ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1972, TO 31ST MARCH, 1973

Order read for resumed consideration in Committee of Supply [5th Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

2.37 p.m.

Head 1401 -

Mr Sim Boon Woo (Changi): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1101.

Sir, may I request the Minister for Home Affairs to inform the House as to how many political parties there are on the Register of Societies today, and whether they are alive and functioning? If they are not, will the Minister consider introducing amending legislation to the Societies Act to remove all these dead-wood organisations from the Register, thereby protecting the people from the dupery of so-called political parties which resuscitate when general elections approach and promise the people nirvana-plus? Sir, if this mischievous practice of political parties of merely securing their registration is allowed to continue unchecked, our City State will in no time hold such an assortment of rackets that our people may turn politically frigid, and astute visitors to our country leave in bemused bewilderment at the spectacle we offer. Sir, in the name of rational freedom, I call upon the Minister to avoid turning our beautiful Republic into a museum of political parties.

The Minister for Home Affairs (Prof. Wong Lin Ken): Mr Speaker, Sir, as on the 17th of March this year, there are 15 political parties registered on the Register of Societies. They are:

(1) Singapore Chinese Party, formerly Malayan Chinese Association, Singapore Branch, registered on the 26th September, 1950;

(2) Persatuan Melayu Singapura, formerly Persatuan Melayu Semenanjong, i.e., the Peninsula Malays Union, registered on the 2nd February, 1952;

(3) Partai Rakyat, Singapore State Division, registered on the 3rd December, 1956;

(4) Angkatan Islam, formerly Pan Malayan Islamic Party, Singapore, registered on the 6th August, 1958;

(5) Workers' Party, registered on the 30th January, 1961;

(6) People's Action Party, registered on the 18th February, 1961;

(7) Pertubohan Kebangsaan Melayu, Singapura, formerly Pertubohan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu, Singapura, i.e., the United Malays National Organisation, Singapore, registered on 20th of February, 1961;

(8) United People's Party, registered on the 14th July, 1961;

(9) Barisan Sosialis, registered on the 15th August, 1961;

(10) Parti Kesatuan Ra'ayat, i.e., the United Democratic Party, registered on the 18th June, 1962;

(11) Singapore Indian Congress, formerly the Malaysian Indian Congress, Singapore, registered on the 7th August,. 1962;

(12) Alliance Party Singapura, registered on the 17th February, 1966;

(13) United National Front, registered on the 6th March, 1970;

(14) National Party of Singapore, registered on the 26th February, 1971;

(15) People's Front, registered on the 21st May, 1971.

Of these 15 parties, the following parties have not complied with the Societies Act requiring their constitution to be amended to provide for membership to be confined to Singapore citizens. These parties are:

(1) Partai Rakyat, Singapore State Division;

(2) Angkatan Islam;

(3) Workers' Party; and

(4) Barisan Sosialis.

It is also relevant to note that of the 15 listed parties, Parti Kesatuan Ra'ayat, i.e., the United Democratic Party, has ceased to function, while the United People's Party and the Singapore Indian Congress are apparently inactive.

Under section 6 of the Societies Act, the Registrar of Societies has powers to declare societies as deemed to cease to exist should they be unable to furnish him with proof of their existence. The Registrar of Societies has not taken action against dormant political parties and those which have not complied with the Societies Act. In view of the fact that the Registrar of Societies has sufficient powers to remove dead-wood political organisations, there is no need to amend the Societies Act to provide him with such power. In any case, there are politicians outside this Parliament who do not share the same down-to-earth views about dormant political parties as the Member for Changi. They believe in flogging a dead horse to life oblivious of past records of undistinguished performance.

2.45 p.m.

As for Singapore becoming a museum of political parties, I am afraid this is part of history. As to the possibility of confusing the people of Singapore because of the large number of political parties, I submit, our electorate is an intelligent electorate.

Hon. Members: Hear! hear!

Mr Sim Boon Woo: Sir, the Minister has said that the Registrar of Societies has got the full power of deregistering any political parties if they are defunct or inactive. I do not know why no such action has been taken. Can the Minister explain to the House?

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: The reason is very simple. We do hope that there will be some other people who would like to revive dormant political parties and save them the bother of registration.

Mr Sim Boon Woo: In view of the explanation, I beg leave to withdraw.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Mr Teong Eng Siong (Sembawang): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1151*.(* The same amendment also stood in the, names of Messrs Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi, J. F. Conceicao and P. Govindaswamy.)

In moving this amendment, Sir, I wish to speak on the Police Force. You will recall that during the debate on last year's Budget, I pointed out that some constables and Police officers were rude to members of the public. At that time the then Minister expressed concern over this issue and promised to take appropriate action to rectify the position. I am glad to note that since then members of the Police Force have shown a new style of behaviour in carrying out their services. The Police have been very active in some campaigns to bring about a better public understanding of the Police Force. For example, during Police Week they have put up road safety exhibitions in the community centres to bring about a better relationship and an improvement in co-operation between the people and the Police, and to make the people understand that the policeman is a friend of the people. These are some achievements which are praiseworthy. Undoubtedly a rapport between the Police and the people is meaningful in Singapore, because this, will promote the co-operation between the people and the Police, thereby enabling the Police Force to be more effective in crime prevention and detection. However, in the interests of the public, I wish to bring up two points.

Firstly, the Police Week should be held annually in order to continue to improve the relationship between the people and the Police. It is only when there is co-operation between them that we can hope to achieve greater stability and better social order in our country so that our people will be able to live in peace.

Secondly, in recruiting Police officers we must recruit more citizens. Sir, the Minister has said in a Statement earlier on that there has been a considerable improvement in the remuneration of Police officers. Therefore, I should think that this new salary structure is enough attraction to Singapore youths to join the Police Force. If this should fail to attract our own youths, then we have to make a further review and to study the causes. I would also like to ask the Minister concerned how many non-citizens have been recruited into the Police Force.

Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi (Kampong Kembangan) (in Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has launched several campaigns, such as the Industrial Safety Campaign, Pedestrian Safety Campaign and Road Safety Campaign. To ensure the safety of members of the public on the roads and to prevent them from accidents which are, of course, avoidable, several road safety measures have been provided and a lot of money spent on them. For example, overhead bridges have been constructed and zebra crossing lines painted on the roads. All these are for the safety of pedestrians. But such campaigns and measures will be meaningless if all kinds of road users, either pedestrians, motorists or motor cyclists, still meet with accidents.

One contribution to road accidents is that children are allowed to fly their kites anywhere they like. Sometimes these kite flyers can be seen by the roadsides, running across roads, and in many other places which are dangerous. This is a hazard to motorists and, apart from accidents that can happen to them, the kite flyers themselves can be knocked down by cars. The time has come for the Commissioner of Police to take firm measures against these kite flyers.

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): Sir, how many policemen have resigned from the Force? Quite a number, I think; enough to create a staffing problem that can be described as critical. May I ask the Minister concerned why has this problem been allowed to deteriorate to such a state? Is it because of lack of esprit de corps in the Force? Or is it because of the bullying attitudes of the superior officers who, in the execution of their duty, may tend to be highhanded, or is it because of the poor pay structure? The Minister has announced a new pay structure for the Police Force, and it is most probable that Police officers will welcome it very much. Therefore, I hope they will work harder in future.

Sometime ago we heard of a few Police officers who were sacked and then reinstated all because of a few missing Playboy magazines, which are banned in Singapore. Why was it that no action was taken against the person who was in possession of those bad magazines? Can it be said that the action against these four poor Police officers could have a demoralising effect in the Police Force, and thereby causing some to resign?

It is encouraging to note that the Police Force is going to be modernised and reorganised but those responsible for the reorganisation should take the humane values into consideration. I hope that in the computerisation of the Police Force the policemen will not exist as mere digits in the minds of those responsible for the reorganisation. The chances of promotion in the Republic's Police Force should not only be given to people holding requisite qualifications, but equal chances should also be given to those with long service and with good records.

May I also ask why at present the traffic is in a chaotic state? What is the number of traffic policemen at present in the Force, and how many of them are on traffic duty at any one time? Why is it a common sight in Singapore's roads to find traffic policemen on duty in pairs, in threes or in fours? It is time that more traffic policemen were on foot duty at junctions of busy roads, particularly in narrow lanes where most of the traffic offences are committed.

Mr Ho Kah Leong (Jurong) (in Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, please permit me to ask the Minister a question. This is in relation to the security of the Central Fish Market in Jurong. The Central Fish Market in Jurong is the only venue for the auction of fresh fish. Every day thousands of people do their fish business in this market. Because of the great number of people entering and leaving the market, it is inevitable that some bad hats mingle themselves with the crowd. As a result there have been cases of fighting, Xamb1ing and theft in the market.

I have received complaints from the fish merchants in the market to the effect that over the past few months the security of the market has deteriorated. There has been an increasing number of thefts in the market. Fish packed in crates are simply stolen. For every crate of fish stolen the fishmonger loses about $100 to $200. If it is a crate of prawns, then the loss will be about $1,000. Those fish merchants who were affected have reported the cases to the Police, but were told that they could not do anything. I am told that usually the theft occurs before auction begins. This is the time when the businessmen are so busily occupied with the preparations for the auction that the thieves move in. I would like to ask the Minister whether he can send some policemen there between the hours of 10.00 p.m. and 2.00 a.m, to maintain order and security in the fish market.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: Sir, first let me say how much I appreciate the statement from the Member for Sembawang that the Police Force has improved in its courtesy to the public. I am very pleased to hear that. The Member has also raised the question that we should, in fact, make the Police Week an annual affair. The Ministry has this in mind, and will certainly give the proposal every serious consideration. I am also very pleased to note that the series of 12 Police Week shows, which began last year and will continue in the present year, have produced the desired effect of establishing a better relationship between the Police and the public. The House can rest assured that the Police Force will be instructed that good Police relationship is not just a matter of Police shows. This should be a continuing daily experience between the Police and the public.

3.00p.m.

The Member for Sembawang also raised the question of the recruitment of non-citizens. I think what he has in mind is the recruitment of Malaysians into the Police Force. The reason for this is simply that under the previous salary scales, before the present revision recommended by the Lee Soo Ann Report, it was found impossible to recruit Singapore citizens into the Police Force. I do share his hope that with the improvement in salary scales and also the conditions of work, we will have more Singaporeans applying to join the Police Force in our next recruitment exercise.

I believe the Member has also asked for the figures of Malaysians recruited. I am unable to give him the exact figure, but if he wishes he can ask an Oral Question later. If he will be satisfied with a rough figure, it is in the region of 600. I would like to add that the recruitment of foreigners is only an interim measure, and we hope that in the future we do not have to recruit people from outside Singapore to fill up the Police Force.

The Member for Kampong Kembangan raised the question of public safety, particularly with regard to kite-flying. Under section 14 (e) of the Minor Offences Act (Chapter 102), it is an offence for any person to fly a kite which obstructs or interferes with the traffic in any public road or with the use of telephones wires. The flying of kites is a seasonal past-time indulged in by young and old throughout the Republic. I believe it is a common feature in the Geylang Serai area. However, to-date there has been no occasion for the Police to take action against these persons because they have not obstructed or interfered with the traffic, and there has been no complaint of telephone wires having been damaged. The danger arising from this past-time is caused by children running after kites that have been cut loose. I can assure the Member that the Police will do all it can to prevent any hazard arising out of flying of kites, and I do hope that the Member will also urge people who wish to fly kites to be more careful.

Sir, there are also a few questions raised by the Member for Anson. I believe he wanted to know how many policemen have resigned, and I can give him the figures. The number of resignations of junior officers was 122 for 1969, 246 for 1970, and 235 for 1971. From the beginning of this year to the 15th March, 1972, there were only 12 resignations. For senior officers, the number of resignations was 12 for 1969, 19 for 1970, and 24 for 1971. From the beginning of this year till the 20th March, 1972, there were only nine resignations. I think the House is fully aware of the reasons for the resignations, namely, the salary scales and the conditions of work. All this has been removed by the recommendations of the Lee Soo Ann Report, which the Government has accepted in principle. It is hoped that with the improvements in salary scales and conditions of work, there will be less resignations in future.

I believe the Member for Anson is also concerned with the state of traffic in Singapore. If I heard him correctly, he described it as chaotic. Although traffic on our roads appears to be apparently chaotic, it is, in fact, not so. There are two vivid patterns in the flow of traffic - into the city in the morning peak, and out of the city in the evening peak. During these periods, the flow of traffic is congested, and I have no doubt that this congestion must have given rise to the impression that the flow of traffic is chaotic. With more vehicles on the roads during peak hours, the journeys to and from work create great demands on road space and certain delays are inevitably experienced. This is a common occurrence not only in Singapore, but in all big cities in the world. The Government is trying to overcome some of the problems of traffic congestion by making improvements to the network of roads and to traffic management and enforcement schemes. It is also relevant for me to point out that normally we do not deploy three or four traffic policemen on traffic duty in one spot, except in places where we have recently introduced the box junction system. I quite agree that we do need more traffic policemen, but I hope that as all the vacancies in the rank and file are filled, the position will be improved.

The Member for Jurong raised the question of security in the Central Fish Market in Jurong. As this matter has just been pointed out to me, I will certainly look into it to see that the situation is improved.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister has not replied to my question regarding the Playboy magazines.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: If the Member is referring to the particular case of Playboy magazines, which I think he has in mind, that case has been investigated into and dealt with according to the instructions of the Attorney-General's Chambers. I believe the office concerned has already reinstated the officers.

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for his answers, and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Mr Tay Boon Too (Paya Lebar): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1251.

Sir, every family has a law and every nation has a statute of laws. A nation enacts laws in order to maintain order in its society. However, if the enforcement of the law is ineffective, or worse, if the law is abused, there will be disharmony among members of the family and they will lose confidence in the enforcers of the law. If this goes on, the law will be flouted and in the end it will be very difficult to maintain law and order in the society. If I may use a colloquial phrase it is like an entanglement of the strands of jute.

Human beings are like social animals. They live together but because of civilisation they have advanced both socially and materially. Therefore, with the rising desire and expectation for progress they have differed in their mental make-up. This, together with the different levels of education that they receive, we find that there are the capable and the incapable, the stupid and the intelligent. Therefore, even in a very simple society, there is bound to be a certain number of people who are evil-doers. Among them there are those who have breached the law once or twice, while there are others who are incorrigible criminals. They break the law in order to achieve their ulterior motives. They try to create trouble and cause chaos. The Government, in order to safeguard the interests of the people, has to set up police stations, and send policemen and other officers in plain-clothes for patrol duties to prevent these evil-doers from breaking the law and to help the people to cope with emergencies.

However, some members of the public in my constituency have complained to me that people have been wrongly arrested and beaten up by plain-clothes officers. I have carried out investigations into such complaints and have found them to be true. Hence, I would like to say something about this matter.

Mr Speaker, Sir, it is said that whenever the Police arrest a suspect, he will first be beaten up to be taught a lesson. Sometimes he has to make a statement under duress. If this kind of approach is used against proven gangsters, I would be the last to object. On the contrary, I feel that more severe punishment should be meted out against such bad elements to stop them from doing bad things. However, the indiscriminate beating-up of suspects can sometimes involve innocent persons. I therefore feel that whenever the Police arrest certain suspects, they should first be interrogated and investigations made. The Police should check their identity to find out whether or not they have any previous criminal records. If they have no records, then investigations should be carried out at the scene of the crime. And if the suspects are found innocent, they should be released. If they are found guilty, they should be duly dealt with. Those who are guilty will not resist arrest, and will submit to punishment. In this way, the innocent will be spared corporal punishment. It is important to see that there is justice in the enforcement of the law. Then the country as a whole will be peaceful.

Mr Speaker, Sir, plain-clothes Police officers are charged with the responsibility of safeguarding the peace of the country. They should not only be given privilege to be armed with revolvers but also the privilege to use them in self-defence. However, the use of firearms should only be resorted to when they are in very great danger. In a normal situation the Police should not use firearms.

3.15 p.m.

There should be justice in the enforcement of law and order. This will promote a close rapport between the Police and the people. We should educate the people to be more friendly towards the Police Force. To accomplish this, I feel that all suspects should be thoroughly interrogated before any action is taken against them. If this is not done, there will be a miscarriage of justice and there will be hostility towards the Police. If suspects are taken to the Police station, and there are sufficient grounds to find them guilty, they should be charged accordingly. I hope the Minister will take note of what I have said so that a close rapport can be established between the Police and the public.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: Mr Speaker, Sir, let me first say that I share the views of the Member for Paya Lebar that law and order should be maintained and that justice should not only be done but is seen to be done. The main thrust of his debate is that some plain-clothes officers have beaten up suspects and that he himself has conducted an investigation into the matter. I appreciate the Member's good intention. However, I would like to say that if there are any complaints, there is a proper procedure to deal with them. He himself has conducted an investigation, but the results of his investigation cannot be the basis for disciplinary action. If he were to lodge a complaint, and if it is found that what he says is true, then disciplinary action will be taken against the officers concerned. Police officers are not above the law. There are specific provisions in the Penal Code which make it an offence for persons, including Police officers, to use force of any kind to extract confession or information which may lead to the detection of a crime. Any person so aggrieved by such action can lodge complaints against the officers concerned, and every complaint will be thoroughly investigated. If the investigation reveals that a particular officer is at fault, disciplinary proceedings will be taken against him. Any instance of misconduct on the part of any Police officer will not be condoned and will always be viewed very seriously. Police brutality will not be tolerated even if, after investigation, the suspect is found to have committed the offence. In fact, if a person is found to have committed an offence, the chances are that he will be charged in court. If the Member for Paya Lebar has lodged a specific complaint, I am sure the Police will certainly look into the matter.

Mr Tay Boon Too: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am very satisfied with the Minister's answer. I beg leave to withdraw.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The following amendments stood on the Order Paper Supplement -

Mr J. F. Conceicao: (4) That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1339.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: (5) That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1551.

The Chairman: Mr Conceicao is not here. Amendment (5), Mr P. Govindaswamy.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: I am not moving, Sir.

Mr Ng Yeow Chong (Mountbatten): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1601.

Sir, this subhead concerns the Vigilante Corps which has a glorious record ever since its inception in 1964. The Vigilante Corps was actively discussed during the Committee of Supply last year. I do not propose, therefore, to go over the same ground which has been covered by Members last year. I merely wish to seek clarification from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs: who is really in charge of the Vigilante Corps, and whether there are any plans to re-activate the Volunteer Vigilante Corps or, for short, the V.V.C.? At present there are only a very few volunteers remaining in service and the V.V.C, is, therefore, very inactive. Nowadays we seldom see them patrolling the streets or helping at community centre functions or participating in community activities in the various constituencies.

Mr Speaker, Sir, sometime ago, Members of Parliament were asked to submit their views on the reorganisation of the V.V.C, in their respective constituencies. I wonder what conclusions have been made as a result of these suggestions by Members. Are there any plans to revive the V.V.C. and to make it play a more effective role in the interest of the community? In my view, in order to achieve this the V.V.C, members should not be confined to guard duties only but should also be encouraged to participate in the various activities organised by the Citizens' Consultative Committees or by the management committees of the community centres in the various constituencies. Moreover, the Citizens' Consultative Committees or the management committees of the community centres should have a measure of control over the V.V.C. members in their community centres. At present the community leaders have first to seek permission before they can obtain the services of the V.V.C. This formality should be dispensed with wherever possible, otherwise it will be a hindrance to any plan to promote an effective role of the V.V.C, in community activities.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs (Mr L. P. Rodrigo): Mr Speaker, Sir, may 1 thank the Member for Mountbatten for the praise he has accorded to the Vigilante Corps, it is true that the headquarters of the Vigilante Corps has circulated a questionnaire to Members of Parliament for the purpose of accumulating information and data to see how the performance of the Volunteer Vigilante Corps can be improved. However, not all the questionnaires circulated to Members of Parliament have been returned and, as a result, the headquarters is still having some difficulty in working out plans to improve the organisation as well as the performance of the Volunteer Vigilante Corps. This provides me with an opportunity to prevail upon Members of Parliament to kindly let me have this data sheet to enable the headquarters of the Vigilante Corps to plan out this reorganisation. The specific suggestions made by the Member are, in fact, the subject of various considerations in the questionnaire, all with a view to undertaking this proposed reorganisation. And let us hope that with the reorganisation the services of the Volunteer Vigilante Corps may be utilised without having first to obtain the approval of the headquarters of the Vigilante Corps.

Mr Ng Yeow Chong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am quite satisfied with the answer given. I beg leave to withdraw.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff: (In Malay): Mr Speaker. Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1651*.(* The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr P. Govindaswamy.)

Sir, I wish to congratulate the Minister for Home Affairs in setting up the Central Narcotics Bureau. It has a corps of efficient officers who recently have done much to expose the drug-pushers, and to confiscate quantities of MX pills, heroin and ganja, all in a short space of time after its setting up. The officers have been very efficient in their efforts to abolish drug trafficking.

However, I regret to say that the people who were prosecuted for trafficking or peddling in MX pills and ganja have been given only light prison sentences. In the Straits Times dated 4th March, it was reported that two persons were convicted and fined $150 each for possession of ganja. In the Straits Times of 22nd March, a labourer was fined $25 for possession of ganja. Mr Speaker, Sir, the penalties given to these persons are very light in comparison with the penalties for other offences. They should be given the maximum penalty. If a person is convicted for causing damage to other people's property under the Vandalism Act, the sentence can include the rotan. Why cannot the punishment by the rotan be extended to persons trafficking in MX pills and other drugs? I feel that the Minister for Home Affairs should amend the laws so that these people will be given a heavier punishment, such as a longer term of imprisonment, including caning.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, the newly formed Central Narcotics Bureau has been very successful in smashing the drug peddling rings in the notorious areas. However, the Bureau should expand its staff by recruiting some young men. At present the Bureau consists of older men who rely on tips more than anything else. The younger men can penetrate into these drug rings and thereby expose them, and perhaps they may catch the "big fish" behind this menace.

3.30 p.m.

Furthermore, what action has been taken by the Bureau to prevent University boys from becoming addicts? I understand that some of our University boys are taking pills to keep up with the "in-crowd". It is time that some of the vermin was eliminated before it spreads like a plague in the University.

Sir, sometimes when one takes ganja, it activates the mind. Because of this, the University students take ganja in order to concentrate on their studies. But this has a bad effect on the human body, and will finally ruin the body. There is no doubt that this is bad and dangerous for their future. Therefore, the Government must take action on this serious matter.

Sir, I also understand that hippism is associated with drug-taking and if long hair is characteristic of hippism, then it is time that we acted on our youngsters who sport long hair. Even junior doctors have long hair! We must check this trend because it affects the society. We must destroy the poisoning effects of the demoralised Western society being accepted here by our local youths as being a fashionable thing. These youngsters who keep long hair must be pulled up and charged. Parents too should do their part in discouraging their children from keeping long hair. It is very important for the Minister to take action on this matter. He must not prolong the matter. Otherwise our youths and also the citizens of Singapore will be spoilt in the future. It is very bad for the State.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: Mr Speaker, Sir, very rarely do law enforcement agencies get praises from the public. And I am quite sure that what the Members for Kampong Kembangan and Anson have stated about the efficiency of the officers of the Central Narcotics Bureau will reach the ears of the officers concerned and spur them on to better performances.

As regards the sentences passed on the traffickers of ganja as administered by the law courts, my Ministry is aware of the situation. In fact, my Ministry and the Ministry of Health are at the very advanced stage of making new laws to deal with traffickers in dangerous drugs, including ganja. It is too early for me to reveal the details now, as it would not be quite proper. But I can assure the Member that the new laws will provide for enhanced punishment and, possibly, even flogging. I must say that the matter is in the discussion stage and nothing has been finalised.

The Member for Anson has raised the question of effective penetration of drug syndicates. This is being done. It is not in the nature of things to reveal how we are going about it because this would jeopardise all our operations. However, I can assure the Member that we are interested in all drug syndicates, big or small.

As regards long hair and hippism, 1 think the public is aware that the Singapore Government does not encourage the sporting of long hair and certainly not hippism. We are doing what we can against the problem of long hair. The Member is aware that there is no law against long hair. What we can do is to provide various kinds of sanctions against the sporting of long hair in Singapore.

Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff: (In Malay): Sir, with the assurance given by the Minister, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The following amendment stood in the name of Mr J. F. Conceicao -

(8) That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1658.

The Chairman: Amendment (8) has been withdrawn.

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1701*. (*The same amendment also stood in the names of Tuan Haji Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi and Messrs Sim Boon Woo and P. Govindaswamy.)

Sir, this amendment refers to the Singapore Citizenship Registry. The work of the Registry has increased quite a lot. We all know that the question of citizenship has, over the last few years, been debated enthusiastically by many Members in the House on behalf of the people in the various constituencies. At that time, the Minister for Home Affairs was a Backbencher and he was speaking On behalf of the people in his constituency. He asked the Minister for Labour to consider more sympathetically the situation faced by the people in his constituency. Allow me to quote the Member for Alexandra, who is now the Minister for Home Affairs, when he spoke in this House. This is in Hansard, Vol. 29, No. 12, col. 802, dated 20th March, 1970:

`Mr Speaker, Sir, may I say how much I share the views of the Member for Toa Payoh on the question of eligibility of citizenship and the way by which citizenship is granted to applicants? Speaking on the basis of my own experience in my own constituency, I feel that, perhaps, there should be some relaxation and more compassionate ways in which applications for citizenship are considered.'

Sir, the reason for quoting the Minister for Home Affairs' statement is to show that he was sympathetic towards the people without citizenship when he was a Backbencher. Now that he is the Minister for Home Affairs, I hope that he will consider the question of citizenship more sympathetically.

Sir, the main reason why we impose a strict policy on citizenship is to reduce the economic burden of our country. Of course, I support this argument. But over the last year or so, there has been a great improvement in our economy and I think we can well afford to relax our policy on the granting of citizenship. We have, in fact, issued more than 60,000 work permits to non-citizens. Therefore, for those who have waited many years for their citizenship - some of them have their families, wives and children in Singapore and they have long regarded Singapore as their permanent residence or home - I think we should be more liberal and grant citizenship to them.

Sir, following the rapid economic expansion experienced by our economy, the wage level of our workers has been increased. A semi-skilled worker can obtain an average income of around $200 to $300 per month. For a shopkeeper, the total income for a month is more than $400. Sir, these people can well afford to support their families. For those people who are economically independent, I think we should consider granting citizenship to them.

Sir, another category of applicants may not require our support economically. Some of these applicants are rather old but they have a good and sound economic foundation. Some of them are well supported by their own children, and they have no problem at all in getting a livelihood. But why are they applying for citizenship? 1 have spoken to some of them in the past as I wanted to understand them better and to find out their reason for applying for citizenship. According to them, they are applying for citizenship because of the question of honour. They say that they have been living in Singapore for many years, several decades, in fact. They have been law-abiding citizens and in the past they did not apply for citizenship earlier because they did not pay much attention to the question of citizenship. Another reason is that they now understand that Singapore is better than many other countries. They feel that they are in love with our country. They say that living in Singapore allows them to have a peaceful life and, therefore, they are eagerly awaiting their citizenship. Of course, I sympathise with them for the various reasons they have given.

Another category of applicants wants to go overseas and with citizenship, it is more convenient to apply for a passport. Of course, we have issued Certificates of Identity to non-citizens but they feel that this is rather inconvenient. I also hope the Minister will give sympathetic consideration to this category of applicants.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, citizenship is not a right but only a privilege. I fully agree with the statement. But can the Minister say why there are so many stateless persons in Singapore? They are "floating" characters, and are neither citizens of any country nor are they likely to be granted Singapore citizenship. Because of their status, they cannot apply for flats and cannot even go across the Causeway to visit relatives or friends. Surely they deserve a more humane approach by the Government. Why not issue them with Certificates of Identity so that at least they can go across the Causeway? Furthermore, there are many people who have applied for citizenship and although they are kept waiting, they are not told what their chances are of obtaining citizenship. To assist them can we not give them a specific date when they will be informed whether their application is approved or rejected? They will at least be saved the misery of the long wait and instead can make alternative arrangements.

3.45 p.m.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: Mr Speaker, Sir, firstly, I would like to thank the Member for Sembawang for quoting a statement I made when I was a Backbencher in this House. I have not forgotten that statement. Indeed, I thank him for mentioning it because I can now say publicly that what I said then was, in fact, a less than responsible criticism of the Minister of Labour, who was then in charge of the very difficult portfolio of citizenship. I was then moved more by my heart than by careful consideration of the problems of citizenship in this country. Sir, I am very much sobered by the responsibility of office and know that what I do in the Citizenship Office will affect the future generations of Singapore. I have considered the pros and cons of current policy and have come to the conclusion that the policy on citizenship built up over a period of years is in the best interest of Singapore - for your children and my children, and their children's children. However, having said this, I would say that by and large we have been very generous and liberal in our citizenship policy. I have made a calculation of our citizenship figures, and I can say that 28 per cent of our citizens are, in fact, registered citizens, a figure which is high by any standards in the world.

Sir, to put the whole problem in its proper perspective, let me give a comparison. I will take the year 1968 as the basis for comparison because this is the only year for which I could collect the necessary statistical data. In Australia, in 1968, one person was granted citizenship for every 70 square miles of land. In Canada in the same year, the figure was one for every 64 square miles. In Malaysia, it was one for every three square miles. In New Zealand, it was one for every four square miles. But in Singapore, we granted citizenship to 16 persons for every square mile. I need hardly remind Members that we have only 224 square miles of land at high tide, with one or two more square miles at low tide. In contrast, Australia has more than 2.9 million square miles of land, Canada 3.9 million square miles, Malaysia 130,000 square miles, New Zealand about 104,000 square miles. I am not unmindful of the hardships imposed on the people, but I am equally aware of the fact that the responsibility of this Government is towards the people who are born in Singapore and who have no other possibilities of acquiring citizenship in other countries. I think all of us here in this Parliament are kind-hearted and gentle people. I have not come across any other country except Singapore which shows so much concern for making things easier for the people to acquire citizenship of her country. In fact, records over the past few years have shown that every government is making it more and more difficult for the people to acquire citizenship of that country. Perhaps this quality distinguishes us from other people. Despite comments that we are becoming ugly Singaporeans, I suspect that deep inside us we have very soft hearts. But there is also a limit beyond which we cannot go, without jeopardising our collective welfare. It is for this reason that although we are very sympathetic in the granting of citizenship, we are also very careful in our consideration.

The Member for Anson has asked why do we not fix a time limit and tell the applicants what their chances are. The reason why we do not do so is because we hope that, as time goes on, they will be given citizenship. If they do not get it the first time, there is always a second chance, and then a third. We do not want to discourage them. It has been suggested that we are in relatively good times, and therefore why should we not be generous. True, our economy has picked up far beyond expectations in the last two or three years. But I would like to remind Members of the House that this is the first time, within the memory of a living generation after the Second World War, that we have anything like the situation of full employment. We hope this situation will exist for a long time to come, in which case the whole question of citizenship can be reconsidered. Until we can be assured that the good times will last, the present policy will continue. I should hate to think that, because of what this Government does and what this House wants, in the years to come our children and their children's children would have to go around the world begging for citizenship.

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister concerned for expressing his wish that he is going to consider the cases for citizenship more sympathetically. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The following amendment stood in the name of Mr P. Govindaswamy -

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1751.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: I am not moving, Sir.

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon (Tiong Bahru): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1801.

Sir, in moving this amendment, I wish to ask the Minister concerned if he will consider allowing parents of children born at the Kandang Kerbau Maternity Hospital to apply for their children's birth certificates at the Registry of Births, Empress Place. As far as I know, the office of the Registry of Births in Empress Place will only accept applications for registration of birth of babies who are born in their homes or in private hospitals. As for those born in the K.K. Hospital, the parents will have to do so at the K.K. Hospital. Because of this, those parents who work in the City area find it inconvenient to go to the K.K. Hospital. This means that they might have to take one day's leave to go to the K.K. Hospital for this purpose. Administratively, if it is not too difficult, I hope the Minister concerned will allow them to do the registration at Empress Place.

Mr Ng Yeow Chong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would also like to make a request to the Minister concerned. My request is for exemption of search fee required for the inspection of particulars of birth from the Register of Births. Normally a fee of S2 is payable for this purpose in cases where the applicants do not have the red-printed duplicate copy of the registration of birth, it is only when a search has been successful that they have to pay a further sum of 52 for a Certificate of Extract from the Register of Births which we normally call tile birth certificate. So a total of 54 will have to be paid for the purpose of searching for a birth certificate. This is a burden to the poor people.

The next point I wish to make is that the time of the search should be shortened as far as possible so as to facilitate matters for people who require the information.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: Mr Speaker. Sir, if I understood the Member for Tiong Bahru correctly, he wants to centralise the issue of birth certificates at Empress Place. With that clarification, I will proceed.

Sir, the present practice is for births which occur in Government hospitals to be registered at the hospitals. Of the total of 45,934 births in Singapore in 1970, 36,129 or about 79 per cent were born in hospitals. This system has proved to be very convenient for parents, and it also ensures completeness of registration. Births occurring in the rural areas are now registered at the 14 Maternal and Child Health Clinics, which have been gazetted as registration centres. This not only facilitates registration, but enables the Maternal and Child Health Clinic to undertake post-natal care and supervision of the mother and child. Of the total births in 1970, only 6,439, or about 14 per cent, were registered at Empress Place. It is evident from the figures just cited that it is far more convenient to allow registration at the different centres than to centralise it at Empress Place.

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. But what I mean is not centralisation at Empress Place. What 1 requested was for Government to grant registration facilities at Empress place to those parents whose babies were born at the K.K. Hospital. I know the Government has done a lot in improving the registration of births. This is a clear example of providing better service to the people by the Government. But I feel it would be better if registration service can be provided at Empress Place to those who want to register the birth of their babies who are born in the K.K. Hospital. The reason is that it is usual for mothers to be discharged after a stay of one or two days in the K.K. Hospital. The law allows registration of births within 42 days from the date of birth. The husband will have to take all the trouble to go back to the hospital to register the birth if he happens to be working in the City. It is inconvenient for him. So. I hope that registration of births at the Empress Place office for the category of persons just mentioned can be allowed.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: I understand the point made by the Member for Tiong Bahru. I will look into the matter and see whether administratively it is feasible. As regards the point raised by the Member for Mountbatten, I agree with him that it takes a long time before a search can be completed. This is because of the large number of people who apply for the searches. As to cost, I am afraid very little can be done because it is quite a costly thing to run the Registry and considering the time taken to produce results, I think $4 is a very reasonable rate.

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon: (In Mandarin): Sir, in view of the satisfactory answer given by the Minister, I beg leave to withdraw.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

4.00 p.m.

The following amendments standing in the name of Mr J. F. Conceicao were not moved -

(12) That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of item (2) of subhead 2101.

(13) That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of item (6) of subhead 2101.

(14) That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of item (7) of subhead 2101.

Mr J. F. Conceicao (Katong): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1401 be reduced by $10 in respect of item (11) of subhead 2120.

Just a matter of information, Sir While I applaud the Minister for any efforts that aim at bringing about greater safety and courtesy on the roads, may I specifically ask what will the greatly enhanced sum for this item be spent on? Can we have further details, Sir?

Mr Rodrigo: Sir, increase in the provision of this item from $4,500 to $27,000 for the next financial year is due to the following factors. First, the replacement of old signs made obsolete as a result of the introduction of the Traffic Signs (Size, Colour, and Type) Rules, 1970. Secondly, additional signs are required for functions such as the Grand Prix, National Day Parade, exhibitions, etc. Further, may I say that the emphasis is on Safety First and Signs and Pedestals.

Mr Conceicao: Sir, I was first under the impression that perhaps this increased vote has indicated a greater interest in educating the public towards greater consciousness in road safety. However, since my impression does not seem to be correct here, may I just express the hope that such efforts may be intensified in the future until greater success is reached in making our roads much safer, and with conditions reflective of greater courtesy. With that hope, Sir, I beg leave to withdraw.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $60,589,890 for Head 1401 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

Head 1402 -

Inche Rahmat Bin Kenap Al-Haj (Geylang Serai): (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 1402 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1001*. (*The same amendment also stood in , the names of Messrs Sim Boon Woo and Govindaswamy)

The Immigration Department is an important department and it must play its role in a proper manner because it reflects the attitude of the Government of that country. A few months ago the action of Singapore Immigration officials of cutting the hair of long-haired foreigners who wanted to enter Singapore at the Woodlands checkpoint was unsuitable and improper. Every tourist who comes to Singapore wants to visit the country and to see for himself what the situation is like in our country. But suddenly he finds that his hair has been trimmed to look like soldiers! I hope this matter will be reconsidered by the Immigration Department.

Another matter which I would like to raise with the Minister is the complaints received from members of the public against the Immigration Department. The Immigration Department does not entertain letters from members of the public. This is a very conceited attitude on the part of the Immigration officials. This is very regrettable because the work of immigration bears some relationship with the public. Therefore, this department should entertain letters from members of the public, whether or not the matters raised are relevant. As officials of the Government, they must, in their line of duty, reply to all letters received, and must not throw these letters into the waste paper basket.

Mr Sim Boon Woo: Sir, I do not quite agree with the Member for Geylang Serai that the Immigration Department does not reply to letters sent to them. I think the Department has a high standard of efficiency as regards work.

I would like to know how soon will the Immigration Office, presently situated at Empress Place, move to its new office, which I am given to understand, is to be located at Phoenix Park. Members of the House are no doubt aware of the working conditions of the staff of the Immigration Department. The congestion in the public waiting lounge in the Immigration office is most unbearable and chaotic. The situation now is quite similar to that of a fish market. This certainly presents a bad picture to the tourists and foreigners, particularly those prospective foreign investors and tourists who have occasion to complete certain formalities in the Immigration Office. However, in spite of this pathetic situation brought about by insufficiency of staff and compact office space, Immigration staff has maintained a high standard of efficiency, for which I commend. While I am concerned with the image that we present to the foreigners, who would certainly count such a visit to our Immigration Office as quite an experience, I am even more concerned for our own citizens who have to wait for several hours in seemingly unending queues in such an environment. I hope the Minister will make an immediate adjustment, bearing in mind my observation, when this office moves to its new premises.

The Chairman: Mr P. Govindaswamy is not here.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: Sir, two views were expressed of the Immigration Department and its public relations. The Member for Geylang Serai indicated a certain laxity, while the Member for Changi has praised the efficiency of the staff working under very difficult conditions.

I am not quite sure what the Member for Geylang Serai is specifically referring to. All officers in our Ministry, including those in the Immigration Office, have instructions to reply to grievance letters against them appearing in the press. They are also instructed to acknowledge letters written directly to them. If there is any specific instance of what the Member has alleged, I will look into the matter if he will direct the letter to me.

As regards the question of overcrowding at Empress Place office, I think not only myself but all my officers, including those in the Immigration Office, have agreed that the Immigration Office at Empress Place is too congested for the purposes. Action has already been taken to look for an alternative site, and the Ministry hopes that the new site will be large enough to meet the needs of the Office as well as the public.

Inche Rahmat Bin Kenap: (In Malay): Sir, there were instances when officials of the Immigration Office did not reply to letters. Those people who were affected did refer their cases to me, and I have letters in my hand to show that their letters have not been replied.

I hope the Minister will also reply to my question regarding the cutting of long hair at the Woodlands checkpoint.

Prof. Wong Lin Ken: First, with regard to unanswered letters, I would ask the Member to pass them over to me. With regard to long hair, I think the Member is concerned with our policy that the cutting of long hair will affect the number of tourists coming in to Singapore. I do not have the actual figures, but I can say that it does not, in fact, affect the number of people coming in to Singapore. The Government will continue with the policy of discouraging people with long hair from entering Singapore. There has been sufficient publicity on this. In fact, the Ministry was quite happy at the publicity because it had the effect of putting across the message to other countries.

Inche Rahmat Bin Kenap: (In Malay): I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $2,663,690 for Head 1402 ordered to stand part of the Estimates.

The Chairman: The remaining heads of expenditure in respect of which no amendment stands on the Order Paper Supplement are Heads 0103, 0105, 0106, 0107, 0109, 0302, 0702, 1004, 1102, 1103, 1105, 1106, 1109, 1302, 1305, 1307, 1308 and 1309.

Question, "That the sums stated for those heads of expenditure which appear in the last column of the Abstract of Estimated Expenditure on pages 49 and 50 of Paper Cmd. 3 of 1972 stand part of the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1972, to 31st March, 1973," put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the sum of $1,230,465,920 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1972, to 31st March, 1973, contained in Paper Cmd. 3 of 1972," put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

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

The Minister of State for Finance (Mr Tang See Chim): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has come to a certain resolution.

Resolution reported -

"That the sum of $1,230,465,920 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1972, to 31st March, 1973, contained in Paper Cmd. 3 of 1972."

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.