COMMON GAMING HOUSES (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

7.56 p.m.

The Minister for Labour and Law (Mr K. M. Byrne): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That this Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill is complementary to the Betting Ordinance and seeks to provide a means whereby an approved racing club or association may legally promote and operate a public lottery. The Bill gives power to the Yang di-Pertuan Negara to exempt the members and officers of any racing club or association from the provisions of the Common Gaming Houses Ordinance in respect of any public lottery or sweepstake held, promoted, organized, administered or operated by it or by its duly authorized officers or agents. The Bill also provides that it shall not be an offence for a person to buy a ticket or chance or to take part in a public lottery held, promoted, administered or operated by a racing club or association which has been so exempted.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

Mr Thio Chan Bee: Mr Speaker, we were given the assurance that only one particular racing club in Singapore will be given approval to organise all these betting shops and the sale of sweepstake and lottery tickets. Supposing there should be various agents selling lottery tickets issued by racing clubs of other countries, then under this Bill no action can be taken because the proposed section 23 reads:

"Notwithstanding the prohibitions and penalties prescribed and imposed in this Ordinance in relation to a public lottery it shall not be an offence for any person to buy a ticket or chance or take part in any public lottery held ...".

I do not know how the Minister is going to limit the facilities for gambling because these Bills are so worded that the door is left wide open.

Sir, I think the Minister said that in England betting shops are to be set up and that therefore we in Singapore are simply following the good example of England.

Mr Byrne: We are doing it on our own.

Mr Thio Chan Bee: We should follow the good example of any country. But if bad examples are set by any country, we should have the discretion not to follow such examples.

Sir, I would like to refer to somebody, who, I believe, is held in very high esteem by Members of the Opposition - a gentleman whose philanthropic deeds in Singapore have been well known for many years.

Mr Speaker: Order. Moment of interruption. Further consideration, what day?

Mr Byrne: Tomorrow, Sir.

Mr Speaker: So be it.