POLICE FORCE (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

4.14 p.m.

The Minister of Defence (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Bill seeks to amend Part VIII of the Police Force Ordinance, 1958 (No. 32 of 1958), to provide for national servicemen who will be directed for service in the Special Constabulary under the National Service Ordinance, 1952 (M. Ordinance No. 37 of 1952). The ranks of the Special Constabulary up to now had been filled by persons volunteering to be members of the Special Constabulary. The role of the Special Constabulary is one of assisting the Police Force, and members of the Special Constabulary, when on duty, have the same powers, protection and immunities as police officers. The Commissioner of Police may employ, without pay, any member of the Special Constabulary for such duty.

The ranks of the Special Constabulary will certainly be strengthened with the national servicemen who will be given an opportunity to learn the strict discipline of a uniformed service. The national servicemen who are called up for service in the Special Constabulary will do 12 years' part-time service during their off-work or off-study hours. They will receive, in addition to their many duties, instruction in moral values. This will teach them the meaning of good citizenship and explain to them the nature of their social responsibilities.

With the introduction of national service in Singapore, our youths are being given an opportunity to contribute to our nation-building, an opportunity to participate in the defence of our country if the need arises. It has been so often said that the youths of our country are the natural resources of the country. Being so, we have to teach them to become responsible citizens. The training and the discipline they will receive in the Special Constabulary will benefit them and the community in that they will be better citizens and better workmen.

Mr Speaker, Sir, now I wish to deal with some of the clauses in the Bill. Clause 2 provides for persons who may be enrolled as members of the Special Constabulary, while paragraph (b) of clause 3 provides that no national servicemen called up for service in the Special Constabulary shall be discharged or dismissed without the prior approval of the proper authority appointed under the National Service Ordinance, 1952.

An important amendment is clause 4. This provides that members of the Special Constabulary will have to take an oath in such form as may be prescribed by the Minister, and any member who refuses to do so shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

Clause 6 adds a new section which is to the effect that a national serviceman who fails without reasonable cause to attend any training or perform any duty shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both.

Sir, I beg to move.

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. -[Mr Lim Kim San].

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