Hansard, 1991-02-22

Under the provisions of clause 2(d) of Article 46 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the following Members have been granted permission 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 Davinder Singh - from 31st January to 2nd February, 1991. Mr Ng Pock Too - from 1st to 9th February, 1991. Mr Mah Bow Tan - on 4th February and from 6th to 7th February, 1991. Mr Choo Wee Khiang - from 5th to 6th February, 1991. BG Lee Hsien Loong - from 6th to 7th February, 1991. Encik Abbas Abu Amin - from 6th to 8th February, 1991. Mr Chay Wai Chuen - from 12th to 18th February, 1991. Dr Seet Ai Mee - from 14th to 17th February, 1991. Encik Sidek bin Saniff - from 24th to 27th February, 1991. Dr Tay Eng Soon - from 25th to 26th February, 1991. Dr Wang Kai Yuen - from 25th February to 3rd March, 1991. Mr Bernard Chen - from 26th to 28th February, 1991. Mr Ong Teng Cheong - from 2nd to 10th March, 1991. Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon - from 11th to 15th March, 1991. TAN SOO KHOON 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 First Assistant Clerk, the Principal Assistant Clerk and the Clerk. On the Clerk announcing "The President", the President delivered his Opening Speech.

The President (Mr Wee Kim Wee): Honourable Members: A New World We are at a turning point in international affairs. A major war is in progress in the Persian Gulf. Its outcome will determine whether there can be a durable peace in the Middle East, and whether the United Nations and the United States emerge strengthened from the crisis. Already the decisive response of the multinational forces to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait has established the principle that armed aggression is not an acceptable way to further national ambitions. Last year, after the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe collapsed, and the Soviet Union committed itself to perestroika and glasnost, prospects for world peace seemed favourable. Major international tensions had been resolved. The super-powers would disarm, and nations would enjoy a peace dividend. But recent events in the Soviet Union show that the transition from Communism and a command economy to democracy and a free market is difficult and uncertain. The shape of the new landscape is still unclear. While overall the change is undoubtedly for the better, the post Cold War world will have its own dangers and tensions. The Next Lap Within our region, prospects are favourable. The tremendous economic growth of East and Southeast Asia is likely to continue. In Singapore, we have started a new chapter in our young history. Mr Goh Chok Tong took office as Prime Minister in November 1990. A new generation of leaders is in place. The Independence generation of Singaporeans created the prosperous and secure nation that we know. They started out with precious little, but have handedon to us many valuable assets. The creation of an Elected Presidency to safeguard our accumulated savings and national reserves symbolises this transformation. Today we can plan ahead for the next 25 years, and marshall the resources needed to turn bold ideas into reality. Over the past year, my Government has been working on long term plans to secure Singapore's future. The main proposals are contained in the book "The Next Lap" which is attached to my Address this evening. Common Ownership and Collective Responsibility In the next lap, we must strengthen the sense of common ownership and collective responsibility among Singaporeans. We want to change attitudes and develop civic pride. Every citizen should treat Singapore as he would treat his own home. Singapore is our home. It belongs to us, all of us. Each one shares in Singapore's security and future. Each has a stake in its wealth and prosperity. We must not only maintain our common home. We must work together to build, expand, and upgrade it. To achieve this, my Government will widen participation in policy making, invest more in our people, and increase the public and private assets of Singaporeans. Widening Participation Every citizen should contribute to make Singapore a better place for all of us. When Singaporeans take an active interest in public affairs, and see their own suggestions making a difference to the community, they will identify more closely with the success of Singapore. When policies incorporate ideas from many citizens, and take into account their reservations and concerns, the policies will not only be less imperfect, but will also command wider support and acceptance. For several years, the Government has promoted greater consultation. Feedback Unit forums and Select Committee hearings have become established avenues for collecting views and improving policies. Members of the public participate in many advisory groups rendering advice to government ministries. We will widen the circle of public participation in national issues. GPCs. Government Parliamentary Committees will play a more prominent role. We will encourage the public to give their views to the GPCs, especially on issues which do not go to Select Committee. The GPCs should not only express these views in Parliament, but also follow them through by proposing amendments to improve legislation. Service Quality Improvement Unit. Besides discussing policies, many citizens are directly concerned with the quality of service they receive in Government offices - when they pay bills, apply for permits, or write to ministries. The Government will set up a Service Quality Improvement Unit under the Prime Minister's Office, to monitor and improve upon the standard of public administration. All Singaporeans who come into contact with Government departments and statutory boards should suggest ways for these organisations to improve their service. The aim is to maintain the highest possible standards in our public services. Human Resources People are our most precious resource. We will devote a larger percentage of our GDP to education. We will build more schools and train more teachers. We will convert all secondary schools to single-session, and later primary schools as well. The ratio of teachers to students will improve. We will invest in tertiary education. Eventually, 40% of each age group should qualify for university or polytechnic, without compromising academic standards. This year, Nanyang Technological Institute will become a full university, Nanyang Technological University. We have set up a third polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic. By the turn of the century, we may need a third university and a fourth polytechnic. The present structure of our education system is sound. But there is room for improvement and fine-tuning. Our aim is to give every child at least 10 years of primary and secondary education. The system should offer children a wider range of educational choices, adapted to their individual aptitudes and needs. It should give more help to weaker pupils, who presently go to the extended and monolingual streams. It should guide such pupils to build on their strengths, especially through technical and vocational education, in order to do better both in school and later on the job market. We will focus on moral and civic education. The values we share determine how competitive we are economically and how strong we are as one nation. Children should grow up imbued with sound values, aware of Singapore's strengths and vulnerabilities, and conscious of what Singaporeans must do to earn a living for ourselves. Every Singaporean should be bilingual in his mother tongue and in English, but not all can achieve this with the same ease or competence. While few Malay and Indian children have problems mastering their mother tongues, some Chinese children experience considerable difficulty learning Chinese. We will improve the teaching of Chinese to help pupils achieve a working competence with less stress and effort. As an investment in the next generation, we are establishing an Edusave Scheme. Every schoolchild from the age of 6 to 16 will have an Edusave account. Each year the accounts will receive some money from an Endowment Fund. Children can use Edusave for part of their school expenses. This will help to equalize opportunities for every generation, and allow parents to decide how best to use the money to educate their children. Education is also the key to further Malay progress. My Government supports the efforts of MENDAKI and other community organisations to uplift the Malays. MENDAKI plays a key role, but to succeed many groups must contribute, not MENDAKI alone. Through MENDAKI, the Government will channel assistance to individual community groups whose programmes support the mission and objectives of MENDAKI. The measure of their success is not whether Malays have caught up with other Singaporeans. Rather it is whether the community can achieve successive fixed targets which they set for themselves. In other words, how far the Malays have progressed in absolute terms. Investing in Infrastructure My Government will work to increase the assets of Singaporeans. The best way is to generate economic growth and invest in our infrastructure. We will reclaim more land from the sea. The new land can be used to expand the port and airport, and for industries, housing and recreation. We will extend the MRT to Woodlands. Work will begin this year, and the extension will be completed in 5 to 7 years. The 16 km line will link the Yishun and Chua Chu Kang stations via Woodlands New Town. It will benefit 130,000 residents in the Northern part of Singapore. We will make Teleview more widely available, and help families gain access to the system. Eventually, Teleview terminals will be as common and indispensable as telephones are today. These will be shared assets of Singaporeans. Increasing Individuals' Assets We can also give every citizen a more direct sense of ownership, so that he will feel that he in fact owns a part of Singapore. One major asset Singaporeans own is our HDB flats. We are now almost a 100% home-owning society. Over the next two decades, we will modernize the older HDB estates in a multi-billion dollar programme. Many HDB blocks will be refurbished to higher standards. Others will be rebuilt. Some poorer families living in rental flats still cannot afford to own their own homes, sometimes after working and saving for many years. My Government will introduce new schemes to enable as many of them as possible to own their homes before they are 45 years old. While incomes of Singaporeans have generally gone up, a few will always need special assistance, either for themselves or for their children. Our philosophy is to provide many helping hands to those in need. The Government will work with charity and community organizations to help them. The International Position Our preoccupations must not be only domestic. Most important, we must look outwards to secure our place in the international community. In a shrinking world, to think in terms of Singapore International is a matter of necessity, not choice. Singapore International Foundation We will help Singaporeans overseas to organize themselves in clubs and associations, to keep them conscious of their national identity. We will set up a Singapore International Foundation to build an overseas network of friends of Singapore. Talent Singapore is what it is today because we have attracted talent from all over the world, especially Asian talent. No city can maintain its excellence by drawing only on indigenous talent. Singaporeans must welcome talent from abroad. Our island and economy are big enough to accommodate all the talent that we can find. Nowadays, talent is internationally mobile. Singapore competes against other countries not only to attract foreign talent, but even to retain our own. Whether in terms of infrastructure, housing, or culture, our total environment must compare well with other leading cities in the world. The Growth Triangle Singapore is cooperating actively with Indonesia and Malaysia to promote economic development in the Riaus and Johor. All three parties have more to gain by working together as one Growth Triangle, than by competing singly, both against one another and against others. In the last year, this cooperation has made dramatic progress. Joint tourism, industrial, and water projects are taking off in Batam and Bintan. Singapore and Johor are discussing cooperation in manpower training, investment promotion, and development of water resources. The Growth Triangle promises to mark a new and historic phase in our economic and political relationship with Indonesia and Malaysia. Beyond our immediate neighbours, Singapore will continue to support ASEAN and wider regional groupings like the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and Malaysia's proposal for an East Asian Economic Grouping (EAEG). We also support a stronger UN, which will be a key institution maintaining international law and order. National Security Prospects for continued peace and stability in the region are good. But we should never forget the lessons of Kuwait, and neglect our national security. Singapore took a firm stand against the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. We have a vested interest in not condoning a stronger country using force against a weaker one. We will continue military co-operation with friendly countries, both bilaterally and through the Five-Power Defence Arrangements. We encourage the US to maintain a military presence in the region for as long as possible. But we cannot depend solely on others for our security. No diplomatic treaties or friendly forces will preserve us, unless Singaporeans are prepared to fight and die to defend Singapore. National Servicemen and reservists make a vital contribution to our security. We must recognise their contribution, although we can never compensate them fully for their heavy responsibilities. Total Defence and National Service must remain our way of life. Conclusion Before the Gulf crisis, the immediate future appeared full of promise. Now it is more uncertain. The next 25 years will bring many more surprises. We may not be able to control the external environ- ment, but we must respond effectively to changes in it. While we develop our economy and city, we must also secure our international position. Widening participation in civic life, investing in people and infrastructure, and increasing the assets of Singaporeans will help to strengthen our sense of common ownership and collective responsibility. The basics have not changed: be united and look after one another, work hard and invest, stay vigilant and seize opportunities. These fundamentals will secure our future. Adjourned accordingly at Two Minutes to Nine o'clock pm.

DR TONY TAN KENG YAM Minister for Education The quality of education will be further improved by providing good educational infrastructure and facilities, training enough teachers and fine-tuning the education system to meet the needs of our people. Single Session Schools By 1999, all secondary schools in Singapore will be single session. Ten primary schools will take part in a trial in 1992 on extended single session day schools. If successful, the system will eventually be extended to all primary schools. With additional staff, we will change the school hours to provide children with a fuller and more varied education. Teachers The key to better education is more and better trained teachers. The National Institute of Education (NIE) will be established as part of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). It will offer degree level teacher training courses and diploma courses in specialised fields. To attract enough good teachers, salaries must be competitive. In addition, because of limited local manpower, we will have to rely on some overseas recruitment. Preparatory Year The Preparatory Year Programme launched in 1990 provides children with a firm foundation in the mother tongue. Eventually all 5-year olds will attend the Preparatory Year Programme. All children will receive at least 10 years of general education before they decide whether to pursue an academic or a vocational/ technical career. Secondary Schools and VITB Secondary schools will offer a technical stream to complement the existing academic stream. Students in both streams will have the opportunity to progress to institutions of higher learning, including the universities. As at present, children will be allowed to transfer from one stream to another as they mature and discover where their talents lie. The Vocational and Industrial Training Board will be revamped. It will take in only students with secondary education. Its courses will be correspondingly upgraded. More independent schools will be established. Government and Government-aided schools will have more autonomy to run their own operations and structure their educational programmes to suit the needs of their pupils. Tertiary Education Temasek Polytechnic will be completed by 1995. We will study the need to establish more polytechnics and possibly a third university by the turn of the century. Our target is for 40% to 50% of each cohort to receive tertiary education. This must be done without lowering standards. Resources These improvements require more investment by Government in education. We will raise the percentage of GDP devoted to education from the present 4% to 5%. The Government will establish an Edusave scheme for every child from the age of 6 to 16. Every year, a sum will be paid into the child's Edusave account to help meet his educational expenses. What is not used will be transferred into the CPF when the child becomes an adult. The Edusave scheme will give parents more choice in the type of education they want for their children.

MR LEE YOCK SUAN Minister for Labour Together with employers and workers, we will maintain a conducive work environment, and create more and better jobs for our workforce. We will protect the safety, health and social security of our workers. Labour Relations We will strive to preserve our excellent industrial relations climate. The flexible wage system is in place in both the unionised and non-unionised sectors. Companies are in a better position to weather an economic downturn. More Efficient Use of Manpower We need to make better use of scarce manpower resources. To promote part-time employment, we have issued guidelines to help employers and workers work out suitable part-time schemes. 70% of unionised firms have raised the retirement age of their workers to 60 years. Progress in non-unionised firms, however, has been slow. We will decide soon whether to legislate the raising of the retirement age. Foreign Workers We will continue to permit a controlled inflow of foreign workers to complement the local workforce and facilitate economic growth. We will promote the recruitment and assimilation of skilled and compatible foreign workers. For the construction industry, we have introduced a two-tier levy system with a lower levy for skilled foreign workers. The Employment of Foreign Workers Act has been enacted. Employers caught with illegal workers will face higher penalties, including mandatory jail sentences for repeat offenders. Industrial Health and Safety We will protect workers' health by preventing and controlling occupational health hazards and diseases. We will encourage factories to adopt self-regulatory measures to prevent accidents. We will request more industries to run safety orientation courses as is being done for construction and shipyard workers. Social Security We will continue to improve services to CPF members and extend CPF to more Singaporeans, including the self-employed. We will gradually restore the CPF contribution rate to the long-term target of 40%, with equal contributions by employers and employees.

MR YEO CHEOW TONG Minister for Health We aim to build a healthy population and to provide a high standard of health care for all Singaporeans. Hospital Services The restructuring programme gives government hospitals greater management autonomy, to respond better to the needs of the patients. Patient surveys have shown that the restructured hospitals have indeed improved their service. Tan Tock Seng Hospital will be restructured this year. Hospitals will continue to improve their efficiency and productivity, to contain increases in health care costs. While Class A and B1 patients will eventually have to pay for the full cost of the services, the Government will continue to subsidise the Class B2 and C wards heavily, to ensure that they remain affordable to lower income groups. The poor and indigent will continue to enjoy waiver of medical fees. This year, we will begin rebuilding Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Kandang Kerbau Hospital, and constructing a new general hospital in the eastern part of the island. These new hospitals will have enough B2 and C Class beds to meet the needs of the lower income groups. We will also upgrade Alexandra Hospital. The community hospital in Ang Mo Kio and a new psychiatric hospital to replace Woodbridge Hospital will be completed in 1992. We will begin construction of the National Dental Centre and the National Institute of Health in 1992. Primary Health We will continue to educate the public to lead a healthy lifestyle. We will intensify efforts to discourage smoking, and to emphasize the importance of a balanced diet, regular exercise and management of stress. We will expand screening programmes to detect diseases early, and genetic counselling services to prevent hereditary diseases. The Hougang Polyclinic will open in March 91, and Yishun and Woodlands Polyclinics in 1992. We will expand the training programme for family physicians to further upgrade the standard of primary health care in Singapore. Elderly We will set up three more Senior Citizens' Health Care Centres in the next two years. The community health care programme for senior citizens and the Home Nursing Service will be expanded to meet the needs of the elderly. Children We will improve health services for children. The health surveillance programme to detect early any physical and developmental abnormalities in children will be expanded. A developmental stimulation programme will guide parents to help their children develop to their maximum potential. Birth Rates Response to the new population policy has been encouraging. The total fertility rate increased from 1.4 in 1986 to 1.9 in 1990. We will continue to encourage Singaporeans to have three children and more if they can afford it, in order to achieve replacement fertility levels.

BG (Res) LEE HSIEN LOONG Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry The Economy The Singapore economy grew by 8.5% in 1990. We can sustain this high growth by developing our human resources and R & D capabilities, upgrading our infrastructure, co-operating with our neighbours, and establishing linkages with our international and regional markets. Our competitive advantage must continue to be a competent and hardworking workforce and excellent infra-structure. Singapore will be a total business centre with first-class services to back up her excellent physical infrastructure. We will make Singapore a global hub for air and sea transport, and telecommunications. Developing Human Resources People are our key resource. We will develop a culture for quality in our workers. We will encourage companies to increase spending on training to 4% of payroll with the help of the Skills Development Fund. The NPB will create more training opportunities for our people to continually upgrade their knowledge and capabilities. Developing R & D Capabilities We must harness technology to give our workforce a competitive edge, and help us move into a new phase of industrial development. The National Science & Technology Board (NSTB) will promote development of scientific and technological capabilities. It will co-ordinate national R and D efforts. R & D expenditure should reach 2% of GNP by the year 2000. We will draw up a Science and Technology Masterplan to identify the areas Singapore can enter, e.g., bio-technology, micro-electronics, information technology, and how to strengthen our capabilities in these areas. To build up a critical mass of R & D personnel, we are considering creating a Science Habitat, which will be a conducive place for scientists and researchers to work, and live in. Upgrading Infrastructure JTC will start to renew its older industrial sites. Plans for the first business park, to be located at Jurong East, will be finalised this year. JTC is studying enlarging and merging the group of islands south of Jurong into a site for chemical industries. Engineering studies have begun. The PUB will invest $3.4 billion over the next three years to expand its generation, production, transmission and distribution capacities for electricity, water and piped gas. Agreements for the supply of water and natural gas from Malaysia have been signed. Discussions for the supply of water and natural gas from Indonesia are in progress. TDB will initiate new projects to help Singapore companies compete in international markets. A Trade Intelligence Information Hub will give our traders an edge in a rapidly changing international trading environment. A Fashion Resource Centre will help local designers, manufacturers and fashion houses to keep abreast of the latest developments in the international fashion scene. Establishing International Linkages Singapore will continue its outward-looking economic strategy. We will continue to search for investments which introduce new technology to Singapore and generate activities with higher value added and skills content. We will encourage more local companies to seek opportunities abroad. We will help local enterprises to upgrade their operations and become more efficient. SISIR will step up its efforts to help Singapore-based companies meet the required standards to export to the European Community and elsewhere. Co-operating With Our Neighbours We will continue to strengthen economic ties with countries in the region. The Growth Triangle is a tangible example of economic co-operation with our neighbours. We will expand the co-operation to cover other areas, eg, developing tourist resorts, industrial estates and water catchments in Bintan, and developing a Science Park with Johor. We will continue to co-operate with neighbouring countries to make the Growth Triangle a dynamo for the Asia-Pacific region. Tourism The STPB will intensify its promotional and marketing efforts, especially in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region. Singapore welcomed 5 million visitors in 1990. This year will see the opening of the Tang Dynasty Village, Bugis Street, Telok Ayer Market, Underwater World at Sentosa and the renovated Raffles Hotel. These will make Singapore a more attractive tourist destination and provide more recreational outlets for Singaporeans. The Southern Islands will be developed into a major tourist resort.

DR RICHARD HU Minister for Finance Fiscal Policy The Government's fiscal policies will continue to support investment and economic growth. The private sector will remain the engine of growth. The public sector will be kept small to limit its claims on financial and manpower resources. Our tax structure will encourage savings, promote investments and stimulate economic growth. Corporate tax rates will be kept internationally competitive. Tax on individuals will remain broad-based, equitable and geared towards rewarding hard work and entrepreneurship. We will publish a White Paper on the Government's proposals for a broad-based consumption tax, although actual implementation of the tax will be deferred while the revenue position permits. Recurrent expenditures will be restrained, to free more resources for investments in infrastructure and education and to improve the quality of life. Public housing will be upgraded. Substantial funds will be allocated for new facilities for the arts, sports and recreation. Monetary Policy High economic growth and a tight labour market have generated some inflationary pressures. Our monetary and exchange rate policies will continue to be geared towards containing inflation and maintaining price stability. Regulatory Policy The integrity of the financial system is the sine qua non of a financial centre. We aim to maintain high regulatory standards without imposing unnecessary restrictions on financial institutions. Oversight supervision will ensure that prudential standards are upheld and that the interests of the investing public are safeguarded. Singapore As An International Financial Centre We will continue to develop Singapore as an international financial and business centre, competitive in providing a wide range of services. Leading international financial institutions will be encouraged to establish themselves here. Privatisation of Government Enterprises Privatisation of Government-linked companies in mature industries will continue. Statutory board activities which are primarily commercial in nature will also be privatised. This will be done progressively so as not to disrupt either the companies concerned or the financial and stock markets. The Civil Service The Civil Service will continue its drive to become more productive and effective. Management accounting systems should be set up in all ministries by fiscal year 1993. They will help to identify areas of poor performance, inefficiencies and waste. The Auditor-General has carried out zero-base reviews of ministries to ensure that Government resources are efficiently and effectively deployed. The auditing cycle for all ministries should be completed within 5 years. A computerised Central Personnel Information System will be installed in the Civil Service for more responsive personnel management. The system will be on-line in three ministries early this year, and fully operational by 1993. The Civil Service Institute (CSI) will concentrate on the 5-year Public Contact Improvement Programme launched last year. The aim is to upgrade the quality of service of front-line personnel and make the Civil Service more responsive to the needs of the public at large. We will set up a Service Quality Improvement Unit under the Prime Minister's Office, to monitor the standard of public administration and to receive constructive suggestions from the public on ways to improve this further. A committee led by Head, Civil Service will monitor remuneration trends to ensure that service conditions in the Civil Service are kept in line with those in the private sector. Social Development We will continue to encourage single graduates to get married. The Social Development Unit will focus on graduates from the National University of Singapore and the Nanyang Technological Institute/University.

MR S DHANABALAN Minister for National Development MND will improve the quality of housing, roads, infrastructure and recreational facilities in Singapore. This will require judicious planning and fresh ideas for using our limited land resources. Housing Public housing will be further improved to meet the aspirations of Singaporeans for a better living environment. The older housing estates will be upgraded to the latest standards to enable residents to enjoy quality living while preserving established community ties. HDB will continue to simplify its rules and regulations. Flat prices will gradually move to reflect construction and land costs, and take into account buyers' preference for locality, design and orientation. By the first quarter of this year, Town Councils will have been established in all public housing estates. Through Town Councils, residents will take the lead in running HDB estates, help to improve the physical environment, and participate in the comprehensive upgrading of precincts. These changes will help each town to develop its own character and identity, and strengthen existing social and community ties. Planning & Developing a City of Excellence The Ministry will complete the review of the Concept Plan by early 1991. The revised plan will safeguard land for major developments and guide the physical development of Singapore. In addition to the Simpang and Kampong Bugis Development Guide Plans (DGP), URA will invite the private sector to prepare two more DGPs, one at Jurong East and the other at Changi Point. In planning the cityscape, URA will safeguard the quality of the environment by insisting on good designs for new buildings at strategic sites, and by refurbishing selected old buildings owned by the State. It will continue to clear squatters. The Ministry will release a steady supply of state land to the private sector, and announce in advance the annual programme of sale of sites. URA will continue to take the lead in conserving historic districts, and in creating a distinctive identity for the Civic District. A Conservation Master Plan will be drawn up by 1991. Roads PWD will improve the road network to allow a reasonable growth in the vehicle population, at an acceptable level of congestion and within the constraints of competing demands for land. It will build roads and expressways to new areas, and widen and upgrade existing roads and expressways. It will build interchanges to relieve bottlenecks at road junctions. We are studying the possibility of a network of traffic tunnels, to carry through traffic under the city. We will extend the computerised traffic management and information system within the Central Area to the rest of the island. This will improve traffic flow without using up more land. PWD will also build more pedestrian walkways and integrate them with the public transport system. Parks PRD will develop parks with diverse themes and character, to serve the different recreational needs of the people. It will build green corridors to connect parks and integrate them into a park network. The National Parks Board will develop the Botanic Gardens, Fort Canning Park and the Nature Reserves to tap their full potential for recreation, research, education and conservation. Construction CIDB will continue to improve the quality and productivity of the construction industry through trade testing and training of construction workers employed in Singapore, in order to raise their skill levels. The new Architects Act and Professional Engineers Act will provide the legal framework for setting up multi-discipline consultancy firms to provide comprehensive services. Primary Production PPD will maximise the productivity of our limited agricultural land by developing agro-technology parks. Pig farming was completely phased out by the end of 1990.

DR YEO NING HONG Minister for Communications Air Transport We aim to maintain Changi Airport's reputation as one of the best airports in the world. With the opening of Terminal 2 in November 1990, Changi can now serve 24 million passengers a year. Planning for Terminal 3 has started. This will increase capacity by 12 million passengers. Sea Transport We must retain our premier status as the world's busiest port. Construction of the second container terminal at Pulau Brani is on schedule. We have started building a container freight station at Nelson Road. When completed in 1993, it will boost our position as a regional cargo distribution centre. By end 1991, the Singapore Cruise Centre will be ready, helping to make Singapore the cruise gateway to the Asia-Pacific. Telecommunications Telecoms will be privatised in 1992. It will be the first statutory board to sell shares to the public. We will commence a trial project to lay optical fibre cables to homes in selected areas, as a first step towards an all-fibre local telecommunications network. We will complete digitalizing the local network by 1994. The Teleview system launched last year is a national infrastructure to help raise productivity and improve our international competitiveness. We will strive to make Teleview services as widely available as possible. A new mail and parcel sorting centre will be built at Jalan Eunos by 1995 to improve mail services. Land Transport We will keep traffic on our roads free-flowing. We will create opportunities for as many Singaporeans as possible to own cars, while minimising congestion. We will implement the Weekend Car Scheme in mid-1991. The more sophisticated Electronic Road Pricing System will be introduced towards the middle of the decade. It will price congestion more fairly and accurately, thus allowing more people to own cars. We will extend the MRT to Woodlands. Work will begin this year, and be completed within 5 to 7 years. The extension will connect the Yishun and Chua Chu Kang stations via Woodlands New Town. There will be six stations along the 16 km route. Residents of Woodlands will find it easier and faster to travel to Jurong and to the city. Yishun residents will also have a shorter route to Jurong. Eventually, the bus and MRT networks will be completely integrated. This will offer commuters more convenient access to the MRT, and save costs over the longer term.

PROF S JAYAKUMAR Minister for Law By 1991, Police Prosecutors in the Subordinate Courts will be all replaced by legally trained Deputy Public Prosecutors. This will improve the standard of prosecutions, and release personnel for duties as police officers. The Attorney-General's Chambers and the Law Revision Commission expect to publish the Revised Edition of the Subsidiary Legislation of Singapore in 1991. This compilation of all the subsidiary legislation in force will be a useful reference to both the general public as well as to law practitioners. LawNet will be expanded to cover Subsidiary Legislation. This electronic database containing the complete revised edition of Singapore Statutes is available for subscription by both public and private sectors. Public sector agencies which hitherto relied on the Survey Department for surveys of land lots will now engage private registered surveyors for such work. The Department will function mainly as a regulatory body and the authority that sets the standards of the profession. It will speed up the completion of its digital map data-base, to make the data available to developmental authorities. The Land Surveyors Board will draw up the Land Surveyors Rules (Code of Professional Ethics & Conduct) to maintain standards of professionalism. To stimulate competition and raise the quality of land surveying, the Land Surveyors (Fees for Title Surveys and Payment) Rules 1983 will no longer prescribe a scale of fees for private registered surveyors. To achieve greater efficiency and provide better service to the public, the Ministry will pursue the following major computerisation projects:-

DR AHMAD MATTAR Minister for the Environment We need to create among Singaporeans a concern for the environment. The Ministry has recently been reorganised for the better, to accomplish our aim of becoming an Environment City. Every Singaporean has a responsibility for our environment. The Clean and Green Week (CGW), first launched in 1990, will be held annually. The National Council for the Environment will spearhead public participation. The Ministry will continue to support volunteer groups caring for the environment. A pilot waste recycling project covering three housing estates was introduced during the CGW. Residents were encouraged to separate certain readily recyclable materials from the rest of their garbage. Recycling will be extended to cover more households and workplaces. Re-using materials which would otherwise be discarded will help to conserve natural resources. The Ministry will encourage industries to produce less waste at source, to reduce the amount of materials used and the cost of waste disposal. When the Senoko Incineration Plant begins operation in 1992, all incinerable waste will be burned. This will conserve landfill space. We are studying the feasibility of setting up a plant to treat toxic wastes from industries. Good environmental policy and practice depends on sound understanding of scientific, technological and economic principles. The Ministry will continue to work with all interested groups, and strengthen collaboration with tertiary institutions in environmental research. We will further improve air quality with tighter emission standards for new diesel-driven vehicles and motorcycles. Use of unleaded petrol will reduce the amount of lead in the air. From 1 July 91, new petrol-driven vehicles must be capable of using unleaded petrol. By 1993, new petrol-driven vehicles will require catalytic convertors. The standard of hygiene and cleanliness in all food outlets will be raised further. Food hygiene courses will continue to be conducted for food handlers. The public will be encouraged to provide feedback on the food outlets. Singapore will continue to contribute to the protection of the global environment. Besides gradually reducing consumption of ozone-depleting chloro-fluorocarbons (CFCs), we have banned non-pharmaceutical aerosol products containing CFCs and polystyrene sheets made with the use of CFCs. The Ministry will continue to encourage the use of environment-friendly products, and consider eco-labelling to help consumers identify goods that do least harm to the environment. The Ministry will promote Singapore as a centre which provides environmental technology and expertise to the region.

MR WONG KAN SENG Minister for Community Development MCD will continue to foster a cohesive, robust and compassionate society, with maximum community participation. We will provide new opportunities for community and voluntary work and encourage greater voluntarism. Building Community Cohesion Individuals, families, grassroots and community organisations must play active roles in strengthening community cohesion. We will encourage formation of Family Clubs, to foster a sense of belonging and community spirit among residents. Public education programmes will promote core values such as racial harmony and religious tolerance. Through the concept of "One nation, many races", we will encourage ethnic communities to preserve their cultural identities while fostering a greater sense of being Singaporean amongst all races. We will continue to encourage greater public participation in policy-making through the Feedback Unit. Helping the Family We will work with community and voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) to help those in need. Over the next 5 years, we will give grants of up to $92 million on a 50-50 cost sharing basis to VWOs to provide direct welfare services to the aged, the disabled and low-income families who need assistance. We will counsel and provide information and referral services to women who need help. Four pilot Family Service Centres will be set up at Bukit Gombak, Tampines, Telok Blangah, and Tiong Bahru with Government assistance to provide counselling, family life education and social support services to families. We will continue to encourage private organisations to set up child care centres. Training of child care personnel will be stepped up. We will encourage more Before-and-After-School Care (BASC) programmes to help working parents to care for school-going children. Helping Low-Income Families The Rent and Utilities Assistance Scheme, a short-term relief for low-income families, was started in October 90 to help families in rent arrears become self-reliant. We will counsel and provide skills training to employable persons in low-income families, to help them to secure better paying jobs. The 25th Anniversary Charity Fund closed on 31 December 90 after collecting $88 million. With dollar for dollar matching from the Government, the Fund totalled $176 million. The Fund has been distributed to the Community Chest of Singapore and other charities. A 25th Anniversary Endowment Fund has also been set up to fund programmes to assist destitute and low-income families. Helping our Senior Citizens The elderly, aged 60 years and above, will increase from the present 8% of the population to 11% in 2000, and 26% in 2030. We should enable the elderly to be active and live purposeful and meaningful lives. We will inculcate positive attitudes towards ageing and the aged through public education programmes and activities. We are setting up Senior Activity Centres in some Community Centres as a pilot project. For the frail but ambulant aged, we will encourage community and VWOs to provide quality community-based, day-care, respite and residential care facilities. A Fit and Rugged Society Sport encourages people of diverse cultures and backgrounds to interact, and helps to promote unity. We will encourage every fit and healthy Singaporean to play at least one sport actively. We will also emphasise sport excellence and nurture our sporting talents. We will spend $24.2 million to redevelop the Outward Bound School (OBS). When the project is completed in 1994, our youth will have a modern adventure centre to develop ruggedness. Malay/Muslim Matters The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) will continue to work closely with the community and other Malay/Muslim organisations to strengthen the religious values of Muslims in Singapore. The Government will, together with Yayasan Mendaki, work to improve the educational, economic and socio-cultural status of the Malay/Muslim community.

PROF S JAYAKUMAR Minister for Home Affairs We will ensure internal stability by effectively enforcing law and order, tackling the drug menace and enhancing civil defence preparedness. Priority Tasks We will begin the 3-4 year exercise to re-register all Singaporeans for the new and more secure national registration identity cards. We will finalise legislation to seize assets derived from drug trafficking. The Police will introduce new measures to reduce traffic accidents and improve traffic safety, especially for the young and the elderly. Law and Order In crime prevention, Police will this year complete the Neighbourhood Police Posts construction programme. This will strengthen the Police-community partnership. Police will also install an automated fingerprint identification system by 1991 to speed up the identification of suspects. New legislation will be introduced to deal with computer crimes. Polygraph analysis will be introduced as an aid to criminal investigation. In the longer term, Police will: (a) Upgrade its crime detection and investigation through a computerised criminal intelligence system, voice -print analysis and other scientific means; (b) Upgrade the ability of the Marine Police to safeguard the security of our coastal waters; and (c) Build a new Police HQ, Marine Police HQ and Police Academy, and re-develop the Gurkha Contingent complex at Mount Vernon. Anti-drug Measures The Central Narcotics Bureau will pursue enforcement measures, and focus its preventive education programme on the more vulnerable youth groups. It will encourage greater community involvement in providing aftercare. Rehabilitation of Offenders Prisons Department will build two new maximum security prisons by 1993 and a new drug rehabilitation centre (DRC) by 1996. This will ease the overcrowding in prisons and DRCs. The new purpose-built DRC will free more manpower in the Prisons Department to improve rehabilitation programmes for prisoners and drug abusers. Immigration Control The Immigration Department will introduce machine-readable Singapore passports in 1991, to speed up clearance at checkpoints. It will continue to upgrade existing checkpoints to provide better facilities and services to the public. In the longer term it will redevelop the Woodlands Checkpoint, to meet the expected growth in cross-border traffic up to the year 2005. After the first phase of this project is completed, customs and immigration clearance of incoming rail passengers will take place at Woodlands instead of Keppel Station. Civil Defence Preparedness The Joint Civil Defence Forces (SJCDF) will install a nationwide public warning system by 1992. It will build a Civil Defence Academy and a new SJCDF HQ by 1995. SJCDF will conduct more emergency exercises with community participation.

BG (Res) GEORGE YEO Ag Minister for Information and the Arts Mission of MITA The Mission of the Ministry is: (a) to help Inform, Educate and Entertain, as part of our national goal, (b) to make Singapore a Hub City of the World, and (c) to build a society that is economically dynamic, socially cohesive and culturally vibrant. The Arts The Government will give greater emphasis to the arts. We will preserve and develop our rich multi-cultural heritage, and extend more assistance to artists and arts organisations. We will establish by statute the National Arts Council to promote the arts in Singapore. Its activities will be jointly supported by the Government and the private sector. The new Singapore Arts Centre on the shores of Marina Bay will be ready by 1998. It will be the hub of cultural activities in Singapore. Heritage We will create a Museum Precinct comprising five galleries around the foot of historic Fort Canning. The old St Joseph's Institution building will be converted into a Fine Arts Gallery to be ready by 1993. Four other galleries will be ready by the end of the decade - a Children's Museum, a History of Singapore Museum, a Southeast Asian Ethnology and Natural History Museum, and a People's Gallery. We will help the different communities develop their own heritage centres in ways which promote mutual understanding and national unity. We will increase the collection of oral history to better document the history of the 25 years since independence. We will also expand archival records by acquiring materials on the early history of Singapore from overseas sources. Information The Government will pay more attention to public and media relations to better explain public policies to Singaporeans and foreigners. We will introduce film classification this year. We will also review the censorship policy on publications and performances. Public advisory groups will be formed to recommend standards acceptable to the community. We will continue to disallow pornography, excessive violence, the promotion of drug culture and themes which cause racial or religious disharmony. We will help build up our national spirit at home and abroad. We will give more emphasis to our history, our shared values and our way of life. Broadcasting Rapid advances in broadcast technology will force us to re-examine our policies on transboundary broadcasting and cable television. SBC will invest heavily to upgrade the quality of its broadcasts. It will improve its current affairs, news, arts and entertainment programmes. The first phase of the Tuas outdoor TV production facility will be completed in 1991. We will decide on how SBC will be re-structured once the privatisation study is completed later this year. National Library We will begin work in 1992 on a new National Library at Queen Street. It will be ready by 1995. The new library will provide access to national and international databases. Two new branch libraries at Yishun and Tampines will be completed in 1992. The Hougang branch will be ready by 1994. Singapore International Foundation We will establish a Singapore International Foundation to link Singaporeans oversea into a network and help us win foreign friends. ASEAN We will co-operate with ASEAN countries in information, broadcasting and the arts. We will explore new ways to help promote mutual understanding and regional unity. Public Participation In all our work, we will widen as much as possible the circle of public participation.

MR WONG KAN SENG Minister for Foreign Affairs Singapore's inherent vulnerabilities and limited resources as a small country impose special demands on its foreign policy. After 25 years of independence, political stability and dynamic economic growth, Singapore is on the threshold of becoming a developed country. Its foreign policy interests and contacts have broadened. Singapore will honour its obligations as a responsible member of the global community. The international system is undergoing profound changes. The outcome cannot be predicted. We need to protect and promote Singapore's interests in a new environment, and in particular ensure that the rule of law prevails in the international order. Relations with our immediate neighbours in ASEAN, and with others such as the US, the EC and Japan remain important foreign policy preoccupations. But we must also develop new relationships. We need to find new and more sophisticated ways to promote regional stability, cooperation and bilateral relations with neighbours and friends. The Growth Triangle will lay a new foundation for political and economic relations with Indonesia and Malaysia. The Fourth ASEAN Summit will be held in Singapore. We will do our part to keep ASEAN relevant and vibrant. We are beginning to take on new obligations. Singapore participated in the Namibia peacekeeping effort and the rescue mission after the Philippines earthquake. It has assisted other countries afflicted by natural disasters and sent a modest medical contingent to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf Crisis. There will be more such missions. Within our capabilities and means, we will play our part. We will expand technical cooperation with both developing and developed countries. We support the Malaysian proposal for a new East Asian grouping. We will continue actively to promote Asia-Pacific economic cooperation, especially in APEC. We place importance on the UN. The Foreign Service is growing to meet these new challenges and demands. Foreign policy must be an effective instrument to protect and promote Singapore's national interests in the years ahead.

MR GOH CHOK TONG Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Singapore's progress and prosperity continues to depend on peace and security. Southeast Asia remains stable because ASEAN is maturing, regional cooperation is strengthening, and friendly extra-regional powers are present. Young Singaporeans growing up in such a tranquil environment need to appreciate the importance of defence and the SAF to Singapore's peace and security. Public Commitment to the SAF The SAF plays a major role in nation-building through national service and the call to all male citizens to serve the country. We will continue to foster public commitment to the SAF. We will make greater efforts to keep the public informed on SAF matters, and involve the community in SAF activities. Firm public support strengthens the SAF's credibility as a deterrent force. Total Defence Total Defence is the cornerstone of our deterrence policy. As the international trends shift from "military competition" to "economic competition", Economic Defence will assume greater importance. Reservists Reservists make up more than 80% of the SAF - the bulk of the Army. They are frontline troops, well-equipped, well-trained, well-motivated and well-led. Regular mobilisation exercises keep reservist units in a state of readiness. Reservists have enabled Singaporeans to live and progress in peace and security. The nation owes them due recognition and gratitude. MINDEF will give full consideration to the recommendations of the RECORD Committee (Recognition of Contribution of Reservists to Total Defence). SAF Training As more training land is taken up for economic development, the SAF will have to explore new ways to conduct quality training. It will make extensive use of advanced simulators. It will conduct training in areas which it has not previously used. This will require support and understanding of the community. Overseas, good relations and defence cooperation will create new training opportunities. Defence Technology We will make full use of technology to multiply firepower, enhance fighting capability and improve the "battle productivity" of our soldiers. Units can then be leaner but no less effective. We will develop or modify weapon systems to suit Singaporean soldiers better. We will involve local defence industries closely in this effort. ASEAN Cooperation We will continue to promote close ties among the ASEAN armed forces and seek to develop additional areas of cooperation. ASEAN defence cooperation will complement the US presence in the region and the Five-Power Defence Arrangements in contributing to regional stability.