POLICE FORCE BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

10.21 a.m.

The Chief Secretary (Mr E. B. David): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have His Excellency's consent to proceed with this Bill.

I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, as explained in the statement at the end of the Bill, this is primarily a consolidating measure. At present, the Police Force is administered and organised in accordance with the provisions of the Police Force Ordinance, 1941, read together with the Singapore Police Force Ordinance, 1949, and it is clearly time that we had a single up-to-date statute regulating the Force. This Bill, Sir, is based not only on the 1941 and 1949 Ordinances but also borrows or adapts certain provisions from the Federation of Malaya Police Ordinance, 1952. Details are set out in the comparative table at the end of the Bill.

The main innovation in the Bill is in clause 21 which provides for the establishment of one or more Police associations to be operated and administered in accordance with Police regulations. It is intended that these associations should form the medium through which members of the Force can bring to notice any grievances regarding their pay or conditions of service and can seek satisfactory remedies through appropriate forms of negotiating machinery. Since the Police is a disciplined Force, this machinery cannot appropriately take the ordinary form of a trade union with the right to strike in support of demands. The provision of associations on these lines accords with the practice in force both in the Federation of Malaya and in the United Kingdom.

Since this Bill was published, Sir, certain representations have been made by the inspectorate in regard to the provisions of clause 20 and clause 28 of the Bill which provide for the discharge or dismissal of inspectors. These representations can properly be considered at the Committee stage of the Bill when those clauses are considered and it is my intention to move that the Bill should be committed to a Select Committee.

Representations have also been received regarding the period of time allowed for appeal under clauses 27 and 28 of the Bill and it will be my intention at the Committee stage to move that the ten days provided in the Bill should be changed to 30 days.

Sir, there are certain other amendments to the Bill to be moved at the Committee stage of which I have given notice but these are mostly of a formal nature and do not affect the substantive provisions of the Bill. The only one on which I would like to comment at this stage is clause 51 of the Bill which deals with the administration of intestate estates. As the clause is at present drafted, it is doubtful whether the Deputy Commissioner will have powers to deal with money as well as with goods and chattels. To clarify the position, it is proposed to substitute the expression "movable property" for "goods and chattels" and to redraft the clause accordingly.

Sir, I do not think I need say any more at this stage and I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.

Committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and five Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection. (Mr David).