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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“Sir, I am not familiar with Kaki Bukit as the Member for Kaki Bukit is. Therefore, I would not be able to ascertain which is the best place to have it. However, the Committee looking into this problem will consult the Member in deciding where the location for the taxi stand should be in order to best serve the total population of Bedok, not just Kaki Bukit. Sir, the Member for Anson has conveniently forgotten that I asked him for evidence that the Ministry of Communications has said . . .”
“Sir, it would be possible to construct it before the middle of the year, but it depends.”
“I think the former Minister for Communications had clearly stated that the Member was misquoting him. Therefore, there is no need for me to go into that point again. Sir, let me take the points raised by the Member for Kaki Bukit. I would make the same offer to the Member for Kaki Bukit as I did to the Members of this House, that he, together with his community leaders, or he can send representatives at different times, join the SBS when they conduct their surveys so that he is personally satisfied. Sir, I think by now we must realize that the people who bring their complaints to Members of Parliament are the people who are unhappy. People who are happy do not come to see their Members of Parliament. This is the way Singaporeans behave and we must accept it. But if the Member for Kaki Bukit would take cognizance of the advice given by the First Deputy Prime Minister to the Member for Ayer Rajah - that he should not have a light ear but a discerning mind - I think many of the problems that he talked about would be easily resolved. Sir, I have better news for him regarding the taxi stand in Bedok. After consultation with various groups of people, including community leaders, officers of the Ministry of Communications together with the ROV have decided that it would be possible to have a taxi stand in Bedok. This taxi stand will be constructed very soon.”
“Another 9% approximately between five and 10 minutes; another 9% approximately between 10 and 15 minutes, with the remainder having to wait a little longer. 6.45 pm Sir, the Member for Kaki Bukit also raised the question of feeder bus service in his Constituency. Part of the answer has been mentioned in my reply to him earlier on during the session for Questions for Oral Answer. However, I would like to let him know that the feeder bus service in his Constituency is fairly satisfactory on an overall basis. The buses are operated with a peak headway of four minutes. Sometimes buses do, for one reason or another, get caught in traffic jams or as a result of passengers at a particular point not being able to clear straightaway and one gets occasional bunching. These are the inevitable problems. But the figures available to me indicate that the headway, which is the time difference between one bus and another, is approximately four minutes in Bedok New Town.”
“It is obvious, we in Singapore are short of labour and with improvements in our health care and higher levels of nutrition, our workers are able to work to a much later age. In this context, in consultation with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Communications has decided to allow taxi drivers to drive until the age of 70. However, after the age of 60, they will have to undergo a medical examination each year. I am sure many of us have seen very healthy 70-year-olds and as long as they continue to pass the medical examinations they will be allowed to continue with earning their living. Nevertheless, the number is extremely small. There are only about 3% of the taxi drivers in the age range between 60 and 65 and about 1% between the age range of 65 and 70. The Member for Kaki Bukit also complained about the difficulty in getting taxis. As I explained a moment ago, the pattern of distribution of taxis depends on supply and demand. However, recently, surveys were made in Bedok to ascertain the number of taxis available in Bedok New Town. By counting the number of taxis going into Bedok New Town we realized that there were actually large numbers of taxis going into Bedok New Town. If the Member for Kaki Bukit is interested, there are 21,000 sightings of taxis going into Bedok New Town on a week-day and this figure goes up to approximately 29,000 on week-ends. So there should not be any difficulty in getting a taxi. In fact, Sir, surveys throughout the whole of Singapore at selected points suggest that 58% of passengers had to wait for less than five minutes to get their taxis. Another 18% will have to wait between five and 10 minutes.”
“This works out to only 10 complaints per million passenger trips. Sir, I have no doubt in my mind that the taxi drivers provide an excellent service. Sir, I can read numerous letters to the press from locals as well as from visitors to Singapore clearly stating the quality of the taxi drivers that we have. For example, this is from a local passenger: 'I boarded the taxi. I know how much the trip will cost because this is a trip that I normally take. On the last leg of the journey, however, we encountered heavy traffic. I then realized that I would be short of money because the meter kept on recording the fare. I explained the situation to the taxi driver and told him to drop me the moment the meter registered the sum of money that I have. He insisted on taking me to my destination. I was embarrassed by what happened but was at the same time touched by his kindness. He may say that the dead is small but it is something of great value to me and I would therefore like to thank him for what he has done.' Sir, this is typical of our taxi drivers. I can read you more, but I think the point is made. It is important that while we try to continue to encourage our taxi drivers to provide a level of service that people in Singapore as well as our tourists have come to expect, we must also continue to ensure that the few bad hats do not give the rest of the taxi drivers a bad reputation, and it is in this context that it is important that we should continue to exercise discipline on those who smear and tarnish the good name of our taxi drivers. Sir, the Member for Kaki Bukit also raised the question of old drivers.”
“Sir, the Member for Anson misquotes again, obviously deliberately, saying that the Ministry of Com- munications had said that there were not enough taxis. I would like him to provide evidence that show that the Ministry had said that there were not enough taxis. Is he prepared to provide that evidence? I am prepared to say right now, this very moment, that there are enough taxis in Singapore to meet the demands of all commuters in Singapore. Obviously we must remember that the taxi is a highly personalised service and taxis go wherever their fares require them to. As a result of this, the pattern of distribution of taxis at any one time in Singapore is determined by supply and demand and it is therefore possible that some commuters who wish to take a taxi may not be able to get a taxi immediately. The Member for Kaki Bukit commended on the good taxi service that we have. I would like to thank him on behalf of the taxi drivers in Singapore because they indeed provide an excellent service for us in Singapore. I would like to bring to the attention of the House some statistics to counter the very many complaints that have appeared in the press, isolated complaints, ie, complaints from a minority who are unable to look at the problem in its totality. There are a total of 11,350 taxis in Singapore and, as I stated a moment ago, this number is more than enough to meet current demand. Obviously, as demand increases as a result of the higher disposable income that Singaporeans are getting year by year, the number of taxis will have to be increased, but slowly. There are a total of 33,000 taxi licences and these taxis provide approximately 120 million passenger trips a year. Out of that 120 million passenger trips, for the year 1983 there were only a total of 1,223 complaints.”
“This is exactly what I want to point out. The Member for Anson had found it convenient to misquote the Minister and the former Minister has passed me a note saying that he did not say such a thing - that there was no undertaking.”
“If that were so, nobody would be taking the MRT, The MRT must be priced competitively relative to buses and taxis. Sir, I would like to point out also that the Member for Anson has not been listening at all to the replies given to other Members of this House. I have stated, in reply to the Member for Whampoa, that my Ministry is conducting a comprehensive study on the problem of land transportation. I have emphasized to the Member for Kaki Bukit that this is indeed the case. Hence the need for a comprehensive survey to be looked at from the point of dovetailing it with the MRT system. There is no question about it that we are indeed having a comprehensive look at the total problem. The Member for Anson also complains about the introduction of a new bus service - the Trans-island Bus Service. The reason for introducing TIBS is to introduce a degree of competition for the SBS in order to ensure that the public of Singapore get the best possible service with respect to our bus system. The Member appears to be always looking at stagnant ideas - taking one idea and flogging a dead horse again and again and again and year after year after year. This is not the approach that this Government takes, This Government looks at the changes that occur and then seeks solutions that will respond to the changes and in the process provide our people with a better way of life. Sir, the Member for Anson repeats exactly what he said last year in his queries regarding the transfer of taxi licences. He claims that the former Minister had given an undertaking . .”
“Sir, first of all, can I just go back a little and reply to the Member for Toa Payoh who did not give me a chance to reply to his final statement. I have instructed SBS to invite Members of Parliament, members of community centres, CCCs, MCs and RCs to join them whenever they are carrying out their surveys so that Members can satisfy themselves that the figures that are collected are truly representative, that it is the total picture that we are interested in, that while we accept and we must continue to empathize and sympathize with the minority who are adversely affected by the change, that by and large, the change has been for the better for the vast majority of people. The Member for Telok Blangah raised the question of money-changing machines for various Interchanges. This subject is currently being pursued. These machines have to be specifically and specially designed. There are other such machines on the market but these are all designed for currencies of other countries with very tight tolerances. The tolerance has got to be tight, otherwise there will be excessive cheating via the feeding in of counterfeit notes. This subject is being currently pursued actively and SBS will put into operation these machines as soon as the manufacturers are able to make them available. The Member for Anson asked about the fares for MRT. It is premature at the moment to talk about the fares for the MRT. Obviously systematic plans and projections have been made but these figures have to be modified in the light of costs that will have to be incurred as a result of changing prices in fuel and spare pans. But it must be obvious to this House, Sir, that it is not possible to price the fares for the MRT at prohibitive rates.”
“What is important is that having had the system which has worked well in some 10 to 12 other housing estates, we should work together to look for various ways and means of improving the Interchange, of speeding up the flow of traffic, of providing many additional services where the demand necessitates. In that respect, I am very grateful to the Member for Toa Payoh for giving specific recommendations regarding Services 140, 141, 147, 151 and so forth. I will ask SBS to carefully take these suggestions and study them to see how we can better improve the services for residents in Toa Payoh. 6.15 pm”
“They are still coming in. Sir, I can understand the problem because in Toa Payoh the SBS has carried out intensive surveys involving a total of 1,500 passengers selected randomly. And the figures that have been presented to my Ministry indicate that 83% of the people in Toa Payoh constituency walk to the Interchange. Only 17% of them have got to use the feeder service. Sir, I do not wish to disagree on all the figures that the Member has brought up other than to say that if we start off with a non-representative sample, it is very dangerous to draw conclusions from them. But I would like to assure the House that overall, for the whole of Toa Payoh housing estate, the increase in travelling time has been extremely small. The figures presented to my Ministry again suggest that for the total population of approximately 29,000 passengers, there is an increase of travel time of approximately 1 1/2 to two minutes. This Is because while there are, of course, many who have to take much longer travelling time with the new feeder concept system, there are many who have access to trunk services which they previously had not and, as a result of that, there has been a significant decrease of time for some of the passengers. As to the significant increase in fares, again I accept that the figure could have been correct, and is representative of that group of people who have replied. But again for the total population in Toa Payoh, estimates provided suggest that there is an increase of approximately 1.4 cents for the total population of 29,000 passengers in Toa Payoh. Sir, it is not worthwhile going into figures to prove this or to prove that.”
“In the meantime, while the Interchange was not carried out at Toa Payoh, the SBS proceeded to introduce the interchange/feeder concept into a number of other housing estates such as Serangoon Gardens, Bedok, Ang Mo Kio, Clementi, Telok Blangah, Tampines, Hougang, Jurong East, Jurong West and Woodlands. Sir, I want to emphasize that the feeder concept is a well tested system. It is not something that we are testing in operation in Toa Payoh. It has worked in the other constituencies, in the other housing estates, after initial unhappiness from the residents. I refer the House to Hansard, 16th March, 1978, where shortly after the introduction of the feeder system in Serangoon Gardens, the Member for Serangoon Gardens presented views very similar to those of the Member for Toa Payoh in this House. Sir, Hansard, 14th June 1978, the Member for Jurong also did likewise bring to the attention of the House and the Minister concerned the problems faced by some of the residents in his constituency. Hansard 24th March 1981, Members in the constituencies affected by the Bedok Interchange also brought forward similar views to the Minister concerned and Members of this House. Sir, what we are dealing with is really a very old problem. I want to very quickly emphasize that this does not mean that we should not take cognizance of the views of Members in the Toa Payoh Estate. However, we must ensure that the views that are reflected represent the collective views as far as is possible, of the majority of the people and not of the minority. The Member for Toa Payoh reported that he has samples from 200 members. Sir, I am not surprised that there is a small number of people who have responded to the survey or the questionnaires.”
“Sir, first of all, let me thank the Member for Toa Payoh for his concern for his constituents. The other Members of Parliament for Khe Bong, Boon Teck, Kim Keat and Kuo Chuan have also similarly undertaken on behalf of their constituents to bring the problems of their constituents to the attention of my Ministry and the SBS. Sir, I would also like to thank the very many community leaders in these consti- tuencies where the Interchange has brought about some degree of change in the travel pattern of the residents. They have worked very hard. Kim Keat, for example, has devised a questionnaire, gone round and distributed the questionnaires, collected the questionnaires, made interviews with some of the people, analyzed the results and came up with positive recommendations to the Ministry and to the SBS for consideration. Sir, my Ministry has been working very closely with the Members of Parliament and their community leaders and have discussed many of the points raised by the Member for Toa Payoh. We are appreciative of the positive approach taken by Members of Parliament and by the community leaders. Sir, unfortunately, in a place like Singapore where we have to cater for the vast majority of people, sometimes the wishes of the minority cannot be met. Sir, change is painful, inevitably so, particularly to those who are adversely affected. However, if we do not adapt to changing circumstances, then that would definitely be the sure way of creating greater pain for the greater number of our people in the long run. Sir, the Interchange at Toa Payoh was planned as early as the mid-70s and it had not been possible to implement it because of the shortage of land and because of the building of the Interchange.”
“Sir, if drivers of vehicles on the expressway were to take due care, the possibility of two cars running into each other would not occur. Sir, the Member for Telok Blangah is concerned about the traffic jams along Telok Blangah Road, especially the stretch very near to the World Trade Centre. Sir, the PWD is currently widening Telok Blangah Road from Kampong Bahru to the World Trade Centre, converting it into a dual three-lane road. Work will start very soon and is expected to be completed sometime at the end of this year. This will improve the traffic flow considerably. 6.00 pm The PWD is also considering the building of an overhead bridge to permit pedestrians to cross Telok Blangah Road from the World Trade Centre. It is also anticipated that work on this will commence sometime in the middle of the year and be completed by the end of the year. Mr Rohan bin Kamis: Sir, in view of the satisfactory answer, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, the Member for Telok Blangah has asked what would happen if the cars on the expressway hit each other head on. Is that his second question?”
“Sir, I have stated that, as we do not manufacture cars in Singapore, we do not have vast laboratories and test tracks to test the cars that are imported into Singapore to see if they meet the standards. But the ROV has been advised and this has been confirmed, that Japanese cars imported into Singapore meet Japanese standards. American cars imported into Singapore meet American standards and so forth.”
“Sir, if the Member for Toa Payoh could furnish me with any information of cars that do not meet the internationally accepted standards that are imported into Singapore, I would ask the ROV to investigate the matter in detail.”
“We must remember that a large number of the people killed on the roads are innocent bystanders, the other users of roads, the pedestrians, cyclists and motor cyclists. Sir, approximately 80% of the people killed on the roads were not in cars at all. They were the innocent-users of the roads. When you have a driver speeding recklessly, many of such people get injured, some killed. While we must continue to emphasize the importance of safety in cars imported into Singapore, we must not forget that there are other aspects of safety that we must also remember. Sir, the Member for Toa Payoh asked if cars imported into Singapore meet the internationally accepted standards. I would say yes, they meet the internationally accepted standards. However, I would like to qualify that there are a large number of international standards. Sir, it is common knowledge that countries that manufacture cars have a vested interest in setting standards of their own. So we have a number of American standards, Australian standards, EEC standards, Japanese standards and so on. But many of the countries, including Singapore, that do not have a vested interest in wanting to produce cars accept the internationally accepted standards for their purpose. It is not worth our while, Sir, nor is it practical for us to invest vast sums of money to train the people in order to come up with our own standards which would inevitably be extremely close to the five sets of standards which we are currently using, namely, the US standards, the British standards, the Australian standards, the EEC standards and the Japanese standards.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I share the concern of the two Members of the House over the accidents involving the cars which were split into two. I have asked the ROV to work closely with the Traffic Police to ensure that a thorough investigation of the accidents would give us answers that we would like to have. Sir, for obvious reasons, the ROV cannot comment on the relative merits or demerits of cars of different makes and models. What the ROV can ascertain is that the cars imported into Singapore meet internationally accepted standards. Sir, we want to ensure that our cars are safe and roadworthy. However, it is common knowledge that different car manufacturers go for different features, be they safety, or cosmetic, to promote the sales of their cars. For example, some car manufacturers go for additional safety features over and above the internationally accepted standards. Others prefer to go for fuel economy. It is, therefore, important that prior to purchasing cars, motorists should in addition to going for looks, also carefully look at the technical specifications of the car. Sir, in our concern with the recent accidents, where unusual results occurred, we must not forget that in many of these cases, excessive speeding was involved. Sir, the present case is currently under Police investigation and I do not wish to make additional comments on it. I also want to stress to the Members of this House that the safety of the motorists is not the only consideration of the ROV. Sir, last year, a total of 299 people were killed on our roads. Upon investigation, many of these accidents were found to be due to excessive speeding or cars getting off the road on to curbs or on to the other side of the road. The figures were roughly similar for 1981 and 1982, at 273 and 307 respectively.”
“Sir, the problem of vehicles breaking down has been a serious problem in the past but with the introduction of vehicle inspection this has become less serious. However, I will consider the Member's suggestion.”
“Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Acting Minister for Labour whether there is a move to include occupational asthma as a Notifiable Disease in view of the exposure of workers to chemicals such as formaldehyde, isocynates and other chemicals which can cause occupational asthma.”
“Sir, as is well known, the MRT will be going underground and at certain stretches under water, under the Singapore River. Therefore, all due precautions will be taken by the Corporation to ensure that it is completely safe even in certain parts where there would be flooding. In fact, Sir, the traffic jams that were the result of mass flooding recently in Singapore would, to a certain extent, be greatly alleviated by the ability of the MRT to operate even under difficult conditions of flooding. DEPENDANTS' PROTECTION INSURANCE SCHEME (Introduction) 18. Mr Goh Chee Wee asked the Acting Minister for Labour whether the Central Provident Fund Board has finalised the details of the Dependants' Protection Insurance Scheme and when it will introduce the scheme. The Acting Minister for Labour (Prof. S. Jayakumar): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Dependants' Protection Insurance Scheme was planned at about the same time as other major schemes, such as the Home Protection Insurance Scheme, Approved Residential Property Scheme and Company Welfarism through Employers' CPF Contribution (COWEC). With the CPF Board's limitation in manpower, it was felt prudent to introduce these schemes gradually over a period of time. The Home Protection Insurance Scheme and the Approved Residential Property Scheme have since been implemented. The COWEC Scheme has just been launched. In the meantime, the CPF Board now has to give attention to the implementation of the Medisave Scheme launched by the Ministry of Health and only thereafter will the Board consider implementing the Dependants' Protection Insurance Scheme. OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA 19.”
“Two contracts have been awarded so far as a result of this preferential scheme. It is unlikely that the MRT project will impose any serious strain on the labour market. The total manpower required for the project this year is only about 6,000 and will rise to about 10,000 at the height of construction activity in 1986. On its part, the Corporation is actively helping contractors to recruit as many experienced construction workers as possible, especially those with experience, from Hong Kong. There will inevitably be some disruption and inconvenience to the public. Traffic will have to be diverted in some areas and traffic flow may not be as free-flowing as they are today. All this is inevitable, but the MRT Corporation will try its best to keep the level of disruption as low as possible. On the other hand, the MRT Corporation also hopes that the public will appreciate the difficulties that it has to work under. It will inform the public of the progress of the project. Wherever possible, the staff from the Corporation will meet those affected by the construction and will try to explain the problem as openly as possible. Mr Chandra Das: Sir, in view of the recent flooding that took place in Singapore, what additional safety measures has the MRT Corporation taken, particularly in the construction of the tunnels?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the MRT project has been progressing well and is on schedule. Since the first ground-breaking ceremony in October last year, the MRT Corporation has been awarding contracts almost every month. So far, 14 out of the 32 contracts for the first phase have been awarded - nine for civil engineering, three for electrical and mechanical works and two for the design of stations and viaduct contracts. These contracts are worth approximately $717 million. Since civil engineering works are the most visible to the public, I would like to give an account of the work that has been done so far. Work has already begun at the Shan Road site. The tunnel will be bored in two directions - southwards to Novena and northwards to Toa Payoh. At Empress Place, work started in January this year on a 3.2 km tunnel which will link the Raffles Place and City Hall stations. Part of the tunnel will be under the Singapore River. At the San Teng site, construction has also begun on the tunnel between Braddell and San Teng stations. The tunnel will be directly under a block of flats in Toa Payoh North, so underpinning work is now being carried out to provide additional support for this block before construction of the tunnel begins. At other MRT sites, excavation, piling and other mobilization works are currently progressing steadily. Sir, we are very pleased with the high level of local participation in the project so far. Of the nine civil engineering contracts, six have been awarded to joint ventures involving local contractors. The Corporation is encouraging as many joint ventures with local contractors through a scheme whereby a preferential margin of between 2 1/2% - 5% of the contract sum is given to contracts involving local contractors.”
“Sir, I would advise the Member for Kaki Bukit to direct the question at the Minister for National Development because it depends on how fast the Neighbourhood is completed.”
“My Ministry has no plans at the moment to introduce a Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) scheme for commercial goods vehicles. PARF scheme for cars was introduced to encourage car owners to replace their cars which were less than 10 years old. It is the high ARF and not the PARF scheme which is effective in controlling the car population. Therefore, it is unlikely that a PARF scheme for commercial vehicles will help control the commercial vehicle population. We recently introduced a statutory life span of 20 years for commercial vehicles. Those more than 10 years old will now be inspected twice annually instead of just once a year. These measures should ensure that our commercial vehicles are roadworthy. INDUSTRIAL DISEASES AT PETROCHEMICAL COMPLEX 7. Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked the Acting Minister for Labour whether the Industrial Health Unit has anticipated the diseases related to Petrochemical Complex and what is being done to minimise the risks that workers at the Complex will be exposed to.”
“My Ministry has no plans to increase PARF benefits. The present benefits are sufficient to encourage motorists to scrap their old cars in exchange for new ones. Increasing PARF benefits will not encourage many more people to buy cars on PARF simply because there is a limited number of old cars to be scrapped. It will only increase the value of existing cars. My Ministry is currently formulating a comprehensive approach to the problem of traffic congestion and various ways of controlling the car population are being considered. PARF SCHEME FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 6. Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked the Acting Minister for Communications when a Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) scheme will be introduced for commercial vehicles, especially pick-ups, lorries and vans, many of which are very old and decrepit and whether he is aware that such PARF scheme for commercial vehicles will help control the commercial vehicle population.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, many manufacturers of motor vehicles have extensive laboratories at their home base. Many of them also have test facilities where they have vehicles crashing at different angles and at different speeds. These accidents, which have been carefully designed, are then photographed with high-speed cameras and measurements made after the accident. BILLS INTRODUCED 2.40 pm SUPPLY BILL "to provide for the issue from the Consolidated Fun? of the sums necessary to meet the estimated expenditure for the financial year 1st April 1984 to 31st March 1985", recommendation of President signified; presented by the Minister for Finance and Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLY BILL "for making supplementary provision to meet additional expenditure for the financial year 1st April 1983 to 31st March 1984", recommendation of President signified; presented by Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam; read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE BILL "to establish and incorporate the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, to provide for its functions, and for matters connected therewith", presented by the Acting Minister for Communications (Dr Yeo Ning Hong); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY MAIN ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1983 TO 31ST MARCH, 1984 (Paper Cmd 4 of 1984) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply (Allotted Day.) [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 2.43 pm”
“Sir, if an accident occurs at very high speed, one can expect all kinds of damage. In other countries it has been observed that much more extensive damage occurs in accidents on freeways and expressways. And these occur whenever people do not obey traffic rules.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I see no need for this particular technical report to be made public because this report has been made to the ROV by the manufacturers and it may contain proprietary information.”
“Sir, the standard for lead content in the petrol used in Singapore has been decreased progressively and this subject will continue to be under study.”
“Sir, the question bears no relevance to the subject under discussion. Mr Speaker: I think it has something to do with pollution control, Dr Yeo.”
“Sir, all vehicles have got to meet the standards set by ROV. Many of them do not pass on the first occasion, but upon servicing, repair and re-inspection, they pass.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, when an accident occurs with impact velocities in the region of 100 km per hour, very serious damage can occur to a vehicle. In the two particular incidents under discussion, the force applied to the vehicles was at an angle at the point of impact. This resulted in very serious shearing mechanical forces and caused the metal as well as the welding to tear.”
“Sir, those two accidents had nothing to do with pollution. Immediately after the accidents, ROV and the Traffic Police carried out detailed investigations. The investigations suggest that the accidents occurred at extremely high speeds at the point of impact. ROV had caused technical teams from the manufacturers to come to Singapore to study the accidents and to report on them. The manufacturers have carried out detailed investigations, including a re-enactment of the accident, and their technical reports suggest that the two accidents occurred with relative velocities in excess of 90 km per hour and 110 km per hour respectively. Preliminary studies of the reports that have been submitted to the ROV have given us indications that the vehicles met the safety standards that are internationally accepted. I think the lesson that one can draw from these accidents is that motorists should drive safely and keep to the traffic rules.”
“Sir, I have all the details of the specifications. I would be happy to provide them to the Member for Chua Chu Kang if he should so require.”
“Sir, as I have stated in my answer, the pollution standards meet the specifications.”
“They must be convinced that the house union will serve their interest and objective of fostering closer relations within the company and thus contribute to its continued growth.”
“Through house unions, the nexus between the company and workers can be better strengthened and workers will be better able to appreciate that their future and welfare are closely tied to the prosperity and viability of their company. It will also help employers to get to know union leaders better and thus be more willing to work with the union as a team. To-date, there are 14 house unions in the public sector and 15 in the private sector. Of these, eight were formed in the last three years when the Ministry and the NTUC first started to promote house unions. The concept of house unions is catching on with workers and there is greater awareness by both managements and unions of its positive attributes. In this regard, the progress in the establishment of house unions can be said to be satisfactory. The problems encountered in the formation of house unions depend on the individual companies involved. Much depends on how the management and workers identify with each other and hence the level of their mutual trust. There must be a realization on the part of both management and workers that a house union will be in the collective interest. There must be available mature and responsible union leaders on the one hand and on the other hand care and concern for the workers must be shown by management. The Government will continue to strongly promote the formation of house unions in view of the positive contribution they can make to the enhancement of productivity. I must, however, stress that the actual establishment of house unions must be left to the workers themselves and to some extent the management of the company.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the new motor vehicle registration books are given to motor vehicle trading companies in advance to expedite the registration process. Numerous details, such as the engine and chassis numbers of the vehicle, need to be filled in in every registration book. Allowing the companies to fill in these details prior to presentation at the ROV makes the registration process faster, saves time for new registrants, and relieves severe congestion and overcrowding at ROV counters. This procedure has been in force for the past four years and has been well received by the trade and the public. So far there has been only one instance of abuse. ROV is currently reviewing the present registration procedures with a view to improving security. Measures under consideration include security stamping and more stringent handling procedures. Finance companies are also advised to make physical checks of vehicles prior to release of loans. HOUSE UNIONS (Establishment and operations) 12. Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Acting Minister for Labour if he is satisfied with the progress in the establishment of house unions and to state what problems and difficulties that had been encountered and what further measures will be undertaken to promote the establishment and effective operations of house unions. The Acting Minister for Labour (Prof. S. Jayakumar): Mr Speaker, Sir, first, let me explain that the Government's policy is to promote the formation of house unions. This is because experience here and elsewhere has shown that house unions can contribute to better labour-management relations.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the surveys are being conducted routinely all the time. ADVANCE ISSUE OF MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION BOOKS (Measures to prevent abuse) 11. Mr Lim Boon Heng asked the Acting Minister for Communications what were the reasons for giving out new motor vehicle registration books in advance to certain motor vehicle trading companies; whether this has led to any abuse and, if so, what measures have been taken to prevent recurrence of such abuses.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I believe the figures that the Member for Toa Payoh has given are erroneous, when he talks about the majority of people having to pay double fare and to wait double the time.”
“However, it is anticipated that construction will create disturbances and disruptions to the public as traffic will have to be diverted and the noise level may increase. To alleviate such problems, contractors are required to plan their work carefully. There will be close liaison with interested organisations and open communications with members of the public. REVISION OF HOSPITAL, OUTPATIENT AND DENTAL CHARGES, MAXIMUM FEES PAYABLE BY CLASS B2 AND C PATIENTS PER ADMISSION OR SPECIALIST OUTPATIENT ATTENDANCE (Cols. 295 - 304)”
“The MRT project has been progressing very satisfactorily. The MRT Corporation was officially inaugurated on 22 October 1983 to take over the functions of constructing and operating the MRT from the Provisional MRT Authority. All 7 tunnelling contracts for the Phase I system have been awarded at highly competitive prices. The remaining civil contracts for the 5 civil defence stations, the Bishan Depot and the elevated section will be awarded sometime next year. Our local contractors have been active in the MRT project. Four of the 7 civil contracts awarded were given to joint ventures between local contractors and their foreign partners. All the E & M contracts are scheduled to be awarded during the first half of next year. Tenders for the rolling stock contract to supply our MRT trains are scheduled to be closed on January 9 and awarded by mid-April next year. One main problem faced by the MRT Corporation is the lack of local expertise in tunnelling work and railway engineering. The Corporation is therefore recruiting the necessary experienced engineers and workers from Hong Kong and other countries. To increase the pool of local expertise, the Corporation requires all contractors to make a firm commitment in training of local personnel and transfer of technology. All contractors will be required to submit monthly statements listing their local staff and full details of the training received by them. Soil investigations have revealed that difficult soil conditions will be encountered. The MRTC has therefore chosen contractors with direct relevant tunnelling experience. Resettlement and land acquisition have been progressing smoothly. No serious problems are expected. There are also no serious engineering, organisational or financial problems.”
“I am glad to inform the Honourable Member for Telok Blangah that residents in Telok Blangah and the surrounding estates will get a direct bus service to Ang Mo Kio next month. SBS Service 132 which runs from Ang Mo Kio and loops at the Orchard Road area will be extended to the Bukit Merah Interchange. MASS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT (Progress report) 23. Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Acting Minister for Communications if he will report on the progress of implementation of the Mass Rapid Transit project and state the problems, if any, that are encountered in respect of participation of local contractors, selection of the locomotive system most suited for Singapore, availability of local expertise, soil conditions of sites earmarked for the routes and stations, resettlement and land acquisition, and any other engineering, organisational and financial problems.”
“This information will enable it to draw up a long term plan to improve the service. In the meantime we have taken steps to increase the supply of taxis next year. Two new taxi companies - SBS Taxi Pte Ltd and Singapore Commuter (Pte) Ltd - have been formed and will, between them, add about 500 new taxis on the roads. In addition the Singapore Airport Bus Service (Pte) Ltd (SABS) has plans to increase its fleet from 300 to 500 taxis. All these "company" taxis will operate in 2 shifts. Taxi drivers will be better trained. The ROV has recently revised and improved its training course and extended it from 2 weeks to 2 months. It is also planning to introduce refresher training courses for existing taxi drivers. I would like to assure Members that we view the taxi service as an important and integral part of public transportation and will continually strive to improve its quality. BUKIT MERAH INTERCHANGE/ANG MO KIO INTERCHANGE (Introduction of direct bus service) 22. Mr Rohan bin Kamis asked the Acting Minister for Communications what is the progress of the study made earlier this year into the possibility of introducing a direct bus service between the Bukit Merah Interchange and the Ang Mo Kio Interchange for the convenience of residents of Telok Blangah and the surrounding estates and when this service can be expected.”
“There has been no increase in bus fares for the past 2 1/2 years. However, over the same period the average wage in SBS has increased by about 32%. As wages account for half of SBS operating costs, the effect of higher wages is acutely felt in SBS. In 1982, even though there was a nett decrease of 806 in manpower, the wage cost went up by $13.4 m. Fortunately, the price of diesel remained relatively stable for more than 2 years and has fallen slightly since the middle of this year. The strengthening of the Singapore dollar has also kept the price of spare-parts from rising with overseas inflation. At the same time, determined efforts by SBS to cut costs and improve productivity has led to more cost savings primarily through more extensive use of OMO services. 45% of SBS buses are now rostered on OMO services, up from 35% at the beginning of this year. Savings have also been achieved through computerisation and mechanisation. These efforts have enabled the SBS to hold its fares for the past 2 1/2 years in spite of increased labour cost. By increasing its productivity further, SBS hopes that future fare increases can be kept to the minimum. TAXI SERVICE (Measures to improve) 21. Encik Saidi Haji Shariff asked the Acting Minister for Communications if he will provide details of plans or measures that have been or will be carried out to further improve the taxi service. Dr Yeo Ning Hong: The Taxi Task Force which was set up in my Ministry is now in the middle of a thorough and comprehensive review of the taxi service and will make its recommendations early next year. It has undertaken several surveys to find out in detail the demand and supply characteristics of travel by taxis, the driving pattern of taxi drivers and the opinion of the general public on the taxi service.”
“When this happens, the cost will be beyond those who may need to own a car in future. Such an approach gives a windfall gain to existing car owners at the expense of the rest of the population and penalises our younger workers and professionals. These are some of the considerations we have to bear in mind before we introduce new measures. The suggestion that we allow some increase in the car population through a ballot is not satisfactory. The ballot, which is really a lucky draw in disguise, will result in a windfall benefit for the lucky applicants and we will be swamped with tens of thousands of applicants. The allocation of cars in this manner would be unrelated to the optimum economic use of our roads. NO REDUCTION OF BUS FARES (Reasons) 20. Mr Liew Kok Pun asked the Acting Minister for Communications why bus fares cannot be lowered even though (i) the price of diesel has dropped; (ii) manpower costs have also gone down because of the use of the more efficient OMO system; and (iii) the prices of vehicles and their accessories are lower owing to the strength of the Singapore dollar.”
“The recommendations can be expected early next year. CAR POPULATION (Measures to ensure manageable growth) 19. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Acting Minister for Communications (a) whether, as a result of the recent increases in road taxes, ARF and PARF as well as petrol pump prices, car growth will become more manageable; (b) what other measures his Ministry intends to take to ensure that there will be manageable growth in the car population, bearing in mind that the private car today is more of a basic necessity than a luxury; (c) will he also not consider removing the ARF altogether and retaining only the PARF, i.e., a new car may only be registered in exchange for an old one; and (d) will he also consider allowing new increases in the number of cars to be balloted for and made non-transferable. Dr Yeo Ning Hong: The measures taken have begun to produce results. For the first 6 weeks since the increases on 17 October 1983, the average weekly increase was 340 cars compared to 494 for the first 10 months of this year - a reduction of 3O%. My Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and study other possible measures to ensure smooth traffic flow. But we must be careful about solutions which will severely distort the economy and result in the inefficient use of our limited land. The long term answer for us must lie in the more efficient means of transportation like buses and the MRT. The suggestion to remove ARF altogether and make car buyers scrap an old car whenever they buy a new car is a very attractive idea superficially. It is very effective and will put an immediate lid on the car population. However, there are severe consequences. The immediate outcome would be that second-hand car prices will increase dramatically overnight.”