COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY

Head J (cont.) -

Mr Dhanabalan: Sir, every case of public assistance is investigated very thoroughly and after public assistance has been approved, if the public assistance approved is not sufficient to meet the expenses of the family, the social welfare workers will ensure that various supporting payments are also made because the Ministry of Community Development not only administers the Public Assistance Vote, but it also administers a number of other funds from various charitable organizations. And either monies are disbursed from these charities or, in many other cases, these public assistance cases are referred to other charities, who then supplement what is given under the PA scheme. I would go so far as to say, Sir, that in no case which we investigate do we say, "Well, you require $X to survive, but we can only give you $X-$A and we do not care how you raise the rest." We always make every effort to assist the PA case either find him a job or refer him to other charities.

As to the woman who is supposed to have been struck off the list of cases of PA because she's got somebody living with her, I do not know. I have to get the details. But in going through previous cases that the Member for Anson has raised in this House, specific cases of supposed maladministration or wrongful implementation of policy, in every case that was investigated, it was found and established that the story that he told was quite different from the truth.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Has it?

Mr Dhanabalan: Yes.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Well, let us have an investigation.

Mr Dhanabalan: Therefore I would suggest that he refers this specific case to me and I will look into it. And I am fairly confident that from past experience he has told only half-truths.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Will you withdraw that and I will bring it up before you.

Mr Dhanabalan: You bring it up.

The Chairman: Do you wish to withdraw your amendment, Mr Jeyaretnam?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Yes, Sir, All right.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Dr Lau Teik Soon: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head J be reduced by $10 in respect of Subhead JH-01 of the Main Estimates*.

Sir, this extension of time has given me this opportunity to raise just one question with the Minister. This relates to the desire of sportsmen and sportswomen in Singapore to have their dream materialized, that is, the construction of an indoor stadium.

Sir, you are aware that at the moment we have an indoor stadium, the Gay World Stadium, but really it is a disgrace for us to have that kind of indoor stadium. So I would like to ask the Minister the state of progress of the plan to construct the indoor stadium and if he can inform the House when and where the site of the stadium will be?

Mr Chandra Das: Sir, I just would like to add on to what the Member for Serangoon Gardens has said. Sometime last year the then Hon. Minister for Social Affairs informed this House that there were plans to build this indoor stadium. Looking at the Budget estimates for 1985, I see no such provision. I am sure the Finance Minister has agreed but somewhere somebody is delaying it. Maybe the Minister can inform the House.

Encik Abbas Abu Amin: Sir, I share the views expressed by my colleagues. I would now like to mention something about the National Stadium Loan.

Sir, it would be timely at this juncture for me to restate the plight of the Singapore Sports Council concerning the repayment of the loan of $60 million, owed by the Singapore Sports Council to the Government to build the National Stadium. I know, Sir, that this matter has been raised in this House year after year, without receiving a positive response. However, in view of the significant support advocated in the Budget Statement for Tourism, Travel, Entertainment, and now the building of the indoor stadium, perhaps due consideration could be extended to the promotion of sports in the Republic.

Sir, the Singapore Sports Council has been paying interest annually, ranging from $155,000 to $1.6 million since 1975. This money is obtained from the annual surplus of the National Stadium Sports Centre and its car park. Perhaps this money could be utilized by the Singapore Sports Council to promote other sporting activities, for example, renovation of the track at the National Stadium, to air-condition the Squash Competition Courts at Kallang, to provide flood lights at the various stadiums for evening usage. I could add on to this list. Perhaps I would like clarification from the Minister whether the Government would consider converting the loan into a grant.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Community Development (Mr Teo Chong Tee): Sir, I am replying on behalf of my Minister.

The hon. Members for Serangoon Gardens and Chong Boon are interested to know the progress of the indoor stadium. Sir, on 19th October, last year, during a Parliament session the then Minister for Social Affairs announced his Ministry's support for the proposed indoor stadium. Sir, I am happy to report that the project is on.

An hon. Member: Hear! hear!

Mr Teo Chong Tee: Thank you. A project paper was submitted to the Ministry of Finance for approval. However, the Ministry of Finance asked for a re-costing of the centre as the preliminary estimate of $45 million provided by the Singapore Sports Council was too low. A steering committee headed by Dr Tan Eng Liang, Chairman of the Singapore Sports Council, is re-looking into the details of construction and costs. Both local and international experts are being consulted.

Sir, when completed, the indoor stadium will have a fixed seating capacity for 15,000 persons. But for certain events such as boxing, table tennis, badminton (finals) up to 20,000 people can be accommodated. It will service a variety of indoor sports, musical shows, exhibitions and trade fairs. It will have provision for a restaurant and fast-food outlets. The building will be adaptable for air-conditioning and natural ventilation. It will be designed as an energy-efficient building, supported by computerized gadgetry and sophisticated equipment to reduce manpower and maintenance costs. A site has already been earmarked at Kallang, which is near the National Stadium.

Sir, funds for the project will be provided when the steering committee completes its detailed studies and the project approved by the Ministry of Finance. Construction work is expected to take 11/2-2 years.

Sir, in answer to the query raised by the Hon. Member for Pasir Panjang, I would like to inform him that the Singapore Sports Council has made several attempts with the full support of the former Ministry of Social Affairs for the loan of the National Stadium to be written off. So far, these attempts have been unsuccessful. The Ministry of Finance has instead requested the Singapore Sports Council to rent out all usable space to generate further revenue to pay off the loan. The SSC has been able to reflect operating surplus, averaging $780,000 per annum since 1978. Unfortunately, this sum cannot meet the full interest of $900,000 per annum, much less the capital sum loaned. As the SSC is unable to generate sufficient revenue to even meet the interest on the loan, my Ministry is making further appeals to the Ministry of Finance to convert the loan into a grant.

Sir, with a kind-hearted and generous Minister for Finance, it is our hope that our appeals will be favourably considered.

Dr Lau Teik Soon: Sir, I hope the review of the costing will be completed within the next few months. With that, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $64,449,350 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $19,292,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.

The Chairman: I think it is now time to take the Moment of Interruption. Order.

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

Mr Dhanabalan: Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1st April, 1985 to 31st March, 1986 and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 25th March, 1985.

Mr Deputy Speaker: So be it.