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PERMISSION TO MEMBERS TO BE ABSENT Under the provisions of clause 2 (d) of Article 30 of the Constitution of Singapore, I have granted permission to the following Members to be or to remain absent from sittings of Parliament (or any Committee of Parliament to which they have been appointed) for the periods stated: Mr Fong Sip Chee (Stamford), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Labour - from 25th August to 5th September, 1975. Haji Ya'acob bin Mohamed (Kampong Ubi), Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office - from 26th August to 31st October and from 10th November to 9th December, 1975. Mr Hwang Soo Jin (Jalan Kayu) - from 30th August to 21st September, 1975. Mr Ivan Baptist (Potong Pasir) - from 31st August to 17th September, 1975. Mr Lee Khoon Choy (Hong Lim), Minister of State for Foreign Affairs - from 2nd to 5th September and from 13th to 26th September, 1975. Mr Phey Yew Kok (Boon Teck) - from 2nd to 10th September and from 8th to 14th October, 1975. Haji Sha'ari bin Tadin (Kampong Chai Chee), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture - from 6th to 15th September, 1975. Mr Yong Nyuk Lin (Geylang West), Minister - from 15th September to 31st December, 1975. Mr Sim Boon Woo (Changi) - from 19th September to 10th October, 1975. Mr Tang See Chim (Chua Chu Kang), Deputy Speaker, - from 22nd September to 17th October, 1975. Mr N. Govindasamy (Telok Blangah) - from 28th September to 14th October, 1975. Mr Chin Ham Tong (Aljunied) - from 4th to 6th October, 1975. Mr Phua Bah Lee (Tampines), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence - from 5th to 14th October, 1975. Mr Ng Yeow Chong (Mountbatten) - from 13th to 19th October, 1975. Mr Ho See Beng (Bras Basah) - from 20th to 31st October, 1975. Mr Lai Tha Chai (Henderson) - from 24th October to 22nd November, 1975. Mr Jek Yeun Thong (Queenstown), Minister for Culture - from 26th October to 14th November, 1975. Mr Sia Kah Hui (Upper Serangoon), Minister of State for Labour and Government Whip - from 26th October to 10th November, 1975. Mr Lee Yiok Seng (Bukit Panjang) - from 26th October to 29th November, 1975. Mr S. Rajaratnam (Kampong Glam), Minister for Foreign Affairs - from 1st to 4th November, 1975. Mr E. W. Barker (Tanglin), Minister for Law and the Environment - on 11th November, 1975. Mr Ho Kah Leong (Jurong) - from 15th to 22nd November, 1975. Dr Chiang Hai Ding (Ulu Pandan) - from 15th November to 2nd December, 1975. YEOH GHIM SENG Speaker, Parliament of Singapore
ASSENTS TO BILLS PASSED The following Bills were assented to by the President of the Republic of Singapore on the dates stated: 21st August, 1975 Companies (Amendment) Bill. 25th August, 1975 (i) Singapore Armed Forces (Amendment) Bill; (ii) Enlistment (Amendment) Bill; (iii) Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill; (iv) Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Bill; (v) Pineapple Industry (Amendment) Bill; (vi) Workmen's Compensation Bill; (vii) Parking Places (Surcharge) Bill; (viii) Economic Expansion Incentives (Relief from Income Tax) (Amendment) Bill; and (ix) Rubber Estates Assessment (Repeat) Bill. 26th August, 1975 Water Pollution Control and Drainage Bill 11th September, 1975 (i) Planning (Amendment) Bill; (ii) Administration of Muslim Law (Amendment) Bill; (iii) Criminal Justice (temporary Provisions) (Amendments) Bill; and (iv) Tourist Promotion Board (Amendment) Bill; and 12th September, 1975 (i) Port of Singapore Authority (Amendment) Bill; and (ii) Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises Bill. YEOH GHIM SENG Speaker, Parliament of Singapore
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - ACHIEVEMENT IN NATIONAL SERVICE AND SCHOLASTIC/ - ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS - (Correlation) asked the Minister of Defence whether, as a result of experience or through any research studies, there can be traced any significant correlation between achievement in national service on the one hand, and on the other (i) number of years of schooling previously; (ii) academic ability shown previously; (iii) any training (including professional training) acquired previously; and (iv) previous work experience.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - ACHIEVEMENT IN NATIONAL SERVICE AND SCHOLASTIC/ - ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS - (Correlation) Mr Speaker, Sir, experience shows that there is an association between a soldier's performance and his educational background. Army commanders prefer better educated soldiers because they know that whether these men are riflemen, storemen, medical orderlies, clerks or cooks, experience has confirmed that better educated soldiers are easier to instruct, carry out their orders and daily chores with fewer mistakes and generally pose fewer disciplinary problems. In the past there have been research studies conducted by the Personnel Research and Educational Department of Mindef to evaluate how useful criteria such as education level and IQ test performances have proved in assigning recruits to various army vocations. Statistical computation shows that a significant level of correlation exists between performance in course results and education level. If we take education level and IQ results together, the correlation is even better than education level alone. In February 1973 the study covered five vocations - clerk (class II), pay clerks, technical storemen, linesmen and recce troopers. At other times similar studies have been made in respect of other vocations, both in the army and navy as well as in the officer cadet courses. As expected, the association between performance in these courses and education level is statistically significant. These studies will be made available to the hon. Member if he wants them. Regarding the second part of the Member's question, that is, relating to training and work experience, these are taken into account in assigning recruits to military vocations. Naturally, training and experience in a particular civilian vocation would result in better performance in the SAF in related vocations, particularly in technical vocations such as mechanics, electricians, draughtsmen, fitters and so on. However, it often happens that the supply of technically trained recruits in particular lines exceeds the requirement for that intake. When this happens, the surplus will have to be assigned to other vocations.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - ACHIEVEMENT IN NATIONAL SERVICE AND SCHOLASTIC/ - ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS - (Correlation) (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether national servicemen are assigned to jobs according to their educational qualification. I would like to cite an example. A national serviceman who is an architect is assigned to the Navy where he is required to teach the men how to maintain ship's machinery. This assignment is irrelevant to his line of education. If he were assigned to the Architect Division, his knowledge would be put to proper and better use. I hope the Minister will give consideration to this point.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - ACHIEVEMENT IN NATIONAL SERVICE AND SCHOLASTIC/ - ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS - (Correlation) Sir, of course, there are many lines of education for which there is no equivalent work in the armed forces. Architecture is one of them. True, we can make use of the architect in a civilian role but then he will not be doing national service. He will be doing civilian work. What about Mathematics? How do we employ mathematicians in the armed forces as mathematicians? So, in many vocations, they are assigned to do combat work. In fact, for most University graduates, the policy is to assign them to an appropriate combat arm where they will be trained in the officer cadet school so that eventually they can provide leadership in the SAF.
DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the number of local and foreign doctors in the Government hospitals; (b) what is the daily average number of persons referred to those hospitals and how many doctors attend to those cases; (c) whether the number of doctors in those hospitals is sufficient to cope with the cases referred; and (d) what steps are being taken to recruit more doctors.
DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS Mr Speaker, Sir, the numbers of local doctors and foreign doctors in the Government hospitals are 319 and 71 respectively. I have given to the Clerk of Parliament a list* (*See Appendix, cols 1311-2) of hospitals which spells out the number of outpatient attendances, admissions and the number of doctors allocated to each of these hospitals. I presume the Member for Anson has been given a copy also. It is not possible to give these attendance figures in greater detail as the amount of work that the doctors are engaged in the hospitals are varied in character. They, unlike the general practitioners in private practice, are involved in looking after cases which general practitioners are unable to look at, and they are therefore preoccupied with investigative work. The total number of doctors in each hospital therefore is only part of the answer to the question asked for by the Member for Anson. Whether the number of doctors is sufficient to cope with the cases referred, it is impossible to give a positive or definitive reply. I am afraid that there are no standards against which it can be determined whether there are enough doctors for any particular type of work. But it is true that it is possible to reallocate doctors so that the doctors are posted to units where there are shortages and where demand is great.
DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS Sir, may I know whether the figures given in the list are correct? According to the list, the daily average number of outpatient attendances is 210 for the Toa Payoh Hospital and 1,023 for the Singapore General Hospital. I would like to know whether the figure of 210 attendances for the Toa Payoh Hospital is correct or not.
DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS Sir, I think the Member for Anson does not realise that the Singapore General Hospital has 1,500 beds whereas the Toa Payoh Hospital has only 450 beds. That explains the difference. Secondly, it is true that the number of Accidents and Emergency attendances at Toa Payoh Hospital .has increased considerably this year as against last year's figures for the simple reason that we are reorganising the Accidents and Emergency Units in all hospitals. We know that the Accidents and Emergency Unit is a very sensitive unit and that it is considered unpopular or is a cinderella in all hospitals. But we are going to make sure that all housemen and medical officers spend some time in this unit as it gives them a broad scope of training. The figures which I have given in the list apply to the year 1974. I do not have the 1975 figures. DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS (Cols 1311-1312)
JTC EXECUTIVE FLATS - (Use of CPF contributions to purchase) asked the Minister for Labour if he will consider the utilisation of Central Provident Fund contributions by contributors to purchase "Executive Flats" built by the Jurong Town Corporation.
JTC EXECUTIVE FLATS - (Use of CPF contributions to purchase) Mr Speaker, Sir, this is not the first time that the Member for Jurong has raised this question, and I am afraid I have to disappoint him again. The Central Provident Fund is established to provide compulsory savings for workers for their old age or when they become permanently disabled. The Government has, however, allowed members of the Fund to use their CPF savings and contributions to buy publicly built flats. Under the Central Provident Fund (Approved Housing Scheme) Regulations, 1968, members of the Fund are allowed to use their CPF contributions to buy flats built by the Housing and Development Board and the Jurong Town Corporation for the lower income group. Members of the Fund in the middle income group on the other hand are allowed under the Central Provident Fund (Approved Middle Income Housing Scheme) Regulations, 1975, to use their share of the CPF contributions to buy flats built by the Housing and Urban Development Co. (Pte) Ltd. These two housing schemes go a long way to assist a great majority of citizens in purchasing a flat. In view of this, it has been decided not to extend the use of CPF contributions for the purchase of other properties. I therefore regret to inform the Member for Jurong that CPF contributions will not be allowed to be used for the purchase of executive flats built by the Jurong Town Corporation.
JTC EXECUTIVE FLATS - (Use of CPF contributions to purchase) (In Mandarin): Sir, if you will recall, when I raised this question some time ago the situation was quite different. At that time the HUDC had not yet been established. But today the HUDC is in existence and its object is to provide housing for the middle income group. Those in the middle income group are allowed to use their share of the CPF contributions to purchase flats built by the HUDC. What is the difference between the flats built by the JTC and the HUDC? The flats are almost the same. And since CPF contributions can be used for the purchase of HUDC flats, why is it that CPF contributions cannot be similarly used to purchase flats built by the JTC? Es this not some sort of discrimination against flats built by JTC for people living in JTC estates? I think that we should not deny people living in Jurong Town the opportunity to -
JTC EXECUTIVE FLATS - (Use of CPF contributions to purchase) Mr Ho, what is your supplementary question?
JTC EXECUTIVE FLATS - (Use of CPF contributions to purchase) (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am coming to it. My supplementary question is this. On the assumption that the Government has no intention to allow members of the Fund to use their contributions for the purchase of executive flats built by the JTC, does the Government then intend to allot a piece of land for HUDC to build flats for the middle-income group in Jurong Town?
JTC EXECUTIVE FLATS - (Use of CPF contributions to purchase) Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not in charge of the allocation of land to the Jurong Town Corporation. The Member for Jurong should direct his question to the appropriate authority. The same point has been raised by the Member for Jurong at the time of the last Budget debate and I think the Finance Minister had already answered his point. The position has not changed very much. In fact, I would say the position has improved with the HUDC scheme. So I do not think the Government is prepared to deviate further from the objectives of the Central Provident Fund.
LIVESTOCK FARMING INDUSTRY IN PUNGGOL - (Particulars) asked the Minister for National Development and Communications (a) if he will elaborate on the proposed livestock farming industry on the lands acquired in Punggol; (b) if he will indicate the number of applications from both farmers and other enterprises to set up such industry; (c) when such industry will be set up and become both operational and productive; (d) how many poultry farmers in the area have been affected by the scheme; how many of them have been allowed to remain and continue such farming activity and under what terms; and whether he will consider making available bigger land areas to those poultry farmers to expand their poultry farming; and (e) how many families are to be resettled and what is the total sum of ex gratia payments paid out so far.
LIVESTOCK FARMING INDUSTRY IN PUNGGOL - (Particulars) Mr Speaker, Sir, in order to reduce pollution from pig waste, it was decided to resettle pig farms from the Kranji/Pandan catchment to non-catchment areas. For this purpose:- 599 hectares in Punggol/Serangoon 253 hectares in Jalan Kayu and 184 hectares in Tampines have been acquired. The Punggol/Serangoon area has been designated for intensive pig farming. It is the intention to resettle 640 large pig farms from Kranji to this area. They keep a total of 180,000 pigs or 84% of the total pig population in Kranji. So far, 214 of them have applied for land at Punggol and 67 have been allocated land there. Development of 254 hectares for pig farming in the Lorong Buang Kok area is almost completed and resettlement of farmers from Kranji has begun. Sixty-live hectares have been earmarked for large commercial pig farms. This will offset any short fall in pig production that may result from the resettlement exercise. Twenty-five investors have applied for commercial lots, nine of whom have been approved. Construction of farm holdings has begun and the pig farms are expected to be operational by mid-1976. Further allocations of resettlement lands will be made as and when the newly developed areas are ready to take in farmers. Ninety-one poultry farms in Punggol are affected by the development of the area for intensive pig farming. Sixty-two of them, keeping a total of 406,594 poultry, are allowed to remain subject to their maximising the use of the land for farming activities. They will not be given more land to expand poultry keeping, as the priority for land use there is for pig rearing. They will be allowed, however, to keep pigs in addition to rearing poultry. Two hundred and ninety-one families including 45 farmers have to move from the area under development. The total amount of ex gratia compensation paid out so far is $1.8 million. For the remaining areas census survey has yet to be carried out and, therefore, no details of the resettlement cases are available.
LIVESTOCK FARMING INDUSTRY IN PUNGGOL - (Particulars) Mr Speaker, Sir, I am sure the Hon. Senior Minister of State for National Development will not disagree with me that eggs and poultry are a basic necessity of the people of Singapore. Would he not then consider encouraging the expansion and development of poultry farming when the opportunity presents itself? In putting my supplementary question I have taken into consideration the second last part of his answer that no more land will be given.
LIVESTOCK FARMING INDUSTRY IN PUNGGOL - (Particulars) Sir, Singapore at the moment is self-sufficient in poultry and eggs. In my answer I have indicated that 62 poultry farms are allowed to remain and they are encouraged to maximise the use of their land. In this respect they are expected to increase their production of poultry, and they should not use their land for non-farming purposes. The Primary Production Department officials will be available to advise and assist existing farmers on maximising the use of their land for farming. The plots of land allocated to the existing farmers are sufficient, according to the statistics that have been surveyed, to allow them to expand their existing poultry activities. In fact, we will encourage them, if they choose to, to go into pig farming on the existing land. But if they intend to go beyond the small scale into commercial pig rearing, they will have to apply for additional lots outside their present lots.
LIVESTOCK FARMING INDUSTRY IN PUNGGOL - (Particulars) Mr Speaker, Sir, I am just wondering whether the Senior Minister of State could inform the House how permanent would the areas in Jalan Kayu and Punggol be acquired as an agricultural area.
LIVESTOCK FARMING INDUSTRY IN PUNGGOL - (Particulars) Sir, according to the Master Plan, which is reasonably stable, the area designated is for agriculture, in particular, poultry and intensive pig farming. But what the future will be - whether the Master Plan will suffice for five or 10 years - is subject to periodical reviews every five years. As we can see at the moment there is no likelihood of an alternative in the small island of Singapore.
LIVESTOCK FARMING INDUSTRY IN PUNGGOL - (Particulars) As permanent as possible!
TRAFALGAR ESTATE AND JALAN SERANGGONG KECHIL - (Metalling of tracks) asked the Minister for National Development and Communications when tracks in Trafalgar Estate and Jalan Seranggong Kechil will be metalled under the Kampong Roads Scheme, and what the cost will be.
TRAFALGAR ESTATE AND JALAN SERANGGONG KECHIL - (Metalling of tracks) Mr Speaker, Sir, the metalling of tracks in Trafalgar Estate is being carried out in three phases. Metalling of 1.1 kilometres of tracks was completed in May 1975 at a cost of $64,570 and work on another 924 metres of tracks costing $48,450 is due to start soon. It will be completed in two to three months' time. The metalling of the remaining 1.2 kilometres of tracks will be considered next year. The Member for Punggol may be interested to know that his constituency has already committed to spend $141,000 against the allocated sum of $79,819 for this financial year under the URSC vote.
TRAFALGAR ESTATE AND JALAN SERANGGONG KECHIL - (Metalling of tracks) Thank you very much.
TRAFALGAR ESTATE AND JALAN SERANGGONG KECHIL - (Metalling of tracks) The metalling of 655 metres of tracks at Jalan Seranggong Kechil costing $50,250 is to be completed soon, and work on another 655 metres of tracks estimated to cost $35,400 will commence at the end of this month.
LIM AH PIN/UPPER SERANGOON ROADS - (Installation of actuated signal system) asked the Minister for National Development and Communications whether he is aware of numerous requests for an actuated signal system to be installed at the junction of Lim Ah Pin Road and Upper Serangoon Road as a result of several accidents that had occurred in the area in the past few years, and if he will consider having such a system installed as soon as is practicable so as to provide better safety to all road users in the area.
LIM AH PIN/UPPER SERANGOON ROADS - (Installation of actuated signal system) Mr Speaker, Sir, the traffic pattern at the junction mentioned was restudied a few weeks ago, and I am glad to inform the Member for Punggol that installation of a vehicle actuated signal system at this junction is included in the 1976/77 traffic signal programme
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) asked the Minister for Culture (a) what turnover rate there has been in the Broadcasting Division in respect of Division I officers in 1973, 1974 and the first ten months of 1975; and (b) whether any vacancies in Division I posts exist, and what steps are being taken to fill those vacancies.
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Mr Speaker, Sir, the turnover rate is as follows: Turnover Rate of Divsion I officers Resignations Appointments (1 Engineer ) (1 Senior Technical Officer) 1973 4 (1 Producer ) 1 (Producer) (1 News Editor ) (1 Accountant ) (1 Engineer ) 1974 4 (1 Producer ) 2 (Producers) (1 News Editor) (1 Producer ) 1975 1 (Producer) 5 (1 Engineer ) (Jan- (2 Editors ) Oct) (1 Senior Reporter) The vacancy position is as follows: No. of % age of Vacancies Establistment Producer/Assistant Producer 11 11.8 Editor/Sub-Editor 5 (including 1 13.1 Sub-editor leaving in December) Senior Reporter/Reporter 1 8.3 A recruitment exercise is currently in progress for the post of Editor/Sub-Editor and Senior Reporter/Reporter. The closing date for applications was 31st October 1975. It is hoped that the vacancies can be filled by the end of this year. A promotion exercise will be launched in the near future for the majority of the vacancies in the post of Producer for serving Assistant Producers and Assistant Producer for serving Division III officers with Production experience. Outstanding vacancies will be filled by recruitment/ad hoc appointments whenever suitable candidates are found. Generally, however, new recruits are able to contribute only after six months in service. In the Engineering Section, the Department has presently four vacancies out of a total establishment of 22 in the grade of Senior Technical Officer. Since there is a promotional post for serving Senior Technicians and Technical Officers, a service-wide promotion exercise is being conducted by the Public Service Commission and this should also be completed by December 1975.
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not know whether the Acting Minister for Culture would care to answer this question. Is he aware that sometimes there are slip-ups in the reading of the news bulletin over the FM stereo service at the 6.30 p.m. as well as the 7.00 o'clock news? There was an occasion when I heard the 6.30 news over the FM transmission, but when the news was repeated at 7.00 p.m., the reader said, "The time is now 6.30 p.m. Here is the news."
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Mr Speaker, Sir, the main question is about the turnover rate of Division I officers in the Broadcasting Division. If the Member wants to ask such a supplementary question, he should take another opportunity.
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Mr Speaker, Sir, I wonder if the Acting Minister for Culture considers this rate of turnover to be high. If so, what are the reasons for such a rate.
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Mr Speaker, Sir, I would not consider this turnover rate as high. Those who resign, especially officers in Division I, do not give reasons. They do not have to give reasons. Another factor is that there is too much attraction of better pay in the private sector. Of course, the Ministry provides encouragement to existing officers by giving them opportunities to attend seminars or overseas training, and we hope that they will cultivate the spirit of dedication. We also hope that the Chinese saying Yiu nai pien shih liang will not apply to the most dedicated officers.
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Sir, if that is the case, would the Acting Minister for Culture consider the present scheme in which certain levels of senior officers are given extra perks in order to retain them in the civil service?
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Sir, I do not consider the opportunity to attend seminars or assignments and training overseas as perks.
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Sir, I think the Acting Minister misunderstood me. What I mean is this. In view of the high turnover rate of these Division I officers, will he consider giving them extra perks similar to those enjoyed by the other categories of senior officers in the civil service?
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Sir, if we continue to give perks to civil servants, the private sector will top them all. What will happen then? I think the main problem, as I have said, is that we expect from the civil servants some kind of dedication and interest in their work rather than working just for the money.
BROADCASTING DIVISION - (Turnover rate of Division I officers) Hear, hear!
HAWKER CENTRE IN BRAS BASAH CONSTITUENCY - (Building of) asked the Minister for Law and the Environment whether he has any plan to build a hawker centre in the Bras Basah Constituency to accommodate the temporary licensed hawkers who are selling cooked food, some in backlanes and some in by-roads.
HAWKER CENTRE IN BRAS BASAH CONSTITUENCY - (Building of) (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, at present the Ministry of the Environment has no plans to build any market or hawker centre in the Bras Basah Constituency. However, I understand that the Housing and Development Board will be redeveloping the area and a hawker centre has been incorporated in the redevelopment plan for the Bras Basah Constituency.
MUTUAL EXCHANGE OF HAWKER PITCHES - (Policy) asked the Minister for Law and the Environment whether he is aware that the application by two hawkers for permission to exchange their hawker pitches in Seah Street and Purvis Street respectively (which are in the same Constituency) by mutual consent, alleging that there were too many hawkers selling the same things near their pitches, was rejected by the Hawkers Department, and if he will clarify his Ministry's policy in regard to requests for such mutual exchange of hawker pitches.
MUTUAL EXCHANGE OF HAWKER PITCHES - (Policy) (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, all along it has been the policy of the Ministry of the Environment not to encourage hawkers to exchange their stalls or pitches. The same policy is also being followed by the Housing and Development Board and other quasi-Government bodies, like the Jurong Town Corporation. This is to prevent too many hawkers in any area from selling the same type of food or drinks, as this will affect the business of the hawkers. It also prevents the possible malpractice of hawkers asking for a premium or tea money in an exchange of stalls or pitches. In other words, we do not want stallholders or licensees to indulge in such malpractice for monetary profit. Hence the policy of discouraging the exchange of hawker stalls or pitches.
HAWKERS SELLING IN SHOP PREMISES - (Policy) asked the Minister for Law and the Environment whether he is aware that hawkers, who sell their wares within shop premises instead of at their pitches, which the hawkers allege are unsuitable for the type of goods they are selling, have been issued with offence tickets by a hawker inspector, and if he will consider instructing the Hawkers Department to allow such hawkers to sell within shop premises, if they have the approval of the shopowners.
HAWKERS SELLING IN SHOP PREMISES - (Policy) (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, it is the policy of my Ministry to encourage hawkers to move into suitable premises. To meet this long-term objective, the Hawkers Department has been constructing new markets and hawker centres to house street hawkers. No action has been taken against hawkers who sell piece and sundry goods inside shophouses. However, in the case of cooked food hawkers, they must sell in licensed food establishments. They must also apply for stall licences. The reason for this policy is to ensure that food establishments are suitable and large enough to house the food stalls and have adequate sanitary, washing and anti-water pollution facilities. If the Member for Bras Basah will let me have more details of the specific case mentioned, an investigation will be carried out.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS - (Number of prosecutions) asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Education how many illegal immigrants with forged identity cards were detected and prosecuted during the first ten months of 1975; and if he has any plans for a check to be made of all identity cards issued since 1967.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS - (Number of prosecutions) Mr Speaker, Sir, during the first 10 months of 1975, 33 illegal immigrants who were detected had forged identity cards. Arrest and prosecution of illegal immigrants, with or without forged identity cards, will continue. Under the National Registration Regulations, 1966, all Singapore identity cards have to be renewed periodically: (1) Regulation 15 provides that any person who has obtained his identity card or replacement thereof before attaining the age of 17 years shall re-register within a period not exceeding five years from the date of his first registration. (2) Regulation 16 provides that any person of the age of 17 years and above who has obtained his identity card or replacement thereof shall re-register within the tenth year from the date of his last preceding registration. The National Registration Office carries out re-registration exercises un- der Regulation 15 every year. Re-registration under Regulation 16 will begin next year. During re-registration exercises, the identity cards are checked to verify their rightful ownership arid the holders' status. Failure to re-register, as provided under the Regulations, is an offence which carries a penalty of imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding $3,000 or both such imprisonment and fine. A person who fails to re-register will not be able to enjoy the social benefits accorded by the State.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS - (Number of prosecutions) Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not know whether it is true or not that some blank identity cards have been put in a bag and sent across the Island. I would like to ask the Minister whether the identity cards are safely kept in the National Registration Office.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS - (Number of prosecutions) Sir, before I answer the question, I would like to ask the Member for Anson for more details. What does he mean by "blank cards"? Are they forged identity cards or are they genuine identity cards stolen from the National Registration Office? Or are they identity cards stolen from the holders?
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS - (Number of prosecutions) Sir, the identity cards are like the ones we have now. But there is no name or photograph on the identity card. These identity cards are sent across the Island and then the photograph, name and address of the illegal holder are put on to enable him to come here.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS - (Number of prosecutions) Pink or blue?
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS - (Number of prosecutions) Pink.