FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1980 TO 31ST MARCH, 1981 (Paper Cmd. I of 1981)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

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

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Chairman: The First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981 contained in Paper Cmd. 1 of 1981. Notices of amendments have been given in respect of Heads I and L.

Head I -

Encik Saidi Shariff (Kaki Bukit): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head I be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead IC-05-8102.

Sir, I seek your indulgence if I appear to be too curious-minded. But like many other ordinary responsible citizens, I am concerned about how big sums of money are being spent by the Government, considering that the years ahead will be difficult.

I wish to take this opportunity to seek information as to whether there is any error of judgement in decision-making by the responsible authority which has made it necessary to require a supplement of $5 1/2 million which is more than twice the amount provided in the current Development Estimates. I hope also that the Honourable Minister can inform the House of the causes for the unforeseen delay in the commissioning of the Surveillance Radar for the Changi Airport.

The Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (Mr Ong Teng Cheong): Sir, the surveillance radar referred to is a long-range radar used for air traffic control at the Air Traffic Control Centre at Changi. The radar is a computerized system which costs about $18 1/2 million. Under the contract agreement, payments are made progressively in accordance with progress of work. It was also agreed that 30% of the contract price of $5.55 million has to be paid when the radar is commissioned. The radar was scheduled to be commissioned during the last financial year, i.e. 1979-80. A total of $15 million, including the progress payment of $5 1/2 million, was provided for the last financial year. However, because of technical problems with the computer software, the commissioning has to be delayed until the current 1980-81 financial year. The progress payment of 30% was, therefore, correspondingly pushed back to the current year. The supplement of $5.55 million is, therefore, needed to meet the progress payment which was not made during the last financial year. Therefore, there is no increase in the total project cost, and the delay has not cost the Government any more money. 5.45 p.m.

Encik Saidi Shariff: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $30,750,000 for Head I ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981.

Head L -

Encik Saidi Shariff: Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head L be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead LC-01-8101.

Sir, may I again seek your indulgence if I appear to be too ignorant and too curiousminded again this time. But, like many other hon. Members in this House, I wish to seek information or raise issues for the benefit of my constituents. Residents of Kaki Bukit, particularly those living in Bedok North, who have resided in the flats for less than four years, have always expressed their anxiety about getting places for their children in primary schools near their homes. There are presently only one secondary and one primary school in Kaki Bukit. They are situated in the rural area away from the Bedok North Housing Estate. It is my hope that the 23 schools mentioned include those being constructed and to be built in Bedok North. I feel that the construction of these schools should be speeded up so as to meet the increasing demand, as more families are now moving in to live in the newly-built flats.

It appears to me that the Ministry has just discovered the demand for primary school places in HDB estates and, therefore, found it necessary to accelerate the construction of the schools to cope with the demand. Is it not possible for the Ministry to anticipate the demand and build the schools in the reserved sites at about the same time when the fists are being built?

The Minister of Education (Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam): Mr Speaker, Sir, after all the brickbats that have been thrown at the Ministry of Education for its shortcomings, the hon. Member for Kaki Bukit will be relieved to know that I have good news for him. There are at present three schools in Kaki Bukit constituency: Kaki Bukit Primary School, Bedok North Primary School and Kaki Bukit Secondary School. I am pleased to inform the hon. Member that five new primary schools and one new secondary school will be built in his constituency. Three primary schools and the secondary school will be completed by the end of this year and two primary schools by early 1983. That is not all. In addition, five primary schools and one secondary school are being built in areas immediately adjacent to Kaki Bukit constituency.

I share the hon. Member's concern that schools should be ready when the population moves into new towns. The First Deputy Prime Minister has already mentioned that the HDB will build schools at the same time as the flats. This new arrangement will be implemented initially in Hou Gang, Yishun and Tampines. In these three new towns HDB will be building four primary schools and three secondary schools. The seven schools will be ready by 1982.

Encik Saidi Shariff: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $26,000,000 for Head L ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981.

Head N -

The sum of $260,000,000 for Head N ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981.

Question, "That the sum of $316,750,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981 contained in Paper Cmd I of 1981, put and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

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

The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply have come to a certain resolution.

Resolution reported -

"That the sum of $316,750,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the First Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981 contained in Paper Cmd 1 of 1981."

Mr Hon Sui Sen: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolution.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolution accordingly agreed to.