CONTROL OF RENT (RESTRICTION OF PROCEEDINGS) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.53 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Inche Yaacob Bin Mohamed): (In Malay): Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Hon. Members will recall that last month the Control of Rent (Amendment) Bill, 1959, was passed in order to provide temporary relief for farmers and others who used to suffer considerable hardship as a result of evictions sanctioned by the Court under the provisions of sections 15 (1) (i) and (k) of the Control of Rent Ordinance, Chapter 242. It has now been found that this temporary amending legislation failed to provide for those cases where proceedings for eviction had already commenced under the provisions of the Control of Rent Ordinance which had been temporarily suspended.

The purpose of this Bill is to rectify this omission by providing that during the continuance in force of the Control of Rent (Amendment) Bill, 1959, no Court shall entertain any proceedings for recovery of possession on any of the grounds which have been temporarily suspended by the Control of Rent (Amendment) Bill, 1959.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

4.00 p.m.

Mr Rajah: Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise not to oppose this Bill, but merely to point out that this amendment could have been introduced in the former amendment to the Control of Rent Ordinance. It can be said, in this instance, more haste, less speed.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Assembly immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. -[Inche Yaacob Bin Mohamed].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without Amendment; read the Third time and passed.