MENTAL DISORDERS AND TREATMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

12.14 p.m.

The Minister for Communications and Works (Mr M. P. D. Nair) (on behalf of the Minister for Health, Mr A. J. Braga): Mr Speaker, Sir, I move,

That the Order for the Second Reading of this Bill be discharged and the Bill withdrawn.

Inche Mohamed Sidik Bin Haji Abdul Hamid: I second it. [Interruption]

Mr Speaker: Order.

Question proposed.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: I think this takes the cake! Mr Speaker, Sir, we have-

Mr Speaker: Order. I suppose the word "cake" is parliamentary?

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: It depends on what the ingredients are, Mr Speaker, but I believe there should at least have been some decency-

Mr Speaker: I think that word "decency" as opposed to "indecency" is unparliamentary. Perhaps the hon. Member would like to withdraw the word "decency" in that sense?

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, let me hasten to assure you that I did not have anything in my mind remotely connected with what Freud usually associates with that word. But the context in which I had intended to use that phrase was some legislative approbium, to come and tell this House why we should have spent our time, first, in looking at the Bill; second, in anticipating a hilarious debate as to how the sanity of the people of Singapore can be looked after; and, finally, without so much as, by your leave, to tell the House that we have just been wasting time!

Sir, I was going to make what I had hoped would be some apt and happy observations on mental disorders and the treatment thereof, particularly in respect of those who, because they have to shoulder too onerous Ministerial duties beyond the line of duty, are therefore troubled in their sleep by what are normally called mental disorders, I would be obliged if the Minister for Communications and Works could tell us why, in the first place, the Bill was tabled, why it has suddenly been decided to withdraw it, and whether we can expect in the not too distant future the First Reading of another Bill of precisely the same character. I would like to add, since I see that the Attorney-General is extremely eager to help his unfortunate colleague, that whatever the duties of the leading Counsel for the Crown are, they do not include the lifesaving of a drowning elected colleague.

Mr Shanks: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think I can help the House on this, and I rise to do so not for the motives insinuated by the Member for Tanjong Pagar but because I think it may assist the House to know that publication of this Bill after it had been read the First time has resulted, as one always hopes it will in the expression of ideas and constructive criticism by members of the public. In this particular case, I believe constructive suggestions were made by members of the medical profession. Those suggestions go further than what was originally proposed in the Bill, and I can assure the House that a fresh, bigger and a better Bill is already in preparation. I confidently expect that this bigger and better Bill which has resulted from the assistance given by the medical practitioners who read this Bill on its publication will be introduced into the Assembly at some convenient date.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: On a point of information, Sir.

Mr Shanks resumed his seat.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: May I ask the Attorney-General whether we can confidently expect a bigger, a better, and a fresher Minister to come and move the Second Reading of the new Bill?

Mr Speaker: Has the Attorney-General completed his speech?

Mr Shanks: I have, Sir.

Mr Speaker: The Member for Tanjong Pagar was a bit lucky. The Minister is entitled to a reply if he so desires.

Mr Nair: Sir, I do not want to reply.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved.

That the Order for the Second Reading of this Bill be discharged and the Bill withdrawn.

Mr Speaker: This is an appropriate time to suspend. I will take the Chair again at half-past two.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 12.21 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. Sitting resumed at 2.30 p.m.