PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION (Commission of Inquiry)

Mr Speaker: Mr David Marshall.

The Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) rose -

Mr Speaker: A ministerial statement?

The Prime Minister: Yes.

Mr Speaker: A ministerial statement comes after Question time under the Standing Orders.

Mr David Marshall asked the Prime Minister whether it is the Government's intention to recommend the appointment of a Commission to investigate and report on the political aspects of the employment, activities and dismissal of the staff of the People's Association, both paid and voluntary, from its formation up to date, with particular reference to the stoppage of work and dismissal of employees of the Association since 20th July, 1961.

The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, there are four Commissions of Inquiry which are being considered. The first is to inquire into the causes of the agitation over the Chinese middle schools' conversion from the 3:3 to the 4:2 system which led in particular to the organisation of an attempted boycott of the first Secondary Certificate Examination in December last year and with particular reference to the Communist cadres behind the scenes who are responsible for it all.

The second is to investigate the events which developed into open insubordination and defiance of the authority of the Board of Management of the People's Association by some 130 workers out of 480 workers of the Association and to establish the connection between these persons, their leaders, and leading members of the Barisan Sosialis who had recruited these leaders whilst they were on the Board of Management of the People's Association.

The third is the Commission asked for in the motion by the Member for Anson and the Member for Upper Serangoon to which the Government agrees, provided that all statements and allegations made in this Assembly by the two movers of the motion and by any other person who speaks in support of the motion be undertaken to be given in evidence on oath by such persons before the Commission of Inquiry.

The fourth is asked for in item 13 of the Order Paper, to inquire into the content and administration of the education policy other than vocational and technical education, including the question of the six-day week. This Commission of Inquiry will, in response to a letter dated the 19th of December from the Member for Anson to the Minister for Education, also include the terms of the Member for Anson's letter, an inquiry into political activities and machinations in primary and secondary schools, the extent thereof, and the persons and organisations responsible therefor.

Sir, it will not be possible at any one time to have more than one Judge available to conduct a Commission of Inquiry. It is the Government's intention to proceed with the first Commission of Inquiry as soon as a Judge is available, and then in turn with the other three.

Mr David Marshall: Would the Prime Minister recognise that there is a distinction between what is sought in respect of the People's Association, particularly where it is requested that the Commission inquire into the political aspects of the employment, activities and dismissals, and could the Prime Minister give us an indication as to when these Commissions of Inquiry would be appointed? Would he consider some person other than a Judge in respect of some of them?

The Prime Minister: Sir, the subjects of the four inquiries are matters where it is more than likely that serious charges of persons and organisations being politically partisan will be made. I think, if the Commission of Inquiry is to have any value at all in commanding respect for its deliberations and for its recommendations, it will be difficult to find persons suitably qualified who are not politically coloured in one way or another other than members of the Bench.

Mr David Marshall: If it please you, Mr Speaker, in the matter of education policy, surely it is not really appropriate or necessary to seek the chairmanship of a High Court Judge. We are rather anxious to ascertain when the Prime Minister considers it possible for the Commissions of Inquiry to start their investigations.

The Prime Minister: I would agree with the Member for Anson that in the terms of the motion in item 13, it might be possible to have someone other than a member of the judiciary to conduct the inquiry. But since that motion was first introduced, he has written a letter dated the 19th of December to the Minister for Education. I know of the contents of this letter only today after I had drafted the reply to the answer to Question No. 1. The Member for Anson has asked for the first limb in the terms of his motion in item 13. But the second limb-political activities and machinations in primary and secondary schools - if I had used this word "machinations" it might be said that there again we are out to pin the Barisan Sosialis and their comrades down, but this is by a fair and impartial Member of the Opposition. I would hate to have it said that the findings of the Commission are valueless because the member who presided over the Commission was not completely disinterested in every party political sense of the word. I think it will serve a useful purpose to have these machinations brought out into the open.

Mr David Marshall: Can I ask a supplementary question?

Mr Speaker: Yes.

Mr David Marshall: I am much obliged, Mr Speaker. Would the Prime Minister consider then leaving the first part of that motion to a commission of educationists and public persons, and the second part of the motion to be attached to the terms of reference of the Commission which will be inquiring into the question of the boycott of the Chinese school examinations? Then we would have two separate inquiries into really one political field and one education field.

The Prime Minister: This is quite a different turn in the presentation of the request for a Commission of Inquiry. If the Member for Anson will write in those terms to the Minister for Education, I am quite sure we will be quite happy to consider breaking up the two terms of reference, one purely on the content of the education and the other on the political activities which can go in with the school boycott.

Mr Speaker: There is one question which has been asked - the time the Commission will start.

The Prime Minister: The first Commission, namely, the one on the agitation of school children and the persons responsible for it, my latest information is that the case will be ready for presentation sometime in February. I hope the Judge will be available to commence deliberations in February.