GOVERNOR'S SPEECH (Debate on the Address)

Debate resumed.

3.15 p.m.

The Chief Minister: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I now rise to reply to the various points raised by Members of the Opposition which have not been covered by my colleagues.

Members of the Opposition have attacked the Governor's Speech in that the date of the general elections was not mentioned. We have been accused of being vague on a matter of extreme importance to Members of this Assembly and to the people of Singapore. It is indeed, Sir, a matter for regret that Members of the Opposition do not know what they are talking about as has been evidenced a few minutes ago by the display of ignorance by the Member for Queenstown (Mr Lee Choon Eng).

Sir, in the Report of the Singapore Constitutional Conference, it has been made abundantly clear that the date of the general elections, that is the date of coming into effect of the new constitution for the State of Singapore, is dependent on a motion being moved by this Assembly to the Governor saying that the time has come for general elections to take place. The Member for Serangoon (Mr Lim Choon Mong) while touching on this challenged the Member for Tanjong Pagar (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) to table such a motion. The Member for Tanjong Pagar while criticising the vagueness of the Governor's Speech did not say whether he was in favour or not of early elections. All he did was to pound his chest and say, "No matter when it is, we will win." All I can say is, "We shall see."

The Member for Tanjong Pagar said that recent events have shattered our confidence. I think he was referring to the results of the City Council elections. If he were, Sir, I think recent events in the City Council have shattered the confidence of the public in the P.A.P.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: That is what you are hoping for.

The Chief Minister: He accused us, with regard to the date of the coming into force of the new constitution whether we introduce compulsory voting or not, that the Government was not going to hold early elections. Sir, surely it is not for the Government to fix a date for the general elections but under agreement reached in London it is for this Assembly.

The Member for Telok Ayer (Mr R. Jumabhoy) who is not here, Sir, said that we are a minority Government. Yes, we are. We are proud to be the minority Government that cannot be overthrown because the Opposition do not have the guts to overthrow us. They can at any time table a motion - a vote of no confidence to get us out. Let them do it. All they know is that this Government is brave and courageous enough to do something which they themselves dare not do and which they themselves know that we are doing for the good of the people of Singapore and even my hon. friend the Member for Tanjong Pagar is quite pleased. It was by Government's action that the subversive elements in his Party are now enjoying hospitality in Changi prison.

Mr Lim Cher Kheng: Thanks to the `Marshall' law.

The Chief Minister Had it not been for that, Sir, I think the Member for Changi (Mr Lim Cher Kheng) would not have said that the Member for Tanjong Pagar is the Rightist of the Leftist movement. I do not know what that term implies but one thing which I did say and which the public knows is that without the action of my so-called minority Government the, shall we say, "champion of the working class" might be having a large number of backseat drivers still driving and would not be driving himself. In fact, one significant backseat driver is still in Changi prison.

I said, Sir, in my speech that this year is indeed a very crucial year. I warned the Members of this Assembly - and in their heart of hearts they believe it is true - and yet they played party politics in this Assembly. I told them, "Please, hon. Members of this Assembly, do realise that the fight ahead of us is a very stiff fight. It is not a fight of the Parties represented in this Assembly at present. It is a fight of democratic forces against Communist forces in Singapore. Are we to be foolish enough to play party politics and allow the security and happiness of the people of this country to be jeopardised?" I appeal to them, "When we go forward to the general elections, let us fight hard, but fight wisely, otherwise the subversive elements with their new fronts - the old fronts having been denied to them by Government action - will do all they can to capture the prize or the fruit that we have all worked so hard to achieve." Quarrel among ourselves if we like - that is democracy - but in the big thing that lies ahead of us never forget that we face the same danger. The security of this new State of Singapore that is to come into being is in jeopardy if we do not wake up in time to meet the threat that is at present mustering all their resources to throw all their forces into the general elections. But I say this (I have been asked to name a date although I need not have to name a date) - the date of the general elections will be dependent on when the Government is satisfied that subversive forces are not going to capture the Government of the new State of Singapore, but we will not go beyond the Rendel Constitution. I say, "Blame me as much as you want but who am I when I have the security and the happiness of the people of Singapore at stake? They are greater than this Government here which is not more concerned with being returned at the next general elections." We would be happy to surrender this Government to any democratic form of Government if they will meet this threat strongly and boldly and not dilly-dally. Sometimes, they are comrades and sometimes they are not comrades. We do not like that, Sir. Come out boldly on your stand and say, "We are for this."

We heard from the Member for Tanjong Pagar that the Labour Front Coalition is a sinking ship. I do not know; I have not seen any water leaking in yet. Then he tries to teach us, to teach me particularly, Sir, who have been working hard for the good of the people of Singapore since 1948, how to suck eggs.

Then, Sir, he touched on the fire victims, "Ha, let us appeal to the masses. Let us capture their imagination. Let us exploit, shall we say, the sufferings of the people. Let us make this suffering the basis of a grand appeal to the masses." He said, "We the P.A.P. do this and do that. The people poured in the money to help these victims just because the City Hall has now been turned from the so-called colonial building into something that is grand and something that understands the feelings and the aspirations of the people of Singapore." So much so that there is booing and shouting when the City Council sits every time! Sir, in this Assembly as Minister for Labour and Welfare, I say that all political Parties and all sections of the people in times of, shall we say, emergency and distress of this kind, should rise above party politics and help to ameliorate the sufferings of the poor. The people of Singapore rose to the occasion and donated so much money, clothing and goods, and as much of other things. They did all these things not because of the antics in the City Hall, but because today they are the citizens of Singapore and they realise it. It is their responsibility to ameliorate the sufferings of their fellow-citizens not because of what one Party said or what another Party did. I understand that even the Workers Party tried to cash in on the sufferings by selling sweets outside the camp.

As usual, the Member for Tanjong Pagar is fond of issuing threats - wonderful! "You want to fight, come on. I am not afraid of you. If you do not do this, watch out!" Sir, we on this side of the House have been doing all we can quietly - without show, without wanting to seek publicity and without having to issue, shall we say, a press release almost every day. We do it quietly. We regain the confidence of the people of Singapore. We regain the confidence of the people outside Singapore and yet just by one silly utterance of a politician in this Assembly, everything is damaged. What heights of irresponsibility!

The Member for Farrer Park (Mr A. R. Lazarous) said something about the Member for Tanjong Pagar. I do not know whether he is making an application to join the P.A.P. or to meet the ex-comrades of the P.A.P. - I do not know which. I do not even know whether he has joined the Workers Party. He has said a number of things in this Assembly which puzzle us a bit.

The Member for Queenstown and the Member for Telok Ayer criticised that part of the Governor's Speech which deals with trade. They said that this Government must have the assent of the United Kingdom Government before we can enter into any trade agreement. Their attention has been drawn to paragraphs 33, 34 and 36 of the Report of the Singapore Constitutional Conference. Sir, they approved this Report when we debated the talks in London, and now they do not know what they approved. They say this is all wrong. Very lamentable! I only hope, Sir, that the electorate will open their eyes and know the type of Members they returned to this Assembly.

Now on compulsory voting. This matter was brought up at one of the civics courses. I never brought it up, nor did I think of it. But at my Party conference it was decided that if the public wanted compulsory voting, we should accept that and introduce legislation for it. Organisations have written to me. I met them last Saturday and as a result of the discussion I told them that since they wanted compulsory voting, we will introduce legislation. The Government has not yet decided on this, but the Labour Front part of the Coalition Government is committed to introducing legislation. Our coalition partners, the U.M.N.O., are against it, and I respect their views. This is a matter in which we should allow all sections of opinion, even among Ministerial colleagues, to voice. I did not want to touch on this subject, because the Member for Changi has a motion on the Order Paper, but it is clear from the report in last Sunday's papers that the Labour Front has been committed to acceding to the wishes of the organisations concerned. We are not using anything as an excuse to delay the elections. We pointed out that if compulsory voting has to be introduced, it will be necessary to have a few months more in which the electorate can be educated. Compulsory voting, they say, would be a good thing because we will then be able to put an end to so many allegations of corrupt practice at election time. The Report of the Elms Commission also supports compulsory voting and has given reasons why it should be introduced.

The People's Action Party and the Liberal-Socialist Party have said that they will see to it that the draft constitution will not contain anything other than what has been agreed in the report. Surely they need not have to suggest that. We went to London as an All-Party delegation. The Government did not and do not propose to claim credit for having brought back the constitution. We said it was an All-Party effort, and because it was an All-Party effort, it is stated in the Governor's Speech that the draft constitution will be settled by the same delegation. There is no sinister motive in bringing the delegation to London. Some people have alleged that we are going there for something else! In a way, of course, I can understand their qualms, especially as they have not yet received copies of the draft constitution. I have not received it too, but I have been assured that copies will reach us at the end of this month, and as soon as copies are received, they will be despatched to the members of the All-Party delegation.

The Member for Telok Ayer said he wanted early elections. I say this to him: if he really wants early elections, and as it is already in the Report of the Constitutional Conference in London, he can table a motion. No one is going to prevent him from doing it. He can table it and achieve what he wants, instead of harping at every sitting that we are a minority Government.

Sir, as we have a number of motions on the Order Paper to be settled today, I do not think I should take up some more time of hon. Members on the political speeches of Members of the Opposition, but I would like to say this once again: Let us wake up to the facts. Unless we work hard and work well, the people of Singapore are going to suffer if subversive elements capture the government.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That an Address be sent to His Excellency the Governor expressing the thanks of this Assembly for his speech delivered on Wednesday, 9th of April, 1958.