SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP (AMENDMENT NO. 2) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

5.47 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs (Dr Lee Siew Choh): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill seeks to enable a person, who is born in the Federation of Malaya, or who is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, or the Republic of Ireland, or who is a Commonwealth citizen (other than a citizen of Singapore), to be registered as a citizen of Singapore if he has served for a period of not less than three years full-time or five years part-time in the Armed Forces of Singapore.

At present under subsection (2) of section 15 of the Ordinance, provision is made for citizens of foreign countries to qualify for Singapore citizenship by way of naturalization if they have served satisfactorily for a period of not less than three years full-time or of four years part-time in the Armed Forces of Singapore. Previously, until section 8 of the Singapore Citizenship Ordinance was amended by the Singapore Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance, No. 41 of 1960, the period of residential qualification required in respect of persons born in the Federation of Malaya or citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies, for Singapore citizenship by way of registration was only two years. It did not matter very much that this concession as regards satisfactory service with the Armed Forces of Singapore was not extended to them, because under section 15 of the Ordinance this concession was only made applicable to applicants from foreign countries serving not less than three years full-time service or not less than four years part-time service, which was longer than the two-year residential qualification under section 8.

But as the period of residential qualification required under section 8 is now eight years, it is considered reasonable therefore to take into consideration satisfactory service with the Armed Forces by persons born in the Federation, citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies or of the Republic of Ireland or other Commonwealth citizens applying for Singapore citizenship. Therefore, in clause 2 of the Bill, section 8 has been amended to provide that the period of such service should be three years full-time and five years part-time. Since the period of residential qualification under section 15 of the Ordinance has been extended from eight years to ten years, it is also considered reasonable that the period of full-time service and part-time service should be increased from three years to four years, and from four years to six years respectively. This is done in clause 4 of the Bill.

Recognition of such full-time and part-time service in the Armed Forces of Singapore by applicants for Singapore citizenship under sections 8 and 15 of the Ordinance is meant as a reward for the demonstration of their loyalty, affection for and willingness to serve the State.

Sir, the opportunity has also been taken to introduce an amendment in clause 3 of the Bill to make applicable to applications for Singapore citizenship, by way of naturalization under section 15, the provisions of section 11 of the Ordinance which provide that certain periods of residence shall not be taken into account when considering applications for citizenship. Section 15 only came into operation on 2nd November, 1959, when the provisions of section 9 which dealt with citizenship of aliens by registration lapsed, and this is the reason why section 15 was not mentioned in section 11 when the Singapore Citizenship Ordinance came into operation on 1st November, 1957.

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. -[Dr Lee Siew Choh].

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