LOCAL SHIPS OFFICERS

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi (Kampong Kembangan): (In Malay): Mr Deputy Speaker, on the motion for the Adjournment, I have four or five points which I would like to raise and submit to the Government for consideration. If my submissions are reasonable, it is proper that the Government should see to them in the interest of the people of Singapore.

Mr Deputy Speaker, the first point concerns the certificate of competency in respect of ships under 75 or 100 tons. As far as I know, although the Government has considered that such certificates are equivalent to certificates of local trade masters, however, the holders of such certificate are faced with many difficulties. For instance, in the matter of getting employment, employers give preference to local trade masters without the stipulation of 75 or 100 tons.

The second point is this, Mr Deputy Speaker. If Government can give consideration to the first point I have raised, I appeal to them to implement the second point, which is the setting up of a Board for the purpose of obtaining employment in rotation just as they have done in the case of seamen. But for local ships officers, such a Board is non-existent. There is no system of rotation in respect of employment. Mr Deputy Speaker, today this is a matter which is degrading the status of the local ships officers, because if an employer wishes to employ an officer on board a ship, it is normally done through the trade unions. Here it seems, Mr Deputy Speaker - I am not accusing certain trade unions - those trade unions with such powers have made use of their trade unions as a private labour exchange to look for employees for their employers to work on board ship. Is it really good for the Government to set up a Board so that all local ships officers will have an opportunity to find employment without discrimination, if an employer seeks employees, and not just have it confined to a certain trade union only? In addition, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, if a local trade master is required on a salary of $400 or $500 a month, there will be bargaining about the pay, resulting in its being reduced to $250. This will be a loss to the certificate holders.

The third point, Mr Deputy Speaker, is this. Since the Government has agreed to approve people with local trade masters certificates to sail as far as Tawau, then I hope the Government will permit these certificate holders to have an opportunity to navigate ships as far as Bangkok and Djakarta in order to reduce employment because Tawau is farther than Bangkok or Djakarta. I hope this too will receive the serious consideration of Government.

Another point, Mr Deputy Speaker, is this appeal which is submitted to the Government in connection with the local Press announcement that pilots are required to work in the Singapore Harbour Board. In my opinion, Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish the Government could act so that opportunity is open to local citizens who hold trade masters certificates to become trainee pilots.

Finally, Mr Deputy Speaker, whether it is being practised or not, I appeal to the Government to train seamen in all nautical matters and that they be taught in the national language. It is not that I do not agree that lessons be given in the English language; this is good for youths who wish to become leaders in the maritime field, but it is to give an opportunity to our local boys who are not so well-versed in the English language. So if classes could be conducted in the national language, I am sure many of the local ships officers could enhance their status as local trade masters, not merely in the home trade but also in the foreign trade as well.

8.35 p.m.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Mr Deputy Speaker, I will answer point by point the matters raised by the Member for Kampong Kembangan. With regard to the first point, I am surprised to hear that after the amendment to the Merchant Shipping Ordinance last year, local trade masters have found it difficult to get employment to handle ships of up to 1,000 tons. Section 20 (2) (ii) of the amended Merchant Shipping Ordinance reads:

`unless the Minister in any particular case otherwise directs, a certificate as a master of a local-trade ship of under one hundred tons or of under seventy-five tons shall be deemed to be a certificate as master of a local-trade ship, and a certificate as a gunner shall be deemed to be a certificate as a mate of a local-trade ship:'.

Now, under that revised Ordinance those who previously were eligible to handle ships of only 100 tons or 75 tons would automatically be permitted to handle ships of up to 1,000 tons. I have been told by the law officers that it is not possible to issue a new certificate to those local trade masters who had sat for examinations held previously. However, I am looking into the matter and if there is any attempt at discrimination, I will try to solve the problem by having the old certificates endorsed so that they will be considered as good as the certificates which are now issued to those who have passed their local trade masters examinations and which enable the holders to handle ships of up to 1,000 tons.

On the second point raised by the Member for Kampong Kembangan, that shipping companies, especially local shipping companies, recruit officers through the unions and that, in doing so, the blue-eyed boys of certain unionists are given preference before others, that matter can be resolved easily enough. I will make arrangements for a register for shipping officers to be prepared at the Shipping Office so that employers who wish to employ local trade masters can go to the Shipping Office, look up the register and pick any man they wish.

I would like to add that the seamen, at the moment, have a register of their own; also, at the same time, shipping companies are now permitted under arrangements with the trade unions to keep their own register. However, the Ordinance and regulations concerning the Seamen's Registry Board cannot be applied strictly to ship officers as this Ordinance concerning seamen applies only to seamen.

On the third point raised by the Member for Kampong Kembangan, that Bangkok and Djakarta should be included in the local trade limits, I will say this. I have been trying very hard to extend the limits of the local trade. Last year, after negotiations with the Governments of the Federation, Brunei, Borneo and Sarawak, we managed to extend the limits of the local trade to as far as Tawau. It was pointed out during those discussions that the local trade master navigates his ship by sighting land, and to include Bangkok or Djakarta within the local trade limits would mean that we are giving responsibility to captains who are not qualified to navigate to those ports. It must be understood also that the Singapore Government alone by itself cannot just alter local trade limits or home trade limits as it pleases. After all, most of our seamen and shipping officers are employed on ships which are not registered in Singapore. At the same time, whatever rules and regulations we pass and which will involve other governments must also have the consent of these governments. We can, tonight, just by a scratch of the pen say you can take this ship to such and such a place. But if you do not seek the consent of the government of the country to which the ship is sailing, what will ultimately happen is that the ship will not be given clearance when she arrives at that port. Therefore, it is not such an easy matter for us just to say, "Right. Let us include such and such a place within local trade limits." It can be done. But it will be ineffective. The only way we can do so is to seek the concurrence of other governments, and that takes time.

We have already made two major amendments in the Merchant Shipping Ordinance concerning local trade masters. One is to raise the tonnage of the ships from 75 tons and 100 tons to 1,000 tons. The second is that we have extended the local trade limits to as far as Tawau. I consider these are two big achievements; and these amendments were made only last year. I would ask local trade masters to improve their training so that eventually they will be able to sit for the home trade certificate.

On the fourth point, concerning the appointment of pilots to the Singapore Harbour Board, I would add that when the P.A.P. Government came in, we found, to our consternation, that there were pilots who were earning as much as $100,000 a year. One of the first things my Ministry did was to initiate steps to malayanise the pilotage for this port and, at the same time, to bring the scales of emoluments for pilots to some rational scale that is parallel with those of other officers who hold equal if not greater responsibilities in this country. Steps have been taken to bring pilotage under the aegis of the Singapore Harbour Board and, ultimately, the Port Authority. It is definitely Government's intention that as many local trade masters as possible should be trained to pilot ships, and it is my hope indeed that as many of them as possible will apply for posts.

On the fifth point, I would say that the training of local trade masters is already conducted in the Malay language. It is being done in the Polytechnic out of funds paid from the Seamen's Welfare Fund. Examinations for the Local Trade Certificate are conducted in Malay. So on that point, I think the Member for Kampong Kembangan has really nothing new to raise.

I would only like to add this. Those who aspire to work on board ship should extend their horizons to further places. Our youths should be prepared to work hard so that ultimately they will be fitted not only to man locally-registered ships for the local trading ports, but also to qualify for work on foreign-going ships. Towards this objective, we have, with the co-operation of the shipping companies, started to strengthen the Nautical Department at the Polytechnic. Cadets have been taken in and when they complete one year's preliminary training at the Polytechnic, all of them will be placed on board ship where they will gain practical experience, during which time a correspondence course will be conducted so that they will be able to correlate their practical experience with theoretical training. Ultimately they will return to the Polytechnic for a refresher course before taking their foreign-going mate's examinations or foreign-going master's examinations.

I can assure the House that the Government is doing its very best to improve and extend the opportunities of employment for local citizens on board ship at all levels - not only at the officer level but also at the seamen level. As Singapore is the fifth largest seaport in the world, it is correct that as many as possible of our citizens should take to the sea. All the steps we have taken so far have been directed towards this purpose.

I may add that a new course in marine engineering will be started at the Polytechnic for the 1961-2 session. This course will ultimately train our local boys to become marine engineers who will be able to work on board ship, or if they wish to do so, will also be able to find employment as engineers in factories with their practical experience and theoretical training.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly do now adjourn.

Adjourned accordingly at 8.50 p.m. to Wednesday,14th June, 1961.