APPLICATIONS FOR INSERTION IN ELECTORAL REGISTERS IN 1962

Mr Ong Chang Sam asked the Minister for Home Affairs how many persons applied to have their names inserted in the electoral registers in 1962; how many applications have been approved; of these, how many were from Singapore citizens by birth, and how many were from Singapore citizens by registration; and how many have been refused, and the reasons for refusal.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is presumed that the Member for Choa Chu Kang is referring to the claims submitted during the revision of the registers for 1962. There were roughly 15,000 claims submitted during the statutory period and the number of claims disallowed were 1,395. The reasons for the claims being disallowed were lack of qualification or non-attendance at the public inquiry to give information as regards entitlement to registration.

Mr Ong Chang Sam: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister said that 1,395 claims were refused. Can he inform this House as to what happened to the other 14,000 claims?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer is obvious. All the others except the 1,395 were approved and their names will be included in the registers for 1962.

Mr Speaker: The question also asks how many of them were Singapore citizens by birth and how many were Singapore citizens by registration. Is the Minister prepared to answer that part of the question?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, a compilation of these classified figures asked for by the Member for Choa Chu Kang has never been kept in the past and it is not being done now, especially when the Elections Department is busily engaged in the revision of the electoral registers for 1962.

Mr Ong Chang Sam: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, according to my knowledge, the registration of citizens born in Singapore is done by procuring their identity cards from the Identity Registry before they can be registered. Those who have been registered as citizens are those whose names have been supplied by the Citizenship Registry. Therefore, the Minister should be able to know the various figures asked for.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: I cannot, for one moment, understand the purpose of the question of the Member for Choa Chu Kang. It is quite true that if the Government wants to get these figures, it can do so if there is time and the staff for it. As I said just now, the Elections Department is busy with the revision of the 1962 registers and, as far as I can see, there is no purpose in getting the figures.

Mr Chan Sun Wing (Upper Serangoon): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the question of those citizens born in Singapore and those registered as citizens arose in the constitutional talks between Singapore and the Federation. Therefore, this question is very pertinent. That is why we have asked this question. The reply given by the Minister shows that he is not willing to disclose these figures.

Mr Speaker: The Member now is inviting a debate. Perhaps the Member's question could just be: In view of what he has said, will the Minister reconsider his answer?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, if a citizen by birth or by registration is qualified to be a voter, his name will be placed in the electoral register. I have just obtained information from the Minister for Finance that to obtain the information for the Member for Choa Chu Kang, the Government will require another $38,000.

Mr Low Por Tuck (Havelock): Mr Speaker, Sir, according to the earlier reply of the Minister for Home Affairs, it seems that we are not entitled to know the figures or facts of the Government Ministry. I am asking, are we entitled to know the facts and figures in the Government Ministry?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, if the Member for Havelock is prepared to approve $38,000 for this purpose, we will engage the staff to get this information for him.