BULLETIN (Disseminating information on Government policies)

Dr Lau Teik Soon asked the Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Defence whether the Publications Department will issue either a fortnightly or monthly bulletin which will contain information and explanation of Government policies and programmes and which will be distributed free of charge to all households in Singapore.

The Minister of State for Education and Communications and Information (Dr Tay Eng Soon) (for the Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Defence): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am replying on behalf of my Minister.

Information on Government policies and programmes is best disseminated through the existing mass media, ie, the SBC and the local newspapers, which reach almost everyone in Singapore.

The important task is for the Government information service as well as individual Ministries to provide the mass media with information presented in a timely and interesting manner. This, in our view, would be more effective than duplicating the effort of the mass media with a fort- nightly or monthly publication as suggested by the hon. Member.

Dr Lau Teik Soon (Serangoon Gardens): Sir, in view of the constraint of space on the part of the mass media, the mass media may not reflect accurately the Government's statements and explanation of policies. Can I ask the Minister of State whether he is satisfied that the mass media have, in fact, reflected effectively Government's explanation of policies?

Dr Tay Eng Soon: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am not aware that the mass media are short of space in their columns or pages or the SBC is short of air time for the dissemination of information which is put out by the Government. I think this is being carried out in a fairly satisfactory manner.

Dr Lau Teik Soon: Sir, is the Minister of State suggesting that the mass media, ie, the papers and the SBC, carry all the statements that Government departments put forward?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Not enough?

Dr Tay Eng Soon: Sir, the mass media are free to decide what items they want to carry. They obviously give priority to certain items and less priority to other items, depending on the time. They also carry information not only of Singapore but of other parts of the world. So this whole matter is really left to the mass media to make their choices from day to day.