SINGAPORE MILITARY FORCES (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.13 p.m.

The Acting Chief Secretary (Mr S. T. Stewart): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have His Excellency's recommendation and consent to proceed with this Bill.

Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." As pointed out in the Explanatory Note, the purpose of this Bill is to enable part-time members of the Singapore Military Forces to be used on internal security measures. The need to use them to supplement the police and regular military units has been felt for some time. We are conscious of the need to fully utilise our resources in internal security measures. I may mention, Sir, that in October last year, for instance, many members of the Singapore Military Forces including National Servicemen offered their services in any capacity in which they could be of use to the authority in restoring law and order.

Under the present Singapore Military Forces Ordinance, however, only three types of service, are provided for part-time members, namely, Colour Training Service, Reserve Service and Mobilised Service.

It would not usually be practical nor desirable to take the major step of mobilising the Singapore Military Forces in whole or in part to deal with civil disorders. On the other hand, their employment on internal security duties would not be covered by either Colour Training or Reserve Service as defined under the Ordinance. Their use on internal security duties would therefore raise consequential difficulties over their legal status in carrying out their duties and over compensation for any injury sustained. The only way to get over these difficulties is to amend the Singapore Military Forces Ordinance and this is what clauses 3 and 4 of this amending Bill seek to do.

Clause 3 amends section 14 of the Ordinance to allow part-time members to be used for internal security duties when called upon by order of the General Officer Commanding, Singapore Base District, under whom the Singapore Military Forces operate.

Clause 4 amends section 34 of the principal Ordinance. The effect of these amendments to section 34 is to provide for the pay of members employed on internal security duties, and the intention is that men so called out would be paid the rates of pay they now receive on continuous training. In the case of death or injury, pensions and gratuities would be paid at the same rates as if they were called out on actual service, that is mobilised service, both to the men themselves and/or to their dependants. Provision for this has already been laid down in the rules governing the Singapore Military Forces, namely, the Singapore Military Forces (Pensions, Gratuities and Other Grants) Rules, 1954.

Sir, as stated in the Explanatory Note, the opportunity has also been taken to substitute for the references to the Army Act in the principal Ordinance, references to the Army Act, 1955. This has arisen because a new Army Act came into force on 1st January this year and the old Act lapsed at the same time. Clauses 2 and 5 of the Bill merely provide for this substitution and nothing more.

Sir, this Bill which enables part-time members of the Singapore Military Forces to be used when necessary on internal security duties in support of the police and regular military units is a further indication of the Government's intention and determination to maintain law and order in Singapore which is so vitally necessary for the Island's well-being. The use of part-time members of the Singapore Military Forces in addition to the regular Battalion, which when ready will be available if needed to provide support for the Police on internal security duties, shows also that in our early approach towards internal self-government, we are fully conscious of the need to utilise fully our own resources in the matter of internal security.

I hope, however, Sir, that the occasion will never arise in the future in Singapore, when circumstances are such that we will have to use part-time members of the Singapore Military Forces to supplement the police and regular military units, but that does not mean that we should not take all adequate steps to meet any eventuality. I am sure, Sir, that for the reasons which I have given, this Bill will have the support of the Assembly. I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.