2024年3月6日，新加坡國會辯論環節，波東巴西議員司徒宇斌建議新加坡多多舉辦大型活動，打造更有活力的體育中心，並為低收入家庭提供享受這些活動的機會。
以下內容為新加坡眼根據國會英文資料翻譯整理：
司徒宇斌：主席，我想跟大家分享一下我最近的經歷。就在今年一月底，我去了國家體育場看了酷玩樂隊（Coldplay）的演唱會。在演出過程中，主唱克里斯.馬丁（Chris Martin）說了類似這樣的話，雖然可能不是原文，但大致是這個意思：」今晚在新加坡是特別的，我們有來自不同國家、不同宗教的粉絲聚集在一起，快樂、和平、安全地享受音樂。「他說完後，我旁邊的一個澳大利亞人立刻大聲喊道：「李光耀」！
是的，主席，這就是李光耀和他的團隊為我們創造的多種族、多文化和多宗教的新加坡。我相信，這也是我們人民行動黨政府將繼續為多代新加坡人建設的新加坡。
主席先生，在過去的一年裡，政府收回體育中心的控制權後，新加坡文化、社區及青年部（MCCY）旗下的全資實體活力加冷體育管理私人有限公司（KASM）一直在努力在努力打造更有活力的體育中心。除了泰勒.斯威夫特（Taylor Swift）目前正在新加坡演出外，去年和今年還有許多國際和區域知名表演者的演唱會，如韓國人氣女團（Black Pink）、英國另類搖滾樂團酷玩樂隊（Coldplay） 和 英國創作歌手艾德.希蘭（Ed Sheeran）等。主席先生，我不是一個音樂迷，但我聽說酷玩樂隊是目前世界上最受歡迎的樂隊組合。我還得到可靠消息，泰勒.斯威夫特是目前世界上最受歡迎的獨唱藝人。今年年初，酷玩樂隊在新加坡演出了6場，而泰勒.斯威夫特本周也將在新加坡演出6場，應該是從上周六(3月2日）開始。
我不知道其他城市能否在短短兩個月內成功舉辦如此多的世界級活動。我們必須讚揚文化、社區及青年部（MCCY）及其眾多合作夥伴，有能力、有實力、靈活地抓住機會。對我來說，這就是新加坡團隊難以言喻的特質（X-factor）。
除了音樂會，體育中心還舉辦了許多國際和區域體育賽事，以及超過140場全國學校運動會和學校體育活動。現在，新加坡人也可以方便地使用體育中心的許多設施。
這些重大活動對新加坡經濟做出了巨大貢獻，為旅遊業帶來了重要推動，特別是在酒店、零售、旅遊和餐飲等方面。
主席先生，我還記得2022年末的一個議會問答環節，當時的高級政務部長徐芳達告訴我們，2018年和2019年，在新加坡的遊客和外國人支付的消費稅約占家庭和個人支付的消費稅凈額的一半。因此，隨著新加坡舉辦更多的世界級活動，我認為這也意味著將從遊客身上收取更多9%的消費稅，這最終將轉化為更多的好處、更多的基礎設施，為所有新加坡人帶來更多的好消息。
新加坡為何能夠成功舉辦此類大型活動？一些評論家指出，新加坡可能以提供政府資助換取獨家舉辦權。我認為遠不止於此。新加坡之所以能夠成為一個極具吸引力的娛樂和體育賽事中心，是因為我們擁有優越的地理位置、優質的基礎設施、安全、高效和豐富多彩的文化產品，這些都使我們能夠以完整的配套來舉辦此類大型賽事。
展望未來，我們應該利用這一重要的勢頭，在繼續努力的同時，也著眼於更新體育中心的老舊基礎設施，如新加坡室內體育館，這個體育館多年來給新加坡人留下了許多美好的回憶。或許，我們可以建造一個同樣令人興奮的新室內場館來取代室內體育館。
與此同時，雖然許多新加坡人和遊客可以在新加坡欣賞到眾多精彩的活動，但我認為我們還可以做得更多，為低收入家庭提供更便宜甚至免費的門票。例如，每當鈴木杯比賽在新加坡舉行時，我都會找贊助商購買大量門票，然後分發給波東巴西的低收入家庭。我們的居民可以家庭為單位前往觀看，他們非常享受足球比賽。
主席先生，新加坡文化、社區及青年部（MCCY）是一個非常優秀的團隊，他們總是能夠看到推動新加坡利益的機會，而不是被限制住。我認為，我們目前最大的優勢就是目標堅定，團結一致，為所有新加坡人創造更美好的生活。因此，我懇請部長向我們介紹體育中心的更新計劃，並與我們分享文化、社區及青年部（MCCY）打算採取的戰略，以鞏固新加坡作為娛樂和體育活動中心的地位，同時讓我們的低收入家庭也能享受這些活動。
以下是英文質詢內容：
Hosting Major Events in Singapore
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: Mr Chairman, I would like to start by sharing with this House a recent experience I had. In late January this year, I was at our National Stadium to watch the Coldplay concert. Sometime during the show, the lead singer, Chris Martin, said something along the following lines. Maybe not exactly in those words, but something along the following lines. He said, "Tonight is a special night in Singapore. We have so many fans from different countries with different religions, all coming together to watch a concert in Singapore happily, peacefully and safely." After he said this, the Australian guy next to me instantaneously shouted, "Lee Kuan Yew".
And yes, Mr Chairman, this is the multiracial, multicultural and multi-religious Singapore that Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his team has created for us. And I am very confident this is also the Singapore that our PAP Government will continue to build for many more generations of Singaporeans.
Sir, over the course of the past year, after the Government took back control of the Sports Hub, the Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM), a wholly owned entity under MCCY, has been working hard to make the Sports Hub more vibrant for all Singaporeans. Besides Taylor Swift, who is currently in Singapore, there have been many popular concerts last year and this year by international and regional renowned performers, such as Black Pink, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran. Sir, I am not much of a music fan, but I am told that Coldplay is currently the most popular band group in the world. And I am also reliably informed that Taylor Swift is currently the most popular solo artist in the world. Coldplay performed six shows in Singapore at the beginning of this year and Taylor Swift is due to do the same, six this week, starting I think from last Saturday.
I do not know of any other city in the world that has managed to host such most popular world-class events within two months of each other. For this, we must recognise and compliment MCCY and its many partners for having the ability, capacity and mobility to seize opportunities that come our way. Sir, to me, this is the X-factor that differentiates Team Singapore.
Apart from concerts, the Sports Hub also hosted several major international and regional sporting events, and more than 140 National School games and School Sport events. Singaporeans can also now use many facilities at the Sports Hub which are open to the public. This has made the Sports Hub more accessible to Singaporeans.
Importantly, hosting these major events make significant contributions to the Singapore economy. They give a big boost to our tourism sector, especially in areas, such as hospitality, retail, travel and dining.
Mr Chairman, I recall a Parliamentary Question in late 2022 and the then-Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat informed this House that tourists and foreigners in Singapore accounted for about half of the net GST paid by households and individuals in 2018 and 2019. Therefore, as a natural consequence, with so many more world-class major events in Singapore, I think it would also mean that more 9% GST will be collected from our tourists and this would ultimately translate to more goodies and more infrastructure and more good news for all Singaporeans.
And why has Singapore been able to host such major events successfully? Some commentators point to the possible grants given in return for exclusivity. I think it is much more than that. Singapore projects as an attractive entertainment and sports events hub because we have a strategic location, quality infrastructure, safety, efficiency and diverse cultural offerings that allow us to present a complete package in pitches to host such major events.
Moving forward, we should leverage on this important momentum and, while we continue to do so, also look towards renewing older infrastructures at the Sports Hub, such as the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which has hosted Singaporeans to many fond memories over the years. Maybe, just maybe, a new equally exciting indoor venue could be built to replace the Indoor Stadium.
At the same time, whilst many Singaporeans and tourists can enjoy the many spectacular events in Singapore, I think we can also do more by providing cheaper or maybe free tickets to our lower-income families. As an example, whenever the Suzuki Cup matches are played in Singapore, I would get a sponsor to purchase bulk tickets and these are distributed to our lower-income families in Potong Pasir. Our residents go as a family and they enjoyed the football matches.
Sir, MCCY is a very good team that always sees opportunities, never limitations, when promoting Singapore's interests. I think our greatest strength right now is our forged sense of purpose and unity to give the best life to all Singaporeans. I, therefore, invite the Minister to update us on plans for the Sports Hub and share with us the strategy that MCCY intends to employ to cement Singapore's position as an entertainment and sports hub, and also to let our lower-income families enjoy these events in Singapore.
新加坡國會丨來源
新加坡國會丨圖源
