INTEGRATION OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF APARTMENTS BUILT FOR THE ELDERLY

Mr Gerard Ee asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether, in granting licences for amusement arcades, he will ban games which promote violence and reckless road usage in view of the large number of juveniles frequenting such places.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Currently, licences to operate amusement arcades are issued by the Public Entertainment Licensing Unit of the Police. As video games fall within the ambit of the Board of Film Censors (BFC), licensees must obtain approval from the BFC before they operate such games in the arcades. Police will only allow games which are approved by BFC to be operated in amusement arcades.

BFC adopts stringent guidelines in the approval process. Games depicting excessive violence, sex, nudity and objectionable themes on moral, social or religious grounds will not be approved. BFC will also not approve racing games that are undesirable or unhealthy. For example, the racing game `Carmegeddon' was banned by BFC because it contained vulgar language, and encourage the player to knock down pedestrians, awarding bonus points for doing so. The players also get extra bonus points for "stylish" collision.

The driving video games which are currently allowed in amusement arcades are those that involve motor racing that test the players' skills in avoiding obstacles and completing the race in the least possible time. We do not think these games will have any negative influence on the players' actual driving or riding habits.

Police carries out regular enforcement checks at the amusement arcades to ensure that licensees do not operate video games that are not approved by BFC and the Police Licensing Unit. Police would also carry out a review of any video game which it receives negative feedback from the public. The Member can rest assured that both the Police and BFC would not permit games which promote excessive violence and reckless road behaviour to be operated in amusement arcades.

Mr Zulkifli bin Baharudin asked the Minister for Community Development whether there are plans to integrate the provision of social services to residents of apartments that the Housing and Development Board plans to build for the elderly and whether there are incentives to encourage non-governmental social and community organisations to provide these services.

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: My Ministry and the Housing and Development Board are working closely to look into the types of social services and other support facilities which can be provided for the benefit of the elderly who will be living in the new type of HDB apartments designed and built specially for the elderly. The needs of the elderly in this new type of housing are being studied.

On whether Government will provide incentives to non-government organisations for the provision of such facilities and services, I wish to inform the NMP that my Ministry currently provides financial incentives to non-profit organisations for services for elderly living in 1-room rental flats (i.e. under the MCD-HDB Joint Project to Improve the Living Conditions of the Elderly Living in 1-room HDB Rental Flats). If in future there are to be social services and support facilities for those living in the special housing for the elderly, MCD will similarly consider providing financial incentives where appropriate.