FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR FY 1969/1970

3.30 p.m.

Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Chairman: We are on the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970, contained in Paper Cmd. 24 of 1969. The summary is on the last page of the Paper. There are two heads of expenditure and amendments in respect of both heads stand on the Order Paper Supplement.

Head 71 -

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 71 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 302.

Sir, it is interesting to note from Paper Cmd. 24 of 1969 that,

'In conjunction with the celebrations in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Founding of Singapore, stereophonic broadcasts have been commenced in the Republic this year.'

It would, therefore, mean to me, Sir, that there would have been no stereophonic broadcasts if Singapore had not celebrated its 150th anniversary. In fact, stereophonic music has been here for quite some time. I think it must have struck the ingenuity of someone in the Broadcasting Department that it was a novel idea to introduce such a service. It means buying a radio set or a transistor radio set with an FM stereophonic band in order to receive such broadcasts. Sir, I stress on the FM stereophonic band because I remember the FM station has already been in existence for quite some time. If a listener wishes to receive stereophonic broadcasts, he must buy a set that has this band, otherwise he will continue to receive music without stereophonic effects. Therefore, my conclusion is obvious.

However, I shall be grateful to the Minister for Culture if he will inform the House whether any careful consideration was given in all respects before introducing such a service, and whether a survey has been made to establish the number of listeners tuning in to such a service.

Furthermore, Sir, I would ask the Minister if a $10 token provision in the Development Estimates means the provision of a further sum of $50,000. If savings in the current Development Estimates can warrant increased expenditure, I would like to see more urgent items of expenditure, like the construction of abattoirs in the rural areas, treated with the same priority.

I would also like to seek elucidation from the Minister regarding the actual source of savings amounting to $14,990. Did it come from the Development Estimates pertaining to his Ministry or otherwise?

Sir, I beg to move.

The Acting Minister for Culture (Mr Wee Toon Boon): Mr Speaker, Sir, since 1967 Radio Singapore has been operating four radio channels on frequency modulation, commonly known as FM. These channels were an addition to the four existing amplitude modulation, commonly called AM medium wave channel. The four channels were radiated without the device called the encoder to enable a receiving set with a decoder to receive such broadcasts in stereophonic sound. It was felt that the time had come for such FM broadcasts to be improved to the level where stereophonic sounds can be radiated.

With regard to the point raised by the Member for Punggol in connection with the source of savings, the token provision of $10 in the Development Estimates for this year was made for the purchase of stereophonic equipment. A sum of $14,990 was found from savings from subhead 201, Improvements to Television and Broadcasting Services. The House is now asked for a supplementary provision of $50,000 to make a total of $65,000 needed.

With regard to the other point, since stereophonic broadcasts started only in July this year, it is too soon to conduct a survey. An overall survey of listeners and their preferences is being planned and, when carried out, stereophonic broadcasts will certainly be included.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, in view of the Minister's reply, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $50,000 for Head 71 ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970.

Head 102 -

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 102 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 205.

Sir, the explanatory note to this subhead clearly stresses the need for more vehicles to meet the increasing demands of the public cleansing services. I would have thought that with assiduous planning, the need of more vehicles for the public cleansing services would have received high priority when the "Keep Singapore Clean" campaign was mounted last year. In other words, there should have been forward planning to enable the Ministry of Health to meet immediate requirements.

Hence I would be grateful if the Minister for Health could enlighten the House on the date when such vehicles were ordered, and also how many workers are manning them. I would have imagined that these vehicles would have already been purchased and are now on the road serving their purpose.

Also I would like to suggest to the Minister to look into the possibility of introducing a cleansing service either at night or in the early hours of the morning, as there is less traffic during, those hours.

Will the Minister also look into the possibility of increasing the frequency of clearing away rubbish and trade refuse from our bin centers? To illustrate, Sir, I notice that at two bin centers in my constituency, namely, at Punggol Road 8� m.s. and Upper Serangoon Road 6� m.s., the bins are cleared in the morning, but by evening they are full to the brim.

Sir, I beg to move.

The Minister for Health (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the first point that the Member for Punggol made is the need for more public health vehicles, and that this must be given high priority. I cannot agree with him, more. That is the very reason why we are here today debating these supplementary estimates.

The refuse load at present handled by the public cleansing services is, approximately 1,200 tons per day. This is quite a marked increase compared with 800 tons per day formerly handled, by the Public Health Division. I am glad to say that this increase in refuse removal does indicate the success of the "Keep Singapore Clean" campaign which was launched last year and is, continuing throughout this year as well. Although this result was welcomed, it was quite unexpected because in Government planning you do not normally expect a sudden jump from 800 tons, to 1,200 tons per day. You need additional equipment. As a result, there was, an urgent need for more refuse removal vehicles. The Member for Punggol also asked when these vehicles were ordered. They were ordered immediately after the Treasury approved their purchase.

The other point which he made was, the request for greater frequency in the removal of refuse in Singapore. I do not know what he means by that. At the moment, we have daily removals, in other words, once every day. As a matter of fact, since the enforcement of the Employment Act, we have been able to introduce refuse removal on Sundays and public holidays as well, resulting in an increase in the number of removals per week. I do not know if the Member is advocating that we should increase the number of removals from once to twice or three times a day. To put him in proper perspective, may I bring to his attention the fact that in many big cities in Europe and America they remove their refuse only three times a week, or even once a week. Even in the big city of New York, they remove their refuse only three times a week.

An hon. Member: Once a month!

Mr Chua Sian Chin: May I assure the Member for Punggol that with the present provision, if it is approved by the House, the number of refuse vehicles will be quite adequate to meet the needs of the Public Cleansing Department.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, I was only suggesting to the Minister to look into the possibility of a night or early morning removal service. I was not advocating that it be made more frequently. However, in view of the answers given by the Minister, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

3.45 p.m.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 102 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 901.

In spite of the amount of $44,000 revoted for, a further sum of $37,460 is required for the construction of Taman Jurong Market I, and also another sum of $197,540 is required for the completion of Taman Jurong Market II.

Sir, I am a bit confused here. Perhaps the Minister for Health can clear my confusion. Why are two markets being built in Taman Jurong? Approximately how many residents are there who will benefit from the construction of these two markets? Where are their exact locations? Is it really necessary to put up two markets in one area? How much revenue can be collected from them each year? Has the Government any plans to build one or more markets in other constituencies?

An hon. Member: In Punggol!

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Not Punggol. It has one market which is adequate for Punggol's purposes.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I say that in the original planning for the provision of markets in the Jurong area, especially in the proposed town centre, it was considered that the provision of two small markets instead of one would render better and more effective service for the expected population. There is not only the need to tie them in with the phases of development in Jurong Town, but there is also the need to allocate markets within convenient distance for the residents of this new township which will be more extensive in area when it is fully developed. That indirectly answers the Member for Punggol's point when he asked whether there was any need for two markets. As the Member knows, Jurong is going to be a big satellite town. I do not think that even these two markets will be sufficient when Jurong is eventually fully developed. But at the moment we consider that the two markets are sufficient.

Perhaps a few figures pertaining to the number of stalls and the number of stalls occupied will give him an idea whether the two markets are going to be fully used. In Taman Jurong Market I, the total number of stalls is 122; the number of stalls licensed and taken up, up to date, is 95 and the number of stalls vacant is 27. In the market itself there are a number of open pitches. These number 112. The number of pitches licensed and taken up, up to date, is about 103 and the number vacant is nine. This does indicate that the market is in reasonable use at the moment. But, of course, we cannot expect it to be fully occupied because this will depend on the occupation of the area by residents.

In Taman Jurong Market II, the total number of stalls is about 122, and up to date the number of stalls licensed and taken up is 108. The number of vacant stalls is only 14. The total number of open pitches is 65, and the number taken up is 56. The number vacant is nine.

With regard to his general question about whether the Government has any project to construct any more new markets in the future, this is a point of considerable interest to the Ministry of Health. In fact, the Ministry has always advocated that in the long-term plan, all hawkers should conduct their business from within premises. In a count made in December last year, there were 24,845 static hawkers in Singapore, of whom 15,135 were engaged in the sale of market produce. Only 7,711 hawkers of all types were accommodated within premises, such as markets and hawker centres. The remaining 17,000 hawkers were scattered all over the island, particularly in the urban areas - in streets, foot-ways and back-lanes. The resiting of hawkers into markets and other premises is a project of mammoth proportions, requiring careful planning and follow-through action by the planning and building authorities of the State. The location of appropriate markets and hawker centres must be considered in the light of the overall development planning for the island, and is not a matter within the sole capacity of the Ministry of Health. Substantial capital cost will also be required. The Ministry of Health proposes to take the matter up with the appropriate agencies and is presently compiling the necessary data.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am happy with the Minister's reply. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $1,077,000 for Head 102 ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970.

Question, "That the sum of $1,127,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970, contained in Paper Cmd. 24 of 1969", put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House.

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply have come to a certain resolution.

Resolution reported -

That the sum of $1,127,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970, contained in Paper Cmd. 24 of 1969.

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolution."

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution accordingly agreed to.

4.10 p.m.

Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take the suspension now. I will take the Chair again at 4.30 p.m.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.10 p.m, until 4.30 p.m. Sitting resumed at 4.30 p.m.