Yeo Ning Hong
Singapore
“The SAF always reviews and enhances its training system to maximise the contributions of NSFs to national defence during their NSF stint. We will continue to ensure that the training syllabus is relevant to the defence needs of Singapore, and NSFs' time in the SAF used meaningfully and efficiently.”
“New recruits will find military training less onerous if they take on the personal responsibility of preparing themselves well physically before enlistment. AUCTION OF #03-06 PEK CHUAN BUILDING 6.”
“Sir, on a point of clarification. I believe Dr Ahmad Mattar had earlier on attributed some comments to me. I just want to clarify that I am not waiting for July to have my views on SBC made known to the Minister for Information and the Arts.”
“Sir, to encourage the new NSmen to maintain the same physical fitness that they have achieved while they were in full-time National Service, Mindef will increase the IPPT pass standards for new NSmen who ROD on or after 1st April to the same level that they attained when they were NSF.”
“Sir, I do not think Mr Chiam has any clue whatsoever about what is involved in basic military training. It is not fitness. It is the acquiring of basic military skills, to know how to fight, to know how to ensure that you do not get killed.”
“Sir, Mr Chiam would make a most popular Member of Parliament in Kuwait - if only they had a Parliament in Kuwait. That is exactly the sort of situation that had brought the Kuwaitis the disaster they had a year and a half ago, when people are only interested in having a better life and are not prepared to make the effort to ensure that th…”
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“We have him suddenly praising the journalists, if that makes him any happier. And his praise was lavish. He was saying that our journalists can be compared with the best in the world. We see an example of a split personality. A moment ago, condemning the press and the journalists, a moment later praising them sky high.”
“Yes. Editorial policies are determined by the editors who are journalists. Sir, suddenly we have him praising the press.”
“Praising the journalists, which is the same as the press. Mr Chiam See Tong: Not the same. I would like to ask the Minister whether the journalists determine editorial policy in the newspapers?”
“He complained about the press not printing his letters and then later on when asked by the Minister for Home Affairs he told us that he did not write because he knew that they were not going to print anyway. So now we know. Sir, then suddenly two minutes before adjournment the Member jumped up and started praising the press. That was totally new.”
“This year, and this is only the end of March, we have already concluded two new air services agreements. Indeed, Members would have remembered reading last week an air service agreement concluded with the United Arab Emirates. As for the number of airlines flying into Singapore, there are at the moment 44 international airlines flying into Singapore from all parts of the world. They provide us with links to about 88 cities in 51 countries. These airlines must have good reasons for wanting to come to Singapore. One of the best reasons is the ease with which passengers can inter-connect between one airline to another and hence be able to go to practically every part of the world with the minimum of delay. We continue to welcome these airlines to Singapore. Many other airlines, both scheduled as well as chartered, have also expressed interest in wanting to start new services in Singapore. Members will also recall last month a domestic airline in Japan (Toa Airline) has also indicated great interest in flying chartered flights to Singapore. Sir, our experience in the past with countries where air services were terminated has been very positive. Terminations invariably resulted in negotiations which led to greater number of flights for both parties under more liberal conditions. Sir, I come now to the Member for Potong Pasir. For the greater part of 15 minutes on Friday, the Member was castigating the local press, attacking the local press, for being bias, being unfair, practising double standards and so on. That is to be expected. It is old tune that is sung on numerous occasions. He has got nothing new to say.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as the Member for Henderson has rightly pointed out in his comments on Friday, in today's interdependent world, good transportation and communication links between countries are extremely important. They are the basic essentials for growth, for trade, for the booming of economies. For us in Singapore, we have promoted close interconnection with as many countries as possible. We continue to receive inquiries for the starting of new air service agreement as well as for the liberalizing of air services agreement previously concluded. Many countries wish to establish closer links with us in order to encourage more trade and more tourist flow. A neighbouring country just recently has spoken to us on this subject. They are very keen to introduce air services between Singapore and their lesser known resorts so that the 2 1/2 million Singaporeans who are becoming progressively more affluent would be able to visit these resorts more easily. They are also at the same time, with these air services made easily available, able to tap the large pool of tourists that we have in Singapore, some 3 million tourists each year, some of whom make side-trips to these other countries. Sir, we welcome this proposal and the officials of our two countries are currently working towards developing such air services linking the less well-known resorts to Singapore. World-wide the trend is also towards much greater air links as well as towards much more liberal air service agreements, providing for the greater convenience for air travel and movement of goods. Last year we liberalized six air services agreements and concluded a new one with another country. Seven countries have increased services and another one has started flying into Singapore.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me respond to the points raised by the Member for Henderson. Mr Chiam See Tong: Member for Potong Pasir.”
“Can you please give us the words that have been said, the last portion about the senior reporter who is a sub-editor and did not report objectively? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, according to my recollection, the Member was talking about a sub-editor who had a point of view and then reported differently, not objectively.”
“The exact words can be read back to you rightaway.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is not honourable for the Member to stand in the House with all the immunity that the House provides him and for him to run down ---”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on a point of clarification. If the Member is going to run down an individual outside of this House, I suggest he be man enough to repeat whatever he said outside the House. Some hon. Members: Hear, hear!”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, structural work on the Buona Vista station has been completed. Architectural works are half completed and electrical and mechanical works have just started. Buona Vista station which is along the MRT line from Yio Chu Kang to Clementi is expected, as I have indicated a few days earlier, to be operational by April 1988. Taxi stands will be provided at the Buona Vista station. The HDB will also be building a bus interchange next to the station. This is expected to be completed by the end of 1988. In the meantime, a temporary bus interchange will be built by the HDB to service the station when it opens. NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE POST IN EUNOS CRESCENT ESTATE 9. Encik Wan Hussin bin Hj Zoohri asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will expedite the setting up of a neighbourhood police post in Eunos Crescent Estate. The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Dr Lee Boon Yang) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am answering on behalf of my Minister. The Neighbourhood Police Post in Kampong Ubi Constituency will be established this year. It will be located at the void deck of Block 9 Eunos Crescent and construction will commence by early May 1987. It is expected to be operational in October this year. LIBRARY IN HOUGANG NEW TOWN 10. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Community Development whether and when a public library will be built in Hougang New Town.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, if the TAS is privatized, it will have to depend on the decision of the private company running the Telecoms services. BUONA VISTA MRT STATION (Progress) 8. Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Minister for Communications and Information what is the progress of the Mass Rapid Transit system in respect of Buona Vista Station and whether there will be any provision for taxi stands or bus terminus for shuttle service.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, since 1979, Telecoms has revised its tariff rates for international telephone and telex services eight times. Today, our businessmen pay one of the lowest international telephone and telex tariff rates in the world. As a result of the tariff reductions, cumulatively more than $1.5 billion has been passed back to the consumers over the past seven years. In 1986 alone, an additional $19 million was passed back to the economy when Telecoms revised its tariff rates for international telephone and telex, radio paging and postal services. In addition, the sales scheme implemented recently for mobile telephones, radio pagers and facsimile machines and the liberalization of the maintenance of private switching equipment will result in another $10 million savings in rentals which will be passed back to the consumers. Telecoms will continually review its tariff rates and will pass back to its consumers any cost savings achieved through economies of scale, productivity gains and technological advancement. For the financial year 1987/88, Telecoms will review yet again the tariff rates, particularly for Telepac and Telefax services. Hopefully, this could result in some cost reduction to businessmen for the transmission of data, messages and correspondence.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1987/88, and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 23rd March, 1987.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I must disagree with the Member for Radin Mas on the appropriate approach to get our point of view across. As I said earlier, there is no intention to subsidize or to assist the Wall Street Journal and the Asian Wall Street Journal. Sir, I come now to a point raised by the Member for Serangoon Gardens. He asked why not take more stringent measures against them and prevent them even from circulating in Singapore. That would not be acceptable to us because our first principle is to permit easy circulation of foreign publications in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I now come to the point raised by the Member for Chong Boon. Sir, the Member asked if there is any intention to have information officers in the foreign embassies to help with the dissemination of information about Singapore. Sir, we are a small country. Our population is relatively small. So too is our talent pool. Unlike many other countries which have very large embassies, we are not able to afford it. Therefore it is incumbent upon our embassy staff to carry out as many of the various necessary functions as possible collectively. We cannot afford to have large numbers of specialists, each one dealing with a very narrow spectrum of activity. By and large, our embassy personnel have done their jobs well. They monitor the reports in other countries routinely. They bring back such information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With modern telecommunication available, it is very easy for these embassies to be kept in close touch with the Ministry. And they have done an excellent job by and large in ensuring that the points of views, the policies of the Singapore Government, have been properly explained to the key decision-makers in these countries. We have no difficulty at all in enabling our points of views to be made public in these other countries. Sir, I would disagree with the Member for Chong Boon when he said that writing an occasional letter or two to the local newspapers is unable to help us get our point of view. Appropriate letters, well written and published, can convey our points of view across adequately.”
“I have no intention whatsoever of passing comments on the newspapers.”
“Sir, I have already stated my position. I have no intention whatsoever ---”
“And that includes the local as well as the foreign newspapers. Sir, I do not wish to give my point of view on letters published in the newspapers. I have no doubt at all that some of the letters published in the newspapers are frivolous. There are some that are profound, but it is not my business to tell the Member for Potong Pasir if a particular letter in the newspaper is trivial or otherwise.”
“Which I enunciated earlier on, namely, we permit newspapers to publish what they like. We do not tell them what they should publish and what they should not publish.”
“It is not my responsibility as the Minister for Communications and Information to decide for the newspapers what they wish or they do not wish to print. If you will recall the very first principle which I enunciated earlier on ---”
“Sir, if the Member for Potong Pasir will permit me to continue.”
“Sir, I will be quite happy to continue this debate with the Member for Potong Pasir. It is not my business, it is not my job, it is not my responsibility, as Minister for Communications and Information ---”
“Sir, I mentioned a moment ago that it is up to the newspapers to decide whether his views which, up until now, he has already told us he has not written in to the newspapers, whether his views are going to be profound or whether they are going to be trivial, or even whether they are going to border on the ridiculous.”
“Sir, I am happy to note that the Member for Potong Pasir has upheld the principles which the Government has established, namely, the right to reply to malicious, unfounded allegations and false reporting. The Member would like our local press to apply that same principle to whatever he writes to them. I would ask the newspapers to take note of that. The newspapers would have to decide whether of all the many letters that they receive from a large number of individuals wanting to get their views published in the newspapers, the newspapers will have to decide which are profound, and which are trivial. They will have to decide if they wish to classify the Member for Potong Pasir's letter in the first category and if they wish to publish it. But the Member for Potong Pasir can very easily bring his letter to this House and read it for all to hear so that we will all know what he has written to the press and what it is that the press does not wish to publish for him.”
“Sir, while we are on the subject of the Asian Wall Street Journal, let me just finish off the debate before we take up the points raised by the other Members. Sir, it is interesting to note that the Member for Potong Pasir is complaining about the non-publication of non letters that were not written to the newspapers. If he did not write to the newspapers, if he did not write to the SBC, how could they possibly publish his non letter? Sir, I would like to ask the Member a very specific question. I enunciated earlier on two basic principles the Government upholds in its dealing with the foreign newspapers. The first principle is the prin- ciple of having an open society permitting them to publish in Singapore what they so wish. The second principle is the principle that we uphold the right of reply. Can I ask the Member if he agrees with these two principles? Or if he does not?”
“They are interested in being able to publish those advertisements which represent their lifeline. So it is not for purposes of subsidizing the Asian Wall Street Journal that that offer was made. The offer was made to demonstrate a point and the point has been well demonstrated and proven. The Member asked earlier this morning as well as a moment ago: why not take up advertisement space in the Wall Street Journal and the Asian Wall Street Journal? My question to him is: why help support the Wall Street Journal and the Asian Wall Street Journal in their revenues?”
“Sir, the Asian Wall Street Journal restriction is a good illustration, that even supposedly reputable newspapers can indulge in false, biased and unfounded allegations, that they do indulge in cover-ups, the refusal to publish alternative points of views that do not coincide with theirs, that they do suppress points of views that may show up the half-truths that are purveyed in their articles. Our approach is very simple. When allegations are made, we engage them in open debate. Our approach is to make public all the facts so that Singaporeans can decide for themselves who is and who is not telling the truth. Sir, that way foreigners living and working in Singapore - and there are large numbers of them -can also read for themselves and decide for themselves who is and who is not telling the truth. So that approach would be the way in which we would continue to educate Singaporeans. Sir, the Member for Radin Mas asked why we were prepared to spend money in making it possible for the Asian Wall Street Journal to publish an advertisement-free edition of the newspapers. Members will recall that the Journal offered, in an advertisement in the Straits Times, to give free copies of the Journal. Sir, we saw through their intentions. Their purpose was very simple - to recover revenue lost as a result of the reduced circulation. And we made it possible for them, if they wanted to, to provide news to their subscribers free of charge - without advertisements. They came back with a very lame excuse that it was mechanical cost, that it was difficult. We checked with the printers. It is not true. So in order to prove their insincerity, we offered to bear half the cost. The rest is history.”
“It is also helpful for us because we want to develop as a major financial centre, as a major commercial centre, as well as a major communications centre. That is the first principle - an open approach. Sir, the second important principle which I have mentioned earlier, which requires reiteration, is this. That while we allow them to report whatever they like, as and when there is serious misreporting, as and when there is false, unfounded, scurrilous allegations made against us, as a nation, or made against some of our major institutions, then it is incumbent on Government to uphold the right of reply. It is up to Government. It is incumbent on Government to defend the national interest and our national integrity. We have to refute these false allegations. And, of course, when we refute these allegations, we expect that any respectable newspaper would publish the different point of view that we hold. This, I believe, is eminently fair. This is something that we believe in. It is common-sensical that when we disagree with what they say, we should say so. Even the Foreign Correspondents Association in Singapore which is made up of foreign correspondents from outside of Singapore, upheld the principle of the right of reply. Sir, I said a moment ago that these are our two basic principles and it is on these two principles that we operate and deal with the foreign newspapers. The foreign papers are free to accept this privilege that we extend to them to circulate in Singapore, or they are free not to accept. But if they accept this privilege that we extend to them, then similarly we expect that when we write to correct or to air a different point of view, that they give us space to publish that letter.”
“Sir, since the Member for Potong Pasir has no more supplementary questions to ask, I will proceed to answer the questions raised by the two Members. I thank the Chairman of the GPC on Communications and Information and his Committee for having followed this subject very closely, having analysed it and having come out with their own points of view. The Member asked how do we best educate Singaporeans in order that they be better prepared and be able to understand the ways in which Western media can be used against us. Sir, I have given some of the points earlier this morning in my reply to two questions asked by the Member for Delta. I would just like to reiterate two very basic principles, two basic principles which the Government uphold in its dealings with the foreign press. The first principle is this. We operate an open society. We welcome the free flow of information, of different points of views, of different ideas. We allow easy circulation of foreign publications in Singapore and to-date, there are some 3,700 publications in Singapore. Sir, I said this morning that foreigners have different points of view, different values, different perspective, and they are welcomed to air their different views of Singapore. We are quite happy to accept criticisms. We do not tell these foreign publications what they should publish, what they should not. They are completely free to print whatever they like within, of course, the ambits of our laws. I believe this is in the interest of Singapore. It is in the interest of Singaporeans too because it permits Singaporeans to have a much wider vista of different points of views from all over the world.”
“Do you not wish to raise any more supplementary questions?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this morning the Member for Potong Pasir was slow in getting up to ask his supplementary questions. I see that he has got a cut on the Information Division. With your permission, I would ask if he would like to talk about the Asian Wall Street Journal and then I would reply altogether.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, these are two separate issues altogether. We are talking about the Government's dealing with the newspaper. And if any foreign papers wish to take up that privilege that is extended to them by the Government, these are the rules by which they have to play. If the Member for Potong Pasir wants to extend any privilege to any newspaper, he can have his own rules with the newspaper. Mr Ng Kah Ting rose -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer was given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in his earlier answer. But let me reiterate it. No, they can practise whatever policies they like outside of Singapore. If they choose to take up the privilege that we have extended to them to make money in Singapore, to circulate in Singapore, then we uphold our right to reply. And even the Foreign Correspondents' Association in Singapore accepts that fundamental right to reply and they have upheld that right of reply. Mr Chiam See Tong: Does this practice apply to local papers? If individual citizens in Singapore insist on a right of reply in respect of certain articles written which they feel is unfair, can individual citizens of Singapore, for example, insist on a right of reply from the Straits Times or the Lianhe Zaobao?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the article can report anybody's views. What is important, what is at issue, is that the Journal refused to publish the Singapore Government's point of view. The Member for Potong Pasir may not have read the papers. If he had, he would have remembered that three letters from three major financial institutions in Singapore, namely, the Stock Exchange of Singapore, the Association of Banks of Singapore and the Association of Merchant Bankers in Singapore, wrote to the Asian Wall Street Journal disclaiming that the article was reflecting concerns of these three organizations. The Asian Wall Street Journal chose to suppress those letters by not publishing them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I find it difficult to understand the Member for Potong Pasir. When an article by an international newspaper undermines one of our key institutions and makes serious allegations about the Government and its integrity, I find it difficult to understand the Member when he says that it is not meddling in the politics of Singapore. Secondly, the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act was amended not to prevent articles from being made available in Singapore but to permit the Government to impose restriction as and when it is necessary. Mr Chiam See Tong: The Minister says that the article undermines the integrity of the Government.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, at the moment, there is no intention whatsoever to review the decision.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in some of the cases, replies from the Singapore Govenrment have already been published.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it must be obvious that when the reporting is made in other countries, the same sort of coverage that we have seen in Singapore cannot be expected, simply because the journalists in Western countries have developed their own standards of what is considered as freedom of the press. My view is that the reporting in other countries has been extremely biased. But we have ensured that we put our points of view across in the same papers that have published the biased reports.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, TIME magazine has published the letter in full, the letter which led to the restriction in the first instance. They have also written to the Ministry in December to ask for a review of the decision to restrict the circulation. This matter will be considered at the appropriate time. As for the Asian Wall Street Journal, there is no reason or necessity to review the matter at the moment.”
“The same factors which make Singapore attractive to other foreign investors, such as efficient telecommunications, comprehensive sea and air transport services, competitive costs and a good business environment, help attract hard-headed printers and publishers to Singapore. I am informed that the industry grew by 6% last year, while the domestic exports of publications grew by a phenomenal 37% last year, as reported by Business Times on 24th February. Sir, the Journal continues to be printed in Singapore, notwithstanding its own solemn warnings to "any business that wants to risk locating in Singapore". This fact speaks for itself. Sir, the final part of the Question concerns matters under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I shall ask the Minister to reply.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has not received any complaints from financial or business circles in Singapore that their operations have been hampered by the Government's restriction of the Asian Wall Street Journal. Over the past month, I have on different occasions met many business executives, including foreign bankers. None mentioned any difficulty resulting from the Asian Wall Street Journal restriction. Nevertheless, the Asian Wall Street Journal has repeatedly claimed that it continues to hear from leading businesses in Singapore that they are greatly inconvenienced by the lack of access to the Journal. The Government has therefore decided to allow the Journal unlimited circulation in Singapore, provided all the advertising spaces are left blank and the newspaper is distributed free of charge. The offer is still open, although the Journal has turned it down. That the Journal refused, even when the Government offered to help pay for the incremental costs of producing an advertisement-free edition, clearly demonstrates their interest in advertising revenue and not in the free flow of information. Sir, the Government's action to insist on our right to reply to correct snide and malicious misreporting, far from marring our international reputation, has established our reputation for firmness in dealing with the foreign press. It has proved our willingness to engage them in public debate when they make spurious attacks on our integrity. It demonstrates the hypocrisy of their pose as high-minded champions of the freedom of expression. The restriction on circulation of the Journal has no effect whatsoever on our position as a printing and publishing centre.”
“Sir, we will take it on a case-by-case basis. RESTRICTION ON CIRCULATION OF TIME AND ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL (Effects) 6. Mr Yeo Choo Kok asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Government has received complaints, direct or indirect, from financial or business circles that their operations are hampered by the Government's restriction on the Asian Wall Street Journal; (b) if so, how badly these operations are hampered and what steps have been taken by the Government to resolve the problem; (c) whether the Government's action against the AWSJ has marred Singapore's image internationally; and (d) whether Singapore's restriction on the circulation of TIME and the AWSJ will affect our status as an international printing and publishing centre; and (e) whether the dispute over the restriction on the AWSJ is having any repercussions on Singapore's relations with the United States Government.”
“Sir, it is not necessary to withdraw the foreign correspondent's privilege because we believe that it is preferable to rebut and to refute the allegations rather than to take the easy way out of terminating his stay in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there are 96 accredited journalists, including photographers and cameramen, working for some 60 foreign news-gathering organizations in Singapore. It is not for Government to comment on the standards of integrity and professionalism of foreign journalists. The Government does not have trouble with the vast majority of foreign journalists. Most of them report objectively on Singapore. Often they are critical of us and of the way we do things. We accept this. This is understandable. They have different values, different backgrounds and different loyalties. Indeed, we may even benefit from their different perspectives. But when a foreign correspondent publishes reports about Singapore which are slanted and distorted or when he makes baseless and scurrilous allegations about us and our institutions, then these reports and allegations will be rebutted and refuted. The public can then make up their own judgment of the professionalism and integrity of the journalist concerned. Sir, the Government has no intention of changing its present liberal policy of allowing foreign correspondents to work in Singapore. Singapore is an open society. We will continue to open our doors to bona fide news-gathering organizations and foreign journalists. However, it must be pointed out that the opportunity for foreign correspondents to work in Singapore is a privilege extended to them by courtesy of the Government, not a right. In the case of the few delinquent journalists, this privilege can be withdrawn.”
“Sir, the question is hypothetical and I do not intend to answer it. HOUGANG AVENUES 2 AND 7 (Measures to deter speeding) 7. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Home Affairs what measures have been taken to deter motorists and lorry drivers from speeding along Hougang Avenues 2 and 7.”
“Sir, I would ask the CAAS to look into that possibility although offhand I would think it is probably not a very attractive idea. AIR TRAFFIC AGREEMENT WITH MALAYSIA (Review by Malaysian Government) 6. Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether there has been any approach by the Malaysian Government to review the Air Traffic Agreement with Singapore.”
“Sir, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has been participating together with contractors in Singapore, in particular Indeco, in exploring possibilities in other countries where airport expertise can be of use.”
“For the second terminal, it is targetted to be completed by 1990 and is presently on-stream.”