NAVAL BASE - EVICTION AND PICKETING

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, on the 7th of February, I wrote to the Hon. the Chief Minister seeking the Governor's consent to this motion. In my letter, I said:

"I refer to the telephone conversation with you this morning at noon when you informed me that the Governor's consent had been refused for the motion criticising the Naval Base Authorities."

When the House was asked to pass the Protected Areas and Places Ordinance, I drew attention to the danger of abuse of the powers conferred by this. Ordinance -

Mr Speaker: Order, I think the hon. Member will only be in order if he, in passing, indicates whether or not he has received the Governor's recommendation or consent. That is all.

Mr Butterfield: On a point of order, Sir. My understanding of Standing Order 33 (2) is that in relation to motions of this kind, the consent or recommendation of the Governor must be signified by a Minister. My recollection of a precedent which we have had before in this House is that the withholding of that recommendation or consent must also be signified by a Minister. I had understood, Sir, that that was the procedure. That is my point of order.

Mr Speaker: I am perfectly aware of that Standing Order, Mr Attorney-General. I think we have not reached the point where the objection can be taken. The motion itself has not been presented to the Assembly. It is just a notice of a motion, and until it is proposed, it does not become a motion of the Assembly. The position, as far as I see it, is that any Member can move a motion simipliciter. Then, if he is met with this objection which cannot be overcome, the Assembly shall not, as the Standing Order says, proceed with the motion. That is my ruling.

Mr Butterfield: Am I to understand, Sir, that your ruling is that the motion is to be formally moved and it is only thereafter that the Standing Order applies?

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, I was reading the letter which I wrote to the Hon. the Chief Minister on 7th February asking him to approach His Excellency the Governor for his recommendation or consent in order that this motion can be proceeded with.

The Chief Minister: On a point of order, Sir. Is it appropriate that a communication of that character, and any reply received which is of a personal character, should be raised without permission?

Mr Speaker: I have already pointed out to the hon. Member that all he can do is to indicate that this recommendation was sought but it has not been granted. That is all. I do not want to know any other points that might have been raised in the correspondence between the hon. Member and the Chief Minister. It does not arise.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Since the House is determined that I shall have no chance to make any reference in passing other than to the fact that I have sought the Hon. the Chief Minister's help to get this consent, may I say, Sir, that I have never received a reply to this letter of the 7th of February? I have indicated to the Hon. the Chief Minister in the strongest possible terms the importance of this motion being debated. I have received no reply. I shall therefore formally move my motion and leave it to the Hon. the Chief Minister to indicate to the House what the position is.

Mr Lim Yew Hock: On a point of information, Sir. The Member for Tanjong Pagar wrote to me and I have replied to him saying that I have spoken to His Excellency and His Excellency regrets that he is unable to give his consent.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, the last communication between the Government and myself was this letter to the Hon. the Chief Minister to which I have received no reply. However, may I now formally move,

That this House deplores the action of the Naval Authorities (1) in forcibly evicting two workers' families residing in quarters in the Naval Base and (2) in using the Protected Areas and Places Ordinance to prohibit and prevent picketing by the workers outside the gates to the Dockyard of the Naval Base.

Mr Speaker: May I enquire under Standing Order 33 (1) and (2) whether the Governor's recommendation or consent has been signified?

Mr Lim Yew Hock: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Governor regrets that he is unable to give his consent under Standing Order 33 (1).

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Shame!

The Governor's consent or recommendation not having been signified, the motion was not proceeded with.