PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.48 p.m.

The Minister for Labour and Law (Mr K. M. Byrne): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have His Excellency's permission to proceed with this Bill on a Certificate of Urgency, and I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

When I became the Minister for Labour and Law in June -

Mr Speaker: Order. Actually, of course, the Certificate of Urgency applies to the Committee Stage and the Third reading. But if the Certificate could be handed in now, I could explain the position.

Certificate of Urgency handed in.

Mr Speaker: The Certificate is in order. I might explain to hon. Members that I have formed the opinion that this Bill is a hybrid Bill, and consequently, under the provisions of Standing Order 65, the Bill should ordinarily, after the Second Reading, be referred to a Select Committee. The Certificate of Urgency, however, takes the Bill out of the ambit of Standing Order 65, and it will consequently be proceeded with, if the Minister so wishes, through the Committee stage and the Third Reading today.

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I said just now, when I became the Minister for Labour and Law in June, 1959, I found to my surprise that the Community Recreation Division, which used to be part of the Department of Social Welfare had been handed over to an employee of the Asia Foundation by the former Government and was being administered from the Singapore Youth Sports Centre. Added to this strange situation, the control of community centres and youth clubs owned and built by Government had by that time completely passed into the hands of community associations and advisory committees under the control of persons closely connected with the former Government who were defeated candidates at the last General Election. So complete was this control that the staff of the Department of Social Welfare were only in name the servants of the Ministry. The result, as could be expected, was a complete standstill in the normal activities of nearly all our community centres. The only activity of note then was the holding of cinema shows for which fees were charged, and it was generally known that these fees were being pocketed by those in control.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I decided that this situation should not be allowed to continue and gave instructions that the Department of Social Welfare should reassume control of all community centres and youth clubs in Singapore. This process of taking over was completed in December 1959. Having succeeded in bringing the community centres and youth clubs under departmental control, it is now necessary to associate the people in the management of these community centres and youth clubs and for this purpose it is proposed in this Bill to set up a Corporation by legislation to promote community recreation in Singapore. This organisation would be able to provide trained leaders who would be able to work on the ground amongst the people, popularise the community centres and youth clubs and organise their activities. No community centre or youth club can ever succeed without the active co-operation of the people, and such centres are most successful if they are run by leaders who understand the needs and interests of the people.

The Bill before the Assembly is designed to set up a People's Association which will work closely with the Community Recreation Division of the Department of Social Welfare and with associations representing the people which will have members in the Corporation.

Clause 2 of this Bill is designed to establish the People's Association as a Corporation to promote community recreation in Singapore.

Clause 3 enables the Corporation to take over the assets and the movable and immovable property of the Singapore Youth Sports Centre, which has been wound up.

Clause 6 of the Bill sets out the constitution of the Board of Management which will consist of 14 members, with the Prime Minister as Chairman, the Minister for Labour and Law as Deputy Chairman, the Minister for Finance, the Director of Social Welfare as Secretary-Treasurer, six members to be appointed by the Chairman and four members to be elected from among the representatives of the organisations mentioned in the Schedule to the Bill. The Board will therefore have strong Government representation and will have the benefit of the experience of its members who will be drawn from a very wide educational, recreational and cultural field.

Clause 10 of the Bill sets out the objects and powers of the Corporation. The objects are "The organisation of leisure and the promotion of youth activities in order not only to develop the cultural, moral and physical potentialities of youth, but also to instil in the youth of Singapore a sense of national identity and a spirit of dedicated service to the community and the organisation and promotion of group participation in social, cultural, educational and athletic activities in order that, the youth of Singapore may be made to realise that they belong not to any particular racial or religious community, but to a Malayan community which transcends communal and racial loyalties." The Corporation has power, inter alia, to appoint committees, officers and servants to carry out its objects and receive contributions from Government and other sources. It can also raise funds on its own. Most important of all is its power to manage or run community centres, youth clubs, boys' clubs and girls' clubs and to organise training for leaders to work in such community centres and clubs.

The Bill will not involve Government in any extra financial expenditure. The People's Association when incorporated will be able to draw upon voluntary service more than a Government department would be able to. There are at present 45 community centres and more are being built in all areas in Singapore where there are large concentrations of population without such amenities. With this rapid expansion in the number of community centres and the necessity of providing a planned programme of educational, cultural and recreational activities for the larger numbers, which will be using these centres, it is obvious that an organisation like the People's Association in which associations representing the people are members will be better equipped to take charge of community recreation on such a scale than a Government Department. Furthermore, Government machinery moves slowly and Government servants on their own cannot provide the leadership required for this purpose. A People's Association is clearly the answer. Government is confident that with the establishment of the People's Association, community centres and youth clubs will become popular people's institutions which will help to bring our peoples of various races closer together and thereby assist us in our task of nation building, it is most urgent therefore that the People's Association should be incorporated without any delay.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

3.55 p.m.

Mr Ong Chang Sam (Choa Chu Kang): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, concerning the People's Association Bill which is tabled before the House now, we must thank the Minister for Labour and Law for introducing this significant and constructive Bill which can be regarded as a valuable gift for our National Day.

Sir, we are aware that the P.A.P. Government will not follow the previous Government in adopting a negative attitude towards the organisations, letting them emerge and disappear by themselves. Our aim is to initiate the activities of the various organisations, and pay due regard to them. But public funds must be well utilised so as to ensure that they will not be wasted. Therefore, we must count every cent, which is to be spent. Then we will be able to carry out the maximum amount of work with the minimum cost for the benefit of the greatest number of people.

From clause 5 of this Bill, we can see clearly that the Government has expressed much concern about the development of the People's Association. Mr Speaker, Sir, one of the reasons why the P.A.P. has today become the governing Party in this House is that we are getting the support of the people of Singa- pore. The people of Singapore have given us their support because of our spirit of dedicated service to them, because we share with them in their vicissitudes and because we work together with them. Our policy is based on this principle. Our attitude now in the discussion of this Bill is also based on this guiding principle.

The Schedule on page 7 of the Bill reflects accurately our point of view. In this Schedule we have included scouting organisations, youth organisations, recreational organisations, student bodies or old boys' associations, and the Fine Arts Society. Also the Dewan Bahasa dan Kebudayaan Kebangsaan which was passed yesterday. Although only 45 organisations are set out in the Schedule, yet it has a wide representation from among the existing statutory organisations in Singapore.

Sir, the setting-up of the People's Association is a matter worth our attention. It is the first time that the Government and public organisations are shouldering the task of providing communal recreational activities. This is another proof that this Government is determined to encourage people to participate in Government organisations. I believe that with the initiative of the Government, and with the assistance of the people, the organisation and the development of the activities of the People's Association will spread swiftly like fire all over the Island.

Sir, it is expected that the activities of the People's Association in the field of culture will be widened. My colleague, the Minister for Labour and Law, has reiterated time and again in the Press that the Government will gradually increase the number of community centres. However, the building of low-cost community centres is based on the Government's economic policy, which is entirely different from the wasteful and unrealistic policy of the past Government. Low-cost community centres will be built up all over the island, especially in the rural areas, where there is hardly any centre. Now the Government is looking for a site and as soon as the building plans are ready, work will begin. The setting-up of community centres is consistent with our pledge to the people. In Part I page 4 of our Chinese pamphlet on P.A.P. policy, we have stated that we need many small units of community centres or clubs in the rural areas. We will look for suitable sites for the building of these centres. The past Government spent a lot of unwarranted money on a few beautiful and luxurious centres in urban areas, which were not used for proper recreational activities. There is urgent need for low-cost community centres in the rural areas so that the rural people can make use of and enjoy the facilities provided by these centres.

Sir, the P.A.P. Government will make full use of community centres for the purpose of carrying out the aims contained in clause 10 (1) (b) of this Bill. That is to say, the People's Association will be responsible for the work of organising and promoting culture and education. Singapore has a multi-racial society, yet the past Government disregarded the importance of racial communication and contact. In the past, most of the people who participated in community centre activities were English-educated people. The non-English educated people who participated were much less. This one-sided development is completely contrary to the aim of the People's Association and the community centres. As a result, we find there has been no improvement in communal customs and usage. Sir, the P.A.P. Government will not allow this ailing and negative attitude to continue to develop. The introduction of the People's Association Bill is an announcement of the death of the past ruling power and the start of a new direction and spirit in our work.

Mr Speaker, Sir, at present there are four different streams of education in Singapore, which are using their respective mother tongue as a medium of communication. So there is hardly any chance for association and understanding among the students of these various streams except once in a while when there may be some contact at a combined schools sports meet. The mixed schools run by the Ministry of Education are still in an experimental stage. Therefore, we must hurry to take action to check our weak points. The only way to achieve this is to set up the People's Association.

Mr Speaker, Sir, the new community centres will open the door to young people of all races and will provide them with an opportunity which they lack in school. In other words, to enable them to make use of the centres for friendly association, study and work. In this way they will better understand their respective custom and usage, which will help to improve communication and promote racial culture. Furthermore, they can make use of these facilities to learn Malay and be proficient in their conversations and writing. This is of great significance in the evolution of a Malayan culture.

Mr Speaker, Sir, according to the 1957 population census. 46 per cent of our total population are people who are above 21 years old, whereas the number of people under 21 years comes to 53 per cent. Of this number, 46 per cent are teenagers under 15 years old. Furthermore, the school-going children make up 22 per cent of the total population.

Sir, from the above percentages, we can see for ourselves that more than 50 per cent of our population are young people. Therefore, their behaviour and conduct is a decisive factor in the interest and future of our country. That is why the Government expresses much concern about their conduct. Because prior to gaining social experiences, our young people are too simple-minded and their behaviour and ways of thinking are easily influenced by society. We must teach them to realise their importance to society and to instil in them a sense of national consciousness. This is only one half of the work to be carried out by our schools and by the People's Association. The other half of the work will depend on the family. Sir, at present, there are certain drawbacks in our society. Many parents, once they have sent their children to school, leave the education of their children entirely to the school. forgetting their responsibilities towards their children. They fail to pay sufficient regard to their children, so that their children are influenced by the evil forces of society and get themselves involved in criminal activities.

If every parent will consider the education of his children as his compulsory responsibility and see to their activities, then I believe that the youth of this country will have a bright future and the State will benefit substantially from it. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to support the Bill.

4.10 p.m.

Mr Tan Cheng Tong (Jalan Kayu): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to support the People's Association Bill. We are all aware that the setting-up of the People's Association by the People's Action Party is of great significance. We set up this People's Association for the purpose of realising our Party aims.

The units to be represented in the People's Association are set out in the Schedule of the Bill. The managing members include representatives from educational, cultural, recreational and old boys' associations. This People's Association can be said to have a full representation of the existing organisations in Singapore. This representation also reflects the Government's attitude. If we can organise all these organisations under the People's Association and popularise it in every corner of the island, then, on the one hand, it will be consistent with our Party aim to strengthen unity among the various races of the people, and, on the other hand, we can raise the cultural standards of our people.

The Government has expressed much concern about the living conditions of the people. The Minister for Labour and Law has announced that the Government will build many community centres all over the island. The setting-up of this People's Association will enable the people to participate in community activities. This Association will not only improve communications between the people of all races but will also raise the educational standards and cultural understanding of the people.

Sir, let me tell you something about the conditions of the community centres in the past Government and why I support this Bill. In the past, the attitude towards community centres was negative and was a departure from the wish of the masses of the people. They very seldom went to the community centres and made' use of them. I know, from my visits, that certain community centres still have the sign. "Beware of Dogs" hanging on the door. Formerly, good results were expected from grand exhibitions like the Agricultural Exhibition. But, on the contrary, there were instances of gambling like tikam, and facilities were provided for the people to gamble in the community centres. Therefore, it can be seen that community centres in the past were not run on proper lines, Because of this, the P.A.P. Government took over these community centres with the object of uniting the people of different races and to bring them closer to the Government so as to understand its policies. These community centres act as a liaison body between the Government and the people, thereby breaking down the barrier that existed between them in the past. If we have the People's Association, we will then be able to teach these people to become good citizens.

Mr Speaker, Sir, in the past, in the guise of community centres, many bad deeds, took place. Therefore, our aim is to unite the people of different races together and to promote friendship among them through cultural activities in order to show them a better way of life. As members of the People's Association, the people will fully realise that they can have their aims satisfied. Therefore, the work to be done will be fully appreciated by them. The community centres will be centres for their activities and they will be able to voice their wishes.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I fully support the People's Association Bill.

Mr Speaker: Mr Byrne, in reply?

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, in view of the silence of the Members of the Opposition, I do not propose to say anything in addition to what I have already said.

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 Byrne].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

4.19 p.m.

Clause 1-

The Chairman: There is a Note:

In page 1, marginal note: after "title", to insert "and commencement".

That will be done.

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 2 to 4 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 5-

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 2, line 38, after "Chairman;", to insert "and".

This amendment is necessary to improve the syntax.

The Chairman: It is a typographical omission.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 5, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 6 and 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 8-

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 4, line 1, after "doing", to insert "shall".

This may be a typographical omission or a grammatical mistake depending on bow you look at these things!

The Chairman: It depends on whether you have blinkers on!

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 8, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 9-

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 4, line 37, after "paragraph (b)", to insert "of subsection (2)".

This was an inadvertent omission, Mr Speaker, Sir.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 9, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 10 to 15 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

The Schedule-

Question proposed, "That the Schedule stand part of the Bill."

Mrs Seow Peck Leng: Mr Speaker, Sir, there have been a few inadvertent omissions. I wonder whether this is another inadvertent omission. The sports movement, the professional movement, international movements like the St. John's Ambulance Association, the Federation of Boys' Clubs and the Girl Guides Association, etc., the educational movement, the cultural movement, the youth movement, the students' movement, and the trade union movement have all been represented. The Minister who professes himself to be the champion of women has omitted the women. I wonder whether that is an inadvertent or sentimental omission.

May I explain, Sir, that the Girls' Life Brigade and the Federation of Girls' Club do not actually represent the women, especially the latter which is run by men and women admittedly for the good of young girls. Actually, these clubs do not represent the women.

The Chairman: Girls and women are not synonymous!

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, we have tried to produce as comprehensive a Schedule as possible and we do not claim, in doing so, that we have been perfect. When the People's Association is constituted, any associations which feel that they should be included could always write in to the People's Association and the inclusion of those associations will be considered.

If the Member for Mountbatten will look at clause 5 of the Bill, she will see that there is provision for amendments to be made to the Schedule by notification in the Gazette with the approval of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara.

Mrs Seow Peck Leng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am grateful to the Minister for the explanation and the assurance given.

Question put, and agreed to.

The Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments; read the Third time and passed.