SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP BILL (Report of Select Committee)

Debate resumed.

Mr Speaker: The original Question was,

"That, the Report of the Select Committee on the Singapore Citizenship Bill, as contained in Sessional Paper No. L.A. 18 of 1957, be adopted."

Since which, there has been an amendment moved,

At the end, to add "subject to the recommittal of the Bill in respect of clauses 3 and 8 and one new clause immediately after clause 5 to a Committee of the whole Assembly".

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

3.45 p.m.

The Chief Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, I find it difficult to understand the reason for the amendment proposed by the Member for Farrer Park.

This Citizenship Bill was drawn up as a result of the agreement reached in London during the constitutional talks. The agreement was debated in this Assembly in April; the hon. Member was present. The agreement was adopted and as a result of that, the Bill was drawn up in order to give effect to the wishes of the Assembly to see that persons who are qualified to become citizens can be registered in order that they can take part in the elections under the new constitution.

The Member for Farrer Park would have us believe that the Government was employing all sorts of tactics. I cannot understand that insinuation, Sir. These citizenship proposals were as a result of an All-Party conference and the recommendations of the All-Party conference were approved by this Assembly before the All-Party delegation left for London for the constitutional talks. It is therefore clear. Sir, that the Government is against the amendment.

Mr Lee Choon Eng: Sir, on a point of information. Whatever the proposed amendment the Member for Farrer Park may move, I would like to have information on this: if a citizen of the United Kingdom applies to be a citizen of Singapore, will he have to renounce his allegiance to the United Kingdom Government or to Her Majesty the Queen? If he holds a United Kingdom passport, will a Singapore passport be issued to him if he applies for Singapore citizenship? And if a Singapore passport is issued, will that Singapore passport be recognised internationally?

The Chief Minister: I now understand, Sir, why the Member for Queenstown seconded the motion, it would appear that he does not understand what this Bill is for. He has difficulty in understanding the agreement reached in London and what the citizenship proposals were. In the case of the citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies, what is required of them before they can become citizens of Singapore is that they should take an oath to the Queen and to the constitution. That is all.

Mr Lee Choon Eng: On a point of clarification, Sir. Will that mean then that a person can hold dual citizenship

Mr Speaker: Order. I think the hon. Member is out of order. He should have made his speech when he seconded the amendment.

Mr Lee Choon Eng: I am just asking for information, Sir.

3.47 p.m.

Mr Lim Choon Mong (Serangoon): Mr Speaker, Sir, although I am not in favour of the amendment, yet I would like to seek guidance from you: when a Member asks for a clause to be considered in Committee, we always allow that. We have done that previously and I think that is the usual practice.

Mr Speaker: Order. I was under the impression that the hon. Member was rising on a point of order.

Mr Lim Choon Mong: No, Sir, I am asking for guidance.

Mr Speaker: I had better guide the hon. Member then. The relevant Standing Order 55 (3) reads:

'Upon a motion to adopt the report of a Select Committee on a Bill, any Member may propose an amendment to add, at the end of the motion or the original motion may include at the end thereof, the words "subject to the recommittal of the Bill [either wholly or in respect only of some particular part or parts of the Bill or of some proposed new clause or new schedule] to a Committee of the whole Assembly", and if that motion is agreed to, the Bill shall stand so recommitted...'

I did, on a previous occasion, suggest that a procedure should be evolved whereby, when a Member asked for certain clauses to be reconsidered in Committee, it was as a matter of course that the motion should be accepted; but as the Standing Orders now stand, we must still go through the procedure of debate, and only if the motion is agreed to, then there can be a recommittal to a Committee of the whole Assembly. But today perhaps hon. Members will have noticed that there has been an amendment made to the relevant Standing Order which would in effect provide for the procedure I have indicated: that is, when a Member wishes certain clauses of a Bill to be recommitted to a Committee of the whole Assembly, that will be done as a matter of course, but that amendment to the Standing Order does not come into operation until the 1st of November.

Amendment negatived.

Mr Speaker: The original Question is before the House.

Mr Lim Choon Mong: Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill was the result of co-operative effort by all the Parties. We have considered every detail and every aspect of it in the interest of the people of Singapore and I believe that this Bill does not exclude anybody who wants to be loyal to Singapore and who wants to serve Singapore. We make it such that anybody who wants to be a Singapore citizen, if he is of good character and is an asset to this country, will be granted that right.

Previous to this, Sir, we had been under the control of England and they made all these laws for us, so that anybody who owes allegiance to the Queen may come into this place and make it their land. However, since then, we have had many new nationals coming in and they may not be just citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies but may also be of the Commonwealth, so that we have to take into consideration all such people; but whatever it is, Sir, we believe that this Bill provides for all who would want to make this place their permanent home.

We of the Liberal-Socialists have taken part in it and we support this motion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Report of the Select Committee on the Singapore Citizenship Bill, as contained in Sessional Paper No. L.A. 18 of 1957, be adopted.

Bill read the Third time and passed.