INQUIRY COMMISSION'S REPORT ON MR ONG ENG GUAN'S ALLEGATIONS (By-election in Hong Lim)

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

2.31 p.m.

The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Ong Pang Boon): Mr Speaker, Sir, Members will recall that on 29th December, 1960, you announced that at 2.13 p.m. on that day the former Member for Hong Lim, Mr Ong Eng Guan, tendered his resignation to you. It was 17 minutes before he was expected to appear before the House in Committee to substantiate his allegations as he had said he wanted to do. My colleague the Deputy Prime Minister, as Leader of the House, stated in col. 929 of Hansard, Vol. 14, No. 11:

`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.'

In accordance with this statement, a Commission of Inquiry with a High Court Judge as Commissioner has investigated the truth of the allegations made by Mr Ong Eng Guan against two Ministers, and completed its hearings and reported its findings within six weeks. The Report has been tabled and will be debated this afternoon.

I have to announce that a Writ for Elections to be held in the constituency of Hong Lim will be issued tomorrow, 2nd March. Nomination Day, as required by the Elections Ordinance, will be nine days after the issue of the writ, on Saturday, 11th March.

Mr A. P. Rajah (Farrer Park) rose -

Mr Speaker: Questions on the statement? Mr Rajah.

Mr Rajah: May the House be informed when Polling Day will be?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the date of the Polling Day will be announced by the Returning Officer in due course.

2.35 p.m.