PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS Debate on the Address (Fourth Day)

Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [14th February, 1977].

`That the following Address in reply to the Speech of the President be agreed to:-

"We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which he delivered on behalf of the Government at the opening of the First Session Of this Parliament.".'-[Dr Chiang Hai Ding].

Question again proposed.

2.35 p.m.

Dr Augustine H. H. Tan (Whampoa): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have the dubious honour of bridging the years of the Dragon and the Snake. Fortunately, being a Dragon. I have no reason to be afraid of Snakes.

When we last adjourned I was speaking about the economic difficulties in the advanced countries. To recapitulate briefly, there seems to be a slowing down of technological innovations which fuel the engine of economic growth. Secondly, the aging population structure in the industrial countries has altered the pattern of demand, necessitating rather painful and difficult changes in production patterns. Thirdly, there is the energy crisis which will bring about escalating costs of energy resulting in lower standards of living and contributing to inflation. I might add two other important factors. One was raised by the President in his Address and by the Prime Minister's Addendum. This refers to the excessive cushioning of life by state subsidies to the point where incentives for work and enterprise are seriously eroded, with disastrous consequences in terms of unemployment, inflation and falling standards of living.

The fifth factor contributing to the economic malaise of the industrial countries is that of over-education, referred to by the hon. Member for Ulu Pandan. Over half the 18-year old males in the advanced countries are receiving college education. And college graduates usually look for administrative and managerial jobs. Rapid economic growth up to the end of the sixties brought the job opportunities and the incentives for higher education. But the era of rapid growth is over unless new cheap energy sources are discovered. Consequently, executives and managerial positions are difficult to come by. At the same time, blue-collar jobs go a-begging. This naturally creates further problems of adjustment in the industrial countries.

The lessons for us are painfully clear. Our educational system must be geared to economic realities. In an era of sluggish economic growth, we shall only be creating more frustrations if we produce graduates for whom few jobs are available.

In America, President Carter has announced a fiscal stimulation package of US$31 billion to be implemented over two years. At the same time, he is urging the Japanese and the West Germans to stimulate their economies simultaneously. Unfortunately, the severe winter in America has disrupted production and increased fuel bills, thereby diluting the economic stimulus of the tax cut. Moreover, in my view, the fiscal measures will stimulate more consumption than investment. Hon. Members may know that Keynesian economists believe that a tax cut and/or increased government expenditure will produce growth and employment. A tax cut, for example, makes more money available to individuals who will spend some of it and save the rest. Their spending will stimulate more production, both directly and via a multiplier effect. Factories therefore can utilize more of their capacity and at the same time employ more people. Those factories operating at full capacity are supposed to have incentive for expanding their operations, thus providing more jobs. But I do not believe in Keynesian economics. The main stimulus to investment comes from technological innovations which open up new frontiers of profitable opportunities. Investments in these new areas in turn stimulate investments in the established industries through the input-output relationship where one factory buys its requirements from other factories and in turn sells to others. Unfortunately we know too little about the processes of technological innovations and governments of the advanced countries have not yet identified this to be a priority area of attention. Consequently, I expect that, while growth rates in the industrial countries can be marginally improved, unemployment and inflation will continue to be severe problems.

The problems in store for us are threefold. First of all, it will be harder for us to attract new foreign investments as unemployment conditions in the advanced countries will deter capital outflow, witnessed already by the vast volume of literature on multinational corporations, especially those emanating from the trade unions in the advanced countries where they are very much against the so-called export of jobs and technology to developing countries while we can expect the pressures to increase. Secondly, we may find it more difficult to export our goods if industrial countries raise their trade barriers to protect their own employment. Already we have seen the imposition of barriers by the European Common Market on our electronic calculators. This is a harbinger of things to come. Thirdly, higher energy costs mean higher transportation costs. Our imports and our exports incur transportation charges. Therefore, for all three reasons, we must expect to work harder to maintain and, if possible, to improve our standards of living. Either we take the question of raising productivity seriously and urgently or we may find unemployment and erosion in our standards of living.

In addition to the imperative of raising productivity we need greater efforts in export promotion. Export financing is being provided but other areas like marketing, product development, advertising and more importantly, after-sales service should be carefully studied. Further diversification into new markets like West Asia and expansion of markets in the ASEAN region will be helpful to reduce our vulnerability. However, we can only maintain our competitive edge by producing products and services of high quality at low cost and with the proper after-sales service. But if our manufacturers have only a very limited time horizon and are interested in one-shot deals and one-shot sales, then of course they will continue to market goods which are inferior in quality and will not bother to look after the consumers once they have sold their products.

To encourage greater investment in manufacturing we should examine the incentives for expansion and diversification of existing industries. Since we are going to find it harder to attract new industries, this seems to be a logical thing to look into. Furthermore, we need to examine what additional technical and supporting facilities Government agencies can offer to stimulate private development, especially in those areas of industry where they find it very expensive to buy and maintain their own testing equipment and calibration equipment. But if such equipment can be provided by Government it will certainly help to stimulate such industries.

The Ministry of Finance emphasized further development of manufacturing but perhaps in the protectionist era that we are entering, we should examine the feasibility of developing other service industries to ensure reasonable growth and full employment.

Mr Speaker, Sir, Ministries usually inform this House of new programmes but we hear too little by way of progress reports and objective evaluation of the success or failure of such programmes, for the Annual Reports submitted by Ministries and Statutory Boards are not of much help as they usually present glowing accounts and not critical analyses of work done by their agencies. I submit that what we need is more critical monitoring of what goes on.

2.45 p.m.

Mr Lee Yiok Seng (Bukit Panjang): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the President in his policy speech delivered at the opening of this Parliament said that:

`This Government has the highest number of votes. This vote of confidence imposes a heavy responsibility on my Ministers to act fairly but firmly. My Government will exercise its authority to govern with circumspection and moderation.'

This simple message has alleviated the fears of the people, because during the General Elections they heard a lot of empty promises made by the Opposition parties and a lot of criticisms have been levelled at the People's Action Party. Yet the electorate was intelligent enough to decide to support the People's Action Party. However, there are some people who worry about the eventuality that once the PAP is elected with full backing of the voters and with a higher percentage of votes this might result in the PAP Government being complacent and will therefore neglect the wishes, and needs of the people.

However, from the policy speech delivered by the President, it is clear that the PAP Government will strive for excellence and will not be complacent over its achievements, nor will it abandon or neglect the people. The President also gave a piece of advice to the Government that the authority of the Government derives from the people and the Government should be concerned with the people's welfare and interests and that in exercising its power it should see that the people's interests are placed above all else. The greater the support given to the Government, the greater will be the responsibility of the Government. Therefore, whether they be Ministers or Members of Parliament are in the service of the Government, they must set the good example of doing their best and in utilising their talent and attributes to carry out Government's policies, they should always be mindful of the interests and wishes of the people. They should try to understand the difficulties and needs of the people. A Minister should not only be concerned with his own Ministry or Constituency but should also be concerned with the well being of all the people of Singapore. As soon as any anomaly or aberration is discovered, he must see that the civil servants rectify it as soon as possible. For the sake of the nation and the people, the Ministers must not hesitate to admit their errors.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I am a Member representing the rural areas. It is therefore my duty to voice the opinions, the problems and the needs of the rural people. In the last few years the people in the rural areas faced various problems. Their needs also have to be satisfied. Our country is a rapidly developing one, attaching great importance to major problems of improvement and development. This has resulted in neglecting the problems in the rural areas or its importance lessened. A lot of problems in the rural areas have therefore been shelved resulting in an increase in the number of problems rather than reducing it because of the need for development. Therefore, when Members of Parliament representing the rural areas raise the same problems and needs, they are regarded as being conservative in their thinking. This is because the problems in the rural areas have not been solved, and not because the MPs are stubborn and conservative.

Mr Speaker, Sir, in the last few years, there were developments and modernisation in many spheres. According to my observation, there must be special development programmes to institute modern amenities in the rural areas to compensate for their backwardness and to bridge the gap between the urban areas and the rural areas. The Government should consider the early implementation of this scheme. I feel that in order to effectively tackle the problems of the rural areas a Rural Affairs Bureau should be set up by the Government to help tackle their problems.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I am sorry to say that in the various Addenda there is no mention of any new programmes or any projects for the provision of modern amenities for the rural areas. Our rural areas are still quite extensive and quite a large proportion of our population live in the rural areas. So it is the duty of the Government to do something for the people in the rural areas.

I have some suggestions to make for the consideration of the Government. Firstly, in the field of education, schools in the rural areas are very small and poorly equipped. The teaching of the second language cannot reach the required standard. If this situation is not rectified, then the pupils from the rural schools who receive unequal training will not be able to compete fairly with children from the urban schools in future. Why does the Ministry of Education not consider this and try to solve this problem?

Secondly, there is the problem of public transport. Most of the rural people live in areas quite removed from the major roads, some three or four miles away. They do not possess their own transport. They are in dire need of public transport service in their daily travel. If we approach this question fairly, we will see that the rural people have the greatest need for a public transport service. However, the Ministry of Communications has not done anything about it. Why is this so?

Thirdly, in the field of public construction, most of the rural people are engaged in farming for a livelihood. They have to carry their farm produce to the city and elsewhere and bring back fertilisers and other supplies. They are therefore in pressing need of good public roads to facilitate their transport needs. With good roads, they will be able to raise the price of their produce and reduce their cost. As it is the maintenance of roads in the rural areas depends only on the very meagre annual allocation of funds by the Urban and Rural Services Committee. If the Ministry of National Development does not amend the scheme, I would ask when will road construction works be completed in the rural areas?

Fourthly, primary production. Many farmers in the Republic have been affected by resettlement schemes. They are asked to leave their farm land which the Government intends to develop. But the Government has not been able to help them in a satisfactory way and so they have to give up their farming activities in which they are good at in search of new means of livelihood. No doubt, the Government has allocated a piece of land in the Punggol area for pig rearing, but it is to be operated on a large scale. Small-scale farmers would not therefore have any chance to participate in the pig-rearing enterprise. Thus, they have to give up and look for other outlet.

With regard to vegetable farmers, the Government has not been able to give them alternative land, and so they are forced to give up their farming occupation. For example, in my Constituency, many vegetable gardeners have been asked to leave. They will be evicted and they are worried about their future. I feel that vegetable gardeners have contributed a lot to the food supplies of our people. The Ministry of National Development should help them and give them alternative land so that they can continue with their usual vegetable gardening. I am sorry to note that the Ministry of National Development does not seem to think so.

Fifthly, on the relationship between the civil servants and the rural people. Rural people lack a knowledge of Government administration or the setup of Government Departments. They are straightforward. honest, practical and pragmatic. Therefore, they are quite ignorant of and worried about Government processes and the notices which are given to them. They are at a loss over these matters. Civil servants also lack an understanding of the rural people. They do things by the rule and they follow instructions to the letter. Therefore, there exist a lot of misunderstanding and dissatisfaction between the rural people and certain civil servants. In fact, civil servants should exercise certain flexibility in implementing Government policies or measures so as to achieve greater effectiveness. According to my observation over the years, in their official dealings with the people in the rural areas, civil servants have been very rigid in their attitude, very lacking in humane sentiment. Therefore, the rural people find it difficult to take and are disappointed with the Government. The crux of the problem is that the civil servants lack an understanding of the problems of rural areas and special training.

Mr Speaker, Sir, the problems which I have mentioned above have not been satisfactorily solved for a long time neither has there been a systematic plan for solution. I feel that this is because the various Ministries are busy with their own important business and therefore neglecting the minor problems of the rural areas. I therefore feel that if the Government can establish a special department to give special assistance to the various departments in tackling rural problems, greater achievement will te obtained. Sir, I support the motion thanking the President.

3.00 p.m.

Dr Ong Leong Boon (Kim Song): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion thanking the President for the speech he delivered on 8th February on behalf of the Government. It was an excellent speech with the message loud and clear; an instructive address with lots of punch and purpose, caution and exhortation. Aptly. Singaporeans expected no less. This is after all a no-nonsense political leadership that has enjoyed and continues to enjoy the fullest confidence of the people of Singapore.

Going through the President's Address and the various Addenda. I must confess that I found very little to quarrel with. The plan of action for the various Ministries for the next five years takes us further on the road of nation-building to make Singapore a more just and a more equal society. I have no doubts that, barring developments beyond our control, we shall succeed if we continue as a nation to show grit, stamina and hard work.

The Addendum on the Prime Minister's Office emphasised the philosophy of the Government: that rewards must be correlated with work, that excellence should be rewarded and honoured in order that all can benefit from the exceptional talents of the few, that the talented few should not be punished to satisfy the doctrinal follies of the even fewer. We hold true the traditional Asian precept, "From each his best, to each his worth". It follows therefore that any flirtation with unrealistic doctrines is an exercise to kill human motivation and genius. At the same time the Government declared that it commits itself to help the needy through better education and health so that all men and women are equal in health and opportunities.

Our philosophy reflects a deep understanding of the human nature, the id and the ego. We seek to motivate man to better himself to work hard, to reach for excellence in return for what he is worth, We see no virtue in dogma or doctrinaire politics, and we find the heavy-handed practice in some countries to methodically destroy man and his familiar surroundings to recreate a new man, an unacceptable and unnecessarily expensive exercise.

The PAP, I am sure, shall continue to govern with circumspection and moderation, to jealously guard our national interests, to reject unhealthy influences that do us no good. To progress and to move ahead we must continue to selectively imbibe relevant factors of other societies, Western, Japanese or Chinese and "incorporate these factors into our system without damage to ourselves".

I note with great interest the amount of debate and discussion the President's address has generated in this House over the last week. I am also extremely encouraged by the favourable response of the public to this first session of the fourth Parliament. Obviously, Sir, MPs have taken note of the President's clarion call "to ensure that all shades of opinion out in the constituencies are vigorously voiced in Parliamentary questions and debates. No major policy or legislation should be passed without the closest scrutiny, and passed after the most thorough debate".

It would appear to me as if Chairman Mao's call: "Let a hundred flowers blossom, and a thousand schools of thought contend" has come to town at last. This time we are happily reassured by the Leader of the House that no heads will roll as a consequence.

Sir, as you know, unaccustomed as I am to scratching another's back, I must however give due credit to Dr Toh Chin Chye, Minister for Health and -

Mr Speaker: Dr Ong, I wish you would refer to the hon. Member by his designation rather than his name.

Dr Ong Leong Boon: Yes, Sir, I must give due credit to the hon. Member for Rochore and Minister for Health who first spoke out for more debate in 23rd December, 1976 his press interview after winning the Elections. That night, I think the hon. Member spoke his mind. The rest, as you know, is now history.

An hon. Member: It was in the morning of 24th December.

Dr Ong Leong Boon: Sir, we are a one-party Parliament through no fault of the PAP. As one of many nations with constitutionally elected governments, Singapore is unique in having a first-rate Government but an appalling collection of non-viable opposition parties outside Parliament that wake up every fifth year. The real opposition walked out of this House in 1963 and took to the streets. And lest they be forgotten, we are constantly and painstakingly reminded that they are very much around. And indeed they are.

PAP Backbenchers are now expected to assume the role of the Parliamentary opposition: to debate issues, to air grievances, to check and balance government action or inaction, to provide the forum for the government to explain and justify its policies and implementations. This, of course, presupposes that Ministers will co operate in the right spirit: to invite comments, to accept criticisms, to concede when necessary and, of course, to take praise graciously where credit is due. The intention here should not be for one party to score points over the other, but to complement the functions of each other.

Yes, let conscience be our guide. The task ahead is not exactly an easy one, and it is not likely that all MPs can fulfil this role successfully. The outspoken Backbencher will certainly not win a popularity poll amongst Ministers and, conversely, the aggressive, short-tempered, arrogant Minister will find himself sipping coffee alone in the Members' Room next door. The challenge, as I see it, is to develop the art of Minister-bashing without tears and to do it in such a way that Ministers ask for more of the same!

I have gone to some length on this subject because I feel that this is an extremely important matter that demands the attention of all. I salute the leaders who call for greater debate so that different and indeed divergent views can contend. I think it would be suicidal for the PAP and for this Government to continue to think that Singaporeans would readily accept as gospel truth without question, any action or policy of the Government, however well-intentioned it may be; and that every five years the same party would be returned full-house.

As Singapore prospers, as more and more people are educated with increasing political awareness and sophistication, and as the basic needs like food, shelter, jobs and education are attended to, the battle for people's hearts and allegiance is won through the minds; using reason, logic and persuasion. In the words of Shakespeare, "Your gentleness will move me more than force move me to gentleness". It shall, I feel, better insulate Singapore against attempts to subvert government and people and I think this new approach would be a better bet than no political opportunists or gamblers come to power by default.

I have good reasons to believe that the call for greater parliamentary debate is sincere, and well-intentioned. It is timely and it is necessary too.

May I, therefore suggest that these same leaders now call for debate to be extended outside Parliament with similar exhortations. This is a logical sequel. We must surely agree that there is a near total lack of public debate. People fight shy of uttering opinions, shun controversy for a variety of reasons and I do not propose to go into these reasons here. They act as if politics and affairs of state are taboo, the prerogative of Government leaders and MPs alone, The newspapers, radio and television are devoid of opinions on political issues or Government policies. No, it is not their business to get involved in such matters. Who knows what will happen if you utter the wrong words or espouse the wrong things?

It seems clear to me that this Government has declared that it will not even put communists and pro-communists behind bars if only they will "denounce the CPM's use of force to seize power, and themselves forswear the use of force to unseat a constitutionally elected government." If this is so, what is there to worry?

In this context, Sir, I must congratulate the hon. Member for Kampong Chai Chee for starting a monthly Meet-the-People Forum so that his constituents can raise and thrash out any issues on Government policy or implementations. Likewise the mass media, including radio and television, civic organisations and community centres can similarly serve as forum for public debate. MPs and Ministers should participate if invited. It would be a welcome change if the Chairman of the Public Utilities Board participates in a TV forum on PUB charges or the Minister of Defence arguing the case for national service for women on TV against anxious parents, husbands or lovers, or indeed the hon. Member for Telok Blangah discussing the case for Daylight Saving in Singapore against those who think it utterly irrelevant to Singapore.

3.13 p.m.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Affairs (Mr Chan Chee Song): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to join hon. Members of the House in their support of the President's Address delivered at the opening of the First Session of the Fourth Tuesday, 8th February, 1977.

In his Address, the President pointed out that our Government has a mandate to reject the soft-headed, pernicious policies that all the good things in life, from bus rides to PUB charges, can be given for free, or otherwise to reduce the fares or charges when the costs are going up. This applies to our social policies which have been formulated with a view to giving a better life to our people. Whatever social policies we formulate must perforce be governed by our tradition of enterprise, industry and desire for excellence, We have to avoid the idealistic philosophy of the welfare state in supplying everything free to everybody who wants it from cradle to grave, and in giving a cushion to people who suffer hardships or difficulties arising from personal inadequacies irrespective of their capability or willingness to make an effort in overcoming them. No one, not even the poor, should expect to be carried for free, expecting others to shoulder the burden while they sit back as passengers unwilling to make a contribution.

In the field of social services, the basic social amenities and services have already been well-established. Even recipients of public assistance are being encouraged, trained and helped along to work, wherever possible. The Social Welfare Department has already intensified its efforts to place the Public Assistance recipients, their spouses or children in gainful employment. This is in line with the new policy of offering suitable employment to those Public Assistance recipients who can work, and placing those who are untrained on training schemes. A Self-Employment Assistance Scheme to help Public Assistance recipients and other poor persons to be self-supporting has recently been, introduced. Under the scheme, interest-free loans are made to persons in need who require money as capital to set themselves up in their own small businesses. The loans could be used, for example, to buy equipment to set up a hawker stall or to buy sewing machines so that tailoring orders could be accepted. The Scheme will help needy persons by instilling in them the desire for independence and productive living. In this way, they will not have to be dependent on public aid.

Even the destitutes will soon be placed on a new programme of work and training. The Government has already approved funds to construct a new home at Chia Keng I for destitutes for their rehabilitative training. The trainable destitutes will be encouraged to acquire the work discipline and skills in order to fit themselves into the world of work.

Care of the aged is a problem which requires urgent attention. The tradition in Asian countries is for the aged to be looked after by their children, This is a laudable tradition which should be encouraged and preserved. In Western countries it is not uncommon to find old folks being isolated from their families. Some are sent to old people's homes; others live on their own. When we visit these countries, we often see lonely old people sitting in the park with dogs or cats as their constant companions. We should learn a lesson from the social experiences of these countries. We should strengthen our traditional values of filial piety and respect for elders which would preserve the kinship ties and thus keep the extended family intact. Through the granting of tax relief for dependent parents and grandparents, the Government already recognises the need to encourage people to look after their dependent parents and grand-parents.

Much more important is social education to reduce the generation gap. The young must learn to understand those who are older. Children must learn to understand their parents so as to build a close relationship with them. Parents in turn must learn to be reasonable with their children, to be close to them and provide the best possible climate at home for their individual growth. In this way, many of the social problems we have been facing could be prevented or at least minimised.

It is easy for those who merely want to govern by gaining popularity to beguile the public with promises to provide everything for free. We cannot be like some Western countries which adopt what the Americans call the "pork barrel" approach of government by making use of public money for vote catching purposes. Instead of encouraging private initiative to work out solutions for the community, they move in under one pretext or another to provide for services whether or not they are really wanted and whether or not they do any good. Even in the field of social services, welfare state concepts have brought difficulties to many Western countries. There are dangers of evolving such a system for it breeds laziness and indifference. It leads to the erroneous belief that the good things in life can be got without sustained effort, and that it is the duty of the government to act as the "universal provider".

The progress of the socialist ideology, coupled with the great work done by social workers in the slums and ravages of the second world war, brought about many changes in the philosophy of social services. The present thinking is that people must be helped to help themselves. Welfare should not be just doling out reliefs and benefits. It must be more developmental. This in fact strikes the key note of our social policy. Social services in the future will be geared towards the development of individual initiative, creativity, and the will and ability to do productive work. Social measures will be aimed at the creation of renewed economic independence and productive living.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion.

3.20 p.m.

Mr Teong Eng Siong (Sembawang): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, before I speak, in this festive season, let me wish you, Mr Speaker, and all hon. Members a Happy Chinese New Year.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion moved by the Member for Ulu Pandan thanking the President for his speech delivered on the 8th February, outlining the Government's policy. In the Presidential Address, three important aspects have been highlighted. First, in promoting national consciousness, we should strive to instil the precept, namely, "From each his best; To each his worth." This will alienate the social parasites. This correct directive will make for diligence and self-reliance. Secondly, we should select what is best from the West and fit it into our context and realistic situations so as to promote all round development. Unlike some other countries, we do not blindly ape foreign examples or regard anything foreign as golden rules. For by so doing we will only succeed in driving the country to the dogs. Thirdly, we must learn the experience of the Japanese and understand how Japan was able to transform herself into a modern industrial nation in less than 100 years since the Meiji Restoration of 1868. No doubt, for a country like ours, devoid of natural resources, we have no other choice but to utilise the hard work, industry, intelligence and the spirit of self-reliance of our people and to adopt certain pragmatic measures in our development, in addition to adopting all practical constructive policy so as to assure our future and our development.

The policy speech also emphasised that we have to face the fact of a slower economic growth rate and that we should adjust our spending habits, both as a government and as individuals. This means that we have to be pragmatic and realistic and that we have to lead a simple and austere life. In fact, a frugal life style is a traditional oriental virtue.

The policy speech also indicates that we should learn from the experience of the Japanese. I share the same sentiments, because the Japanese people are not only hardworking and self-disciplined but also imbued with the spirit of patriotism and a love for their national products. Of course, our people are also imbued with a high sense of patriotism, so, that we are able to achieve much in a short period of time. However, there is a shortcoming among our people, that is, a lack of confidence in our own local products. Let me give an example. According to a newspaper report, certain jeans made in Singapore were shipped to a foreign country and chopped with the words, "Made in -(the name of the foreign country)", and then they were sent back to Singapore and sold at a price four or five times above Singapore made jeans. In other words, the jeans made in Singapore costing only $9 to $11 a piece, had gone up to $30-$5O if they were chopped with the words "Made in -", a foreign country. Yet our local consumers do not mind spending so much money for such jeans. There are a lot of examples of a similar nature. What does this show? It shows the manifestation of the xenophilous psychology, feeling that local ginger is not hot enough and that the moon in foreign countries is rounder than the moon in Singapore.

Apart from embarking on industrialisation and manufacturing industries and expanding our export markets, we have also to take positive steps to convince and persuade our local people to buy our local products. This will not only save us a lot of foreign exchange but also earns for us an expanded market for our products. It is also to be stressed that this is an act of patriotism.

Sir, there is no doubt that in the last 10 years, because of economic prosperity and increased incomes of the people, certain portion of our people have taken to some unwholesome habits. They are obsessed by an urge to seek material comforts and enjoyment without working. This is a bad phenomenon. We have to rekindle the love and respect for labour among our people. How are we going to do that? I believe that we should adopt certain measures or policies. One, we should shorten the wage differentials, for instance, between an engineer earning from $1,200 to $1,500 and an ordinary construction worker earning only $200 to $300 per month. Of course, this results in a shortage of labour in the construction industry, and therefore need to recruit labour from foreign countries. Our Minister for Labour has on many occasions emphasised the need to adjust the wages between the managerial grade and that of manual workers. I welcome such constructive policy and its early implementation. Secondly, we must foster the social vogue of respect for labour and accord the diligent worker with adequate reward and honour, because workers and labourers have made great contributions to our national construction. Annually, on National Day we award all classes of medals to people who have rendered meritorious services to our country; but we have yet to find a labourer or a worker among those awarded by the President. Therefore. I think we should institute an honours list for our workers in recognition of their meritorious contributions to our country. Thirdly, every year the Government awards many scholarships to students who excel in their studies, yet we have not `given any scholarship to workers who are capable and intelligent. Such awards will enable them to further their studies. I therefore suggest that we should consider the institution of a scholarship for the workers in order to nurture a pool of elite workers. Such a step will help to promote a spirit of love for labour among the people.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I remember in last June, under the auspices of the Prime Minister, we carried out a nation-wide campaign on "Use Your Hands". This is a campaign rich in education significance. I believe that we should frequently carry out such an educative campaign. Not only all the MPs should take part in this educational campaign, civil servants from the top echelon to the middle grades should also take part in labour, so as to enable them to experience the significance of labour and help promote the good vogue of respect for labour.

Sir, let me now touch on certain problems in the Addenda. In the various Addenda, I paid special attention to the problems faced by the hawkers, in particular the raising of hawker licence fees. This will mean an increased cost to the hawkers. According to my knowledge, licence fees at certain food centres are already high. Apart from paying the licence fees they have to pay PUB charges. If licence fees are revised upwards, this will mean a greater burden to them, and they will pass on such increased cost to the consumers. This will lead to another bout of inflation, Therefore, Mr Speaker, Sir, before the Government does anything to increase the hawker licence fees, it should give careful consideration and try to abolish it. It should review the matter of taxes and see what could be increased and what could not be increased. It is very easy to increase taxes. The race course is crowded with bettors and gamblers. If the Turf Club increases its admission fee by, say, $5 then the Government will collect millions of dollars in revenue. But the people who patronise the food stalls come mostly from the middle and lower income groups, such as office workers, taxi drivers, civil servants and trishaw-riders. They are able to get cheap meals at these centres and this indirectly helps to lighten their cost of living. Mr Speaker, Sir, if you will remember, it is the policy of the Government to resite the hawkers at the various food centres to enable them to make a living and also to provide cheap meals. It also aims to stabilise and reduce the cost of living.

Another authority which contemplates raising tariffs is the PUB. This has caused concern among the people, especially those in the lower income group. A lot of people have found these yearly increase in PUB charges very burdensome. I agree that nothing is for free in this world, If you want something, you must pay for it. However, water and electricity are essential commodites. They are not luxuries and the charges are already high. So as a trusted Government, I believe it is the Government's duty to offer such services to the people as conducive to their well-being. The PUB should not be run as a commercial enterprise which only thinks in terms of profit-making. Furthermore, the PUB has accumulated considerable surpluses over the years. In other words, the Government should consider subsidising certain services provided by the PUB just as the President has said in his speech that the Government is subsidising education, medical services, and housing. Whilst our economy is still in the midst of recovery, I do not agree to such increase in PUB charges. I also agree with the Member for Leng Kee who suggested in this `House on 14th February 1977 that all those surcharges to PUB bills should be abolished.

I have received numerous complaints from my constituents that their PUB bills have unexpectedly increased, by sometimes more than 100%. Payment for the previous month's bill was $50, this month it has risen to $120. It is like a rising tide. However, in the matter of PUB charges, they never come down. After investigation, such amounts are found to be based on estimates and not because of their increased consumption; the excess could be deducted from the next bill. My constituents asked why are these estimates not based on figures of the previous month. Such complaints are quite common. I believe, Sir, even among your constituents you have come across such complaints. Whose fault is this? I think the General Manager of PUB should be blamed, because he has not directed his subordinate officers to carry out their work properly, thus causing inconvenience to the people and their discontent against the Government. I appeal to the Chairman of the PUB, who is none other than the Minister for National Development and Communications, to restructure or reorganise the administrative set-up of the PUB so as to render satisfactory service to the people.

Let me now touch on the Addendum on the Ministry of Culture. The Addendum advocates the policy of the Government to develop Singapore's rich cultural heritage derived from the Malay, Chinese, Indian and Western civilisations, and, through their cross-fertilisation, to evolve a national cultural identity. The Ministry of Culture will continue to organise a wide range of activities to promote a better appreciation of our cultural heritage. Of course, such a policy is entirely correct. But in practice, do we drive home this spirit in our actual work? I think there is a gap between what we advocate and what we really do.

Most of our TV programmes are imported. Locally produced programmes are few in number. For example, a certain marketing consultancy company has carried out a survey of TV viewers and found that there are 10 most popular programmes like "The Heroes" and "Beauty of an Era", Among them only one is locally produced, namely, "Musical Showcase", But 80% of the artistes appearing in that programme are from abroad. Therefore, we can see that locally produced programmes are few in number and the standard is also rather low. This is a matter for regret. Therefore, I suggest that the Ministry concerned should go all out to nurture our artistic talents and to produce more local TV programmes befitting local situation in order to meet the demands of the people for a cultural life.

Sir, in the Addendum on the Ministry of National Development it says that:

In addition to the provision of HDB flats for residential cases, there will be alternative premises or cash payments in lieu for shops, resettlement facilities for specific trades ...

Of course, all these measures and facilities will alleviate the hardship of those affected by resettlement. They have to understand that the aim of resettlement is in the long-term interests of the nation, If they can, they will give further support to the policies of the Government.

Mr Speaker, Sir, in my constituency, certain areas of land have been requisitioned by the Government. The areas affected are: a portion of Jalan Pasar, Sembawang, a portion of Andrews Avenue at the 1 5th mile, and certain portion of the land near Tanjong Irau at the 15th mile. About 100 families aye affected by the resettlement scheme, among them are seven shop premises. These people came several times to ask me concerning resettlement matters, and also about how long they could continue to reside in those places or how long they could carry on with their business there, As the MP for this rural constituency, of course, it is my duty to be concerned about their welfare. Therefore. I made enquiries from the Ministry concerned, The reply given was that it might take a few years more before actual enforcement of the resettlement. In fact, they were also not very clear about the situation, Such vague answers are not satisfactory, For the well-being of my constituents, to alleviate their hardship and to allay their worries I would urge the Minister to pay particular attention to the work of the Resettlement Department. He should instruct the officers in the Resettlement Department to abide by the Government's policy of caring for the welfare of the people, and not cause unnecessary trouble or loss to the people.

I would like to bring two valid complaints to the attention of the relevant authorities, In my constituency, there is a school which is known as Hwa Kwang School, whose land has been acquired by the Housing and Development Board. They have come to an agreement on the quantum of compensation. However, the rental for the land has been increased by 800%, namely, the school used to pay $10 a year to the former landlord, but now the rental has been increased by the HDB to $80 per month. Such a measure is highly irrational. Firstly, the School Management Committee was responsible for the building of the school, and it has been in existence for more than ten years. The Housing and Development Board has not spent a single cent on the school. Secondly, the school is a place for the education of our young and not a profit-making enterprise. In the President's policy speech it is stated that it is still the Government's policy to subsidise education, medical and housing services. This school is an educational institution. Therefore, it is right and proper for this school to get a subsidy from the Government. The HDB's action is a departure from Government policy. Therefore, it is unreasonable for the HDB to increase the rental for the land. I would urge the Minister concerned to consider rescinding such an act.

Secondly seven shopkeepers who are voters have complained to me that they have received notices from the HDB telling them not to continue with their businesses because they were considered illegal. However, these people told me that they have been carrying on such businesses in those areas for more than ten years, Although the premises originally were meant for dwelling purposes, they had converted them into shop premises. Some ten years ago, in the rural areas there were hardly any shops, because neither the Government nor the private developers would be interested in building shophouses there. Therefore, it is only natural for the rural dwellers to make use of their premises as shops to provide a service for the rural people, Can we say that they have done wrong? However, ever since the HDB acquired such areas, they were branded as people who were doing, illegal business and were required to stop such activities immediately. Is it reasonable to do so? I would like the Senior Minister of State to investigate into these circumstances in order to give these people a fair deal. Sir, I support the motion of thanks on behalf of my constituents,

3.50 pm.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, since last week during the debate on the President's Address to this House, many of my colleagues on the Backbench, both new and old, have stated their views on Government policies for the next five years,

What I am going to state may be a repetition of some of the issues and problems already raised; however I believe such repetitions are sometimes necessary if we are to get results,

Sir, I have read the Addenda to the Presidential Address which cover the entire framework of Government policies for the next five years. In fact. all the policies pertaining to the various Ministries, in my view, can be summed up in the President's statement that "we have to formulate our way of life, taking what is best from the West and fitting it into the Singapore context". In other words, we must build up our national identity based on the multi-racial, multicultural, multi-lingual and multi-religious characteristics of our society.

Perhaps, Sir, the Prime Minister's statement "we are Singaporeans" best sums up the national identity that Singapore must eventually evolve, Hence, since 1959 when the PAP swept into power, the political leadership headed by our Prime Minister have brought Singapore out of near bankruptcy into an independent sovereign country in which the people are better-fed, better-clothed, better-educated and enjoying a standard of living second only to Japan. Such dedication and the will to succeed despite all odds did not come about that easily. Pragmatic leadership and practical measures and the cooperation of the people through sheer hard work and their indomitable spirit to survive have made Singapore what it is today, Therefore, Sir, a tribute to them must be placed on record.

It is therefore all the more imperative and necessary that our young be constantly reminded that the good things in life they enjoy today did not come about just by pure chance but as a result of the hard work put in over the last 17 1/2 years by the enlightened PAP leadership and the people,

To this end I would like to make some comments on the proposals of the Education Ministry. Whilst I applaud some of the good work done, I must hasten to add that education is a life-long process for it does not end with merely a certificate, a diploma or a degree, I am no educationist but I would like to submit that the education system must be reviewed from time to time. On the question of moral and civic education, I would like to see that our pupils are taught the concept of what I can do for the society and not what I can get from the society. The Chinese aphorism of ( ) should be imbued deep in their minds in their early years of their education.

No one will disagree that the education system has to be reviewed from time to time for it is in our national interests. The various measures listed in the Addendum are not new. In fact, the so-called revision of the system of primary education is not an improvement, it is a clear admission that automatic promotion has been a failure. I am not setting out on a witch-hunt. Now the Ministry has to fall back onto the old system. that is, promotion based on passing examinations though the term annual assessments has been used but it means just the same, Therefore automatic promotion has brought about a social problem - pupils unable to cope up with their lessons leave school with a half-baked education, some are not articulate in any language and are thus unable to fit into the employment market. The result, they laze around aimlessly, cannot get proper jobs and easily fall prey to decadent or evil influences. Also I fail to understand how the Basic Course for pupils who cannot cope with the Standard Course will learn to read and write in one language, do simple arithmetic, as well as become good citizens. Does the Education Ministry seriously think that by implementing such a course, these pupils can become good citizens? I do not know whether the policy makers believe that this will be the result. In my view, they should be more realistic and practical. I do not propose to recommend a Commission of Inquiry to look into the causes. I say. they should set up advisory committees which should comprise retired educationists and teachers who would then mount an in-depth study of the root causes and of the shortcomings and then make recommendations to improve upon the primary education system, I am quite sure many of these people would be too happy to respond.

So also is the same with the system of secondary education. But I do not wish to go into the details as I do not think this debate is on education alone. I have other issues to raise also and time is not my own. I submit that an overall review of the education system is necessary and this is definitely long overdue. It may well be that some thought has been made towards enumerating the measures as contained in the Addendum. But I would like to know who are those involved in this exercise. Have these policy makers sought the counsel of those who have spent their entire lives in teaching and those who are still alive today and who may be too ready to impart their wealth of experience? May I remind the education policy makers that human resources is all Singapore has.

Therefore, Sir, if this approach is made, I am sure that the pupils, over the years of their education would be better equipped to continue to ensure our long-term survival. I believe the Ministry of Culture through its media of broadcasting and television can help much in this respect. Its programmes and productions must be carefully planned, selected and thought out. In short what is relevant to our national cultural evolution towards the Singapore identity should be exploited to the optimum, and not those of violence and the easy-going life-styles of the West. This certainly does us more harm than good.

As pointed out by the hon. Member for Kampong Chai Chee, both Ministries should not nullify each other's actions but their actions should complement each other. The Chinese saying ( ) should not be their practice. Their actions should, therefore, be complementary in nature ( )

The next point I wish to touch on is public transportation. It is gratifying to note that there has been great improvement made in the last two years by the Singapore Bus Service. However, since the SBS will be the mainstay of Singapore's public transport system pending the introduction of the Mass Rapid Transit System, there is much still to be done to improve this system to meet the needs of the thousands of commuters from all over Singapore who must travel to their places of work, either their offices or factories.

Mr Speaker: Mr Ng, I propose to take a suspension at this stage. Order. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair again at 5.00 p.m.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.00 p.m. until 5.00 p.m. Sitting resumed at 5.00 p.m.