SUSPENSION OF MEMBER

Order read for resumption of debate on Question -[19th December, 1960]:

"That this House condemns the Member for Hong Lim for his dishonourable conduct unbecoming of an elected representative of the people in that he repeatedly used his privilege in this Assembly as a cloak for spreading malicious falsehoods to unjustly injure innocent persons both inside and outside this Assembly; that he be suspended from the service of this Assembly until such time as (i) he apologises to this Assembly for his dishonourable conduct; (ii) he unreservedly withdraws his unfounded allegations against the Prime Minister and the Minister for Labour and Law; and (iii) he assures the Assembly that he will not persist in abusing his privilege in this Assembly by uttering malicious falsehoods, unless he be prepared when challenged to repeat outside the Assembly the charges he makes in the Assembly."-(The Deputy Prime Minister).

4.55 p.m.

The Deputy Prime Minister (Dr Toh Chin Chye): Mr Speaker, I beg to move,

That the debate on the motion standing in my name be adjourned sine die.

Sir, six days ago, the former Member for Hong Lim stated that he would substantiate all the things he had said. This was reported in page 44 of your unrevised transcript of proceedings on that day. At that time, he begged for time to collect more facts so that he could prepare his case. This is quoted on page 45 of the unrevised transcript. He wanted an adjournment to give him a chance to delve further into the matter.

I was not in the Chamber, Mr Speaker, this afternoon when you made your announcement that the former Member for Hong Lim, Mr Ong Eng Guan, tendered his resignation to you at 2.13 p.m. today. This last-minute reversal of stand, after stating explicitly that he intended to substantiate charges which we believe to be false, speaks for itself. I had expected him, honour bound, to pursue the allegations he had made in this House. However, in view of the fact that he has changed his mind 17 minutes before the sitting of this Assembly, I have to move that the motion that is before the House should be adjourned sine die.

The purpose of this adjournment sine die is that since Mr Ong Eng Guan, the man who has made the allegations, is no longer a Member of this House, it will be better to have the allegations investigated and conducted outside this Chamber. It is intended, therefore, to set up a Commission of Inquiry with a High Court Judge as Commissioner to investigate the truth of the allegations that have been made against two Ministers. It is our hope that the Commission will commence its hearing and complete its findings as soon as possible so that they could be tabled in this House. Thereupon, I shall ask for this motion to be put back on the Order Paper for debate.

After the Inquiry Report has been tabled in this House, steps will be taken to hold a by-election in the constituency of Hong Lim.

Sir, I beg to move.

Mr Speaker: The Question is really in two parts. The Question is, "That the debate be now adjourned."

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the debate be now adjourned.

Mr Speaker: Resumption of debate, what day?

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Sine die.