MEDICAL REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

2.32 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Mr Sia Kah Hui) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Amendment Bill to the Medical Registration Ordinance (Chapter 191 of the Revised Edition) seeks to amend the Ordinance so as to vary the composition of the Medical Council in Singapore.

At present, the Ordinance prescribes that under section 4 the Medical Council shall consist of 16 members and under subsection 1 (e),

'Three registered medical practitioners to be nominated by the Council of the University of Malaya and appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara.'

This Ordinance came into effect in 1963 but as from January 1962, the University of Malaya, Singapore Division, became known as the University of Singapore and the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur Division, became known as the University of Malaya.

As the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur has started a Medical Faculty with its first intake of medical students in 1963, it is considered desirable that provision be made for representation of both Universities on the Medical Council. The Federal Minister of Health has been consulted and is in agreement that reciprocal amendments be made in the relevant Ordinances of both territories so that the following representation will be prescribed for both Medical Councils:-

4 registered medical practitioners to be nominated in all, of which:-

2 registered medical practitioners are to be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara on the nomination of the Council of the University of Singapore and another 2 registered medical practitioners to be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara on the nomination of the Council of the University of Malaya.

With the proposed amendment under clause 2 of the Bill, the Medical Council will have an increased membership of 17 instead of 16, hitherto.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Assembly immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.