Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Chiam See Tong was against the casino.

Singapore
Chiam: Tell us how big the casinos will be285 words
20 April 2005
Straits Times
STIMES
English
(c) 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
BE TRUTHFUL and tell Singaporeans just how large the casino space will be in the two integrated resorts (IRs), veteran opposition MP Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir) challenged the Government yesterday.
And don't just 'gloss over' it by saying casinos will occupy only 3 to 5 per cent of the entire IRs, he said.
Give the exact floor space, he added.
'As the total floor space of the integrated resorts is so large, in our case, several times that of Takashimaya shopping centre, the 3 to 5 per cent occupied by the casinos is physically a very large area,' said Mr Chiam.
'The Government should be truthful and not tell the people that the casino is only a small part of the IR.'
Mr Chiam, who is chairman of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), reiterated his party's opposition to the setting up of casinos.
It is the 'first step down the slippery slope', he said. 'Once we officially plant the seed of gambling in our soil, it's only a question of time that it will grow and spread in our land.'
Mr Chiam was also worried about three other potential dangers.
The Government may not stop at two casinos. 'Who knows, in time there shall be more and more licences issued if the Government needs the revenue,' he said.
Second, the Government may loosen restrictions when competition hots up from other casinos in the region, and allow operators to open the doors wider to local punters.
And lastly, he sought the Government's assurance that most of the 35,000 jobs created by the integrated resorts will go to Singaporeans, not foreigners.

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