Yong Nyuk Lin
Singapore
“Sir, it gives mc a chance to say again that the modified plan cannot be accepted at this stage. But it does give me the opportunity to answer another point which was raised by the Member for Ton Payoh and which I have missed in my answer, i.e, that the fringe area car parks would not be utilized at night.”
“I am sorry, Sir, for failing to answer all the questions raised by the Member for Sembawang. As regards the full implementation of the recommendations of the White Paper which was meant to be completed by the middle of 1973, I can only say that it was not a 100% implementation of all the recommendations.”
“He said that they threw the mail on the floor. Here again, unless a complaint is lodged, we can do little about it because all postmen and postwomen are being told how to behave and to extend courtesy, and what the correct procedure is and methods of delivery of mail.”
“" And if, God forbid, priority national needs should one day call for a limitation of circulation of automobiles or any other measure, no one would then regard it as an intolerable sacrifice. "For in a society where humanism regains fully its rights, the automobile should not constitute an end in itself," Mr Graber said.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is regrettably true that after many of the estimates for Paya Lebar Airport had been voted, revotes had to be asked for. The reason is that it has taken a long time to get all these development proposals started. They are development proposals really, Sir, and plans have got to be drawn and checked.”
“In these circumstances, I hope it will be appreciated that they are stretching themselves far and wide, and there is always a limit to what a human being can do I can assure him that we will continue to enforce the regulations as far as it is humanly possible before getting a complaint from the Member for Sembawang who says that our enfor…”
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“Mr Speaker, Sir, in the past, Highway Code tests were done orally. But because of the large number of people being kept waiting to take their driving tests, which include the Highway Code test, we decided to institute a written test. It is like an examination paper where everything is done in writing. In an oral test the tester can take probably 10 or 20 candidates per day, but a written test can perhaps take 400 candidates per day. The applicant's paper is marked, and he either passes or fails the examination. So this money really is to pay for the stationery and a small fee, like an examiner's fee, for the people who mark the papers. I think this expenditure is really worth while. For the 11 months from April 1969 to February 1970 since we started this written Highway Code test, there were 10,632 candidates, of whom 7,642 passed, or nearly 72 per cent. In this way, less people are kept waiting in the queue for their driving tests. It is our opinion that this sum of $4,000 will be well spent.”
“As a result, they were fined for not renewing their licences in time. However, even if they were fined, it was only $3. I think they had been given one full year's notice of this change, and such a thing happens once in a lifetime. Perhaps we can just forget about it. It is all over now. Because of computerisation, some people would stand to gain something, while others would stand to lose something.”
“But if after investigation we do find they are genuine complaints, we will either suspend the taxi driver concerned from driving for one week or longer, or even cancel his licence if it is necessary. The Member has asked for the number of complaints from 1968. Details will probably take some time to be forthcoming, but I hope he will be satisfied if I send him the figures later by post for his follow-up and criticism. However, I can assure him that when we get complaints, we do follow up, provided the complaints lodged give all the necessary particulars, and not complaints stating merely that there is an overcharge and so forth. Coming to the Member for Bukit Panjang who suggested the marking out of slow and fast traffic lanes, I think this is a very good suggestion which I am sure the Transport Advisory Board will give due consideration. We have the Officer-in-Charge of the Traffic Police on the Transport Advisory Board. So a matter like this will receive due attention. Next comes the Member for Ulu Pandan. I cannot see how, after advising motor-cyclists to wear crash helmets to save their skulls, the Member is suggesting that they should also wear iron gloves to save them from breaking their arms. That is something which I think cannot be taken too seriously. He also suggests lecturing to young people who ride motor-cycles. It is unfortunate that young people will always do something reckless, and they have to pay the price for their recklessness. We can only advise them as best we can. The Member for Telok Blangah talks about driving licences which actually expired in mid-month but, because of computerisation, had been valid up to the end of the preceding month only, so that the holders of these licences lost out by two or three weeks.”
“As regards the inability of the Singapore Traction Company to provide an adequate service for Toa Payoh, I would like to say that, in my opinion, there are not enough buses to serve Singapore today. There are, in all, only about 1,500 buses owned by the S.T.C. and the other 11 Chinese bus companies to provide a public transport service for Singapore. We are looking into this matter of inadequate buses for public transport. In fact, we are getting the Singapore Traction Company's co-operation to permit the Chinese bus companies to operate bus services along certain routes for which it is unable to provide an adequate service. There is closer co-ordination now than in the past among the 12 bus companies. I am confident that given a little bit more time and discussion, we may be able to co-ordinate the bus services of Singapore and to improve them in due course. Certain matters are under discussion and I think it would not be proper for me to reveal them here at this stage. Coming to the comments of the Member for Havelock on rudeness and cheating by taxi drivers, he has, I think, partly answered the criticism by saying that only some of the taxi drivers are bad. As in any stratum of society, there are always the good and the bad. So I think it is not fair to pinpoint them, especially as the Member for Changi wants to know who these rude taxi drivers are, because he has to defend his drivers as well. There is no doubt that we are taking action on these complaints. Most times complainants are not prepared to furnish particulars. That is why it is difficult to follow up on such complaints.”
“I hope that my explanation will satisfy the Member for Jalan Kayu. In reply to the comments by the Member for Bukit Ho Swee on air pollution, the smoky exhaust from cars, taxis, buses, lorries and so on, I want to say that action has been taken in recent years on these matters. I would like to say that the Traffic Police compounded as many as 7,353 cases in 1969; that is to say, when a traffic policeman notices a car emitting smoke from its exhaust pipe, the driver is given a ticket and is asked to report to the police station where he is allowed to compound his offence for $20. There were 7,353 such cases last year. In addition, last year we called up 8,800 vehicles for a check-up of their exhaust at the Registrar of Vehicles' office. Therefore, in total, about 16,000 vehicles were pulled up. They were mainly diesel-operated cars. I would like to say that it is the intention of my Ministry to conduct a campaign against air pollution very soon. There will be stronger measures taken against cars with smoky exhaust be they private cars, lorries, taxis, buses and so on. When the campaign is to be set in motion, we will give adequate notice to the public before we proceed to take stronger action against smoky vehicles. Coming to the comments of the Member for Toa Payoh on overloading of vehicles as a result of our rapid industrialisation, with lorries overloading goods and building materials, I think there is something up the sleeve of my colleague, the Minister for Defence, to deal with this matter. His very active Traffic Police does go round ticketing the offenders. I am sure they will continue to keep up with their good work to book them so that the recalcitrants will not find it profitable to overload their lorries.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first, I would like to answer the query from the Member for Jalan Kayu. I will take his second question first. As to how effective the Transport Advisory Board is, I wish to say that I consider it to be of great value to me, because it does help to get opinion outside of official quarters, as a good number of the members on the Advisory Board are not in Government service. They are people who are prepared to express an opinion on a difficult subject, that of traffic in Singapore. I have seen to it, too, that my Parliamentary Secretary be the Chairman of this Board. So, in my opinion, the Transport Advisory Board is doing a good service and I want to say how much I appreciate its good work. Most of its recommendations have been accepted. The second interim report has come to me early this month and it is under study. I can, I think, divulge some of its main recommendations, but I will not disclose the details. The recommendations cover the subjects of ordinary taxis, school taxis (the SCH cars), school buses, and the age limit of public service vehicles. These are the main recommendations, and as soon as I am in a position to form an opinion on them, they will be made public. I agree that I have given an undertaking to look into the matter of checking old cars on the roads. However, I have found it better not to confine my study of the problem only to old private vehicles, but to all other types of vehicles as well. I have therefore withheld action, and as indicated just now, the Transport Advisory Board has made certain recommendations on the age limit of public service vehicles. So when I do come to a decision on public service vehicles, I will at the same time make a decision on private cars.”
“It is put in somewhere, but the whole provision is not for grass cutters.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to assure the Member for Punggol that this large provision of nearly half a million dollars for daily rated staff is not only for cutting grass. If he will look at the bottom of the page in the estimates, he will see note (ii) which reads: "Includes provision for one House Foreman and four Carpenters." If he will look further up note (1) says: "Provision for daily rated staff now shown separately under Subhead 2024." If he looks at subhead 2008, he will see "Maintenance of Compounds and Buildings"; against subhead 2009 there is "Maintenance of Telecommunications" and against subhead 2010 there is "Maintenance of Vehicles". In the previous year's estimates, that is, for the 15 months from 1969 to 1970, the provision for daily-rated staff was included in this large item of nearly a million dollars. But for the 12 months for this year's estimates, half a million dollars was extracted from this provision and made into a separate subhead. In reality, the position is as follows. For the year 1969-70, there are as many as 200 daily-rated staff. Then we have 56 Cable and Wireless staff who have been absorbed into Government service, making a total of 256. For this year, there is an increase of only two lorry drivers. In all, there is a total of 258 daily-rated staff. There is no provision for any grass cutters here. All I can say is that out of the 258 daily-rated staff, 107 are office cleaners, labourers, store assistants, etc.”
“Perhaps the motor-cycle went out of order! It can happen to a car or even an aeroplane! Finally, I would like to reply to the Member for Delta about the inadequacy of postal services in Delta Constituency. I must say, Sir, that the Member is, in fact, very lucky. In the whole of Singapore there are about 41 post offices. She already has not only one post office, but quite a number of post offices close to her constituency. The Alexandra Post Office is inside her constituency, and there are the Tiong Bahru Post Office and the Queenstown Post Office. She is quarrelling about Queenstown being a favoured constituency. I do not know why. A new non-delivery post office is scheduled to be built at Chin Swee Road towards the end of 1970. I hope that will satisfy her.”
“That is why I want the evidence. I will go right down to the bottom of this matter to assure Members that it is being pursued, especially since it came from a Member of Parliament. Even an ordinary complaint from a member of the public must be looked into carefully. Hon. Members: Hear, hear!”
“But if, as stated by the Member, he has taken issue with the Postmaster-General and all that he had received was just a post-card to say that the matter was receiving attention -this was way back in January and now it is almost the end of March - I would like to say that in anticipation of the complaint from the Member, I did ask the Postmaster-General whether there was any specific complaint from the Member. I was told that there was such a complaint. I said, "Please let me have a copy of the complaint and the reply from our department." Mr Speaker, Sir, to my horror I was told that there was no copy of the complaint. I asked how that could be possible. I would, therefore, appreciate it if, after the meeting, the Member would be good enough to let me have that particular reference so that I could follow up to see which particular officer had dealt with the matter. An hon. Member: Can the Minister say which is the particular officer?”
“It is normal practice for the Board to start on the development of the residential sector first and to incorporate a town centre only when the township is three-quarters developed in order that there should be a sufficient population to support the town centre.' Our post office is part of this town centre. So, much as we would like to provide full postal services for Toa Payoh, the building of a post office in the town centre is in the hands of the Housing and Development Board. When they are ready, we will provide the facilities. Coming to the Member for Punggol, I am sorry to hear that the delivery of mail in the rural areas is not quite up to expectations. I think if in Singapore we are able to provide even one proper daily service in the rural areas, we have done reasonably well. We do know that there are other countries which may be more affluent, but if you post a letter there, probably that is the last time you will see it. It never gets delivered at all. However, we cannot excuse Singapore of being indifferent. We expect letters, when posted, to be delivered in due time. As stated by the Member for Punggol, it is possible sometimes for letters calling for meetings to have been posted but not delivered until after the event has taken place. It can happen. After all, millions of postal articles are being posted and delivered at any one time. If you allow for .001 per cent of something happening, then it might be that something has happened to that particular letter. Of course, there are the usual difficulties of incorrect addresses or no addresses at all and so on. There could be such difficulties.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am in full sympathy with the Member for Anson. He feels strongly about the fact that the General Post Office building was built as long ago as 1928. It is now more than 40 years old. Conditions in that building may not be as good as in the many new public buildings, some of which are even air-conditioned. Of course, personally I would like to see a new General Post Office building being built somewhere on the water front. It is true that it is possible that certain parts of the building, for instance, the basement, may not be as good as what one would like them to be. However, I shall make surprise checks at the General Post Office in compliance with the Member's request. I want to say that things in the General Post Office will not always be the same. As and when we are able to get sites, we will remove the stores branch which is at present in the basement. I understand a site has been allotted somewhere in Tannery Lane. I think provision has been made in the 1970-71 Estimates. There will, therefore, be additional accommodation at the General Post Office to handle the mail, and conditions should improve as a result of this additional accommodation. As for Toa Payoh, here again it is our intention to provide more facilities in this new town. But I hope the Member will appreciate that building in Toa Payoh is largely in the hands of the Housing and Development Board. I think the Member is aware that the planning of the town centre was not completed until the latter part of last year. The Housing and Development Board made a statement in the newspapers as follows. I will read this statement which I assume is the official reply: 'The construction of a town centre is expected to start next year [which is 1970].”
“I am afraid the Member for Telok Blangah has caught me in his query whether the small trolleys are really for the use of individual passengers, just as in the supermarkets you shop around with a little trolley in which to put your purchases. All I can say is that we do have something like 37 small baggage trolleys. I presume they can be used by passengers if they want to, but, on the whole, I would say that this large allocation of over $20,000 is the result of the National Productivity Centre having been asked by the Minister for Finance to look into the question of complaints about delays in the handling of luggage, which we received last year from the Member for Havelock and others. As a result of this study by the National Productivity Centre, 18 additional men were employed and four large baggage trolleys and one tractor were recommended. This was part of the purchase which formed the estimate under this subhead 3009. If these small baggage trolleys are not for passengers to use, I will pass this recommendation to my Director of Civil Aviation to follow up.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I think I have to make a reply. It would appear that the officer-in-charge of the airport police was under the impression that it was in his discretion to make this payment and he decided he would not make any payment. But they are entitled to this allowance if they are generally of good behaviour, etc, for three years, and they are eligible for a second allowance after another three years, and so on and so forth. This is part of their scheme of service. Unless it is agreed between the Government and the Police Force that this allowance be scrapped, I am afraid we will have to meet the bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have referred to the relevant Hansard and there were statements about good conduct allowances, etc. At that date there were no payments, but I understand these good conduct allowances are payable to police officers, including detectives, between the ranks of sergeant and constable. Furthermore, since these allowances are pensionable, the question needs to be gone into deeper before they can be withdrawn. Therefore, so long as they are still payable under the scheme of service, I am afraid we will have to meet the bill. May I say that since I last spoke in Parliament, it has been discovered that 72 of the rank and file are, in fact, eligible for this allowance, and many of them are eligible for it retrospectively from 1st July, 1966. Therefore, there is a huge sum payable by the end of this month, amounting to $9,240. Treasury approval has been given for this payment to be made.”
“I am sorry to hear from the Member for Havelock that he considers our airport police to be rather sloppy; that they slouch and are sleepy looking. If that is the real impression given, I can assure him that the officer-in-charge of the airport police will be asked to put matters right. May I say that there has also been a change in the person who is now in charge of the airport police. The previous incumbent has left. He went on retirement in September 1969. So I think it is about time that the new officer on secondment for two years from the Police Force to the airport, exercised discipline and put our airport police in the same frame of mind as that of the rest of the police in the Republic.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member for Telok Blangah is indeed very well informed of the staffing position in the Director of Civil Aviation's office. It is true that this post of Airport Traffic Officer fell vacant on the 1st January, 1969, and in response to the invitation to fill the post, there were 15 applications and 11 were short-listed for interview by the Public Service Commission in August of last year; but, unfortunately, none of the candidates was considered suitable to fill the post permanently. At the moment, it is being temporarily filled in an officiating capacity. I suppose that in due course of time there will be another promotion exercise, and I can assure the Member that no expatriate officer will be considered for this post. If any of our local officers is considered fit to fill it, I think the decision will then be taken at the appropriate time.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Member for Telok Blangah did answer the question for me, that is, I will have to pass the matter on to some other authority. But I will look into this complaint and see that it receives favourable consideration. It will still have to be tackled by the other authorities. Mr N. Govindasamy: On the assurance of the Minister that he will take the matter up with the proper authorities, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $1,771,340 for Head 0802 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. Head 0803 - The following amendment stood in the name of Mr P. Selvadurai - (1) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0803 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1001.”
“Lastly, the Member for Delta is quite correct in saying that our plans for easing traffic congestion should be co-ordinated with our plans for urban renewal. There is a proposal under study for a mass rapid transit system for Singapore. But it will take a long time to have this proposal in a state of - 5.25 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, to try to reply in one minute to the comments of the three Members of Parliament, I think, is a little difficult, but I shall endeavour to do so. First of all, the Member for Sembawang, when speaking about traffic congestion, suggested that we should do away with car parks and build more public highways. These are matters which come within the purview of my colleague, the Minister for National Development. I shall convey to him the Member for Sembawang's suggestion for doing away with car parks and thereby doing away with the revenue from car parks. On the suggestion to build more public highways, I think this is already in progress. On the problem of reducing traffic accidents, we entirely agree with the Member's suggestion that drivers should show more road courtesy. Regarding the dangers of having many old vehicles either breaking down on the road or emitting fumes, and also causing accidents, this problem is being looked into. In fact, this is one of the subjects touched upon by the Transport Advisory Board in their second interim report which I received early this month and which is now under consideration. Likewise the question of whether or not we should issue more taxi licences. This is coming up for consideration and I am not in a position as yet to give an answer to Members of this House. I think the suggestion of the Member for Changi to have express buses running from various city centres to and from Jurong is a good one. This will be given serious consideration. In fact, I will appreciate it if the Member can give me specific proposals so that the matter can be followed up.”
“Sir, the Member is calculating only one aspect of the problem. Four thousand students in Secondary I classes have started these accounts. This represents a little over 10 per cent of the students involved. We have figures from the Ministry of Education which indicate that the number of students entering Secondary I classes in 1970 is 39,000. For last year it was 45,000 students. If the scheme is thrown open to primary school students, then I think the figure will be hundreds of thousands over the years.”
“I think the Member's suggestions are very interesting. There is an advisory committee which advises me on these matters. These suggestions will be put to them for their recommendation. I will give them favourable consideration provided my colleague, the Minister for Finance, is prepared to support me on this. Mr Ng Kah Ting: Sir, the Minister has mentioned that only $21,000 was paid out last year although there was a provision of $281,250. In other words, only nine per cent of the provision was paid out. We have plenty of money under this provision. And since my suggestion is an interesting one, why not make it a constructive one?”
“Opportunity has been taken to make the following minor amendments to the Singapore Telephone Board Ordinance: (a) The definition of "auditor" is amended to bring it up to date as the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 174) has since been superseded by the Companies Act, 1967. (b) The quorum for meetings of the Board has been raised from Two to four members present, in addition to the Chairman or Deputy Chairman, as the total membership of the Board is now nine. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill- Bill considered in Committee: reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." -[Mr Barked. Adjourned accordingly at Sixteen minutes past Four o'clock p.m. Appnedix to Question 8 (col. 565) (Cols 0595-0598)”
“Mr Speaker, Sir I beg to move, "That the bill be read a Second time." This Bill is designed to enable the, Singapore Telephone Board, from time to time, with the approval of the Minister, to capitalise the whole or any part of the sum standing to the credit of the Board's General Reserve Account; such sum to be capitalised to the stockholder (which in this case is the Government of Singapore) as issued and fully paid-up capital. It is pertinent to draw the attention of this House that the Board's fixed assets and General Reserve increased substantially during the six-year period 1963 - 1968, as illustrated by the following figures: 1963 1968 ($ million) ($ million) Fixed assets at cost 76.6 110.7 Fixed assets after depreciation 43.7 70.4 General Reserve 7.0 40.0 Ordinary Stock 20.0 20.0 In view of the high level of the General Reserve at the end of 1968 and almost a two-fold growth in the fixed assets since 1963 due to the ploughing back of surpluses into capital development, the Board decided in July 1969 to transfer $20 million from the General Reserve Account to its equity Share capital, thus raising it from $20 million to $40 million. The capitalisation took effect on 1st September, 1969, and to regularise matters, it is necessary to bring the Singapore Telephone Board (Amendment) Act, 1970, into force retrospectively to 1st September, 1969, with the exception of clause 5 thereof. This is because clause 5 of the Bill makes it an offence for any subscriber to make unauthorised attachments or alterations, and it is both unconstitutional and undesirable that such provision should have retrospective effect.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I name the 17th March, 1970, for the Second Reading of the Singapore Telephone Board (Amendment) Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there is no intention on the part of my Ministry to control either the import or sale price of crash helmets at present, as there are more than adequate stocks in Singapore to meet the known demands. We will let the law of supply and demand take its natural course. The Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research (SISIR), which is the responsible authority for testing and approving crash helmets, have sample-tested consignments totalling 30,000 crash helmets over the last l½ years, and 26,841 or 90 per cent have been approved for sale in Singapore. Whilst the number of provisional licence holders of motor cycles and motor scooters who are required by law to wear crash helmets as from the 1st of last month is only 14,000, the number of new applications for such provisional licences is estimated at around 1,000 per month. It is pertinent to point out that the necessity to get SISIR's approval before crash helmets are permitted to be put on sale in Singapore adds only an average of 60 cents to the imported cost per helmet. If the consignments are larger, the cost of sampling-tests would go down even lower. POLITICAL PARTIES IN SINGAPORE (Compliance with Societies Act) 7. Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for Defence how many political parties there are in Singapore at present and how many of them have not complied with the Societies Act.”
“The introduction of a single fare system for all passengers travelling whatever distance by bus along a bus route in the Republic as proposed by the Member for Punggol is an attractive proposition if there is only one bus company responsible for Singapore's public transport service. But, as there are, at present, as many as 11 bus companies operating in the Republic and with different scales of fares in operation, e.g. Singapore Traction Co. charges 10 cents for the first mile and thereafter 5 cents for every subsequent mile, up to a maximum of 25 cents; whereas the other 10 bus companies charge 5 cents for the first mile and thereafter 5 cents for every subsequent mile, without a maximum, it will be quite an accounting problem to resolve before contemplating any such proposal in Singapore. However. I may add that the Transport Advisory Board is attempting a study of the possibility of introducing a uniform system of bus fares, in the first instance. SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES (Accidents) 4. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Defence (a) in how many accidents, fatal or otherwise, were members of the Singapore Armed Forces involved, up to the latest convenient date; and (b) how much compensation has been paid for loss of lives or limbs as a consequence of those accidents.”
“I have already indicated in my answer that the Transport Advisory Board is looking into this problem. Whether or not it will recommend the reintroduction of this Enforcement Section should be left entirely to the Board. SINGAPORE BADMINTON TEAM (Improvement of standard) 11. Mr Ng Yeow Chong asked the Minister for Social Affairs what measures will be taken to improve the standard of the national Badminton Team.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, up to 1959, an Enforcement Section (comprising 51 inspectors) in the Registrar of Vehicles Department was responsible for carrying out enforcement duties in respect of recalcitrant taxi-drivers, etc. However, because of frequent allegations of corruption and high handedness against this Enforcement Section, it was dissolved in that year - ten years ago. Since then, the enforcement functions in respect of public service vehicles have been placed in the hands of the Traffic Police. At present, taxi-drivers who refuse fares on the ground that the passenger's intended journey is too short are suspended from driving for a specified period, ranging from one week to one month, and the Transport Advisory Board is currently looking into this problem with a view to finding more effective ways of dealing with such offenders. I am waiting for the recommendations of the Transport Advisory Board on the subject whether or not it is desirable to issue more taxi licences, and Government's decision will be made known at the appropriate time.”
“We are responsible for issuing the driving licences. Perhaps my colleague, the Minister for Defence, will follow up on what the Member for Mountbatten has said about the police force?”
“Should a person desire to know the date of original issue for personal reasons or for the purpose of providing prospective employers with references as to his driving experience, this information, if so required, may be obtained from the Registrar of Vehicles Department on payment of a nominal search fee of $2.”
“Our new driving licence is made of good quality paper (rag paper) which, if carefully handled, should easily last up to its renewal date, be it one year or three years' time, as the case may be. It has been suggested, however, that our driving licences could perhaps be plasticized, as in the case of our identity cards. I have given instructions for such a feasibility study to be made. One problem immediately presents itself. Should we decide to issue plastic-type driving licences, it will be necessary to do so at a central place whereas, at present, for the convenience of the public, we have already decentralised the renewal of driving licences whereby a person can renew his driving licence on the spot at any of 15 specified post offices. Another practical difficulty is that sometimes particulars in the driving licence have to be altered; for example, disqualification of the driver from driving a certain class of vehicle. With the plastic driving licence, it would be difficult to effect such an amendment on it. As regards the question of the inclusion of the date of first issue in the driving licence, there are certain practical difficulties which must be pointed out. The present driving licence is a composite one authorising its holder, if he has passed the relevant test, to drive a number of classes of vehicles such as motorcycle, motorcar, heavy motorcar, motor tractor, etc. The dates of authorisation for the driver to drive the various classes of vehicles are likely to be different and it is not possible to record these dates on the driving licence without having to produce an oversized driving licence.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, air passengers who remain inside the Transit Lounge of our Paya Lebar Airport do not require luggage storage facilities as their baggage would be transferred directly from one aircraft to another by the airlines concerned. However, for those transit passengers who go through the arrival formalities, there are two rooms in the Arrival Block to keep their baggage. If they do not wish to leave their baggage in these rooms, they will have to make separate arrangements with the airline offices concerned at the Airport. The baggage of arriving passengers is, at present, being handled by three different organisations. Our Department of Civil Aviation handles the baggage of seven airlines, K.L.M. handles two (including its own) and Malaysia-Singapore Airlines 14. As this arrangement is unsatisfactory, a study is afoot for the early formation of a separate company to handle the baggage of all arriving and departing passengers at Paya Lebar Airport. Our Department of Civil Aviation is also planning to install at least two more conveyor belts in the Arrival Block (making a total of four) in order to speed up the conveyance of baggage to the Customs examination area after they have been taken off the aircraft. The work will be carried out as soon as plans for certain modifications to the existing terminal building have been finalised. When completed, it will be possible for passengers to claim their own baggage from the conveyor belts, thus speeding up the movement of baggage at the arrival channels. DRIVING LICENCES 9. Mr Ng Yeow Chong asked the Minister for Communications if he will consider the issuing of a more durable driving licence and including the date of first issue in it.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am grateful to the Member for Sembawang for making his speech. The position is quite clear to him as, in his constituency, the business of shipbuilding and ship repair is going on there on a really big scale. Government has decided to go quite deeply into this industry because it is very labour intensive and will greatly help to create more job opportunities for our people. I do not think I need to speak further except to say that we hope we can encourage and establish more shipbuilding yards and ship-repairing yards in Singapore and, as the Member has put it, in course of time to gain a reputation as good as the port has as the fourth largest port in the world in its present capacity to handle cargoes. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Yong Nyuk Lin]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. NATIONAL SERVICE (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 3.40 p.m.”
“The Government has decided, and the Authority has agreed, that after the shares and the debenture loans have been issued by the Company to the Authority, the P.S.A. would hand over these shares and debenture loans to the Government free of charge. In order to carry out the Government's decision, certain amendments would need to be made to the Port of Singapore Authority Ordinance. The purpose of this Bill, therefore, is to amend the Port of Singapore Authority Ordinance so as to enable the Authority to transfer without consideration all the securities of Keppel Shipyard (Private) Ltd, held by the Authority to the Government. This is achieved by new section 31B in clause 2 of the Bill. The Bill also provides for the transfer of Dockyard personnel to the Company on terms as near as may be to those applicable to such persons immediately prior to the transfer. The Bill also makes clear beyond doubt that the Company shall have all the powers of a company under the Companies Act, 1967, including the power to change its name or alter its articles of association. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." In April last year the Government decided that the Port of Singapore Authority should form under section 29 of the Port of Singapore Authority Ordinance, 1963, a private limited company to take over as a going concern the dockyard undertakings of the Authority. The Authority also agreed that the assets and liabilities of the dockyard would be handed over to the new company. Accordingly, the company was incorporated on 3rd August, 1968, under the name of the Singapore Dry Dock and Engineering Co. Ltd, with a registered share capital of $250 million. On 23rd August, 1968, the Company, by resolution, changed its name to Keppel Shipyard (Private) Ltd., and the new name was accordingly registered with the Registrar of Companies. The assets and liabilities to be transferred to the Company include approximately 78 acres of land, six dry docks, the buildings, plant and machinery of the former Dockyard Department of the Port of Singapore Authority, as well as the PSA's shareholding of its wholly-owned subsidiary, the Singapore Slipway and Engineering Co. Ltd. Also included in the handover is the transfer of half a million dollars in cash on 1st September, 1968, and $8� million in Treasury Bills on 2nd September, 1968, totalling $9 million, which represent the accrued profits from 1st January, 1967. The total value of these assets and liabilities amounts to $100 million. In return and as consideration for the handover of the assets and liabilities, the Company would issue to the Port of Singapore Authority fully paid up shares and debenture loans totalling $100 million.”
“Although seven senior officers have left the service of the Port of Singapore Authority within the last five months, I can assure the Member for Jalan Kayu that these resignations are not likely to have any adverse effects on the continued efficient administration of the Authority. Of the seven who have left the service of the P.S.A. for various reasons, four were expatriate officers. Of these, one has had his contract of service terminated by the Authority, and three resigned to take up appointments in Fiji, the United Kingdom, and in the World Bank respectively. Of the three local officers who have resigned, one decided not to renew his contract of service and has since joined the Development Bank of Singapore, whilst the other two have decided to join local commercial firms to better their prospects. JURONG TOWN (Excessive speeding by drivers of earth-carrying lorries) 7. Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for Defence what steps the Police are taking to curb excessive speeding by some drivers of earth-carrying lorries in Jurong Town, as such drivers are endangering the lives of other road-users.”
“Sir, in common with most major world ports, the Port of Singapore Authority does not operate its own salvage service but depends on the services of experienced professional salvors, of which there are a number operating in Singapore who can efficiently and effectively remove underwater obstructions and wrecks. PORT OF SINGAPORE AUTHORITY (Resignations of senior officials) 6. Mr Hwang Soo Jin asked the Minister for Communications if he will make a statement on the reported resignations of some senior officials of the Port of Singapore Authority recently, and whether those resignations are likely to have adverse effects upon the administration of the Authority.”
“All individual pilots and tugs are equipped with portable transceivers, and, in addition, tugs are equipped with very high frequency transceivers capable of operating in the International Ship-to-Ship frequencies. Privately-owned tugs which operate with P.S.A. pilots are also similarly equipped. SINGAPORE HARBOUR (Removal of underwater obstructions) 5. Mr Hwang Soo Jin asked the Minister for Communications whether there are adequate facilities to ensure the swift removal of underwater obstructions in the form of sunken hulls in the Singapore Harbour.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the narrowest point in the Straits of Singapore is situated near the approaches to the port and an average of 100 ships pass daily through this 2�-mile wide channel between Pulau Sekijang Bendera on the Singapore side, and Batu Berhanti Lighthouse on the Indonesian side of the Straits based on a survey in February 1967. About half of these ships call at Singapore, whilst the other half are in transit from the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and vice versa. It is considered that the sealanes in the approaches to the port are adequate to cope with the increasing volume of traffic, but it has been felt for some time that a system of traffic separation scheme would be desirable. The Singapore Government, therefore, submitted tentative proposals to the inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation, a United Nations agency, in September 1967, and Japan also forwarded similar proposals about the same time. Both proposals are now under study by I.M.C.O. The Japanese Government has recently undertaken a preliminary hydrographic survey of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in co-operation with the Governments of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, as a step prior to the establishment of such a traffic separation scheme. I am pleased to assure the Member for Jalan Kayu that the Port of Singapore Authority has sufficient experienced pilots to ensure the safe movement of vessels in Singapore waters, and their number is steadily increasing as junior local pilots recruited under the Authority's Pilotage Training Scheme develop and gain experience. There are at present 40 qualified harbour pilots in the Port Master's Department and 37 local trainee pilots in the process of being trained for the posts of harbour pilot.”
“To meet daily expenses is already a difficult task, and to spend half of one month's salary on this operation would be impossible. Because I am in dire need of this operation and have therefore taken the liberty to write to you, and I hope that you will he able to recommend me to one of the Government Hospitals to have this safe and simple operation done.' Sir, I was indeed touched by the highly responsible outlook of this man, over his deep concern over the welfare of his wife and family. I therefore gave instructions that this man's wishes for vasectomy be met at the earliest possible date. I am pleased to state that the simple and successful operation was performed by none other than the Professor of Surgery, Mr Chan Kong Thoe, of the University of Singapore, and I was privileged to be present at the operation which took place in the Outram Road General Hospital on 26th January, 1968. I understand that both the Professor and the patient are most happy and satisfied with the results of the operation. The operation was done free of charge for this man. Of course, under this Bill, we shall be asking for a nominal fee of $5, hereafter, for such operations. 5.55 p.m.”
“According to information given to me she is in the most fertile age group. When I had my fourth child, I had starteti to practise birth control. Despite this I had two more children. This is most distressing. I have tried all the methods of birth control, and the latest method used was the oral pills, which my wife had been taking for the past few years. But unfortunately she did not agree with the pills and developed rashes all over her body. She had consulted a doctor who gave her injections and medicines to take by mouth but these were of no avail. This is most distressing. When the Family Planning Board held its exhibition at the Victoria Memorial Hall this year, I specially went there to learn more about family planning. At that exhibition I bought a book on "The hows and whys of modern family planning". After carefully studying this book I am convinced that vasectomy as described in that book is the best method of birth control for me. So I went to the Family Planning Clinic at the Kandang Kerbau Hospital for advice and service. I was told by a nurse in the clinic that at the moment the Government does not provide this service and that if I wanted this service I should write to you and perhaps you may be able to give me some guidance. Finally she also recommended me to Youngberg Memorial Hospital where this service is being provided. Mr Minister, when I went to the Youngberg Hospital to enquire about this service, I was surprised to hear from a member of the staff there that the operation fee alone was $108.00, and inclusive of medicines and injections the total charges would come to about $130.00. My monthly salary is only $252.00 with which I have to feed a family of eight. Moreover, three of my children are in middle schools and two in primary schools.”
“22 of 1965) tabled in this Parliament on 27th September, 1965: Choice of Family Planning Methods '5.2 It is the aim of this Plan therefore to be both bold and imaginative by offering all who want Family Planning a "menu card" as it were, of choices in the following order of preference: (a) Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD). (b) Contraceptive Pill (CP). (c) Surgical sterilisation through ligation, etc.(for those with 6 or more children). (d) Diaphragm with Paste. (e) Vaginal tablet types. (f) Condoms. (g) Rhythm method. but the whole emphasis of the Plan is to offer IUCD.' For some years now, our Kandang Kerbau Maternity Hospital has been performing a few hundred of such cases each year, at the request of the mothers concerned. In the case of surgical sterilization for males, which in medical jargon is called vasectomy, the method seems to be popular in some countries like India, where it has recently been reported that as many as 5,7 million have been sterilized, of whom 80 per cent are males, in Singapore, however, vasectomy has not quite caught on. I think this House will be interested in a true case history which occurred when I was in the Ministry of Health. On 11th December, 1967, I received a letter in Chinese from a Naval Base worker and the free English translation goes as follows: 'Dear Minister Yong, I shall be pleased if you could let me know whether our Government Hospitals provide services for the sterilization of men - i.e. vasectomy. I intend to undergo this sterilization as a means of family planning. I am a Singapore Citizen and I now have six children already, their ages ranging from 15 years, 14 years, 13 years, 11 years, 7 years and l½ years. I am now 41 years of age and my wife is 34 years old.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is with pleasure that I rise again to speak in full support of the Voluntary Sterilization Bill now before this House. Surgical sterilization through ligation is the most reliable contraceptive method, as it involves the snipping-off and tying up of either the Fallopian tubes in the case of the female, or the seminal tubes in the case of the male. This method is generally asked for by women who already have more children than they can adequately care for, and the simple operation is normally done immediately after childbirth. I have witnessed such an operation. It is the most convenient contraceptive method for women, especially: (a) those in the low income group who need a reliable family planning method which is permanent and without incurring any recurrent cost; (b) those whose education is low and therefore have difficulty understanding the anatomy of the body and the whys and wherefores of conception; and (c) those whose husbands, unfortunately, are most uncooperative and show little understanding and feeling, by refusing to countenance any visible form of contraception being practised. Surgical sterilization, fortunately, is not a controversial issue as mentioned by my colleague, the Minister for Health, as in the case of legalisation of abortion and is generally being accepted as the most reliable method for family planning purposes. This is nothing new therefore and is, in fact, offered as the number three order of priority to women in Singapore as a family planning method under the Government's Five-Year Mass Family Planning programme. I would now like to quote the following relevant paragraph of the White Paper on Family Planning (Command Paper No.”
“The Honourable Member is aware that at present there are two Industrial Arbitration Courts and whether there should be one or two such Courts, or even three, is dependent on the number of cases that have to be dealt with. Provision, however, is made in the 1969 Estimates for two Industrial Arbitration Courts."”
“Just as we respect the views of those who differ, so should they respect the views of others who want to have legal abortions and to exercise their legal rights. In conclusion, I say a vote to liberalise the law on abortion is a vote for progressive legislation and for the full emancipation of our women. If Members have to disagree on this Bill, the least they can do is to abstain from voting. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." - [Mr Chua Sian Chin]. Adjourned accordingly at Six o'clock p.m. WRITTEN ANSWER TO QUESTION Wednesday, 9th April, 1969 The following Question for Oral Answer stood on the Order Paper of 9th April, 1969 :- INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION COURTS (Abolition) 1. Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour whether he proposes to abolish one or both Industrial Arbitration Courts." Pursuant to Standing Order No. 20 (2) , the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour supplied the following answer: - 1. "The Honourable Member is aware that the Industrial Arbitration Court is set up under the Industrial Relations Ordinance (No. 20 of 1960). Section 3 (1) of the Industrial Relations Ordinance provides that there shall be one or more Industrial Arbitration Courts to be presided over by a President or Deputy President to be appointed by the President of Singapore in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. If we are going to do away with the Industrial Arbitration Court, we will also have to do away with the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1960, and this the Government does not intend to do.”
“Let us not have one law for the rich and another for the middle class and the poor, who resort to all kinds of dangerous forms of induced abortions just because they cannot afford to pay the high sum and the price for a "legal" abortion to be performed in the aseptic conditions of a private well-equipped clinic or hospital under the present law. Why am I so confident that only the minority oppose the liberalising of the law on abortion? Taking family planning as the cue, when implementing the Five-Year Mass Family Planning programme in 1966, a senior official of the Health Ministry (since retired) in the Maternal and Child Health Department asked: "What are we to do with staff (doctors and nurses) who are opposed to family planning on religious grounds?" My answer was a straightforward administrative one. "Ask them to put in writing that they wish to be excused from family planning work on religious grounds and we can then transfer them out to other sections in the Ministry - we do not sack them where their religious scruples need not be embarrassed." The result was a request for transfer by only two members of the staff (one doctor and one nurse) out of a staff of hundreds. That is all! To those who oppose this Bill, we simply say no one is being compelled to have abortions. The affected woman has to decide, of her own free will, that she wants it. No one is going to force her to do it. She has to come to that conclusion herself. The decision is something for her to make. So if you must oppose this Bill, you are at liberty not to have an abortion. Have your baby, it is yours to have and to hold, but please leave others alone and do not interfere with the wishes of others who want a legal abortion. Do not stand in their way. Stay off!”
“But because of the so-called ethics practised in the medical profession that of secrecy between doctor and patient - very little comes out unless a fatality or a scandal occurs. So you hear very little about it. But it is going on. It must be said for the profession, however, that most doctors will not be prepared to perform abortions under the present Jaw, but, unfortunately, many doctors are painfully aware of the unsavoury "goings-on" of some of their compatriots who have less scruples and are performing these supposedly "illegal" abortions, raking in the money and exploiting the desperation of many women in Singapore. Let me now read out a relevant paragraph of the White Paper mentioned by my Friend across the Floor on Family Planning (Command Paper 22 of 1965), which was published on 27th September, 1965, paragraph 8.2: 'Purpose of 5-Year Plan It should not be forgotten that many women in desperation over innumerable child-bearing, are resorting to illegal abortion as a way out. Every year nearly 500 patients are being admitted to Kandang Kerbau Maternity Hospital in serious condition, and their cases are clinically diagnosed as being "abortions with sepsis", and these could well have been the result of unsuccessful attempts at induced abortion. It is estimated that for every one who is hospitalised there may be as many as five going undetected. This yearly tragedy of suffering and exploitation of thousands of women which sometimes result in death must be stopped!' Sir, let us put a stop to these malpractices by making it legal for our women to have abortions if they so desire.”
“All those who practise family planning, and they must include many Members in this House and those outside this House, must know how easily con traceptive failures can arise, whatever the method used - be it the rhythm method, which is reported to have as high a failure rate as 75 per cent - a most unreliable method indeed, and other methods like a tear in the condom, whether through age or faulty manufacture, or vaginal cream which has gone off because of time or temperature or being inadequately spread out, or forgetting to take the contraceptive pill for one occasion, or impatience or over-zealousness on the part of one or both partners. I do not think I need go further into the subject. But it is patently clear that contraceptive failures occur inevitably, sometime and somehow, with the woman missing her next menstrual period - the first sure sign that conception has taken place. What then? Why do we practise family planning? In these circumstances, I say the woman who decides to have an abortion should feel free to seek this remedy, and not be made to feel like a criminal and an outcast of society for wanting to commit a so-called illegal act. This matter should be treated as if an "accident" had occurred, just as we would treat cases that come to the Emergency Unit of our General Hospital at present. It is then the duty of Government to have the best facilities available to rectify the "accident" which has arisen and to heal and repair any damage that may have been caused. As my colleague, the Minister for Health, said yesterday in his speech, it is possible for those who are rich and able to pay the price for abortions to be performed legally under the guise of dilatation and curettage (i.e., dilatation of the neck of the womb). That is what abortion is.”