Hansard, 1978-12-26

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 Sia Khoon Seong (Moulmein) - from 8th to 27th December, 1978. Mr Ng Kah Ting (Punggol), from 8th to 29th December, 1978. Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi (Kampong Kembangan) - from 25th to 31st December, 1978. Mr P. Selvadurai (Kuo Chuan) - from 12th December, 1978 to 5th January, 1979. YEOH GHIM SENG Speaker, Parliament of Singapore

The President (accompanied by two A.D.C.s) entered the Chamber, accompanied by Mr Speaker, who was preceded by the Serjeant at Arms (without the Mace), the Acting First Assistant Clerk, the Principal Assistant Clerk and the Clerk. On the Clerk announcing "The President", the President delivered his Opening Speech. 8.31 p.m. The President (Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares): Honourable Members, three major factors will influence events and help shape the deliberations of this next session of Parliament. First, most economists forecast a downturn in the economy in 1979. This will now be aggravated by the oil price increases of 14.5% spread over 1979. Some believe the downturn will be mild and brief, others that it may be moderate. The impact of a slow-down on Singapore may be mitigated if the economies of Japan and the EEC are able to grow as much as they did last year. Barring a recession, Singapore should still be able to make 6-8% economic growth next year. Second, the conflict between Vietnam and Kampuchea will have important consequences for Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia. This conflict will not be resolved by a single or simple victory on the battle field. When one communist state sets out to subvert another communist state, victory for one does not mean the defeat and extinction of the leadership of the other, especially when a bigger communist power is not prepared to see its ally go down. Resistance can be expected to be prolonged and bitter when racial hatred goes deep into the history of the two peoples. The danger is that these clashes may spread beyond Kampuchea into Thailand. Third, the single most important issue in Singapore is the next political leadership. The responsibilities of government have become more complex and diverse in the past 20 years. The political leadership will require the continued support of able administrators in the public sector. Hence, at least one-third of the top talent of the younger generation must be in the Administrative Service and the statutory boards. This will require a total revamping of the rewards and salaries of senior officers in the public service. These changes must make it unmistakably clear to the young scholars in their 20's as they contemplate their future after their 5 - 8 year period of bond with the government, that the public service offers comparable rewards. If they choose to take up the challenge of the more demanding tasks in the service of the government, they will not be penalised, compared to what the private sector offers to the most talented and hardworking amongst the executives and professionals. This revision must be done with minimum delay and a measure of flexibility. Further, any formula for revision will need to be monitored and regularly further revised. Periodic 3-4 year revisions may be the only way to meet the varying and changing economic conditions. All said and done, it is the quality of the political leadership that is decisive. We can take heart that since I addressed this House two years ago, several younger Members have shown that they have the capacity to meet the intense demands of leadership. Given the experience and time to develop the camaraderie, the verve and vitality of leadership need never flag in the 1980's. At the conclusion of the President's Address, Mr Speaker, preceded by the Serjeant at Arms, the Clerk, the Principal Assistant Clerk and the Acting First Assistant Clerk, escorted the President (accompanied by two A.D.Cs) out of the Chambers and the House adjourned without question put pursuant to the Standing Order. Adjourned accordingly at Twenty-three minutes to Nine o'clock p.m.

Economic Policy For the next few years our aim is to achieve a real growth rate for the economy of at least 6 - 8% per year. This will enable us to employ all the young people joining the labour force each year, and raise our standard of living. We can do so only if international trade keeps growing, and prices of our goods and services are kept competitive in world markets. Monetary and Fiscal Policy We shall maintain the Singapore dollar as a strong and stable currency. The money, bond and capital markets will be further developed so that funds will be readily available for investments in Singapore and the surrounding region. With the rapid expansion of Singapore as an international financial centre, it is important that there be high ethical standards among company directors. We will, therefore, be shortly introducing proposals to amend the Companies Act to give better protection to investors. We shall continually review the public sector's role in the economy. In earlier years we invested in commercial enterprises in areas where the private sector did not take the lead. In the next few years, we will consider selling off parts of our earlier investments in some enterprises which have already fulfilled their pioneering roles. Our financial administration is being sharpened. The first phase of a system of programme-type budgeting has been introduced in the current fiscal year. We shall be going on to the second phase to review and determine budgetary programmes for each Ministry and Department. This will enable the performance of each Ministry to be examined against the targets set. We shall continue to depend largely on economic expansion to obtain the increased revenues to meet public expenditure. Where tax incentives are necessary to encourage investments in specific sectors, they will be given. Over the years, some of our taxation policies have become moribund and incompatible with changing circumstances. We shall, therefore, be undertaking a detail.ed review on estate duty. In the field of income tax, we shall work at broadening the base by getting more taxpayers such as the self-employed who can afford to and should pay tax to do so. This will make taxation more equitable and less of a burden for existing taxpayers. Industrial Development We shall want to get more industries to come to Singapore, especially those requiring higher skills. We shall also actively encourage industries already here to upgrade their products or processes. We shall try to help those labour intensive industries which want to relocate themselves overseas to do so. Through the Economic Development Board, we shall seek to promote such industries as industrial electronics, aircraft parts, metal and industrial machinery, office equipment, optical products, automotive components, scientific and medical instruments, ship equipment, and telecommunications equipment. Our target is to attract $450 million worth of new investments next year. Even though we have adequate stocks of factory buildings and industrial land, we shall continue to build a little ahead of demand, so that new industries can start their operations quickly. We shall seek to build more clean industries near population centres to provide jobs closer to homes. We shall expand our industrial training centres to train our workers in higher skills. Next year, another training centre to be set up jointly with the Japanese Government will be in operation. In the next few years we intend to give emphasis to industrial research. We shall aim at producing ever better products. Industries will be encouraged through the Product Development Scheme to do more design and development work. We need to continue to keep our goods competitive in the international market. We shall continue with the policy of orderly and moderate wage increases established by the National Wages Council. Productive workers will be rewarded and lazy workers penalised. We shall actively encourage more of our young professionals to become industrial entrepreneurs. Through the Local Entrepreneurial Scheme managed by the Economic Development Board, we will invest in or lend money for industrial projects put up by our local engineers, technicians or industrial managers. Trade Development Our objective is to make sure that our exports grow. We shall, therefore, have to be on guard against protectionism by the richer countries. We must sell our products to more and new markets. We shall improve ASEAN economic cooperation. We shall work closely with the private sector. Through the Trade Development Committee we shall encourage trade promotion policies. We shall ensure that financial help for our exporters provided by the Monetary Authority of Singapore in rediscounting export bills, the Development Bank of Singapore for long term loans to sell ships, and the Export Credit Insurance Scheme to cover export risks, all continue to be available on attractive terms. Where further incentives are necessary to promote trade, these will be considered. Tourism We shall encourage more tourists to come to Singapore and to stay longer. In 1979, our tourist arrivals are expected to exceed two million. We shall promote more conventions for business and professional groups, and encourage more hotel construction to ensure that hotel rates remain competitive. Statistical Development Next year we shall be actively preparing to conduct a Census of Population in 1980. The Census, conducted every ten years, will provide a detailed personal, social and economic profile of the population. The data will be of great help to Government to shape policies to meet the real needs of the people. The Civil Service Terms and conditions of employment will be made competitive with the private sector. It is important to ensure that at least a third of our ablest officers remain to serve the public sector. To increase productivity in the service, we shall increase mechanisation and computerisation of Government operations. HON SUI SEN Minister for Finance

The world economic outlook remains uncertain. Slower growth and increasing pressure for protectionism are still being experienced in the developed economies. Competition for markets and investments has intensified. Our economy has weathered the past years of recession well and the outlook in the short term, barring unforeseen economic upheavals, is fairly bright. To ensure further growth of our economy and to build up resilience to meet future contingencies the Ministry will continue to work with labour and management to promote industrial peace with justice and a work environment which is safe, healthy and conducive for workers to give of their best. At the same time, inculcation of good work attitudes and promotion of workers' welfare will also be undertaken. Labour-Management Relations Workers and management must continue to work in close accord and harmony. Their mutual interest depends on the viability of the industry they are in. While management should adopt progressive methods and policies to train and motivate workers and accord due recognition, workers must respond and adapt to change, upgrade their skills, develop a good work ethos and increase productivity. Management should also give priority to the provision of a work environment that induces workers to give of their best. For this reason the National Productivity Board will continue to assist companies, particularly small and medium-sized ones, to make improvements in their production technology and management systems to enhance productivity. Towards the same objective, the Board will continue to organise management and supervisory training courses for industries. Seminars will also be organised to familiarise foreign entrepreneurs and top management personnel with local industrial relations practices. The Board will also assist in the establishment of productivity committees and merit and demerit schemes. It will seek to provide new services in areas such as the application of computer controls and energy management. Unions for their part should continue to support industrial peace and orderly wage increases tied to economic growth and higher productivity. Workers must work hard, accumulate experience and develop skills. Their expectations must be adjusted in relation to the effort put in and the level of their skill and experience. To promote the work ethos, job-related clubs in companies will be encouraged and a "Know your Company and Industry" programme will be implemented. Inter-company and inter-firm competitions relating to work will also be promoted. The Ministry will continue to defuse and settle industrial disputes. To this end, it will closely monitor industrial relations in the Republic. It will also seek to provide improved advisory and conciliatory services through the training of its labour officers and their specialisation in selected industries. The Employment Act will be reviewed in the light of its administration and the changed circumstances since its enactment. Manpower Utilisation The Employment Service will implement new programmes to facilitate the supply of labour to industries facing labour shortages. Recruitment drives in schools and community centres will be carried out. Work permit policies will be regularly reviewed and adjusted to ensure that the demand for labour is met. Better liaison with employers who are major users of manpower can reduce the social problems of these policies. The Research and Statistics Department will undertake studies into labour policies in relation to the economic situation. Particular attention will be paid to manpower and wage policies. Such research will review the effectiveness of labour policies and recommend changes in economic and manpower policies where necessary. Social Security The Workmen's Compensation Act will be changed to provide fairer compensation for injured workers and dependants of deceased workers. The changes will also ensure the speedy payment of compensation through better administration and enforcement. There will be training and placement of workers disabled in industrial accidents. The Central Provident Fund Board is considering insurance schemes to provide better protection for members' families such as in the case of death early in employment. The schemes will also cover outstanding payments due on HDB/JTC flats of deceased members. Stringent enforcement will ensure CPF contributions are paid. Assessment of employers' liability will be computerised. In the next two or three years, further steps will be taken to increase the Board's investment returns. The possibility of using CPF savings for other justifiable purposes without losing sight of the primary objective of providing for old age will be examined. Industrial Safety and Health Concentration on improving safety in the two most hazardous industries - shipbuilding and repairing and construction - will continue. Particular attention will be paid to those shipyards and worksites with high accident rates. The Ministry will continue to work with managements, unions and workers of shipyards to prevent the occurrence of fires or explosions which can cause injury or death to many workers. Harsher penalties will be enacted to punish those responsible for such accidents. Action will be taken to reduce the number of accidents involving workers failing from heights and being struck by failing objects. The requirement of the erection of peripheral overhead shelters and work platforms will be strictly enforced. The possibility of using the access scaffold method of construction will be looked into. Educational activities will be stepped up. Action will be taken to ensure that all workers, direct or contract, attend the shipyard safety orientation course. Refresher courses will be run, especially for those involved in hazardous work. A similar safety orientation programme will be launched for the construction industry. Courses will first be organised for all foremen and site supervisors and later extended to all construction workers. Special training courses will be conducted for operators of mobile equipment such as cranes and forklift trucks. In the case of industrial health, the occupational cancer prevention programme covering factories using asbestos and benzene will be continued. The programme will be extended in the next two to three years to other cancer causing agents used in industry. Studies and surveys will be made into notifiable industrial diseases, like byssinosis and metal poisonings, to ascertain their incidence and to apply control measures. The Ministry will monitor the introduction of new industrial processes with a view to gearing itself for the safety and health problems they will pose. Preventive measures will be taken to control and minimise health and safety hazards arising from the establishment of the Sumitomo Petro-Chemical Complex and, upon approval, of the Mass Rapid Transit Project. The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, when established, will concentrate on meeting the need for systematic training of safety and health personnel in industry. It will also undertake consultancy and research in industrial safety and health. ONG PANG BOON Minister for Labour

More Efficient Use of Manpower With the build-up of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) practically complete, the next task is to improve the quality of our personnel. This is all the more necessary because of the expected manpower resource constraints. With declining birth rates, manpower available for National Service has been diminishing over the years. We have taken various measures to ensure that manpower is more efficiently used in the SAF, to reduce the total manpower requirement. Wherever possible, manpower establishments have been trimmed down through the introduction of mechanisation and labour-saving devices. Computerisation has been introduced and will be expanded in both scope and capacity to achieve more effective management and control of manpower and logistic resources. A computerized system of allocation of technically qualified National Servicemen to technical vocations has been implemented. These National Servicemen will be able to fit better into industries when they leave the SAF. The pre-service experience of the National Servicemen is also considered in the deployment of such men so that they are properly utilized in the SAF. More women are being recruited into the regular service to fill posts which can be held by women so that combat fit men may be released and effectively deployed in combat units. The need to introduce National Service for women still exists but need not come about in the immediate future. Development of Leadership in the SAF As part of the overall effort to improve the quality of our manpower resources, the education level and skills of our regular SAF personnel are being improved. We will place much greater emphasis on continuation education. More part-time GCE 'O' and 'A' level classes will be conducted for regular Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and Officers respectively. English classes are also being conducted for our regular NCOs. In addition, the SAF NCO Club conducts regular courses related to educational, cultural, social and sporting activities. To phase out dialect speaking in the SAF, language training will be expanded for both regulars and National Servicemen so that all SAF personnel will acquire a working proficiency in at least one language (English, Mandarin, Malay), National Education Courses designed to instil a greater sense of awareness and better understanding of the political and economic environment in the region are currently being conducted for regular and National Service officers and will be extended to reservist officers. There is a need to build up a corps of professional NCOs in the SAF to supervise the training of our National Servicemen and eventually our reservists. The SAF Boys' School trains boys who are interested in soldiering as a career for combat, technical and service roles in the SAF. The School provides these early school leavers with the opportunity of continuation education which will equip them with skills for their future employment in the SAF. Graduates from the School will eventually form the corps of our regular NCOs in the SAF. Improvement of the Reservist Corps The SAF Reservists Association (SAFRA), established to cater for the cultural, social and recreational needs of the SAF reservists, will continue to play a dominant role in organising activities to enhance the educational level and cultural life of reservists and their families. In addition to the present SAFRA Centre in Toa Payoh, plans are in hand to build at least two new centres in areas like Queenstown/Clementi and Bedok/Chai Chee where there is a large concentration of reservists, to foster a greater sense of esprit de corps among them. Control of Drug Abuse Drug abuse in the SAF is controlled by thorough detection among National Service enlistees and in-service personnel, followed by a comprehensive programme to rehabilitate addicts which will continue in force even after they leave the SAF. All measures will be vigorously pursued to stamp out and deter drug taking in the SAF so that National Servicemen who become drug takers leave the controlled environment of the SAF with a greater likelihood of becoming useful citizens. DR GOH KENG SWEE Minister of Defence

In 1979 the Ministry's top priorities will be improving road safety and combating drug abuse. The Ministry plans to improve the system of policing in public housing estates over the next two or three years. Vigilance against communists, other subversives, and international terrorists will be maintained at all times. If the Police Force is to meet the new challenges ahead, its future leaders must measure up to the task. A new scholarship - the Singapore Police Force Scholarship - will be introduced for bright students who aspire to be future leaders of the Force. In the meantime, the senior officer ranks in the Force will be strengthened by an injection of PSC scholars upon their return. Communist Threat The Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) continues to regard Singapore as part of "Malaya". Its activities in Peninsular Malaysia therefore extend to Singapore. To achieve its objective of seizing power in Malaysia and Singapore, the CPM has adopted a two-pronged strategy: its armed wing carries out terrorist activities; the underground wing provides logistics and recruits personnel for the armed wing, and attempts to rebuild the Communist United Front. Of the organisations under the 3 CPM factions, the Malayan National Liberation Front (MNLF), an underground satellite organisation of the CPM Central, is most active in Singapore. Singapore has been grouped with the southern Peninsular Malaysian States to form the South Line of the MNLF. The leadership of the MNLF cells in Singapore consists of Malaysians and some Singaporeans, all based in Peninsular Malaysia. The cells in Singapore have provided medicine, materials, finance and manpower for the Communist terrorists in Peninsular Malaysia. The "brains" directing the Communist threat to Singapore is located in Peninsular Malaysia. The Internal Security Department has destroyed most of the cells in Singapore through the cooperation of the Malaysian security authorities. The remaining communists are on the run but still pose a threat as experience shows that they will re-group and re-build their organisations. The pressure against the communists will continue so that they will not find Singapore vulnerable or susceptible to their subversive operations, or fertile ground for recruitment. The Drug Problem Until recently, the most important drug of abuse was heroin. Tough laws and unrelenting enforcement seriously disrupted the flow of heroin into, and its distribution within, Singapore. Heroin seized last year was about one-quarter that in the year before. The retail price of heroin in real terms increased by 60% in just over a year after Operation Ferret began. As enforcement against traffickers and pushers intensified, the addicts formed an 'ant' traffic in which they themselves brought small amounts of heroin into Singapore. Travel papers have therefore been withdrawn from drug supervisees. Operation Ferret, which began in April 1977, quickly prevented drug addicts from recruiting others into their ranks. Some who have been hooked are extremely prone to relapse, despite rehabilitation and stringent measures to supervise and control them. When heroin became scarce in Singapore, the addicts turned to substitutes, the most important of which are barbiturates. Barbiturates, unlike heroin, have always been available for bona fide use on a doctor's prescription. The medical practitioners have been alerted. Their care and co-operation are necessary if barbiturates are not to become a drug of abuse. Practical measures will be worked out to stop drug addicts from acquiring large amounts of barbiturates through clinic-hopping, proxies or the black-market. Drug addicts and drug pushers must never be allowed to infect others on the scale experienced prior to Operation Ferret. In view of the drug supervisees' proneness to relapse, the period of rehabilitation will have to be longer. Traffic Accidents Several major steps to curb traffic accidents have been taken over the last few years, including the Points Demerit System and the Pedestrian Crossing Rules. Nevertheless, fatalities and serious injuries in road accidents are high. The Traffic Police is now adopting a new approach to enforcement: it will concentrate on those offences which are likely to contribute directly to serious accidents. Officers on the ground have been briefed to watch especially for careless, inconsiderate, reckless and dangerous drivers, so that they may be removed from the roads. The performance of enforcement officers will be judged not on the number of reports but the type of reports they submit. A Traffic Accident Study Unit has been established within the Traffic Police to analyse the computerised data on accidents and the drivers involved. The results of such analyses will be used in three ways. First, the pinpointing of accident prone locations will enable the Traffic Police to concentrate its resources - Mobile Squad patrols, PETA (speed trap) operations, etc - in areas where they will be most effective. Second, a better understanding of the causes of accidents will enable the Traffic Police to recommend preventive action to other departments such as the Registry of Vehicles and the Public Works Department. Third, a profile of the inconsiderate and dangerous driver will be useful in helping officers carry out selective enforcement. Road safety can only be achieved if inconsiderate and dangerous drivers are prevented from driving on our roads. Enforcement by the Traffic Police will not be sufficient. The Registry of Vehicles, which is responsible for the licensing of drivers, has an equally important role to play. To ensure that there is maximum co-ordination between these departments, a Liaison Committee has been set up comprising the Registrar of Vehicles as Chairman and representatives from the Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Traffic Police. The Committee's terms of reference include looking into the re,training of inconsiderate and dangerous drivers so that, instead of being suspended from driving for long periods, they can be re-trained and allowed to resume driving. Policing in Public Housing Estates It is estimated that by 1987 about 80% of Singapore's population will be staying in HDB/JTC/PSA high-rise housing. Such housing blocks have common areas such as elevators, staircases and corridors which are quite often hidden from outside view. More intensive patrolling is necessary, especially during daylight hours, when residents are away from home. Foot patrols will be introduced in HDB estates from January 1979. Each team will be assigned a number of blocks to patrol. Such a labour-intensive arrangement cannot be based on regular police officers. Reservists who have completed their full-time national service in the Police Force and Vigilante Corps will be used. These reservists are presently performing reserve duty between 7 pm and 11 pm. They will be re-deployed in January 1979 to perform duty between 10 am and 6 pm. In the first two years, reservists will have to perform duty on 14 days each year. Thereafter they will perform 10 days per year, including in-camp training, for two years: seven days per year for three years; and four days per year in the last three years of reserve service. Each reservist will therefore serve 81 days over the 10 years of reserve service. By July 1979 there will be 3,900 Police NS reservists with 122 reservists available for patrol duty each day. The number of reservists will grow until it levels off at 19,500 reservists by July 1987, with 333 reservists available each day. Police posts will be set up at the void decks of housing blocks. They will serve as a first contact point and immediate source of help to the residents nearby. They will also be the reporting and briefing centres for the reservists on patrol duties. Raising the quality of the Senior Officer Cadre of the Police Force In the ranks of Deputy Superintendent of Police and above only 10 of the 90 positions are filled substantively by university graduates. There is a need to raise the quality of the Senior Officer cadre of the Force. Three SAF scholars were transferred to the Police Force in 1977. A Singapore Police Force (SPF) Scholarship will be introduced in 1979 with the same terms and conditions as the SAF Scholarship. From October 1978, 10 to 15 returned PSC scholars will be posted to the Police Force each year to do their National Service. These scholars will be assigned to those sections in the Police Force where they can contribute with their brain power. These include the Traffic Police, Marine Police, Manpower and Logistics Branch, Criminal Intelligence Unit of CID, and Plans and Operations Branch. It is hoped that some of these scholars may choose a career in the Police Force after their 3-year spell. Those who choose other careers will still be Police National Service reservists. CHUA SIAN CHIN Minister for Home Affairs

The primary aim of the Ministry of Health will be to provide basic health care to the maximum number of people and to educate the population on how to remain healthy. Disease patterns have changed with Singapore's rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. While infectious diseases like malaria and diphtheria have been effectively controlled, diseases precipitated by personal habits and stresses of modern living are increasing. The incidence of lung cancer, coronary heart disease and hypertension, and mental illness is steadily rising. Last year 22 out of 1,000 people died of lung cancer, a 37% increase over 1973; 72 out of 1,000 died of coronary heart disease, a 41% increase over 1973. Similarly, hospital admissions for mental illness rose from 2,707 in 1973 to 4,229 in 1977, an increase of 56%. Psychiatric outpatient attendances increased from 28,138 to 62,214 over the same period, an increase of 121%. Changes in our population size and age structure will influence the planning of future health services. The number of elderly persons is already increasing faster than the rate of increase of the general population. The present number of 160,000 old people aged 60 years and above, will rise to about 190,000 (7% of total population) in a decade and 270,000 (9% of total population) in 20 years' time. They will impose greater demands on health care as the 1977 National Morbidity Survey showed a steep rise in ill health amongst Singaporeans from 45 years upwards. Focus on Primary Health Care A reorganised Division of Primary Health Care Services and Health Education was recently set up to give added direction to an integrated programme of health education, and preventive and basic curative health services. A feature of this programme is the establishment of modern and well equipped polyclinics at major HDB new towns combining general curative treatment, screening, immunisation, dental, and family planning services under one roof. The first of such polyclinics, Kelantan Road Polyclinic, was opened on 3rd July 1978. Similar polyclinics have been earmarked for Bukit Merah, Clementi, Bedok and Ang Mo Kio New Towns in the next two years. Some of these polyclinics will have facilities for X-ray examination and minor surgery. The extensive immunisation programme against infectious diseases will continue. This programme has been extended to Primary 6, Secondary 4 and Pre-University 2 pupils to consolidate immunity against infectious diseases. The Home Nursing Foundation, which was launched in December 1976, has stepped up its activities, with its nurses attending to nearly 1,400 chronic sick patients in 1977. Most of these chronic sick would otherwise be occupying expensive hospital beds. Home nursing will be expanded to look after the mentally ill who are discharged from Woodbridge Hospital. Health Education Health education must be made universal like literacy. There will be more regular health education talks, film shows and exhibitions at community centres, clinics and schools. A National Health Campaign is planned for 1979. It will highlight diseases induced by urbanisation and harmful life styles. Family Planning The Family Planning and Population Programme must be sustained. Although replacement level with an average of two children per couple has been achieved, it is expected that over the next 10 years births will increase as more women enter the reproductive age group. Family planning information, education and communication activities will be aimed particularly at youths. This will be done through seminars for school principals and teachers, and talks and exhibitions for young factory workers. Hospital Development The redevelopment of the Singapore General Hospital, which will cost $238 million, will be completed in stages over the next three years. When fully completed early in 1982 it will have 1,659 beds. Major improvement schemes for four major hospitals include the extension and upgrading of X-ray Departments in Tan Tock Seng, Toa Payoh and Alexandra Hospitals; a new Class A ward for Alexandra Hospital; additional Class A beds and a day observation area for the Accidents and Emergency Department at Toa Payoh Hospital; and conversion of TB wards to Medical and Surgical wards at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The Ministry is planning to introduce a new ward class, intermediate between the existing 'B' and 'C' classes. It will provide more privacy than in Class 'C'. Pharmaceutical Development The Manufacturing Division of the Pharmaceutical Department is unable to meet the increasing demands for pharmaceutical products from government hospitals because of its physical limitations and inefficient equipment. It is important that the government's pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity keep up with the improvements in medical care. The Ministry is therefore planning to transfer the Manufacturing Division from Silat Road to larger and more suitable premises at Norris Block in the existing Singapore General Hospital when it is vacated in 1980. Automatic and semi-automatic production lines will be installed. World Health Organisation technical advice has been sought for the project. Arrangements will be made for local professional staff to be given overseas training in pharmaceutical production. DR TOH CHIN CHYE Minister for Health

Water Pollution The Ministry is drawing up a long-term programme in cooperation with other Ministries and authorities to control pollution in the Singapore River, Kallang Basin and their catchment areas. This will clean up the canals and water courses going through the city and keep the newly formed marina clear of smell and debris. We are also cleaning up our water catchment areas in Seletar, Kranji, Pandan and Jurong. The main causes of pollution in our water catchment areas are pigs, ducks, squatters, trade and backyard activities, and waste water from villages. Where the Singapore and Kallang Rivers run through urban areas, additional sources of pollution are rundown sections, pockets of squatters, street hawkers, ship repairers, and lighters. The water pollution control programme will take 10 years to complete. Industries causing serious water pollution will be relocated; waste water from dwellings will be diverted into sewers; sewage treatment plants will have to be built in areas which cannot be served by public sewers; and stricter enforcement action will be taken against water pollution. Air Pollution Over the past seven years air pollution from industrial and trade premises has been brought under control. We can now direct our attention to air pollution from motor vehicles. Periodic inspections will ensure that motor vehicles are properly maintained. New vehicles will be required to comply with more stringent exhaust emission standards. The new measures will not only reduce emission of smoke and toxic pollutants but also raise standards of roadworthiness and safety. Hawkers There are enough hawkers in Singapore. Many are street hawkers awaiting resiting in permanent premises. The policy of restricting the issue of new hawker licences will continue so as to prevent the proliferation of hawkers. The number of licensed hawkers has dropped from 29,896 in 1975 to 27,544 in 1978. There are still 6,986 street hawkers who need to be accommodated in markets/food centres. Within the next three years, 4,634 street hawkers will be resited in existing and new markets/food centres of this Ministry and the Housing and Development Board. Sewerage Three new sewage treatment works at Bedok, Seletar and Kranji costing $168 million will be completed in 1979 to serve public housing and other developments in those areas. The public sewerage system will be further extended in Jurong, Bukit Timah, Woodlands, Nee Soon, Tampines, Telok Blangah, Bedok, East Coast Reclamation and Urban Renewal South. There are still pockets of premises served by the nightsoil bucket system in the city and urban areas. Over the next two years, the Ministry will extend sewers to some 1,900 such premises. A total of $284 million will be spent on sewerage development in the next two years. Drainage The construction of drains and canals to serve public housing in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Clementi New Towns and other new towns will continue. The major reconstruction of Stamford Canal to serve the Tanglin and Orchard Road areas has started. The project, which is estimated to cost $32 million, will take about four years to complete. Over the next five years, about $102 million will be spent on drainage projects. Toilets The state of many public conveniences is deplorable. This Ministry will coordinate a programme for better construction and maintenance of such toilets. Owners of shopping complexes, cinemas, restaurants, bus terminals and all buildings open to the public will be required to provide sufficient toilets and to improve the maintenance of their toilets. Better design, and maintenance of public toilets and better education of the public in the considerate and proper use of toilet facilities will mean cleaner public toilets. E.W. BARKER Minister for the Environment

Because Singapore is crucially influenced in major aspects of its life by global and regional developments, over which we have little control, we must constantly and realistically adjust to external events if we are not to be overwhelmed by them. We cannot afford to cultivate aspirations and develop life styles as though we were an autonomous society protected from the harsh realities and uncertainties of the world outside. When world developments are favourable we can, through judicious policies, benefit from them. Equally we must be just as ready to make painful adjustments to enable us to steer successfully through rough seas so that we remain in one piece when the storm subsides. At the moment the world is going through a rough period. The international economy has yet to recover from the battering it took from the oil crisis. Those nations which have shown resoluteness and national discipline during this period of inflation, recession and unemployment will continue to do better than most and will be best placed to make the most gains when the world economy enters a new phase of expansion and recovery. For Southeast Asia, the post-Vietnam period, defying earlier predictions, has turned out to be more helpful, particularly for the ASEAN countries. Non-Communist Southeast Asia, contrary to expectations, is an area of political stability and economic vigour. This is not to say that it is without problems but they are, as of now, manageable problems. We attribute this favourable position of non-Communist Southeast Asia to a large extent to the collective strength and confidence found in ASEAN cooperation and solidarity. The cohesion and integrity of ASEAN has persuaded several Communist countries to change their initially hostile attitude into accommodation with and qualified support for ASEAN. Equally, countries which were friendly to ASEAN but sceptical of its durability are now taking a more thoughtful and positive view of ASEAN. The high level of representation in dialogues between ASEAN Ministers and the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the EEC reflect the serious intent of the parties, and their recognition of the great potential for economic good in cooperation with ASEAN. It is up to the ASEAN countries to translate potentialities into realities. They must have resolution to press on with practical, if initially small, steps towards greater cooperation. The ASEAN states today abut a series of Communist states stretching from Soviet Asia, to China, to Laos, Vietnam and Kampuchea. Of course, the Communist group comprises contending states. This poses ASEAN with unexpected problems. There are dangers implicit in these totally new developments. But there are also benefits in a slackening of pressure coming from these Communist states, if the conflicts between them are confined to themselves and do not involve the states of ASEAN. In the long run, what serves best the interests of ASEAN and of the world is a peaceful and prosperous Asia - Communist and non-Communist alike. The underlying thrust of Singapore's foreign policy is to achieve this objective. S. RAJARATNAM Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Communications' duty is to develop Singapore as a major communications centre and to provide an effective and efficient public transport system. Bringing our concepts, facilities and procedures continually up to date will help us to keep pace with changing demands. Civil Aviation Government will pursue aviation policies that will attract more tourist traffic and cargo to Singapore. The new facilities recently completed at Paya Lebar will be fully utilised. Systems and procedures will be further improved to ensure smoother cargo and passenger flow through the airport. The attractiveness of the airport shops will be enhanced through their operation by reputable firms. A wide range of quality goods at reasonable prices will be available. Manpower will be trained and new operational systems and concepts tested for the efficient management of the new Changi Airport, which will become operational in early 1981. To cope with more air traffic in the 1980s and beyond, a new automated traffic control system will be installed. By the end of next year, controllers will be guiding aircraft using the new system. Meteorological Services To discharge Singapore's role as an efficient and reliable weather information centre, Changi Airport will have comprehensive and up-to-date meteorological equipment such as a computerised weather radar system, equipment for receiving data from the latest series of weather satellites, and computerised equipment for the observation of meteorological charac-teristics at Changi. Telecommunications The construction of various segments of the ASEAN Submarine Cable Network, the upgrading of telecommunication facilities at the Sentosa Satellite Earth Station, and the expansion of the international telephone and telex gateways at Comcentre will further widen and improve Singapore's communications links. The international telephone and telex services will be extended. International Direct Dialling (IDD) telephone services, now available to about 30 overseas destinations, will be further extended. A new data service (called Telepac) has recently been offered. It provides local subscribers with access to computerised data bases in America. A high-speed facsimile service capable of conveying writing, scripts, fixed images, diagrams and signatures will be available from December 1978. Singapore has reached the 'half million telephone' mark. The domestic network will be further expanded. Electronic switching equipment associated with the Stored Programme Control (SPC) Exchanges will be introduced to provide the most up-to-date and sophisticated services to local telephone subscribers. A Private Network Message Switching System to provide local companies with private telecommunication links to their overseas offices will be installed. Maritime and Port Services The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA)'s five gateways and Jurong Port handled a total of 17.9 million tonnes of general cargo in 1977, an increase of 4% over 1976. With changing patterns of coastal and international shipping, container traffic is expected to increase at 25 per cent per annum. Hence plans for the provision of additional container berths are being made. Conventional cargo traffic is shifting away from Keppel Wharves to the newly developed wharves at Pasir Panjang. To cope with the increased activities, three deep-water berths and two coastal berths at Pasir Panjang are scheduled to be in use in 1979. A 4,000-seat Convention Hall is being constructed in the Singapore World Trade Centre. It is expected to be completed in March 1981. Road Transportation The past two years have seen improvements in the public transport system. There have been additions to existing bus routes, new services to new HDB housing estates, and expansion of the taxi fleet. In the next few years, the quality of public transport will improve through better vehicles, improvement in working conditions, and better training of transport workers. More taxis will be licensed. These taxis will be airconditioned. Radiophones will be encouraged, to improve the distribution of taxis in demand areas. There is a scheme for taxis to ply within the Central Business District (CBD) during peak hours which should alleviate the acute shortage of taxis in the CBD. Scheme B buses are being introduced in the rural areas. More such buses will be introduced as necessary. Studies on a comprehensive rail-based Mass Rapid Transit System are continuing. Postal Services A speedy and efficient mail service at competitive prices will ,be offered which can attract bulk postings from overseas sources into Singapore to be redistributed to other countries of the region. The Speedpost and International Express Delivery services will be extended. A new 4-digit Post Code system will be introduced to replace the existing Postal District Number system which was started 28 years ago. This will improve mail handling and delivery. Operating hours of post offices in the town centres of Toa Payoh and Jurong will be extended to 9 pm. ONG TENG CHEONG Minister for Communications

The Ministry will intensify its efforts to promote the application of science and technology, to develop an awareness of its potential in stimulating economic growth and improving the quality of life, and to encourage local research and development. Technician Training The completion of the $41.8 million campus of the Polytechnic and the $17.1 million extension to the Ngee Ann Technical College will make it possible to train the 3,000 technicians required annually. In 1979 the Polytechnic will have 4,700 full-time students and 3,300 part-time students, while Ngee Ann Technical College will have 2,500. The emphasis of future policies will be to raise the quality of technician education: technician education curricula will be reviewed regularly to meet industry's changing requirements; part-time courses will be extended to enable a larger number of industrial workers to upgrade their skills: and new courses will be introduced as necessary. Science Council The Science Council will widen its activities in creating an awareness of the application of science and technology, and in developing higher technology and skills, in Singapore. In the coming years, the Council will produce a new television science series. It will make gold medal awards for outstanding achievements in applied research. The Council will continue to study selected industries and areas of special interest as well as to organise seminars on scientific topics. It will compile scientific and technological indicators and publish a quarterly bulletin on scientific activities. Science Centre The Science Centre will periodically evaluate exhibits on display, develop new exhibit themes, and improve its existing exhibits, so as to keep up with advances in science and technology. The Centre will expand its science education programmes: regular science and technology exhibitions will provide students with ample opportunities to develop their skills and ideas, and stimulate their interest in careers in the scientific and technological fields. The Centre will encourage more participation by the public in its activities, through its various membership schemes: the Institutional Membership Scheme for Schools, Friends of the Science Centre Scheme for the public, and Corporate Donors Scheme for firms. Metrication The metrication programme has completed its eighth year: the public and industrial sectors have been metricated. The emphasis for the next two years will be in the retail trade sector. Textiles, selected pre-packed goods, and loose marketing items such as vegetables, fish and meat, will be metricated. The basic approach of voluntary conversion after consultation with importers, wholesalers and retailers will remain. This will be supplemented with the necessary legislative backing. The Weights and Measures Office will be improved to assist in the enforcement of metrication of the retail trade. E.W. BARKER Minister for Science and Technology

The Ministry of Social Affairs will care for the helpless, the abandoned aged and destitutes, and protect women and children from ill-treatment and exploitation. The Ministry is working out preventive schemes to deal with these problems as well as to meet new ones resulting from the changes in life-styles, attitudes and expectations that came with rapid economic development. Social Services A number of social dependants, particularly those who are helpless or in need of protection, fall under the care of the Government welfare homes. Those who are physically capable of looking after themselves can, with support, be looked after by their families, charitable organisations, religious bodies and community services. The Ministry will encourage and support efforts to care for these social dependants within the community rather than in welfare institutions. The Aged The increasing numbers of aged persons will be a growing concern. A significant proportion are first generation immigrants who -have no families; they have little education and few skills, so that they are in lowly paid jobs and often are prematurely unemployed. Only 50% of those who will be above 60 years of age in 1990 will have CPF savings, and almost half of them will have accumulated less than $1,000. The number of these aged destitutes will gradually diminish. But the break-up of the extended family and the loosening bonds of filial piety, where families may abandon the responsibility for the care of their elderly parents, will add to the numbers of the ag,ed who will require extra-familial care. The Chronic Sick More chronic sick will seek the care of welfare services when nothing more can be done for them medically. Many will eventually seek admission to welfare homes, as their families and community welfare organisations, with their limited resources, are unable to provide for them for very long. Existing institutions under the Ministry will be organised to admit some of the destitute chronic sick cases. In the newly opened home for destitutes at Chia Keng, extensions are planned to accommodate the aged destitute, the disabled and the helpless. A new system of institutional care for the able aged will be tried out in the Woodstock Home, where they will be encouraged to take up employment. The Home will also provide day care facilities for the aged. Delinquent Youth More and more ill-treated, neglected and abandoned children are coming under the care of the Social Welfare Department. There is also an increase in the number of children placed under supervision for delinquent behaviour. A large number of drug offenders are youths. A more direct approach to handling delinquency, drug abuse and prostitution cases will be explored. A study is being made on how the young offender who can be redeemed from a life of crime may be identified, and so separated from the criminal who is too set in his bad ways. Long-term follow-up surveys of the careers of each of these persons will be required, to verify the results of the study. Community probation volunteers have helped full-time Probation of Aftercare Officers to rehabilitate young offenders placed on probation. More community probation volunteers will be recruited at the neighbourhood level to guide and assist misguided and problem youths. The Family and Community An unforeseen effect of Singapore's successful housing programme is that the individual may feel isolated, despite living amongst many people. Having piped-water has made it unnecessary to gather at the village well or road-side tap; the telephone has made it unnecessary to meet with friends face to face; television and radio have brought events right into the home. With less need to socialise, there is a loss of community, only aggregations of individuals, which has been described as a "decline of congregation". Deliberately planned and organised activities will have to be undertaken to get people out of their cocoons, to develop community spirit and pride in their nation. Recreation and sports promotion thus become significant: the Singapore Sports Council, the People's Association and other organisations which promote recreation, sports and social activities have important roles. The pilot Family Services Centre in MacPherson Constituency has been successful. The Ministry will work with interested community service organisations and the People's Association to extend similar schemes for promoting friendship, mutual help and neighbourliness amongst families, children and aged kinsfolk. More neighbourhood projects will be launched in housing estates. Programmes for youths and counselling services for families will be developed at neighbourhood level with volunteer help. Volunteer befriending schemes for problem youths, the lonely aged and the disabled will be expanded. Sports The Singapore Sports Council will continue to promote sports by organising inter-constituency competitions, mass events. youth training schemes, coaching courses, fitness programmes and sports medical services. In 1979, two swimming pools, 15 tennis courts, 16 squash courts and one playing field will be built. Every constituency will have more sports events. To encourage water-safety consciousness, 500 participants per month will take tests for the National Survival Swimming Award at the major swimming pools. Under the Coaching Plan for 1979, there will be five courses for sports club instructors and six to eight basic coaching courses. The Singapore Sports Council's Master Plan for 1980 to 1982 provides for an additional two multi-purpose indoor stadia, four swimming pools, 59 tennis courts, 81 squash courts and three playing fields. The Council will also improve existing facilities. For example, the Singapore Badminton Hall will be fined with better lighting and a new sound system. There will be more Fitness Parks and Fitness Courses in areas where the population density and ease of access justify them. The tests for the National Aerobic Fitness Award will be conducted at other centres besides the National Stadium. The Council will organise training schemes for sports other than the present eight. Sports medical services and research will improve with the acquisition of more sophisticated equipment for measuring physical fitness. Fire Services The Singapore Fire Brigade will emphasise fire prevention and precautionary measures for high-rise bUildings. It will inspect every commercial high-rise building at least once a year. It will also conduct evacuation drills in such buildings in co-operation with their managements. The Brigade will draw up or revise fire-fighting operational manuals for each high-rise building. The Brigade is training and equipping a special group of firemen for search and rescue work. In 1979, work will start on a new fire station at Upper Changi Road. This station will cover the eastern sector of Singapore. The Brigade will also draw up plans for a fire station in Ang Mo Kio. Between 1980 and 1982 the Brigade plans to build another fire station at Woodlands, a fire training centre at the Alexandra Fire Station and a new Command, Communication and Control Centre. A Fire Service Act will be introduced to facilitate the work of the Fire - Brigade in preventing and fighting fires. The Brigade will also revise its scheme of service to attract more suitable candidates to make a career in the Fire Service. The Emergency Ambulance Service was extended in April 1977 to cover medical emergencies in addition to accident cases. It will be improved by staffing all ambulances with trained nurses. Muslim Affairs The last three of the six new multi-million- dollar multi-purpose mosques under Phase I of the Mosque Building Fund Scheme will be completed: the mosque at Woodlands will be ready in December 1979, that at Bedok/Chai Chee in February 1980, and that at Ang Mo Kio in May 1980. Thereafter, the Ministry and the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) will decide on Phase II of the building programme. The programme will take into consideration the number and location of mosques and suraus affected by development in the next few years, and the demand for mosques in new towns. The Law Revision Sub-Committee of the MUIS is reviewing the Administration of Muslim Law Act. Besides up-dating, the MUIS and the Ministry will examine the substance and language in the legislation. If necessary, the Act will be amended and some provisions redrafted for clarity. DR AHMAD MATTAR Acting Minister for Social Affairs

Cultural Policy The Ministry will pursue the policy of allowing Singapore's rich cultural heritage gradually to interact and blend into a distinctive Singaporean culture. The Cultural Activities Section will be expanded into a Cultural Division and will embark on a wider range of activities. The Ministry will strive for the better co-ordination of the cultural promotion efforts of other Government, quasi-Government and private cultural bodies. A key objective will be to provide our young with the necessary cultural ballast and to guard against the erosion of traditional norms and values. More financial assistance and facilities will be made available to deserving individuals and amateur cultural organisations. There will be awards to give talent in the cultural field due recognition. More frequent cultural festivals will give artistes increased opportunities to experiment and to display their skills. The Ministry is studying the need for a cultural complex and the best location for it. Broadcasting Studies are under way on how to improve the services provided by RTS. There are plans to increase the number of radio news bulletins next year, and to recruit additional staff like a new grade of newscasters in 1979, and news commentators/analysts in 1980 to improve the presentation of news on radio and TV. RTS may acquire electronic news gathering equipment (ie. portable TV cameras and video-tape recorders) for speedier coverage of local events. It is planned that all local TV productions will be in colour by mid-1980. With sophisticated equipment and additional staff, more creative and stimulating programmes will be possible. Steps have been taken to produce new radio programmes for specific audience groups such as housewives, children and students. Increased listener participation can come through live productions and broadcasts from community centres. It is also planned to have programmes to assist in language learning. National Library The National Library has intensified the decentralisation of its services. A part-time branch was opened in Jurong in 1977 and the opening hours at the Queenstown and Toa Payoh Branch Libraries, and the Nee Soon and Chong Pang mobile service points were extended in mid-1978. A full-time branch in Marine Parade and a mobile service point at Punggol were added in November 1978. A mobile service point will be introduced at Tampines in January 1979. A part-time branch at Whampoa Community Centre is planned for 1979 and a full-time branch at Bukit Merah Town Centre will be completed by March 1981. The National Library's collection now totals over 1.1 million items with borrowing running at 3 million items a year. The growth in the collection and in borrowing calls for the computerization of acquisition, cataloguing and bibliographical listing. Computerization will be implemented over a five-year period from 1979. National Museum The opening hours have been changed from 9 am - 5 pm, to 10.30 am - 7 pm for the convenience of the public. By renovating its premises over the next few years, the Museum will provide galleries on the history of Singapore, more attractive display of its collections, and better storage for artefacts found in Singapore. National Archives and Records Centre The National Archives and Records Centre plans to expand and mechanise, wherever possible, its conservation services. An Oral History Programme, capturing people's memories of past important events on tape recordings, is under way. The publications programme will be stepped up, to ensure that archival records are better accessible to researchers. Publicity Division The Publicity Division will continue to explain Government policies, plans and programmes through its regular publications. The Publicity Division also plans to bring out a series of booklets on various developments in the Republic. More photo boxes will be installed in shopping complexes and large satellite towns to keep the public better informed of Government activities. People's Association The People's Association will work closely with the newly-formed Residents' Committees, and other civic organisations, to promote neighbourliness and the spirit of a caring society. There will be more programmes to meet new social needs. The Association will look for more volunteers with ability and imagination to serve on its management committees, youth executive committees and women's sub-committees. Major construction work for 17 community centres will begin in 1979. Work for 28 other centres will follow in the period 1980-82. A public campsite on reclaimed land off the East Coast Parkway will be ready in 1980. ONG TENG CHEONG Acting Minister for Culture

1. THE EDUCATION SYSTEM Education in schools will focus on three main areas: bilingual competence, inculcating Asian values and a sense of national identity through both the mother language and English, and providing a broad-based education. To promote bilingualism, better teachers, equipment and facilities have been provided to a number of Chinese-stream primary schools. Pre-primary education in two languages will be introduced in January 1979, initially in selected Chinese-stream schools. Schemes to improve the English proficiency of pupils in non-English-stream secondary schools will be introduced in January 1979. In the short term, these pupils will, in addition, attend either English-stream schools or Supplementary English Language lessons. In the long term, nine selected Chinese secondary schools will be developed into effectively bilingual schools, where pupils can attain a high standard of Chinese and as high a standard of English as in English-stream schools. These schools will preserve the Chinese school environment to nurture social discipline and cultural values in the tradition of the best of the Chinese schools. Under the Revised Primary Education System, the less academically inclined pupils are channelled into the Basic Course leading to the Junior Trainee Scheme. Similar transfers to the vocational stream will be made of less academically inclined Secondary I to III pupils under the Revised Secondary Education System. This will begin in 1979 for the Secondary I and II pupils, and in 1980 for the Secondary III pupils. Full-day schooling will be introduced as a pilot project in selected secondary schools in 1980 to allow a more thorough treatment of the curriculum and to provide better interaction between pupils and teachers. All 'A' level students will eventually be in Junior Colleges and so benefit from the wider curriculum. 2. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT Standards will be set at the level of the average pupil to avoid overloading them, while bright pupils will be allowed to go faster with additional materials. A Special Language Unit has been set up to do research on language learning and teaching. To promote bilingual competence, equal exposure time will be given to English and the mother tongue in the pre-primary course. Flexible language exposure time will be introduced at other levels, depending on the home environment of pupils and other factors influencing language usage and proficiency. Secondary school pupils may also learn Japanese, French or German as an additional language. Pupils will be encouraged to read widely. The syllabus for Civics will be revised to place greater emphasis on national consciousness and social responsibility. For Science at the primary level, more attention will be given to the understanding of basic concepts with a corresponding reduction in the learning of facts by rote. Secondary school pupils will continue to offer a mix of arts and science subjects. This will prevent early specialisation and promote a balanced spread of bright students in the various university disciplines. 3. SUPPORTING SERVICES 3.1 Personnel The introduction of pre-primary education and the Special Assistance Plan to raise the English Language proficiency of pupils in non-English-stream secondary schools will increase the demand for English-medium teachers. Teacher training facilities will have to be expanded. More qualified native speakers of English from overseas will be recruited. Education Officers will be sent overseas to English-speaking countries to improve their oral English through total immersion in an English-speaking environment. Wherever possible, non-English-medium teachers will be retrained to enable them to teach in English. Serving teachers will be encouraged to improve their bilingual abilities and more bilingual teachers will be recruited. 3.2 Physical Facilities The School Building Programme for new towns will provide better designed schools. Of 30 secondary and 36 primary schools approved for construction under the School Building Programme, 34 have been completed, 13 more are expected to be ready in 1979, and the remaining 19 schools will be built by 1982, together with a new junior college additional to the present seven. Improvements will continue to be made to existing schools. Sub-standard schools with dwindling enrolments will be phased out. 3.3 Assessment Guidelines An Assessment Unit has been set up to ensure comparability of standards across schools. It will define standards expected of pupils and provide assessment guidelines in all examination subjects at every level. Standardised tests and grade norms for primary levels will be developed between 1980 and 1982. 3.4 Career Guidance Information on employment opportunities and careers are provided to pupils in pamphlets and booklets. These are supplemented by visits to factories, commercial houses, universities and vocational institutes. In 1979, a vocational guidance centre will be set up as a pilot project. The centre will be a permanent display area for reference materials and information handouts. Guidance counsellors will be available for consultation. 4. FEEDBACK AND MONITORING Performance of schools will be more systematically evaluated by setting targets and reviewing achievement. Particular attention will be paid to obtaining feedback on new programmes. Research and evaluation studies on pupil performance will continue to be other key sources of feedback information. 5. TERTIARY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH 5.1 Institute of Education The Institute will continue to offer a variety of courses to train teachers. In July 1978, it started a new Certificate-in-Education ('O' level) course to prepare teachers for pre-primary classes. 5.2 Institute of South-East Asian Studies The Institute will continue to offer itself as a base for regional and international research programmes on South-East Asia. Its library collections and specialised materials on South-East Asia will become major regional research facilities. An ASEAN Economic Research Unit is proposed for in-depth study of the investment and trade opportunities in the region. 5.3 Nanyang University The Joint Campus Programme for students of Nanyang University (NU) and University of Singapore (SU) began in July 1978. NU and SU staff conduct joint courses in arts, science, accountancy and business administration at the joint campus in Bukit Timah for both NU and SU students. The first batch of Nanyang University students under this programme will complete their courses of study in 1981 and be awarded new joint Nanyang University/University of Singapore Degrees. Nanyang University will recruit more high calibre staff. 5.4 University of Singapore Phase II of the development of the University of Singapore at Kent Ridge should be completed in 1981. At least one hall of residence should be ready by 1980 for the accommodation of 450 students on the campus. More engineering students have been enroled since 1976. Most of them will start on the engineering course only when they have completed their National Service. Over 500 National Servicemen have been reserved first year places in the Engineering Faculty, for the academic year 1979/80. The University plans to set up a School of Postgraduate Management Studies to meet the increasing demand for trained managerial and administrative personnel. The University also proposes to establish a Department of Psychological Medicine. CHUA SIAN CHIN Minister for Education

The Adult Education Board and the Industrial Training Board will be merged into a new Statutory Board on 1st April 1979. The new Board will provide training for vocations in commerce and industry, including training in the applied arts and service trades. It will also provide a wide range of part-time continuing education courses for adults (including language and general education classes) and programmes for the improvement of skilled workers. Under the Revised Secondary Education System (RSES) the Board will provide pupils in Secondary I to III who are not academically inclined, the opportunity to go for vocational or industrial training. The training will prepare these pupils for employment as trained/skilled workers. In some cases, it will be done in two stages: before and after full-time National Service. Training hours will be raised to 35 per week from the present 30 hours. Programmes in industrial skills will be for one to three years. They will lead to the National Trade Certificate Grade 3 (NTC 3). Trainees can return after National Service for upgrading to NTC 2. The Board will supervise the Junior Trainee scheme which commenced in January 1977 as part of the Revised Primary Education System. The Junior Trainee Scheme will continue to provide job placement for primary (Basic Course) school-leavers complemented by an Extension Education Programme for literacy and numeracy, and inculcating good work attitudes and social responsibility. Wherever possible junior trainees are put in training schemes to give them the opportunity to develop into skilled workers. Junior trainees are expected to number some 9,000 by 1981. The Board will have to promote and help set up apprenticeship and on-the-job training schemes so that its basic-trained graduates can develop into skilled workers. It will also have to offer advanced skill training so that workers can increase their productivity and assimilate higher-level technology. The Board will continue to consult the Economic Development Board, the Singapore Manufacturers' Association, the Singapore Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the National Trades Union Congress, on what skills should be taught and work attitudes cultivated. As the national authority for the testing and certification of skills, it will seek to establish national systems of certification in all vocational areas. Recommendations of the Trade Advisory Committees, and visits and discussions with industry, will ensure that training programmes provide for real needs: the overriding objective is that trainees be able to look forward to satisfying careers in their respective vocations. The Board will expand its Placement Service to cover graduates fresh from its training institutes, as well as those completing National Service. It will continue granting Reservists in approved apprenticeship schemes a subsidy of $60 per month for two years or $40 per month for three years. Full-time commercial training capacity will be slightly over 5,000 in 1981. Full-time industrial training capacity will increase from the present 10,000 to 16,000 by 1981. There will be a new vocational institute at Ayer Rajah (former campus of the Singapore Polytechnic) and expansion of the existing institutes. Facilities will be provided for apprentice training in patternmaking for the foundry industry, and advanced training in precision metal engineering and automotive engineering. The McNair Centralised Workshops will be developed into a junior trainee centre for the construction trades. In the coming years the Board will try to make working conditions in its training institutes as close as possible to those the trainees will meet in their future careers. The Board also intends to provide facilities at the institutes comparable to those enjoyed in academic schools. Much effort will go into vocational guidance and dissemination of information so that pupils, parents and the general public may have a good appreciation of vocational and industrial training. Two additional vocational institutes with advanced training workshops will be built in Ang Mo Kio and Bedok New Towns after 1981. It is intended to progressively increase the training week to 40 hours with a training year of 46/48 weeks when the new institutes are ready. Also under consideration for the post-1981 period is a centre for training vocational and industrial training staff in both the public and private sectors; and a higher-level commercial training institute. To achieve the objectives set out in this Addendum, it will be necessary to have a centre looking into areas such as methodology for vocational and industrial training, curriculum development, and skill and aptitude tests. DR AHMAD MATTAR Minister i/c of Industrial Training Board and Adult Education Board

The Public Utilities Board is continuing to develop its production and distribution facilities to meet the steadily rising demand for electricity, water and gas. Capital development expenditure for 1977 was $402 million, the largest sum spent by the Board in any one year since its inception in 1963. A further $438 million will be spent in 1978. In the first seven months of this year maximum demand for electricity reached 960 Mw (mega watts) - an increase of 10% over the maximum demand of 872 Mw last year. Average daily consumption of water was 629,000 cubic metres in the first seven months of 1977, increasing to 668,000 cubic metres in the first seven months of 1978, representing a 6.21% increase. The average daily production of gas in the first seven months of the year was 1.42 million units, an increase of 8.69% over the production for the same period last year. Despite larger capital expenditure and the rising cost of labour, materials and equipment, fuel oil, and naphtha, the Board has been able to keep tariffs for electricity and gas unchanged for the past four and a half years. This has been made possible by the more efficient use of machines and manpower. There is however a limit to the Board's ability to absorb further oil price increases. Tariff revisions will aim at making consumers economise by conserving electricity, water and gas. From July this year the Board has been supplying electricity to Johore Bahru to help meet the demand for electricity there. This Singapore- Malaysia electrical network link is a step towards the ultimate achievement of a pan-ASEAN electricity grid system. Power system interconnections are beneficial because they make possible the pooling of resources, with a consequent reduction in capital and operating costs. DEVELOPMENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS Electricity Much of Stage II of the $597.6 million Senoko Power Station will be completed by the end of 1979. This development, comprising three 250 Mw units, will bring the generating capacity of the Station to 1110 Mw. The older, less efficient units at Pasir Panjang 'A' Power Station and the old gas turbines at St James Power Station will be run down when Senoko's three 250 Mw units are in operation in the latter half of 1980. Construction of Stage III of Senoko Power Station comprising two 250 Mw units will commence in 1980 and be completed by 1984. This final extension of Senoko Power Station will bring its total capacity to 1610 Mw. Water The Pulau Tekong Water Scheme (estimated cost: $7.3 million) is expected to be completed in mid-1979. Piped water supplies will then be available. The $69 million Western Catchments Scheme will be completed in 1981, increasing Singapore's reservoir storage capacity by 28.4 million cubic metres. During this period, work will commence on another two reservoirs - the Sungei Seletar estuary reservoir and the Bedok reservoir - to increase the Republic's reservoir capacity by 18 million cubic metres. Both these schemes are estimated to cost over $100 million. Water reclamation by advanced wastewater treatment processes to increase the Republic's sources of supplies is also being studied jointly with the Ministry of the Environment. Gas A new gas reformer will be required by 1980 to cater for gas demand in the early 1980s. The new gas plant will have a capacity of 0.776 million units per day and is expected to cost $3.5 million. The five heavy fuel oil plants at the Gasworks will be scrapped and only the more efficient pollution-free naphtha reformers will be used. LIM KIM SAN Minister for National Development

The Ministry of National Development plays a key role in the physical development of Singapore. It aims at maximising land use through careful planning, laying the infra-structure for a thriving metropolis and building a pleasant environment for healthy and gracious living. The major task facing the Ministry is the planning and rebuilding of the Central Area to bring back residential population of all income groups. Both public housing and private residential housing will be encouraged. Sites will be released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority to the private sector for development. Planning requirements and URA's sales conditions will ensure development of a high standard and quality. The URA will continue to acquire and clear slums in the Central Area for development. In particular, it will accelerate urban development along the corridor from Tanglin Circus through Orchard Road, Bras Basah Road and Raffles International Centre into Marina Centre. One hundred hectares of reclaimed land at Marina Centre are now ready for the development of hotels, shopping complexes and entertainment/ recreational facilities. The Ministry will continue to improve the urban landscape to give the city a cool, green and pleasant environment. There will be more open spaces, pedestrian malls and landscaped walkways. In the Central Area, the Public Works Department is building a network of walkways and pedestrian malls to link the various commercial centres and offices. 12,000 of a proposed 34,000 metres of walkways have been laid. There will also be more overhead bridges, underpasses and bus shelters for pedestrians. All these will be graced with trees and flowering shrubs by the Parks and Recreation Department. In addition, the Department will develop six more major parks covering 270 hectares in all. Another step to spruce up the city is to acquire and demolish dilapidated structures along the major highways. The acquisition and clearance for economic use of land on which squatters are living and cemeteries will continue. Housing and Public Works Having housed 60% of the population, the Housing and Development Board will now concentrate on improving the design and quality of flats to be built: proposals include larger floor areas, higher ceilings, more lifts and better finish. The HDB will introduce more imaginative layouts for new estates and greater variety in building designs. In the old estates, the HDB will build recreational and social facilities like swimming pools, and install more and better lifts. The older blocks of flats will be refurbished into larger flat units or demolished. By 1980, about 70% of the population will live in HDB flats. A pilot scheme of Residents' Committees has been started in five areas to generate better neighbourhood ties and community spirit. When the form of the organisation has been settled successfully, Residents' Committees will be formed in other housing estates. The PWD is presently engaged in several major road construction projects, such as the East Coast Parkway and the Pan Island Expressway. Projects scheduled for 1979 include the flyover at Newton Circus, the extension of the Bukit Timah One-Way System to link up with the East Coast Parkway, the Cross Street/Pickering Street One-Way System, the West Coast Arterial Road, and the Commonwealth Avenue Extension to Jurong. Other major projects undertaken by the Ministry are the Changi Airport Development, the construction of the University of Singapore Campus at Kent Ridge and the development of Kent Ridge Hospital. Primary Production Pork, eggs and poultry production will have to increase through better farm management in order to stay economic in land-scarce Singapore. New farming methods such as hydroponics are under experiment. A centralised wholesale market for fruits and vegetables will be built at Pasir Panjang. A second fishing port and wholesale market is planned for Punggol to replace the out-dated facilities at Kangkar. Resettlement Delays in resettlement are a major constraint in the implementation of public projects. In the years ahead, the tempo of resettlement will quicken. URA and HDB will therefore build adequate resettlement centres, some of which will be for special trades. Resettlement facilities will also be provided for industries which cause pollution. Reclamation About 300 hectares have been reclaimed next to the Central Business District. Reclamation work on another 360 hectares has begun. When completed, there will be a total of 660 hectares of land available for building on. About 44 hectares of land will be reclaimed off Pasir Ris Beach for development into a major park to serve the recreational needs in the north-eastern sector of Singapore. To protect Singapore's water resources, pig farming will continue to be phased out from all Water Catchment Areas. The farmers will be resettled on land reclaimed from swamps in Sungei Buloh, Lim Chu Kang. Reclamation of the foreshore areas at Pulau Tekong for farming purposes is also being considered. LIM KIM SAN Minister for National Development