Yeo Cheow Tong
Singapore
“Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Health in light of the recent report on fungal corneal infections (a) whether those who contracted the contact lens related fungal corneal infections will suffer permanent damage to their eyes; and (b) how long will his Ministry take to conclude its investigations into the causes of these contact le…”
“My Ministry performs a regulatory role and what we do is that we try to ensure that we have a conducive regulatory environment for the growth of this industry in Singapore. Let me tell him what we are doing in some areas.”
“Sir, on her two questions, whether we are satisfied that the school buses are collecting fares during the school holidays, as I mentioned just now, the school bus service is a contractual service between the parents and the service provider. It is therefore up to them to work out the terms and to abide by the terms.”
“Sir, on the first question, whether there is any abuse by owners of buses while using the 50% rebate, the answer is no, because LTA monitors very closely.”
“Sir, I have to repeat my answer. We are not responsible for regulating school buses and therefore will not be involved. SCHOOL BUSES (Installation of seat belts) 5. Assoc. Prof.”
“Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) if his Ministry will increase the cap of $10,000 per disabled person over their lifetime for the Assistive Technology Fund scheme; and (b) if not, whether there will be a flexibility to adjust the funding cap for this scheme based on the applicant's need, as j…”
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“Sir, we have mechanisms in place to help the needy. Those who are facing financial problems can always appeal to the CDCs for financial assistance. And we also had the Tansport Fund to which the transport operators contributed. I am sure, as they have indicated, they will be making further contributions to the Transport Fund, which can be used to provide additional support to the needy.”
“Sir, the PTC is still assessing the PTOs' applications and will take all relevant factors into consideration before coming to a decision. As this is a tedious process involving careful scrutiny of the operators' applications and justifications, the PTC will take at least four weeks to complete its review and is expected to announce its decision in June.”
“4%, the maximum increase that they will receive will only be 2.4%. In making its decision, the PTC will also take into consideration other factors, such as the prevailing economic conditions, affordability and the financial performance of the public transport operators. Only after examining all these factors will the PTC decide on whether to grant an increase and the quantum of the increase. With regard to Mdm Ho's question on the guidelines on affordability, I would like to inform her that the new mechanism requires the PTC to take into account the affordability of public transport to the average public transport user. Affordability will be monitored using the percentage of household income spent on public transport by a typical family. This figure will be tracked on an annual basis using fare and wage movements, and validated against the Household Expenditure Survey conducted by the Department of Statistics once every five years. While this will ensure that public transport will remain affordable to the vast majority of the population, I agree with Mdm Ho that any increase, no matter how small, will still affect the needy and the low-income earners. In fact, they face some difficulty coping with any increase in the cost of living. This would include not just transport costs, but also basic necessities like food, housing and utilities. But we cannot hold back fare increases that are justified, just as we cannot hold back increases in food or utilities prices if the global price of fuel and food goes up. The Government will continue to help this group through the many financial assistance schemes provided by MCYS, the CDCs, the VWOs, as well as the newly established ComCare Fund.”
“Thank you, Sir. Ms Indranee Rajah asked whether there is any justification for transport companies to consider raising transport fares at this point in time. This is a matter that is now being considered by the Public Transport Council (PTC). As Members are aware, PTC is an independent body comprising representatives from different sectors of society. In assessing the fare review applications, the PTC will have to balance the need for fares to remain affordable while ensuring that the operators can continue to remain viable. I would like to assure Members that the PTC will scrutinise the applications very carefully before coming to a decision. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked for an update on the considerations made when considering fare increases. Sir, the PTC will be adopting the recommendations made by the GPC-led Committee on the Fare Review Mechanism, which was adopted by the Government earlier this year. The Committee recommended that fare adjustments for each year be capped by the new fare adjustment formula, which is Price Index minus 0.3%. This formula allows the public transport operators to offset increases in their operating costs. It also ensures that commuter interests are protected by allowing them to share in the productivity gains achieved by the public transport operators. Notwithstanding the formula, the public transport operators are required to explain in detail the rationale for their applications and to support them with cost justifications. The PTC will then scrutinise the reported cost increases to determine if they are truly justifiable. Any fare increase is subject to a cap determined by the formula, which works out to 2.4% this year. This means that even if the operators' costs have increased by more than 2.”
“Sir, may I take Question Nos. 4 and 5 together?”
“Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the awarded tender price of $279 million by Chip Eng Seng for the 1,848 units of the Pinnacle@Duxton project translates to a construction cost of around $151,000 per HDB unit; (b) whether the average selling price of $380,000 per unit will translate to a sizeable profit of more than $100,000 per unit for the Ministry (after taking into consideration land cost) and, if not (c) what is the actual breakdown of the Government profit or subsidy on the cost of each unit. Mr Mah Bow Tan: The reply to (a) is no, as the tender price does not include other construction-related costs, such as consultancy and project management fees and financing costs. The answer to (b) is also no, because like all flats sold by HDB, the flats at The Pinnacle@Duxton were sold below their market value. The difference between what buyers paid HDB for their flats and the market value of the flats is the market subsidy provided by HDB. As for (c), HDB flats are priced according to affordability considerations, rather than based on costs. As such, HDB does not compare its costs and sale proceeds on a project-by-project basis. HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE 4. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Health whether (i) there is a rising trend of hand, foot and mouth disease among young children over the last 24 months; and (ii) his Ministry will make known to the public (through the media, onsite location or websites) the location, date and time when the disease last occurred.”
“LTA is also setting aside a seed fund of $100,000 for the Singapore Taxi Academy (STA) to set up a safety training course for taxi drivers who have poor safety records. The Academy will develop the training course with the Traffic Police, driving centres and taxi companies to raise the safety standards of the industry. On whether there are adequate checks against errant taxi drivers, there are already stringent regulations and frameworks in force to govern the conduct of taxi drivers. Like all motorists, taxi drivers are required to abide by all traffic regulations. In addition, taxi drivers are subject to fines and given demerit points if they breach the rules of conduct under the Vocational Licence Points System (VLPS) for taxi drivers. Under the VLPS, taxi drivers can be fined for offences such as dropping off a passenger at an unauthorised place. Customer complaints against taxi drivers are also investigated and relevant disciplinary action taken to ensure that taxi drivers maintain good and safe driving habits. LTA will continue to monitor the accident rate situation closely with the Traffic Police and work with the taxi companies and the STA put in place measures that can help taxi drivers improve safety standards. THE PINNACLE@DUXTON 3.”
“The current accident rate standard is based on the number of accidents involving taxis that result in injury or fatality per 10 million km travelled. The traffic accident statistics over the past 5 years show that the accident rate deteriorated from 1.9 in both 1999 and 2000 to 2.7 in 2002 and then 3.1 in 2003. With the enforcement of the accident rate performance standard under the Taxi Operator Licence regime in June 2003, the accident rate improved - going down to 2.6 in the year 2004. However, it is still not up to par with the accident rate standard of no more than 2 accidents per 10 million km travelled. There are many possible reasons for the deterioration of the road safety performance of taxis from 2001 to 2004. The main cause of road accidents, according to the Traffic Police, is a disregard of road safety rules by one or both parties involved in the accident. There is no clear evidence that the increase in taxi supply has contributed to the corresponding fall in the road safety performance of taxis. For example, the accident rates in 2002 and 2003 were higher than in 2004 even though the taxi population was smaller in those years. To improve taxi safety standards, a multi-pronged approach has been undertaken. Besides the penalty framework of the Taxi Operating Licence, in which taxi companies are fined for failure to meet safety standards, the taxi companies have implemented various initiatives to encourage safe driving. For example, most of the taxi companies provide incentives to taxi drivers with good driving records and penalise the unsafe drivers. SMRT Taxis has recently launched a safety campaign which encourages taxi drivers to inform the company of safe and unsafe driving habits of fellow colleagues.”
“Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for Transport since it has been revealed that the four main taxi operators have failed their safety standards, (a) what are the root causes of these low safety standards; (b) is there an oversupply of taxis leading to a drop in the safety standards; (c) what are the measures to raise the safety standards of our taxi operators; and (d) will there be tougher control of taxis for parking haphazardly, misusing hazard lights, and making emergency stops to drop and pick up passengers.”
“I would like to assure Assoc. Prof. Ong that my Ministry has been monitoring the traffic conditions. Prior to the implementation of the change in the VEP operating hours, LTA had conducted a trial in January 2005 to test the impact of reducing the VEP operating hours on Fridays. During the trial, it was found that traffic conditions had remained satisfactory. There was no impact on traffic on the major expressways and roads near the checkpoints and within the Central Business District. Given the positive results from the trial, LTA and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) jointly announced the early lifting of the requirement to pay VEP charges from 5.00 pm instead of 7.00 pm on weekdays, with effect from 4th February 2005. Since its implementation, LTA has continued to monitor the traffic conditions. To-date, the LTA has not observed any adverse impact on traffic conditions at the checkpoints and on roads in Singapore, despite some increase in the arrival of foreign vehicles. The daily arrival of foreign registered cars has increased by about 13% from 4,800 for a typical week prior to the implementation of the changes to the VEP scheme to 5,500. In fact, the early lifting of VEP from 5.00 pm has helped to spread out the peak traffic inflows at the checkpoints from the post 7.00 pm peak to the new 5.00-7.00 pm VEP-free time slot when traffic is less congested in Singapore. While we have not noticed any adverse effect on traffic conditions in Singapore, the LTA will continue to monitor the situation and make changes to the scheme if necessary. SAFETY STANDARDS OF TAXIS 2. Assoc. Prof.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2005/2006, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, let me explain to him that my Ministry and our statutory boards do, in fact, routinely monitor the performance indicators that he mentioned, as well as many other key indicators. The key performance indicators for our land transport, airport and port are presented on the websites of MOT, LTA, CAAS and MPA to allow the public and interested parties convenient access to the up-to-date data. So, instead of once a year, we have the data there and we update them. The information is also available in various public domains, for example, the annual reports of the statutory boards and the Annual Economic Survey published by MTI. The performance indicators of CAAS and MPA are not included in the Budget book as they are self-funding statutory boards. So, in any case, there is no way that we can put them there. For land transport, I will definitely ask MOT to consider including some of the indicators currently displayed on the website in the Budget book as well.”
“30 pm Sir, Mdm Cynthia Phua asked how do we avoid cannibalisation of businesses by the LCCs. Sir, the LCCs are here to stay. They are a fact of life. If we do not have our LCCs, the LCCs of other countries will fly here and they will take the business. So it is better that we have our own LCCs and we work with them and the other LCCs of other countries to further grow the market. This way, the pie will grow and, in the process, our economy will benefit greatly from such growth. Mdm Cynthia Phua also was worried about the safety of the LCCs and asked whether, basically, they are riskier. Sir, CAAS adopts a stringent safety regime in the interest of the safety of the travelling public. Our safety standards are in line with international standards established by the ICAO. All Singapore-registered carriers, whether they are full-service or low-cost carriers, are subjected to thorough inspections, audits and safety oversight. CAAS conducts comprehensive and systematic evaluation on our carriers before issuing them the operating licences, and it also carries out periodic safety inspections thereafter. Sir, with regard to the foreign carriers, the airworthiness of foreign carriers operating in Singapore, including LCCs, is certified by their own national civil aviation authorities. CAAS only conducts initial checks on new foreign carriers, such as the verification of relevant documents issued by their national regulators. Nevertheless, as an added safety measure, periodically, CAAS will visually conduct safety inspections on foreign aircraft arriving at Changi. Sir, Prof. Ivan Png commented that we only have one work performance indicator and he asked for a few of them to be included in the Budget book.”
“Many charge low fares by doing away with "frills" such as aerobridges, in-flight meals, and assigned seating. And as Mr Wee mentioned, by having faster turnaround of aircraft, I am happy to inform Mr Wee that we have been able to satisfy the LCCs in terms of aircraft turnaround time. And to meet the more basic needs of LCCs, we are building a "no frills" low-cost terminal, which will be completed early next year. The new terminal will also allow for even quicker embarkation and disembarkation of passengers, and even faster aircraft turnaround times. So this will definitely help anchor us as a LCC hub in the region. Sir, Mr Ong Kian Min asked what assistance we will give to the LCCs should they face problems. Sir, our aim is to work with our airline partners, whether they are full service or LCCs, to anchor their growth and position here, and make sure that they are here for the long term. And as we have shown during the SARS crisis, if and when there are new crises which result in a drop in business, we will step in with temporary relief measures to help all our partners, whether they are LCCs or full service. Sir, Mr Ong also asked whether the airlines and the LCCs negotiate new air links on their own. Let me clarify that it is the job of the Government to negotiate Air Services Agreements with other countries. But before we do so, we will consult our carriers, both full-service and low-cost, about their future plans. And once we have obtained the additional air rights, the carriers will have to make their own commercial calculations as to which specific route to apply for. I believe our holistic approach will enable us to also develop into a key hub for regional LCC operations. 6.”
“Sir, increased competition therefore helps to grow the market, and brings win-win benefits to the economy and the man-in-the-street. I am hopeful that other countries would also come to realise the wider benefits of competition, and a more open aviation regime. Sir, let me move on to the specific case of the LCCs. Mr Wee, Mdm Phua and Mr Ong commented on the contribution of low cost carriers, or "LCCs", to Changi Airport, and asked about our strategy to facilitate their growth. Sir, the LCCs serving Changi have grown rapidly in their first year. They now account for 7% of Changi's weekly flights and 5% of Changi's overall traffic. More significantly, traffic growth on key routes served by LCCs exceeded Changi's overall traffic growth. For example, on the Singapore-Bangkok route, year-on-year traffic for the last quarter of last year grew 18%, much higher than Changi's overall growth of 11%. The growth on the Singapore-Hong Kong route is even more impressive at 26% over the same period. Mr Charles Chong asked if the LCCs will discourage full service airlines from either coming here or expanding their services here. Sir, let me take the example of Hong Kong. Today, two of our new carriers, Valuair and Jetstar Asia, operate 14 weekly services each to Hong Kong. Have their entry discouraged the airlines? Sir, I do not think so. Not only have SIA and Cathay Pacific maintained their services, Cathay Pacific has, in fact, recently added another seven weekly services, an increase of 20%. I think this shows that increased competition has also grown the overall pie for all the players. We also recognise that the operating model of LCCs is different from the full service carriers.”
“We will also further improve the "Changi Experience" for passengers as well as airlines. T3 will be completed in 2008 while upgrading of T1 will begin once the upgrading of T2 is completed next year. In addition, training for frontline staff will be stepped up to improve service levels. To better meet the needs of our diverse passengers, CAAS will enhance its services by introducing multilingual signages and having more multilingual staff. Sir, Changi's hallmark has always been its high standards of service. This includes services provided by various companies operating at Changi. I can assure Mr Charles Chong that we will continue to review and maintain high performance standards on all service providers at Changi, for the benefit of our airlines and passengers. Sir, the third strategy is that we will continue to liberalise our Air Services Agreements with other countries. This will enhance Changi's connectivity and boost our hub status. We have always welcomed foreign carriers to operate here in open competition with Singapore carriers. Last year, we facilitated the formation of three new Singapore airlines, namely, Valuair, Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia. They will expand Changi's network and give passengers greater choice and more affordable fares. Their entry has increased competition, and further enhanced Changi's hub status. Without a liberal aviation policy, we would have lost out on the wider economic benefits that competition brings. More airlines would mean more business for ground handlers, in-flight caterers, maintenance companies and other aviation-related companies. The economy also benefits from the expenditures from more visitors on hotel accommodation, shopping, food, ground transportation, and so on.”
“Sir, as Mr Ong Kian Min, Mr Wee Siew Kim and Mr Charles Chong have pointed out, the global aviation landscape is evolving and changing very rapidly. Airport competition has intensified, with the opening of many new airports, as pointed out by Mr Wee. The emergence of low-cost travel and new aircraft technology are also key trends affecting our position as an air hub. Let me share with Members our three key strategies to enhance Changi Airport's competitiveness, as asked by some of the Members. Sir, the first priority is to strengthen our partnership with the airlines by facilitating their growth and reducing their operating costs here. As mentioned by Mr Wee, we had a three-year, $210 million Air Hub Development Fund and a two-year, $40 million Growth Incentive Scheme, which incentivised airlines to carry more passengers to Changi. Sir, our airline partners greatly appreciated these two schemes. They have worked very well and they have helped Changi achieve a record 30.4 million passengers and 1.8 million tonnes of cargo last year. Changi's network was also expanded to more than 170 cities, making Changi one of the best connected airports in the region. Sir, as both schemes will expire at the end of this year, we will launch a new three-year, $300 million fund to succeed them. About $100 million will be set aside each year to fund traffic development and cost reduction initiatives. The new fund will further facilitate the growth of our airline partners at Changi and position us for the long haul. We will release details of the new fund later this year. Secondly, we will continue to upgrade Changi Airport, in both hardware and software. We have started infrastructure works to enable Changi to welcome the new Airbus A380s when they start flying next year.”
“Sir, the operations overseas are ring-fenced from the local operations, so that whether they make or lose money, it would not have any impact on the viability of the local operations. Road System and Traffic Management”
“Sir, I think we have another feature on the trains which Mdm Phua may be interested in. The seats directly next to the door of each train have stickers marking them out as being seats that are reserved for those who are handicapped. So if a visually impaired commuter gets on to the train, all he needs to do is to go to the nearest seat, and if it is occupied, requests for the passenger to get up. I am sure most Singaporeans are civic-minded enough to do so because it is very obvious that the person is visually impaired. In any case, as the operators have said, they have not encountered any problem so far because, whether it is on the bus or on the train, the visually impaired normally would ask a passenger close by to alert him or her when the destination is getting close. And there is no trouble getting assistance from fellow passengers. Mr Ang Mong Seng: Mr Chairman, may I ask the Minister, when the PTO invests overseas and makes a profit, is it considered as part of the company's profit when it submits its report to the PTC?”
“Sir, as I mentioned in my reply earlier, our public transport system and the bus and MRT systems are mass transport systems and, therefore, the efficiency and effectiveness of the systems must be our priority goal. In terms of making the buses friendly to the physically challenged, yes, I think we have already done something. For example, all new buses now have low floor-boards so that commuters do not have to climb up two to three steps to get on to the bus. The floor-boards are also at almost the same level as the kerb, so that the commuters could step off the kerb on to the bus without too much trouble. The pavements also have ramps which allow the physically challenged to get on at traffic junctions without having to step up the kerb. I think we have already done quite a fair bit to help them. If there are any other suggestions, we would be very happy to take a look at them. But the key point, as I said just now, must be whatever we do must not affect our ability to move large numbers of people, especially during peak hours, when traffic conditions are already very, very tough.”
“Sir, the system has worked very well. Of course, it could be further improved. I do not doubt that, which is why I said that if any parent or any school wants to have an even safer system, they are free to do so. But I do not think we should impose on all parents the ultimate, when it is something which I think most parents may baulk at in terms of the fare increase.”
“Sir, a reliable public transport system is not one which a small operator, with very limited resources, could afford to operate. He must have enough resources to operate a system which is reliable, because that is what we are promising commuters. The public transport system is a very basic system for those people without private transport and, therefore, reliability must be a given. If we give out only route by route, I think we are going to have a very fragmented system, with very low economies of scale, which is why we have to-date, two operators. 5.15 pm As I have mentioned just now, our competition framework would allow a third operator to come in at the town level. I think the town level does not require as much an investment as a country-wide system. So, if an entrepreneur wants to go into public transport system, I would say, "Yes, look at one of the small towns and provide a service for the whole town." If he wants to provide only one route, then the question is which route? Do we give him the most profitable or the least profitable route? The reason why we package it as one town is that there would be some routes where the flats are fully occupied, and there would be other routes, which are perhaps further away, where the flats are only half full. That part of the town, which is fully occupied, in a way helps to offset the service to the other part of the town which is not fully occupied. That is why we could not afford to just give one route away. It has to be a system.”
“Sir, if the price of fuel were to increase even more significantly, hedging will not help because, if it is a structural change, the hedging will again be at the higher structural price. If this is the case, it will be up to the PTOs to come to PTC to say that their costs have gone up very significantly and, what they can do to offset that. If they can make up a strong case, PTC would probably listen to them. But as to PTC's ultimate decision, I cannot second-guess them. They are independent, they are autonomous, they have to make up their minds based on the facts given to them.”
“Sir, I do not know where Mr Yatiman got his figures from. But it is not true that the feeder service is losing money. If they are, today, they would be in an even worse shape. The fact is that most of the feeder services in the HDB estates are profitable, except for a few in the new towns. Mr Yatiman is the MP of a very well-developed estate, Tampines. The feeder services there are profitable. He should have no difficulty finding someone to run a competitive service and do it in a better way at a lower cost. The fact remains that there is a trade-off. If you want to have even closer headways - at the moment, as I have said, it is five to eight minutes - like what the trains are having, four minutes, it can be done, but there is a cost to be paid, and the cost must eventually be paid for by the commuters. If the cost has to be paid by those commuters on the trunk routes, I think they will be very upset about having to subsidise commuters on the feeder routes who are already paying a very low feeder fare because today, the feeder fare is only 63 cents, regardless of how many fare stages the commuter rides. In many ways, the feeder services are being run very well. But if there are others who can run it better, we will be very happy to hear from them.”
“Sir, I was responding to his point that the ridership has gone down. My point was, in fact, ridership has gone up. But the net income has gone down because the costs have increased. And to compensate for the drop in income, they may have to drive more. That I do not disagree with.”
“I think an increase of 40% would be something that most parents would be alarmed about. However, if the schools prefer the buses serving them to have seat belts attached, I think they are free to impose this requirement on the buses that serve them. LTA will be very happy to agree to it. Let me assure Dr Maliki that LTA will continue to work closely with the Traffic Police and the Ministry of Education and the school bus associations to ensure that the school buses continue to be safe for our school children.”
“Sir, let me move on now to the point made by Dr Maliki Osman. Dr Maliki spoke on the need to have seat belts on school buses. Sir, I can assure him that I share his concerns about safety of children travelling in school buses too. In reviewing the need for seat belts, LTA has to balance a range of factors such as effectiveness, operational impact and the cost of implementation. LTA has already in place many measures to improve the safety of school buses. For example, they are required to undergo regular compulsory inspections to ensure road-worthiness and are subject to a speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour. LTA also requires the school buses carrying more than 30 children to have a licensed attendant to look after the children. An attendant is also compulsory for buses carrying kindergarten-level children. These safety measures have resulted in a consistently low accident rate for school buses. They also help reduce the severity of injury in the event of accidents. Indeed, I am happy to inform Members that there have been no cases of children suffering serious or fatal injuries while travelling on a school bus in the last few years. Nevertheless, LTA will continue to review and introduce additional safety measures that are shown to be useful and cost-effective. Sir, making seat belts compulsory would impose substantial costs on school bus operators and users. Retrofitting seat belts and their anchorages will require the seats and their supports to be modified and this will reduce seating capacity. Based on the estimates by the bus operators, having seat belts can increase the school bus fares by as much as 40%. Contrary to Dr Maliki's view, parents are very concerned about how much they have to pay for the school bus fares.”
“Nevertheless, this is something which the taxi companies, STA and the LTA should look into. If it is shown that fatigue is indeed a factor, we would need to do something to put in place the necessary measures to address this problem. Sir, Mdm Phua has also asked us to make the public transport system more accessible. She had suggested during the Budget debate that we put a sound-emitting device in the train to guide the visually handicapped. Sir, while it is desirable to make the public transport system accessible to less ambulant commuters, we need to study the issue and proceed very carefully as the public transport system is a means of mass transport in Singapore. It is essential that we balance the efficiency required and expected by commuters, with the special access required by the disabled. Sir, we will have to take into account not just the costs involved but, more importantly, the impact on the efficiency of the bus services and the road network. This is because at peak hours, eg, for buses, it is common to see long queues of buses at the bus stops. With regard to the visually handicapped, the experience of the transport operators has been that most passengers on trains or buses do come forward to help them, and I think that is very important that Singaporeans, by and large, are very helpful to the disabled. The operators have also trained their station operation staff to assist those who require additional help. For example, for wheelchair users who call up in advance, SMRT's station staff will receive them at the entrance and accompany them to the lift and to the train. On board the trains, the customer service officers will also look out and help those in need, including those who are visually impaired.”
“Sir, while it is the intention of the Government to equalise the tax treatment of taxis and cars, Members would have seen that we have adopted a cautious approach. Let me now move on to the issue of safety. Mdm Cynthia Phua expressed her concerns about the safety records of taxi drivers. Sir, to ensure that taxi drivers drive carefully, LTA has imposed a QoS on the taxi accident rate. The current QoS of not more than two accidents per 10 million kilometres is based on what the taxi companies had actually achieved from 1999 to 2001. And for computing the rate, the LTA only includes the accidents that involved injury or fatality based on the assessment of the Traffic Police. Therefore, if the taxi drivers were assessed not to be at fault by the Traffic Police, the accidents would not be included in the calculation of the accident rate. Sir, unfortunately, the taxi companies have generally failed the QoS over the past two years. Fortunately, they have put in more effort to train and educate the drivers. As a result, for the last quarter, most taxi companies showed some improvement. Sir, Mdm Phua asked how the Government can help the taxi drivers meet the safety standards. Our approach is to provide targeted assistance to help improve drivers with poor safety records. In line with this, LTA will contribute a seed fund of $100,000 to the Singapore Taxi Academy to set up a safety training course for drivers who have poor safety records. The Academy will develop the training course with the Traffic Police, the driving centres and the taxi companies. Sir, on whether the increased competition has led to driver fatigue as mentioned by Mdm Phua, this is not very conclusive because fatigue is just one contributory factor to traffic accidents.”
“This latter point is not true because, again, my monthly data shows me that, as at last month, only 1% of the entire taxi fleet is unhired, and sometimes it could be due to the fact that the taxis are not being serviced, etc. But the 1% vacancy rate shows that the taxi driving profession is still a reasonably attractive one. 5.00 pm Sir, let me now clarify the tax treatment for taxis. The diesel tax has always been part of the Government's policy measures to equalise the tax treatment of taxis with that of petrol-driven cars. Sir, after all, taxis provide a personalised door to door service, very akin to that provided by private transport. And taxis should therefore be taxed similarly. Sir, in line with this policy, the diesel tax was introduced in 1985 for all taxis. But even with the diesel tax, the tax structure for taxis was still not fully equalised with that for private cars because some of the taxes payable for taxis, for example, ARF, were still much lower. Hence, the Government revised the vehicle tax structure in early 1998 for taxis, to equalise the tax structure for taxis with that of cars. To soften the impact of the ARF increase, we reduced the diesel tax from $6,600 to $5,100 per year. This was to ensure that the annualised fixed cost of taxis remained generally unchanged after the ARF adjustment. This enabled the taxi companies to maintain the rental rates. This helped to protect the taxi drivers, which is what Mr Seng was worried about. But even today, taxis still enjoy some tax concessions. If we were to fully equalise the diesel tax with the petrol duty, it would have to be increased from the current $5,100 to $6,150. Taxis also pay a flat road tax of $1,200 a year, compared to $3,050 for a petrol-driven car of equivalent engine capacity.”
“For example, Comfort, CityCab and Yellow Top Cab have provided a special one-time bonus to their drivers, ranging from $240 to $360 per driver, according to the number of years of service. And all SMRT taxi drivers will receive a $380 diesel relief package. So, all this is meant to help reduce the impact of the huge increase in the fuel price. Mdm Cynthia Phua also asked, since the taxi companies are highly profitable, whether they should lower their rentals. It is true, because I have looked at the financial reports published by SMRT and ComfortDelgro that the taxi companies are in fact doing well. But how the good corporate financial performance should translate into rental reductions, that I think is a commercial decision for the taxi companies to make. However, with increased market competition, they would need to price their taxi rentals attractively, in order to minimise the number of unhired taxis, because it is very expensive for taxis to be sitting unhired. Perhaps, Mr Seng, as Advisor to the Taxi Operators' Association, may have to work very hard to persuade his member companies to do something about the taxi rentals. Of course, the other way, as Mdm Cynthia Phua has pointed out, is for fares to be adjusted. Again, that is something which we will have to leave to the companies, because fares are deregulated. But whatever it is, if taxi drivers' incomes drop and the job no longer becomes attractive, they will look for other jobs. And I think the taxi companies will be in trouble. So, either way, the companies will have to find an appropriate solution. Sir, Mr Seng also suggested that the Government reduce the taxi diesel tax as a means to help the taxi industry. He also said that the taxi companies have difficulties renting out their fleet.”
“Sir, Mdm Phua mentioned that the competition in the industry is being distorted by the presence of a dominant player. I agree with her. This is certainly true. But this was already so even before we deregulated. Having decided to deregulate, it is better for LTA to let the market develop further, and take stock of the situation. At that time, if Mdm Phua is still not satisfied, she can of course resurface her suggestion that we look at ways on how to deal with a dominant player. Sir, the other issue raised by both Mdm Phua and Mr Seng Han Thong is the plight of taxi drivers. Mdm Phua mentioned that the increase in the supply of taxis has reduced the income of the drivers, and so did Mr Seng Han Thong. The data collected by LTA showed that the earnings of the taxi drivers did drop during the SARS outbreak in 2003. However, they recovered very strongly last year, with the average gross income of taxi drivers even slightly higher than pre-SARS in 2002. This shows that the general demand has kept pace with the increase in the overall taxi fleet. And, in fact, I do not know where Mr Seng got his data from, but I checked the data because LTA gives me data every month, and I recall that the last time I saw the data, the ridership last year was definitely higher than 2002. I am not comparing against 2003 because that was the SARS year. So, I would suggest that Mr Seng review his figures again. Sir, but it is true that the net income of taxi drivers has dropped, and it dropped by between 12% and 14% last year versus 2002. The question is why. If ridership has remained fairly constant, fares have not dropped, why have the earnings dropped? The answer is a very simple one, ie, higher fuel prices. I am glad that the taxi companies have come forward to provide some help.”
“LTA determined the number of taxis they could operate. And it was really a very arbitrary decision by LTA, as it had no means of really knowing how many taxis we should have in Singapore. Deregulation has injected competition and will enable the market forces to address the challenges faced by the industry. And to safeguard commuters, LTA introduced a set of Quality of Service Standards (QoS) to ensure that the taxi service levels are not compromised. Our assessment is that deregulation has worked well. First, the number of taxis has increased by about 1,300 to a total of 20,400. Second, three new companies have entered the market. And third, competition has given both commuters and taxi drivers more choices, and better services from the taxi companies. Sir, the industry now has full flexibility to determine whether the supply and demand problem mentioned by Mr Ong can be resolved by either increasing the supply of taxis, or, as mentioned by Mdm Phua, through price differentiation through some of the operators increasing their taxi fares. Of course, this is contrary to what Prof. Chin Tet Yung is looking for, which is lower taxi fares. I think this shows that this is indeed a very complex situation and a very complicated situation too, affecting both the drivers and commuters. As such, the taxi companies will have to consider very carefully before deciding on what is the best way to resolve the demand and supply situation, especially during the peak hours. I would therefore urge Mr Ong to be patient for a little while, because deregulation is still fairly new, and I am sure with more players in the market, the cartel which Prof. Chin suspected, if it is there, will surely have to contend with the fact that the marketplace is now totally different.”
“Sir, but if Mr Yatiman, or for that matter Prof. Ivan Png - because he did also ask for other operators to be allowed to operate a feeder bus system - if any MP is able to locate a private operator who is prepared to run another feeder service, he is free to go to the PTC and submit an application, because this is available under the competition framework that we established in August 2002. Under this competition framework, any interested party can apply to provide a comprehensive feeder service, ie, he cannot just go in and cherry pick and say "I am going to run this particular service for two hours" because, if that happens, then who is going to run the services off-peak? The residents will have to walk from their home to the MRT station. So, whoever wants to run a competitive service is allowed to do so, but it must be a comprehensive service, it must serve the whole estate, and they must operate within the Quality of Service standards established by LTA, and which are applicable to all public transport operators. And if these operators wish to use mini-buses and the larger buses, they are free to do so. Sir, with regard to Prof. Png's points about the Hong Kong model of using mini-buses, first, let me clarify the situation in Hong Kong. There are two types of mini-buses, the red mini-buses and the green mini-buses. The red mini-buses are unregulated, and are free to choose their own routes. But these are all the legacies of the 1960s. The Hong Kong government has stopped expanding this fleet, and they charge more than the regular buses. Sir, let me now move on to taxi services. First, let me explain why we have fully deregulated the taxi industry. Prior to 2003, the taxi industry was a closed market, with a limited group of taxi companies.”
“How do we provide a system that will efficiently and cost effectively link them to those points that they want to go to? I think there are two extremes. The first is to provide a very personalised service where each of them can have a door-to-door service. In fact, this is available today. The taxi service provides that but, of course, at a very much higher cost than what the bus and MRT would cost. The other way is, of course, through private transport. The other extreme, the cheapest way, is to have one trunk route which will link that precinct to every point in Singapore. Of course, the last passenger to get off the bus may have to suffer a three or maybe four-hour bus journey. So, that again is not viable. The most efficient, cost effective and prudent model is the hub-and-spoke system which is used in most, if not all, countries. In Singapore, I think our feeder services are in fact very efficient, with the headways during the peak hours averaging between five to maybe six or seven minutes at the very most. And off-peak, the headways are only about 10 to 15 minutes. So, in actual fact, we have a very efficient feeder bus network. Of course, how long a commuter needs to ride on the feeder bus will depend, firstly, on how far away he lives from the interchange or the MRT station and, secondly, once he gets off the trunk bus or the MRT train, how far away is his destination from the station. If the destination is far away, then of course he may have to have another 20-minute ride by bus. So, the one-hour ride that Mr Yatiman Yusof mentioned also depends very much on where those two points are. I think our system is fairly optimal. It is not perfect. But I think it has met the needs of most people, which is really the aim of a mass public transport system.”
“Chin Tet Yung asked about the achievements versus the White Paper, and how far have we gone and how much more catching up we have to do. I am happy to tell Prof. Chin that there is no catching up to do, because we have already more than exceeded the targets set under the White Paper. Let me give him an example. In the White Paper, there was a target that we should add another 225 kilometres of road network at the cost of $1.1 billion over the next five years, ie, the first five years after the White Paper was published. I am happy to inform Prof. Chin that the road network has actually exceeded the target by about 84%, ie, we have added a total of 415 kilometres versus the target of 225, and we did it at a lower cost of $916 million, compared to the $1.1 billion budgeted. 4.45 pm Sir, in terms of the rail system too, under the White Paper, we had a target to expand the rail system from 67 kilometres to 160 kilometres over the long term, which is really year "x". I am happy to inform him that we have already reached about 130 kilometres now, and the whole system will total 175 kilometres with the completion of the Circle Line and the Boon Lay extension, which is by the year 2010. That means, by the year 2010, we would have exceeded the long-term target of 160 kilometres. Sir, let me now move on to the point about feeder services. Mr Yatiman Yusof described the woes of his Tampines residents with regard to the feeder services. Sir, I think the transport needs of the HDB towns in many ways exemplify the complexities of planning a public transport system and network. For example, in a single precinct, there may be 2,000 people living there who need to travel to 1,000 different points in Singapore.”
“Let me assure them that while the two operators do not directly compete, there are still benefits to the current structure. First, it promotes integration of services as we have seen, and allows benchmarking between the operators. Second, the two operators will still have to compete to have the best approach to a safe, efficient and productive operation. In doing so, each will have lessons for the other, and the improvements that are gained will ultimately also benefit the commuters. Sir, on the merger of the rail operations of SMRT and SBS Transit, as observed by Mr Chong, this definitely is a matter of commercial decision for the two operators to make, as I have also informed this House before. Given that they are both publicly-listed companies, it would be difficult for the Government to intervene to direct them to merge the rail operations. I do not think we are in a position to give any operator any subsidies just to effect the transfer. So far, we have not received any proposal from them. However, we would not object to a merger if the operators wish to do so to achieve better economies of scale, which I think there is, and better operational efficiency. Sir, Mr Charles Chong also asked when Buangkok station will be opened. I want to assure him that LTA monitors very closely the developments around the area. Once there is an adequate population catchment around the station, LTA will arrange for the station to be opened as soon as possible. The breakeven point, based on the calculation, is that once there are about 2,000-3,000 housing units available in the immediate vicinity of the station, we should be able to ask the operator to open it. So we will continue to monitor and work with Mr Charles Chong. Sir, Prof.”
“However, it is inevitable that there will still be short incidental stretches where the buses run parallel to the rail system. This is due to the need to serve short-distance travel and provide local connectivity within the rail corridor. In other cases, two points may be connected by both the bus and rail lines. For example, in the case of Tampines, the MRT and bus service No. 10 connect Tampines to Raffles Place. However, there is actually very little duplication because bus service No. 10 primarily serves to provide local links to the Katong and East Coast areas which are not served by MRT. The travel times are also very different. The MRT ride to Raffles Place takes only 27 minutes, compared to the 68-minute bus ride! I do not think they really compete with each other for passengers. Mdm Phua also asked PTC to evaluate bus routes independently to ensure that the bus network is efficient. I want to assure Mdm Phua that PTC does consider the efficiency of the entire bus network and the potential impact on commuters when reviewing any changes to the bus routes. For example, when the NEL line was opened, we had to do the bus rationalisation exercise, and the two operators, SBS and MRTC, together engaged an independent consultant to study and propose changes to the bus routes and, after the proposal was completed, PTC would then review the entire proposal to make sure that the entire system is rational. So it is not something that is done at the whim and fancy of any operator. But PTC takes a very active role in making sure that the bus network is rational and efficient. Sir, Prof. Chin Tet Yung and Mr Charles Chong commented on the structure of the rail system and asked whether we should continue to have two rail operators.”
“Sir, let me now move on to the issue of land transport strategy and the integration of the bus and MRT systems. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked about the long-term strategy for our public transport system, and in particular about the need for better integration between the various modes of transport. Our public transport strategy is to establish a well-integrated public transport system. The rail system forms the backbone of our public transport network, serving the key corridors between major residential areas and activity centres. Buses complement the rail system by serving the less-heavy corridors and linking commuters to the stations. Taxis, on the other hand, provide a personalised, door-to-door service which is more akin to private transport. Sir, as the MRT system involves huge investments by the Government, PTC aims to ensure that the bus and rail systems are well integrated to optimise the use of the expensive MRT system. The PTC achieves this by setting out Quality of Service Standards (QoS) for bus services. For example, PTC requires that the first feeder buses from all HDB neighbourhoods must leave the interchange before 6.00 am to facilitate connection with the early MRT train or trunk bus service. The operators are also required to provide direct feeder bus connections from all HDB neighbourhoods to the town's bus interchange, which is usually co-located with the MRT station. While there may be some concern about the duplication of resources, I would like to highlight that, whenever a new train line is opened, the operators are required to re-route some bus services to strengthen the bus connections to the rail line and to avoid duplication of routes.”
“The aim of the FEF is to help operators mitigate the impact of sharp and temporary increases in fuel and electricity prices. Let me explain the FEF mechanism. For periods when fuel and electricity prices are lower than a reference price level, the operators are required to contribute a portion of their profits into the Fund. They can then subsequently draw from the Fund if they need to cushion spikes in fuel or electricity prices. The Fund mechanism therefore provides a buffer against volatile fuel or electricity prices, which would otherwise have to be translated into fare adjustments. Mr Gan Kim Yong asked if it is desirable to implement the formula at this stage when the economy is recovering since there is a greater likelihood for the fare cap to go up. Sir, this is a valid observation. In fact, it is for this very reason that the Committee has recommended several levels of checks, ie, the ROTA and affordability checks to be undertaken by the PTC before it approves a fare revision. This is to ensure that the interest of the commuters will continue to be protected. Sir, he also urged the Minister and the PTC not to allow a fare increase this year. As to whether there will be a fare increase or a fare revision this year, that is a question that only the PTC can answer. As Members know, the PTC is a fully autonomous and independent body. The usual process is for the PTOs to submit their applications, if any, to the PTC around the end of April. The PTC would then deliberate carefully and announce the outcome in June. I am sure that the PTC will continue to safeguard the commuters' interests and ensure that the fares remain affordable, especially now that we have a more responsive fare adjustment formula.”
“Sir, I think that help for the needy, the unemployed and the people who are structurally affected by the reforms in the economy, all these will have to be helped through a wide range of financial assistance schemes provided by MCYS, CDCs, VWOs and others, as well as the ComCare Fund which was announced by the Prime Minister in his Budget Speech. Sir, let me once again thank Mr Ong Kian Min, his predecessor, Mr Chay Wai Chuen, and his committee members for their painstaking efforts in coming up with the very commendable set of recommendations. Sir, let me now touch on the points brought up by Mr Gan Kim Yong who expressed his concern that public transport fares may go up on account of fuel price hikes. He also asked for assurance that there will be no fare revision this year. The Fare Review Mechanism Committee has recommended that the cost conditions facing public transport operations be captured in the formula, by the CPI and the Wage Index components. However, in times of significant structural changes in fuel prices, the fuel cost increase is likely to outstrip the increase in CPI. I think this is especially crucial because fuel costs make up a very major part of the cost operation of the public transport operators. Hence, the composite CPI may not adequately capture the inflation of this single cost component. There could then be a case for the PTC to consider a one-off fare adjustment. Nonetheless, as in all fare adjustments, I am sure the PTC, as the gate-keeper, will carefully consider the merits of the case and the impact on commuters before granting any such increase if the PTOs should apply for one. On the other hand, Members should also be further assured that, before this takes place, we would first use the Fuel Equalisation Fund, or FEF.”
“As Dr Wang Kai Yuen has pointed out, there is a perception gap in the minds of the public, in terms of the trend of public transport fares. The perception is that fares have been going up very fast and becoming less affordable. I think this is also partly due to the failure of the PTC to properly communicate the situation each time there is a fare adjustment and we have worked out with the PTC a mechanism to ensure that there is a proper explanation on the basis of any fare revision and to do a comparison in the affordability as well. Sir, if we compare against other developed cities like Hong Kong, the average bus and MRT fares for an 8-km trip in Singapore are also definitely much lower. This is due to the very commendable efforts put in by the PTOs over the years to increase productivity and to reduce their cost. Sir, the PTOs have also been pursuing non-fare revenue streams, such as the development of commercial spaces within the MRT stations, to help offset any increases in operating costs. The recent opening of the revamped Raffles Xchange at the Raffles Place MRT station is a good example of the operators' effort and what can be achieved. Sir, the new mechanism requiring PTC to also review affordability of public transport will further safeguard the public. PTC will now be empowered to not approve any fare increase should there be significant deterioration in affordability. While the vast majority will find public transport fares affordable, I think there will always be a small minority who will find it difficult coping with the cost of everyday living, and not just the cost of transport, but also the cost of basic necessities like food, utilities, transport and housing. This has also been recognised by Prof. Chin.”
“Sir, on the issue of affordability, I agree with Mr Andy Gan that commuters have to be realistic. They cannot expect fares to remain unchanged over time as costs increase and the service levels improve. But because public transport is used every day by a large spectrum of the population, it is understandable for the general public to worry about any fare increase, no matter how small. And hence the feedback received by Dr Wang Kai Yuen's Feedback Unit. Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to correct any wrong impression about the affordability of our public transport system. Since we implemented the CPI + X formula in 1998, the actual increase in public transport fares averaged only about 0.7% per year. This is significantly lower than the average increase in wages of 3.4% per year over the same period. And if we compare over the last 15 years, the picture remains very similar, with our wages going up very much faster than fare increases. And this is well reflected in the proportion of monthly household income that is spent on public transport. The Household Expenditure Survey shows that the percentage of income spent on public transport has gone down from 3.6% in 1988 to 2.8% in the year 2003. This represents a 20% drop. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Chew Heng Ching) in the Chair] 4.30 pm At the family expenditure level, the average household expenditure on public transport has also declined. The survey shows that the public transport expenses accounted for 5.1% of monthly household expenditure in 1988 and only 4.1% in 2003, also a 20% drop. Sir, this clearly shows that our public transport fares have become more affordable, not less affordable, over the years.”
“The recommendation for PTC to conduct a comparison check on the PTO's Return on Total Assets (ROTA) against that of operators overseas and other companies with similar risk profiles, will help ensure that the PTOs are not profiteering, which is another concern of Singaporeans. This is important as the absolute level of profit per se does not meaningfully indicate if the PTOs are charging excessively or not. The level of profit has to be compared against the amount of investment that the operators have put in. For example, if the investment involved amounted to $1 billion, a profit of $10 million, in fact, only represents a very meagre 1% return on the investment. But a $10 million profit made on an investment of $20 million would mean a very huge return of 50%. Sir, I would like to inform the House that my Ministry has carefully studied the Committee's report, and I am pleased to announce that the Committee's recommendations have been accepted in full. There have also been some questions as to how a downward fare adjustment will be effected if the fare review formula comes up with a negative outcome. This is because in such a situation, few people will expect the PTOs, on their own, to apply for a fare revision. Sir, I am happy to inform Members that we will be amending the PTC Act later this year to empower PTC to determine if a fare reduction or rebate is warranted and, if so, to direct the PTOs to do so, even though the PTOs may not have applied for a fare revision. My Ministry will be working out the implementation details with the PTC over the next two months to put in place the new mechanism for this year's fare review exercise should the operators submit an application.”
“Sir, first, let me thank Mr Ong Kian Min for his kind remarks on the recent award which I received. In reality, the award is a recognition for all the right things that we have been doing in Singapore over the past years, and which have led to our development as an aviation hub. On the issue of the cost of public transport and the Fare Review Committee's recommendations, first, let me thank Mr Ong Kian Min and his committee members for the recommendations that they have submitted on how to improve the fare review mechanism. Public transport fares have always been a very sensitive issue as it affects almost every Singaporean. The Committee, in its proposed fare review mechanism, has done a commendable job in taking care of both commuters and the viability of the public transport operators (PTOs). In arriving at the recommendations, the Committee consulted a wide range of interested parties, which I think is very good, and it set out clear principles on which fare adjustments should be based, and recommended a formula that is more responsive to prevailing economic situations and conditions. More importantly, it has also recommended additional ROTA and affordability checks which the PTC can use to ensure that the interests of the commuters are protected. One important outcome for commuters from the recommendations of the Committee is the possibility of fare reductions and rebates when economic conditions are poor, and therefore resulting in pay cuts and negative inflation. This is very fair, since a responsive formula should mean that when wages and costs go up, the fares also go up. And the fares should have a downward adjustment when these factors decline.”
“The HCL syllabus has additional components which are richer in Chinese literary and cultural content. STATE FLAGS 28. Miss Penny Low asked the Minister for National Development if HDB will consider relocating the hooks for hanging state flags so that it can be within easy reach of the residents who wish to display their patriotism during National Day. Mr Mah Bow Tan: The Member of Parliament is referring to blocks in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC built under two building contracts, which were completed between 2001 and 2002. The window ledges in these blocks are 700 mm wide and the hooks for hanging the State Flag are located at the end of the ledge. Due to the location of the hooks, some residents may have encountered difficulties hanging the State Flag. Upon the Member's request, HDB has looked into possible solutions. To make the hooks more accessible to residents in these blocks, HDB has proposed to relocate the hooks onto the window ledge itself. HDB will seek the views of the MP before finalising its proposal. COURAGE FUND 29. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Health if he will give an update on the uses, expenses and balance left of the Courage Fund.”
“Unlike P1 to P5 textbooks, the current P6 textbooks are based on the old, pre-2002 syllabus, which have been recognised to be heavy on content and which give teachers little time to help students understand and apply language skills.) The reduction in CL passages will free up time and space for teachers to conduct activities that best suit the needs of their students, to consolidate what they have already learnt and to engage them in applying their language skills in new and interesting ways. Teachers may use the cut passages as supplementary or enrichment lessons, or devise their own reading programmes. These moves to give teachers more flexibility are part of the transitional changes we are introducing in our schools, as announced in Parliament last November during the debate on the White Paper on CL learning, before the full implementation of the new CL curriculum over the medium term. These recent changes do not alter our current system of having both the Higher Chinese Language (HCL) and Chinese Language (CL) syllabuses in schools. The objectives of the CL syllabus are two-fold, namely, to develop the linguistic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing; and for students to absorb Chinese values and develop an appreciation for Chinese culture. The transmission of culture and values remains important. However, as recommended by the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee, it has to be achieved in a flexible and natural way, via classroom lessons, supplementary reading and other activities that students find interesting and relevant. The HCL syllabus shares the same dual objectives as for CL, but aims to take the students to a higher level in terms of both language competence and cultural appreciation.”
“The route of the North-South Expressway (NSE) has not been finalised as the studies are still ongoing. As with the planning for all similar infrastructure projects, the LTA will work with various Government agencies such as URA and NParks, to develop an alignment that will minimise the impact on the environment and heritage areas while meeting the transport needs. Various routes are being studied, as well as the feasibility of running stretches of the expressway underground. CHINESE LANGUAGE SYLLABUS 26. Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan asked the Minister for Education with the recent cutback in the Chinese language syllabus by up to 61% for primary 6 pupils (a) whether there is a need to have Higher Chinese and Normal Chinese at the primary level; and if there is, (b) what will be the key differences between these two tracks. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: Let me first clarify that the recent reduction in the number of passages in Chinese Language textbooks does not represent a cut in the Chinese Language (CL) curriculum. There is no change in the language skills and learning outcomes that are expected in the CL curriculum for 2005, nor any cut in CL curriculum time. These outcomes are defined in terms of students' ability to use the language fluently and confidently, not by the number of passages or characters that a student has learnt. In primary schools, the number of passages has been reduced by an average of 15%. This implies a reduction of about 10% in the number of characters that students have to learn by the end of P6. (The cuts in number of passages are from P1-6, with the largest being a 60% reduction in the number of passages in P6 textbooks, from 28 passages to 11.”
“LTA carries out the planning of our transport infrastructure in consultation with various agencies, such as URA, NParks and HDB. The objective is to map out a road network that supports both the immediate and long term development plans of Singapore. In the design of the road infrastructure, it takes into account various land use and environmental considerations, including green areas and heritage sites. Where a corridor is already built up or where the environmental impact is deemed unacceptable, LTA will study the feasibility of putting a road underground despite the higher construction and operating costs of doing so. For example, the Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), which is currently being constructed, will be largely underground. In implementing the various road projects, LTA also works closely with NParks to avoid the cutting of trees as far as possible. One example is the widening of Loyang Avenue from Loyang Way to Changi Village Road. To preserve the trees along this stretch, LTA innovatively designed the dual-two carriage ways to run on either side of the heritage trees, so that the trees, which used to flank one side of the dual-one road, now sit on the new centre median of the widened dual-two road. NORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY 24. Dr Geh Min asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the construction of the North-South Expressway will affect any heritage or watch list roads, nature areas or heritage sites; and if so, (b) what measures will be taken to protect them or minimise the impact.”
“Singapore Airlines is a private company which is also publicly listed. It is not operated by the Ministry of Transport. As such, the Ministry of Transport does not have the information Mr Chiam See Tong is seeking on Singapore Airlines. Mr Chiam may wish to write directly to Singapore Airlines for the information requested. UNIONISED SINGAPORE WORKERS 3. Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the total number of Singapore workers who are unionised; and (b) what is the breakdown by gender, age group, and occupation type.”