SINGAPORE TELEPHONE BOARD (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

6.46 p.m.

The Deputy Prime Minister (Dr Toh Chin Chye): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." This Bill -

Mr Speaker: Order. May I have the recommendation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara?

Dr Toh Chin Chye: I have the Yang di-Pertuan Negara's recommendation under Standing Order 49 (1) . Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill, which seeks to amend the Singapore Telephone Board Ordinance, has three purposes. Firstly, to enable the Director of Audit, Singapore, to be the Board's auditor. Secondly, to empower the Minister to appoint to the Telephone Board persons who are in the public service when suitable for appointment. And thirdly, to impose the payment of stamp duties on the Telephone Board.

The Director of Audit, Singapore, at present is not an auditor within the definition under section 2 of the Singapore Telephone Board Ordinance, although under a different Ordinance, the Audit Ordinance, he is empowered to audit the accounts of any public authorities and bodies administering public funds. The fee for such audit in each case is charged to the authority or body concerned. By amending the definition of "auditor" under section 2 of the Singapore Telephone Board Ordinance, the Director of Audit is now authorised to act as auditor for the Telephone Board.

Under the provisions of section 5 (2) of the Ordinance, no person in the public service of the State can be appointed to the Telephone Board. This restriction on public servants is now removed by clause 3 of the Amendment Bill.

Statutory bodies which perform duties in the nature of social services are exempted from payment of stamp duties, while other bodies whose operations are of a commercial character are liable to payment of stamp duties. Since the Telephone Board is being run more as a commercial body, the Board can no longer be exempted. Clause 4 of the Amendment Bill seeks to repeal section 25 of the Ordinance, and the Yang di-Pertuan Negara's recommendation under Standing Order 49 (1) has been obtained in respect of this clause.

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.-[Dr Toh Chin Chye].

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