PRIME MINISTER'S VISITS TO CONSTITUENCIES (Total Cost)

Tun Lim Yew Hock asked the Prime Minister (a) how many visits he has made round the constituencies, giving the details of the constituencies and the cost of each such visit; (b) what is the total cost of such visits to Government funds and against what votes is the cost charged.

The Prime Minister: Sir, -

Mr Speaker: Order. I have been watching with interest that the Prime Minister takes sips from a glass which contains something which looks something like beer. I hope it is not beer.

The Prime Minister: No, Mr Speaker, Sir,I would like to do the highest courtesy and honours to my friends on the other side of the House and I think it will be too much if - it is all right if the questioner is non compos mentis, Mr Speaker, Sir, but I think the answer should be it is Chinese tea, and it is conducive to good speaking and good thinking.

Mr David Marshall: You need it.

The Prime Minister: Indeed I do, Mr Speaker, Sir,I am kept on my feet for such long periods. I try my best to oblige everyone.

Mr David Marshall: On the golf field.

Mr Speaker: Order. I think the Member for Anson is now inciting a debate on beer or tea. I do not know which. Let us get on with the business. Mr Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, besides playing golf over the week-ends, I made visits to nine constituencies up to date and they are:

Jurong, Saturday, 24th November last year.

Thomson, Saturday. 15th December last year.

Kampong Kembangan, Saturday, 12th January this year.

Jalan Kayu, Saturday, 19th January this year.

Paya Lebar, Sunday, 3rd February this year.

Sir, I will give the Member for Cairnhill a full list. He need not bother taking down these little notes.

Bukit Panjang, Sunday, 3rd March this year.

Nee Soon, Sunday, 10th March.

Sembawang, Sunday, 24th March.

Tampines, Sunday, 31st March.

I am not clear, Mr Speaker, Sir, as to what the Member for Cairnhill means when he talks of the cost of each of such visits. In my estimation, it must have cost a lot of time and money to the people in the constituencies who subscribed for the arches, the banners, silk scrolls, the tea, the food and refreshments, and the souvenir gifts which are all properly surrendered to the Treasury for valuations such as a gold-plated shield valued by the Treasury at $60, the wood carving of a ship valued at $25 and so on. I will give a complete inventory of such items if required. I am unable to give the exact sums spent on each visit as it would not be good manners to ask the various reception committees how much money they actually spent for the friendly welcome they accorded me, nor is it possible to include the cost of the crackers which were fired by housewives and shopkeepers along the routes of my visits -

Mr David Marshall: I did not hear them.

The Prime Minister: Thank you. I am sorry to have disturbed the Member for Anson from time to time on his peaceful Sunday morning. My visits, Sir, which will continue till all the rural constituencies have been covered will eventually cost the Government over $30 million which have been earmarked for development of rural roads, stand-pipes, electric supplies, street lamps, drains, irrigation canals and another estimated $20 million for clinics, veterinary service stations and community centres. Sir, these monies will be charged against the respective votes for rural development, health and veterinary services. Sir, in case - I do not know - the Member for Cairnhill intended to know the cost of each such visit, the travelling expenses of the Government on each occasion, I had asked for a careful check to be made of my last visit, because by then this question had come in. The visit was to Tampines. It came to $23.35 being the cost of petrol for the land rovers, the station wagons and other vehicles of the official party. Mind you, Sir, it is not possible to estimate the cost of wear and tear of the tyres and the paint work and so on.

Tun Lim Yew Hock (Cairnhill): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Prime Minister is trying to evade the issue by giving an answer that is not asked for. Surely it cost the Government some money to make preparations for the Prime Minister to be there. Surely it cost the Government some money in sending members of the Work Brigade who were paid out of Government funds to he there to cheer the Prime Minister. All I want to know is how much did it cost the Government.

The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have told the Member for Cairnhill. When I got his question before my last visit. I made the point of asking my Secretary to note our travelling expenses and it came to $23.35. I have told him that I cannot check up on tyres and paint work and so on. He asks about the Work Brigade. The Work Brigade did not get paid on that day. I went there on Sunday. I think they were paid - I do not know - paid no more, no less.

The Minister for Finance (Dr Goh Keng Swee): They were off duty.

The Prime Minister: They were off duty on Sunday. So the question does not arise on the Work Brigade.

Tun Lim Yew Hock: The Prime Minister did therefore admit that members of the Work Brigade attend his visits.

The Prime Minister: I think the Member for Cairnhill was misinformed. I have got the itinerary somewhere and I think the Member for Tampines was with me on Sunday. In the case of Tampines we did not even visit the Work Brigade Camp. We had so many places to go to and did not finish till about nine o'clock. So the Work Brigade did not come in at all. I will bear that in mind for my next visit, Mr Speaker, Sir. But then it will be to the Southern Islands and there again there is no Work Brigade. But when my next rural visit ---

Tun Lim Yew Hock: Mr Speaker, it must be the tea that is having this effect on the Prime Minister. He said that all the expenses were borne by the public. Is the Prime Minister aware that before his visits, his agents go round the constituencies telling them, "You know, our great Prime Minister is coming. You must do something about it." With that kind of suggestive intimidation, what could they do? Yes, $30 and ---

Mr Speaker: Order. I think the Member for Cairnhill is now embarking on a debate. If he is dissatisfied with the reply. I think what he can do is to say that he will raise the matter on the adjournment at the first appropriate moment. I will not permit any further questions on that.

The Prime Minister: May I reply, Sir?

Mr Speaker: Order. Question No. 5.