PRIVILEGE

Mr David Marshall (Anson): If it please you, Mr Speaker, Sir, in the absence overseas of the Member for Joo Chiat, I rise to move the motion* standing in our joint names.

• The motion reads as follows:

That the Minister for Finance (Dr Goh Keng Swee) is guilty of abuse and breach of privilege in that he did on 18th day of December, 1961 in this House wilfully and dishonestly make false and malicious statements of and concerning the Member for Anson (David Marshall), to wit:-

(a) "Sir, we saw during those days how the Member for Anson, when he was Chief Minister, was chased from pillar to post, allowed the administration to collapse, allowed the whole apparatus of State to be regarded with contempt by people who should have been taught a lesson. The result of his feeble, weak, vacillating policies was that ultimately when the Communists mounted the effort against him, he was reduced to a quivering, whimpering, half-demented ---"

(b) "It is quite unnecessary for me to conjure up imaginative events when they are recorded in newspaper accounts, when everyone knew that when the major effort was mounted against him, he fell sick."

(c) "And in Singapore, one degree north of Equator, where the temperature is always above 80 degrees, the Member for Anson had to go around in woollen suits, and eventually ---"

(d) "Quite unlike the Member for Anson, Sir, who tries to avoid unpleasant decisions, we stand up to the challenge, Mr Speaker, Sir. We do not scoot like cowards, like the Member for Anson."

The allegations of the motion make it sufficiently obvious that the matter concerns a breach of privilege, or affects the privilege of the Assembly within the meaning of paragraph (7) of Standing Order No. 93.

Mr Speaker, I do not consider it appropriate to amplify at this juncture and would suggest that the motion be referred to the Committee of Privileges where it can be investigated and reported on to the Assembly in due course.

Mr Speaker: The relevant Standing Order is Standing Order No. 93, paragraph (7) (d) (i), which reads:

`Upon a motion complaining of a breach of privilege or affecting the powers and privileges of the Assembly being moved, the same shall stand referred without any question being proposed thereon to the Committee and no further proceedings shall be taken on such motion until the Committee has reported thereon.'

I accordingly refer the motion to the Committee of Privileges.