ASSEMBLY HOUSE PRECINCTS (Maintenance of order)

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.

That this Assembly orders that the Commissioner of Police do take care that during the present session of this House the passages through the streets leading to this House be kept free and open, and that no obstruction be permitted to hinder the passage of Members to and from this House, and that no disorder he allowed in the passages leading to this House, and that there be no annoyance therein and thereabouts; and that the Clerk of this Assembly do communicate this order to the Commissioner aforesaid.

Question proposed.

Mr David Marshall: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir,I fully appreciate that in so far as the precincts of the House are concerned the police officers are here at our invitation and it is right and proper that the House should not seek to bind another assembly. Therefore, we have annually at the opening of each Session this motion.

In this connection, Sir, I trust you will not consider it inappropriate if I express appreciation of the courtesy and quiet efficiency with which the police have discharged their responsibilities in this House. But what I cannot understand and I trust the Leader of the House will explain it, is why we need to ask the Commissioner of Police to discharge functions in the streets outside the House in respect of which, in so far as I am aware, he has ample powers. There are laws against obstructions in the streets. There are laws against processions of five or more persons - they require a licence. Perhaps the Deputy Prime Minister could inform the House why that part of the motion is necessary in order to invite the assistance of the Commissioner.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Mr Deputy Speaker, the Member for Anson, formerly Chief Minister in this House, had himself on past occasions moved such a motion. I would have thought that he would have understood the purpose of that motion without asking me today to explain it to him.

Nonetheless, I am told that, for example, in the House of Commons there are certain regulations governing the holding of demonstrations round a certain area within the precincts of the House. And it is in the light of this tradition that we have also followed this ritual. In fact, it falls upon me, as Leader of this House, to maintain this ritual at every new Session of the Assembly. But if the Member for Anson would suggest that such a provision could be incorporated into some Ordinance, I would be only too happy to do so in future.

I would like to remind the Member for Anson and other Members in this House that the last thing that we wish to see occurring in Singapore are demonstrations similar to what happened in Tokyo, when the Zengakuren organised demonstrations to prevent Members of the Diet from passing a Bill. The police then were quite helpless and, in fact, an attempt by the Diet to pass such a motion was defeated when Members in the Diet themselves fought against one another over this same motion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly orders that the Commissioner of Police do take care that during the present session of this House the passages through the streets leading to this House he kept free and open, and that no obstruction be permitted to hinder the passage of Members to and from this House, and that no disorder he allowed in the passages leading to this House, and that there he no annoyance therein and thereabouts; and that the Clerk of this Assembly do communicate this order to the Commissioner aforesaid.

3.00 p.m.