SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION (Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 9 of 1958)

3.59 p.m.

The Financial Secretary (Mr T. M. Hart): Sir, I have His Excellency the Governor's authority to move,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $3,150,024 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 9 of 1958.

Sir, this is a fairly substantial message. It involves a supplementary vote of over $2 million for the Ordinary Estimates and $1.7 million for the Development Estimates. These may seem fairly large sums for one message but it must be remembered that there has been no sitting of the Assembly since 8th January and that the work of Government must go on. Full explanations of all the items are given in the message and my colleagues and I will be happy to amplify these explanations if this is necessary. I should, however, like to draw attention to one or two items of outstanding importance.

In connection with item 5, Sir, hon. Members will note with much regret that Dr Benham's leave of absence from Chatham House expires in May. We have been singularly fortunate in having had the services of such a distinguished economist as Dr Benham for the past eighteen months, and I am sure I will be speaking for all the Members of this House when I say how sorry we are that his secondment cannot be extended.

Items 6 to 19 make provision for the establishment of a Rural Development Panel. Government has been concerned for some time that the activities of the Government and other bodies in connection with the development of rural areas has not been co-ordinated to the extent which they might have been. This has not been due to any neglect on the part of the authorities concerned but has resulted from the fact that there has been a great expansion of development activity in the rural areas over the past two years, and that attention has until now been entirely concentrated on launching individual schemes.

The question has recently been considered by the Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers and it has been decided that the best way to achieve the required degree of co-ordination is to set up a development panel with an official entitled Rural Development Commissioner as the executive officer of the Panel. The task of this Panel will be to plan and co-ordinate development in the rural areas. There will be a close liaison between the Rural Board and, later, the District Councils, so that functions of the various bodies do not overlap. Later when plans have been worked out in detail, the Assembly will be asked to vote such additional sums as may be required. In this connection, however, an assurance can be given that no money will be wasted on schemes which have not been considered in all their implications. We have seen elsewhere the way money can be wasted as a result of misdirected enthusiasm.

In addition, it is proposed to establish a close liaison between the Government and the farming communities by the introduction of a small band of field development or liaison officers who, after training in the Land Office, and with the Veterinary, Agriculture and Fisheries Departments, will live among the farmers, pass on the advice of the experts and inform Government of the needs of the various communities.

Items 33 to 51, Sir, concern items required for stepping up of the war against tobacco smugglers. The proximity of the Indonesian islands around Singapore encourages smuggling, and we have evidence that certain of the ports in these islands are being used as bases for smuggling operations. Again, the great developments which have taken place recently in outboard motors have given the smugglers far more efficient means of running contraband than they have ever had before. The increase in tobacco duty has given added incentive to the smugglers, who are now prepared to run great risks since the rewards of success are so great. The matter is one of great importance since the valuable tobacco revenue is in danger. It is difficult to say just how much is being lost at the present time but from information at my disposal I estimate that it is about $2 million a year despite all the efforts of the Customs Department. Steps are and must be taken to contain, and eventually to eliminate, smuggling. It is not a short-term problem; it is long-term. The incentive to smuggle will always be there as long as duty is imposed in Singapore.

As a result, the policy of the preventive branch of the Customs Department has been revised. All available men are deployed on anti-smuggling patrols. Ship-building programmes have been amended to provide faster small craft Use has been made of captured craft, which is a dangerous and not very satisfactory expedient. Now we wish to carry the matter further and to obtain funds to build further small craft which are essential for close pursuit in shallow waters, and for the staff and equipment necessary to step up the campaign. At a later date I shall probably come forward with a proposal to divert funds already voted for a large launch, for the construction of still more launches of the Kilat class and also a radar station on a strategic island to control all the approaches to Singapore. I trust that hon. Members will support all these proposals which I regard as essential to the successful prosecution of the war against smugglers. At the same time I should like to take this opportunity to pay a further tribute to the excellent work which the Customs officers are doing night in and night out in all weathers, in conditions of extreme discomfort and sometimes of considerable personal danger.

If any hon. Member would like to see the Department at work, I shall be happy to arrange it. It is a rewarding experience to see local Customs officers planning each night's operations and carrying them out with great success.

Item 68 deals with a project to which publicity has already been given by the Ministry of Education. It represented a long-sighted policy the immediate aim of which is to give the opportunity for a secondary education to many of those who have failed to gain admission to secondary schools. I have no doubt that my Hon. Friend the Minister will be only too willing to elaborate on the details of the scheme if required to do so.

Item 69 describes in some detail the arrangements for the campaign for the gradual elimination of tuberculosis which is planned by the Government. The scheme is based on proposals thought out by the Ministry of Health, and examined and approved by Sir Harry Wunderley, the great authority on tuberculosis as a public health problem; Due, in the main to a recommendation of Sir, Harry Wunderley, we have been fortunate to obtain the promise of generous assistance under the Colombo Plan from the Australian Government, whose interest in Singapore is well known and manifested in many ways.

Item 93 seeks funds for the accelerated implementation of Government's road programme for the rural areas. I think that my Hon. Friend the Minister for Communications and Works, who is acting for the Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing, will wish to speak on this item.

Sir, I beg to move.

The Minister for Education (Mr Chew Swee Kee): Sir, I second it.

Motion accordingly committed to Committee of Supply.

Motion and Schedule considered in Committee of Supply.

[Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair]

4.07 p.m.

The Chairman: The summary is at page 33.

Head 7-

The sum of $78,945 for Head 7 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 8-

The sum of $105,652 for Head 8 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 11-

The sum of $298,751 for Head 11 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 25-

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $39,000 for Head 25 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (Tanjong Pagar): Sir, Head 25 item 27 indicates a grant of $3,000 to the Badminton Association of Malaya in connection with the preparations for the Thomas Cup Championship which will be held in Singapore next June. Sir, I have looked up the old Estimates to see whether, for the old Thomas Cup Competition, this Government made contributions to the Singapore Badminton Association. I was unable to discover any grant having been made to them. Why is it that we are being asked to give a grant this time when they were able in past years, quite rightly and properly, to carry on without a Government grant?

Mr Hart: It is indeed a fact, Sir, that hitherto no grant has been given to the Badminton Association of Malaya in connection with the Thomas Cup trials. We did make a contribution after the first Thomas Cup expedition to England. The Association finished up with a deficit on the trip. It was shared between the Governments of the Federation of Malaya and of Singapore. In this particular case, we received an application from the President of the Badminton Association of Malaya. He informed us that the training programme would cost a considerable sum which he had to bear from his private purse in previous years. He appealed to both Governments to make some contribution towards the expense. After consultation with the Federation Government, we each decided to make a contribution of $3,000.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Is it really suggested that we should pay as much as the Federation? Just as a matter of principle, should we bear half the cost?

Mr Hart: Sir, the amount is really so small that I think we can afford to make a token payment of $3,000, exactly the same as the Federation payment, without worrying too much about the question of more apportionment.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $39,000 for Head 25 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 27-

The sum of $492,332 for Head 27 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 29-

The sum of $12,604 for Head 29 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 30-

The sum of $86,610 for Head 30 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 37-

The sum of $5,668 for Head 37 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 41-

The sum of $86,196 for Head 41 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 45-

The sum of $378,370 for Head 45 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 48-

The sum of $342,345 for Head 48 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 52-

The sum of $10,000 for Head 52 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 57-

The sum of $20 for Head 57 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 15-

The sum of $123,030 for Head 15 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 17-

The sum of $331 for Head 17 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 43-

The sum of $14,670 for Head 43 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 46-

The sum of $40,428 for Head 46 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 56-

The sum of $20,801 for Head 56 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D11-

The sum of $514,648 for Head D11 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D15-

The sum of $10 for Head D15 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D43-

The sum of $957,430 for Head D43 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D45-

The sum of $144,646 for Head D45 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D48-

The sum of $12,000 for Head D48 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D56-

The sum of $40,097 for Head D56 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D59-

The sum of $20,000 for Head D59 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D55-

The sum of $27,000 for Head D55 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D61-

The sum of $72,000 for Head D61 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

The sum of $3,150,024 for the Heads of Expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule ordered to stand part of the motion.

Motion and Schedule reported, without Amendment.

Question on the Motion put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $3,150,024 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 9 of 1958.