NEW CONSTITUTION FOR SINGAPORE

Mr Lim Cher Kheng asked the Chief Minister whether the necessary legislation for the introduction of the new Constitution for Singapore has been finalised; and whether he can state when the Order of Her Majesty in Council containing the new Constitution will be made.

Mr Seah Peng Chuan asked the Chief Minister:

(a) when was the draft of the proposed new Constitution for Singapore received by the Singapore Government.

(b) are there any aspects in the draft of the proposed new Constitution which call for further negotiations, and if he will identify them; and

(c) whether he has been in correspondence with the Colonial Office in London during the past year in connection with these aspects, and if he will present the correspondence to this House.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew asked the Chief Minister whether he has received from London a draft of the Constitution of the new State of Singapore, and when other parties who participated in the London talks will receive copies of the draft for their approval.

Mr Seah Peng Chuan asked the Chief Minister whether he will give this House an opportunity to debate the desirability of a proposed further all-Party Mission to London in connection with the proposed new Constitution for Singapore; and if he will give an estimate of the probable expense to be borne by this territory in connection with the proposed Mission.

Mr Seah Peng Chuan asked the Chief Minister whether there has been correspondence between the Singapore Government and the Colonial Office in London arising out of the rejection by this Assembly last year of the anti-subversive clause in the Report of the Constitutional Conference held in London in March and April 1957 and whether he will present such correspondence to this House.

The Chief Minister (Dr Lim Yew Hock): Mr Speaker, Sir, as there are a number of questions on today's Order Paper on the subject of the Constitutional Order in Council, with your permission I shall answer Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 at the same time.

The constitutional instruments are still being drafted in the Colonial Office and I hope that the completed draft will be received here by the end of this month. I have myself recently discussed the drafting with Mr Melville of the Colonial Office during his visit to Singaport, and certain sections have been referred to our local experts for checking and revision. As soon as the completed draft is ready, I shall study it in conjunction with the members of the All-Party Delegation who were signatories to the conference report.

The stand taken by the Assembly on the anti-subversive clause was reported to the Secretary of State. No correspondence between this Government and the Colonial Office was entered into on this matter, nor has this Government entered into any correspondence with the Colonial Office on the drafting of the Constitution.

The introduction of the new Constitution can be effected at any time this Assembly considers that the time has come to address the Governor to fix a date for the new Constitution in accordance with the agreement set out in paragraph 54 of the Report of the Singapore Constitutional Conference, 1957.

I would invite the attention of hon. Members to that part of the Governor's speech delivered on 9th April which reads as follows:

"The Government intends that the agreement with the United Kingdom Government on the form of the constitutional instruments should be made by the All-Party delegation which took part in the Constitutional discussion last year." The constitutional instruments deal with the life and future of the new State of Singapore and cannot be framed to the satisfaction of local political Parties and the local Government on the one side, and the United Kingdom Government some 8,000 miles away, without delay and without the risk of losing that unity so desirable for such a vital business save by discussions by the parties concerned. I have therefore made arrangements with the Colonial Office for such discussions to take place in May, and I propose to invite the same members to London to finalise the constitutional instruments. The probable expense to Singapore is return air passages for six persons plus necessary incidentals.

The desirability of visiting London for this purpose cannot be gainsaid and I do not consider it necessary that this Assembly should be given an opportunity to debate this matter.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (Tanjong Pagar): Will the Hon. the Chief Minister confirm that copies of this draft constitution have been circulating or are being circulated to some heads of Government Departments?

The Chief Minister: Sir, I said in my reply just now that certain sections of the draft Constitution have been referred but not full copies. As it is, I myself have not seen a completed copy.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Is that because the Chief Minister is not in the confidence of Her Majesty's Colonial Office?

The Chief Minister: I do not know whether that is to my credit or to my discredit.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Does the Chief Minister remember that in London it was agreed that the terms of the constitutional instruments setting out what was agreed to in the Report of the All-Party Committee were to be settled by the Delegation and the Parties that the Delegation represented?

The Chief Minister: I said, Sir, that when the complete draft is received by me, there will be consultations with members of the All-Party Delegation, and I also drew attention to that part of the Governor's speech which clearly sets out that this Government will do nothing about the draft Constitution without bringing in the All-Party Delegation.

Mr Lim Cher Kheng (Changi): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to know whether the Hon. the Chief Minister is able to inform this House what is the main cause of the delay in drawing up the draft Constitution. It has taken one solid year already.

The Chief Minister: I do not know whether I am in a position to reply to that question. It is a matter for the Colonial Office. I understand they have their hands full because there are a number of other Colonies which are having new constitutions almost at the same time as Singapore.