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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“The Mandai area, in the neighbourhood of the worksites where the 7 foreign workers lived and worked, was thoroughly combed for potential breeding grounds of the Anopheles mosquito - the vector that transmits malaria. Ground puddles were filled and seepage drains were cleared of all chokages. The area is largely forested and undeveloped and seepage water found in such terrain can be conducive to the breeding of this vector. The area was also fogged with insecticide on three occasions. There were no further cases of malaria reported since then. REPORT ON THE SILK AIR CRASH 30. Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for Communications if he will give the House an up to date report on the Silk Air crash.”
“The mild haze we encountered at the end of November and the start of December indeed shows that there is a strong likelihood of plantation fires in Sumatra starting again as soon as there is a dry spell and that we will be affected if winds blow our way. The ASEAN Haze Action Plan will not be effective until there is effective enforcement against illegal burning. This is one of the key elements in the Plan. We will continue to work with our ASEAN colleagues to get Indonesia to implement the Plan more effectively. MEASURES TO ELIMINATE PROBLEM OF MALARIA AT MANDAI AREA 29. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Minister for the Environment what measures his Ministry has taken to eliminate the problem of malaria at the Mandai area.”
“With respect to medical education, our economic and human resources do not allow us the luxury of providing a medical education to all for its own sake. For these reasons, the Government has imposed the one-third quota in the medical course. However, we do not regard this policy to be in violation of our obligations under CEDAW. It is not discrimination against women on grounds of gender per se. It is because we have to address a real and practical problem. Let me also add the Government does not prevent women from enrolling in medical courses overseas and qualifying as doctors. There is no quota in the number of women doctors who practise medicine in Singapore. NEW CRITERIA TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE 26. Mr Zulkifli bin Baharudin asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the new criteria to process applications for permanent residence include changes in the procedures and whether these procedures and criteria are made known to the public.”
“A consistently higher proportion of female doctors do not work, or work part-time, compared to male doctors. Over the last 10 years, the percentage of female doctors who were not working or working only part-time ranged from about 16% to nearly 19%. The comparative figure for male doctors is 5% to 8%. There are two key reasons for imposing the intake quota on female medical students. First, the cost of training one medical student is much higher than that for the other disciplines in the university. It costs over $350,000 over 5 years to train a medical student, 80% of which is subsidised by the Government. The total subsidy for medical students is about 5 times that for students in other disciplines. Given the limited intake of medical students and the need to optimise the outcome, a higher proportion of male medical students will ensure that more doctors will remain full time in the workforce to meet the projected demand for medical services and contribute to society. The second reason is that a higher proportion of female doctors prefer to work in positions which do not involve irregular working hours. Such positions are very limited in our health institutions. Equal access to education remains one of our cardinal principles. Women make up 52% of the local university student population in the 1998/1999 intake. Equal access to university education does not mean that every student has a free choice as to the type of course he or she may pursue, as this depends on the number of places available for each course. The number of available places depends on several considerations, such as our national needs and the economic cost of providing such courses.”
“Rental rebates for hawker stalls are only given to those hawkers who are paying market rates. These are the hawkers who were allocated stalls at market rates or obtained their stalls through the public tendering system. They represent about 9% of the total hawker population in the Government hawker centres. Those who are paying rents below market rates are not given any rental rebates. Food prices are best left to the hawkers individually to set. Hawkers are, however, required to display price tags and sell their food according to the prices indicated. I am sure hawkers will be prudent in setting their prices; otherwise they may end up pricing themselves out of business, especially under the present economic situation. RETRENCHMENTS 9. Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Manpower if he will give an update on the number of persons who are over 45 and who have been retrenched; and what mechanism, training programmes and types of job placement opportunities are in place to enable these older persons to participate in the economy.”
“The Drainage Department of Ministry of the Environment has repaired 2.5 km of damaged drains in Sennett Estate since 1997 as part of its on-going island wide drainage maintenance programme. The observation by ENV officers is that stagnant water in the drains is often due to litter in the drains. Mr Chiam can help to reduce this problem by encouraging members of the public in the area to refrain from littering. Mr Chiam can also inform ENV directly should he be aware of any damaged drain in Sennett Estate that needs repairing. REDUCTION OF PRICES AT HAWKER CENTRES 8. Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for the Environment if he will appeal to stallholders in hawker centres to reduce their price in view of the Government's recent measures to cut costs.”
“However, the Member would be aware of the pre-Medisave top-up scheme introduced in 1996 in recognition of the valuable contributions and services rendered by the older citizens to Singapore. It is aimed at helping them build up their Medisave accounts since they would have accumulated little or no Medisave savings, having retired before or shortly after the Medisave scheme was introduced in 1984. Therefore, those who are 64 and above on 1st April 1998 will receive between $100 and $350 (depending on age) so long as they make a small co-payment. The co-payment reinforces the partnership between the Government and the people in looking after the people's healthcare needs. To date, 3 top-ups, costing the Government $159 million, have been given. The elderly will receive the fourth and final instalment of the Pre-Medisave top-up in January 1999 if they contribute another co-payment of $20 into their Medisave account during the period 1st July 1998 to 31st December 1998. PROGRAMMES FOR THE RETRAINING OF WORKERS 6. Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Manpower how his Ministry intends to measure the effectiveness of the various programmes set up by the National Trades Union Congress and other bodies to retrain workers, in terms of the impact of the programmes on workers' earnings, job placements and career mobility.”
“The elderly receive heavily subsidised primary health care at Government polyclinics, at 75% of the treatment cost. For hospital care, all patients have a choice of wards. For Class C beds, patients pay only 20% of the cost; the Government pays the remaining 80%. For Class B2 beds, the patients pay 35% of cost, Class B1 80%. There is no subsidy for Class A wards. Financial counselling is provided at the point of admission to enable patients to choose their ward class according to their financial means. To ensure that everyone has equal access to the heavily subsidised wards, Class B2 and C beds are kept at about 70% of the number of public acute hospital beds. We would like to assure the member that the public sector hospitals will not turn away patients who are unable to pay. The necessary treatment is always given first. In instances of financial hardship, Medifund acts as a safety net to ensure that no Singaporeans will be denied essential medical care just because of the inability to pay. Therefore, the existing systems are able to help the aged sick with no CPF savings or other sources of medical funds. As explained earlier, we would encourage Singaporeans to choose a class of ward which they can afford. If despite Government subsidies, Medisave and MediShield, they are still unable to pay for the essential medical care, they may approach the medical social worker of the hospital or their Community Development Council for Medifund assistance. As the aged can opt for treatment at Government polyclinics and acute hospitals which are already heavily subsidised, my Ministry does not consider it necessary to revise the subsidy level to them further.”
“COMPLIANCE BY GOVERNMENT-LINKED COMPANIES 45. Mr Chuang Shaw Peng asked the Minister for National Development whether Government-linked companies have to comply with the rules and regulations set out by various agencies such as the Building Control Division, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Building Structural Branch and others, in the same way as any other private company will have to.”
“At present, Singapore is already widely acknowledged as a regional medical hub. Many patients from the region seek medical treatment in Singapore, especially for more complicated medical conditions. Many international and regional conferences are also held in Singapore, attracting doctors and other participants from the region. With the current economic downturn, the number of regional patients coming here for treatment has declined. However, MOH will continue to facilitate the efforts of various associations to attract medical conferences and exhibitions to Singapore. At the same time, the current economic situation does present us with some opportunities to strengthen our position as the regional medical hub. The downturn has resulted in fewer public sector doctors leaving to join the private sector. More senior specialists from the private sector have also indicated their interest in joining the Visiting Consultant Scheme in public hospitals. Such developments will enable the public sector hospitals to build up their manpower resources, and further enhance their expertise, capabilities and patient services. The Ministry's plans for the setting up of the National Centres for Heart, Cancer and Neuroscience are proceeding as planned. These Centres will provide complex tertiary clinical services for the nation, and will also be focal points for medical research and teaching in their respective specialties. I would like to assure the Member for Kreta Ayer-Tanglin GRC that the Ministry of Health will continue with efforts to make our healthcare system relevant and better. This will ensure that Singaporeans can continue to enjoy a high standard of medical care, and we are able to maintain our reputation as a regional centre of medical excellence.”
“The Ministry of Health, Health Corporation of Singapore and the Restructured Hospitals have been conducting a sustained campaign for many years to attract young people into the nursing profession. This campaign has included career exhibitions and career talks at schools, participation in careers fairs, giving out of nursing bursaries and scholarships, newspaper features and television commercials. Whilst these efforts did produce results, it was only this year that we have seen bumper crops beyond our targets and expectations. The NYP Nursing Diploma programme's intake was 640, above their targetted intake of 600. Likewise, the School of Nursing's intake for the Pupil Assistant Nurse programme has more than doubled over last year's intake, from about 70 to 160. While this is partly related to the current economic situation, I believe this can also be attributed to the increasing awareness of the nursing profession through the higher profile publicity campaign. We will continue with our on-going programmes to promote nursing as a career. MAKING SINGAPORE A `MEDICAL HUB' 44. Dr Lily Neo asked the Minister for Health if there are plans in place to use the opportunities, which this economic downturn may offer, to make Singapore into a `medical hub' for the region in the near future.”
“Readjusting the staff structure of doctors My Ministry has taken a two-pronged approach in increasing the supply of junior doctors. We have increased the university medical school intake to 200 per year. As this is a long-term solution, we have in the short term made efforts to recruit overseas-trained Medical Officers. We have appointed 59 foreign trained medical officers since January this year, in addition to the 81 that were appointed last year. Previously, we had only been able to bring in about 50-odd officers per year, including both House Officers and Medical Officers. This has greatly reduced the shortfall of junior doctors. My Ministry has also moderated the number of night calls to six per month. Night calls are an unavoidable facet of institutional practice. My Ministry has also instructed our hospitals, where necessary, to pool its medical staff of related disciplines for night duty rostering. In addition, departments have also sought to alleviate the workload of junior doctors by practising "step-down" calls where more senior doctors (such as Registrars and Consultants) assist their junior colleagues by taking on some of their calls and workload. As a longer term measure, the MOH Nursing Task Force set up in November last year has recommended that nurses should take on higher level clinical duties (eg intravenous injections, hypocounts and venepunctures). Whilst the main intent of this recommendation was to enhance the jobs of nurses and enable them to maximise their skills and abilities, this would also have the secondary effect of easing the workload of junior doctors, especially house officers. Nurses - recruitment efforts and increasing training posts I turn now to the issue of stepping up efforts to recruit nurses.”
“My Ministry has received numerous complaints from residents living close to construction and renovation sites on the use of generator sets at these sites. Generator sets cause noise pollution and those operated by diesel can also cause air pollution. My Ministry, therefore, decided that generators should not be used at locations where power supply can be obtained directly from the grid if they cause noise and air pollution to neighbouring residents. The use of generator sets in construction sites was first discussed with the Singapore Contractors Association (SCAL) in July 1998. In another dialogue session with SCAL in September this year, SCAL was generally supportive of the policy and pointed out that connection to the grid would in fact be more economic and reliable. My Ministry had agreed to organise a meeting with Power Supply together with SCAL and REDAS to see how early connections can be made possible. INVESTIGATION INTO EXISTENCE OF OIL CARTEL 40. Mr R. Ravindran asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether his Ministry has recently investigated the existence of an oil cartel which fixes the price of consumer oil prices, in particular, vehicle petrol/diesel prices; and if not, whether his Ministry will investigate the existence of such a cartel.”
“As Viagra is a new drug, the Ministry of Health is conducting a comprehensive evaluation to review the safety, quality and efficacy of the drug for registration in Singapore. The evaluation will take into consideration all scientific and clinical data submitted, including information available from other established drug regulatory agencies. The evaluation will also consider the clinical applicability of the drug to our local population and the benefits of the drug versus its potential side effects. The Ministry will also take into consideration the views of local clinical experts and that of the Medicines Advisory Committee, an expert committee appointed under the Medicines Act to advise the Ministry on registration of drugs for use in Singapore. CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND CONTRIBUTIONS WITHDRAWAL 8. Mr Cyrille Tan asked the Minister for Manpower what is his Ministry's stand on the Malaysian Trade Union Congress' decision to bring up to the International Labour Organization a dispute of the withdrawal of West Malaysians' Central Provident Fund contributions.”
“The Ministry of Health plans to build a polyclinic in Pasir Ris. We have just been allocated a site at the junction of Pasir Ris Drive 1 and Pasir Ris Street 51. The polyclinic is scheduled to be completed by year 2002. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS TAX EXEMPTION FOR INCOME REPATRIATED BY SINGAPOREANS 1. Mr Tay Beng Chuan asked the Minister for Finance whether his Ministry can grant a tax exemption for income repatriated by Singaporeans formerly working overseas after their return to Singapore, since this may otherwise deter Singaporeans from accepting overseas assignments.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That Parliament do now adjourn. Question proposed. PREPARATIONS FOR FUTURE CHANGES IN ELECTORATE TRENDS 8.05 pm”
“Whatever we do, I can assure Members, will be jumped upon and distorted for their own use by other countries. Do we want to be the one to open the Pandora's box? I think the cost to us from opening such a Pandora's box will be many, many times larger than the worst haze experience we have ever encountered. So I would urge that while we have an area of concern, let us not allow our concerns to overpower our better judgment and result in a bigger problem for not just Singapore but the whole region. This will also boomerang on us, because we are so interlinked with economies of the region.”
“Sir, I would like to respond to a few of his points. First, on sanctions. I think the concept of sanctions is best exemplified by the Americans. The US is the superpower of the world, in fact, the main power in the world. They have applied sanctions to many countries and, in many cases, those sanctions have shown very minimal results, if at all. In the context of Singapore, I think the concept of sanctions would almost be laughable, and I think we should not do discredit to ourselves by doing something which would totally be ineffective. Sir, on eco-labels, yes, we already have the Eco-Labelling Scheme. But the Eco-Labelling Scheme is one which is very well established, and the scheme recognises products which are environmentally friendly. What we have been trying to prevent is the concept of eco-labelling that labels products which are environmentally unfriendly. Because that opens up a whole Pandora's box of products which are environmentally unfriendly. If a factory that does not reduce humidity artificially and workers are sweating away, is that an environmentally unfriendly factory to the workers? If a country which has very poor sewerage facilities thereby resulting in factories also discharging wastes which are semi-treated into the open drains which, of course, in a developed country would be an absolutely no-no, would those products be also declared environmentally unfriendly and therefore given a black eco-label? Sir, it is not that Singapore does not have any timber and oil palms and therefore we came up with this black eco-label on timber and oil palm products. It is the principle and the whole concept of the Eco-Labelling Scheme. Singapore has a very well established reputation in the trading world.”
“If we cannot enforce Indonesian laws, we have a market for which we can ask our consumers to make their voice known. The Minister cautioned against the danger of protectionism. I am reminded of course that our Minister for the Environment was previously the Minister for Trade and Industry and this was a very controversial issue and I share that concern. But we must see clearly that in this issue of timber and oil palm, there is no danger that Singapore has protectionist measures in mind. We have got no timber and we have got no oil palm. What we have in mind is not protectionism, but protection. The Minister has also said that the government must work with government and I believe that it is correct. But there are many tools in international law and international relations, as the Minister well knows, to fund international agencies and to have international agencies support programmes and projects that seem workable, whether these programmes and projects come from NGOs or from Indonesia's host government. I am encouraged by the Minister's support. I believe the Minister has more to say. Without possibly responding to him again, I just wish to add that, as Indonesia goes through this period of reconstruction in environment, I urge, and this point has not been addressed by the Minister for the Environment or, perhaps it is to be addressed by the Government as a whole, that we engage Indonesia not purely in terms of the environment but on these issues, again I stress, on forestry, on agriculture, on trade and industry and finance as a whole, because these are not about fires per se but about economic imperatives that drive Indonesian companies or Singapore investors in Indonesian companies to do these bad practices.”
“Yes. Mr Simon Tay: I am heartened by that. But if I may very briefly, given the hour, address some of the points. I call for basically a mix of carrots and sticks. Of course, it is for the Government of our country to determine the actual mix and, again, I see the greater experience and authority of the Minister and the Government in determining what the mix should be in its dealings with Indonesia. As I said, I myself do not feel this is a Singapore-against-Indonesia issue and I hope our Indonesian colleagues do not feel that way. It is very much the victims of pollution against the people who created the pollution, wherever they stand on the border. But, however, I must urge the Minister that the route he is taking us down, while increasing the capacity of Indonesia to respond, will not necessarily increase the will of the Indonesian government to respond and that we should not therefore give up all sanctions and pressures. I am of course aware that ASEAN prefers to put those pressures behind closed doors. I then ask the Government to allow greater leeway for NGOs and people in Singapore to publicly express their concerns to the Indonesian people and government in their private capacities. Secondly, I wish the Minister to consider that the eco-labels that he rejects should not be rejected out of hand. I urge that the Government study them. The Ministry of the Environment already administers all the existing eco-labels in Singapore. There are more than 20-over products under these eco-labels. We should not surrender this possibility once companies are prosecuted, once names are named. We should not abandon the power to go against the bad guys in the marketplace.”
“But these efforts and assistance should focus on areas which are going to be productive and which will help us move the solution along rather than addressing things which may be counterproductive. But we also appreciate that our utmost efforts will still be not enough in view of the scale of challenge facing Indonesia. We will therefore also help by continuing to rally further support and assistance for Indonesia at the regional and international levels.”
“Sir, the fires started and took place in Indonesia. This is where the investigations have to be carried out. I do not see what value Singapore can add to investigation into the fires that take place in Indonesia. He also touched on those in Indonesia who want to help solve the problem and that we should help them. Sir, governments have to work on a government-to-government basis. If the NGOs in Indonesia are very much concerned about the problem, and I think they have got good reasons to be concerned about the problem, then it is up to our NGOs to see what they can do to help them. It is not possible for the Singapore Government to intervene and actively help NGOs in other countries on matters which affect those countries. Those points raised by Mr Zulkifli are in many ways similar to what Mr Tay has mentioned and I have addressed them too. Sir, let me conclude by stressing that, despite all of ASEAN's efforts and even with international assistance, we cannot be the ones to put out the fires in Indonesia. The fires can only be prevented and put out by Indonesia herself. Indeed, Indonesia has since indicated that she prefers to use her own firemen to fight the fires. What neighbouring countries and the international community can do is to help strengthen Indonesia's capacity to detect fires early and put them out quickly. ASEAN will also help Indonesia address efforts against slash-and-burn practices and urge Indonesia to take strong, effective enforcement actions against irresponsible plantation owners. On Singapore's part, we have been actively helping Indonesia over the past year to address some of the challenges related to forest fires and haze. In this respect, I agree with the motion by Mr Tay that we should do more and, indeed, we are doing more.”
“One of the fears that many countries have expressed is the use of eco-labels by the developed countries as a protectionist tool against products from developing countries which may not be able to meet those high eco-standards set by the developed countries. In this respect, I would urge NGOs, even if they are interested, to be a bit circumspect and look at the full implications of the scheme rather than look at very narrow aspects of the scheme. He has also asked us to identify and certify products which are linked to the haze and fires. Sir, we are not able to do that because, in the first place, we do not even know which companies are involved in deliberate fire setting. He has asked us to issue advisory to Singapore companies about their obligations to comply with the laws of the countries they operate in. Sir, we have stated these repeatedly that the Government expects all Singapore businessmen and companies to fully comply with the laws of the countries they operate in, whether it is in Indonesia, other parts of South East Asia, or countries outside the region. This has been very well publicised and I am sure our companies and businessmen know this. Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to remind all companies that are operating specifically in Indonesia to strictly comply with Indonesian laws against the use of fires for land clearing activities. I would like to remind them that, as in all cases, where companies are prosecuted for contravening laws of other countries, they cannot expect the Singapore Government to intervene on their behalf if they are found guilty of being involved in such activities and are heavily penalised. He has asked that we assist in investigating Singapore companies if the Indonesian government requests us.”
“Sir, I am not a lawyer. I do not know whether this is a feasible approach. I shall consult our legal experts. But, as a layman, I would expect that any arrangement of this sort must have the agreement of our Indonesian counterparts. As I said just now, I do not think it is something that is going to be very viable at the present moment. In fact, we may actually be souring up the environment. He has also asked that we release names of companies that are involved in illegal burning and ensure that the Indonesian government prosecutes both Indonesian companies and foreign companies equally. Sir, in fact, we have been asking for the names of the companies from Indonesia. But till now, we have not received any response. I think part of the problem is that they have difficulties proving guilt on the part of the companies that they have identified. As such, I think, as a lawyer, Mr Tay would realise that until guilt is proven, one should not start to penalise them. Therefore, the Indonesian authorities have not come back to us with the names of the companies. At the last meeting, the Minister told us that two companies are now in the process of being prosecuted and we await the outcome of these two cases when they come to court. He has asked that we promote eco-labels. Sir, we already have a Eco-Labelling Scheme in place in Singapore. It is not for the Government to actively promote one class of products over another. It is for the consumers and this is where the NGOs may have a role. If the NGOs feel very strongly that eco-labelling is useful and that products with eco-labels are supported, then I would propose that the NGOs who feel that way take an active role in promoting them. But having said that, we have to be aware of the potential negative implications.”
“He has also talked several times about the need to have binding treaties. Sir, treaties result only when all the parties involved are prepared to even consider the possibility of such treaties. I do not think we have come to that stage yet. In fact, we are very, very far from that stage where we can even talk about the possibility of treaties. Let us focus on things which are productive, things which do not divide the whole meeting and make the meeting acrimonious. Let us work on things that all parties can agree with and where effective outcomes can be found. Therefore, I do not think his suggestion about Singapore coming out with binding treaties with Indonesia or, in fact, with the other ASEAN countries is something which is viable at this present stage. He has asked that the ASEAN countries and Singapore ask Indonesia to recognise its responsibility to prevent fires. Sir, indeed, that is what we have been doing very actively. As a result, we have been able to make progress in terms of bilateral and regional cooperation on ways to tackle the fires and haze. He has asked us to set up a special court to prosecute offenders, if I get it right. Is that what he proposes? Mr Simon Tay: It is a special court which will allow Singapore citizens or people who damage their companies to sue Indonesian companies directly.”
“It is only through effective enforcement, coupled with heavy penalties that reflect the true cost of the fires to the Indonesian and regional economies, and to the health of the people, that Indonesia can deter plantation owners from continuing their highly irresponsible activities. At our recent meeting, the Ministers also agreed that ASEAN countries should include presumptive provisions in their national laws to make it easier to successfully prosecute owners of burnt land. This arose from the explanation that it is very difficult to catch people who are setting fires to the land red-handed, and therefore the burden of proof is a very difficult one to fulfil. At that discussion, both Brunei and Malaysia shared with us their experience and they told us that they have such presumptive provisions in their laws and that these presumptive provisions turn out to be very effective in deterring illegal open burning activities. The Ministers also urged countries which are converting large tracts of forest and peat lands into plantations to carefully review their land-use policies so as to discourage open burning practices. Mr Tay has also mentioned some other points. I will take them up separately. He has asked that Singapore work with the other ASEAN countries to strengthen the action plans. We are doing that. In fact, the Sub-Regional Fire-fighting Arrangement is a result of the Regional Haze Action Plan that was put in place. As we continue with the discussions, we were able to translate some of those information sharing plans into actual action plans on the ground. So the RFA was one of the very important outcomes of the Regional Haze Action Plan and we will continue to strengthen those action plans and ensure that resources can be found to implement them.”
“Singapore will continue to provide assistance to Indonesia on the forest fire problem, both bilaterally and as part of regional and international efforts. Last year, we provided about $300,000 to install an Intranet system that enables ASEAN countries to expeditiously share satellite information on fires and haze. We also provided the Jakarta Command Post, which monitors fires and haze, with various hi-tech communication equipment and computers, and trained its staff on their use. This year, at Indonesia's request, we intend to provide further assistance under the RFAs. These would include computer and communication equipment to support aerial surveillance and fire-fighting operations, as I have mentioned just now. We will also train key ground staff from these provinces on the use of these and other equipment. Another key element which the Ministers have identified is public education. Public education must go hand-in-hand with other efforts to deal with the haze. Indeed, public education is an important aspect addressed under the Regional Haze Action Plan and the Ministers have agreed that public education and incentives against open burning should be widely conducted at the local levels. These measures have, in fact, been included under the respective National Haze Action Plans, and we will have to develop them into the implementation stage subsequently. On enforcement, ASEAN Ministers have also urged Indonesia to step up its enforcement against illegal burning activities. We noted that the Association of Indonesian Forest Entrepreneurs was prosecuted in court recently, and fined 50 billion rupiah.”
“We will be providing Indonesia with communication and computer equipment to support the aerial surveillance and fire fighting operations. The key is to ensure that the information picked up by the aerial spotters can be very quickly fed down to the ground forces because every hour that is lost will result in the fire only getting much larger. We will focus our assistance on four priority provinces in Sumatra, namely, Riau, Lampung, Southern Sumatra and Jambi. These are the four provinces with significant fire-prone forest land. To make the RFAs effective, Indonesia will need help in other areas too. These would include fire-fighting equipment and the training for their firemen. These are areas where other countries have the necessary expertise. Malaysia has offered to provide training on fire fighting and ASEAN countries will continue to seek international assistance through UNEP and bilaterally. With regard to UNEP and international assistance, UNEP has participated in most of the ASEAN haze meetings and is playing an important role in mobilising international assistance. It has formulated a US$10 million short-term plan to contain fires in Kalimantan, and this plan was drawn up when there were about 1,000 fires raging in Kalimantan. However, as recent rains have helped to put out the Kalimantan fires, the donor countries have quite understandably not been very forthcoming in responding to UNEP's appeal. At the recent Ministerial meeting, UNEP's representative agreed that it would now try to get the donor countries to contribute towards preventive measures instead. ASEAN will continue to maintain close contact and work with UNEP on this. What about our role?”
“Malaysia is the lead country in the Sumatra RFA, with Indonesia and Singapore as members, while Brunei is leading the Kalimantan RFA, with Indonesia and Malaysia as the other two members. At the recent ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Haze held in Singapore on 19th June, the ASEAN Environment Ministers felt that aerial water bombing is not only extremely expensive, but may not be that effective in heavily forested areas. So in this respect, I think Mr Simon Tay is correct. This is our conclusion too. The Ministers agreed that Sumatra RFA would involve two key activities. The first is an aerial surveillance regime to detect fires. Why do we need this? We have found that the existing satellite monitoring system that we have in place now can only detect fairly sizeable fires. Very often, these fires are already too large to be easily put out. A monitoring regime using aircraft will help to overcome this limitation. Aerial surveillance, however, is also a very costly operation. Fortunately, Indonesia plans to use her own hardware resources, thereby significantly reducing the cost. But because of economic problems, Indonesia will need help in funding out-of-pocket expenses, especially fuel costs. During the Ministerial meeting, both UNEP and the USA, fortunately, had indicated their interest in participating in the aerial operations and we do look forward to their funding support for these operations. The second activity under the Sumatra RFA is to improve the communications network among agencies at the provincial and district levels in Sumatra. The objective is to ensure that information on fires can be quickly disseminated to the ground fire-fighting forces. This is an area where Singapore has the expertise.”
“What is most pressing now is to help Indonesia in its effort to prevent fires, to detect fires early, and to put in place a system to put fires out as soon as they are detected. The focus of regional and international assistance should therefore be shifted from efforts to put out huge raging fires to funding ground-level activities aimed at putting out fires when they are still small and manageable. Since the last haze episode, Singapore has, in fact, taken a lead role in forging a regional response to the fires and haze problem. We hosted the very first ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Haze (AMMH) in December last year and initiated the ASEAN Regional Haze Action Plan (RHAP). The Regional Haze Action Plan has provided a broad framework for the region to tackle the haze problem. It encompasses short-, medium- and long-term solutions. Through the Action Plan, ASEAN countries have since concluded their respective national haze action plans, identified resources available and the additional resources needed to fight fires, and set out various mechanisms for greater intra-regional cooperation on fires and haze. A key development under the Regional Action Plan was the agreement to quickly implement two sub-Regional Fire-fighting Arrangements - one to prevent fires from developing in Kalimantan and the other in Sumatra. The Sub-Regional Fire-fighting Arrangements (RFAs) deal with ground level cooperation needed to detect, monitor and fight fires. They involve the sharing and mobilisation of resources within a sub-region to pre-empt and fight fires. The objective is to ensure that fire outbreaks are detected early and put out quickly before they can expand to a disaster level.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, first, let me say to the two NMPs that I do understand their concerns and, indeed, I fully share their concerns about the haze situation in Indonesia and the potential for the haze to return to Singapore again when the dry season starts in the coming months. Sir, as pointed out by Mr Simon Tay, we have actually been doing quite a fair bit. Before I reply to his specific points, it would be good for me to explain the approach the Government has taken so far, what we have done, and what we intend to do in the coming months. First, let me assure Members that Singapore, together with our ASEAN members, are continuing to pay close attention to the threat of fires and haze, even though the skies are now very clear. We fully realise that a repeat of the 1997 fires and haze disaster will certainly aggravate the region's already bad economic situation. The ASEAN countries also appreciate the economic problems facing Indonesia. We recognise that we must actively help Indonesia to prevent fires and haze. The regional economic turmoil also means that such help must come not just from ASEAN members, but also from the larger international community. In this respect, I share Mr Simon Tay's and Mr Zulkifli's views that international assistance must be directed towards measures that can indeed be effective in dealing with the problem, both in the short, medium and long term. A few months ago, when fires were raging in Kalimantan, the priority then was to internationally mobilise equipment to fight those huge raging fires. Fortunately, rains have returned to the region, and have helped to put out the large-scale fires in most parts of Indonesia. Our focus has consequently changed.”
“Also, if the deceased or his family had consented to organ donation, accurate and timely determination of death is necessary so that his organs would still be viable when harvested. Any delay in certifying death may result in the donated organs being unsuitable for transplantation to save the lives of others. Fifth, there are additional provisions in the Bill governing the certification of death in situations where organs will be lawfully removed for transplant purposes. This is to assure the family of the deceased and the community that adequate safeguards are in place to prevent untimely removal of the donor's organs. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. RECLAMATION (CHANGI EAST)”
“The law must allow doctors to certify death when a person's brain has ceased functioning totally and irreversibly, even though his heart is kept beating or can be kept beating through artificial means for a limited period of time. This is because such a person is in effect dead and there is no possibility at all that he will ever become alive again. The legal definition of death proposed in the Bill will allow doctors to use either the cardiac or brain death criteria to determine when death occurs. The doctor determines which set of criteria should be used according to the clinical circumstances of the case. Second, the determination of brain death will be in accordance with clinical criteria that will be prescribed in the regulations under the new section 2A of the Act. These criteria will be the same as those currently prescribed in the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) Regulations for determining brain death in the case of HOTA donors. The brain death criteria in HOTA are a refinement of the criteria that were unanimously adopted by the Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties of the United Kingdom in 1976. Third, HOTA was implemented in January 1988. The definition of brain death and the criteria for determining brain death under HOTA have therefore been tried and tested for the last 10 years and have gained public acceptance. Fourth, there is a need in certain circumstances to define precisely the time of death. For example, the family of a brain dead person who is being maintained on a ventilator can be spared unnecessary mental anguish and financial burden if brain death can be promptly determined and certified.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." Sir, the Select Committee on the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill received nine written submissions. After considering the submissions, the Committee decided that it was not necessary to hear oral representation as almost all the submissions were in support of the Bill, and none had specifically opposed it. The Committee's Report has been presented to Members of the House. The Committee deliberated on the key points raised in the submissions and agreed that they are already catered for in the Bill. These include safeguards to ensure that before brain death is certified, having two doctors to determine that irreversible cessation of all brain functions has indeed occurred, the inclusion of an independent medical practitioner to certify brain death and that the statutory definition of death be kept separate and distinct from provisions governing organ transplant. Sir, the Select Committee has, after deliberating on the issues raised in the submissions, recommended that there be no amendment to the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill. Let me take this opportunity now to reiterate five important points concerning the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill. First, the objective of the Bill is to provide a legal definition of death for all purposes and formalise what is the currently accepted medical practice. The traditional concept of death, referred to by doctors as "cardiac death", occurs when there is permanent cessation of the circulation of blood and respiration in the body of a person. This concept, however, can no longer be applied in every case because of advances in medical treatment and technology, in particular, resuscitative and life support technology.”
“Sir, if they are found to be not diligent, then the same penalties do apply. 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. EXEMPTED BUSINESS (Motion) Resolved, That the proceedings on the remaining items on the Order Paper for today be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1. [Mr Wong Kan Seng].”
“Sir, in those areas where dengue fever or Aedes mosquitoes are commonly found, we do have a very intensive programme and this intensive programme also includes door-to-door campaign.”
“We do have a very active education programme going on. It is a year round programme. We have exhibitions at community centres, shopping centres and the various grassroots organisations. We will continue to do that. In fact, with the setting up of the CDCs, we are now in active communication with some of the CDCs to see what we can do, in terms of working together to propagate the message in the constituencies under them. He has also suggested that, to make the training programme more accessible, we should arrange for more centres to be set up. Sir, our intention is to have the private sector conduct the training eventually. As a start, we will set up the training programmes and the examinations, and we will encourage private companies to come forward and offer training programmes which we will then vet and endorse. Our responsibility eventually will only be to set the examinations, certify and issue certificates to the workers who qualify. That is indeed our approach.”
“There is a much bigger range of chemicals now being available and therefore we must ensure that the industry and those who are involved in the industry, from the operators to the technicians to the workers, are knowledgeable and trained. So we are going to train them and part of the training will also be to train them in handling the chemicals, to protect themselves and also the general public. We will also require the workers and the technicians through the issue of a code of good practice to use proper equipment and protective gear. In this way, this will protect the workers as well as the general public through the use of proper equipment. All the workers and technicians will be required to go for annual medical checkups. She also proposed that a committee be set up to assess the safety of the products. Sir, Dr Neo will be happy to know that we already have such a committee in operation. It is known as the Advisory Committee for Hazardous Substances and Toxic Wastes and this Committee is charged with reviewing the import, storage and use of poison and other hazardous chemicals. Sir, it is already ongoing. Mr Ang Mong Seng has asked that public parks and vacant land should also be included in the Bill. Sir, public parks and vacant lands are also covered because this Bill also binds the Government, ie, all Government departments have to comply with the provisions of this Bill. If there are vacant State lands, for example, the body that is responsible for looking after that State land is also responsible for ensuring that the land is clear of vector breeding sites and, if not, we will also take action against them. He also stressed the importance of education. He said that fines are good but it is also important to educate the people.”
“Secondly, she asked that, in our effort to eradicate dengue fever and the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes, we should go on a door-to-door campaign and that we should help the households to solve their specific problems. Sir, I do not think it is really possible for us to do a door-to-door campaign, if we want to reach out to the whole country. What we have is a very broad based education approach where, throughout the year, pamphlets and brochures are being sent out to households, especially those in areas which are prone to the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes. Then we provide them with literature and the key advice on what to do. For those households which are found to be breeding mosquitoes, we actually counsel and advise them on the specific steps to take. For example, where the gutters are choked up, we will explain to them the need to check the gutters regularly, clear the gutters and even drill holes in the gutters to ensure that there is no ponding of water in certain parts of the gutters which tend to sag over time. What we have found is that most households actually do know what they should be doing. When they are caught, they will say, "Yes, I wanted to do it but I forgot." So the key thing is to educate them and tell them that everyone needs to play a very responsible role. They should put their knowledge into action and not assume that everything will be well. Because at the end of the day, if the Aedes mosquitoes are breeding, their own family members would be the first to be bitten. Sir, she also pointed out that the chemicals present in the pesticides and insecticides are dangerous. We are introducing this Bill because the chemicals are becoming more potent.”
“The Anopheles mosquito is a vector for malaria and this species of mosquito breeds in streams and seepage water and, more importantly, it requires sunlight. Therefore, we have to make sure that where there are streams, running water and seepage water, the undergrowth is not unintentionally cleared away because that will then give greater access to sunlight and increase the potential for Anopheles mosquitoes to breed. He also asked why the transport and storage of hazardous chemicals are not part of the Bill. Sir, I agree with him that it is important to regulate the transportation and storage of hazardous chemicals. It is under a different Act. It is catered for under the Poisons Act. Dr Lily Neo also raised a few suggestions. Her first suggestion is that since the workers in this industry tend to be not very well educated, perhaps, the training courses should be in dialects and, as far as possible, the examination should not be in written form. Sir, in fact we do intend to conduct training courses, not just in dialects, but also in Malay. Also, most of the questions would be in the form of multiple choice answers to make it simpler for the workers and, where appropriate, pictures will be used instead. So this will make it much easier for us to test the understanding of the workers. Our key priority is to make sure that the workers understand the danger of what they are handling, how to protect themselves and, more importantly, how to protect the general public who are living in the midst of where they are spraying, for example. So the examination will be conducted in such a way that we can test their knowledge.”
“For a construction site, it means that if there are potholes or ponding in certain parts of the site, they have to ensure that that area is levelled up and the potential for vector breeding is eradicated because our primary concern must be for the health and safety of the people. Filling up the potholes does not cost very much. But if the pothole is not filled up and larvae start to breed there, people living near the construction site will then go down with dengue and, worse, some may go down with dengue haemorrhagic fever which can, as Members know, lead to death. So our concern must be for the safety of our people and the cost involved in keeping the site clear of vector breeding potential, I think, is very small in respect of the cost to the population otherwise. He also asked if a house owner is liable if he has potted plants around and he puts a tray under each potted plant and water collects there and larvae are found on the trays. Sir, again, the Bill is quite unambiguous. Every home owner is responsible for ensuring that the conditions for breeding of vectors are totally eradicated. That is why we have been advising all home owners that if they have potted plants, please remove the trays. If they feel the need to have the tray there, then instead of checking it every week, they should check it every two days. Otherwise the responsibility is still theirs if mosquitoes are found to be breeding in that little pool of water there. He has asked about clause 20 and he says that it seems to be out of place. Sir, clause 20 is a very specific requirement and it is meant to address the problem of breeding of Anopheles mosquitoes.”
“Once they are trained properly and have passed the examinations, we will give them a three-year certificate to enable them to carry out their work. But at the same time, there are provisions in the Bill for my Ministry to cancel their licence or certificate if they are found to have contravened the provisions of the Bill. So the safeguards are there. If any of these workers, although they are trained and they know what they are supposed to do, do not comply with the requirements, they will then lose their licence. He has also asked why all the three groups, ie, the operators, the technicians and the workers, are categorised under the same provision, in terms of penalty. Sir, the penalties, as provided under this Bill, represent the maximum penalty. As to how much of the penalty they will receive it will actually depend on the offences they have committed, the circumstances surrounding the offence and the severity of the offence. It will be very much left to the magistrate hearing the case to decide how big a penalty to impose on them. So if the operator is found to be the one who is responsible, then of course the operator will receive a larger penalty. He has also asked about the requirements this Bill will pose to the construction companies, in terms of compliance with keeping their sites free of potholes, for example, and all areas which can allow vectors to breed. Sir, the Bill is quite clear in this regard. The owner or operator of a site is required to ensure that the conditions that can lead to the breeding of vectors are totally eradicated.”
“First, let me thank the three Members who have spoken in support of this Bill. Dr Low Seow Chay raised quite a few points. His first one was in terms of the provisional certificate. He felt that the nine months for the provisional certificate, as provided under the Bill, is a bit too generous. Sir, we need to provide adequate time for the current group of workers to undergo training and to pass examinations. The nine months, I think, are just about adequate. In fact, in talking to the industry, some of the companies have requested for a longer provisional licence period because, as pointed out by some of the speakers, some of the current crop of workers are not that well educated. So the employers were afraid that even with the nine months, they may not find that the time given to them long enough for them to be trained properly. So the period of nine months, I think, is a good compromise. The industry's work can continue. At the same time, we are giving the current group of workers adequate time to undergo training and to pass examinations. Especially as the last speaker has mentioned, with the poor economic situation, we do not want to put any of these workers unnecessarily out of work either. He has also mentioned that the issuing of a certificate for three years is a bit too lenient, that even for the engineers they are only issued a one-year licence. I think the effective period of the licence depends very much on the organisation. Many organisations, in fact, are now proceeding to give licences of a longer duration. In fact, for the engineers, unless I am wrong, I think the one-year licence is renewed without any re-testing. So it is just an administrative process of getting them to renew. Similarly, for the workers.”
“Do you know that chemicals used as vector repellents and pesticides could endanger lives if they are stolen or accidentally discharged into the atmosphere or watercourse? This could happen as a result of a leak caused by the impact during transportation or fire or flood in the premises storing the chemicals. May I ask why the transportation and storage of such potentially hazardous chemicals are not part of the Bill? Could the Minister explain? Sir, I support the Bill.”
“I think it may be difficult for the construction site to comply with this particular clause because of the size of the land and the movement of heavy vehicles. It will be very costly to comply with this requirement. However, effort must be put in to ensure that it is free from vector breeding. Could the Minister elaborate on how the Ministry intends to deal with construction site, in particular, compliance with this sub clause? On the definition of vector breeding, I personally feel that it is a very important issue for the officer to judge whether the owner of the premises had violated the regulation. Take a simple example that a house owner checks and clears all the possible breeding areas on a weekly basis, like clearing the tray under a flower pot. I am sure from the day the trapped water is cleared until the following week before the next check takes place, rain water could be collected and a few mosquito larvae could be growing. Before the larva is turned into a mosquito, within a week it will be cleared and there should be no mosquito breeding. Unfortunately, nearer the date of checking, the Environment officer will come and find a few tiny larvae in the tray of a flower pot. The owner of the house will then be summoned for breeding mosquitoes. In my view, a situation like this is arguable, and I hope the Minister could make it clear whether a situation which I have described is considered to be breeding mosquitoes and therefore in violation of the provision of the Bill. Clause 20 looks like it is unrelated to the Bill. Could the Minister explain why one should not remove any vegetation within six metres of any pond or stream?”
“I think this provision is too generous and it may lead to unqualified operators, technicians or workers continuing to practise without a qualified licence or certificate. It will undermine the spirit of the Bill. I hope the Minister will clarify the conditions and how long the provisional licences would be issued. The Bill states that the certificate would last for three years and is renewable. I personally feel that this is too lenient in comparison with the Professional Engineers Act, which grants university trained professional engineers with only a one-year practising licence. On what ground are the pest control technicians and workers, who would any time endanger public health, granted a three-year permit? May I request the Minister to justify why a pest control licence is not issued on an annual basis, just like the Profession Engineers Act. The Bill does not spell out precisely in what way the licence could be revoked. We must continuously emphasise and remind all pest control licence holders that their licences could be revoked if they do not comply with the code of good conduct pertaining to their practice. Could the Minister also clarify this matter? In clause 35, the penalty for the operators, technicians and workers is grouped into one category if they should break the law. The maximum fine is $20,000 and three months' jail for a first time offender. In my view, the penalty for the operator should be made more severe compared with that of the worker. Could the Minister enlighten the House on this matter? In clause 18(4), it is mentioned specifically about the levelling of the ground to prevent vector breeding.”
“Most of the chemicals used in vector repellents and pesticides are lethal to insects and smaller creatures. They are equally lethal, with higher dosage, to people, especially the aged and young people. Therefore, it is important that the people who handle such chemicals require adequate knowledge of the chemicals, the way to handle the chemicals and the possible remedial action if anybody should accidentally come in contact with the chemicals. I welcome the Bill, which is a comprehensive one, that deals with the possession and subsequent application of such chemicals. The Bill ensures that all operators, technicians and workers dealing with the sale and application of the chemicals to be registered. This will reduce the possibility of mishandling of the chemicals by lay persons which could affect the health of the public. I would like to cite a personal encounter with a pest control company which came to my home for the treatment of termites. The workers from the company drilled holes on the wooden window frame and squeezed a bluish powder into the holes. After their work, those holes were left exposed and the powder could be easily accessible by ignorant young children. In my view, the bluish powder is toxic and could cause problems to young children when they come into contact with it. This is a very bad pest control practice and could only be due to the ignorance of the workers or irresponsibility of the person doing the job. By registering them, perhaps such errant pest controllers could be eradicated from the market and only those with the appropriate knowledge will be allowed to operate. However, I notice that the operators, technicians and workers could be given provisional certificates or licences pending the acquisition of certain prescribed qualifications.”
“Only certified workers are allowed to assist and work under the supervision of licensed technicians in carrying out vector control work. Clause 32 provides for the registration, licence or certificate to be cancelled, if the person who is registered, licensed or certified contravenes the provisions of the Bill, fails to comply with conditions imposed or directions given to him, or has obtained the registration, licence and certificate by fraud or cheating. Under clause 35, the maximum penalty for offences under this Part will be $20,000 and/or 3 months' jail for the first offence and $50,000 and/or 6 months' jail for the second or subsequent offence. The Bill deals with the broad principles and requirements on the control of vectors and pesticides. Specific and detailed regulatory requirements will be made under regulations as provided for under clause 60 of the Bill. Sir, this Bill enables my Ministry to deal with the resurgence of vector-borne diseases more effectively and better protect our population from outbreaks of these diseases. My Ministry has sought the views and inputs of the private sector during the preparation of the Bill. They have given their general support to the Bill. The Destruction of the Disease-Bearing Insects Act (Chapter 79) will be repealed when this Bill is enacted. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. A local newspaper recently reported that, in Hong Kong, a dog died and three members of a family suffered from illnesses resulting from ignorance in the use of a tick control pesticide. This is a good example to show how dangerous vector repellents and pesticides are.”
“Under clause 49, in cases where the offence is committed by a body corporate, a partnership or an unincorporated association of person, the director, manager, partner, secretary or other similar officer of such bodies may be charged for the offence if it was committed with his consent or connivance or if he had failed to exercise all diligence to prevent the commission of the offence. This will enable us to hold management accountable for the unsatisfactory conditions of the premises under its control. Although the Bill does not differentiate between work-sites and domestic premises, my ministry intends to offer the occupier or owner of domestic premises where breeding of vectors is found a composition fine instead of charging them in court straightaway. Under the Bill, offences may be compounded to a sum not exceeding $5,000. The current composition fine for homeowners is $100. We will increase this amount to $200 to increase its deterrent value. Sir, Part V of the Bill deals with the registration, licensing and certification of pest control companies, technicians and workers respectively. As I mentioned earlier, with these provisions, the pest control industry will be regulated. Clauses 25 and 28 will require any company in the business of vector control to be registered with my Ministry as a vector control operator. A registered vector control operator must engage only licensed vector control technicians and certified vector control workers to do vector control work. Under clauses 26, 27 and 29 of the Bill, no person is allowed to carry out vector control work unless he is licensed as a vector control technician or certified as a vector control worker.”
“Clause 12 empowers my Ministry to order the recall of stock and cease the sale of registered pesticides, if deemed necessary. Clause 20 empowers my Ministry to take samples of pesticides for analyses and the stock can be seized or sealed if the analyses show that the provisions of the Bill have been contravened. Contravention of any part of the Bill pertaining to the control of pesticides and repellents will incur a maximum fine of $20,000 and/or 3 months jail for the first offence and $50,000 and/or 6 months jail for the second and subsequent offence. Sir, as I mentioned earlier in my speech, we need to come down hard on those who are irresponsible and cause mosquitoes to breed in their premises. The penalties for the breeding of vectors will be increased with this Bill. Under clause 16, the occupier or owner of a construction site or workplace which breeds vectors will be liable to a maximum fine of $5,000, and/or 3 months' jail sentence for the first offence. Second or subsequent offences will incur a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or 6 months' jail sentence. If he ignores our advice and continuously fails to eradicate the breeding places in his premises, he will be served with an Order under clause 18. The Order, other than requiring him to eradicate the breeding grounds, may require him to engage a registered vector control operator or licensed vector control technician to carry out the vector control work and, in appropriate cases, to stop work for such period until the breeding habitats are eradicated. Under clause 24(a), failure to comply with the Order may render him liable to a maximum fine of $20,000 and/or 3 months' jail for the first offence and $50,000 fine and/or 6 months' jail for the second or subsequent offence.”