LANGUAGES IN THE ASSEMBLY (Appointment of Select Committee)

2.35 p.m.

The Chief Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to move the motion standing in my name, namely,

That a Select Committee comprising Mr Speaker as Chairman and thirteen members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection be appointed to examine, report upon and make recommendations in respect of matters necessary to enable effect to be given to the resolution of the Assembly on 9th February, 1956, that for the purposes of oral debate the languages of the Assembly should be English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil; and that the Report from the Select Committee on Languages in Legislative Assembly Debates in the previous Session, as contained in Sessional Paper No. L.A. 7 of 1956, be referred to this Select Committee.

Sir, in moving this motion, I would like to refresh the memory of hon. Members that, pursuant to a resolution passed on 9th February this year, a Select Committee was appointed to examine, report upon and make recommendations in respect of matters necessary to enable effect to be given to the proposal that, for the purposes of oral debate, the languages of the Assembly should be English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. You will remember, Sir, that you were Chairman of the Committee and a report of that Committee was tabled as Sessional Paper No. L.A. 7 of 1956. The Committee was unable, within the little time at their disposal, to conclude their investigations, and recommended that a similar Select Committee be appointed in the next session of the Legislative Assembly, and that Paper S.C. Languages No. 3 annexed to the Report should be referred to that Select Committee. The purpose of this motion, Sir, is to give effect to this recommendation.

I think, Sir, enough has been said on the need for multi-lingualism in an Assembly in a place like Singapore. Certain objections were voiced during the debate in February this year, one of which was that the introduction of multi-lingualism would tend to encourage racial consciousness and racial antagonisms. I consider that objection to be a very dangerous one, putting ideas into people's heads. After all, language is a means of communication of ideas and to say that it will tend to encourage racial consciousness and racial antagonisms is deliberately putting ideas into people's heads. Is multi-lingualism not in use in our everyday lives, since the people of different races came to live in Singapore? I speak at least three languages with members of my family, with my friends and with my staff in the office, and I am sure other Members of this House also do the same, and indeed, some may be using more than three languages in their everyday life. It is grossly unfair that a man born in Singapore with all his birthrights or is otherwise qualified cannot sit in this House and help in governing this country simply because he is unable to speak English. Let us all not pretend in this House that it is only through English that we can express ourselves clearly and forcefully. I am sure that at moments some of us feel that if multilingualism were in use we would have put more force into our arguments and with a firmer conviction.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope that the day will not be far away when every person born in Singapore or is otherwise qualified will be enabled to sit in this Assembly irrespective of the language in which he was educated. It is also my fervent hope, Sir, that the Select Committee to he appointed under this motion today will deal with this matter expeditiously so that multi-lingualism will become a reality and not remain as an academic discussion. Sir, I beg to move.

The Minister for Commerce and Industry (Mr J. M. Jumabhoy): Sir, I second it.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That a Select Committee comprising Mr Speaker as Chairman and thirteen members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection be appointed to examine, report upon and make recommendations in respect of matters necessary to enable effect to be given to the resolution of the Assembly on 9th February, 1956, that for the purposes of oral debate the languages of the Assembly should be English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil; and that the Report from the Select Committee on Languages in Legislative Assembly Debates in the previous Session, as contained in Sessional Paper No. L.A. 7 of 1956, be referred to this Select Committee.