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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“Sir, as I have mentioned just now, tough decisions have to be made and inevitably when tough decisions have to be made, those who benefit will be very happy, but quietly happy. While those who have been adversely impacted will, of course, have to make their objections heard very loudly. This is what we are seeing. SINGAPORE MRT LTD AND TRANS-ISLAND BUS SERVICES LTD (Failure to complete merger) 6. Mr Chng Hee Kok asked the Minister for Communications and Information Technology if he will explain the rationale for the proposed merger between the Singapore MRT Ltd and Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd and the reasons for its failure to complete. The Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology (Dr John Chen Seow Phun) (for the Minister for Communications and Information Technology): Sir, in the 1996 White Paper on World Class Land Transport System, the Government had envisaged an excellent, integrated and seamless public transport as a cornerstone of our land transport policy. It anticipated the need to expand the rapid transit system (RTS) and to integrate the network of rail and bus systems. Integration of rail and bus services requires public transport operators to plan for multi-modal operations so that they provide services for the entire journey, and not just individual legs of a journey on single modes. Through integration of rail and bus, multi-modal public transport operators will be able to not only improve their services to the commuters, but also optimise resources and reap economies of scale and synergies in operating across the different transport modes. Our view is that the size of our public transport market will have room for two or more multi-modal operators for better competitive services.”
“Sir, I understand that the mental health of the pilots is also examined as part of their regular check-ups. NET INVESTMENT INCOME 4. Dr Lee Tsao Yuan asked the Minister for Finance, since Net Investment Income (NII) is considered as part of current reserves, whether governments can run budget deficits up to the magnitude of NII (which has been about S$3-5 billion a year) for that year, without drawing on past reserves.”
“Sir, I understand the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission made enquiries shortly after the crash and all the information were given within a month of the crash.”
“Sir, we have sought the advice of the Attorney-General and we have been advised that in this case, the coroner has no jurisdiction because under the Criminal Procedure Code, he can only inquire into the death of a person or the finding of a dead body in suspicious circumstances in Singapore and which is within the territorial jurisdiction of the coroner. In the present case, the death occurred in Palembang, Indonesia when the aircraft crashed into the River Musi. The remains of the passengers and crew were also buried there and therefore it is not possible for the coroner's inquiry to be conducted here.”
“CAAS is satisfied that the safety of the aircraft or persons on board was never compromised in each case, and that there was no reason for SilkAir to ground Captain Tsu. Moreover, the interim update confirms that "both pilots were properly trained, licensed, and qualified to conduct the flight." In fact, the Airline Pilots Association of Singapore has issued a statement on 29th August 1999 to say that "In our professional opinion, these (3) incidents, when viewed singularly or collectively do not constitute operational or performance-related incompetence." Our airlines also benchmark their standards against that of international airlines in leading aviation countries to ensure that they are in line with ICAO guidelines and international best practice. Nonetheless, we cannot be complacent. We will continue to review and upgrade our aviation standards and procedures as the best international practices evolve. In conclusion, let me state that the Government fully appreciates the anguish of the next-of-kins and their anxiety to learn the cause of the MI 185 crash. While the investigation team has made further progress, it has yet to establish the cause of the accident. The team needs to carry out further work to analyse the facts and findings before it can conclude the investigation. The Government will continue to participate actively in the investigations and will extend our fullest co-operation to the investigation team.”
“Singapore Police Investigation As the House is aware, the Indonesian Minister of Communications, Mr Giri Hadihardjono, informed me on 25th August 1999 that the team investigating the SilkAir Flight MI 185 accident has found indications raising suspicions that unlawful interference may have been a factor in the accident. Based on this suspicion, the Singapore Government has referred the matter to the Singapore Police. The Police is conducting a separate police investigation into the matter in consultation with the Public Prosecutor to ascertain if there is evidence of any criminal offence. I can assure Members that the Police will be thorough and professional and will also examine all the relevant details, including the financial records. We should therefore await the findings of the Accident Investigation Team and the Police Investigation, especially since the Accident Investigation Team is now in the final stages of its investigations. There is no necessity to appoint another inquiry into the matter, and we should not complicate matters by doing so. Aviation Standards and Procedures Mr Sin Boon Ann has asked whether the authority will review its pilot requirements in the light of the recent findings. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore or CAAS ensures that our aviation regulations and operational procedures of our airlines conform fully to international norms stipulated by ICAO. As such, the CAAS continuously monitors and reviews the flight operations and engineering procedures of both SilkAir and SIA. Both pilots of MI 185 satisfied the licensing requirements based on international norms stipulated by ICAO. CAAS has also looked into the three disciplinary cases involving the pilot, Captain Tsu Way Ming.”
“Sir, in accordance with international practice, the investigations into the crash of SilkAir Flight MI 185 are led by Indonesia, the state of occurrence of the crash. They are being conducted by a competent and independent team of professional air accident investigators. The investigators are from Indonesia, Singapore, the US and Australia. They have access to the best investigation facilities, laboratories and expertise in these countries. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission has been constituted according to well-established practices laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). In carrying out its investigation, this multi-national team is looking into all relevant aspects in a systematic and holistic manner. This includes investigating the human factor. In fact, a sub-group of the investigation team is specifically tasked with that responsibility. Members of this sub-group include pilots, psychologists, a psychiatrist, and a medical doctor. The investigation team has access to relevant information on human factors in Singapore as well as other countries. In addition, the team has also been looking into the relevant operational procedures of SilkAir and will certainly report on any shortcomings. Upon completion of its investigations, the investigation team will submit its final report to ICAO and concerned states. ICAO will study the recommendations and propose improvements where applicable. Singapore would certainly adopt any ICAO recommendation to enhance aviation safety.”
“Sir, Changi Airport Terminal 3 (T3) was originally scheduled to be operational by the year 2004-2005. Due to the drop in air passenger traffic arising from the economic crisis, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) decided to delay the building of T3 for a year to 2006. However, traffic has improved over the first seven months of this year, going up by 9.5% over the same period last year. CAAS will continue to monitor the traffic situation closely and review the timing for T3 when a more definite trend of air passenger traffic is confirmed. I would like to assure the House that CAAS remains committed to ensure that Changi Airport is well able to meet the growing air passenger traffic demand. 1.30 pm”
“Sir, as far as I know, there are no restrictions on foreign ownership. STUDIO APARTMENT SCHEME FOR SENIOR CITIZENS 10. Dr S. Vasoo asked the Minister for National Development whether the studio apartment scheme will be open to senior citizens not living in Housing and Development Board flats.”
“Sir, we have received enquiries from various organisations. But so far, only CISCO and Singapore Post have publicly announced their decisions. I suppose once the other companies have made up their minds and decided to go forward, they will then proceed to make their announcements. Secondly, in terms of the users, many of the users are in fact Government agencies but there are also many commercial operations, eg, the banks. Many of the banks are actually active users of the system as well.”
“As Members are aware, we have liberalised the paging and mobile telephone services markets for the benefit of consumers. The liberalisation means that the service providers are free to make commercial decisions such as how to market to and service the different market niches. These service providers are aware that there are legal safeguards to protect minors who enter into commercial contracts, and that signing on minors without parental consent may render such contracts voidable in law. The service providers must therefore be prepared to bear this business risk if they decide to enter into contracts with minors. MEASURES TO CHECK ABUSE OF POWER BY MEDICAL COUNCIL 15. Mrs Lim Hwee Hua asked the Minister for Health if there exists sufficient recourse for doctors or measures to check any abuse of power by the Medical Council prior to the commencement of an inquiry process.”
“Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he can give an update on (i) the statistical trend of youth crimes from 1994-1998; (ii) the educational and family characteristics of arrested youth gang members; (iii) the kinds of crimes committed; and (iv) what measures are in place to tackle youth crimes.”
“BG Lee Hsien Loong: MAS has been making these figures available on its website (www.mas.gov.sg) on a quarterly basis (please see attached table at Appendix A (Cols. 1813 - 1814). As at 31st March 1999, the 5 local banking groups had a gross exposure of S$34.7billion (12.5% of their total assets) to Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Korea and the Philippines. This was a marginal increase over December 1998 (S$34.2 billion), but a decrease in exposure from September 1998 (S$ 35.8 bn). Appendix A - Regional Exposure and NPLs of Singapore Incorporated Banks (Cols. 1813 - 1814) The non-performing loans [NPLs] of the 5 local banking groups to these 5 countries amounted to 24.3% of their loans to these countries as at 31st March 1999. This figure has gone up, compared with 23.3% in December 1998 and 17.8% in September 1998. Including domestic loans and other global loans, the total NPLs of the local banks amounted to 8.0% as at 31st March 1999. NPL levels are high as local banks only write off the NPLs when all avenues to recover the loans have been exhausted. Restructured loans are classified as NPLs by local banks. Loans which are adequately collateralised and that are not in arrears in interest or principal repayments are also classified as non-performing if they have weak financials. This has resulted in local banks reflecting a higher NPL figure than is the actual case. Local banks have set aside substantial provisions, amounting to 72% of their regional bank and non-bank NPLs as at 31st December 1998. These provisions and the collateral backing the regional NPLs in aggregate exceed the regional NPLs outstanding. The level of NPLs does not threaten the financial health of any of the local banks. YOUTH CRIMES 2.”
“Trans-Island Bus Services or TIBS is currently the public bus operator serving Sengkang New Town. TIBS has been introducing and expanding its bus services in tandem with the growth and development of the town. Currently, there are 5 bus services (TIBS No 82, 864, 865, 866 and SBS 88) operating in Sengkang with a deployment of 88 buses at a peak hour frequency of 4 - 10 minutes. These services provide residents with direct links to major HDB towns, namely, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris; as well as major destinations along Serangoon Road, Paya Lebar Road, Geylang Road, Orchard Road, Marina Centre and Shenton Way. They can also connect to other bus services and the MRT at these places to travel to other parts of Singapore. With the appointment of SBS as the operator for the North East MRT Line (NEL) and Sengkang and Punggol LRTs, SBS will take over the TIBS' bus services in Sengkang and Punggol sectors. SBS will then become a multi-modal operator for the North-East corridor to provide more integrated and better transport services to the residents in the area. SBS plans to increase the number of trunk buses serving Sengkang by introducing new services and rationalising the existing 5 Sengkang services with those it currently operates in Hougang and Serangoon. This will be done as it takes over the bus services from TIBS between July and November 1999. Finally, when the NEL and Sengkang LRTs commence operations in the Year 2002, Sengkang residents will be able to enjoy an even better level of public transport service. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS NON-PERFORMING LOANS 1. Mr Chuang Shaw Peng asked the Deputy Prime Minister if he will give an update on levels of non-performing loans, both local and foreign, at Singapore banks.”
“From the traffic management perspective, electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HVs)1 occupy road space, contribute to traffic congestion and cause road damage no different from conventional vehicles (CVs). EVs and HVs should therefore be subject to similar ownership and usage management measures, ie., customs duties, registration fees, additional registration fees and road tax; as well as COE and ERP charges. 1 EVs are powered only by batteries which have to be recharged. HVs on the other hand have both a gasoline engine powered by petrol/diesel and an electric motor powered by batteries. In congested urban areas when the speed is low, the electric motor is used. The gasoline engine kicks in at higher speeds automatically to power the vehicle as well as recharge the batteries. Nevertheless, we recognise that EVs, and to a lesser extent HVs, can be less pollutive than CVs. My Ministry will examine the issue carefully together with the Minstry of the Environment and Ministry of Finance to determine if tax incentives should be provided to promote their use in Singapore. INCREASING BUS SERVICES IN SENGKANG 31. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked the Minister for Communications and Information Technology whether the Land Transport Authority has plans to alleviate residents' transport woes by increasing the number of bus services in Sengkang to supplement the limited five services currently plying there.”
“Under the existing Computer Misuse Act, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are prevented from intruding into the privacy of their account holders. Although the current legislation already offers protection to the Internet users, we recognise that there is a need to formulate a set of clear guidelines for ISPs on the actions which constitute an invasion of user's privacy. The MCIT, together with NCB, TAS and other Government agencies, have already started work to develop this set of guidelines. At the same time, we will also examine the current laws to see if there are areas that need to be improved. Our goal is to create an e-environment that is safe and secure, so that e-commerce can thrive, and legitimate computer users can use the Internet with confidence. HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD UPGRADING PROGRAMMES 19. Mr Chuang Shaw Peng asked the Minister for National Development whether, in the light of economic recovery, there will be plans for more upgrading programmes for Housing and Development Board estates.”
“The Environment Ministry has arranged with three financial institutions to provide loans to assist meat stallholders in buying chillers. Four chiller suppliers have also come up with easy payment schemes to assist stallholders. Stallholders who do not want to continue selling meat can switch to selling other produce. chart - KLSE Composite Index and Clob Investors' Shareholdings of Malaysian Shares (Dec 96 - Aug 98) (Cols. 1665-1666)”
“LAND TITLES (STRATA) (AMENDMENT) BILL (As reported from Select Committee) Order for Third Reading read. 2.00 pm”
“This will be a continuing activity and we will try to get more contractors to come on board and work with us in educating the workers that they have employed. With regard to junk mail, yes, it is a common problem throughout the whole of Singapore. Like Mr Ang, I do not know why the companies waste money printing those leaflets which they know are going to be thrown away. The challenge is for the Town Councils to evolve a system which will enable the junk mail to be disposed by the residents in a very efficient manner without having to throw them all over the floor. I think some of the Town Councils have come up with a very good idea where they install a rubbish trough right in front of the letter boxes, so that when the residents take out the mail and they find that it is junk mail, they just drop it down into the trough and therefore do not end up dirtying the whole void deck. As to his last suggestion to empower senior citizens to issue summonses and fines on the spot, I think it is a bit of a drastic change for us. But I like his idea of getting more people to be involved in this effort to deter littering and to educate the public. I will ask my staff to work with the People's Association to see how we can get the grassroots organisations more involved in this process and, hopefully, by having more eyes and more hands on the ground, we will be able to reduce this problem of littering in our housing estates. 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.”
“Sir, let me thank Mr Ang for his support of the Amendment Bill. He has made some very good suggestions. His point is that whilst enhanced penalties are important, it is also equally important for us to educate the public, especially the students. I totally agree with him. In fact, that is what we have been doing all along. The schools have been very active in passing on the message to the students. I see it in my daughters. They come back with all kinds of messages. I think the message does sink in. As to the campaigns that we grew up with, like the Use Your Hands Campaign and all that, we can review them again. I will ask my staff to contact their counterparts in the Ministry of Education to see what else we can do to make that message more effective. Sir, with regard to hawker centres, I share his concerns too about the cleanliness of hawker centres and hawker stalls, which is why we have come up with the grading system for the individual hawker stalls. But his idea of having a cleanest food centre competition in order to encourage the entire food centre to be kept clean, I think, is a good suggestion. I will ask my staff to consider this as part of the programme for this year's Clean and Green Campaign. And we will get in touch with Mr Ang on his proposal. With regard to foreign workers, yes, this is a matter of concern to us as well. I am glad to inform Mr Ang that, in fact, we have been reaching out to the foreign workers. My Ministry publishes pamphlets in different languages, in Thai, Filipino, which is usually the Tagalog language. We have pamphlets in the various languages and we distribute them at the various worksites as well. Last year, we held exhibitions on the environment at over 200 construction sites.”
“In this way, a contractor needs to only employ one officer on site to perform the dual role of safety control and environmental control. Suitably qualified persons who are not currently registered as safety officers can also become ECOs. My Ministry will ensure that there will be sufficient numbers of ECOs to serve the industry when we launch the scheme. Recycling Burial Plots Clause 11 empowers the Commissioner to order the exhumation of graves for the purposes of reusing the grave plots for future burials. This is necessary as we have very limited burial land. Without this measure, the existing burial land will be completely exhausted within 14 years. Sir, as Singapore continues to develop and progress, our peoples' expectations of their living environment will increase. The challenge of safeguarding our environment and public health can be successfully met only with the cooperation of everyone in Singapore. My Ministry will continue to educate the public, and actively seek their understanding, support and cooperation. At the same time, we will deter the recalcitrants with penalties that are more appropriate to the offences committed. This Bill will enable my Ministry to deal with new public health problems more effectively, and help keep Singapore clean and green. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Offenders can now be made to perform CWO on more than one day; and (c) while the maximum fine for the first and second convictions remain unchanged at $1,000 and $2,000 respectively, the maximum fine for the third and subsequent convictions will be increased to $5,000. Clause 3 makes it an offence to discard or abandon any furniture, any deregistered vehicles or any other bulky items in any public place. The penalties will be a maximum fine of $5,000 for the first conviction and $10,000 or 3 months' jail or both for the second or subsequent convictions. Environmental Control Officers Let me now move on to the provision for the appointment of Environmental Control Officers. Poor housekeeping and management of construction work-sites have often given rise to public health hazards, such as the breeding of mosquitoes and flies, rodent infestation, disease outbreaks, earth littering, dust nuisance and noise pollution. With construction sites now located increasingly closer to residential areas, contractors must actively ensure that their site activities do not give rise to public health problems. Clause 10 will require the occupier of any construction site with construction projects worth more than a specified value to engage qualified Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) on a full-time or part-time basis. The role of the ECO is to help plan and monitor environmental control measures on the site. My Ministry will register and certify such qualified persons after they have attended a prescribed training course and pass the pre-requisite examinations. The current pool of safety officers, currently certified by the Ministry of Manpower, may expand their expertise to include environmental management. They will need to undergo the necessary training and be certified as ECOs.”
“Operating an Illegal Dump Site To prevent any person from attempting to operate an illegal dump site under the guise of operating a waste recycling plant, clause 2 has included "recycling plant" in the definition of "disposal facility". This will enable the Commissioner of Public Health to license all recycling plants under section 23 (1) of the Act. Under clause 8, any person found operating an illegal disposal site can be fined up to $50,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding 12 months or both for the first conviction. For the second and subsequent convictions, the penalties are a fine of up to $100,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both. The previous maximum penalties were a $10,000 fine or 12 months imprisonment or both, for first or subsequent convictions. Littering At present, a Corrective Works Order (CWO) for littering offences is issued in lieu of a fine. The number of littering cases has been increasing in recent years and so has the number of repeat offenders, some of whom had done corrective work previously. The CWO, on its own, is therefore not a sufficient deterrent. Littering is an anti-social habit, one that should not be difficult to give up. It is fundamentally a question of attitude. We have had decades of public education, and the majority of Singaporeans have responded favourably. Unfortunately, there is a hardcore minority who are indifferent to littering, and who need to be deterred by heavier penalties. Under clauses 5, 6 and 7, the penalties for littering have been revised as follows: (a) the CWO may now be imposed by the Court in addition to fines, instead of only in lieu of; (b) the maximum duration for CWO is increased from 3 hours to 12 hours.”
“The proposed amendments to the Environmental Public Health Act will allow my Ministry to better address these and other emerging concerns on environmental public health. Sir, I shall now highlight the main amendments and new provisions in this Bill. Illegal Dumping Illegal dumping of waste, mainly from construction sites, is becoming a major problem and has to be checked immediately. Not only is it happening more often, the culprits are getting bolder too. Whereas in the past, they used to dump the waste only in remote parts of Singapore, they are now daring enough to dump even in built-up areas. The indications are that the illegal dumping activities are now more organised, and much larger in scale. Because they normally operate late at night, and in deserted areas, it is not easy to catch the offenders in the act. But when we do, we must duly punish them with penalties that adequately fit the crime. This will be achieved in the amendments before us in this Bill. Clause 4 provides for the Court to grant the application made by the Public Prosecutor for a vehicle to be forfeited, when it is proven that the vehicle has been used for illegal dumping. Clause 5 increases the maximum fine to $50,000 from the existing $10,000, for the first conviction. Second and subsequent convictions will result in a maximum fine of $100,000, and imprisonment for a term of not less than one month and not more than 12 months. Clause 14 empowers the Commissioner of Public Health to call up for questioning any person suspected to be involved in illegal dumping, or in the operation of an unlicensed dumping ground. This will empower ENV officers to conduct thorough investigations and bring the offending parties to court.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Singapore is well known as a clean and green city. Tropical diseases are kept at bay, food is safe, and our environment is clean. We have achieved our high standard of public health by investing wisely in environmental infrastructure, conducting public education, and enforcing strictly the environmental laws. Over the years, our population has become more aware of the need to protect the environment. However, there are still some who, despite our campaigns and urging, persist in acting irresponsibly. They litter and dirty public places, indiscriminately discard their unwanted possessions or waste, and sometimes do great damage to the environment. As we live in a very densely populated country, our living environment can deteriorate very quickly if we are not careful. We cannot tolerate irresponsible acts that damage or pollute our environment. While we continue to educate the public, we must also ensure that we have penalties that will strongly deter those who continue to act irresponsibly. As Singapore becomes more built up, construction activities are increasingly located nearer to existing residential estates. A construction site, if not managed carefully, can become a source of nuisance and even public health hazards to residents and workers living and working nearby. A better-educated population also expects a higher standard of housekeeping in construction sites. Contractors must therefore take appropriate steps to minimise nuisance to residents. The Bill will require contractors of construction sites to engage qualified Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) to help them keep the sites clean and free of nuisance or public health hazards.”
“"Offence rates" in this case refer to the number of offences per 1,000 pupils. The data for 1998 show that the number of serious offences such as gangsterism and possession of weapons remaining close to that of 1997, and the number of cases of substance abuse falling from 272 in 1997 to 40 in 1998. However, the incidence of smoking has risen from 14 per 1,000 pupils over the three years, that is, 1995-1997, to 19 per 1,000 pupils in 1998. The overall offence rate for boys has remained stable over the years, but a worrying trend is the increasing offence rate for girls in our secondary schools. Though lower than the male offence rates, the female offence rates have increased by 6% to 9% per year over the last four years, going up from 300 in 1995 to 456 in 1998. A committee chaired by the Senior Minister of State for Education, Dr Aline Wong, was set up in May last year to look into the discipline situation among our girls in schools. The committee is finalising its recommendations. On measures to address discipline issue in our schools, Sir, the Ministry's philosophy in this matter is that to care is to discipline. Schools by and large take a whole-person approach to discipline. They have many programmes and support structures to help promote discipline. Besides the creation of the posts of Discipline Master, Head/Pupil Welfare and, most recently, Operations Manager, there is also the Voluntary Special Constabulary Scheme where teachers assume the mantle of law enforcement officers to help reinforce an orderly school environment. Teachers have been equipped with basic counselling skills and many spend much time counselling errant students. Such efforts are complemented by programmes like life skills and peer mediation. 1.30 pm”
“Sir, so far, we have provided equipment and training. Our experience has been that the equipment has actually been put to very good use. We are in constant contact with them through our computers, Internet and faxes. They are receiving them and they are passing on the information down to the ground. So on the part of our immediate counterparts in the Ministry of Environment, I can assure the Member that the assistance we have provided them so far has been put to good use. ILL DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS 12. Mrs Lim Hwee Hua asked the Minister for Education whether ill discipline is rising in schools and among students outside schools, and what measures are being taken to help stem such incidence. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Encik Mohamad Maidin B P M) (for the Minister for Education): Mrs Lim's question has got two parts. One is on the state of discipline, and the other is on measures taken by MOE to address discipline issues in schools. On the first part, Sir, I must say that the overall state of discipline in our schools is good. Serious cases of breach of discipline are infrequent. Up to now, since 1995, the Ministry of Education has implemented what we call the Behaviour Tracking and Analysis (BETA) system. This system collects data on the state of discipline in all schools. For primary schools, misdemeanours such as not doing assignments and disruptive behaviour, and attendance-related offences, constitute 84% of all the recorded offences. In secondary schools, 74% of the offences were attendance-related, namely, late-coming and truancy. The BETA system, which I mentioned earlier, records up to now show no significant statistical change in the offence rates from 1995 to 1997.”
“Sir, when the fires first broke out in 1997, we responded immediately. We had discussions with our Indonesian counterparts and offered assistance. Let me list some of the assistance we had given. Our assistance so far included the following: Firstly, provision of communication equipment and computers with Internet facilities to help them improve communications. Secondly, we have helped the Indonesians to set up air quality monitoring stations in Jambi, Pontianak and Bali. Thirdly, we have helped with the training of Indonesian officials on forest fires and haze monitoring using satellite imagery. And fourthly, we are providing ready access to the forest fires and haze monitoring system on the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre which is located in Singapore in order to monitor and retrieve up-to-date forest fires and weather information. Sir, so far, in terms of the equipment donation, our contributions have amounted to over $600,000. Over the last few months, we have also continued to provide the Indonesian enforcement agency, which is called BAPEDAL, with satellite pictures to alert them on the locations of the hot spots whenever they are detected. These pictures are delivered by e-mail and courier in order to allow BAPEDAL to take prompt enforcement and fast suppression action on the ground. As mentioned by Mr Tay, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Prof Haryono Suyono, had indicated his interest to visit Singapore to discuss areas of further assistance with us. We definitely welcome his suggestion and Singapore will be happy to continue to provide assistance in areas where we have the capacity and the technical expertise to do so.”
“This "presumption of guilt" policy, successfully practised in Malaysia and Brunei, will compel a plantation owner to prove that any fire on his land was not his doing and that he had taken all necessary actions to prevent or stop it. We hope that Indonesia will succeed in these efforts and mobilise the necessary resources to put out fires and take firm enforcement actions against any culprit. The Ministers are meeting again in July to take stock of the progress made on the part of Indonesia. We will continue to work closely with our ASEAN neighbours, international agencies and donor countries on programmes that would help strengthen Indonesia's ability to deal with this problem.”
“Sir, the short spells of hazy conditions we experienced over the last two months were the result of logging and plantation fires in central Sumatra. The fact that the fires persist indicates that ground fire fighting measures and enforcement in Indonesia are not effective enough even though we had alerted the Indonesian authorities about these fires. The recent fires in Sumatra were not extensive, nonetheless, we were still affected by smoke haze because of winds blowing in our direction. The weather forecast for the rest of the year shows that the normal dry season would set in but we do not expect a El Nino drought situation like that of 1997. Unless fire fighting and enforcement measures are effective in Indonesia, we would have to expect some hazy days with air quality in the moderate zone. At last month's Sixth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Haze in Brunei, Indonesia acknowledged that enforcement against illegal burning activities is lacking and would be difficult under the current political and economic climate. Their efforts were also hampered by lack of a clear organisational structure to tackle forest fire issues and lack of funding. The Indonesian Minister for the Environment has assured us of his ministry's commitment to control such fires and has agreed to use the fires in Sumatra as a test case to show their resolve in addressing the fires and haze problem. At the Brunei meeting, Indonesia agreed to adopt a zero burning policy and initiate dialogue with plantation owners to promote zero burning practices, starting with a seminar in Jakarta in June. Indonesia also agreed to make use of the presumption clause in their law to deal with landowners for illegal burning found on their land.”
“Sir, once the meat is chilled it is proper and best to sell it as chilled. The reason is that when the meat is chilled and left in the open, especially in our very humid environment, a lot of moisture forms on the meat and that actually speeds up deterioration of the meat. So we must ensure that the meat remains chilled up to the point of sale. DETECTION OF NIPAH VIRUS IN SHEEP AND DOGS (Steps to monitor development) The following Question stood in the name of Mr Gerard Ee - 2. To ask the Minister for National Development in view of the press and radio reports that the Nipah virus has been detected in sheep and dogs, what steps are being taken by his Ministry to monitor this new development.”
“Sir, in fact, the plan to move to the cold chain has been in discussion for quite some time and the recent episode of JE and the Nipah virus highlighted the need for us to speed up this plan. Why do we need to go to the chilled meat and the cold chain system? Under the old system, the animals were slaughtered and they were straightaway brought to the markets, which means there was very little time for the proper analysis to be carried out as to whether that pig was in any way infected. By having the chilled meat system, it allows the abattoirs to hold on to the meat after slaughter and it ensures that the blood and the internal organs can be properly analysed. By having the chilled meat system we will in fact be in a better position to assure Singaporeans that the meat that they buy from the markets is well inspected and found to be free of diseases. Dr Lee Tsao Yuan: What this really means is that in a way consumers have no choice in the matter. Is it not possible to leave this as a matter of choice? In other words, for those who want chillers to be installed, by all means install chillers and the basis of that is a possible improvement in health; for those who want to continue to eat fresh meat, allow them to do so.”
“Sir, in my other hat, as the Minister for Health, in fact, that is what we have been doing, ie, encouraging Singaporeans to live a healthy lifestyle which includes having a well-balanced diet. This means not just having meat but also having a healthy spread of other items like vegetables.”
“Sir, we do not know exactly how much the hawkers make. But my assumption is that the profit level must be quite attractive because there are about 1,000 stallholders selling pork in Singapore and the fact that already 107 stallholders have placed their orders for the chillers shows that it is a business decision which they are prepared to take and make and the purchase of the chillers still makes the business of selling pork a very viable and attractive one.”
“Sir, it depends very much on the size of the chiller and the length of the repayment period that they opt for. If you take a smaller chiller which costs about $3,000, and divide it by three years, it is $1,000 a year or about $100 a month. Some of the stallholders sell up to about 10 pigs a day which would fetch them a turnover of about $3,500. In terms of the cost per month versus the turnover, I think the cost comprises a very small percentage of the turnover.”
“Sir, it is best for the stallholders to decide which particular chiller best meets their business volume. If they are prepared to pay by instalments, they might as well get the loans directly from the finance companies. Assuming they get a bigger chiller which costs $6,000 and they pay over four years or 50 repayments, I think the monthly instalment is very affordable.”
“Sir, as I mentioned just now, those stallholders who are facing difficulties paying for the chillers can obtain loans to buy the chillers. They can get the loan from the finance companies and, as I mentioned, some of the companies are prepared to offer 4-year loans at fairly attractive interest rates of 3.5% to 4%.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as announced on 23rd April 1999, chilled fresh meat supplied to wet markets will have to be sold in display chillers. This will ensure that the meat sold in the wet markets is safe and hygienic. Stallholders selling pork in wet markets will have to install display chillers by 1st November 1999. Those selling poultry have one year to put in their display chillers and those selling mutton and beef 18 months to do likewise. The stallholders will have to buy the display chillers themselves. The cost of the chiller, at between $3,000 and $6,000, is not exorbitant. The investment in a chiller is a business decision that stallholders need to make if they wish to remain in the business of selling meat. So far, three finance companies have informed my Ministry that they are prepared to offer loans of between 80% and 95% of the cost of the chillers, with repayment over one to four years and interest rates of between 3.5% and 4% per annum. Four suppliers of chillers have also agreed to allow interest-free instalment payments. The Government on its part will spend some $6.5 million to upgrade electricity supply in the wet markets to enable the chillers to operate.”
“There are two main beaches at Pulau Ubin that are popular with the public. Both are located at the northern end of Pulau Ubin and are subject to seasonal Northeast Monsoon from December to March every year. During the monsoon period, large amounts of flotsams are washed ashore onto the beaches. Visitors and picnickers are another source of beach litter. My Ministry deploys workmen daily to clear the flotsams and other litter that are washed up onto the beaches during the monsoon season and school holidays when the beaches are more heavily utilised. But during the off-peak season, the beaches are cleansed less frequently - twice weekly, namely, before and after the weekend. To help keep the island clean, my Ministry has initiated a litter bag programme with the Pulau Ubin Police Post to get campers to bag their refuse. When campers report* to the Police Post for overnight camping on the island, the police officer on duty will issue our litter bags to the campers for them to bag their refuse for proper disposal. My Ministry will monitor the cleanliness of the beaches and step up our cleansing efforts, if necessary, to ensure that the beaches are clean. [* Note: Campers are advised to report to the Police Post if they plan to stay overnight on the island for their own safety.] OLDER WORKERS 5. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower, with an aging workforce emerging, if his Ministry will promote and facilitate the job redesign programme to enhance job security of older workers.”
“Sir, the majority of hawker stalls (14,814) are already paying subsidised rentals, which are well below current market rates. However, there are some 1,600 stallholders who are paying market rentals. These are those who have secured their stalls through public tender or through transfers approved by my Ministry. For these stalls that are charged market rentals, the Government had, with effect from 1st July 1998, reduced the rents by 10%. In January 1999, the rents were reviewed again. For those whose rents were still higher than the market rental, as assessed by the Chief Valuer as at 1st January 1999, the rent was reduced to 90% of the previous rent or the assessed market rent, whichever is higher. The revised rentals are valid up to 31st December 1999. BILL INTRODUCED PRIVATE HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CLINICS (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act (Chapter 248 of the 1985 Revised Edition)", presented by the Minister for Health (Mr Yeo Cheow Tong); read the First time, to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1999 TO 31ST MARCH 2000 Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [6th Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head J (cont.) - Resumption of Debate on Question [16th March, 1999], "That the total sum be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Dr S. Vasoo]. Question again proposed.”
“Sir, in 1997, my Ministry suspended the licences of 10 hawker stallholders, 37 restaurant owners and 2 stallholders in coffeeshops. In 1998, the corresponding numbers were 22, 31 and 22 respectively. There was only one licensee, a hawker stallholder, who was suspended twice. The first suspension was for two weeks and the second for four weeks. HAWKER STALLS (Reduction of rent) 3. Mr Harun A. Ghani asked the Minister for the Environment whether he will consider reducing the rent for hawker stalls during the current economic downturn.”
“Sir, the number of dengue fever cases continued to rise to a record high of 5,258 in 1998. Almost all the cases were the milder dengue fever and not dengue haemorrhagic fever. There was also an increase in the Aedes mosquito house-index, which is a measure of the incidence of breedings detected in homes. The index rose from 1.03 in 1997 to 1.24 in 1998. A survey conducted by my Ministry showed that our public education programme on dengue has succeeded in alerting the public but it has not changed their habits generally. Many know that the Aedes mosquito transmits dengue fever and the conditions under which the Aedes mosquito breeds. However, many admitted that they do not carry out checks routinely in their homes. And this is where the problem lies. We will continue with the public education and strict enforcement actions. We will bring the campaign down to the Town Councils and work closely with them. HAWKER STALLHOLDERS AND RESTAURANT OWNERS (Suspension from businesses) 2. Mr Harun A. Ghani asked the Minister for the Environment how many hawker stallholders and restaurant owners were suspended from their businesses in 1997 and 1998; and how many of them were repeat offenders.”
“Dr Tan Cheng Bock suggested that for the implementation of the LTC report, we have an institution to drive the recommendations and that we should expand the role of the HNF and utilise the CDCs and other community organisations and grassroots organisations to help drive the implementation. The recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial Committee cover a very wide spectrum of areas from preventive healthcare, health education, health screening, community-based services, including home nursing to the setting up of physical structures - nursing homes, community hospitals, the whole lot. It really is the work of a Ministry. So, my Ministry will continue to drive the implementation of the recommendations but we will do that in close collaboration with the VWOs because we are not the ones who are actually implementing. The VWOs will have to come in and provide the services and provide some of the training and we will be at the back helping them, but making sure that where there are gaps, we are able to quickly identify new VWOs or maybe encourage existing VWOs to fill the gaps. And we may, later on, set up, in certain areas, coordinating groups or ensure that there is a leader for some of those programmes. So, it is mid-way between what you have proposed and what we are actually doing. He has asked for us to make use of the CDCs. Sir, indeed, we are looking into that and would like to work as closely as possible with the CDCs down the road. Sir, I think I have replied to most of the points which I am supposed to have replied to. I will now ask Dr Aline Wong to answer the rest.”
“We too value their role because they are able to perform a very difficult job with great compassion and with great commitment and, therefore, we should try to make it as easy as possible for them, without getting them involved, in just doing fund-raising full-time, which I think, some of them are doing. But at the same time, we have to make sure that they are being run efficiently, so that with the subsidies we give them, they are able to operate without having to raise too extensive the amount of funds. He said that in Hong Kong the land is given to them for free. Sir, I want to let him know that in Singapore, this is also the case. We charge them a Temporary Occupation Licence or TOL. But this is a paper transaction because the TOL is fully subsidised by the Ministry. So, in effect, they get the land for free. Not only that, we provide them with a grant that pays for 90% of the cost of the building, so the amount they have to actually raise is quite low. But I think what is a burden on them is the need to raise funds for the recurring expenses since we only subsidise 50%. And I am happy to inform Mr Yeo that we are actually reviewing that too. The aim is that we should make sure that, firstly, the subsidies are increased, so that their burden is lessened, and secondly, to widen the coverage. And as I mentioned just now, we are going to increase the coverage from just the lower income groups to the lower middle income groups, and I think it would make the burden on the VWOs a lot lighter. We are reviewing it together with MCD and we hope to finish the review within the next six months.”
“The details are now being worked out between my Ministry and the CPF Board. 4.00 pm Dr Lily Neo asked whether the long-term care insurance will also pay for the treatment of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. The long-term care insurance would only cover the care provided by the elderly with serious disabilities and would therefore require extensive care from care-givers, whether it is at home or in institutions. These severe disabilities are usually fairly long-lasting or prolonged, if not permanent, and can therefore be very costly for the family to manage, whether they are living at home or in the institution. The costs of medication for chronic conditions like diabetics and hypertension are generally affordable and I think most families are able to pay for them out of pocket. For those who cannot afford the medications from the private sector, they have access to the polyclinics where heavily subsidised services are available. The normal subsidy is 50% at the polyclinic and for the elderly above the age of 65, they get another 50% discount. Sir, in actual fact, for the elderly, the subsidy is more, in the range of 75%. I think the key thing is to remember that the aim is to keep the premiums for the long-term care insurance as low as possible and that means having as tight a coverage as possible, rather than as wide a coverage, because the wider the coverage, the greater the coverage, the higher would be the premiums required and this would be contrary to what we are trying to achieve, which is to keep the premiums low and affordable. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang talked about the role of the VWOs and asked for a review of the subsidies. I agree with Mr Yeo about the role of the VWOs.”
“Those families with household income above that level are unable to get subsidies. We have had quite a fair bit of feedback that many families in the lower middle income groups do find it very difficult to bear the full fees. Arising from the recommendations of the LTC, the Government has agreed to extend such subsidies to families in the lower middle income groups. We will need to have a means test to identify who will qualify for such subsidies and my Ministry is now working out the details on where is the cut-off income level. In reply to Mr Goh Choon Kang, those families who are in the lower middle income groups today will be able to have access to some subsidies once my officials have finalised their studies. Sir, in terms of getting the private sector to be involved, our aim is that the Government, through CPF and MOH, will only launch one basic long-term care insurance plan. For this plan, the premium will be kept low and affordable and the benefits, although they will not be very large, will still be adequate for the lower middle income and lower income families. Because, in addition, to the cash benefits from the insurance payment, they will also have access to, firstly, Government subsidies, and secondly, financial support from the VWOs. With these three components, the cash outlay required from those families will be affordable. This means that since we are only providing the basic insurance, we will need the private insurers to come in to provide enhanced plans. This is very similar to the MediShield approach where CPF provides a fairly basic MediShield package and the private insurers provide the enhanced package. To make it possible for the private insurers to participate, we will also be prepared to extend the use of Medisave to pay for the premiums.”
“We will also work with the grassroots organisations and the professional organisations, like the nursing association and others, to identify people who are interested in such a service and identify who can be the key leaders in each area and help them drive the process. This is a nation-wide requirement and the more helping hands we can get, the more effectively we can help the home care givers. Sir, I totally agree with Mdm Chiang and we would definitely be working in that direction. Let me move on to healthcare financing. Mr Bernard Chen asked how we are going to get the private insurers to get involved in the provision of long-term care insurance. And Mr Goh Choon Kang, on the other hand, asked in view of the likelihood that healthcare costs will continue to go up, how we would help the elderly to pay for their healthcare needs in the future, how do we help those who presently need such care and who may not be able to have access to the long-term care insurance and how do we help them to pay for such services. Sir, because our population is relatively young now, this is the right time to put in place a proper framework for financing healthcare. That is why we have come up with this solution of long-term care insurance because this would enable individuals to start paying the premiums now in anticipation of 20 or 30 years' time when they get old and may need long-term care. We are also aware that the cost of long-term care, especially institutionalised long-term care for the elderly who are severely disabled and will require extensive support, can be quite expensive. At present, some of you may know that the patients or the elderly with household income of $2,000 and below qualify for subsidies in the VWO homes.”
“Next, let me touch on home care. Mdm Claire Chiang stressed the need for us to tap on the community and that there is a need for us to provide greater support to home carers. Sir, I totally agree with her. We do indeed ensure that there is an adequate support for home carers because the burden on the family members who are providing the care is actually quite great. In keeping with our societal values and norms, our philosophy is that the elderly, even the disabled ones, should as far as possible remain with their families and stay within the community, and the institutionalisation of the elderly should only be the measure of last resort and not the first resort. We are therefore taking various steps to enhance home care and to alleviate the burden being borne by family care givers. Let me first touch on the type of home care services that we are providing to support the home carers. The first is home nursing care. The nurses from the VWOs, who provide this home nursing care, visit the elderly at home to provide such nursing care, like wound dressing and teaching the elderly sick and the care givers simple exercises to improve their health and fitness levels. The second is home medical care where doctors visit the elderly sick at home to provide treatment and follow-up care. The third is home-help where home helpers make visits to deliver meals and provide respite care. Sir, these three categories of home care services will be an important support for family care givers. My Ministry will work closely with MCD to identify and encourage more VWOs to get involved and to assist and nurture them.”
“This would then improve patient care and reduce the risk of serious complications and disabilities. To achieve this objective, my Ministry has developed a simple 10-minute geriatric health screening protocol. This protocol is meant to pick up early symptoms and signs of common diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, visual and hearing impairment, other functional and mental problems in the elderly. The screening protocol is being validated currently and, once it is validated, we will give it to the GPs and polyclinic doctors to administer to elderly patients. Mr Ibrahim Othman said that this should be made compulsory. Sir, we should not make health screening compulsory. It should be a voluntary programme because this is in line with the Government's philosophy of individual responsibility. We will educate the individuals through the mass media and the community organisations about the importance of health screening. We hope that, through the organisations at the grassroots level and the VWOs, we will have a pretty good outreach. We expect the cost to be affordable because the screening would be simple, low cost and it takes 10 minutes. My officials are now in the process of identifying and training service providers to administer the screening and to decide on the appropriate frequency. Dr Neo raised the question of MOH supporting community health screenings. Sir, I feel it will be better for the organisers to rely not just on MOH, but to reach out and involve GPs and other healthcare providers and workers that are working in the area. This is because there are a lot more GPs and healthcare workers in the private sector than in the public sector and many of them would be happy, I am sure, to strengthen their links with the community in which they serve.”
“We must be proactive and anticipate, plan and phase in the critical national health infrastructure and services over time. The IMC has recommended a two-pronged approach to look after the healthcare needs of the elderly. Firstly, health promotion and disease prevention to enhance the health of the elderly. Secondly, the provision of adequate, appropriate and affordable services for the elderly who require long-term care. The main strategy to meet the healthcare needs of the elderly obviously is to avoid disease and disabilities through life long health promotion and disease prevention. Healthy elderly persons will then remain happy, active and productive members of the community. This approach will also shorten the period of ill health and reduce the need to institutionalise the elderly whenever they fall ill. Dr Lily Neo has suggested that my Ministry should work closely with and support voluntary and grassroots organisations that are interested in conducting educational talks and health screenings for the community. Sir, I can assure her that we are indeed doing so in the area of educational talks but, nonetheless, I shall ask my officials to look into her suggestion. In terms of healthcare screening, Mr Ibrahim Othman and Dr Lily Neo touched on that. Let me reply to them now. Mr Ibrahim Othman stated that MOH should draw up quickly a screening programme for the elderly and should make it compulsory and have it done yearly. When they get a little bit older, it should be done twice yearly and it should be cost effective. The cost should be reasonable and affordable. Sir, the IMC has recommended that the elderly should undergo regular medical screening that allows medical problems to be detected and treated early.”