SINGAPORE TELEPHONE BOARD (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

2.43 p.m.

The Deputy Prime Minister (Dr Toh Chin Chye): Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill seeks to amend the Singapore Telephone Board Ordinance. In consequence of the independence of Singapore and its ceasing to be a part of Malaysia, the powers of the Federal Minister are transferred to the Singapore Minister under this Bill.

The Bill also provides for an increase in the number of members of the Telephone Board, other than the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman, from three persons to five. It is considered that the business of the Board warrants an enlarged membership and this will enable more persons to participate in the activities of statutory bodies.

The limit of six per cent interest on stocks and shares issued by the Board has been removed, and the Board is now given discretion to pay such rate of interest as the state of the undertakings and the financial position of the Board warrants. Of course, it is the hope of the Government that this clause will enable the Board to pay a rate of interest higher than six per cent.

The opportunity has also been taken to put back in the Ordinance the general power to the Board to acquire land. This provision was deleted from the Ordinance by the Modification of Laws Telecommunications (Extension and Modification) Order, 1964, dated 9th December, 1964, because a substantially similar provision existed in Chapter 4 of Part VI of the Federal Constitution to enable the Board to acquire land.

There are a number of other consequential amendments in the Bill.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

2.45 p.m.

Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi (Kampong Kembangan): (In Malay): Mr Speaker, this Bill provides that powers be taken from the Federal Minister concerning the activities of the Telephone Board. Before Malaysia, a workers' representative was a member of the Singapore Telephone Board. When Singapore became part of Malaysia and the powers transferred to the Malaysian Telecommunications Minister, the workers' representative did not sit on the Board. I would like to know from the Deputy Prime Minister whether workers' representatives or Telephone Board employees will now be allowed to be members of the Telephone Board in order to look after the welfare of the workers and to ---

Mr Speaker: Order; whether as an employee of the Board, or a member of the Board. If the latter is the question, he is in order; but if he is talking of something else, then he is not in order on this Bill on the Second Reading.

Inche Mohd. Ariff: (In Malay): What I mean, Mr Speaker, its workers' representatives sit on the Telephone Board. In the past, Mr Speaker, a workers' representative was a member of the Board. When this Bill becomes law and the powers are reverted to the Deputy Prime Minister, will he appoint workers' representatives to sit on the Singapore Telephone Board, as this is necessary to look after the interests of the workers and continue the good relationship between employer and employee?

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Mr Speaker, I will bear in mind what the Member for Kampong Kembangan has said about appointing a workers' representative on the Singapore Telephone Board. In fact, in the past it was my practice to see that there was a member from one of the unions, or at least somebody who was a worker who was also a member of the Board. In fact, this Bill by providing for an increase in the membership of the Board will enable me to so appoint.

Question put, and agreed to.

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

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Dr Toh Chin Chye].

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