TELECOMS MONTHLY CALENDAR (Objective)

Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for National Development and Communications if he will ascertain from the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore what has been the expenditure per month for the printing, postage, etc. of the monthly note-books/diaries sent out by the Authority and if the Authority will consider discontinuing the issue of such notebooks/diaries if they do not serve a useful purpose.

The Senior Minister of State for Communications (Mr Ong Teng Cheong) (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, Telecoms monthly calendars are sent to 65.000 of its 250.000 telephone subscribers, as well as Members of Parliament, members of Citizens Consultative Committees, Permanent Secretaries of Ministries, heads of Government departments and statutory boards. The total monthly cost is less than $14,000 including postage.

As a large public authority providing an important service, the TAS considers it desirable that the people it serves should be kept informed of its varied activities. The Telecoms monthly calendar is only one of the ways through which this objective is carried out.

The project was implemented in April 1976 and twelve issues of the calendar will have been sent out by March next year. Its objective is to communicate information on Telecoms to its recipients.

So far, Telecoms has received several letters from subscribers complimenting the approach and the attractive presentation of the calendars. There were others who offered constructive suggestions on how to encourage the use of these calendars.

Telecoms will continue to monitor the usefulness of such calendars. It is too early to decide now that they do not serve a useful purpose.

Mr Ang Nam Piau (Thomson): Sir, the Senior Minister of State said that it is too early to decide. May I know when he can decide?

Mr Ong Teng Cheong: Sir, as I mentioned earlier, the TAS is still monitoring the usefulness of these calendars. I cannot tell him exactly when. Of course, if it is eventually decided that these calendars do not serve any useful purpose, they will be discontinued.