Othman bin Wok
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since 1958, the Land Office has been administering the Singapore Badminton Hall on trust for the Singapore Badminton Association. The Ministry of Social Affairs had been looking into the possibility of the Singapore Sports Council taking over the Singapore Badminton Hall.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there are no plans to expand the seating capacity of the National Stadium. The present structure can accommodate 60,000 people. The development plans for Phase II of the National Stadium Complex have been abandoned. SINGAPORE BADMINTON HALL (Take-over by Singapore Sports Council) 22.”
“Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Social Affairs (a) whether the Sri Rama temple which has been existing for more than 31 years in Changi Village will be allowed to remain on the present site in view of its significant importance of being the only one of its kind in Singapore as well as in the whole of South East Asia; and (b) if so…”
“I have already mentioned previously in this House that my Ministry is setting up a coordinating committee of officials from various Ministries and departments to see what can be done for these cases. I would like to assure the hon.”
“Sir, I am not aware of this temple in Changi and I am also not aware that it is going to be pulled down, or whether it is to be preserved and thus allowed to continue its activities.”
“I have had such requests since the early sixties but on each occasion I have been unable to bring about the operation of this part of the legislation mainly because of two reasons: (i) the tremendous amount of cost that would have been involved; and (ii) it is felt that all prosecutions, being supervised by the Attorney-General, would onl…”
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Every one of 527 lines we hold for Othman bin Wok, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 11.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, In page 1, line 3, after "National", to insert "Archives and". The purpose of amending the Short Title of the Bill from "National Records Centre Act" to "National Archives and Records Centre Act" is because the term "public archives" has a distinct meaning from "public records". In clause 2 of the Bill "public archives" has been defined to mean public records of national and historical value which are more than 25 years old, and therefore, the Act which establishes a centre to house public archives and public records should be known as the "National Archives and Records Centre Act". The need to amend the Short Title of the Bill has been made after consultation with the UNESCO expert on archives who has helped to draft the present Bill. Amendment agreed to. Clause 1, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 2 -”
“Just for the information of the Member, Sir, the question of the budget and training facilities will be considered. I understand it is in the hands of the Ministry of Finance. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. -[Inche Othman Wok]. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 5.36 p.m. Clause 1 -”
“I shall be moving in Committee a number of amendments to the Bill. These amendments are considered necessary to enable the distinction to be made between archives and other public records. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 5.32 p.m.”
“560 and 563 which leave this important decision of disposal of records to various heads of departments and administrative offices is inadequate in that no consistent principle is applied to the disposal of public records which may result in the possible destruction of important public records and, at the same time, the preservation of those records which are of no importance, thereby leading to loss of valuable space of Government and Board offices. In order that post-war archives and records are preserved and added to our archival holdings for further reference and research, it will be necessary for adequate repository space to be found. This is provided for in clause 3 of the Bill. For the determination of what part of public records should be preserved and what part should be disposed of and for the direction, management and control of the centre, clause 4 of the Bill empowers the Minister to appoint a Director for the purpose. It is envisaged that the Director will conduct a record management programme which will contribute to the improvement of administrative efficiency connected with the creation, utilisation, maintenance, retention and preservation and for the disposal of public records, thereby ensuring that valuable office space now taken up by accumulation of non-recurrent records in various Government and Board offices will be properly used. To enable the Director to be advised on his functions, clause 5 of the Bill provides for the establishment of a Committee appointed by the Minister. Provision is also made in clause 9 of the Bill to allow for the destruction or disposal of public records only on authority of the Director. Provision is made in clause 10 to allow persons access to only such public records as are regarded as public archives.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of this Bill is to provide a national Archives and Records Centre for Singapore where national archival services providing for the custody and preservation of Government archives and records of high value and importance, historical research as well as to the administration can be undertaken. The care and maintenance of these unique documents which are public property is considered to be a public obligation and has been enacted into legislation in several Commonwealth countries, including Ghana in 1955, New Zealand and Nigeria in 1957, Tanzania and Sierra Leone in 1965, and Malaysia in 1966. The Singapore archives, which comprise a prominent and substantial series of historical documents, some dating as far back as 1800 and which are part and parcel of Singapore's national heritage providing data, facts and historical information concerning the whole of South-East Asia corresponding with the focal position of Singapore in this region in the 19th and 20th centuries, are at present kept in the National Library, and the maintenance of these documents is the responsibility of the National Library. With the growing production of records by Government departments, statutory boards and offices, it has become necessary that overall and well-considered decisions should be taken on the difficult and recurrent question of disposal, that is, what records to preserve, because they are deemed to be of historical and national importance, and what records to destroy, which form by far the larger part when no longer of use. It is felt that the present system governed by General Orders Nos.”
“I cannot say offhand, Sir, whether the seven Kathis are all Singapore citizens. I will make an inquiry and will let the hon. Member know whether they are Singapore citizens or not. In future all Kathis to be appointed will be Singapore citizens as a condition. NATIONAL THEATRE TRUST EMPLOYEES (Particulars) 21. Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi asked the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs if he will ascertain from the National Theatre Trust the number of employees employed by the Trust, giving breakdown figures of (i) full-time employees; (ii) part-time employees not employed elsewhere; and (iii) part-time employees with employment elsewhere during the day time.”
“Yes, Mr Speaker, Sir. An additional Kathi will soon be appointed and this will increase to three the number paid by the Government.”
“Mr Speaker, there are at present nine Kathis in the Republic appointed under the Muslims Ordinance, 1957, that is, No. 25 of 1957. Two of these Kathis are paid by Government and attached to the Registry of Muslim Marriages and the Shariah Court. The remaining seven Kathis are not paid by Government but receive fees for duties performed by them.”
“The grants made by the Government to various sports bodies are not for the purchase of equipment, locally-manufactured or otherwise. They are normally made for a specific purpose such as meeting the accommodation expenses of overseas competitors taking part in the Pesta Sukan or for travelling expenses of local bodies participating in overseas competitions. For most games like badminton, cricket, golf and tennis, we do not have locally-manufactured equipment. Generally too, players prefer to purchase equipment of their own choice from their own funds. However, an appeal will be made to the Sports Associations who are members of the Singapore Sports Council to use locally-manufactured equipment whenever possible. PORT OF SINGAPORE AUTHORITY (Appointment) 10. Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi asked the Minister for Law and National Development if he will ascertain from the Port of Singapore Authority whether the appointment of General Manager of the Authority is on a permanent or contract basis.”
“I think the men did the best on that day, Sir!”
“Now, Sir. I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill is an important one in that it seeks to bring up to date the various aspects of the law making special provisions in the interest of women in Singapore. As the Bill has already been considered by a Select Committee and the Committee's Report is before the House, I shall confine myself to a few brief remarks. Most of the provisions of the Bill are, as hon. Members are aware, of a legal nature designed to improve the law in line with up-to-date legislation in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The other provisions have been introduced to improve the working of the Women's Charter in the light of some six to seven years' experience of administering the law in Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question put, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." Madam Chan Choy Siong: Division, Sir.”
“I would say that it is because of our present society that women are still not able to raise themselves to the standard of men in the economic and other fields. Who dare say that women are the weaker sex? If such a person dares to say that, let him see what is happening in China. It is mostly women who lead the Red Guards. We should say that the problems of women, whether they are weaklings or not, are attributable to the social system. Given the right opportunity, I feel that since there is no distinction in capacity between men and women, women will be able to achieve equality with men. So if the women's problems in our society are not solved as social problems, then we have yet to achieve a truly socialist society. I do not mean to say that the law is the only means to resolve women's problems, because this is a very passive way of dealing with them. In actual fact, the Government should afford women more opportunities to do their part. If the women, having .got such opportunities, still cannot be successful, then we can say that they are weaklings. But, at the moment, from the recruitment policy of the Government, we can see that the ratio of men to women recruited is still in favour of men. If there are 10 positions, women can only get two or three, and the rest will go to the men. So how can you describe women as weaklings? This is a problem linked with the whole structure of society, and since we are not yet economically able to afford women a better position, we should not allow them to suffer any disadvantages and allow such an anomalous position to exist. Sir, I beg to move.”
“None of the existing rights or benefits which the present law provides for women in divorce proceedings will be affected in any way. The only thing is the provision for an additional ground for divorce. Madam Chan Choy Siong(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, my main point is why there should be the necessity for the Women's Charter and what is its purpose? The purpose, I feel, is to enable our society to be one in which the husband and the wife in a family can have mutual respect for each other and to encourage such families in our society. If paragraphs (a) and (h) of clause 28 are agreed to, then they will clearly go counter to the purpose of the Women's Charter, because, on the one hand, we want to encourage people to have happy and harmonious families, yet on the other hand, we will be providing more grounds for divorce. Thus, I cannot get the true and exact meaning and purpose of the Women's Charter and, therefore, accept the assurance given by the Minister just now on that point. I do not say that this provision will be detrimental to the wife after the divorce. But what I mean to say is that, at the moment, we are not just looking after a handful of people who want to get a divorce but that this provision for divorce would be misused by some people who need not get a divorce but who may avail themselves of this provision to get a divorce. That is one of my main grounds for proposing my amendment. I do not disagree if the divorce comes about as a result of the two parties not being able to get along any more. But if this amendment is to resolve a few cases, then we will be doing more harm than good. That is the gist of my amendment. The Member for Bukit Merah has also said that by my amendment I have shown that I regard women as weaklings.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this amendment to clause 28 was raised for consideration by the Member for Delta during the proceedings of the Select Committee on the Bill, of which she was a Member, and was negatived by the Committee after careful consideration. I think the Member is somewhat concerned over this clause because she considers that its provision may work against the interest of women in Singapore. I should like to assure her that this is not so. All that we are proposing to do with this new provision is to create an additional ground for divorce, and this provision is novel in that it allows for divorce by consent, in addition, I repeat, to the present grounds for divorce which are already provided for in the Women's Charter, but with this difference. Under the existing provision, it is possible to get a divorce only when one of the parties has done something wrong, e.g., the commission of adultery, or is of incurably unsound mind. It has been found that there are many instances where, quite obviously, the marriage has failed and it is no longer in the interest of either party for the marriage to continue, although neither of them has committed adultery or done anything wrong or is of incurably unsound mind. I think the Member for Delta will agree that in such circumstances it would be better for the parties to part. But, unfortunately, they cannot get a divorce under the present law which has no provision for divorce by consent. Mr Speaker, Sir, may I assure the Member for Delta that in the event of a divorce by consent being granted by the court under the amended law, no disadvantage is likely to accrue to the female party? She will be able to claim the usual relief in the payment of alimony by her husband or apply for custody of the children, if any.”
“If the Minister is thinking only in terms of a handful of women who cannot get along with their husband, then I think it is not quite necessary, because they have every opportunity under the present law to avail themselves of a divorce. If they want a divorce and if there is disharmony between them and their husband, they have provisions in the present law to get a divorce. Now if the husband wants to get a divorce, he will be able to get it under the provisions of clause 28 of this amendment Bill. He can go outside and mix with his mistresses and in the end he will get a divorce. So this will afford man better opportunities or facilities to carry out any misdeeds. I have said that this question is not just one relating to women. It is also a social problem and all Members of Parliament should give it careful consideration.”
“Thus the provisions of this clause will be abused and many problems will be created. So more people will abuse the provisions of this clause. Fewer people will get benefit from it. So there will be more harm done than good. In the Select Committee, the Minister said that husbands as well as wives can ask for a divorce on the grounds provided in this clause. But as we all know, man holds the economic power in our society. Very few women hold economic power in their hands. In the history of Singapore, we can see that all along women have been subjected to colonial and environmental suppression in society. Under the yoke of this two-pronged suppression, the women of this country have never been able to raise their heads. It was only when the P.A.P. assumed office that the people were gradually able to play an active part in the economic, social and political life of Singapore. That means that it is still the womenfolk in Singapore who were behind time, and it is difficult for them to compete with men. At the moment, as we all know, the victims are normally the women; seldom are they men. If there are any men who are victims, then it can be attributed to their ill-luck or they have themselves to blame. So if the clause is passed, I should think that women will still be the losers and men can revert back to their former polygamous position and they can then openly cohabit with their mistresses outside and in the end will be able to marry them. So it will create a very bad tradition in the family and I ask whether this tradition is good for our country. Obviously the answer is no. So I think this provision should be amended.”
“P, decided to wipe out for all time such a bad system. Thus the Women's Charter came into being to enhance the position of women and to accord them their rightful status and position in their family. But let us look at the provisions of clause 28 of this (Amendment) Bill. We see that there are many things which are detrimental to women. I would like all the gentlemen M.P.s in this House to understand that I do not only speak for women but also for them, because if this question arises it will affect not only women but also all the people in the same society. In other words, if a couple disagree with each other, they can avail themselves of clause 28 to seek a divorce. After they have lived separately for seven years, the Judge can make use of the provisions of this clause to grant them a divorce. At the moment, there is no such amendment, and I wonder how many husbands secretly and stealthily visit their mistresses! Although they have wives at home, they frequent bars and dance-halls where they meet their mistresses or some other bad women. As a result, the matrimonial relationship is endangered and the family life is disrupted, and this leads to divorce. If clause 28 is passed, it will afford men an even better opportunity to carry out their nefarious activities in the open. This is tantamount to the old practice in China where husbands were accorded the right to divorce their wives with a stroke of the pen. Certain husbands in Singapore will avail themselves of the opportunity and say, "I cannot get along with my wife. Our relationship is no good. I want to live separately from her and after seven years, I want a divorce." Certain women can also avail themselves of the opportunity to do likewise.”
“Now, Sir. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 6.19 p.m. Clause 28 - Madam Chan Choy Siong (Delta): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir,I beg to move, In page 8, lines 27 to 37, to leave out the whole of paragraphs (a) and (b) . Mr Speaker, Sir, as a woman social worker, I express my welcome and support for amendments to any Bill which are beneficial to women. At present when our country is in the process of nation building, more than half the population are women. The Government can tap the resources of such a potential force and raise their social and economic standards. Today, an amendment is proposed to the Women's Charter. I cannot see how the suggested amendment to clause 28 can benefit the women. I feel that when this amendment is implemented, the purpose for which it is intended will be defeated. Under the present Women's Charter, there are questions relating to divorce in respect of certain women who, because of their nature or their peculiar circumstances, cannot fulfil their matrimonial relationship with their husbands. Under the present law, there is no provision for them to separate. Because of this special consideration, the Minister considers it desirable, by the introduction of an amendment, to provide such people with an opportunity to get a divorce. The motive of the Government is good. But we should put our heads together and think in terms of whether more problems will be created for the majority when we consider the interests of a few people, and whether this will be of any good to the country or the people as a whole. We all remember that in 1959 our society was one where polygamous marriages were allowed. The women in Singapore were, therefore, in a very disadvantageous position. Then at that time, the P.A.”
“The purpose of these creches is to provide a special service for those in the lower income group who cannot afford to pay the higher charges of the many kindergartens which are being run in Singapore, and in considering the extension of this service, it is important to bear this purpose in mind. I shall ask the Social Welfare Department to look into the desirability of extending further the benefits of this special service, which has been meeting a real need in our community. REPAIR OF DAMAGE TO JALAN PERWIRA 16. Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi asked the Minister for Law and National Development what progress has been made under section 22A of the Local Government Integration Ordinance, 1963, for the repair of the damage to Jalan Perwira, and when that road will be repaired.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board, appointed under the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Ordinance, is responsible for the administration of both Muslim and Hindu religious and charitable endowments. With the recent passing of the Administration of Muslim Law Act, 1966, the administration of Muslim endowments will be taken over by the Majlis Ugama Islam, which will be set up under that Act. A separate Bill to set up a Board to look after Hindu endowments has been prepared, and it is hoped, after consulting the various Hindu interests in the State, to introduce the Bill soon in Parliament. CRECHES FOR CHILDREN OF FAMILIES IN HIGHER INCOME BRACKET 15. Madam Chan Choy Siong asked the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs whether he will consider establishing creches for the children of families in the higher income bracket with charges relatively higher than those at the present creches which cater mainly for the children of those families whose total monthly family incomes do not exceed $400. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Affairs (Mr Chan Chee Seng) (for the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs): Mr Speaker, the Social Welfare Department at the moment runs 10 creches. Any child below the age of 6, whose mother is working or whose father is a widower with no relatives to look after the child while he is away at work, may be admitted to a creche, provided the total monthly income of the family does not exceed $400. I should like to point Out that, in order to extend the benefits to a larger number of families, the age limit was recently raised from 5 to 6 years and the income limit from $300 p.m. to $400 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I should like to repeat here the remarks which I made in connection with the previous question asked by the hon. Member, namely, that, although I make appointments to the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board, I am not responsible for the administration of the Hindu Temples which have their own management sub-committees which are responsible to the Committee of Management appointed by the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board. I understand that the Hindu community who frequent the Temples are divided into a number of factions, each with its own ideas of how the Temples should be run. This being so, it is quite natural that there should be many complaints arising. The Committee of Management appointed by the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board consists of 15 persons who have been giving up a good deal of their leisure time in order to help in the running of these Temples, and have always been at pains to investigate thoroughly into any complaints. I would suggest to the hon. Member that, if he is aware of any serious complaint concerning the running of the Temples, he write to the Secretary of the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board, giving the full particulars and the matter will receive the due consideration of the Board.”
“Sir, I think you have answered the question - that the Minister has no jurisdiction over the administration of the temples from day to day. COMPLAINTS AGAINST TEMPLE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES 13. Mr S. Rajoo asked the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs whether he is aware of any complaints made to Temple Management Committees or the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board against the Temple Management Committees by devotees of Temples administered by the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board, and if he will ensure that such complaints are dealt with satisfactorily and speedily.”
“I am told, however, that these employees receive other emoluments over and above their salaries, e.g., commissions on fees paid to the Temples by devotees for prayer ceremonies conducted by the priests; they are also provided with free housing, water and electricity.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member has tabled a number of questions touching on the Hindu religion, and before I answer them, I should like to make it quite clear that Singapore is a secular State with no established church or national religion. In fact, all religions are equal, and the Government's policy has always been, and will always be, to leave each religious community to run its own affairs without interference from the State. This is religious freedom. I shall, therefore, be most happy to answer the hon. Member's question, in so far as the seeking of information is concerned, but I shall be in no position to deal with any matters impinging upon any power or right of administration, which is strictly a matter for the religious authority concerned. And now to come to the hon. Member's question. I have obtained the information from the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board, which is responsible for the administration of four Hindu Temples, namely: (i) The Mariamman Temple at South Bridge Road, (ii) The Sivan Temple at Orchard Road, (iii) The Kaliamman Temple at Somerset Road, and (iv) The Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road. The Mariamman Temple has one Head Priest who is paid a salary of $100 per month, and three Pandarams who are paid $65 per month, $63 per month and $60 per month respectively. The Sivan Temple employs one Priest at $80 per month and one Pandaram at $60 per month. The Kaliamman Temple has only one Pandaram at $90 per month. The Perumal Temple employs one Priest at $150 per month and one Assistant Priest at $130 per month. It will be seen that each Temple employs priests and pays salaries according to its means. I understand that there are no fixed salary scales with regular increments.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am aware of the complaints about the poor quality of the reception on the wavelength 1370 k/c over which Tamil programmes are now broadcast. For this reason, I have made provision last year for the purchase of a new transmitter of 20 kilowatts to take the place of the old one of only 10 kilowatts. This new transmitter was installed in January 1967 and the reception of the Tamil programme should have appreciably improved. With the proposed installation of F.M. (Frequency Modulation) Transmitters in May this year for all language streams, it is expected that reception in all languages would be clear. There is, however, nothing wrong with the present wavelength. FLOODS IN CAMBRIDGE ROAD, OWEN ROAD AND NORFOLK ROAD 4. Mr S. Rajoo asked the Minister for Law and National Development, in view of the recent floods in the Cambridge Road, Owen Road and Norfolk Road areas, (a) if he will consider taking immediate steps, as a temporary measure, to raise the embankment and widen the canal between Keng Lee Road and the Kandang Kerbau Police Station; and (b) whether he will consider requesting the Housing and Development Board to give priority in the allocation of the Board's flats to applicants from these areas who wish to move out.”
“The amendment Bill has not been passed yet.”
“But we will not resort to the internal security laws. We only invoke the internal security laws against the Communists who cannot be convicted in an open court, as they threaten witnesses with bodily harm. We have certain laws under which action may be taken for such offences. I refer to the Sedition Ordinance contained in the Internal Security Act. We are constantly giving serious attention to the news items and articles carried in Utusan Melayu which affect Singapore. When this daily paper runs foul of the law, then the Government will not hesitate to take firm action. A Utusan Melayu representative, in an interview with the Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, in September 1965, had already been provided with a copy of the Sedition Ordinance. Certainly this representative is not unaware that the provisions of the Sedition Ordinance are still in force in Singapore and can be enforced at any time if necessary. I wish to remind Utusan Melayu that in an interview with me on 30th September, 1965, in the Ministry of Culture, Singapore, its Managing Director; Dato Hussain Bin Noordin, gave an assurance to the Singapore Government to the effect that Utusan Melayu would not publish articles prejudicial to the peace and security of Singapore. He further said that Utusan Melayu would at all times make positive contributions by way of maintaining good relationship between Singapore and Malaysia. Dato Noordin also stated that he would accord his full co-Operation to bring about the successful creation of a just, prosperous, multi-racial and multi-religious society in Singapore. It is well and good for Utusan Melayu not to forget this undertaking. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That Parliament do now adjourn. Adjourned accordingly at Twenty minutes past Seven o'clock p.m.”
“Singapore, as is the case with political parties that practise democracy, but he was appointed by forces outside Singapore. It naturally follows that he feels that he is under a certain obligation to his benefactor and, of course, he comes Out in support of and exaggerates whatever his master says. Possibly there is some truth in what the Member for Geylang Serai has said - that Ahmad Haji Taff is aspiring to be an Ambassador, an ambition which his colleagues have realised, i.e., Hamid Jumat and Lim Yew Hock who have been given high appointments. Lim Yew Hock has suddenly become a poet recently. As the head appointed by outside forces, Ahmad Haji Taff is apprehensive that, when the day of judgment arrives, he will be ousted from UMNO. Singapore. So one way out of his dilemma is for him always to create a sense of uneasiness among the Malays in Singapore. In this way, by fishing in troubled waters, he hopes to cling to his position for as long as he can. But the Malays in Singapore, who have never been under feudalistic rule since 150 years ago, are not narrow-minded. Therefore, they turned a deaf ear to Ahmad Haji Taff's speech and the articles in Utusan Melayu written under a nom de plume. I understand that those articles were not, in fact, written by members of the public but by the staff of Utusan Melayu itself. I further understand that at an U.M.N.O, meeting held in Singapore recently, Ahmad Haji Taff condemned Malay organisations in Singapore for remaining silent and for not supporting Utusan Melayu. Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore is a democratic socialist country. We are an open society. If Utusan Melayu and Ahmad Haji Taff were to live in a neighbouring country, they would certainly have been languishing in prison by now, detained under the internal security laws.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to reply to the speech made by the Member for Geylang Serai in Malay. (In Malay): At the outset, let me explain to this House that it is true that the Utusan Melayu deliberately twisted and perverted the speech made by Inche Rahim Ishak, the Minister of State for Education. It was designed to stir up hatred and enrage the Malays both outside and within Singapore against Inche Rahim Ishak in particular and the Singapore Government in general. The Utusan Melayu has once again attempted to denounce the Singapore Government as being anti-Malay and anti-Malay Sultans, as, in fact, it did when Singapore was a part of Malaysia. Under the circumstances, the Utusan Melayu deliberately reported Inche Rahim's speech Out of context and perverted it. However, we all know Inche Rahim's speech did not in the least offend the position nor the status of the Malay Rulers. What he said in full concerned the progress achieved by the Malays in Singapore in the field of education with the various forms of assistance given to them by the Singapore Government since the P.A.P. assumed office in 1959. If it was true that Inche Rahim's speech offended and denigrated the status of the Malay Rulers, we would certainly have received a strong protest from the Malaysian Government. However, to date we have not received any such protest officially. The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, when challenged by Mr D. R. Seenivasagam in the Malaysian Parliament, stated that he did not wish to send a protest. We are all aware about Ahmad Haji Taff's tactics. He is the head of U.M.N.O. Singapore, an appointment made in Kuala Lumpur. He was not elected by members of U.M.N.O.”
“I will be happy to forward the suggestions to the committee. Question put, and agreed to. Clause 15 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 16 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Bill reported with an amendment; read a Third time and passed. CRIMINAL LAW (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 3.24 p.m.”
“Sir, I beg to move, In page 3, line 42, to leave out "Customs Officer" and insert "Assistant Superintendent of Customs and Excise". Sir, the titles of "Customs Officer" and "Revenue Officer" in the Customs Ordinance, 1960, were changed to "Assistant Superintendent of Customs and Excise" and "Customs Officer" respectively. As the rank of "Customs Officer" is the lowest in the Customs service, the expression "below the rank of Customs Officer" appearing in clause 6 (1) (b) of the Undesirable Publications Bill is obviously incorrect. The amendment substitutes "Assistant Superintendent of Customs and Excise" for "Customs Officer" as there is no other rank lower than "Customs Officer". Amendment agreed to. Clause 6, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 7 to 14 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 15 - Question proposed, "That clause 15 stand part of the Bill."”
“To cope with this situation, clause 12 is introduced. This is the new and only significant amendment made to the existing Ordinance. This reads: `(1) A Controller may authorise any police officer not below the rank of Inspector to enter and search any premises or place where he has reasonable cause to believe any publication prejudicial to public safety or public interest in Singapore is likely to be found, and to seize such publication so found. (2) A Controller may detain such publication for so long as he deems necessary and may in his absolute discretion destroy or cause to be destroyed such publication so detained.' The Undesirable Publications Ordinance is repealed and is re-enacted with the amendments to make it more tidy, in view of the many amendments effected in the past. I wish to assure the House that the Government will operate this new authority with the greatest responsibility and discretion. There is provision for any aggrieved person or persons to appeal against such act to the Minister under section 15 of this Bill. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Under the existing Undesirable Publications Ordinance (Chapter 124) there are two major aspects in the control of undesirable publications of various nature. The first is that of banning these undesirable publications under section 3, and the second, that of detaining these under sections 10 and 11. Concerning the first aspect, that of banning, the existing Ordinance does not provide for effective control of these undesirable publications in that by the time the action of banning such publications is being effected by Gazette Notification, numerous copies of such publications could have been sold or distributed. In addition, no provision is made for an effective means of curbing the sale of undesirable publications in the many roadside stalls which channel these publications to members of the public, and there is no way of checking the printing machines which produce, quite easily and under cover, undesirable publications from time to time. Concerning the second aspect, that of detention under the existing Ordinance, this can only be effected at the Customs, post offices, airport and other check points where importers have to declare their consignments of publications and produce samples for examination before their sale to the public. But in some cases such publications are not declared and are intercepted at the check points, as a result of our random examination. These are detained. There is, however, no provision in the Ordinance to detain undesirable publications which have evaded these check points or smuggled into the Republic through the Causeway or other clandestine channels. We have no power to detain these if they are found on sale in the Republic.”
“Oh! I beg your pardon. I thought he wants a bankrupt to be included! Yes, I should say that a bankrupt should be disqualified. Question put, and agreed to. Clause 12 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 13 to 38 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. Bill reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. COMPANIES BILL Order for Second Reading read. 3.51 p.m.”
“I do not think that a person who is a bankrupt should be included in this. There is always a danger because this involves the funds of a society.”
“Sir, I think the clause here is clear - "for an offence involving the unlawful expenditure of the funds of the society; or". A man who has become a bankrupt must have been involved in an offence. If the Member means that because of debt ---”
“It has been the practice of political parties to have their names in more than one language. For instance, U.M.N.O. at one time had two names - the one in English is still the United Malays National Organisation and the one in Malay was Persatuan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu. They used both names, but at their General Assembly a few years ago, they decided to use only the initials of the English name, U.M.N.O., because they are very well known, easily pronounced and understood by the people. On the question raised by the Member for Sembawang whether it would be possible for those loyal officials of associations who are not yet Singapore citizens to be allowed to continue to hold office while their applications for citizenship are being considered, I can only tell him that we will look into it. Another point which I would like to stress is that the clause in the Bill which states that any political association registered in Singapore should have its membership confined to Singapore citizens and should have no affiliation or connection whatsoever with political parties outside Singapore which are considered to be contrary to the national interest, covers all political parties now functioning in the Republic, including the Party in power. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Inche Othman Wok] Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] 3.43 p.m. Clauses 1 to 7 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 8 -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, firstly, I would like to thank hon. Members for their support of the Bill. In reply to the point made by the Member for Kampong Kapor, I would like to stress that the decision to introduce this Bill was not taken haphazardly. It was very carefully considered and it took us almost l« years to arrive at this decision. It is not the policy of this Government to do things without first considering them very carefully. I can assure the Member that the Registrar will not abuse the powers given to him in the Bill. On the point raised by the Member for Bukit Merah that political parties in Singapore should be asked to use the national language for their names -”
“Any society which has not been registered will be deemed to be an unlawful society and it is considered desirable to expand the present provisions relating to unlawful societies which are not considered adequate. Thus, in addition to the existing provision which makes it an offence for any person to act as a member of an unlawful society, attend a meeting of an unlawful society, or allow such a meeting to be held in any premises belonging to or occupied by him, it is proposed to provide that certain other activities in connection with unlawful societies should also constitute offences under the law. Thus it will also be an offence for any person to incite or induce another person to become a member or assist in the management of an unlawful society, to procure from any other person any subscription or aid for the purposes of an unlawful society, to print, publish or sell any newspaper or document issued by or on behalf of an unlawful society. The other provisions of the Bill are a re-enactment of the present provisions of the Societies Ordinance with appropriate amendments and additions where necessary to bring them up to date. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 3.22 p.m.”
“It is, therefore, proposed to empower the Registrar to refuse registration to any political association which does not meet this requirement. Any political association which is already registered will be given a reasonable period within which to amend its constitution to comply with this requirement, and should such society fail to amend its constitution accordingly within the period allowed, there is provision in the Bill for action to be taken to dissolve the society. To enable the Registrar to keep track of the activities of registered societies, it is provided that any registered society seeking to establish a branch must seek the prior approval of the Registrar who may withhold his approval on certain grounds. The Registrar or Assistant Registrar is also empowered to order any registered society to furnish him with any information that he may require concerning the society, or any document, accounts and books relating to the society. It is also considered desirable to provide for more effective control in the registration of societies. Accordingly, the Registrar is empowered to refuse registration in certain cases where there are reasonable grounds for refusing registration. For example, a proposed society may be refused registration if its rules are considered to be insufficient to provide for its proper management and control, or the society is likely to be used for unlawful purposes or for purposes prejudicial to public peace and welfare in Singapore. In any case, where registration has been refused by the Registrar, there is provision for an appeal to be made to the Minister for reconsideration.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The present Societies Ordinance is a very old piece of legislation which was first enacted more than 50 years ago. Now that Singapore has become a sovereign and independent Republic, it is considered desirable to bring the law up to date. The purpose of this Bill is, therefore, to repeal and re-enact with suitable amendments the provisions of the Societies Ordinance. Among the amendments which have been made are those dealing with political associations. I think hon. Members will agree that, in view of Singapore's sovereign and independent status, it is necessary to provide that any political association registered in Singapore should have its membership confined to Singapore citizens and should have no affiliation or connection whatsoever with political parties outside Singapore which are considered to be contrary to the national interest. We have at the moment in Singapore a number of political parties which had been registered as Singapore branches of parent bodies in Western Malaysia many years ago and which, during the time when Singapore was part of Malaysia, quite naturally became strongly orientated towards Kuala Lumpur. This situation was perfectly all right as long as Singapore was part of Malaysia. But with Singapore's withdrawal from Malaysia, it is quite clear that such a situation cannot be allowed to continue. I think it is only reasonable to expect that these various political parties should now move with the times and take appropriate steps to ensure that membership is confined to Singapore citizens and to cut off all affiliations or connections with political parties outside Singapore.”
“Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. SOCIETIES BILL Order for Second Reading read. 3.15 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of this Bill is a simple one, namely, to re-enact with suitable changes the former Holidays Ordinance which had been in force in Singapore prior to the establishment of Malaysia. As hon. Members are aware, when Singapore became part of Malaysia, the Malaysian Government by an Order extended the Malaysia Holidays Ordinance, 1951, to Singapore, with the result that the Singapore Holidays Ordinance ceased to have effect in Singapore. Now that Singapore has left Malaysia and has become a sovereign and independent Republic, it is obviously desirable to have our own holidays legislation. This Bill, in the main, repeats the provisions of the former Holidays Ordinance, but makes one important change. There is no provision to allow Bank Holidays to be observed, as used to be the practice in the past when 1st July and 31st December were observed as Bank Holidays to enable the banks to close the mid-year and end-of-year accounts. Subsequently, as a result of consultations with the Singapore banks, it has been agreed that, by reorganising their work, the banks can dispense with Bank Holidays in future, and thus provide a more convenient service for the public. I should mention that the banks in Malaysia have also been managing without Bank Holidays. The Schedule to the Bill, which may be modified from time to time, lists a total of 16 public holidays for the year which are currently being observed in Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. -. [Inche Othman Wok].”
“This Council was set up by the Ministry of Defence, Sir.”
“Sir, the need for better recreational facilities on our beaches is becoming urgent, and it is proposed to make a start at the Changi Beach which has proved extremely popular with the local population. The Ministry proposes, for a start, to construct 20 chalets with shower baths and toilet facilities at Changi Beach, which will be rented out to the public at modest charges. The intention is to provide holiday facilities with a reasonable degree of comfort for members of the public in the middle and lower income groups. If this pilot project proves a success, plans will be made for further similar projects both at Changi Beach and other beaches on the Island.”
“As for the qualifications, any man or woman over the age of 65, with no dependants and nobody to support him or her, can apply for admission to the Home. If the Member himself is interested, I think it will be more than 20 years from now before his problem arises, and by that time we will have more Homes for the Aged and he has no need to worry about admission to one of them!”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in reply to the questions by the Member for Sembawang, at the moment, we do not have any Junior Approved Schools for boys or for girls. We intend to build one in 1967, and this is the new Junior Approved School for boys below the age of 14. At the moment, we have a Senior Approved School, that is, the Gimson School for Boys at Clementi Road which caters for boys between the ages of 14 and 16. We consider it highly desirable that the younger boys should be separated from the older boys, as the former require different training and treatment facilities from the older boys, and it is also necessary to prevent the smaller boys from falling under the adverse influence of the bigger and more experienced boys. We propose to build the Junior Approved School on land available at Clementi Road near the Gimson School for Boys, and it will provide facilities for the training and rehabilitation of some 80 delinquents committed for such training by the courts. The building is of semi-permanent material with an estimated life-span of 30 to 40 years. With regard to the training of these boys, besides academic lessons, they are taught handicrafts and carpentry, and so on, to equip them with the necessary knowledge when they leave school and go back to society. 6.15 p.m. As for the third question on vacancies for people in the Home for the Aged, I believe he asked what are the qualifications for anyone to apply for entry into this Home. Sir, at the moment, we have one Home for the Aged at Woodlands which caters for 500 persons. The capacity is now almost full, and we consider it necessary to put up another similar home. So we intend to build another one sometime next year.”
“Sir, the increase in this item from $132,000 to $230,000 for 1967 is due to: (a) lighting of four new children's playgrounds; (b) payment for electricity and water for the new Civilian Victims Memorial at Beach Road; and (c) payment for electricity and water at the new fountains at Tanglin Circus, Holland Circus, King George V Park, Raffles Place and Empress Place. For item (c) , the payment for electricity and water at new fountains involves a sum of approximately $98,000.”
“Sir, if the swings and seesaws are a source of danger to the public, particularly the children, I will direct the Chief Parks Officer to look into the matter. If there is need for them to be removed from the children's playground near the Kampong Kapor Community Centre, we will move them to other children's playgrounds.”
“This provision of $120,000 is intended for payment for water and electricity supplied to all the five fire stations in Singapore and firemen's quarters. Every attempt has been made to cut down this item of expenditure as much as possible. But it has been found that the expenditure has been in the region of some $120,000 yearly. In 1965 the expenditure was $126,000. Figures available up to the end of October this year indicate that $119,000 has already been spent. The Chief Fire Officer has been instructed to keep a close watch on this item of expenditure and to ensure that it does not get out of hand.”