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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“Under the EDB Local Enterprise Finance Scheme (Overseas), 48 projects have been assisted over the last two years involving $56 million in loans. The Government also gave out grants and incentives worth over $7 million. I would like to refer Members to the package on their seats which contains all the information of the assistance programmes that are available. I think the key is for companies to remember three points when going overseas. First, they need to do their sums carefully. The gains are potentially very high but so are the risks. Second, they should not over-stretch themselves. They should work within their own capabilities and resources. Third, if indeed they come across a project that is commercially viable but which is much too big for them to undertake, I would encourage them to bring in joint venture partners to help share the risks and to help provide the financing. The existing system has worked well, as can be seen by the $5.9 billion worth of overseas investments in the first nine months last year. In fact, this figure exceeds the total commitments in the manufacturing sector for the entire year for Singapore. Dr Lee gave a very comprehensive analysis of the situation in Singapore with regard to the economic growth and the impact on the different companies. While the growth has been strong and fairly broad based, it is also true that even within a particular sector, not all companies would have enjoyed similar growth. It is also true that with two years of strong economic growth, labour costs have started to increase after a respite in 1992. And while strong productivity growth has helped to keep unit labour cost down, these benefits accrue mainly to companies that are able to automate and to upgrade.”
“The Government will continue to encourage companies with the capabilities and the resources to explore regional opportunities. On our part, we will continue to strengthen bilateral ties and to promote greater cooperation that is mutually beneficial. We will continue to review and, where necessary, fine-tune the incentives and assistance programmes down the road. Dr Wong Kwei Cheong asked why Government is only allocating $369 million to assist companies compared to the private sector venture funds of $3.5 billion, and he suggested that Government allocate some of our budget surpluses to help companies to regionalise. While there are plenty of business opportunities in the region, the risks are also higher. High returns normally carry high risks. Many of the countries in the region have less transparent laws and regulations, and our businessmen sometimes may not be familiar with the business procedures as well. There are also weak supporting infrastructures to be overcome. Therefore, it is important that only those with the capabilities and the resources are encouraged to go abroad. Those companies that are going abroad also need to be very resourceful to overcome all those challenges. Sir, companies with commercially viable projects so far have been able to obtain funding. They can obtain funding from the commercial banks. They have been able to obtain funding also from the private venture funds that are available, as mentioned by Dr Wong. And others who have found that the projects are a bit too large for them to swallow have managed to get joint venture partners to help share the risks and to also help to finance the projects. On our part, the Government has numerous assistance programmes and incentives.”
“In 1994, we also began to see companies venturing into more infrastructural developments, for example, the information technology park and the international airport in Bangalore, India, a mega beach resort in Bintan island, Indonesia, as well as an inland container depot in Cambodia. Sir, we are also getting more involved in the service sectors, eg, in the financial services and banking, information technology and communications, in shipping and logistics, and in tourism related services. These are areas with high growth potential and, therefore, they offer to our investors tremendous scope for future growth as the region develops further. Sir, at the government-to-government level, ties continue to strengthen. Such ties will greatly help our private sector because they will help to open doors and our private sector will find access into the various countries probably less difficult. We have also formed country business clubs involving businessmen with business interests in particular countries, eg, Myanmar, Vietnam and India. We have also formed bilateral business councils, eg, with Shandong, Philippines, Thailand, and we have several more in the pipeline. These clubs and councils are all spearheaded by private sector businessmen and they offer a very useful platform for networking, for information sharing and for the formation of strategic alliances in order to undertake joint ventures and various other projects. What about our future plans? The regionalisation efforts have already got a lot of momentum in them. Many companies already have regional operations and others are actively exploring the possibility of going regional. We have laid a strong foundation for future growth.”
“And also, in many cases, approved projects are not eventually realised or realised to the extent that were originally committed. As for China, Singapore's and China's data differ, because Singapore-based companies could also invest through their Hong Kong subsidiaries. Our DOS' record shows such investments as investments in Hong Kong. And Singapore's investment in Hong Kong accounted for 19% of our total overseas investments. So a large part of the 19% could possibly be investments in China. DOS is constantly working to improve the accuracy and timeliness of our data on our overseas investments, and it will work closely with EDB and TDB to see how its data collection procedures can be further refined. Mr Chew Heng Ching asked for a status report on our regionalisation programme, whether we are happy with the programme and whether we have further plans to expand. The results of our regionalisation programme have been quite impressive. The total investment commitments for the first nine months of 1994 came to S$5.9 billion. These figures are compiled from investment results released by the investment boards of the various countries. We are the biggest investor in Myanmar and Vietnam, and we are amongst the top in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines. The number of companies which have set up operations overseas has increased significantly, from about 2,400 in 1990 to over 3,000 by the end of 1994. Our companies have gone into the entire region, from New Zealand to the south, to India/Pakistan in the west, and to China in the north. In terms of investments, they have been fairly broad based, covering manufacturing, light engineering, food processing, hotel and resort development, as well as commercial and residential property developments.”
“These are competitive and viable in Singapore and the EDB will continue to promote them strongly. Dr Ow has also asked whether our overseas investment figures are accurate as we seem to have vastly understated the investments in China. The data on overseas investment are compiled by the Department of Statistics (DOS) and they are obtained from an annual survey of all companies, except financial institutions which are known to have foreign investments abroad. This information is obtained from DOS' establishment hub and surveys. The definition of "investment" covers equity investment which includes reserves attributable to the Singaporean investors and loans granted to their overseas subsidiaries and associates. The $13.1 billion for 1991 refers only to the paid-up share capita. With an expanded coverage which includes reserves, the amount of Singapore investments overseas amounted to S$21.2 billion. If we take into account loans granted overseas, total direct investments abroad amounted to S$28.2 billion as at the end of 1993. 12.45 pm Sir, the DOS' data are based on audited accounts of companies where available, and to expedite the reporting of primary data, companies are requested to provide estimates when audited accounts are not available. The investment data are also reported by the investment boards of the respective countries, and these usually show a higher level of Singaporean investments. The main reason for the difference is that the data reported by the investment boards are usually commitments or approvals. Commitments or approvals tend to be higher than the actual investments in any one year for various reasons. First, because the projects may take some time to start up and, typically, it would take a few years to complete.”
“By the very nature of the industry, being a process industry where big volumes are generated in every project, the investments tend to be cyclical and lumpy. However, the industry is very desirable because it is a very capital-intensive industry and the investors invest for the long term. They cannot just pack up and go. Being non labour-intensive it is very attractive for Singapore in the context of our limited labour supply. The other attraction is that the industry tends to employ a large proportion of technical personnel. For example, the new petrochemical complex, PCS II, would involve an investment of about $2 billion and yet it would generate only about 600 new jobs, most of which will be engineering jobs and technician jobs. In terms of the value-added output ratio, Dr Ow is correct. The petroleum industry has a very low value-added to output ratio of about 17%. But this is because of the nature of the refining industry. Many refiners refine on a contract basis. There is a service charge for refining the crude which is being supplied by the client. They refine it and deliver the refined product back to the client. While the value-added per output is low, the value-added per worker is in fact the highest in Singapore. The value-added is about $460,000 per worker. This is about six times higher than the average of $80,000 per worker in 1993. In the petrochemical sector, the value-added per worker is also very high at about $200,000 per worker. We should therefore continue to promote this sector. However, having said that, we need also to promote other manufacturing sectors. The EDB has identified several clusters for further development and these are the aerospace cluster, marine engineering, precision engineering and light industries.”
“Dr Ow asked whether we are over-dependent on the chemical and electronics sectors since these two sectors make up a major part of the investments. The chemical sector makes up 47% of the investment received and the electronics sector about 27%. These two sectors form key industry clusters in our manufacturing sector and they contribute significantly to our value-added, GDP and our employment. In addition, they have big multiplier effects for the rest of the economy. The question here is whether we can afford to ignore these two sectors. First, electronics is the fastest growing industry in the world. Electronics is involved in almost everything that we use nowadays. We have the capabilities, we have the technologies here, we have the skilled workforce, the engineers and programmers, we have the supporting infrastructure and supporting industries to ensure that we are capable of manufacturing world-class products on a global scale. We possess the critical mass to develop the electronics cluster into a very competitive and well-integrated industry. We need to capitalise on this strength because if we do not promote and attract such investments, the investment will simply go to another country. The impact would be slower growth for the last few years but what is more important is that this industry is very dynamic in terms of technology changes. Once we miss out on all these new investments in the high value-added area, we would also have fallen behind in the technological developments in the process engineering side as well as developments in the product changes. The long-term impact on our economic growth and our role as a manufacturing centre would be significant. The chemical industry is very similar as well.”
“Sir, yesterday, Mr Koo Tsai Kee mentioned that Mr Alan Greenspan had stated that the CPI for the USA was overstated and asked whether the same applies to Singapore. The situation in the US is different from that in Singapore. First, real incomes in the US have risen very slowly over the last 15 years and, in fact, for many occupations incomes have actually fallen. As a result, US consumers have had to switch to cheaper goods or to buy from discount stores. This is not the case in Singapore where real incomes have risen by 5.2% per year in the last five years. Second, the basket of the US CPI is revised only once every 10 years. The last revision was in 1982-84, more than 10 years ago. Hence, recent changes in consumer habits, as described above, are not captured in the US CPI. The basket for the Singapore CPI, on the other hand, is revised once every five years. This allows us to capture changes in lifestyles and expenditure. I would therefore like to assure Members that the Singapore CPI is kept accurate through five-yearly revisions of its basket and by reviewing our price collection and compilation procedures. Dr Ow asked about the new investments which have been received by the manufacturing sector last year. He has asked about the benefits in terms of employment, value-added, etc. Most of the investments involved mainly high value-added activities. These investments will help to broaden as well as to deepen our existing industry clusters. The investments will generate a gross value-added of S$4.4 billion over the next 2-3 years. They will create about 14,000 jobs, most of which will involve highly skilled jobs for technicians, engineers and other professionals.”
“Sir, I believe a few sites which have been tendered out were not for five-star hotels. PARKING LOTS FOR HEAVY VEHICLES 4. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon asked the Acting Minister for National Development whether his Ministry will consider allocating parking lots to owners of heavy vehicles near to their residence or work place. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Acting Minister for National Development (Mr Matthias Yao Chih) (for the Acting Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am aware that many owners and drivers want to park their heavy vehicles near their residence or work place. Where site conditions permit, lorry parks have been built and heavy vehicle parking lots demarcated along selected roads in HDB residential estates. However, there is a limit to such parking lots that can be made available. Lots are usually allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Many parking lots have been demarcated at work places as well, such as factory and warehouse areas as well as along roads in industrial areas. Owners and drivers are encouraged to park their heavy vehicles at such places. There are sufficient parking lots at such places. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1995 TO 31ST MARCH, 1996 Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [3rd Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head W (cont.) - Resumption of Debate on Question [16th March, 1995], "That the total sum to be allocated for Head W of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Dr Ow Chin Hock]. Question again proposed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there were a total of 25,440 rooms in 75 gazetted hotels in Singapore at the end of 1994. The average occupancy rate for the whole of 1994 was 86.6%. There is therefore no shortage of hotel rooms at the moment. Over the next few years, the number of hotel rooms will increase to meet the projected increase in demand for hotel rooms. Between 1995 and 1998, we expect the number of hotel rooms to grow by an average of 8% per annum. By the end of 1998, this will yield a total of 10,165 new rooms. This year, we will have nearly 3,000 new hotel rooms, an increase of 11.7%. New projects scheduled for opening this year include the Traders Hotel, Ritz Carlton Hotel and the Inter-Continental Hotel. Total visitor arrivals this year are expected to increase by 5-7%, with slightly over 70% expected to use hotel accommodation. Therefore, the additional demand for hotel rooms arising from the increase in visitor arrivals this year can be met by existing hotel rooms and the new hotel rooms coming on-stream.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for FY 1995/1996, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Mr Koo Tsai Kee has also talked about the US CPI, that Mr Alan Greenspan had stated many times and also recently that the US CPI index has actually overstated inflation in the US, and Mr Koo asked whether there is a similar situation in Singapore. Sir, it is an interesting question. I think most people tend to think that, in Singapore, we understate inflation and there is a good reason for this perception. The situation in US is quite different from Singapore. In the US, wages have risen very, very slowly over the last 15 years. In fact, for many occupational groups and for many people, they have actually suffered drops in income.”
“Under COPI, the Department's personnel also stepped up its price monitoring efforts through a hawker price monitoring survey, covering 1,650 hawker stalls, and this has kept the staff very busy. The survey of the hawker stalls showed that the price increases in hawker food were not as widespread as largely feared. The Committee also took action against retailers for putting up misleading GST-related advertisements. Sir, as a result of all these efforts, although the GST involved a tax of 3%, the actual inflation for the whole of last year came up to only 3.6%. This showed that the impact of GST was not as great as we had anticipated at the beginning. Encik Othman Haron Eusofe has also asked that we provide more assistance to CASE to enable CASE to be better organised and better staffed. Sir, the Government financing for CASE was last revised in financial year 1994. The previous amount of assistance was on the basis of 5 cents per capita and the new formula was changed to two-thirds financing for CASE based on the actual operating expenses, subject to a cap of 13 cents per capita. So we increase the financing by about 2 1/2 times. I think the increased allocation has definitely helped CASE in recruiting more staff and paying them adequately. Sir, we need to retain this principle of partial funding for CASE, this formula of two-thirds funding. This is to ensure that CASE's credibility as an independent consumer watchdog body can be maintained. However, if CASE requires additional funding because it is undertaking more work and it can make a case for it, we will be prepared to take a look at its submission.”
“Encik Othman Haron Eusofe has asked for an assessment of the work of the Committee on Profiteering and Inflation (COPI). Sir, COPI was reactivated in June 1993 to ensure that the implementation of GST would not lead to profiteering and inflationary price increases. I am glad to report that COPI has been very effective. The Committee, prior to the implementation of GST, met with the key suppliers to ensure that supplies would be adequate and that there would be no shortages which would lead to a price surge. It also advised suppliers that any price increase relating to GST should not exceed the 3% GST. As a result of all these consultations, the surveys had shown that the price increases were generally lower than the 3%. There was no price surge at all. In fact, because of the discussions with the major suppliers, many of the suppliers have actually partially absorbed the price increase relating to GST. Organisations, like FairPrice, have actually absorbed the GST increase in full for quite some time. The other point is that because of the strong Singapore dollar last year, the imported inflation was diminished and this also allowed the importers to absorb part of the GST. Sir, the Committee also set up a Price Feedback Unit Hotline for consumers to call in to complain if there were any instances of unreasonable price increases. The Committee also enlisted the help of CASE to carry out a detailed price watch survey. The surveys were published in the papers regularly and I think it helped to increase the awareness of Singaporeans on the need to shop for the best bargains. The price watch list also discouraged many of the retailers from increasing their prices unreasonably. So it led to price stability as well.”
“Sir, Dr Ow Chin Hock has raised the question of the CPI. He has asked that since the CPI for food prices went up by 3.9% we need to monitor it closely. He has asked about the progress of the plan to have the new CPI, when would it be ready, and when would the new CPI, which should be separated into three categories, ie, for the lower 20%, the middle 20% to 80%, and the upper 20%, be ready as it was promised to the CRC two years ago. Sir, regarding the food prices, we do have a monitoring process and this will continue in terms of monitoring the food prices. In terms of the new CPI which is currently being constructed, the Department of Statistics carried out the Household Expenditure Survey in 1992/ 1993. Dr Ow has asked why the DOS took 18 months to finalise the analysis of the results, whereas the CRC only took one year. Sir, I would like to explain that the Household Expenditure Survey is a gigantic undertaking. It is a two-year programme and there is a massive amount of data to be analyzed because the survey involved about 5,000 households and each household was required to keep a daily record of all items of expenditure. So you can imagine that there will be a tremendous amount of data to be analyzed. Secondly, because of the implementation of GST last year, the Department of Statistics was heavily involved in monitoring price changes and it has taken time because of the very limited staff that they have. This has accounted for some of the delay as well. However, the Department of Statistics expects to complete the new CPI and it should be released shortly. The three new categories of CPI for the different income levels will also be completed by July this year, as announced by my Minister of State recently.”
“We will explore possibilities which are not viable now, but which in future may be viable. Sir, a secure water supply is a major long-term challenge for Singapore. Over the years, the Government and the PUB have taken decisive actions to develop domestic water sources to the limit, to meet the growing needs of the economy, and to promote water conservation. Through a combination of these measures, we have up to now been able to postpone the day when demand for water exceeds supply of water. But this approach is reaching its limits, because our traditional sources of water cannot increase much further to meet our needs, which continue to grow. In fact, in the year 2011, when the 1961 Water Agreement expires, the supply will shrink. This is why water is always a matter of utmost seriousness to us. Hence, the Government is developing alternative water sources in Indonesia, and is now actively exploring desalting as an important supplementary source of potable water. There is no question that we will solve the water problem. Even if we have to desalt every drop of water that we drink or cook with, as countries do in the Middle East, we can do so. It will cost us a lot of money, but it will not bankrupt us. Fortunately, we do not have to do this, as we still have other sources available. The Government needs the close cooperation of all Singaporeans to tackle this challenge. Every Singaporean must do his or her part to control water consumption. Water is a scarce resource. We must therefore make water conservation a way of life. By planning well ahead, by boldly taking the necessary tough decisions, we will ensure that all Singaporeans will have adequate water to maintain our quality of life for many years to come.”
“Their conservation tax will increase by 80 cents under the 5 percentage point increase announced by Dr Hu. Only about 3% of HDB rental households and 6% of 3-roomers consume more than 40 cubic metres of water a month. The question is whether for low-income families with large families, could we have a threshold system based on a per capita basis. While such a system is possible, it would be costly and difficult to implement and to operate. Why? Because some of the problems would be that PUB must then keep track of the number of people residing at a particular address and update their records all the time. PUB will also need to keep track of births and deaths, marriages and movement of people in and out of each household. Implementing such a system will definitely be very expensive, and the costs will ultimately have to be paid by the consumers in the form of higher tariffs. Logically, there is no reason to have a 20 cubic metre threshold. Since water is precious, in principle, the water conservation tax should apply to every drop of water that we use. This would also resolve the anomaly of big families being discriminated against on the 20 cubic metre threshold quantum. The Government will not change the system at the moment, but will keep the question of the appropriate threshold for the water conservation tax in mind when it reviews water rates and taxes every year. There have been other suggestions, eg, the use of underground caverns to store water. I would like to assure this House that the PUB will be looking into all suggestions and exploring all possibilities for reducing water consumption and increasing the supply of water. We will consider again proposals which were not viable in the past but which may now be viable.”
“The potential supply from Kampar is huge, but because of the long distances, by the time the water is brought to Singapore, the cost per cubic metre will be very high, perhaps five to eight times the current cost of PUB water. Desalination We are also looking into desalting - desalination or reverse osmosis to turn salt water into fresh water. Desalting is expensive, but from the technical point of view it is entirely feasible as a supplementary source of potable water. Being an energy intensive process, the cost of desalted water will go up if oil prices increase. Based on the current cost of about US$20 per barrel, the cost of desalinated water will be about seven to eight times the current cost of treated water. The URA and the PUB have already reserved land for desalination plants in Singapore. A study team from the PUB and my Ministry will be visiting several countries with on-going large-scale desalination operations to study their experience. Depending on the conclusions of the study, PUB plans to build a pilot desalting plant in Singapore. This way, PUB will gain experience operating desalting plants, so that should the need arise, we will be able to fall back on this source of water. Sir, let me now respond to some of the points raised by Members. Dr Ow Chin Hock expressed concerns about the impact of the increase in the water conservation tax on low-income households, particularly those with large families. About 80% of households living in HDB rental flats and 60% of 3-roomers use less than 20 cubic metres of water per month. The fact is that water charges are low. The bill for using 20 cubic metres of water is only $11.20. Families using double that amount, ie, 40 cubic metres of water, pay $28.80 a month.”
“Sir, while we try to curb the demand for water, the Government is also actively exploring the development of new and alternative water sources, to meet our future needs. Limited Additional Local Sources One possibility is to increase our local sources of water. We can build more reservoirs, for example, by damming up the sea between Singapore and Pulau Ubin, but the constraint is not reservoirs. The constraint is catchment areas. Already 50% of Singapore is catchment area. Besides catchment areas, like Mandai or the Western catchments, we also collect rainwater from the cleaner urban and less industrialised areas. This includes some of our housing areas. The rest of our land cannot be used as catchment areas, either because it is too built up, or too densely populated, or includes pollutive industrial activities. Overseas Sources of Water Another possibility is additional overseas sources. We signed an Umbrella Agreement with Indonesia in 1991 to jointly develop water resources in the Riaus for use by both Singapore and Indonesia. Under the Agreement, Singapore can draw up to 1,000 mgd of raw water from the Riau Province. However, individual projects have to be carefully evaluated, to make sure that they are technically feasible and commercially viable, because they will require massive investments - at least several hundred million dollars per project. The first project is the development of catchment areas on Pulau Bintan. This is presently in its preliminary stages. There is also a long term possibility of drawing water from Kampar River in the Riau Mainland on Sumatra.”
“This is encouraging but, nonetheless, we must improve further. Hence, the PUB will enlarge its outreach programme for non-domestic water users, and explore new ways to help them conserve water. Water Conservation Tax Sir, the water conservation tax is another key measure to encourage the prudent use of water. While the public education programme highlights the importance of saving water, the conservation tax links the message to the actual usage. It reminds Singaporeans every month when they receive their utilities bill that water is precious, and that there is a cost to its usage. As announced by the Finance Minister, with effect from 1st April 1995, the water conservation tax will be increased by 5 percentage points to 15% for domestic consumers, and to 20% for non-domestic consumers. As the new water supplies will cost many times more, we will need to progressively increase the water conservation tax to better reflect the true scarcity value of water in Singapore. Recycling Waste Water Sir, there have been suggestions that we look into the use of industrial water for toilet flushing, which accounts for about 20% of our domestic water consumption. Industrial water, which is recycled water from the sewage treatment plants, can be a significant source of water for us, as a large proportion of the water we consume every day eventually is discharged into our sewers. Currently, the Ministry of the Environment recycles some of this water into industrial water, which is used by industries for cooling, washing and process applications. I would like to inform Members that the PUB is looking into the wider use of industrial water, including for the flushing of toilets.”
“As Dr Ow Chin Hock had pointed out, the previous save water campaigns were able to restrain growth of water consumption. The PUB will launch a fresh series of annual Save Water campaigns, starting in June this year, to coincide with our drier months. The campaign will focus primarily on domestic consumers, as domestic water consumption accounts for over half of our total water consumption. As part of the campaign, PUB will also hold neighbourhood water-rationing exercises. This will help drive home the message that if we do not make saving water a constant habit, water-rationing, with all its attendant inconveniences, may one day be a way of life. In addition, the PUB will hold exhibitions and other educational programmes on a regular basis throughout the year as and when an appropriate occasion presents itself. The PUB will also be reaching out to the non-domestic water users, most of whom are in the manufacturing and commerce sectors. This will not be a new activity for PUB. PUB already routinely identifies major non-domestic water users, and helps them to reduce their water usage. The PUB also vets new projects that are significant water users, and ensures that they incorporate water conservation measures. I am glad that some major companies have already taken concrete steps to reduce their water usage. One good example is Shell, which has built its own desalination plant, and is now almost self-sufficient with regard to water. As a result of PUB's on-going efforts, our overall non-domestic water consumption has been growing more slowly than our GDP for the past three years. In 1994, the manufacturing sector grew by almost 13% while its water usage increased by only 8.6%. The corresponding figures for the commerce sector are 9% and 3.7% respectively.”
“241 - 242) Sir, at the same time, the Government is also actively exploring alternative sources of water. However, I must warn Members that any possible new supplies will be many, many times more expensive than current sources, as heavy investments will be needed. Furthermore, by international standards, Singapore's water rates are still quite low. Members can refer to the Table which has just been given out. If you look at the explanation below, for the first block of water consumption, we are charging S$0.59 per cubic metre for the first 20 cubic metres of water used per month. That places us just above Norway and Canada, ie, we are the third lowest of all the developed countries. And even if we include the second block of another 20 cubic metres, that will place us at about S$0.74, which still places us fourth from the bottom. So for the quality of water that we are supplying, this price is very low. It is, therefore, inevitable that the Government's water conservation tax and PUB's water rates must go up substantially over the next few years. The price of water in Singapore must reflect the true scarcity of this precious resource. The cost of water is not just the cost of collecting the rainwater from the sky in reservoirs, processing it, and piping it to the customers. It is the cost of getting additional water after rainwater runs short, when we must either pump water from long distances away in Indonesia, or desalinate sea water to get fresh water. This will cost five to eight times as much as rainwater. Water Conservation Campaign Sir, let me go on to touch on the measures which we are reviewing to restrain water consumption. The PUB will emphasize public education in order to encourage Singaporeans to conserve water.”
“The reservoirs and catchment areas in Singapore supply about 100 mgd, and after the year 2011, this means that all our present sources of water, both in Singapore and Johor, will only give us 350 mgd. And that is our limit. Seriousness of our water situation Next, what about our consumption trends? Our water consumption has been growing steadily over the last 10 years. From 1985 to 1990, consumption grew at about 3.3% per year. However, consumption grew rapidly after that, especially in the last four years, averaging about 5.2% per year. While such a rate is already not sustainable, what is even more worrying is that in 1994, we recorded a significant increase of 6.5% in our consumption rate. In 1994, Singapore consumed 260 mgd. Sir, if we continue to use 6% more water each year, we will run short of water in six years' time, ie, by the year 2001. But let us suppose that through rigorous water conservation measures, we succeed in reducing the growth in water consumption to half, ie, to 3% per annum, which is half the rate in recent years. Our water consumption will still reach 350 mgd a day by the year 2009, ie, before the 1961 Water Agreement expires. Sir, I was reassured to read the Mentri Besar of Johor saying recently that Johor will continue to supply water to Singapore as long as it can. But Singapore cannot afford to take chances with something as vital as water. We must do everything in our power to ensure that our limited water supply is used prudently and never wastefully. We therefore need to take immediate steps to reduce our water usage. Sir, I would like to request the Clerk of Parliament to hand out a Table (Cols. 241 - 242) which I have prepared. [Copies of table distributed to hon. Members.] Table - COMPARISON OF WATER PRICES (Cols.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, when the Prime Minister recently highlighted the water issue as an example of some of the key challenges facing Singapore, it struck a chord with the Singapore public. Many members of the public and MPs have since spoken out in support of the increase of 5% points in the water conservation tax announced by Dr Richard Hu in his Budget Statement. Some have expressed concern over the availability of water supply to meet our long-term needs and suggested that the Government look into alternative supplies of water. Some proposed that recycled water from our sewerage treatment works be used for toilet flushing. Others have stressed the need to create greater awareness amongst the public on the need to save water and to make water conservation a way of life. Today, Dr Ow Chin Hock and several MPs have also made various suggestions, as well as asked some questions about our water supply and usage. I would like to take this opportunity to give Members a clearer picture of the water situation, and respond to some of the points raised by the public and by Members. Water Supply First, let me explain to Members the maximum amount of water available to Singapore from the present sources and under the existing Water Agreements. We have two agreements with Malaysia. The first agreement, the 1961 Water Agreement, gives us about 86 million gallons of water a day (or mgd), and will expire in the year 2011. The second agreement, the 1962 Water Agreement, entitles us to 250 mgd, and the Agreement will expire in the year 2061. So we have a maximum of 336 mgd until the year 2011, and after that, if the 1961 Agreement is not renewed, only about 250 mgd from the Johor sources.”
“Clause 3 repeals section 5 of COGSA thereby removing the requirement that an outward bound bill of lading must contain an express statement incorporating the Hague-Visby Rules into the bill of lading. This express statement is known in shipping circles as a "clause paramount". This requirement is rendered unnecessary by the introduction of the new section 3(1) which declares that the Hague-Visby Rules have the force of law. Clause 3 also repeals section 6 of COGSA which covers carriage to Malaysian ports and carriage by sailing ships. Section 6 is a replica of the equivalent 1927 provision where Malaysia and Singapore were both colonies and territories of the UK. Section 6 is unnecessary and obsolete as the Hague-Visby Rules by their own terms do not apply to contracts of carriage not covered by a bill of lading or other similar document of title. For carriage to Malaysia, bills of lading are issued and the Hague-Visby Rules apply as a matter of practice. Although there are still sailing ships calling at Singapore from Indonesia carrying traditional goods such as timber, these goods are carried as unmanifested cargo. As no bill of lading is issued in such cases, the Hague-Visby Rules will not apply in any case. Sir, I beg to move. 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. NATIONAL LIBRARY BOARD BILL Order for Second Reading read.”
“Representatives of the TDB who participated in the work also consulted the shipping interests on the impact of the proposed amendments. Sir, all persons consulted were in support of the proposed amendments. Let me now briefly take Members through the provisions of the Bill. The amendments are modelled after the 1971 UK Carriage of Goods by Sea Act. Modifications have been made to one of the provisions to resolve uncertainties in its interpretation which have arisen in the UK. Clause 2 repeals and re-enacts section 3 of COGSA to remove any doubt that the Hague-Visby Rules have mandatory statutory force in Singapore. It will also remove the restriction that the Hague-Visby Rules apply only to outward bound cargo (that is, goods carried from a port in Singapore to another foreign port) but not to in-bound cargo (that is, goods carried from another foreign port to a Singapore port). This was a restriction which applied to the Hague Rules but which was subsequently removed by the Hague-Visby Rules. The new section 3(4) will also extend the application of the Hague-Visby Rules so that they will also have mandatory statutory force in relation to, first, any bill of lading if the contract contained in or evidenced by it expressly provides that the Rules shall govern the contract; and, second, any receipt which is a non-negotiable document marked as such if the contract contained in or evidenced by it expressly provides that the Rules are to govern the contract. The effect of these new provisions is that the Hague-Visby Rules can be extended to apply to carriage of cargo outside the scope of the Rules on an "opt-in" basis.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the existing uncertainties in the current Act are due to a combination of factors. When COGSA was drafted in 1972, it was modelled after the previous 1927 COGSA which gave effect to the 1924 "Hague Rules". The provisions of the 1927 COGSA which were appropriate for the Hague Rules were not wholly appropriate for the Hague-Visby Rules. This drafting inadequacy was compounded by subsequent decisions of the UK courts. In Singapore, these uncertainties in COGSA did not cause practical difficulties mainly because the High Court in the Epar Case had pragmatically interpreted COGSA so as to resolve these uncertainties in a manner that gave full effect to our international obligations. But by so doing, the Singapore High Court disregarded the express wording of the Act. As a matter of legal analysis, both the Attorney-General and the Law Reform Committee agree that the reasoning in the Epar Case may be technically flawed. Moreover, a recent 1993 decision of the Singapore High Court has cast doubt on the correctness of the Epar decision. It is neither necessary nor desirable to wait for this divergence of judicial opinions to be resolved by the Court of Appeal. Sir, the amendments proposed in this Bill have been recommended by the Law Reform Committee of the Singapore Academy of Law and is the work of its Sub-Committee on Commercial Law. There have been wide consultations on the proposed amendments. They were considered and approved by the members of the Law Reform Committee comprising Supreme Court Judges, academics, practising lawyers and judicial and legal officers. In addition, the Committee consulted other Judges and practising lawyers who are specialists in shipping law.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (or "COGSA") was enacted in 1972 to comply with Singapore's international obligations under the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading 1924, as amended by the Brussels Protocol of 1968. This Convention contains what is popularly referred to in shipping circles as the "Hague-Visby Rules". The Hague-Visby Rules are the 1924 Hague Rules as amended by the Brussels Protocol of 1968. Singapore became a party to the Hague-Visby Rules in 1972 and in that same year COGSA was enacted. The Hague-Visby Rules apply to bills of lading and other similar documents of title. The Rules were designed, first, to define the basic obligations of the carrier; and, second, to prescribe the maximum protection he could derive from the insertion of exceptions and limitation clauses in the contract of carriage. From the practical point of view, the most important aspect of the Hague-Visby Rules is that they govern the limits of liability of carriers and restricts shipowners from contracting out of these limits. The limits may be increased by mutual agreement but not reduced or avoided altogether. Sir, this Bill will reform and amend COGSA in order to, first, provide for greater certainty and predictability to traders engaged in international cargo shipments; second, clarify that the Hague-Visby Rules have the force of law in the sense of being an over-riding mandatory law; and, third, make it clear that COGSA gives full statutory effect to our international treaty obligations under the Convention. For example, that it applies to both out-bound as well as in-bound cargo.”
“So the position still remains that if we trust the Commissioner of Police, as we must, and I think the track record of the Police speaks for itself, then it is better, all things considered, to have IIS remained as it is.”
“Sir, let me reiterate what I said in this House last year: that my Ministry treats all allegations of abuse of powers seriously. All complaints will be thoroughly investigated and any officer found to have abused his powers will be taken to task. We should look at complaints in the right perspective. The number of accused persons who complained of abuse of powers is insignificant compared to the number of accused persons arrested each year. For instance, in 1993, IIS investigated 94 complaints of police abuse on suspects. It represents only 0.5% of the 18,000 to 19,000 suspects arrested. Of these, only 16 cases were substantiated. The errant officers were dealt with departmentally or even prosecuted in court. There will always be complaints. We cannot avoid them. The important thing is how we deal with them. Assoc. Prof. Walter Woon (Nominated Member): Sir, the Parliamentary Secretary was asked last year in this House whether or not the Ministry would consider introducing some sort of independent element in its internal investigation, in order to boost public faith in the system. Would the Ministry reconsider the suggestion made in this House that there should be some independent input into the internal investigation? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, this question was raised last year. We gave a reply. The position remains the same. IIS is independent of the Divisions, or CID, which they are investigating. It comes ultimately under the Police Commissioner who is the Commander-in-chief. And as the Commander-in-chief of a uniform service, he takes command of his men. He must have overall charge.”
“With the benefit of hindsight, Police is of the view that the IIS investigator should nevertheless have interviewed the doctor to conclusively verify his investigative findings. Sir, on defence counsel's criticism that no ID parade was conducted, Police's practice is that an ID parade is not necessary if the investigating officer is satisfied that an accused has been accurately identified. In this case, Somporn had already precisely identified and named certain police officers as his targets of complaint. There was therefore no need for any ID parade. Sir, these are the facts. I should add that it is not uncommon for accused persons to cast aspersions on the conduct of police officers who conduct investigations by alleging assault as a means to discredit the prosecution's case. This is precisely what happens in Somporn's case. His lawyer used his complaints to full advantage and the court gave Somporn the benefit of the doubt. Somporn's allegation that a needle was inserted into his left upper arm was subsequently found to be a lie. He was charged for fabricating evidence about the needle during his murder trial. He pleased guilty and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. Sir, the truth of the matter is that this case has been blown out of proportion. It is not the first time an accused person has alleged police assault in order to impugn his own confessional statement. And I am sure it won't be the last time. The difference, however, in this case, is that for the first time, an accused person has alleged that Police inserted needles into him. But, this allegation has been convincingly debunked. If the accused could lie about the needles, might he not have also lied about his other allegations of police assault?”
“However, at the murder trial, the manner of the IIS investigation was criticised by defence counsel. The trial judge in his judgment agreed that there were merits in the criticism by defence counsel. Somporn was subsequently acquitted of the murder charge without his defence being called. The Police took the trial judge's remarks very seriously. They have examined the present guidelines and procedures used in Police investigations, including investigations by the IIS, and found no flaws or inadequacies in them. During Somporn's trial, the defence counsel pointed out that the IIS investigator should have used a more qualified interpreter when he interviewed Somporn. Here we must understand how interpretation is carried out. If statements are recorded from accused persons, certificated interpreters are used. In this case, Somporn was the complainant, not the accused person. Therefore, the IIS investigator used a non-certificated, but nevertheless, proficient interpreter. The defence counsel also pointed out that the IIS investigator should have interviewed the doctor who examined Somporn so as to satisfy himself of the truth of Somporn's allegation. The doctor's report, which was subsequently tendered as evidence during the trial, reported a minor injury on Somporn's chest and another minor injury on his right foot. The IIS investigator considered this to be inconsistent with Somporn's allegation of repeated assault and Somporn's description of the nature of the assault. He was also influenced by Somporn's own admission that the injuries on his chest and foot could also have been sustained at the construction worksite where he worked illegally. On this basis, the investigator decided that there was no need to interview the doctor.”
“Sir, the NPB which administers the programme works very closely with the companies that are retrenching their workers and publicise the available support programmes through the companies to the workers involved. In this way, all the workers that are retrenched from the company are aware of the available support programmes. POLICE INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES (Improvements) 5. Assoc. Prof. Walter Woon asked the Minister for Home Affairs, in the light of the remarks by the trial judge in Criminal Case No. 90 of 1993 in regard to police investigation procedures, if he will say what steps, if any, have been taken to improve the procedures. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Assoc. Prof. Walter Woon is referring to Somporn Chinphakdee who was charged with the murder of his Thai room mate. The Member wants to know what steps, if any, have been taken to improve Police investigation procedures in the light of the trial judge's remarks. For the benefit of the House, let me restate the main facts of the case. Somporn was charged with the murder of a fellow Thai worker in March 1993. During Police investigation, he complained to the doctor who examined him that he was assaulted by the Police on his chest and right foot. This allegation was immediately referred by CID to the Police Internal Investigation Section (IIS). The IIS investigation was completed before the murder trial. At the trial, Somporn further alleged that a police officer had assaulted him by inserting a needle into his left upper arm. The Police's internal investigation found no evidence to support Somporn's complaint that he was assaulted on the chest and foot.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Labour keeps track of the statistics on retrenched workers of all sectors. These statistics, with breakdown by sectors and occupational groups, are published in the Singapore Yearbook of Labour Statistics. The National Productivity Board has launched a programme, acronymed START, for Start Training and Retraining, to help retrenched workers adjust and find new jobs. Under the programme, workers undergo training in learning skills and confidence building. The training is fully supported by the Skills Development Fund (SDF). The START programme also helps to match the retrenched workers with suitable companies that will provide skills training for the workers in their new jobs. Such training is also supported by the SDF. In addition, START provides consultancy services to advise the retrenched workers on how to settle into their new employment.”
“BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Ministry of Health does not intend to regulate tattooing and other beauty treatment as these are not considered as medical practices. However, invasive procedures such as the injection of foreign materials for cosmetic purposes are considered as medical practices, and are not allowed by beauticians under the Medical Registration Act. The Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act (1980) which came into operation on 1st January 1993 requires that all medical clinics be licensed by the Ministry of Health. Beauty salons cannot provide medical care on their premises. Ministry of Health is working with the Police to investigate all complaints of complications following treatment by beauty salons. The Ministry of Health will take action against beauty salons found to contravene any of the above Acts. NUMBER OF RETRENCHMENTS 16. Mr Ling How Doong asked the Minister for Labour, from 1994 up to the latest available date in January 1995, how many companies have retrenched their staff, what is the total number of workers affected and which are the companies involved.”
“53 as at 1993, according to the latest R&D survey (yet to be published). The figures for Research and Development expenditure in 1994 are not available yet. In 1993, Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) was $998.2 million, and accounted for 1.12% of GDP. COMPLAINTS FROM USE OF LASERS IN BEAUTY SALONS 1992 - 1994 14. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health if he will give the number of complaints received from 1992 to 1994, pertaining to complications arising from the use of lasers by beauty salons. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Ministry of Health received a total of 10 complaints of complications pertaining to the use of lasers by beauty salons between 1992 and 1994. In these 10 complaints, an instrument thought to be a laser was reported to have been used to remove tattoos( 6), moles (2) or freckles (2). The complications were mainly in the form of infection, formation of bad scars, and worsening of the initial problem. All required further medical treatment. The import and use of lasers for medical and other purposes is regulated by the Ministry of Health and requires a licence. Generally, lasers that are used by beauticians are low powered lasers which are incapable of causing burns and do not require a licence. The Ministry is presently working with the Police on complaints against beauty salons, with a view to possible prosecution of beauty salons operators found to be illegally using high powered lasers. REGULATING INVASIVE PROCEDURES IN BEAUTY SALONS 15. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health if his Ministry will regulate the use of invasive procedures, such as tattooing and injection of foreign materials, in beauty salons.”
“The task force, led by the Chairman of the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), was set up to help improve the service quality in the retail sector and labour productivity. It had three main recommendations. They were: a. To encourage retailers to adopt the ISO 9000 certification scheme to maintain consistent service standards. b. To train as many retail frontliners as possible and within the shortest possible time, eg. in product knowledge and sales technique. c. To encourage more retailers to price tag. The recommendations are being implemented. Giordano and Hour Glass were awarded the ISO 9002 certification during SRA's Annual Conference in August last year. On the training of retail frontliners, STPB is studying how a programme used overseas can be modified and adapted to meet our local needs. It hopes to launch this programme by the end of 1995. National Productivity Board (NPB) has also tailored its training programmes, especially its on-the-job training (OJT) schemes, to meet the needs of retailers. Since the launch of the NPB Retail OJT Programme in July 1994, some 400 workers from 60 neighbourhood retailers have been trained. As for price tagging, the price tagging campaign was held for the third consecutive year in November 1994. Its purpose is to educate retailers of the merits of price tagging which would help to boost the shoppers' experience in Singapore. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN 1994 13. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the latest number of research scientists and engineers per 10,000 labour force and (b) what percentage of the Gross Domestic Product in 1994 is the expenditure on Research and Development. Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: The number of research scientists and engineers (RSEs) per 10,000 labour force is 40.”
“Requests by consumers for less MSG and avoidance of food stalls and restaurants which use MSG excessively will send a strong signal to food suppliers to cut down on its usage. MOH's nutrition education programmes include advice on reducing the intake of salt, MSG and other salty seasonings to lower the risk of high blood pressure and related illnesses such as heart disease and stroke. We have also produced a series of catering guidelines which include the judicious use of salty seasonings. NATIONAL HEALTH EXPENDITURE 17. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that from 1970 to 1988, 1% increase in the Gross Domestic Product led to a 0.94% increase in health expenditure and what is the relative situation from 1989 to 1993. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Between 1970 and 1988, nominal GDP grew by 12% per annum. National health expenditure increased at the rate of 11.4% a year for the same period. There are many factors contributing to the increase in health spending. It is incorrect to attribute the increase in health expenditure solely to GDP growth. Between 1989 and 1993, nominal GDP and national health expenditure grew at the same rate of 11.9% per annum. RETIRED ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL (Assistance to secure new jobs) 18. Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Defence (a) how many full-time personnel of the armed forces retired yearly at the age of 45 from 1989 to 1993; (b) how does his Ministry help these retirees secure jobs; and (c) whether many of them cannot get suitable jobs and thus fall out of the job market.”
“National Museum does not record the nationality of individual visitors. However, from samples, we know that about a third are foreigners and two-thirds are Singaporeans. BANNING OF MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE IN FOOD 16. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health if he will ban the use of monosodium glutamate in food, considering its implications on health. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is used as a flavour enhancer in cooked and packaged foods. The main concern of MSG is its sodium component. Excessive use of MSG in food will result in a high sodium intake. Too much sodium in the diet increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. The other component of MSG is glutamate. It is this component that gives food its flavour. It causes the Chinese restaurant syndrome in people who are hyper-sensitive to glutamate. This is why some people get headaches, flushing, numbness and dizziness during or after a meal in Chinese restaurants. These symptoms, however, are temporary and have not been found to have long term effects. MSG is only one of many dietary components that could increase the risk of hypertension when taken excessively. Others in the same category include salt, soya sauce and various seasonings containing salt and MSG. We need to use these ingredients judiciously. We should not ban MSG any more than we should ban, say, soya sauce. Glutamate is a natural substance found in many animal and vegetable products. Taken in small quantities, MSG enhances the flavour of food. We should instead educate both consumers and food suppliers. Nutrition education raises public awareness and helps consumers make better food choices.”
“The UN Human Development Index (HDI) is calculated based on the three components of longevity, knowledge and decent living standards. These are measured by life expectancy, a combination of adult literacy and mean years of schooling and real GDP per capita. Singapore has been wrongly ranked 43rd place because UNDP has under-estimated Singapore's mean years of schooling at 4 years. Singapore has already pointed out to the UNDP that our mean years of schooling should be 7 years as estimated by our Department of Statistics. Based on this estimate, Singapore should be ranked 31st, just ahead of South Korea. UNDP has agreed to revise the figure in the next Human Development Report using the revised data from our Department of Statistics. Our ranking should improve further with the reforms introduced in January this year to our education system. The new education system aims to provide all students with at least 10 years of education. This will reduce the number of pre-secondary school dropouts and increase the quality of our workforce by equipping each individual, especially those less academically able, with basic skills through technical education. As far as the other components of the HDI are concerned, Singapore has done well with a high life expectancy at birth of 76 years and a high adult literacy rate of over 90%. Singapore's per capita GDP is also one of the highest in this region as observed by Dr Soin. SINGAPOREANS VISITING NATIONAL MUSEUM (Number) 15. Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Information and the Arts how many Singaporeans visited the National Museum in 1993. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: In 1993, 243,200 people visited the National Museum. This included 40,100 students on guided school visits.”
“Sir, manual workers, on the other hand, are covered by all provisions of the Employment Act regardless of their salaries, similar to that of non-manual employees with a monthly salary not exceeding $1,500. The revision to the salary ceiling in 1992 allows more workers to be protected by the law. About three-quarters of the workforce are now given basic protection. Those covered include: employees holding junior positions such as administrative and clerical staff, service and sales personnel, production workers and machine operators. New graduates from the polytechnics are also protected by the higher ceiling. Managers, executives and professionals who are able to negotiate their own terms and conditions of employment are excluded from the coverage. As the salary ceiling in the Act was raised only less than two years ago and those who need statutory protection are already covered by this new ceiling of $1,500, the Ministry is of the view that there is no need to raise it further at this juncture. The Ministry will regularly review the 2salary ceiling to ensure that those in need of protection would not be left out of the Act.”
“Sir, it is true that some members of the group left. However, the discussions carried out by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board with the major Japanese tour operators have shown that the image of Singapore has in no way been affected. The Japanese are still very sure about Singapore as a safe place to visit. And in fact the initial figures show that there have hardly been any cancellations at all of tours by the Japanese. EMPLOYMENT ACT (Raising of salary ceiling) 9. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Labour, in the light of higher salaries paid to workers, whether the salary ceiling for workers' eligibility for assistance from his Ministry will be raised from $1,500 to $1,800 per month. The Minister for Labour (Dr Lee Boon Yang): Mr Speaker, Sir, the monthly salary ceiling in the Employment Act was last raised in July 1992 from $1,250 to $1,500. The salary ceiling applies only to non-manual employees, and is used to decide whether they are entitled to the statutory benefits stipulated in Part IV of the Employment Act. Based on this salary ceiling, non-manual employees whose monthly salary does not exceed $1,500 are entitled to these benefits which include: payment for overtime work, work on rest day and public holiday, annual leave, sick leave and maximum hours of work allowed. For non-manual employees with a monthly salary exceeding $1,500, the benefits stipulated in Part IV do not apply to them. Their entitlement to such benefits is dependent on what is agreed upon in their contracts of employment with their employers. For other protection and benefits such as claim for arrears of salary, termination of service and maternity benefit, they are covered under other provisions of the law.”
“Sir, the murder of a Japanese tourist in the Oriental Hotel last month is a most unfortunate and regrettable incident. It is an isolated incident, and is not an indication of lax security in our hotels. The crime rate in our hotels is not only low, but has also been declining over the years. This is the result of the close cooperation between the Police and the hoteliers. The Police meet with the representatives of the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) regularly to brief them on the crime situation and to advise them on crime prevention measures. In conjunction with the SHA, the Police has also published a booklet for hotels on such crime prevention measures, and to remind hotels that security is a vital part of hotel service. The Police have met with the managers of the major hotels and representatives of the SHA shortly after this incident, and advised them to review and further tighten their security arrangements. By ensuring that there is good security not only in our hotels but also on our streets, we will be able to maintain the image of Singapore as a safe place to visit.”
“Sir, JTC tenants already have a choice of either renting or buying their premises. JTC's standard factories and workshops are offered for sale on 30-year leases, or rent on 3-year tenancy. As at the end of May 1994, sitting tenants own 87% of JTC's standard factories and 41% of JTC's terrace workshops. Sitting tenants who are currently renting their premises are free to apply to JTC for the purchase of their present premises at any time. The price for such premises will take into account the location, age and condition of the buildings. For instance, an older building will be sold at a lower price than a newer one. It is not the practice of JTC to provide additional discounts. JTC also sells complete blocks of flatted factories to industrialists who wish to buy them. JTC does not sell individual units within a multi-tenanted block of factory and is now considering the feasibility of doing so. In the case of HDB industrial shops and factories, tenants can only rent at present. However, I understand that HDB is currently looking into the feasibility of selling HDB industrial shops and factories to their sitting tenants. As for industrial land, JTC is examining the possibility of selling them to lessees. SECURITY IN LOCAL HOTELS 8. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the recent killing of a Japanese tourist in a five-star hotel is an indication that the security in our local hotels is lax and whether the Government intends to take steps to rectify the situation with a view to maintaining the image of Singapore as a safe place to visit.”
“RETIREMENT AGE LAW (Applications for exemption) 29. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Labour what is the number and outcome of applications made for exemption from retiring at the age of 60 years.”
“employers with company doctors should encourage their staff to see their company doctors; and b. employers without company doctors should appoint company doctors and ensure that their staff are aware of the names and addresses of the company doctors. They can also see government doctors at polyclinics, but not at A&E Departments except for emergencies. CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND (Transfer of savings from Ordinary Account to Special Account) 28. Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Labour if Central Provident Fund members will be allowed to transfer savings in the Ordinary Account which they do not intend to withdraw to the Special Account. Dr Lee Boon Yang: The savings in the Special Account are meant for old age. Hence, CPF members cannot withdraw these savings for any other purposes (eg housing and investment) before age 55. At age 55, CPF members can use these savings to meet the Minimum Sum requirement. As such savings are kept with the CPF Board for a long term, additional interest at 1.25% point above the normal CPF rate will be paid on the savings from 1st July 1995. If we allow transfer of savings in the Ordinary Account to the Special Account, such transfers can only be allowed if they are made irrevocably. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that the Ordinary Account savings transferred to the Special Account will remain there for long term to warrant the payment of the additional interest. However, if that condition is imposed, CPF members who had transferred their Ordinary Account savings to their Special Account, could end up having insufficient savings in their Ordinary Account when they later wish to upgrade to higher quality housing. The Ministry is therefore not in favour of allowing transfer of CPF savings from the Ordinary Account to the Special Account.”
“BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Medical practitioners are required to be registered with the Singapore Medical Council before they are allowed to practise in Singapore. Medical certificates issued by all registered medical practitioners, whether they be general practitioners or specialists in the private sector or government and restructured hospitals are equally valid. In the case of employees who are governed by the Employment Act 1968, Section 44 of the Act requires that the employee consults " a duly registered medical practitioner appointed by the employer or if no such medical practitioner is appointed, by a medical officer" before he is entitled to paid sick leave. The "medical officer" in the Act is defined as a medical practitioner employed by the government while the medical practitioner appointed by the employer is usually a private general practitioner who functions as the company doctor. According to the Act, employees must see their own company appointed doctor if there is one. Generally most employers have been flexible and have allowed their employees to see either their company appointed doctors or government doctors. It is true that some employers have preferred to accept medical certificates issued by government polyclinics and A&E Department doctors in the belief that general practitioners are generally more liberal in granting such leave to their patients than government doctors. There are also some employers who do not have company doctors, and their employees may visit the A&E Department instead of polyclinics to obtain a medical certificate from a government medical officer. Recognising the problem, the Ministry of Health has requested the Singapore National Employers Federation to advise its members that: a.”
“BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: When the present MediShield subscribers convert to MediShield Plus, the MediShield cover will cease. As MediShield premium is deducted yearly, any unused portion of the premium will be credited back to the Medisave accounts of the members. USE OF AZT ON HIV PATIENTS 26. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health what is his Ministry's view on the use of AZT on HIV patients in the light of a major new study published in the Lancet recently regarding the ineffectiveness of AZT for HIV patients. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: The Concorde Study, published in the Lancet in April this year, reported that early Zidovudine (AZT) treatment for asymptomatic HIV patients was not beneficial and did not alter their disease progression or mortality. The Ministry of Health does not recommend AZT treatment for early asymptomatic HIV infection. Patients with HIV infection/AIDS managed at the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) are not routinely treated with AZT. AZT is only used selectively for patients with full blown AIDS and patients who have shown a moderately severe weakening of their immune system (CD4 count < 500 cells/mm3). The use of AZT by the Ministry of Health is consistent with the results of the Concorde Study. MEDICAL CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY PRIVATE GENERAL PRACTITIONERS 27. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health if he will assure the public that medical certificates given by private general practitioners are just as valid as those given by government and restructured hospitals as this misapprehension is a contributing cause of non- emergency cases visiting Accident and Emergency Departments of government and restructured hospitals unnecessarily.”
“Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Information and the Arts if he will consider amending legislation to increase the penalties for false declarations by video importers in regard to excessive sex and violence in video games so that the punishment reflects an adequate deterrent. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Importers of video games have to declare to the Board of Film Censors (BFC) that their games do not contain sex or excessive violence. If they are not sure, they should send them for checking. BFC conducts random checks to ensure compliance. Those found making false declarations are liable for prosecution. On conviction they face a maximum fine of $1,000 or 6 months' jail. If the video games contain obscene materials, the offender would also be liable for prosecution under the Films Act. The maximum penalty is a fine of $40,000 or 2 years' jail, or both. The system has so far been operating smoothly. The present penalties for false declarations are adequate. MEDISHIELD AND MEDISHIELD PLUS (Pooling of premiums) 24. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health whether the premiums for MediShield and MediShield Plus are pooled together and, if not, why not. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: The premiums for MediShield and MediShield Plus will be pooled together and managed under one fund. However, there will be no cross-subsidy. To facilitate the evaluation and review for each scheme, the premiums and claims will be tracked separately. CONVERSION OF MEDISHIELD SUBSCRIBERS TO MEDISHIELD PLUS (Deducted premium) 25. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Health what will happen to the deducted MediShield premium when the present MediShield subscribers convert to MediShield Plus.”
“The cess collections by STPB in the past 3 years are as follows: Financial Year $ million 1991 71.2 1992 96.5 1993 103.2 (preliminary) A breakdown of the collections is given at Annex C (Cols. 87 - 88). Annex C (Cols. 87 - 88) Cess collections are used to fund the activities of STPB. As a tourism promotion agency, STPB's activities include:- a. international media advertising to promote Singapore and our tourism facilities and services; b. promoting Singapore as a location for international conventions, exhibitions, etc; c. improving service quality in the tourism industry, including upgrading of professional standard of tourist guides and travel agents; and d. upgrading and developing tourism infrastructure. SPEAK MANDARIN CAMPAIGN (Extension to non-Chinese) 22. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Information and the Arts whether the target and reach of the Speak Mandarin Campaign will be extended to the non-Chinese in view of the economic importance of Mandarin. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: The objective of the Speak Mandarin Campaign has always been, and will continue to be, to encourage Chinese Singaporeans to speak Mandarin. All Singaporeans should be encouraged to speak their mother tongues. The purpose is not to have Mandarin replace English or the languages of the other communities. If any non-Chinese Singaporean wishes to learn Mandarin for its economic importance, that is fine. We should encourage him or her as we would Singaporeans who learn German, French or Japanese. VIDEO GAMES CONTAINING SEX OR EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE (Penalties for false declarations) 23.”