CONTROL OF PETROLEUM FUEL AND LUBRICANTS BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

11.35 a.m.

The Minister for Commerce and Industry (Mr J. M. Jumabhoy): Sir, I have His Excellency's consent to proceed with this Bill and beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Hon. Members will recall that in a public statement issued on 19th November, attention was drawn to the need to conserve supplies of petroleum fuel in view of the situation in the Middle East and the possibility that deliveries of petroleum products from normal sources of supply might suffer a slight decrease in frequency.

It was also pointed out in that statement that the Governments of Singapore and the Federation would be most reluctant to introduce rationing of petroleum products but that it was desirable that steps should be taken to review the administrative arrangements necessary for the introduction of rationing so that a suitable scheme could be put into effect with the minimum of inconvenience, should such a step ever become necessary.

As part of the preliminary measures to be taken, this Bill, Sir, has been drawn up to enable control over the distribution and rationing of petroleum fuels and lubricants to be brought into effect if and when required. This is solely a precautionary measure and it does not mean - I repeat, Sir, it does not mean - that the introduction of rationing in the immediate future is contemplated. Before rationing could be introduced, it would still be necessary for the Governor to bring the Ordinance into force by notification in the Gazette.

I would like to draw the attention of hon. Members to clause 4 under which the Minister has the power to apply, by order, such sections of the Ordinance as might be necessary. This would mean, Sir, that the Minister, if and when he considers it necessary that rationing should be introduced, would make such an order applicable to any of the items or all of the items stated in the Schedule to this Bill. Rationing would then come into force at that time.

The position, in brief, Sir, therefore is that we must be ready to ration should the necessity arise and that it will not be possible for us to do this unless this legislation is passed. I repeat, Sir, that the presentation of this Bill does not mean that there is any present intention to introduce rationing. Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

11.38 a.m.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Sir, in no independent territory in South-East Asia has there been any need for hasty legislation precipitated by the adventures of the British and French armies in the Middle East. If ever anybody doubted that we are tied up with the destinies and the misfortunes of the British and their Empire, this Bill is a timely reminder.

We have had in the past few weeks a stream of reassuring statements as to the supply of petroleum from all the distributors of oil products. We were, in fact, reminded that our source of petroleum comes from the East and not from the Middle East. But it was pointed out by some Government spokesmen that it might become necessary to divert the supplies available from the Indonesian islands to Britain, because Britain might be short. As far as I know, neither Ceylon nor India nor Pakistan nor Indonesia has been affected by what has been termed "Eden's war". As a gesture of protest, we will vote against this Bill. We are against British imperialism. We are against British militarism. We are against Britain anywhere in the world where she tries to subjugate other people, let alone try to re-subjugate a once subject people who have become free. We will not, I repeat not, share their misfortunes as a result of their stupid and brutal acts in the Middle East.

11.40 a.m.

Mr R. Jumabhoy (Telok Ayer): Sir, I would like to know where we get our supplies of petrol for our requirements. Is it from the Middle East or is it from our neighbouring territories? We have not been told of this. Before I speak further on the subject, could I be informed, Sir?

Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr R. C. H. Lim): I suppose the Minister in charge of the Bill will give the hon. Member an answer when he replies.

Mr R. Jumabhoy: Sir, I would like to get an answer from the Minister before I go further. Without his answer, I am in the dark.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Can the Minister give that answer now?

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy: Sir, as I understand it, most of our supplies come from Indonesian territories and from Borneo, but we do draw a certain amount of supplies from the Middle East. Certain types of fuel come from the Middle East. The refineries in Borneo are, to a certain extent, supplied with petroleum from the Middle East.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Does the Member for Telok Ayer want to continue now?

Mr R. Jumabhoy: I might want to later on, Sir.

Mr A. R. Lazarous (Farrer Park): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I really do not understand why we should have this Bill before us now. Britain blundered in the Middle East. Let Britain pay! Why should we suffer for Britain's blunder? Enough of this stuff about the British Commonwealth which is a symbol of the brotherhood of nations within the British Commonwealth and which was displayed by the British Canberra bombers over Egyptian territory! We cannot take the blame of the weak and stupid man, the Prime Minister of Britain, who has blundered. If there is any shortage of petrol, the petroleum companies should inform us. Only very recently these companies have issued a statement in the Straits Times that there is enough petrol for the consumption of this side of the world. If we take the blame or share the blame for the crime committed by Britain, it is up to us to make it up to our victim also , I would suggest, Sir, that we should make up to the Egyptian Government -

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Hear, hear! Get the Governor's consent!

Mr Lazarous: I will! Sir, I suggest that this Government make a cash gift to the Egyptian Government of £1 million.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order. May I ask the hon. Member to confine his speech to the Bill?

Mr Lazarous: Sir, I am confining myself to the Bill because the Minister, when he moved the Second Reading, said that this Bill was necessary because of the crisis in the Middle East. I am only referring to that. So I give you formal notice, Sir, that I am going to move a motion at the next sitting of the Legislative Assembly that this Government must donate £1 million to the Egyptian Government as a relief fund. This is more or less conscience money because we are also a part of the British Commonwealth. Britain blundered and, as a result, the Egyptian Government suffered, and this £1 million will be in the form of a relief to the Egyptian Government.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order. I should like to remind the hon. Member that he must confine his speech to the Bill.

Mr Lazarous: Sir, I have said what I had to say and I just wish to remind the House that I am going to move a motion. I do not think Mr Deputy Speaker will stop me by saying that this is not relevant. I wish to point out that if this House is competent to debate an issue which is the result of the Suez Canal dispute, then this House is also competent to debate the motion which I am going to move at the next sitting of the Legislative Assembly.

Mr R. Jumabhoy: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I understood from the answer to my question that we get our supplies of petroleum from our nearest territory. If that is so, I do not think we should be deprived of our share of petroleum which we have been regularly getting. If England and France have made mistakes in the Middle East, it is their problem. We should not be made to suffer here. If the oil companies do take away our portion of supplies and send it elsewhere, I think it will not be fair to this colony. Sir, I understand that this Bill is only a precautionary measure.

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy rose -

Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Minister, in reply?

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy: Yes, Sir. The arguments that have been put up against the introduction of this Bill were political arguments and did not have much bearing on the Bill. I did not say that we are getting our supplies from the nearest territory. What I said was that most of our supplies come from Indonesia and Borneo, but we do get a certain amount from the Middle East.

The Member for Farrer Park mentioned that Britain blundered, so let Britain pay. That, Sir, is a matter of opinion of individuals, but, in my opinion, that has no bearing on this Bill which is a precautionary measure. Whoever blundered, whoever has to pay for it, is one thing, but we must be ready to see that there is no chaos in our petrol supply position, and that is why this Bill is necessary, as it will enable the necessary machinery to be set up so that we will not be caught napping in the event that it is imperative that petrol rationing should be introduced.

The Member for Telok Ayer mentioned that we should not be made to suffer and be deprived of our petrol supplies because of Britain's action in the Middle East. I repeat, Sir, that it is not contemplated to introduce petrol rationing immediately, but this Bill is to enable machinery to be set up so that if and when it becomes necessary, because of conditions which are beyond our control, we would be ready to meet the situation.

Petroleum supplies to Singapore are controlled from Britain. There is also the question of tankers. We do not own any tankers, and we might find that, because of the diversion of tankers, the reduced tanker-carrying capacity may not bring us sufficient supplies of petroleum in the future; and whether we like it or not, and whether we agree as to who is to blame or who is not to blame, we will have to face the situation, and that is why this Bill has been brought up before this Assembly.

Question put.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Division, Sir.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Clear the lobbies.

The House divided: Ayes, 20; Noes, 4; Abstention, 1. Ayes Noes Abdul Hamid Bin Ahmad Bin Ibrahim. Haji Jumat. Goh Chew Chua. Braga, A. J. Lazarous, A.R. Butterfield, C. H. Lee Kuan Yew. Ede, John. Goh Tong Liang. Abstention Goode, W. A. C. Hart, T. M. Lim, R. C. H. Jumabhoy, J. M. Jumabhoy, R. Absent Lee Choon Eng. Lim Choon Mong. Chew Swee Kee. Lim Yew Hock. Lim Cher Kheng. Mak Pak Shee. Lim Ching Siong. Marshall, D. S. Lim Koon Teck. Mohd. Sidik Bin Haji Nair, M. P. D. Abdul Hamid. Ong Piah Teng. Sutherland, G. A. P. Seah Peng Chuan. Tan Theng Chiang. Tan, William. Thomas, Francis. Wong Foo Nam.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.