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 thank the Member for Punggol for giving me all the detailed statistics. We will look into the numbers and I assure the Member that if the need for the apparatus to be relocated exists we will carry out the relocation.”
“Sir, keep-fit apparatuses are usually installed after surveys have been made concerning the number of people participating, within any community centre. As a general rule, Members of Parliament are also consulted prior to the installation of such apparatus. I am obviously unable at this particular moment to confirm whether or not the Member for Punggol was consulted in this particular installation. If the Member for Punggol would provide me with evidence to suggest that the Kangkar keep-fit apparatus is not being fully utilized, we will only be too glad to take it away. As to whether it would be installed at the new location, we will have to examine that place first, before we decide whether it could not go to some other more worthwhile location.”
“Sir, the SAF closely monitors the usage of the keep-fit apparatus. In isolated incidents where the apparatus is not fully utilized, these were removed and placed in other more densely populated centres.”
“Several part-time familiarization courses on physical fitness have been conducted for members of the People's Association, the National Youth Leadership Training Institute as well as for other youth leaders in community centres. It is hoped that as more and more people respond to these efforts our programme for ensuring that physical fitness will be a life-time commitment by our population will succeed.”
“In 1981, of the more than 100,000 reservists who took the IPPT, 83% passed at first try, Those who failed were retested, Persistent failures without just cause were given additional training within residence at Pulau Ubin. Despite the short period of in-camp training each year, the SAF makes full use of the programme to emphasize physical fitness wherever possible. Reservists know that they can save themselves a lot of trouble and muscular aches and pains if they keep themselves physically fit the whole year round, instead of exercising only one or two months before each IPPT. To further assist reservists to keep fit, the SAF has started the following schemes: (a) Keep-fit Apparatus at Community Centres From October 1979 to February 1980, the SAF in collaboration with the People's Association installed 22 sets of keep-fit apparatus at selected community centres, jogging tracks, SAFRA, and the National Youth Leadership Training Institute. They are specifically located in densely populated areas so that reservists can make full use of them. The keep-fit apparatus consists of the following: (1) three sets of Parallel Bars (2) one set of Wall/Chin-Up Bars Combination (3) one set of Horizontal Ladder. (b) Formation of Jogging and Keep-fit Clubs at Community Centres Furthermore, the SAF collaborated with the People's Association to form jogging and keep-fit clubs. Reservists staying near each of these community centres are sent letters by the People's Association inviting them to participate. The scheme was launched in April 1980 using reservist Physical Training Instructors to assist. The SAF will spare no effort to ensure that through its national servicemen and reservists the keep-fit habit will propagate throughout the entire population.”
“An illustration of the improvement in physical fitness of our young national servicemen is that although 40% of the recruits cannot perform even three chin-ups at the time of enlistment, most of them are able to satisfy the IPPT's eight chin-ups within 12 months. I can assure Members of this House that a chin-up is indeed difficult. (b) Standard Obstacle Course Standard Obstacle Course tests are conducted once in Basic Military Training, once in the first year, and once before ROD, at progressively higher test standards. More than 80% pass in each of these three tests. Those who are familiar with the Standard Obstacle Course Test will know that it is indeed a strenuous test of stamina, endurance and ruggedness, as it requires a soldier, in full battle order, to run a distance of 1,300 metres and to clear all combat obstacles in 10 minutes. (c) Swimming Swimming lessons are conducted in BMT for all recruits who cannot swim. All recruits are required to swim a distance of 30 metres using breast stroke and be "drown-proof" for 90 seconds. Generally, all recruits are able to do this by the end of their BMT. During the second year of service, soldiers are upgraded so that they are required to be able to swim 100 metres. (d) Tae Kwon Do Tae Kwon Do is introduced to combat troops after BMT. A total of five gradings are conducted during the two years of national service. As a result of the training provided during national service, many of our soldiers and reservists take up Tae Kwon Do seriously and continue this martial art in their civilian life. Reservists Let me now elaborate on the physical fitness programme for reservists. After full-time national service, reservists are required to pass the Individual Physical Proficiency Test every six months.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, military training is by its nature physically tough and demanding on active national servicemen and reservists alike. Unless they are physically fit, they will not be able to withstand the rigours of military training and exercises. During the last three years, great emphasis has been given to physical training to stress the importance of physical fitness to all national servicemen. In developing the physical fitness of active national servicemen, the SAF hopes to inculcate a permanent physical fitness consciousness and habit which they will follow and maintain in civilian life. Physical fitness tests are conducted at regular intervals to monitor, control and improve the physical fitness standards of our reservists. Let me elaborate on the physical fitness programme for full-time national servicemen. During the period of full-time national service, national servicemen are exposed to a wide range of physical fitness programmes which include physical conditioning exercises, long distance runs, combat obstacles course, route marches, swimming, Tae Kwon Do, as well as participation in sports and games which include rugby, football, basketball, etc. The Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), the Standard Obstacle Course Test, the Swimming Proficiency Test and Tae Kwon Do Grading Test are all conducted at regular intervals to ensure high standards. The following test results in 1981 would give some indication of the progress of the SAF physical fitness programme: (a) Individual Physical Proficiency Test After three months of Basic Military Training (BMT), more than 90% of recruits pass the IPPT which consists of four test exercises: chin-up, push-up, sit-up and a 2.4 km run. All who fail are given additional training and retested until they pass.”
“Sir, Mindef has a variety of courses for different types of activities for the Physical Training instructors. These, I believe, could be made available if there are instructors indicating an interest. Obviously if the need arises and there are appropriate overseas courses, Mindef will only be too happy to send some of the keen instructors who will be able to benefit from such courses overseas.”
“Sir, I have replied to those two points. The instructors are encouraged to participate in new upgraded courses as long as and whenever the courses are available and relevant to the needs of the Outward Bound School. As for the number of new courses introduced, I have indicated the adventure training courses as well as the canoeing and cutter expeditions.”
“Last year we had 25 courses, with approximately 4,600 students participating. We expect in the year 1982 to have approximately 28 adventure courses with 6,000 students participating. So if we take into account the physical fitness of national servicemen, the physical fitness of reservists and also the fitness of our young school children, we cannot but come to the conclusion that we have a healthy and physically fit male population. I am sure some of the habits of physical fitness must have rubbed on to the female population in Singapore also, judging from the many who jog and play games regularly. It has been said that there are none so blind as those that will not see. With respect to the rugged society in Singapore, I think it is most apt.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for Pasir Panjang for his concern. Let me assure him that there are indeed enough instructors for all the activities at the Outward Bound School. Sir, out of the 16 instructors currently present in the Outward Bound School, nine of them are SAF personnel. But that is not all. During the peak periods when courses are being conducted, the SAF provides as many as up to 18 Physical Training (PT) instructors who have undergone standard courses and are therefore able to assist the Outward Bound School instructors themselves. Over and above the provision of PT instructors and other instructors, SAF also provides 55 out of the 62 administrators and logistics staff for the day-to-day administration. Concerning the point as to whether there are new courses being conducted, the answer to that is yes. Courses are constantly being reviewed by the Management Committee which has representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Environment, However, because of limitation of land on Pulau Ubin itself, the school has now developed more activities that concern the sea, such as canoeing and cutter expeditions. The School also conducts regularly a five-day adventure training course. This was introduced in 1979 to provide exposure to outdoor life for our young pre-national service enlistees. Instructors are always encouraged to upgrade their skills and ability. Regarding increase in the number of courses, the Member for Pasir Panjang may like to note the following figures. In 1979 there was a total of four courses for the adventure training course for adventure training. This took in approximately 1,120 students. In 1980 the number of courses was increased to 12 with approximately 2,700 students participating.”
“SAFRA through its facilities and activities can play, and indeed has played, a significant role in this.”
“Sir, let me assure the Member for Punggol that there will not be any curtailment of activities and facilities for SAFRA Clubhouses and other facilities, notwithstanding the reduction of grant from $11,000 to zero. In the financial year 1980-81, SAFRA through a series of fund-raising projects have been able to achieve a position of self-financing. Indeed they have a surplus of approximately $900,000. We would like to encourage SAFRA with many of these fund-raising projects. We also provide facilities which are also revenue-generating and we believe that the same healthy financial position will continue into the 1982-83 financial year. Let me quickly assure the Member for Punggol that should there be a need for a grant to be made to SAFRA, Mindef will ensure that the grant is made. This is because we put heavy emphasis on the activities of SAFRA. We talked earlier, Sir, of the importance of encouraging camaraderie, esprit de corps, cohesion of units and all the other intangible aspects of a good army. We would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that such is achieved. Mindef is in the process of building its second clubhouse in Brickworks. This should be ready, and hopefully, it will be open in April 1982. We are also enhancing facilities available currently at Toa Payoh Clubhouse to make it more attractive for our reservists. Plans are also in hand to have a third SAFRA clubhouse at Bedok. Capital expenditure of all these is being borne by Mindef. The financial investment required to undertake such projects would be beyond the means of SAFRA itself, although it is currently able to self-finance its daily expenses. Sir, let me emphasize yet again that the reservists are important elements of our national service and our national defence.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Member for Telok Blangah is really chasing the tail of an argument, and we come back to exactly the same position if we were to pay $100, $110 and so on. Sir, I think the whole question of obligation and personal sacrifice to the nation has not been noted by Members in their argument for increased allowance for national servicemen. This is a national service army where young men at the age of 18 are called upon to serve the nation without exception, without a choice. Sir, their parents are enjoying the fruits of the security provided by young men of 18 years who have served their two or 2 1/2 years in days past. These parents know full well that without our national service army, they would not be enjoying the good jobs and the security that they sometimes take for granted.”
“Sir, many Members have raised the question of hardship cases. I think I ought to disabuse this red herring. There are no hardship cases which Mindef has not assisted.”
“Sir, I believe the Member was probably not listening when I referred emphatically to the fact that the allowance of $90 is an allowance for the recruits during the period of basic military training. It is not a salary and, therefore, the question of increased compensation as a result of inflation does not enter into it. The principle is different.”
“But I am sure he can better serve the country by talking to members of his constituency and explaining to them some of the policies of Mindef in order that we would be able to reduce to a minimum the misunderstanding surrounding the question of allowances and other matters. He also talked about possible courses to enlighten our people about events and activities in our region. This, indeed, is being carried out in order to broaden the understanding and political awareness of our national servicemen. I believe I have covered all the points raised by Members.”
“Secondly, the allowance of $90 is paid only to recruits during the initial three-month period of basic military training. Upon completion of their basic military training, a national serviceman is entitled to various amounts of additional allowances which depend on his rank, as well as the vocation to which he is assigned. For example, a Combat Other Rank would draw up to $270. A Service Other Rank would draw up to $295. A Technical Other Rank would draw an allowance of up to $415. The allowance is obviously a function of the level of skill and the amount of effort that the national serviceman exerts himself in order to achieve promotion. Sir, I would like to mention that national servicemen who indeed face financial hardship are well considered by Mindef for financial assistance. Their applications are considered by an Advisory Board. They can be given a loan, if they are single, of up to $150 a month. If they are married, they can be given a grant of up to $150 a month. Generally, we do not see any hardship at all as a result of such loans and grants. Earlier on during Question Time, I gave some figures indicating that there were approximately 700 applicants for exemption and only a number slightly higher than 100 were cases of financial hardship. These cases were all helped one way or another. I do not think there are extreme cases of hardship where we had not been able to assist in one way or another. The Member for Kaki Bukit offered to serve in the SAF. At the moment there are no schemes in the SAF for people over 40 years coming in as a recruit to do basic military training.”
“No, they are not. Sir, our weapons are becoming obsolete, naturally, with advances in science and technology. Yet we cannot keep on buying more and more of the up-to-date hardware. Where upgrading is adequate and economical, we choose upgrading. Otherwise we shall have to make very careful studies before we replace them with better hardware. Sir, I can give the House the assurance that Mindef will not permit the Defence budget to be too restrictive to permit Mindef to buy and equip the SAF properly. Mindef will most certainly make a strong case to this House to provide more for Defence should the need arise. Sir, the nub of our security is to maintain a defence capability which is credible and yet not provocative to anyone. Our defence capability must be real, not illusory. It must be a clear and viable deterrent against aggression. The Member for Kaki Bukit together with the Member for Telok Blangah brought up the question of allowance for national servicemen and indicated that it is inadequate. I would like to clarify some points in order to ensure that there is no misunderstanding as to the purpose of the allowance for national service. Two points should be noted with regard to the allowance to national servicemen. First, national service is obligatory service to the nation. It obviously involves a personal sacrifice. The allowance given to national servicemen is only intended as a contribution towards defraying some of the incidental personal expenditure. It is not to compensate for services rendered, as opposed to the salaries given to the regulars in the SAF, who have chosen to make a career in the SAF and are paid salaries competitive to those in the open market.”
“Mr Sia Khoon Seong asked the Minister for National Development whether the Public Works Department will construct (i) a pedestrian overhead bridge across Jalan Toa Payoh from Rajah Court in view of the increasing number of residents in the vicinity crossing Jalan Toa Payoh daily; and (ii) pedestrian overhead bridges across Balestier Road at points where there is very heavy pedestrian crossing daily by residents and students from the surrounding areas.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Defence has been conscious of the problems of aircraft noise since it acquired jet trainers for the Air Force in the early Seventies. In the case of Paya Lebar Airport, the problem was recognized long before our RSAF started operations in July last year. The RSAF has implemented various measures to minimize the noise problem and these measures include: (a) operating aircraft at minimum power when flying over densely populated areas; (b) conducting flights whenever possible at heights above 1,500 feet; (c) avoiding built-up areas where possible, and (d) keeping night flying to the minimum and, as far as possible, not beyond 11.00 p.m. Mindef is also looking for other means of reducing noise created by aircraft engine ground runs by installing noise suppression devices. These measures to reduce aircraft noise will be closely monitored and will be improved wherever possible. Owing to land limitations in Singapore, residential areas and airports are located in close proximity. It is, therefore, inevitable that aircraft noise will affect all Singaporeans to a greater or lesser extent. Mindef asks that residents around Paya Lebar Airport give us their understanding and support, knowing the situation as it is in Singapore. In its own very special way, that sound is the audible sign of our security and stability. PEDESTRIAN OVERHEAD BRIDGES ACROSS JALAN TOA PAYOH AND BALESTIER ROAD 4.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, hardship is not one of the grounds for exemption. NOISE NUISANCE BY RSAF AIRCRAFT AT PAYA LEBAR 3. Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe asked the Minister of Defence if he is aware of the noise pollution caused by aircraft of the Republic of Singapore Air Force and what measures are being taken to minimise the inconvenience to residents in the vicinity of the Paya Lebar Airport.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, if the Member can provide me with the details, I will provide him with a very detailed answer on the specific case. But if I may be permitted just to generalize, I suspect that in cases where very short notice has been given, the reservist had in the past another in-camp training deferred and therefore he had to do a make-up in-camp training. Secondly, it is possible that because of very special circumstances another officer had to be deferred at a very late notice and the second officer was then asked to assist, instead of allowing the whole company of national servicemen to operate without their Commanding Officer.”
“Sir, close liaison with the various counselling bodies in Singapore is already taking place. SUPPLY AND SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLY BILLS (Business Motion) 3.03 p.m. Resolved, That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the second and third readings of the Supply Bill for the financial year 1st April, 1982 to 31st March, 1983 and the Supplementary Supply Bill for the financial year 1st April, 1981 to 31st March, 1982 maybe proceeded with immediately on the conclusion of the proceedings on the Budget for the financial year 1st April, 1982 to 31st March, 1983. - [Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam]. MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF SINGAPORE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1982 TO 31ST MARCH, 1983 Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [7st Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 3.04 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have already replied fairly lengthily on the measures, and I think that is adequate. No, Mr Speaker, Sir, national service is not the place where the drug addicts begin taking drugs. They usually begin before they enter national service. It is a serious problem not only in Singapore but also world-wide, where the situation is a lot worse. Members of this House will probably recall visitors from other countries coming to learn of the systems and the regimes that we operate in order to curb the problem.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the Minister if he is aware of any relationship between the Member for Anson and this particular individual whom he is championing? Prof. Jayakumar: I am not aware.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, yes. DEVELOPMENT OF KAMPONG SAN TENG (Particulars) 6. Dr Chau Sik Ting asked the Minister for National Development, in the development scheme for Kampong San Teng in the Thomson Constituency, what types of Housing and Development Board flats and the total number of units of each type that will be built, and when they will be completed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the assignment of national servicemen to the various vocations takes into account both the medical status as well as the educational qualifications of the national servicemen. This is to ensure that we do not have square pegs in round holes.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Neo Tiew Road is a rural road used by the public at large. It is prone to damage by erosion because of poor drainage. Traffic on it has become heavy since the construction of Woodlands New Town. Although the road has a tarred surface, damage is primarily on the untarred road shoulders which vehicles drive onto to avoid oncoming traffic. Neo Tiew Road itself is not within the SAF training area. Therefore, it is occasionally used by SAF units at Woodlands and Sungei Gedong as a convenient by-pass to gain access to the training areas in the western and northern sectors of the island. More than 95% of the traffic comprises civilian tippers and other heavy goods vehicles. MINDEF vehicles are therefore not the primary cause of damage to the road. The hon. Member for Chua Chu Kang may be pleased to know that MINDEF has requested the Public Works Department to look into the need to upgrade the road. In the meantime, the SAF will continue to assist in the repair of the road on the basis of gotong royong as has been done in the past, even though the contribution from SAF vehicles to the damage of the road is less than 5%.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, to-date, SAF keep-fit apparatus has been installed in 21 locations, at community centres, sports complexes, and jogging tracks. These cater mainly to residents in the neighbourhood housing estates. The equipment installed include parallel bars, horizontal ladders, chin-up and wall bars. Among the major HDB estates served are Ang Mo Kio, Queenstown and Toa Payoh. The installation of such physical fitness facilities is still an experimental pilot scheme. MINDEF will consider requests by Members of Parliament for similar facilities in their constituencies and will be prepared to install them if a survey and detailed study can demonstrate that they are likely to be well utilized by our young men and reservists in the neighbourhood. A list (Cols. 281 - 282) giving the existing 21 locations of the SAF keep-fit apparatus has been submitted to the Clerk of Parliament for distribution to Members for their information. list - PRESENT DISTRIBUTION OF SAF KEEP-FIT APPARATUS (Cols. 281 - 282) NEO TIEW ROAD (Damage by heavy military trucks) 10. Mr Tang See Chim asked the Minister of Defence whether he is aware that the heavy military trucks using Neo Tiew Road are causing extensive damage to the road which is not designed to carry such heavy traffic; and whether he is going to prohibit such use and, if not, whether his Ministry will undertake to repair the damage caused to the road.”
“Sir, various options are being looked into, and that is one of the possibilities which we will consider. APPLICATIONS FOR HDB FLATS (Number of withdrawals and changes to smaller units since price increase) 7. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for National Development if he will ascertain from the Housing and Development Board (i) how many applicants have withdrawn their applications for flats; and (ii) how many applicants have changed their applications from 5-room to 4-room or from 4-room to 3-room flats, since the increase in prices of HDB flats as well as the requirement to pay 20% down-payment upon application (pertaining to HUDC flats).”
“Our libraries also must unceasingly do battle with such likes as "Buck Rogers" and "The Incredible Hulk" for the minds of our children, our children who are going to be managers, engineers, technicians and other skilled professionals of tomorrow. In other words, the Hon. Minister's left hand must counter-balance the overwhelming influence of his right hand. Sir, in our Budget statement we talk extensively about formal training and education for proper manpower development. That is essential. So too is the well-located, well-stocked and well-used library. Our libraries must rise to the challenge of the 80s and our Government must assist them in this task with the appropriate policies. If our libraries fail, we will all be that much poorer tomorrow. Sir, I would urge a review of our Government's policy and priority with respect to library services and hope that this will result in increased urgency towards the provision of libraries in all our new towns with a much higher level of library services, a level that is relevant and worthy of the new Singapore of the 80s. Our people are not clamouring for library services. I believe that silence rings loud and clear.”
“It appears that our literate population is not reading books from our National Library. More seriously, Sir, only 60% of our students are members of the Library. The other 400/o are not. How many of these 60% of our children who are members of the National Library regularly patronize the libraries? How many of them read the books in the libraries? What about the other 40%? One can only hope that they make full use of their school libraries. Sir, if our current policy on library services is one of normal growth - in other words, enough for inflation with an extra pinch for good measure - then we must do some serious rethinking. Our educational system has undergone a very serious revamp to provide and to ensure optimal training for our children. Our libraries must do likewise to keep pace with this new urgency. In a progressive country like Singapore, libraries must not be viewed as dispensable luxuries to be put aside. In FY 81, just to provide some degree of perspective, we intend to spend three times as much on our parks as we do on our libraries. The estimates for Parks is $22.8 million as against $7.2 million for libraries. Our libraries must form part of the basic necessities for our society. In fact, they are the investment for our future, our future which is rapidly changing and becoming increasingly more demanding. Therefore, we must not allow any physical or financial barrier to impede our children's free and easy access to books. We must help them to discover the joy of reading. Our libraries must be places where our children can go to during their leisure time. We must get our children to prefer mingling with books in the libraries to mingling with hoods in the streets.”
“Sir, to excel tomorrow, our children have got to acquire the reading habit today. Yet it appears that our Government's policy does not put a high priority on our libraries. In our new towns, our library building programme lags far behind those of the polyclinics, the sports facilities, the recreational facilities and the other community facilities. These facilities are essential; so too are our libraries but the progress of the library building programme is extremely slow. We are building libraries at the rate of approximately one in every 3 1/2 years. Our first branch library was built in Queenstown in 1970; the second in Toa Payoh in 1974; the third in Marine Parade in 1977; and the fourth is expected to be completed sometime later this year in Bukit Merah. 3.00 p.m. Sir, for FY 80, $4.6 million was approved for the Development Estimates; out of this $4.6 million, $4.1 million or about 90% of that sum was not spent and will be up for revoting again. This money included sums approved for computerization of library operation, improvement to the National Library, the new Bukit Merah Library and air-conditioning of the Toa Payoh Library. Are all these projects the unfortunate victims of construction shortages that we hear so much of or are they just the victims of low priority? Furthermore, plans to include the Ang Mo Kio Branch Library and the Bedok Branch Library in the Development Estimates for FY 81 now appear to be unduly optimistic. What about libraries in the other new towns that we intend to build? When will they come about? Sir, we speak of a literacy rate in Singapore of about 80% and yet the membership of the National Library is only approximately 350,000 people. This works out to be approximately 15% of the population.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with your kind permission, I would like to speak on the Ministry of Culture's policy on the provision of library services for Singaporeans, particularly those in new towns springing up all over the island. Our library budget as a percentage of the educational budget is approximately 1% annually. For the financial years 77, 78 and 79 this figure was 1.03%, 1.07% and 1.13% respectively. This figure is well below the UNESCO recommended guideline of 4%, and this fact was highlighted in the National Library Annual Report, 1979/80. For the current financial year 81, if we include the grants, subsidies and other transfers for the Ministry of Education, this percentage now works out to be approximately at 0.97% which is even lower. Is it the Ministry's policy to maintain this percentage static at about 1%? If that is so, does the Ministry feel that the 4% guideline recommended by UNESCO is excessive, and that the 1% that we are operating on .is much more appropriate and relevant at this stage of our economic and social development? Mr Speaker, Sir, is it possible that our attitude towards the provision of library services takes no cognisance of the rapid changes in Singapore in recent years? With very rapid and very successful economic restructuring, today's decision-makers must respond effectively to change and for that, knowledge is critical. If our children are to be successful in tomorrow's world, then they must acquire the ability for independent information renewal because knowledge in the high technology fields becomes obsolete almost as soon as it is acquired. The highly-trained individual of the 1980s who does not continually update through the literature will become useless as a competent professional.”
“Sir, in the upgrading of our neighbourhoods and physical environment, more and more one-room flats have to make way for more effective land utilization programmes. In my constituency at Kim Seng, such a programme is currently going on. The tenants affected include many senior citizens who have lived in those flats for a long time and they are to be relocated to other one-room or one-room improved flats. Many of these senior citizens seldom venture from the vicinity of their homes. I know for a fact that the HDB is doing its best to relocate them within the neighbourhood, if at all possible. Regretfully, as the demand for these flats in the neighbourhood far exceeds availability, many of these residents have to be relocated to other constituencies. For such cases, I would like to ask the Hon. Minister for National Development if he would seriously consider the possibility of giving due weight to requests by neighbours with senior citizens in their families to be relocated together in new constituencies so as to minimize the traumatic experience that these senior citizens have to face. Any mutual support and companionship among the neighbours that can be preserved, I am sure, would be greatly appreciated by the senior citizens in their old age.”
“May I also suggest that as an interim measure we could perhaps convert the one-room flats adjacent to communal dustbins into tutorial centres or libraries. In this way we can kill two birds with one stone. An hon. Member: They can't study!”
“Sir, I rise to support the hon. Member for Henderson. In my Kim Seng constituency, there are people earning a combined income of more than $800, and some of them definitely wish to live in a one-room flat because they have family commitments that are much larger than they are able to take care of if they were to live in a flat much larger than a one-room flat. I also share the sentiments of the Member for Henderson that it is a good thing if people, who wish to save and to prepare for a rainy day, are allowed to do so. I would seriously urge the Hon. Minister for National Development to reconsider the ceiling of $800 for the one-room rental flats. Mr Liew Kok Pun: Sir, first, may I express my thanks to the Member for Toa Payoh for initiating a discussion on the subject of communal dustbins. Sir, I think it may be too much to ask the Minister for National Development to stay in a one-room flat for a day. Perhaps the Members for Toa Payoh, Kuo Chuan and even Khe Bong may want to organize a conducted tour, perhaps for just a half-hour, to let the Minister see for himself what are some of the problems confronting those residents living in one-room flats. Sir, the communal dustbins are centres of social disgrace. They are also an eyesore. The stench from these communal dustbins on a warm day is nauseating. It is also unhealthy. Residents of one-room flats already have enough problems trying to make both ends meet, and more so with the rising cost of bus fares. This problem should be looked into so that they can have a good night's rest. I do not think this is entirely the problem of my residents in the one-room flats. The mouth of the communal dustbin is too small. It is a simple technical problem which can be solved by widening it.”
“Sir, job-hoppers have come under severe criticism over the last year or so, but I wonder how much of job-hopping is due to people trying to look for jobs for which they have the aptitude. In Singapore, career guidance is by and large non-existent. Our students go to school and they take up subjects dependent very much on peer group pressure. When the time comes for them to get into the job market, they just get on to the first job that they can find, only to discover very soon that they are square pegs in round holes. I wonder if the Ministry of Labour, either independently or in conjunction with the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Trade and Industry, could look into the possibility of providing adequate career guidance for our children. In the past, most of our children, as it were, follow in the footsteps of the parents. Nowadays with all the jobs that are going around, and being extremely complex, a lot of them new to the people in Singapore, such guidance is no longer available. I would also be pleased if the Ministry of Labour could give some idea of the sort of job-hopping pattern. Are we seeing job-hopping in people within their first two or three years of their career, or are we seeing job-hopping persistently throughout the entire career of certain individuals?”
“Prime Minister's statement to this House this afternoon amply demonstrated, so too must we continually re-think our channels of keeping our people informed and knowledgeable. In this connection, may I commend the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Health for his courage and imagination in responding so gallantly to the invitation of the Residents Committee of Ang Mo Kio to discuss the Budget. He must indeed be one of the very few Ministers, either in Singapore or elsewhere, who dared to enter the lions' den to come face to face with taxpayers so shortly after his presentation of the Budget. Such new attempts in face-to-face communication augur well for us in Singapore. For to expect our population at large to continue to take the active role of seeking out information, mainly through conscientious reading or even studying of the newspapers, may be asking too much if the pace of change were to accelerate in future. Readers might just become shell-shocked by the incessant bombardment of information and switch off. Sir, I firmly believe that adequate communication with the grassroots is essential for the Government if we are to forge the kind of society we want, the kind of society envisaged in our Budget statement. Communication gaps that exist must be filled and filled immediately, lest they degenerate and become credibility gaps. Sir, I support the Motion. 5.02 p.m.”
“So too is the belief that children streamed into the Normal course are being hindered rather than helped in their school career and their future. Explanations in response to these and other complaints go some distance in enlightening the public. But the existence of complaints is an indication of the need for greater dissemination of facts and figures before misunderstanding occurs. Public relations departments in Ministries and statutory bodies are to be commended for doing an excellent job in responding to complaints and enquiries. Can they extend the scope of their work to anticipate potential problems and misunderstanding prior to policy implementation? In matters of widespread public concern and interest, can they prepare the public via discussion of background information, historical perspectives and practical examples? Can they follow up on policy implementation with surveys and feedbacks to ascertain the level of understanding and acceptance of policies? For until and unless understanding and acceptance occurs, all efforts will come to nought. The SBC also has a vital role to play. It has the monopoly of what is undoubtedly the most potent of the mass media, namely, the television, with its large audience night after night. Indeed, this premier medium should spearhead the communication of Government policies and educate the public on their impacts, capitalizing fully on the powerful illustrative characteristics of the medium. The few occasions in the recent past, when SBC undertook programmes of topical public interest, have been unqualified successes. Can we be assured of more with increased frequency? Just as we continually re-think our response to external changes around us, as the Hon.”
“What is uncertain is the degree of understanding of the underlying concepts by our people at the grassroots and community level. Ministries have always done their best to explain policies immediately after decisions have been taken and announced. The press also has always risen to the challenge on every occasion, to explain the profound in simple language and to ensure that the message is properly transmitted. Again, what is not known is the level of reception. How much of what is written is read? How much of what is read is registered? How much of what is registered is understood? Finally, and most important of all, how much of what is understood goes on to form the basis for subsequent action and decision? Just as useful is the answer to how our people acquire their knowledge and understanding of Government policies. The grapevine obviously plays an important role. However, ignorance of facts has seldom been a barrier or hindrance to the expression of opinion in the coffee shops, hawker centres and office canteens. Misunderstanding propagates as easily as proper understanding, indeed more so, if the number of people who misunderstands exceeds the number who understands. Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not know the answers to these questions. I do not know if many do. I raise them because I am convinced that the better informed and more knowledgeable our people are with regard to Government policies, the greater will be the effort forthcoming from our people in our progress upwards together. The complaints that the PUB is raising rates and that the SBS is raising fares in the midst of hefty profits are but symptoms of misunderstanding of the realities of the situation.”
“Some countries prefer to put their heads in the sand and wish the changing circumstances away. As a result, their outmoded economic and social policies have caused unprecedented unemployment with untold human hardship and misery. The price of unwillingness or inability to adapt to change can indeed be high. In the industrial world, the motor-car industry in the United States and the motor-cycle industry in the United Kingdom are sombre reminders of this high price. In the future, the pace of change is not going to be any slower. It is, therefore, imperative that we learn to live with change. The greater our ability to manage change, the greater our progress. It is on this undercurrent aspect of the progress projected in our Budget statement that I wish to touch on, and not on the financial or economic aspects which have already been amply debated by Members in this House. Mr Speaker, Sir, as we gear up for the challenges of the 80's outlined by the Hon. Minister, major government policies must be understood by our people. These policies have affected and will continue to affect every family in Singapore. Economic restructuring, high productivity, skill development, management-union cooperation, bilingualism, educational streaming - these are but a few of the many keywords introduced over the past two or three years. These keywords did not exist in the vocabulary of Singaporeans until recently. They embody deep and difficult concepts with profound repercussions for our present and future success. In many cases, positive response and support on the part of our people is expected. In other cases, major decisions concerning careers and futures have to be made. These keywords have been bandied about with increasing frequency and familiarity.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to congratulate the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Health for presenting a most excellent Budget on behalf of the Government. Over the past years, while economic experts debate endlessly on the latest economic theories, the Western world continued in its lethargic state of low growth and high inflation. In the meantime, Singapore has been quietly practising its own special version of supply-side economics. Income tax rates have decreased while income of our workers has increased. This makes for a potent combination, with incentives for both workers and investors to upgrade and achieve higher levels of productivity and profitability. The Budget recently presented by the Hon. Minister is a testimony to the continuing success of our economic policies. Our success demonstrates beyond any doubt the basic intelligence of man in his response to incentives and his avoidance of disincentives. Implicit in the Hon. Minister's Budget Speech is the emphasis on the need for constant alertness to respond appropriately to the changing circumstances in the world around us. As such, nothing is static; nor is any view or policy sacrosanct, should totally unforeseen circumstances demand its modification or even reversal. The last 20 years in Singapore has been marked by an unprecedented pace of change. Initially, we sought to survive; now we seek to progress in a world that is spasmodically buffeted by major turbulent disruptive forces beyond our control. We have agilely adapted to all these changing circumstances. On many occasions, we have successfully anticipated major trends and events and have made preparation for the appropriate responses with obvious benefits.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the Minister for National Development whether the number of people that he has given to us previously, i.e. people whose income exceeds $2,500, might not be eligible for an HUDC flat if they were to wait for another year or two and then get married to somebody with roughly the same level of income as themselves?”
“In the achievements of the group will the individual be glorified. In its absence, personal achievement will lose its glitter and pale into insignificance. I am confident, Mr Speaker, Sir, that the policies of our Government as outlined by our President will be fully implemented in the coming years, not just by our competent civil service but by all the people of Singapore. That will be our reaffirmation of faith in ourselves, our leaders and our nation. I support the Motion of thanks. 3.13 p.m.”
“It also calls for better nurturing of our human resources in schools and higher institutions, with enhanced efforts in research and development throughout our entire society, both private and public. Underlining all these different progress fronts is the unifying theme of increased resourcefulness that is so essential for our continued success. As we progress from the labour-intensive, low productivity and low value-added industries, to the capital-intensive, knowledge-intensive, high productivity and high value-added industries, the demand on our resourcefulness will be even greater. We shall slowly but surely move upwards from our present reward-orientated society to an achievement-orientated society, to a society where excellence is its own reward. The satisfaction that we derive from a task well done or an objective achieved will far outweigh the material rewards that accompany it. Indeed, at this moment, there are some in Singapore, a few, a pioneering few, who so serve our country in the various branches of the public sector and in the private sector. They are the vanguard of our nation in our progress upwards. They form our Eupsychian growing tip. Even greater progress will be made as our people become more conscious of our growing unity as one people. We shall stand more united in our resolve to defend our own - our way of life, our freedom, our people, and our country. We shall increase our collective emphasis on the importance of sublimation of our short-term self-interest into the longer term common interest of the group that we find ourselves in. Group aspiration, group objective and group welfare will take precedence over those of self, be the group that of kin, company, community or country.”
“Further afield in the eighties, we may yet venture into genetic engineering, to create the very fish that we need via economic restructuring, with endeavours in research and development, medical specialization, software technology and macro-system management. This spirit symbolises Singaporeans in their never-ending quest for peace, progress and prosperity, through the harnessing of our resourcefulness and ingenuity in our pursuit of excellence. In general, natural resources are finite and will eventually be depleted no matter how large in quantity. They are also subjected to the vicious economic cycles of demand, no matter how valuable the resources. Resourcefulness, on the other hand, is limitless, totally flexible and completely adaptable. It involves the creation, assimilation, propagation and utilisation of information and knowledge, and results in the effective and optimal application of all available natural resources. Just as petroleum is the base for the industrial and the manufacturing sectors of the world economy, resourcefulness is the base for the service and technological sectors. Where low technology is energy intensive, high technology is resourcefulness-intensive. In the short run, those who are blessed with natural resources will be bountiful; in the long run, those who are blessed with resourcefulness will enjoy the fruits of their labour. One day, it shall be said that, Blessed are the resourceful, for they shall inherit the kingdom of man. The Government's programme for the coming years, as outlined by our President in his Speech and the Addenda, calls for greater computerisation and automation, and improved communication and labour-management relationships.”
“Indeed our very success thus far has been through our resourcefulness, and we are now well within the top 20% of the countries in the world as far as material wealth per capita is concerned. We have proven that the lack of natural resources is no permanent impediment to progress, if our people are prepared to draw on their resourcefulness. This is a lesson that many developing countries, thus far, have refused to learn. We are an island Republic where the sea has played a significant role, both in our development and in our destiny. Therefore, it would not be inappropriate to paraphrase an ancient saying about fish as an illustration of our resourcefulness. "In 1968, when the British announced that they would withdraw and nearly everyone wrote us off, when even some of our staunchest friends thought that the end was imminent and inevitable"; only our leaders thought otherwise. At thai critical juncture of our history, we, as a nation, solidly behind our leaders, eschewed the gift of fish, symbolic of all instant gratification that was easy, effortless but addictive. Instead, we opted to learn the difficult art of fishing. We sought know-how and trade but not aid, and we pursued an aggressive programme of intensive industrialization. That same spirit has stood us in good stead since. When such fishing became less productive, in the seventies, we did not hesitate to go into aqua culture, the high technology of fishing. We grew our own fish and moved into the world of high finance and high technology with strong export orientated bias.”
“Put simply, it says that under natural conditions, entropy which is a measure of the degree of randomness, confusion, chaos or disorders, is always increasing. Translated into terms meaningful to our nation, it says that if our people are slothful, then things can only get worse and not better. The evidence is available for all of us to see. Great civilizations, empires, nations and societies have crumbled, often with lightning rapidity, as their people laze away their days and fritter away their nights. There were many great civilizations in days past in Asia. Africa, Europe and in the Americas. After a spurt of great creativity, many of the civilizations rested on their laurels, and the Second Law took its inevitable toll. Resourcefulness atrophied through the lack of use. This is true not only of the accomplished individual, but also of the accomplished nation, for the skills of a nation are but the sum total of the collective skills of its citizens. Many of these civilizations disappeared completely, except for appearances in archaeological tombs or historical tomes. Some survive to become countries of little significance, pathetic pale shadows of their past glories. Let us, therefore, with the perception that history affords us, not slacken our pace, but rather let us gird our loins and press on upwards. We are a small nation with few natural resources. There are many countries in the world that have natural resources that far exceed those of Singapore, both on the absolute scale as well as the per capita basis. Indeed there are few countries that are poorer than Singapore, in terms of land, mineral output or agricultural produce. Fortunately, the same cannot be said with respect to resourcefulness.”