resources.”
“00 PM CPF CONTRIBUTION (Reduction) 14. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for Manpower based on the economic situation, whether his Ministry will consider reducing the 20% Central Provident Fund (CPF) contribution for income earners of $1,500 and below so as to allow them to have a higher take-home pay.”
“Sir, using the ez-link system, LTA can have an estimate on how many have been overcharged, and it knows the occasion of overcharging. This is why I said that the number of incidences has dropped to 0.006%. On the amount, I do not think LTA has been able to get the data because you have to go into every ride of each passenger, you have to know when he got up, when he actually got down. And I think that is a task which is almost impossible. But LTA knows that the fare stage has not been properly updated because from the data, it knows that it was updated here, it was not updated there and it skipped one updating. But knowing how much was overcharged would depend on who got up there, how many fare stages he covered and his actual physical alighting point. So LTA is not able to obtain that. Sir, on his second point on the review by PTC, every year, PTC, using that formula, will review the fare adjustments. If the fare adjustment formula results in a fare increase, I am sure the PTOs themselves will submit an application. But where the formula requires the fares to be reduced, the legislation today will give PTC the authority to proceed to review the fare adjustments, and if the formula shows a reduction, then PTC will have the power to order a fare reduction or a fare rebate. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Yeo Cheow Tong]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, That Parliament do now adjourn. - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at One minute to Six o'clock pm. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER NOT ANSWERED BY 3.”
“Sir, if he takes offence at my remark that I am sure that he would not cheat, just as all the other Members would not cheat, then I withdraw my remark. I apologise to Mr Chiam for making him feel upset with this remark.”
“They do a random check and they do not do a 100% check. So if you want the figure to be exactly, 100% correct, they have to do a 100% check, which I think is a waste of time. So, let us agree that there is a problem - it is a problem that exists both in Singapore and elsewhere - let us find our own ways to help reduce this problem.”