LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS (REPEAL) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

2.58 p.m.

The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Ong Pang Boon): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This is a very short and simple Bill, which seeks to repeal the Local Government Elections Ordinance, 1957, which is no longer required as there will no longer be any City Council or District Council elections. This is in keeping with the declared policy of the present Government to have unified administration in Singapore instead of two parallel administrations, namely, Central Government and Local Government.

As Members are aware, the absorption by the Central Government of the City Council and the Rural Board, which was to be replaced by District Councils, and the integration of the various Local Government bodies with the various departments of the Central Government, are already in the process of implementation. With the abolition, therefore, of these Local Government bodies, the need for election to such bodies does not arise; and therefore the Local Government Elections Ordinance, 1957, can now be repealed.

Sir, I beg to move.

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.-[Mr Ong Pang Boon].

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