LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL (Select Committee's Report)

11.45 a.m.

The Chief Minister (Tun Lim Yew Hock): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the Report of the Select Committee on the Local Government Elections (Amendment) Bill, as contained in Sessional Paper L.A. 22 of 1958, be adopted, subject to the recommitted of the Bill in respect of a new clause immediately after clause 11 to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Mr Speaker, Sir, the Report of the Select Committee on the Local Government Elections (Amendment) Bill has been in the hands of hon. Members for nearly two months. I refer to Sessional Paper No. L.A. 22 of 1958. Hon. Members are aware that the purpose of this amending Bill was to implement the recommendations of the Elias Commission by embodying them in the law with the object of eliminating malpractices during elections. As a result of oral and written representations as well as new proposals made in Select Committee, a number of amendments to the original Bill have been made. As hon. Members have had a good deal of time in which to study the Report, I feel it would be unnecessary for me to do any more except draw attention to the major amendments.

Sir, the first major amendment is at clause 3. It has nothing to do with the Elias Commission, being solely concerned with changing the franchise for local government elections by permitting only those persons who have been registered as Singapore citizens to vote. The qualifications for voting at local government elections are now identical with those required for the Legislative Assembly elections. In other words, the franchise is confined to Singapore citizens. By virtue of the proviso at paragraph (d), the existing qualifications will remain unchanged for the purposes of any by-elections which may take place between now and the completion of the revision of the register of electors towards the end of the year.

Sir, the second major amendment is shown at clause 16, by which a new Section 41A has been added to provide for compulsory voting. Views on this amendment were not unanimous as the Hon. the Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing voted against its inclusion in the Bill. The amendments made at clauses 2, 4, 11 and 14 are consequential on the provision for compulsory voting. The principle which is inherent in the proposal for compulsory voting is that persons who are now privileged to become Singapore citizens are required as a duty to vote and not simply regard voting as a right which can be ignored without redress.

Under our new Constitution, we have taken into our Singapore family a large number of persons who, by virtue of only eight years' residence, are privileged to become Singapore citizens. By introducing compulsory voting, we bring all these citizens into active participation in elections. On the one hand, therefore, they have a proper status and a stake in this country and have a voice in its affairs, and on the other hand, they are expected to exercise their vote and demonstrate tangibly their interest and loyalty by discharging their duty by voting.

Hon. Members will recollect that the Government had received representations from many organisations and individuals urging upon the Government to introduce compulsory voting and in deference to their wishes the Government agreed to give support to their representations. My colleague, the Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing, however, is under a special directive from his Party to oppose compulsory voting and I have therefore given him and the Assistant Minister for Education permission to take their Party's stand on this issue. As this is a matter which concerns all political Parties represented in the Assembly and as Members of the Select Committee were drawn from such political Parties, it was fully discussed at informal meetings and, apart from the Minister for Local Government. Lands and Housing there was no opposition to compulsory voting.

It is also considered that compulsory voting will, together with the other measures which have been written into the Bill, reduce the opportunities for malpractices such as intimidation and coercion of the electorate. In fact, the Elias Commission was of the opinion that a system of compulsory voting would be the most important single measure that could lead to the elimination of corrupt practices. Another reason, Sir, was on account of the inaccuracies in the registers, which, for various reasons, are thought to be as high as 20 per cent inaccurate. With compulsory voting the electoral registers can be corrected once and for all. It is for these several important reasons that provision has been made for compulsory voting.

It will be noticed that in the event of persons failing to vote, mild sanctions are imposed. I should mention that Members of the Select Committee had informal discussions on the sanctions proposed and the effect on the public. It was generally agreed that as this would be the first time that many members of the public will be visiting the polls, it was not intended that the legal sanction should be harsh.

It was necessary, however, to provide an inducement to all voters, old and new, to discharge their duty on polling day. It was agreed to recommend as a Government policy to confine State organised social benefits to citizens of Singapore and their families whose names, if their ages are 21 and above, should appear on the electoral roll. Such benefits are free medical treatment, unemployment and other relief, free primary education, S.I.T. accommodation, etc. The issue of passports and employment in the Civil Service are also points of Government policy.

On the subject of transport to the polling stations, the amendment at subclause (2) of clause 22 confines the use of motor vehicles to the owner and members of his family. A definition of "member of his family" is given at subclause (3).

A new provision to regulate the display of posters and banners has been added at clause 24. By this amendment we hope to eliminate the indiscriminate plastering of posters and banners and the disfigurement of the City and the countryside whenever there is an election or a by-election. The regulations will be published in due course.

As regards election activities, the amendment to the new Section 73C on page 14 specifically prohibits primary or secondary school students as well as known secret society members from participating in election activities. The reason for this provision is, I think, clear enough.

Sir, I have now covered the main amendments. As notified in my motion, however, I have one amendment to make on recommittal of the Bill. I will speak on this amendment at that time.

Sir, I beg to move.

Mr Speaker: Before we proceed further on this matter, perhaps I had better draw the attention of hon. Members to Standing Order 55 (3). If hon. Members will look at page 23 of the Standing Orders, perhaps they will follow me a little more closely. Paragraph (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 upon that motion being seconded the Bill shall stand so recommitted without question put. The Assembly shall thereupon either forthwith or upon a day to be named by the Member in charge of the Bill, resolve itself into a Committee to consider the business so recommitted."

The position then in this case is that when once the motion is seconded, then, to use the words in the Standing Order, upon that motion being seconded the Bill shall stand so recommitted without question put." Therefore, if an hon. Member wishes to discuss or vote against any specific clauses in the Bill itself, then this is his opportunity to amend the motion under the provisions of Standing Order 55 (3) so that the Bill can be recommitted not only in respect of a new clause to be proposed but also in respect of those specific clauses.

I trust I have made myself clear, and if hon. Members wish for time to consider that aspect of this motion, perhaps we could take the suspension now.

The Chief Minister: Is it to be seconded, Sir?

Mr Speaker: I am not asking for a seconder yet. I would like to know whether hon. Members would like time to consider that Standing Order. Perhaps Members of the Opposition could indicate to me whether they would like time.

Mr R. Jumabhoy: Sir, it would be very wise to adjourn now as the time is about 12 o'clock. It would also give us time for consideration.

Mr Speaker: This is just to give hon. Members an opportunity to discuss in Committee of the whole Assembly certain specific clauses. If hon. Members do not wish to take advantage of Standing Order 55(3) , then I will call for a seconder and that means, of course, that the matter then goes straight into Committee of the whole Assembly only in connection with the new clause.

I might also mention, of course, that if hon. Members wish to discuss generally the contents of the Bill, the opportunity will present itself at the Third Reading.

May I have a seconder?

The Minister for Health (Mr A. J. Braga): I second it.

Mr Speaker: Committee, what day?

The Chief Minister: Now, Sir.

Mr Speaker: I do not know whether hon. Members would prefer to take the suspension now.

The Chief Minister: We can suspend now, Sir.

Mr Speaker: I will then suspend. I will take the Chair again at half-past two.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 12 noon until 2.30 p.m. Sitting resumed at 2.30 p.m.