FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR 1963 OF THE STATE OF SINGAPORE (CMD. 21 OF 1963)

3.00 p.m.

Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [Allotted day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Chairman: We are on the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1963 (Cmd. 21 of 1963). Will the Minister signify the recommendation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara before the Committee proceeds with the consideration of these Supplementary Estimates?

Mr Byrne (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, I so signify.

Head 36 -

The Chairman: There is one Head - Head 36 - Contributions and Charitable Allowances. There is an amendment standing in the name of the Member for Kampong Kembangan in relation to the new subhead - Contribution to the Seafarers' Welfare Board - $205,168.

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi (Kampong Kembangan): (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 36 be reduced by $10 in respect of new subhead "Contribution to the Seafarers' Welfare Board".

Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to seek clarification of this matter. Firstly, what are the methods to be carried out in taking in trainees in respect of this plan? Secondly, will the authorities clarify whether any allowance or fixed salary will be paid to every trainee? Thirdly, will the opportunity to become trainees he open to those who have passed out of school in all language media in Singapore? Fourthly, with these qualified trainees and those seamen who are at present unemployed, will there be a Government plan to guarantee employment for these people?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Labour (Mr Wee Toon Boon): Mr Speaker, Sir, with regard to the matter of recruitment, the details of the qualifications and experience will have to be finalised by the Seafarers' Welfare Board. But, of course, as a matter of principle, an advertisement will be inserted to invite applications for trainees.

On the point whether an allowance or a fixed salary will be given during the period of training, the Government has spent so much money mainly to create employment opportunities to seamen. The better our seamen are trained, the more employment opportunities there are for them. Therefore, since the Government has provided such facilities and at such expense, it is only fair that the trainees should be expected, as a matter of dedication, to pay for their own food. However, in deserving cases, the Seafarers' Welfare Board will consider subsidising them with a food allowance.

As to whether the opportunity to become trainees will be open to all those who have passed out of school, yes, of course, as far as practicable, it will be.

Regarding question number four, I have mentioned just now that guarantee of employment depends on how successful this scheme is. If our seamen are experienced and well qualified, I am sure that shipping quarters from all over the world will come to Singapore to recruit our seamen. In fact, the training scheme is being mooted for this purpose.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, apart from that, there is a matter on which I would like to seek clarification from this House, or from the Seafarers' Welfare Board, or other bodies. At the moment, seafarers are grouped in various divisions - the engine-room is mostly Chinese, the catering department is for Chinese, and other categories are for Malays. So if this is the case, I believe this is not very healthy. Could the authorities concerned give a definite clarification in this House in regard to the matter so that it could be clearly understood and no problems will arise from that?

Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, this point lies mainly with the employers. It is up to them to stipulate whether they like Malay people to be employed in the engine-room or in the catering department or in the deck department. In this connection, there are other factors which influence employers to make such a decision. For instance, if they have Chinese and Malays or other nationalities in one department, then they have to provide catering facilities. From the point of view of convenience and economy, they will have to decide whether they would like to have an entire section of their crew of one nationality.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, I feel I need not debate this matter further, but I would like to draw attention to what I have already said in this House, and that is that with the existence of a plan to train our seamen, with the contribution of so much money, I wonder if the Government will still want to register seamen who are non-citizens, especially from Indonesia, among whom quite a good number are registered with the Seamen's Registry Board, and who are given opportunities of employment? With this state of affairs existing, what is the position regarding our own citizens?

Mr Wee Toon Boon conferred with the Deputy Prime Minister (Dr Toh Chin Chye).

The Chairman: Is it Dr Toh or Mr Wee?

Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am sure -

The Chairman: Order. I trust there is no misunderstanding. Any Minister may speak if he chooses. It is not confined to the Parliamentary Secretary.

Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, before a person can be registered, he must be a Singapore citizen. So as far as the Seamen's Registry Board is concerned, the person must be a Singapore citizen before he can be registered as a seaman.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): For the record, I would like to say there are people who are non-Singapore citizens who have been registered.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: May I answer that? Mr Speaker, it is international practice that seamen who drop in at any port will be registered at that port. Therefore, in following the custom we also register all seamen who leave their ships in Singapore. However, it is the practice here to register only new entrants who are Singapore citizens. Those who are registered for the first time must possess Singapore citizenship. But it is equally true, as the Member for Kampong Kembangan says, that our Registry does contain names of seamen from other parts of the world. Well, the privilege which we accord to seamen from other ports is also extended by other governments to our own Singapore seamen who happen to leave their ships in other countries. Therefore, reciprocity is carried out.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, what has been stated by the Deputy Prime Minister is quite so. But can he give an assurance that not only do we not want Indonesians to be registered in Singapore, but even today, seamen from Penang cannot be registered in Singapore? I think he is more aware of this matter.

The Chairman: Does the Member wish for a vote?

Inche Mohd. Ali: No. I withdraw.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $720,168 for Head 36 ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1963.

Question, "That the sum of $720,168 shall be supplied to the Government under the head of expenditure for the public services shown in the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1963 contained in Paper Cmd. 21 of 1963", put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the Assembly.

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply have come to a certain resolution.

Resolution reported -

"That the sum of $720,168 shall be supplied to the Government under the head of expenditure for the public services shown in the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1963 contained in Paper Cmd. 21 of 1963.".

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Assembly doth agree with the Committee on the said resolution.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution accordingly agreed to.

3.30 p.m.