FIRST GENERAL ELECTIONS IN SINGAPORE UNDER PROPOSED MALAYSIA CONSTITUTION (Request for Statement)

Mr David Marshall asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the subject of the first General Elections in Singapore under the proposed Malaysia Constitution, and whether any changes are contemplated in the existing constitutional position relating to general elections.

The Prime Minister: Sir, there are two general elections which will arise with Malaysia. There again, I think the Member for Anson will notice that the preposition has been chosen carefully - "with" Malaysia.

The first is the election of 15 seats to the Central Parliament. The second is the election of 51 seats to the State Assembly. As soon as the necessary legislation is ready, it will be tabled in this House for adoption.

The boundary of the 15 seats will be decided by the Federal Elections Commission. But for the first elections to the Central Parliament, there may not be sufficient Time for the Commission to delineate the 15 constituencies. So the 15 constituencies may have to be formed by joining up the 51 Assembly constituencies in threes and fours so as to give even representation throughout the island. Just in case the Federal Elections Commission cannot get on with the job in time, my colleague, the Minister for Home Affairs, will be introducing for First Reading a Bill meant for discussion in this House in Select Committee on the joining up of the seats in threes and fours within the next few days.

A change contemplated relates to the Members elected to the 51 seats in the next Assembly. At present, individual Members of the Assembly, once elected, can hold their party to ransom by changing sides. In, future, it is proposed that when a person resigns or is expelled from the party on whose platform he was elected, he will automatically vacate his seat.