PRESIDENT'S SPEECH Debate on the Address (Sixth 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.

2.51 pm.

The Minister for Culture and Science and Technology (Mr Jek Yeun Thong): Mr Speaker, Sir, the percentage of educational-informational programme is very high. In fact, it is the highest among the highest in this region. Of the programmes produced locally, nearly 58% are in the educational-informational category. These include news, documentaries, forums and magazine programmes. Only 17% of our local productions are musical-variety shows.

Sir, far from cancelling out the work of the Ministry of Education, our TV service does lend support to the efforts of the Education Ministry in promoting, for example, music appreciation and cultural activity amongst our young people. The music and dance presentations included in its Youth Festivals have always been recorded and telecast. We have currently, a monthly Students' Concert which features items contributed by schools. Music appreciation programmes such as "Great Composers". "Who's afraid of Opera" and "Classical masterpieces" have also been, and will continue to be, telecast.

We need not be worried that TV commercials will have undue influence on viewers as the Member for Potong Pasir has feared. All advertisements are carefully scrutinised before they are accepted for telecast. They are accepted for telecast if they do not contravene the provisions of the Station's Programme and Copy Codes. These provisions are more stringent than those of other media. There have been advertisements which have not been accepted for telecast although they have been passed for exhibition in the cinemas and publication in the press. Last year, a total of 199 advertisements were rejected for showing on TV. They included advertisements which made unwarranted or superlative claims, featured unkempt longhaired males or females indecently clad.

Acceptance of advertisements for telecast does not mean the Station's or the Government's full endorsement of the manner of presentation or of the product advertised. For example, acceptance of commercials promoting jeans does not mean Government endorsement or otherwise of that apparel. We are only concerned with selling air-time. So long as the product being advertised is not objectionable and is presented in good taste, we see no reason why it should be rejected. There are, of course, many gullible consumers who can be hooked on anything with or without advertisement. They can only be educated either by CASE, by the documentaries and talks on TV, or by their own mistakes.

The earning of revenue from the selling of air-time for advertisements is not the dominant pre-occupation of RTS. If revenue was the prime factor, we would have allowed - as is done elsewhere advertisements to be associated with our news and advertisements in informational and educational programmes. But this is not the case.

The Member for Sembawang complained that too many imported programmes are being telecast and that 80% of the artistes in the musical variety shows come from abroad The truth is that imported programmes are cheaper to acquire and are more popular, more exciting and entertaining. Besides, we do not have the capacity to produce all the programmes locally. It is not true to say that 80% of the artistes are from overseas, He may have an eye for the Taiwan singers, but if he sees beyond them he will find that they comprise no more than a third of all the performers.

A greater output of local dramas or serials hinges upon the availability of scriptwriters and performers. Apart from writing for TV and Radio, there are insufficient opportunities and scope to induce more people to take up scriptwriting and performance on a full-time basis. A related consideration is the need for a greater number of staff such as set designers, carpenters, staging crew and wardrobe personnel.

I am happy to note that the Member for Whampoa finds the branch libraries useful, and indeed they are. We will continue to build these branch libraries in new housing estates and areas where the size of the population justifies the building of such branch libraries. There are already two branch libraries in Queenstown and Toa Payoh. The next branch library will be opened in Katong in 1978. Plans are also being prepared for new branch libraries at Telok Blangah in 1979, in Geylang East in 1981, in Jurong in 1983 and in Ang Mo Kio in 1985.

Coming to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Member for Geylang East has touched on the matter of solar energy. The Ministry has been keeping under constant study and review developments in the use of alternative energy sources besides fuel oil. Research into these areas is being encouraged. Studies on the use of solar energy have been undertaken by the Mechanical and Engineering Department of the University of Singapore and research is still in progress. There has been some progress in the development of methods for the conversion of solar energy into electrical energy by solar engines in countries like Israel, Italy and the USA. Although the technical feasibility of such methods to produce electrical energy on a small scale has been demonstrated, such methods have not yet reached the stage of being economically viable. Further, the amount of electricity generated by known methods would not be sufficient to meet the needs of blocks of HDB flats. Unless there is a technical breakthrough resulting in drastic cost reduction, it is unlikely that any scheme for the supply of electricity through the use of solar energy would be available in the near future. The Ministry will continue to monitor developments in this field and encourage research in the conversion and utilisation of solar energy.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Labour (Mr Fong Sip Chee): Sir, may I just seek clarification from the hon. Minister, as my name was mentioned again yesterday. In what category would the Minister classify a programme which I am going to quote now? On Sunday night, there was a programme on TV where a young couple was asked to come up to the microphone. The compere asked him whether he was married, and he said he was "How many children have you got?" "I have two." "What about having more?" He said, "No, stop at two, Two is enough" The compere then said, "Yes, stop at two Two is enough. Use your hands." In what category would the Minister classify this programme? This programme was telecast live into the living rooms of all the homes in Singapore. Would not the Minister care to comment on this?

Mr Jek Yeun Thong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the programme which the Member mentioned is the "Guthrie Hour". It was telecast live. I did not watch the programme myself, but I think the compere mentioned something like "use your hands campaign." Well, that is a variety show.

3.02 p.m.

The Senior Minister of State for Education (Mr Chai Chong Yii): Mr Speaker, Sir, several Members have commented on the activities and plans of the Ministry of Education. I shall try to answer those policies and actions which appear to be misunderstood. I shall also outline the decision-making and consultative processes in the Ministry of Education to show that despite contrary views expressed by some Members the Ministry does not rush into changes and ad hoc policies.

Moral and Social Values and Attitudes

The question has been asked as to what is meant by "Asian values". This term is only a convenient way of referring to the variety of norms, practices and beliefs inherent in the cultures, traditions and customs of Asia. It is intended only in this geographical sense. Since the vast majority of our population are of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnic origin and we are in a geographically Asian context, it is essential to our survival as a nation that values and attitudes based on the Chinese. Malay and Indian cultures, traditions and customs are promoted and encouraged But this does not mean that Western values and attitudes have no place in our society and school curriculum. It is only the values and attitudes of the West that are pernicious to our society that we are against.

As for the teaching of these desirable values and attitudes in our schools, while this is done through the subject Education for Living at the primary level, at the secondary level, there is no such single subject but three separate subjects of Civics, Geography and History. However, the teaching and acquisition of desirable values and attitudes is not by formal lessons in the classroom alone but also by precept and example. Not only teachers but parents, family and friends all have a part to play in this,

Language Policy

Criticism has been directed at the announcement made by the Ministry of Education on 22nd January regarding first and second language requirements for admission to Junior Colleges and Pre-University classes from 1979. This is no new and ad hoc policy but a continuation and development of the bilingual policy advocated 17 years ago in 1959. It is important for those graduating from universities who will be holding key positions of leadership in our society to be effectively bilingual in their mother tongue and English. The language requirements announced on 22nd January are principally for the purpose of raising the level of the first language of those entering the universities. Employers in both the public and private sectors have complained of the declining standards in language of our university graduates. The universities, on the other hand, blame this on the standard of the students coming to them from the schools.

The need to raise the level of the first language is shown by the results in English as a first language in the GCE O' level examinations. In 1973, 35% of those who sat for the examination passed in English as the first language. 37% in 1974 and 44% in 1975. While the intention of the announcement is to raise the level of the first language, we have to ensure that this is not done at the expense of the second language. Therefore, minimum standards have also been specified for the second language for admission to Junior Colleges and Pre-University classes from 1979. But these minimum standards are not high Grade 8 which has been specified for 1979 is really just below pass level, while Grade 7 which has been specified for 1980 and 1981 is still not even a pass at O' level, that is, equivalent to a pass at Sec. II or Ill level. These grades should be attainable by most pupils as is shown by the fact that the proportion of pupils who sat for and passed the GCE `O' levels in Chinese as a second language, for example, was 60% in 1973, 57% in 1974, 59% in 1975 and 69% in 1976.

Nevertheless, the language requirements are not intended as a bar to those who are well qualified for and able to benefit fully from a university training. Consideration may be given to exceptional cases depending on the merits of each. A general exception to those who score not more than an aggregate of 15 points has already been announced. They will be allowed provisional admission to Junior Colleges and Pre-University classes even if they fail to meet the language requirements.

Kindergartens

A request was made that the Ministry of Education takes over all kindergartens in order to control standard and quality. I wish to inform the House that there is provision for kindergartens to be registered with the Ministry and satisfy certain conditions. Standard and quality of teaching are some of the conditions. I would also like to inform hon. Members that a committee has been set up comprising representatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the People's Association and officials of my Ministry to look into the improvements that can be made in kindergarten education.

Village Schools

It is true that most rural aided schools are small but not all of them are sub-standard. It is my Ministry's policy to encourage the Management Committees of these aided schools to rebuild where there is a need. My Ministry is offering them capital aid up to 50% of the total approved capital expenditure. A number of village schools have already been rebuilt or extended through this scheme. Adult Education

Adult education programme is managed mainly by the Adult Education Board. It runs language courses in our four official languages as well as in other languages such as Japanese, German, French and Arabic. In 1976, a total of 10,000 students attended these courses. In the field of general education, the Board conducts courses leading to the GCE O' and A' levels. There were over 20,000 students enrolled in these courses in 1976. Students in the Board's commercial education courses are prepared for external examinations and examinations conducted by the Board. A total of over 9,800 students attended these courses in 1976, of whom 2,000 were full-time day students. The Board also conducted a variety of vocational and technical education courses for a total of over 7,200 students in 1976. There were also further education courses in Interior Decoration, Home Furnishing and so forth for which the enrolment in 1976 was over 4,700.

The Board is expected to continue with these types of programmes. In particular, more emphasis will be given to commercial education. The Board will also be organising and conducting the extension education programme for the primary school Basic Course pupils who enter the Junior Trainee Scheme.

Evaluation and Assessment of the Education System

Comments were made on the Basic Course and its introduction projected as an indictment of past policies and actions of the Ministry of Education. This was put forward as reasons for commissions of inquiry to be set up and for reviews to be made of past policies and actions. I do not think there is a need for such a Commission. The Basic Course has been introduced as a continuation and development of the programme launched some 17 years ago to provide universal primary education. The initial efforts in this programme were towards providing places in primary schools for all those eligible for admission .. Not only has this been achieved but the success of the population control programme has been so successful that there has been a reduction in the primary school enrolment of about 13% from 363,000 in 1966 to 316,000 10 years later in 1976. The Ministry is therefore now in a position to allow retention to be practised at all levels in the primary school system and also provide an avenue for channelling into the Basic Course those pupils who are unable to cope with the more academically-inclined Standard Course.

This was as a result of a continuous review and monitoring of the education system. There is in the Ministry of Education, a Ministerial Committee chaired by the Minister and comprising the Minister of State, Parliamentary Secretary, Permanent Secretary, Director of Education, heads of branches and other senior officials of the Ministry. This committee meets monthly and reviews the major policies and activities of the Ministry. In addition. there is a Planning and Review Committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary and comprising the Director of Education and other senior officials of the Ministry which directs research into and collection of data on various aspects of the education system. makes recommendations and reviews plans and work programmes. The Planning and Review Branch, set up some six months ago, researches into and collects data on the education system and monitors it closely through sources both within the Ministry and the schools and from outside.

From time to time, special committees may be set up with the best expertise available from different sources to review particular aspects of the system. For example, in the recent review of the secondary school technical education programme, a committee was set up chaired by a professional engineer in private industry who also has been and is a member of various public bodies. The committee members comprised another industrialist in the private sector and representatives of the University of Singapore, Polytechnic and the Ministry of Education. Based on the recommendations of this committee, changes were made to the secondary school technical education curriculum in Secondary 1 classes this year. Other such committees can be and will be set up where necessary.

Various channels have been set up for consultation and communication. Since early last year, a team of senior Ministry officials have been visiting schools to find out their problems and have informal discussions with the principals and senior teaching staff. In addition, a series of seminars and workshops for principals and teachers have been and continue to be held where policies, plans and problems are discussed and recommendations put forward. These recommendations are, in turn, studied by the Ministry officials. The Ministry officials themselves also have regular residential seminars to discuss basic issues of concern to the education system.

There is consultation with bodies outside the Ministry and the schools too. For instance, the NTUC and the teachers' unions as well as employer organisations have been consulted from the early stages in the formulation of the Basic Course and the Junior Trainee Scheme and continue to be consulted on this. The teachers' unions were also consulted before the changes to the Secondary 1 curriculum were affected this year. Members who are concerned as to whether civil servants read Hansard and whether their comments are taken seriously may be interested to know that the Planning and Review Branch of the Ministry of Education has compiled a list of the comments made by Members pertaining to the education system since 1972. These are being studied so that appropriate remedial, where necessary, action may be taken.

3.19 p.m.

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Senior Minister of State for Education made mention of Chinese and Malay languages, but he did not mention about the Tamil language. I want to know why he did not make mention of the Tamil language. The Junior Colleges will introduce second language as an entrance requirement. Will Tamil be included? If there is no mention of it, then the Tamil language will lose its status in Singapore. The Senior Minister has talked about multi-racial society and multicultural society, but he is not carrying out what he has stated.

Mr Chai Chong Yii: Mr Speaker, Sir, I mentioned Indian culture. I did not use the word `Tamil'. As for second language, of course, Tamil is one of them.

Mr Sia Khoon Seong (Moulmein): Mr Speaker, Sir, on a point of clarification. The Minister of State has just elaborated on the many specialised committees. I want to find, out whether, as a result of so many committees, each working under its terms of reference, there is not the danger that some of the decisions made would have a very narrow perspective and not in relation to the overall policy direction? Is this not a weakness if the decisions are ad hoc decisions in the sense that they only deal with certain aspects of policy and not the overall policy? The decisions of these committees may have ramifications which may affect the overall policy direction of the Ministry of Education. Is this system not a weakness in itself? Is there not a co ordinating body to over-view all the decisions before any of these committees are allowed to go ahead with whatever terms of reference they have been entrusted? Is this not the cause of all the problems?

Mr Chai Chong Yii: Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer is no. There is no such danger. These committees set up as and when necessary are working committees. They make recommendations to the Planning and Review Committee. These recommendations, in turn, are studied and if found acceptable, are put to the Ministerial Committee for a final decision. There are therefore two layers of coordinating committees.

3.23 p.m.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (Dr Goh Keng Swee): Mr Speaker, Sir, one subject raised in the Defence Policy statement excited more attention, both inside this House and outside it, than other matters. This is the proposal to enlist women into full-time national service. Most MPs who spoke on the subject supported the idea, including the Member for Serangoon Gardens and the Member for Delta.

The Member for Delta argued quite logically that since men and women are equal, this equality should extend to their obligation to defend the country. When the time comes to enlist them, women will be trained and posted to non-combatant duties, as is the practice in other countries.

A number of MPs, however, queried the need to enlist women into the army. Their reservations are however based on a misunderstanding, which I now wish to clear up.

The Member for Kampong Kembangan argues that it is not necessary now to extend national service to women. I agree with him. There are now enough 18-year old men to replace those going ROD. But, as explained in the Addendum to the President's Address, the numbers available in future years will get smaller and smaller and that in ten years' time, the number will be about 30% less than what it is now.

The Addendum states that this has consequences which are being examined in MINDEF, Obviously, there is a need to review manpower establishment in the army, but however much we trim down the establishment, it is unlikely that this could achieve a 30% saving in manpower. Therefore, if we want to maintain force levels at present strength, it will be necessary to recruit women to fill up non-combatant posts, as is being done in other armies. This is a matter of simple arithmetic and I do not think that it is necessary to have a public forum, as the Member has suggested, to prove that two plus two equals four.

The proposal to extend NSF to women has excited a lot of comment because it seems novel. There are two points of clarification I want to make on this. The first is that women soldiers are not really a novelty in Singapore, as Members are well aware. But few people know that we have no less than 2,544 women soldiers in the regular service. In fact, we have more women soldiers today in the regular service than there are soldiers in the two battalions during the colonial times These women are in vocations such as typists, clerks. telephonists, electronic technicians, drivers and storekeepers. My second observation is that enlistment of NSF women is not something which will take place immediately. The manpower shortage is prospective rather than immediate.

The Member for Kampong Kembangan has made a plea on behalf of women and expressed the hope that since they are a special asset to the nation, and the greatest asset is their feminity, national service for women should be such as not to destroy this feminity. I give the Member full assurance that the Singapore Armed Forces will not perpetrate such a heinous deed as destroying the feminity of our women.

The Member for Telok Blangah makes the point that those who are not selected one year after the call-up age of 18 should be granted deferment. This, in fact, is the general practice at present. There could be special circumstances; for example, a registrant needed time to recover from illness or he is doing secondary or tertiary education at the age of 18. In such instances they will be called even after the age of 19. Should any of them encounter difficulty over employment, they could get a certificate from the Central Manpower Base to the effect that they are not liable for full-time national service. Older MPs are aware of this procedure,

This is a problem which affects Malay MPs more than the others because of the specific circumstances of past recruitment policy in the SAF.

In the past, recruitment into the SAF had to take into account the ethnic distribution of soldiers, both national servicemen and regulars. This is an accepted practice in multi-racial societies because military service is a matter of importance and the ethnic distribution of soldiers is obviously an important, yet delicate, subject. When national service began, there was a large preponderance of Malay soldiers in the army because the regulars of the two battalions we inherited from the British were preponderantly Malays. The non-Malays, especially the Chinese, were simply not interested then in joining the army. This was especially true of the regular NCO ranks. Because of this, the intake of Malays into national service was limited for some years. This did not present any problem to the army because total numbers available were in any event much more than could be absorbed into the army.

Now, over the years, we had increasing numbers of non-Malays entering the regular service as NCOs and the ethnic balance of this important group of military personnel has moved nearer towards the proportion in the general population. So, as from this year, increasing numbers of Malay youths are being enlisted into the army and this will be evident at the decentralised National Day parades this year. The problem which the Member for Kampong Kembangan raised is, therefore, a passing one.

The Member for Serangoon Gardens has made a number of observations on defence policy, and I would like to comment on them in detail. The hon. Member seems to be in favour of total involvement of all citizens, men and women, in the defence of our Republic. While I respect the sentiment which inspires such a view, I am doubtful as to its wisdom. One of the prime objectives of building up a defence force is to create a climate of confidence which would enable the ordinary business of life to go on without impediment. If we were to adopt the policy he recommends, that is total involvement of every man and woman in defence of the country, this may well create anxiety, and even introduce a crisis atmosphere where none exists now. I think this is a wrong thing to do when there is no military threat to our security discernible on the horizon.

As regards deferment on medical or financial grounds, the principle has been well established. Applications for exemption on financial grounds are considered by an advisory board which consists of prominent citizens from industry, the civil service, the universities and the professions. Exemptions are granted only in serious cases in which hardship is more than temporary. Exemptions on medical grounds are granted only if the person is certified by a medical board (consisting of three doctors) to be permanently unfit for national service. However, those with HSC/4 qualifications are still called up for full-time national service even if they are medically unfit and are posted to sedentary civilian occupations instead of undergoing military training. This is to ensure that the medically unfit do not have an advantage over the fit in respect of university education. Many are posted to outside Ministries, for instance, in the Inland Revenue Department where they are good at calculating what taxpayers have to pay. They work, of course, under supervision of experienced staff.

Finally, the Member for Serangoon Gardens has raised the question on the future role of volunteers in the People's Defence Force (PDF). He asked whether a volunteer force could not be detailed to certain security duty so as to release the regular army and reservists for other roles.

The PDF has a long and interesting history and close connections with Members of Parliament during a period. In fact, at one time, all MPs who were physically fit were members of the PDF, and a good many were commissioned as officers. Sad to say, of these, only two remain, namely, the Member for Pasir Panjang and the Member for Kampong Chai Chee. These two are now officers in the 101st Battalion, PDF, and have reached the rank of Captain. Since the last elections, the number of MPs in the battalion has increased by 50% from two to three, with the election of the Member for Serangoon Gardens.

I would like to say a few words about the history of this battalion, 101 PDF, as the soldiers call it, how it came about, and what its future is likely to be. The 101 PDF can trace its ancestry to the former Singapore Volunteer Corps which was started by the British in the year 1854. During confrontation, some volunteers were mobilised for full-time service and the unit was re-titled 10th Battalion, Territorial Army. Members would recollect that we were then part of Malaysia.

After August 1965, the battalion was re-titled 10th PDF and the number has now been changed to 101 PDF. This is to distinguish it from the PDF reserve battalions consisting of certain categories of national servicemen after their ROD, and these battalions start with lower serial numbers.

101 PDF is really a composite unit of volunteer elements consisting of the original infantry battalion, the volunteer engineers, formerly 106 PDF. the S Battery of the Volunteer Artillery and the PDF Women. This amalgamation took place in May 1974. This was necessary because each of these different groups had been dwindling in numbers through the years, mainly because no significant role could be found for the volunteers.

After amalgamation in 1974, it was still not certain whether the battalion would survive or would die a natural death through continuing attrition of members leaving the battalion. Many in MINDEF thought that the battalion would die, but in fact it refused to do so. No one understood what the reason for this was although there was some speculation. One school of thought, for instance, believed that the continued survival of the battalion was due to the fact that the officers' mess had the most sumptuous airconditioned bar in the SAF. I do not believe this theory because I think, by and large, ours is not a boozing army. Another theory was that the annual in-camp training was well attended because members wanted to escape from their wives. This may or may not be true. I have no evidence one way or the other. So to find out what the facts were, when 101 PDF carried out its annual in-camp training from 17th May to 29th May. 1976, at Pulau Tekong Camp I, I decided to send MINDEF's research team to this Camp to find out what was happening.

They reported an interesting situation. Morale appeared to be very high. One soldier told the research staff:

`We can quit any time we want and our presence here today is art indication of our interest and our happiness.'

The report goes on to note:

A look at the barrack lines reveals the presence of clothes of all colours and hues blowing triumphantly on the clothes lines (outside the barracks( in the afternoon sea breeze coming from the South China Sea Inside and outside the barracks, men appeared in various types of clothes, regulation training uniforms, regulation PT kits, unregulated shorts and T-shirts of all sizes and colours, some even bearing the slogan "Cancel last order", whilst some soldiers were jogging around in beautiful track suits. An air of freedom and satisfaction appeared to be the prevailing mood:

Military performance was not too bad and the trainfire result not entirely discreditable, 67% passing the test. Discipline seemed to be excellent, there being only one disciplinary case, a private soldier being reprimanded for arguing with a volunteer officer. There seemed to be a camaraderie among members of the battalion which is not often found in other army units.

The report stated that most officers and men agreed that the quality of food had improved considerably. However, they felt that the quantity of food served was insufficient to satisfy the improved appetite of men under rigorous physical training. However, the private soldiers complained about having to serve food to officers during meal time.

The research team listed out some of the grievances of members of the battalion. In general, they felt that they were being neglected, which was of course quite true. They felt that promotion prospects in the battalion were virtually absent. One corporal complained that he served between 1947 and 1956 in the volunteer corps and had reached the rank of sergeant. When he rejoined in 1969, his old rank was not given him, There was a widespread complaint that employers were not sympathetic in granting them leave to attend in-camp training. All the volunteers wanted to know what the future was. As one soldier puts it:

`Because of the peculiar type of treatment we volunteers get, some people think we must be Out of our minds to volunteer, but nevertheless we still volunteer.'

One soldier identified in the MINDEF report as No. 2175148/J, Pte Lau Teik Soon, asked the research team to get answers to two questions from higher authorities: (a) For what priorities do volunteers exist as far as MINDEF is concerned? (b) What are the prospects for volunteers?

The questions posed by Pte. Lau Teik Soon have been exercising the minds of MINDEF General Staff and PDF HQ. Since Pte. Lau has transformed himself into the Member for Serangoon Gardens, it has also been exercising my mind. I therefore want to examine the problems in detail and to suggest some solutions.

The root of the problem is that the hardcore, i.e., those who refuse to die, is not sufficient in numbers to form a full-strength infantry battalion. The hardcore consists of 41 officers and 133 other ranks, as against some 800, all told, needed to form a battalion. Before any solution is possible, there must be some credible means of getting more volunteers. Previous recruitment exercises met with disappointing results. In 1972, against a target of 300, there were only 35 suitable applicants of which only 19 were subsequently enlisted. The exercise in 1974 fared no better. Until some means could be found to get better results, 101 PDF will, I fear, continue to limp along. This is where hon. Members can help, especially the younger MPs and the new ones. Unless they show an example by coming forward to join 101 PDF, they can hardly expect the general public to respond with enthusiasm. If there are sufficient numbers of MPs volunteering to join the battalion, I will arrange for a suitable officer cadet course which could be undertaken after working hours and during weekends for these MPs as well as for existing members of the battalion who are of officer material.

Following this, the MPs concerned could help in the recruitment drive. Nearly all constituencies have youth groups, some of whose members could be suitable material for this battalion. If Members find this idea attractive, I suggest that they could form a committee under the leadership of the three Members of the House who are members of 101 PDF, and work out plans on how to progress the scheme.

PDF HQ is thinking of raising, in three phases, four Rifle Companies of the battalion, a support company, as well as an HQ Company. We have sufficient regular officers and NCOs to assist in the buildup and training of the battalion; training areas and training courses could be made available. The problem is to get enough men who are as keen, dependable and durable as the hardcore which refused to give up. And I hope that the young, fit and new MPs will respond to this challenge.

Some hon. Members: Hear, hear!

3.44 p.m.

The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, it gives me great pleasure to welcome 11 new Members to this House. It has been my duty to have followed closely what they have said in the proceedings of the last few days. I may not always have been here physically but with the aid of modern electronics, I can assure Members that I do with considerable ease follow what takes place, not only when they speak but when they laugh, not very often, when they jeer, even less often, when they interject, rarely at all. It is a livelier session than it has been.

Perhaps I ought to begin by saying that they ought to take themselves seriously because we, on this side as Members of the Government, take them seriously. Upon us is the burden of finding a successor Government worthy of its responsibilities. It is not an easy job. First, let me explain the shock for new Members. They have been at the hustings. They made different kinds of speeches. They come here, they are bound by Standing Orders and rules of debate which we have inherited, copied, modified, and I believe modified insufficiently for our purposes; copied from the British, Westminster pattern, but modified inadequately. We have got to find our own style. We have got to be bold enough to experiment. We do not say in approval "Hear. Hear" because that is not what Singaporeans say. They are not supposed to clap in the British House of Commons. Maybe ,the Australians; the New Zealanders, they do not clap. But I have been in the Lok Sabha, which is the Lower House in India. At any one time there are 1 5 speakers on their feet, literally. The Speaker points to one person, and he is the one that goes on the official record. But 14 others are going merrily on at the same time. In 1971, my colleague, the Minister for Law, was with me in my journey to India, when we met the retired Speaker, who had become Governor of the State in which Jaipur is, Rajasthan. He was writing a book about his experiences, the humour and the humourous times he had. His successor was another Sikh, turbaned gentleman, more robust physically. (I do not know if he could have been as robust as the elderly gentleman he succeeded). I asked him in Delhi, December 1971, whether things were better then. He said, "Yes, only 12 people speak at the same time." Maybe the state of emergency in India has made it possible for the Lok Sabha to have one speaker at one time. We must have some order.

But let me explain the problems that we face, by first reading an excerpt from a book written by a British left-wing Minister who started the free health service scheme in Britain, Aneurin Bevan. He is dead. I had the privilege of knowing him and he gave me this book. It was published in 1952, entitled "In Place of Fear". On page 6, he described his experience and the dangers of a Britisher or Welshman in his case, going into Parliament:

His (the MP's( first impression is that he is in a church the stained glass windows, the rows of statues of great statesmen of the past, the echoing halls, the soft-footed attendants and the whispered conversation, contrast depressingly with the crowded meetings and the clang and clash of hot opinions he has just left behind in his ejection campaign. Here he is, a tribune of the people, coming to make his voice heard in the seats of power, instead, it seems he is expected to

Column: 406.

worship; and the most conservative of all religions -- ancestor worship.

The first thing he should bear in mind is that these were not his ancestors [namely, the working class. He is talking now as a Welsh miner or a descendant of one.] His forebears had no part in the past, the accumulated dust of which now muffles his own footfalls. His forefathers were tending sheep or ploughing the land, or serving the statesmen whose names he sees written on the walls around him, or whose portraits look down upon him in the long corridors, It is not the past of his people that extends in colourful pageantry before his eyes They were shut Out from all this: were forbidden to take part in the dramatic scenes depicted in these frescoes. In him his people are there for the first time, and the history he will make will not merely be an episode in the story he is now reading, [that is, him]. It must be wholly different: as different as is the social Status which he now brings with him.'

The epilogue I read at Fullerton Square when Mr Roy Jenkins gave up his seat, left the British Parliament to become President of the EEC Commission, when he said that debates and parliamentary triumphs were meaningless, that changes in government do not bring about fundamental changes of economic and social policies that have set in, that a successor government inherits all the mistakes and all the policies of its predecessor and takes a long time to unwind itself, untangle itself, from what has been. But Aneurin Bevan writing this before 1952 was not to know the epilogue. He urges his young Labour MPs:

`to preserve the keen edge of his critical judgment he will find that he must adopt an attitude of scepticism amounting almost to cynicism, for Parliamentary procedure neglects nothing which might soften the acerbities of class feelings. In one sense the House of Commons is the most unrepresentative of representative assemblies. It is an elaborate conspiracy to prevent the real clash of opinion which exists outside from finding an appropriate echo within its walls. It is a social shock absorber placed between privilege and the pressure of popular discontent,

The new Member's first experience of this is when he learns that passionate feelings must never find expression in forthright speech. His first speech teaches him that [That is your duty. Mr Speaker, l Having come straight from contact with his constituents, he is full of their grievances and his own resentment, and naturally, he does his best to shock his listeners into some realisation of it

He delivers himself therefore with great force and, he hopes and fears, with considerable provocativeness. When his opponent arises to reply he expects to hear an equally strong and uncompromising answer His opponent does nothing of the sort in strict conformity with Parliamentary tradition, he congratulates the new Member upon a most successful maiden speech and expresses the urbane hope that the House will have frequent opportunities of hearing him in the future The Members present endorse this quite insincere sentiment with murmurs of approval. With that, his opponent pays no more attention to him, but goes on to deliver the speech he had intended to make. After remaining in the seat a little longer, the new Member crawls out of the House with feelings of deep relief at having got it over, mingled with a paralysing sense of frustration, The stone he thought he had thrown turned out to be a sponge.

I would not have bothered to describe this typical experience of a working man speaking in the House of Commons for the first time were it not characteristic of the whole atmosphere The classic Parliamentary style of speech is understatement It is a style unsuited to the representative of working people because it slurs and mutes the deep antagonism which exist in society

So we have not, fortunately, inherited the British Empire. We have inherited a very small fragment of it. We have not the deep class antagonism, but if we do not bring out these differences of opinion, and if we had not done so successfully since 1965 when the Barisan Sosialis MPs walked out of this Chamber, I do not believe that in February, 1968, in September 1972 and again in December 1976, we could have been returned unanimously and completely. So, when in his youthful zest and enthusiasm, the Member for Kim Seng and that is also a convention which British newspapers have dropped because nobody knows who the Member for Kim Seng is they know Dr Ong Leong Boon, they know him and they will get to know him better and better as the years go by. This is a marathon, not a hundred yards spurt. With every passjng speech, with every passing act, the character, the style, the strength, the weaknesses are etched in the minds of the public. You can do a PR job, as has been written in American books after the making of presidents, where you have a vast electorate of 200 million people with over 120 million potential voters, with the help of radio and TV, and you suddenly find with a whole host of ghost writers and advisers, that the man becomes scholarly, learned, solicitous in his speech. Catch him at a press conference and a question and answer session, where the ghosts cannot whisper to him, and the man is betrayed.

So, when Dr Ong Leong Boon, the Member for Kim Seng, invited public debate and public discussion, forums on television, I say. "Choose your partners and pick your opponents." And I think he even tried. Not very many, but he and a few others, have praised me in their speeches, praised Dr Toh, never attacked Dr Goh. The Chinese saying goes: ruan de qi ying de pa - Bully the soft, keep clear of the tough. Because you can be hurt and he does not want to be hurt. But life consists of both the soft and the hard.

Many issues have been raised. It is the aftermath of an election campaign. I heard my own Minister of State yesterday. He was in good form. He had recovered. I was proud of him. It is the old Ya'acob, whose voice nearly fully restored despite nearly a fatal loss to the oratorical powers that we have in this House. He may not impress the Gallery up there because the Malay speaking audience is not there. But if you go down to Geylang Serai, you will need Haji Ya'acob because he has a style panache they call it.

What I wish to remind Members is this: that we take them seriously, and over ~ period of time we begin to take some MPs more seriously than others, because they have done their homework. It is a question of getting to know them, familiarity over a long stretch of time. It has its advantages and its disadvantages. I take the Member for Katong seriously when he speaks. He has done his homework. He tries to present it logically, forcefully, humourously. I think Joe Conceicao has now gone through simulated fire. He has won an election. He was returned unopposed in 1968. They were so scared of him in 1972 that he was again returned unopposed. But this time they were foolhardy enough to take him on. I congratulate him.

And there are a few others like him. It would be invidious but I think I ought to mention Dr Chiang Hai Ding, the Member for Ulu Pandan, and my own former Political Secretary. Dr Augustine Tan. "Former" I think he knows the reason why, and I do. When he is in form, he is first class. Yes, he is. But I am a hard task-master. I want somebody to be in top form, in top gear all the time because nothing less will suffice. Because if I believe that the engine is working on all 8 cylinders, and when I press it it is working on 3, I am in deep trouble.

The problem is really so simple, yet it has been solved only a few times in a few countries and only over certain periods of time a one-man one-vote, to produce a group of men who can provide a continuity in good government, change of policies, flexibility, to reflect the changing moods of an electorate. In other words, you need a wide spread, a wide variety representing all types, reflective and representative of the population. And that is why we are here. But from amongst us, most of us, or perhaps I can say all of us, speak more than one language or you would not be here. You may not speak the second language well but you understand what is being said. You know what your constituents want. You know what it is all about. Therefore, I am a little disappointed to find people who have gone through this process questioning the wisdom of demanding minimum pass standards in the second language. This is Singapore. This is not representative. It is Mr Sia, Member for Moulmein, The Member for Bedok wants a commission of inquiry into schools. And there are quite a few others.

May I explain briefly and simply for the new Members. Language, culture, and religion in a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-ethnic society, with one-man one-vote, can lead to great tragedy. As it has, in the case of India and Pakistan a division of the country. And again. between East and West Pakistan, both Muslim, but one Bengali-speaking and the other Urdu-speaking. In India itself, as it breaks up into various language provinces, or states. And in Canada, after nearly 200 years of British conquest of Quebec, the Quebecois are talking of separate independence.

Played one-man one-vote, it is very significant. Not one single Chinese educated Member of this House has questioned the wisdom of that move. It is the English educated and the Malay educated. I think it is a great tribute. I take it as, a great tribute to my colleagues and myself. And this, is not a joke. At every election, the same issue crops up - the killing of Chinese language, culture, civilisation. We have heard it before. Maybe Mr Tan Soo Khoon, the Member for Alexandra, now 27, would not have known that there were riots! 30,000 to 50,000 Chinese middle school students camped in Chinese High School. The place was surrounded by riot police. Mr Tan would have been four years old then. I think it is worth recounting that. Oompah! Merdeka! Oompah! Merdeka!, they chanted, and they formed a circle round the policemen and danced round them. I was their legal adviser. I was legal adviser to the Singapore Chinese Middle School Students Union - zhong xue lien ( ). A boy got scalded with a cauldron of boiling hot water. They were afraid - the comrades were afraid of what would happen if the parents discovered it, because the parents would then descend on the campus and pull all their children home. The boy was in great pain. They were wanting me to find a way to smuggle a doctor in. But, unlike Mr G. Raman who very unwisely misconstrued the constitution of the University of Singapore Students' Union, I assumed that the Special Branch then under the control of the British, would have a very shrewd idea of what would transpire between the students and me. I gave them very correct advice. I said the right thing to do would be to ask the police for permission to bring the boy to hospital, failing which to ask for a doctor to go in, but not to smuggle one in. And the best thing to do was to do it quickly before the boy dies.

I believe that we are beginning to become one people, very slowly, very gradually. Let us not forget that those of us who read the Chinese papers - (I do not know how many do with the English educated. But if I do not, then I am not fit to be here. I cannot be here) - that till today the Chinese Chamber of Commerce votes along clan lines, weighted representation. The Hokkiens have the vote, and they count how many Hokkiens and say. "All right, you have that representative on the committee." The Teochews, the Cantonese, the Hainanese, the Shanghainese and the Hakkas - they are not one Chinese, they are different Chinese. And gradually the lingua franca, as we got the feedback from the army, was not Nanyang Putong Hua ( ) but xin jia po fu jien hua ( ).

The education policy was a politically red hot potato. It was dynamite

Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend the Sitting now and will take the Chair again at 4.35 p.m.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.15 p.m. until 4.35 p.m. Sitting resumed at 4.35 p.m.