Committal to Select Committee

The Chief Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, under Standing Order No. 48, I beg to move,

That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following as Members:

Mr Lim Yew Hock.

Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat.

Mr Chew Swee Kee.

Mr E. P. Shanks.

Mr Lim Choon Mong.

Mr Lim Koon Teck.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Question proposed.

3.42 p.m.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think everybody will agree that this is a very important Bill. The Hon. the Chief Minister did mention to me during the luncheon adjournment that he wanted the Members of the last Constitutional Mission to be on the Select Committee and two others.

Sir, I think it would be in the interest of all if we enlarge this Committee either to 9 or to 11 because my Party considers that it would be of advantage if there were two of us on this Committee. The Government will understand that this is a Bill to which all the communities are most sensitive and I would like to propose, if the Government agrees to the enlargement of the number of persons on the Select Committee, that the Member for Sembawang and one other gentleman of Indian origin be included in the Select Committee - not that we want to be communalistic about this but in order that everybody in Singapore will understand that all views have been represented and adequately heard in the Select Committee. It will be most unfortunate if when the Bill comes back from Select Committee there should be clauses recommitted for open debate from which a great deal of acrimony may arise. I do not know how the Government feels about it. Perhaps the Liberal-Socialists may not like the idea that the People's Action Party with only three members should have the same number of representatives on the Select Committee as the Liberal-Socialist Party with seven members - I am told that at any moment now there may be eight members as a result of the activities of the Member for Telok Ayer. Be that as it may, if they want to have three as compared to P.A.P.'s two, well let them have three. I say juggle the figures how we will but let us make this a representative Committee so that nobody can say, "We were not adequately heard or represented."

Mr Speaker: It would appear then that the Member for Tanjong Pagar would be suggesting an amendment to the second part of the motion. Under Standing Order No. 48, there can be no amendment to or debate on the motion that the Bill be committed to a Select Committee. Therefore I put that Question first, "That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee," and then I will propose the second part of the Question so that a debate can take place on it. The Question now before the Assembly is, "That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee."

Question agreed to.

Mr Speaker: The Question now is,

"That the Select Committee do consist of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following as Members:

Mr Lim Yew Hock.

Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat.

Mr Chew Swee Kee.

Mr E. P. Shanks.

Mr Lim Choon Mong.

Mr Lim Koon Teck.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew."

If the Member for Tanjong Pagar will move an amendment, a debate can emerge from that.

Suspension of Sitting

The Chief Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, I move that the proceedings be suspended for five minutes to enable the Government to consult with the Opposition with regard to the composition of the Select Committee.

Mr Speaker: Is that the wish of the Assembly?

Hon. Members indicated assent.

Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend the sitting for five minutes. I will take the Chair again at seven minutes to Four o'clock.

Sitting suspended at 3.48 p.m. and resumed at 3.53 p.m.

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Speaker: Order. Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, I understand that the Hon. the Chief Minister has consulted Opposition Parties and he has now an amendment to move to his own proposal.

Mr Speaker: It will be a bit peculiar if the proposer of a motion proposes an amendment to his motion. Perhaps the Member for Tanjong Pagar could propose the amendment?

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Then I shall oblige the Chief Minister and extricate him from the predicament he is in by moving,

After 'Mr Lee Kuan Yew.'. to add:

'Mr M. P. D. Nair.

Mr Wong Foo Nam.

Mr Soh Ghee Soon.

Inche Ahmad Bin Ibrahim.'

Amendment handed in.

Mr Speaker: The original Question then was,

"That the Select Committee do consist of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following as Members:

Mr Lim Yew Hock.

Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat.

Mr Chew Swee Kee.

Mr E. P. Shanks.

Mr Lim Choon Mong.

Mr Lim Koon Teck.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew."

Since when an amendment has been moved:

After 'Mr Lee Kuan Yew.'. to add:

'Mr M. P. D. Nair.

Mr Wong Foo Nam.

Mr Soh Ghee Soon.

Inche Ahmad Bin Ibrahim.'

The Question is, "That the names proposed to be added, be there added."

Question agreed to.

Original Question, as amended, put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Select Committee do consist of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following as Members:

Mr Lim Yew Hock.

Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat.

Mr Chew Swee Kee.

Mr E. P. Shanks.

Mr Lim Choon Mong.

Mr Lim Koon Teck.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Mr M. P. D. Nair.

Mr Wong Foo Nam.

Mr Soh Ghee Soon.

Inche Ahmad Bin Ibrahim.