Zulkifli bin Mohammed
Singapore
“This is because there is little or no opportunity at all for this group of people to undergo training, as many of the SMEs they are employed in have not been involved in training, as they are too preoccupied with bottom-line profits and survival.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head S of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code SI 1500. Sir, the first point I wish to raise is on noise induced deafness.”
“Sir, I also share my colleague's view on the concern about safety and fatalities at hazardous work sites. Sir, I would like to touch on the safety management system and safety audit whereby, last year, some tough regulations were introduced.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head S of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code SL 1500. Sir, I just like to know from the Ministry what plans do they have to expand further the level of cooperation between the Ministry and the NTUC in the field of safety and health programmes.”
“Sir, the issue I wish to address is hit-and-run accidents that hit the newspaper headlines recently. 1.30 pm Sir, in 1993, there were three fatalities but this had jumped to eight in 1994 and it shows an increasing trend and therefore a great cause for concern.”
“In addition, overcrowding at public entertainment places is now under better control, as owners are taking steps to limit the admission rate to the permissible level. The bottom line, Sir, is that so far the Fire Safety Act has worked well and the beneficiaries of course are Singaporeans who can now feel safer.”
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“Yes. Sir, I am just coming to my question. Can the Minister enlighten the House as to what measures it is taking to tackle this problem and control the number of NID cases from rising?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head S of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code SI 1500. Sir, Noise Induced Deafness (NID) is currently the number one occupational disease. Records have shown that with concerted efforts and implementation of necessary control measures, any occupational disease can be reduced significantly. For example, NID dropped from a peak figure of 1,689 cases in 1986 to 691 cases in 1989. However, incidences of NID are showing an upward trend again since 1990. Sir, it is not good enough to require employers to send their employees who are exposed to occupational diseases for periodic medical examination. More can be done. In our efforts to arrest NID, it is important to ensure that workers are made aware of the consequences of being exposed to high noise levels. In addition, hearing conservation as well as awareness programmes must be taken to further protect our workers.”
“Sir, I am happy with the steps taken by the Ministry of Labour and the assurances given. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“The safety audit is to evaluate the effectiveness and intelligence of the safety system and practice as well as to recommend corrective and improvement measures. What is required is an independent audit and not an in-house audit. In the light of the recent spate of accidents at Sembawang Shipyard and Ginza Plaza, I would like to know what follow-up action is the Ministry taking to put in place a safety audit system and how will the Ministry monitor such a system.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head S of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code SH 1500. Sir, in the decade spanning from 1980 to 1990, it is gratifying to note that there was a significant drop in the number of industrial accidents in Singapore. The drop in industrial accidents has been attributed to the strict observance and compliance of the safety systems and the role played by Safety Committees. An effective Safety Committee can help maintain occupational safety and health (OSH) standard at the workplace as it is self-regulatory and emphasises on ongoing surveillance. However, a Safety Committee must be committed to OSH and should not be just a token committee. I must say that the Ministry of Labour has been farsighted and must be commended for introducing the Factories (Safety Committee) Regulations in 1975. In recent years, and in particular last year, it has been observed that the accident rate is on the upward trend and this is a matter of concern. Does this current situation reflect that there is a slackening in the safety enforcement and surveillance or is there now a 'tidak apa' attitude towards safety and health by all those who have a role to play in this area? With regard to this matter, I would like to ask the Minister what measures the Ministry is taking to check this trend in industrial accidents. How does the Ministry monitor the progress of the work of the Safety Committees and also check on factories, shipyards and workplaces? Sir, another matter is on the issue of safety audit. In my opinion, Sir, the emplacement of a safety audit system is long overdue to ensure that the workplaces, in particular shipyards, are safe for workers to work.”
“Sir, I am happy with the positive replies given by the Minister and I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, the Fast Response Medic (FRM) Service came on the scene in Singapore towards the fourth quarter of last year as a pilot scheme involving medics on motorcycles. If we could recall, its objective is to provide faster response time to accident victims whilst at the same time enabling more lives to be saved. Sir, despite the relatively short period that it has been in operation, it is no exaggeration to say that there is no lack of public interest on its progress, in particular, whether the FRMs have significantly reduced the time taken to respond to road accident victims. In this connection, I would like to raise two other points. Firstly, has the Ministry of Home Affairs been able to make some kind of assessment on the performance of the FRMs to-date? Secondly, whether the Ministry sees the need now to set up more FRMs for a wider coverage. Perhaps the Ministry should also consider extending the service to cover other kinds of accidents and not just confining it to road accidents. At the same time, Sir, I am told that the SCDF is looking at some new measures to improve our Emergency Ambulance Service (EAS). I would like to take this opportunity to ask what are the future plans for the EAS that are already in the pipeline and when will it be implemented.”
“Sir, with Singapore being a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world, the question that is sometimes asked is whether our Police personnel have enough on their hands to keep them occupied. This has come as no surprise to us and should be seen in a positive light as it reflects the success of our Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP) system. Sir, after almost 10 years, the concept and practice of community policing is now well established. Today, the Police and the public look upon each other as partners in combating crimes and there is close rapport and cooperation. It has shown results in that members of the public are more prepared to come forward to assist the Police and to report crime. I am made to understand that a significant percentage of crimes were solved with assistance from members of the public. The rapport of our NPPs and the community is so close that sometimes families call up the NPPs for assistance to resolve domestic disputes and quarrels with neighbours. Sir, it is apparent that more and more of such cases, albeit non-criminal in nature, will come to the fore and Police involvement is expected. This is inevitable because Singaporeans have become more vocal and demanding and they expect a better standard of service from the Police and can be critical if such a service is not forthcoming. Sir, I would like to suggest that our men and women in blue be further equipped with relevant human relations and social skills to enable them to be better prepared in handling neighbourhood problems. Sir, in the last Committee of Supply debate, the Minister indicated that the NPP system would be reviewed to make it even more effective. Can the Minister inform the House whether the review has been carried out and what are some of the key recommendations made?”
“One clear benefit that has already been mentioned is that the NCSS can play a more effective role in strategic welfare planning working together with other agencies. This will come about as the relationship between the NCSS, CCS and the VWOs together with MCD becomes more clearly defined in the future. In this way, we can minimise duplication and overlapping and maximise resources to the fullest. Another benefit which I welcome is the increased funding by the Government. In this way, it will help to lessen the burden of the fund-raising efforts by the VWOs. Sir, one other benefit worthy of mention is the procedure for determining the composition of the NCSS Board, which allows for self-renewal in leadership. Besides ensuring a balanced mix of persons with the right expertise, by restricting the elected Board members to hold office for not more than three consecutive two-year terms, in my view, is a reasonable time frame for contributions to be made. Having said that, Sir, I wish to raise one point with the Minister. This is regarding the post of the President of the NCSS and Chairman of the CCS who will be appointed by the Minister. It appears that they can hold office indefinitely. To be consistent, a time bar on holding of office should also apply to these Government appointees. Could the Minister please comment on this matter? Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, like my colleague, Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, I would like to lend my support to the Bill which is geared towards rationalising the overall infrastructure of welfare services in Singapore. I am happy to note that much thought, planning and consultation had been done among all relevant parties over the past two years or so before the Bill was introduced in this Chamber. Thus, more than ample opportunities were given towards a full airing of views and opinions and obtaining relevant inputs to arrive at a consensus to restructure the Singapore Council of Social Service into the new National Council of Social Service. Sir, I share the Minister's view that the SCSS, since its inception more than 20 years ago, has made invaluable contributions in the field of voluntary welfare services by playing its role as a coordinating body. It has brought plenty of joy, happiness and sunshine into the lives of the less fortunate in our society. Together with its fund-raising arm, the Community Chest of Singapore, or better known as the CCS, more funds were made available in recent years that had enabled the provision of better and improved services. However, Sir, there is always the need for any national organisation to move ahead with the times, more so in our fast changing environment in Singapore. New social problems will emerge that require new approaches to tackle the problems. It is in this context, Sir, that I see the formation of the National Council of Social Service to replace the present Singapore Council of Social Service. Sir, as someone who has been associated with the SCSS for a while now, I am confident that this is a move in the right direction, bearing in mind the benefits to be derived.”
“Sir, although I am not quite happy with the answer given on the SBS case, I withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I am satisfied with the Minister's answer and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, may I just ask the Minister when will these amendments be completed?”
“Could the Minister also tell the House what progress has been made so far with regard to additional measures being taken to further improve fire safety in Singapore and what has been done to tighten our fire safety standards.”
“Thank you, Sir. One of the main reasons for the high incidence of death in buildings when a big fire breaks out is the lack of fire safety features. It need not be over-emphasised that buildings must be designed with adequate fire safety features so that in the event of an inferno people have a reasonable chance to escape and firemen have a fair chance of fighting the flames and protecting people and property. Fortunately, in modern Singapore, with its many high-rise buildings, there is a high level of fire safety consciousness. Last year, there were over 5,000 fires and the total value of property lost was over $20 million. Some lives were also lost. Some of our older buildings, because they were built long before we have our current fire safety laws, remain fire hazardous. I am aware that the SJCDF has imposed stringent and high standards upon themselves to ensure that they run an efficient fire service and have very sound contingency plans to deal with major fire disasters. But I believe more can be done. For example, we need to constantly review the fire safety standards in our laws, and focus particular attention to the role of management of public buildings in ensuring that fire prevention measures are carried out. In this regard, Sir, I recall that in 1989, the Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs mentioned about the need to review our fire safety legislation by giving more powers to the Singapore Fire Service to deal with, among other things, offences such as causing obstruction to fire escape routes. Since then, I would like to know whether there has been an increase in the number of offences detected amongst building owners or occupiers and what enforcement action has been taken.”
“Another point I wish to raise, Sir, is regarding the comfort in our ambulance fleet. I understand that only some of our ambulances are air-conditioned. Could the Minister inform the House whether there are plans to air-condition the whole ambulance fleet or, if not, what steps are being taken to make our non-airconditioned ambulances more comfortable. Sir, since I have another cut, may I proceed with it?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head Q be reduced by $10 in respect of Code QE 1500 of the Main Estimates. Sir, not many of us know at close quarters what it takes to be an ambulance officer with the Emergency Ambulance Service. I am told it is not uncommon to see an ambulance crew attending to four to five cases a day, ranging from a rush-hour road accident to a suicide attempt. Despite being subjected to tremendous work pressures and sometimes the most trying of situations, I am also told that the ambulance crew demonstrate a high level of commitment and dedication. Sir, the integration of the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Fire Service took place two years ago and one desirable outcome is the efficient Emergency Ambulance Service that the public is able to have access to. I am happy to read from recent newspaper reports that most emergency calls were responded to within eight minutes. Given the present traffic volume on our roads, this is no mean achievement and something that all Singaporeans can be proud of. However, Sir, I am concerned that it may be difficult to maintain such fast response at all times. For example, during peak hours, our ambulances may get held up and may not be able to keep within the eight minutes norm. The situation may worsen when our roads become more congested in future. Accidents may also increase, and of concern here are accidents involving pedestrians as our population becomes older. Thus, I can foresee a scenario where lives may be in grave danger which could result in unnecessary loss of lives. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether the SJCDF is taking measures to further improve the Emergency Ambulance Service to ensure that high standards can be maintained at all times in the future.”
“Sir, the task of maintaining law and order and the security of our country rests not only on the full-time police personnel, but also on part-time personnel. Without the part-time personnel helping out to combat crimes on our streets, the Singapore Police Force could not have achieved the success rate that it has attained today to make Singapore one of the safest countries in the world. Sir, the subject which I wish to raise here is on police reservists. Unlike their SAF counterparts, the police reservists do not enjoy much glamour and publicity. But it does not follow that their presence is insignificant. It is therefore not unexpected that, to the public, not much is known about the role and duties of police reservists. In my view, Sir, due recognition must be accorded to them as it is essential that they can give of their best at all times. Perhaps the Minister could inform the House whether their number is significant and growing and whether they constitute a valuable resource supplementing the limited number of regular police officers and police national servicemen. Also, I would like to know what plans does the Ministry of Home Affairs have to enhance and maximise the contribution of police reservists.”
“It will not only cut down the cost of educating their children, it will also give children from the poorer families the opportunity to improve on their academic results and take up some courses which they hitherto could not afford. In order that the scheme may be successful, we should encourage and advise the lower income group to make use of the Edusave scheme. I hope that the authorities concerned will avoid imposing unnecessary conditions and cumbersome procedures for the use of the Edusave scheme because if this is so, then those parents who are less educated will not come forward to make use of the Edusave scheme and it will defeat our objectives. Maybe we should, as far as possible, simplify the procedures for the application of the Edusave fund. We may even think of adopting some procedure which is as simple and convenient as the use of credit card. Then, I am sure both the parents and teachers will give full support to the scheme. At the moment, the Ministry of Education is studying the concept of the preparatory course for primary education. If the result of the study is that the preparatory course is to be considered an important part and a necessary link in our primary education, then the Edusave scheme should be extended to include pupils of the preparatory course so that they can also benefit from this scheme. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion.”
“This system, which deviates from the past practice, is in keeping with our philosophy of giving full play to the potential of every Singapore citizen. It merits our support. Presently, in the university, only engineering courses are taking in a good number of polytechnic students. I hope that other disciplines, such as computer courses, science and business administration will also follow the footstep of the Engineering Department to open their doors to absorb more polytechnic graduates. The announcement of running part-time undergraduate courses and the introduction of mature student scheme give those people who had missed their university education an opportunity to obtain tertiary education. Presently, there are many people in Singapore who are studying, on a part-time basis, for external degrees from overseas universities. They are doing quite a wide range of courses, such as engineering, law, accountancy, business administration and so on. As these degrees are conferred by overseas university, apart from the difficulties in getting instructions for their studies, the cost is also exorbitant. Once the part-time courses in our universities are started, we should allow the present part-time students to be admitted into our university courses in accordance with their current level. It would be a great benefit to them. The proposed Edusave scheme will give some subsidy to every student between the age of 6 and 16. A few hundred dollars per year will be granted as part of each child's educational cost. To the lower income group, a few hundred dollars is quite a handsome sum of money. So I feel that this Edusave scheme is of particular significance to the lower income group.”
“In the debate yesterday, the Ministry of Education also announced that by next year, 10 primary schools will be converted into full day, single- sessions schools. The Ministry of Education has in the past been selecting the better schools for their new projects. I feel that, since the full day schools will be particulary effective in helping students who are not doing so well, the Ministry of Education should also select some schools whose results are not so good to take part in the pilot project of conversion into full day schools. In this way, we will be able to make sure that students who are not doing so well will be able to benefit under the new scheme earlier. The preparatory course was originated from the former pre-primary course. It is gradually becoming part and parcel of our primary school education. The free education measure has also benefited the students in the preparatory class. But it is pointed out in the Addendum that the preparatory class is not part and parcel of the formal education system. Not long ago, the Ministry of Education indicated that about $20-odd nominal fees will be charged for pupils of the preparatory class. This may be a small amount, but it may not be affordable to every family. On the principle that if everyone, rich or poor, shall be entitled to at least primary school education, I hope that the Ministry of Education will continue to provide free education in the preparatory classes. The Government wants to give more opportunities to enable students to go into polytechnics from the VITB. It will also set aside more places in the University for graduates of polytechnics. This is a very praiseworthy measure.”
“In order to remain an important communication, transport and financial centre in this highly competitive world, we must continuously enhance the quality of our people. It is only thus will we be able to stay ahead of other countries. As a result of enhancing the quality of our people, more Singaporeans will engage in more value-added and productive activities so as to raise our standard of living. The Addendum to the President's Speech has made very comprehensive proposals for the improvement of our education through the improvement to the quality of our teachers, teaching methods and better facilities, and the establishment of single-session schools. The Government's great determination to improve the quality of our education with such comprehensive proposals certainly deserves our full support. I particularly support the concept of a full day school in primary and secondary schools. As pointed out by Dr Ong, it will be more in keeping with the needs and requirements of the working parents and give the children more time to be with their schoolmates. It will also give our schools the opportunity to maximise their potentials. The children who do well in their studies will then have a more comprehensive and enriched education. Full day schools will also provide students who have not been doing well with better facilities and more time to catch up in their studies, thus, directly improving the effect of school education. I feel that the implementation of full day schools will be very meaningful to those slower learners. It is also stated in the Addendum that about half of the schools will eventually be converted into full day schools by 1995.”
“A 1990 survey of volunteer manpower revealed that the participation rate of Singaporeans in welfare activities is still low when compared to other developed countries. We have only a 6% participation rate whereas in the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States of America, the rate is much higher at 12%, 25% and 39% respectively. It is obvious therefore that more attention needs to be focused in this direction, bearing in mind that the well-being of any community depends largely on the participation of people and community organisations working together with the Government. In conclusion, Sir, I would like to mention that one guiding principle stands out clearly in the process of nation building over the past 25 years. This guiding principle has been, and will continue to be, how to motivate and help Singaporeans from all walks of life, regardless of race, religion or culture to work together as a people, participating in and contributing towards our progress, and in creating a secure, prosperous and vibrant nation where each and every Singaporean can find fulfilment in life. On this note, Sir, I support the motion moved by the Member for Toa Payoh GRC. Dr Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang)( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion in the name of the Member for Toa Payoh GRC. In the Presidential Address, it is stated that our people are our best resource. So we must give full play to every potential of every Singaporean. It is also stated that through providing our people with better education, we will achieve these objectives. Unlike other countries which are fortunate to have rich natural resources, Singapore has only human resources.”
“It would not be an exaggeration to say that a good number of middle-management and senior civil servants are detached from real life situations confronting the layman. The time has come for the bureaucrats to be good listeners (by not interpreting things in clear-cut "Yes" or "No"), to be more sensitive to people's feelings and be made more accountable to the public for their actions. On the question of increasing individual assets, Mr Speaker, Sir, the plan to enable poor families to own their own homes must be given top marks. It is indeed heartening to note that the Government has accepted the harsh reality that there is a segment of our community, albeit small, that cannot keep pace with the rest of the population because they are handicapped by adverse family circumstances. This benign gesture on the part of the Government reflects well that we are for the ordinary man and our deeds and actions manifest so. In this connection, like my colleague, Mr Loh Meng See, I support the proposal by the Member for Jalan Besar GRC for a "two-generation home loan scheme" which merits further study. Finally, Mr Speaker, Sir, I note that in the President's Speech, no direct reference is made to the physically and mentally handicapped. Therefore, permit me to say a few words on this subject. We need to remind ourselves constantly of the need to show care and concern to this category of disadvantaged members of our society in line with our long-term goal of becoming a compassionate society. What is lacking in this area is that not many able-bodied citizens are coming forward to volunteer their services to residents who are housed in welfare institutions.”
“Participation should not be confined to forums, discussions or making representations to Select Committees, but should go beyond that. The higher-income earners must be prepared, in bigger numbers, to commit their time to grassroots or community-based organisations outside their career and professional associations. In this way, they can better feel the pulse of the nation and understand the constraints of the political leadership. In short, my appeal is for our better educated citizens to assume a higher profile in reshaping the path our nation will take as we chart through the uncertain future. We must proceed in this direction because, to quote the President: "Singapore is our home. It belongs to us, all of us. Each one shares in Singapore's security and future. Each has a stake in its wealth and prosperity." Next, Sir, I would like to touch on the Service Quality Improvement Unit under the Prime Minister's Office. In this regard, I concur with the view that its establishment is long, long overdue. To me, it is a most welcome development for I sincerely believe that it will go a long way to assuage public grievances against the bureaucracy which today they perceive has become too powerful. We have reached a stage in our nation's development whereby the man-in-the-street deserves to be accorded his due respect as fellow citizens when they come face-to-face with the large government machinery. Therefore, I back the suggestion for the setting up of a supervisory panel comprising MPs and perhaps private sector representatives as this would be a step in the right direction to achieve the desired objective of monitoring and improving upon the standard of public service.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate in thanking the President for his Address made on behalf of the Government sometime last week. To me, the Speech has great significance for future generations of Singaporeans. Having perused the main proposals contained in the book "The Next Lap", one cannot but have a good grasp of the Government's long-term plans and vision under Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong that will take Singapore through the next decade and beyond. It gives an insight into the collective thinking of our new set of younger leaders, their philosophy and their approaches to resolve difficult problems and face unforeseen challenges that lie ahead in the 21st Century. Mr Speaker, Sir, present day Singaporeans have been clamouring for a consultative style of government. Since 1985, they have experienced this and no one can deny that the Government today is less sensitive and has accommodated alternative views and accepted criticisms on a broad range of issues, including that which were once considered taboo, such as the gut issues of race, language and religion. By now Singaporeans would have realised that the common belief of being persecuted if they open up is mere hearsay. They should have no fear for so long as it is done in a frank, sincere and responsible manner. Only those who worked against the State or against national interests need to worry about the big stick of the Government coming down heavy on them. Hence, I consider the call for wider public participation from the Government on national issues farsighted. It requires a positive response from better endowed Singaporeans for an active participation in voicing their views and putting forth new ideas to issues and matters that affect their daily lives.”
“Sir, I support this Bill on the need for converting the existing laminated identity cards to credit-size identity cards which, as the Minister has explained, will be of superior quality and also on the need for re-registration at age 30 years. Sir, as a developing and progressive nation, it is only logical that we should take advantage of current technology to make improvements and, in this instance, to a system that was introduced 24 years ago. Although the Minister has given the assurance that the conversion exercise will be carried out smoothly and as efficiently as possible with minimum inconvenience, it is inevitable that there will still be a fair amount of public anxiety. Knowing that the IC is an important personal document, some fear that the law may catch up with them should they inadvertently fail to comply with certain requirements. With this in mind, Sir, I have some clarifications to seek from the Minister. Taking into account that the conversion exercise will involve mass re-registration, will the publicity campaign to be embarked upon in due course provide adequately the relevant details that the general public would like to know? Secondly, Sir, bearing in mind that existing identity cards will become invalid after a certain cut-off date, what provisions have been made for Singapore citizens who are abroad to convert their existing identity cards? Finally, Sir, whether any charges will be levied for replacement in the event of loss, damage or defaced identity cards after the conversion exercise has been completed? Sir, I would appreciate the Minister's comments on these matters.”
“Sir, I am satisfied with the Minister's reply and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“In this respect, could the Minister tell the House what new plans are being contemplated, firstly, to reach out to schools in order to stress upon students the importance of civil defence to civilians; secondly, to further assist the Civil Defence Coordinating Committees (CDCCs) play their roles at constituency level; and thirdly, to increase the pool of CD reservists? Regarding the CD reservists, perhaps the Ministry should consider expanding their role and scope so as to put their expertise to optimum use. Sir, I beg to move.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head Q be reduced by $10 in respect of Code QD 1500 of the Main Estimates. Sir, I shall not be speaking on the first amendment but I shall speak on my second cut which is on Civil Defence. Sir, the main aim of Civil Defence is to enhance the capability of our civilian population to survive any eventuality. Towards this end, extensive public education, training programmes and emergency exercises have been conducted over the past five to six years to provide opportunities for our people to learn how to cope with emergencies. Whilst I acknowledge that public participation in Civil Defence exercises has been good and encouraging, from my observation not many of our citizens are coming forward to volunteer as CD volunteers. In my view, Sir, this a cause for concern since by now the Civil Defence message is familiar to all Singaporeans but yet the response to become CD volunteers is not up to expectation. Why is this so? I believe this could be attributable to public apathy and an insufficient pool of trained CD personnel and expertise. Therefore, a review in this area may be in order. In particular, I would like to know what steps are being taken to increase the present core of CD regular officers and staff. Sir, I am of the opinion that a more active recruitment programme must be undertaken since it is in our long-term interest to see more citizens, especially the younger generation, involved in Civil Defence activities.”
“What they require is plenty of guidance and counselling over a reasonable period of time to enable them to progressively kick the habit. Finally, Sir, with regard to corporal punishment for serious indiscipline in the DRCs by hard-core repeaters, I am all for it because it would be a mockery if inmates who indulge in extreme indiscipline get away with light penalties. After all, the objective of any penal institution is to inculcate a strong sense of discipline for its inmates so that when they are released they could become better citizens. On this note, Sir, I once again support the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the proposed amendments to the Act. I am a bit shocked and surprised to hear the NCMP say that Singapore has the toughest law in the world, that we concentrate on punishment and deterrents and we enjoy inflicting bodily harm on people. But does he not acknowledge that we have been successful in containing our drug problem because we have opted for stiffer penalties? What is his solution for the long standing problem of increasing drug addicts throughout these years? He has not offered any. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, although the enhanced measures appear severe, we cannot deceive ourselves but come to grips with the drug problem and accept the harsh realities. The recent statistics have shown that we are reaching the 1970s' epidemic despite 12 years of fighting the drug war. Are we then not convinced that the drug menace is here to stay and the battle against drug abuse is unending? Is it therefore improper to introduce additional deterrent penalties so that the authorities could tackle more effectively the various aspects of the problem? Sir, I welcome the move to impose mandatory death penalty for cocaine, opium and the cannabis drug traffickers. It is indeed a move in the right direction since its significance lies in the fact that it will make it less attractive for international drug syndicates to use Singapore because of our strategic location as a transit centre for drug trafficking. On the amendment to put first-time drug abusers who are experimenters on supervision, I consider this in line with our sincere and serious efforts in wanting to rehabilitate first-time offenders, in that we recognise that drug victims are sick persons and not criminals.”
“Sir, in the reply given two years ago, it was mentioned that Bedok Reservoir only has a small population of 18,000 and therefore cannot justify the setting up of a post office. I would like to ask the Minister whether there is a certain population catchment before Telecoms decides to set up a post office, because Bedok Reservoir now has a resident population of about 45,000 to 50,000 people.”
“Lastly, I would like to commend the staff of Central Narcotics Bureau and related personnel for their effort and dedication in this arduous task of curbing and preventing the scourge of drug abuse. I hope their enthusiasm and efforts will continue to yield results. Their successes are already well-known. I hope they will relentlessly pursue with the control and solving of the problems of drugs. We shall continue to work with international societies to fight against insidious drug operations and strive for the liquidation of the scourge of drug abuse to mankind.”
“Our people must be aware of the danger and the harm drugs can do to them. Therefore, they must support the various measures by Central Narcotics Bureau in countering and reducing the trafficking and abuse of drugs. Drug syndicates have now moved away from Singapore for their operations. This is attributable to our anti-drug laws and effective enforcement measures. Drug smuggled nowadays include a new drug, cocaine. I would like to ask the Minister whether he would include them in the anti-drug laws to plug the loop-holes. At the same time, whether he would consider confiscating the assets and properties of drug traffickers so as to make drug trafficking a very unprofitable business activity. I am also concerned about the treatment given to drugaddicts, whose number is quite high. A distinction should be made between those who are new to drug taking, namely, the beginners and those habitual drug takers. There should be separate supervision for these two different groups. For the beginners who are willing to cut the habit, we can enlist the help of their parents and families and give themshorter periods of supervision and rehabilitation process to help such offenders to an early recovery so that they can resume a normal and more meaning- ful life as soon as possible. As for those stubborn and habitual drug addicts, they must be subjected to longer treatment to ensure that these people do not go back to their old habit once they are released. Drug taking is very harmful to young people both physically and mentally. We must always be vigilant to this and be always on guard against it.”
“Among these bodies is the Haiah Dakwah Committee. I also welcome the setting up, in the Ministry of Home Affairs itself, of a Working Committee which will be working closely with Malay community leaders and organizations to find a solution to this national problem. In this connection, I would like to know from the Minister what further efforts will be made by the Ministry. Lastly, Mr Chairman, we hear from media reports that cocaine abuse has reached epidemic levels in the United States and European countries. When the markets there become saturated, supplies would naturally change course and try to divert cocaine to this region, and this can happen in the not too distant future. I would like therefore to urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to take the necessary measures to prevent the spread of new drugs such as cocaine into Singapore and I would like to know from the Minister what plans the Ministry has in this regard. Mr Loh Meng See: (In Mandarin): Mr Chairman, Sir, in our bid to stop the smuggling and taking of drugs in Singapore, the Government has been quite successful. We have quite successfully contained the trafficking of drugs. In Europe and America, these countries are hit by the problem to which they are almost at a loss for many countering measures and are almost calling a truce to the long term war with the drug syndicates. In these countries the problem is getting worse with the widespread of the drugs involving huge sums of money. Drug pushers and addicts alike even dare to come out in the open and operate. Some countries even go to the extent of considering legalization of the drugs to allow for suitable amount of their use. We should never allow this situation to happen in Singapore.”
“(In Malay): Mr Chairman, although it has been 12 years since the success of Operation Ferret in 1977 in curbing drug abuse, the problem is still with us and is very worrying, particularly where it involves our youths. Apart from an increase in the number of new addicts, I understand that the relapse rate has now gone up as high as 70%. It appears to me from these facts that something might be lacking and I would like the hon. Minister to enlighten us on the effectiveness of the current treatment and rehabilitation programmes, such as the intensive counselling programme, the exit counselling programme and the five-phase treatment programme. I would like to know whether the philosophy of the authorities have changed as regards the method of treating the drug addicts. I would also like to know success rate of the present programmes and whether new problems are encountered. Regarding the high rate of addiction among Malays, that is, as we know, they comprise 68% of new addicts arrested during 1987 and 1988, as a Malay Member of Parliament I am concerned about the seriousness of this problem among Malay youths. Certainly, in view of such a high rate, something concrete must be done to combat this menace. I read in the Berita Minggu yesterday, somewhere in the middle pages, an article about the drug problem which highlighted several issues that we have to deal with in seeking an effective solution to the problem. And I agree that this is not a simple problem. It needs the involvement of all strata of society and should not bethe problem of any particular section of the community alone. In this regard, I am relieved that local Malay-Muslim bodies have responded to a call made last year and are willing to render their support to overcome this problem.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to touch on two points. Firstly, on the proposed integration of the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Fire Service. Sir, whilst some may question on the wisdom of this move, I agree with my GPC Chairman that there is a need to streamline and coordinate the two essential services. After all, their common mission is to protect and save lives during emergencies and it would certainly be beneficial in the long run through the sharing of resources and expertise, bearing in mind the present constraints faced by the two services. Having said that, Sir, my only reservation is that given the specialized nature of our fire-fighting services, I hope that the operational efficiency of the SFS would not be reduced with the integration. I would appreciate the Minister's comments on this matter. Secondly, Sir, I would like to speak on the Civil Defence Shelter Programme. It is already common knowledge that presently new HDB developments and nine underground MRT stations are covered under the initial phase of this programme. Also, a few Civil Defence shelter exercises involving the public have already been conducted. Sir, what I would like to know is whether an evaluation has already been done to-date, and what steps are being taken to extend the programme to other areas, in particular to the older HDB housing estates. One last point, Sir, which I wish to raise is on behalf of the residents of private housing estates. Whilst acknowledging that priority should be accorded to built-up areas, like HDB estates, I would like to suggest that the Ministry seriously consider construction of Civil Defence shelters in one or two private housing estates earlier than the planned schedule and not make them wait till the end of the queue.”
“Sir, on that note, I once again support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill and welcome the amendment to provide the enforcement authorities with more teeth in dealing with the touting problem which, if not checked, will certainly mar the international reputation of Singapore as a popular tourist destination. Sir, although the statistics just disclosed by the Hon. Senior Minister of State may not appear to be alarming, the trend is obvious. Because of the inadequacy of existing penalties, touting in public places is now a growing menace and that an increasing number of touts are those with secret society connections. It is thus appropriate for stiffer penalties to be introduced to arrest this problem. Sir, I note the proposed amendments, inter alia, spell out more specifically of what could constitute to be "minor offences" and "public places" and also give wider powers to the enforcement agencies. As such, some clarifications are needed as I foresee the proposed measures will cause anxiety to those in the sales industry who fear that their rice bowl may be affected. In this connection, Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Hon. Senior Minister of State the following questions: (1) Whether activities conducted by sales promoters and sales personnel in authorized public places (for example, departmental stores) are considered as touting since it involves approaching members of the public in order to solicit sales of their company's products? (2) whether door-to-door salesmen, some of whom adopt what may be regarded as aggressive sales tactics, will not be allowed to engage in this trade with the passage of the Bill; and (3) whether the enhanced enforcement measures incorporated in the Bill are sufficient to tackle the touting menace, in that it will effectively curb the number of repeat offenders.”
“Russell Kirk on Human Rights Dr Russell Kirk, whom the Member for Jalan Kayu has quoted before, is a Distinguished Fellow of the Heritage Foundation. This is an American conservative think-tank in Washington. He wrote about the American "Illusion of Human Rights" in his book "The Wise Men Know What Wicked Things Are Written on the Sky", and I quote him: 'It is not the mission of the United States to establish universally some imitation of the American political and economic order. Every people must find their own way to order and justice and freedom.' I wish the US State Department officials will take note - "Every people must find their own way to order and justice and freedom." EXEMPTED BUSINESS (Motion) Resolved, That the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. ACTION UNDER INTERNAL SECURITY ACT Debate resumed.”
“If I were a Filipino, I would feel obligated to the Americans, for the sacrifice of American lives for Filipino freedom. Indeed, that was how President Magsaysay felt when he campaigned for his Presidency in 1953. He said: 'The Republic of the Philippines is America's baby. We're in the same family.' Singapore But Singapore is not America's baby. We are nobody's baby. We are not an American responsibility. American troops never fought on our soil to defend our freedom. They have no military or defence obligations to Singapore. We never had an umbilical cord to the US, unlike Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines. They have or had defence treaties which made them US allies. South Korea and the Philippines still play host to US armed forces. Moreover, Taiwan and South Korea are divided nations with no membership of the United Nations, and they have problems over their international status. This makes their links with the US matters of life and death. They have to heed US advice, even on some domestic matters. We are not in such a position. We are not an ally with a formal treaty with the US. We are simply friends, good friends. Our links were with Britain. We have a Five Power Defence Arrangement with Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. Even then, no British diplomat had dared to interfere in our domestic affairs. No British diplomat had dared to do what Hendrickson, Snyder and Lambertson did. We are under no obligation whatsoever to put up with American sermonizing and interference. We do not have to accept their notions of human rights or their ideals of government or their efforts to make us more like a western society.”
“South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines have. South Korea Americans bore the brunt of the Korean war in 1950. They fought to contain communism and stop the North Koreans from overrunning all of Korea. They suffered 140,000 casualties. 30,000 Americans died in Korea. Today, American troops are still playing a vital role in South Korea's security. South Korea also received billions of dollars, US dollars, in foreign aid, both military and economic. Given the nature of this relationship between South Korea and US, the US can exercise moral influence on South Korea's political development. Taiwan As for Taiwan, US support was crucial to its survival. The older MPs amongst us might remember that during the Quemoy crises in 1954 and 1958, when Taiwan was in real danger of invasion, destroyers from the US Seventh Fleet patrolled the Taiwan Straits. Aircraft from the US Air Force deterred any rash moves by the PRC, and the US hinted that they were considering the use of nuclear weapons. Taiwan had a mutual security pact with the US until 1979 when the US established diplomatic relations with the PRC. The US has also contributed significantly to Taiwan's economic rehabilitation, growth and present prosperity. The US has frequently intervened into what are strictly Taiwan's domestic affairs, especially opposition politics. They get away with it because US support is crucial for Taiwan. Philippines As for the Philippines, US involvement dates back to 1898 when they took over the islands from Spain. At the start of World War II, the Japanese captured Philippines. The US fought hard to liberate the islands from the Japanese in 1944. 200,000 troops were involved. 14,000 Americans were killed.”
“If this coalition can hold and bind itself together, firmly, then in another one or two generations a more integrated society may emerge, one which can begin to divide along socio-economic lines, not along race, language, culture and religion. But if before this unity is established, the ground is confused and fractured, the different and disparate parts will come loose. If that happens, and I speak here frankly, it is doubtful whether we the second generation leaders, or any other group, will have the same experience, or get the same degree of trust from the people, to re-assemble and re-glue the various parts and pieces to overcome their gut loyalties to race, language, culture and religion. Once the old fault lines are re-opened, those contending and seeking to win political support, will revert to the natural and most effective way of gaining support, and that is, to appeal to the primeval emotions of people, that of race, language, culture and religion. Then we shall end up like many other Third World countries. Thirty years of bonding and building a nation out of disparate groups will come to nought. Singapore - not like South Korea, Taiwan or the Philippines US officials have no right to interfere in our domestic affairs. They do not even have the moral authority to sermonize to us on human rights and democracy. When the US State Department officials claim that all the activities of Hendrickson in Singapore were normal activities of an American diplomat, I can believe them. I can quite believe that they participate actively in trying to re-shape the political future of South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, amongst other countries. But Singapore is not Taiwan, South Korea, or the Philippines. We have no historical links with the United States.”
“Possible end-result for Singapore When Hendrickson chose Francis Seow to lead an effective Opposition in Singapore, he was applying American political culture to a Singapore, Asian society. Does he know what the end-result will be? Can he know? Can he predict, as in the case of Iran? Did the Americans predict the end-result for Iran? Had we mishandled this operation to discredit us, had we reacted tamely to the joint press statement of the nine former detainees, the people will be confused, even angry, believing in the allegations of torture and believing that the detainees were wrongly detained. And with Hendrickson still operating in Singapore, helping Francis Seow to recruit people like Patrick Seong, Seow might well have been able to persuade 40 to 50 professionals, lawyers, accountants and others to join him, especially if they sensed that the Government was fumbling. And if the elections go wrong, and they win 20 to 30 seats or even more, there will be a total transformation of our society and the nature of our politics. Politics will become contentious with each group vying for power and, in trying to do so, appealing to gut feelings of race, language, religion, culture. Could Hendrickson, no matter how well-meaning he was, foresee the consequences of this politics of contention for a multi-racial society like Singapore? Singapore society is made up of disparate and different component parts - different races, different religions, different languages, different cultures, criss-crossed by more differences. Patiently, slowly, and laboriously, the PAP Government has brought these disparate components together. Now there is a coalition of interests between different racial, linguistic and religious groups.”
“Iran In Iran before the revolution, the United States supported the Shah as a strategic ally in the Middle East. When the Shah faced domestic problems, the US pressed him to yield ground to his opponents, instead of leaving him to deal with the situation firmly. Americans attacked the Shah for persecuting the Shah's opponents, and ridiculed him for not even leaving the most harmless and ineffective of them alone, a peaceful, saintly old man who lived in exile in France called Ayatollah Khomeini. Since the Shah depended on American support, especially for equipping his armed forces, he had no choice but to heed American preferences. He tried to introduce in Iran American democratic ideals of power sharing and elected representative government. Unfortunately, Iran was a traditional Muslim society already caught in the throes of modernization. Irrelevant American ideas and cultural values worsened the upheavals, and eventually contributed to the overthrow of the Shah. The end-result for the Iranians is the Khomeini government. Whatever the shortcomings of the Shah, nobody believes this is an improvement. As for the Shah himself, after being a loyal friend of the Americans for so many years, and after losing office, in part because he heeded American advice, when he was mortally ill with cancer, he found that he was not even welcomed to stay in the United States for medical treatment. He spent his last days, poor man, in Egypt, where President Sadat was the only one in the world willing to give sanctuary to him. Maybe that was why Francis Seow was so keen to pin the Americans down on their assurance of asylum, right from the start. Otherwise if things go wrong, he may end up with the fate of the Shah.”
“He never understood why Patrick Seong, a Singaporean, was reluctant to associate himself with Francis Seow. Suppose Francis Seow gets into Parliament. Other scallywags and charlatans follow him or accompany him into Parliament. The integrity of Parliament becomes suspect. Politicians, you, I, the Member for Potong Pasir, get discredited. Moral respect for those who govern is lost. Where is the moral authority to govern? Interfering in our domestic politics is wrong in itself. But Hendrickson chose a man whose personal character and professional conduct were the opposite of what Singaporeans expect their leaders to be. He was undermining a basic traditional strength of our society - that only honourable men and women should be in Parliament. It is this lack of understanding of our society and our philosophy of government which upsets us. We could have lost a most valuable asset which we have built up over the last 30 years. Clash of Cultures affects our Politics and Cohesion I am prepared to believe that Hendrickson probably meant Singapore no harm, and was acting out of ignorance. Indeed, he may even have thought that instigating and contriving an effective Opposition led by Francis Seow was good for Singapore. I am prepared to believe that - that he was doing this out of the goodness of his heart or out of the belief that Singapore would have been more open because of an effective Opposition to check the Government. But he did not understand our society. He was ignorant of our philosophy of government. He had no idea that he was doing immense harm to Singapore had his scheme succeeded. The good intentions of ignorant American officials have led to disasters before. Let me give you an example. Iran.”
“' The second time was in 1975: A Disciplinary Committee reprimanded him on a complaint that he attested, ie affixed a seal before him when in fact he did not witness it. The third time was in 1982, barely six years ago, when he was disciplined for getting his practising certificate by false declaration. The Chief Justice said: 'the respondent's explanation relating to a matter governing his continued right to practise his profession defies credulity and no reasonable tribunal could have any doubt that he was aware of the statutory disqualifying provision when he made the statutory declaration.' Hendrickson must have known the details. He watched the proceedings of the Select Committee which discussed the Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill. For him to encourage Francis Seow to enter this House, after Parliament had passed legislation disqualifying him from the Council of the Law Society, is to insult Parliament. It is a grave affront to Members. The law regarded Francis Seow as unfit to be a Council member of the Law Society. Hendrickson considered him deserving of a seat in this Chamber which makes laws. Would the State Department endorse such a man to run as a candidate for the US Congress? Interference sets in motion chain of events Whether Hendrickson intended it or not, his operation, had it succeeded, would have done Singapore grave harm. It would have set in motion a chain of events which could undermine the integrity of Parliament, alter the nature of our politics, and eventually, break up the cohesion of our society. Let me explain. Integrity of Parliament After watching Francis Seow on television, Hendrickson decided that this was a leader who could take on the Prime Minister, defy him and, perhaps, demolish him.”
“And our point is: no outsider, not even a good friend, should meddle in our internal affairs. If we fail to get this point acknowledged, then all foreign powers will conclude that Singaporeans are fair game. And,in time, the Singapore Parliament will be a mini-United Nations. Each group of MPs will represent a different country, while wearing Singapore colours. We will have lost our independence while remaining sovereign. You have to see our strong reaction in this perspective, not just the perspective of fearing that our strong protest will damage ties with the US. American Interference an Affront The venture by Hendrickson to get Francis Seow to organize a group of disaffected lawyers to contest the coming General Elections is an affront to Parliament. Members will recall that this House oassed the Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill in October 1986. This amendment sought to prevent crooked lawyers from serving on the Council of the Law Society. Crooked lawyers are those who have been convicted of fraud or dishonesty, or who have been suspended from practice for six months or more. When this Bill became law, Francis Seow had to step down as President of the Law Society. He had been disciplined three times before by the Law Society. The first time was in 1973, when he acted as counsel in the Gemini Chit Fund case. A Court of three Judges sentenced him to one year's suspension for "grossly improper conduct". The Chief Justice said this of him, and I quote him: 'he [that is, Francis Seow] was guilty of grossly improper conduct in discharge of duties. It was wholly deplorable conduct dishonourable of him as a man and dishonourable of his profession.”
“The episode also underscores the strategic importance of Singapore in international politics, particularly in the Southeast Asian region. I hope foreign countries or, to be specific, the superpowers, will openly and in a positive way accept the reality that they have no right to decide on our way of life our political environment and our future directions as a nation whether today or in the future. I trust that the US would not like to see our country and our society in turmoil. Thank you. The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (Mr Goh Chok Tong): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, many Ministers and MPs have spoken, some with anger and outrage, others with dismay and sorrow. As expected, there was a range of opinions on how strongly we should protest to the US government. Our MPs represent a cross-section of Singaporeans, in age, social background and experience. We have allowed them to speak freely so that we can appreciate better the public sentiments on this issue. They varied in pitch, but no one doubted that Hendrickson, Snyder and Lambertson were interfering in our domestic affairs. I share the same sense of outrage and indignation as do the most emotional of Ministers and MPs. But as a Deputy Prime Minister, I cannot allow emotion to blind me. I must register my indignation, my feelings, in a temperate manner. I do not want to permanently damage relations with a friend, even though what Hendrickson and company have done has already hurt ties between the US and Singapore. We value these ties. We do not want to diminish their strength. We know where our national and long-term interests lie. We know who have been and should continue to be our friends. But we have to register our point.”