DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICERS (OATHS AND FEES) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.18 p.m.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour (Mr S. Rajaratnam): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Singapore's international trading character, coupled with the fact that many of our citizens often travel to different parts of the world, makes it necessary that officers of our Diplomatic Corps should be enabled to administer oaths or affirmations, take affidavits and do notarial acts which notary publics in Singapore are normally empowered to undertake, and for these to be valid in law.

From the copies of the Bill which have been provided, Members will have seen that the primary purpose of this Bill, as set out in clause 3, is to empower diplomatic and consular officers of Singapore missions abroad, as well as those consular agents who may be acting for Singapore in countries where we are unrepresented, to perform these functions and levy appropriate fees for such services.

Members will appreciate that the process of consolidating the friendly relations we have established with foreign countries will take time, money and personnel. Much as we would wish to do so, it will not be feasible to establish missions in every friendly country. As of today, we have diplomatic missions in 11 countries. In alphabetical order, our missions are located in Bangkok, Cairo, Canberra, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, London, New Delhi, Phnom Penh, Tokyo, Washington and Wellington. Besides these, we also have a Commissioner in Hong Kong and a permanent mission to the United Nations. With our citizens travelling and doing business with more countries than those in which we are represented, Singapore has to depend upon friendly governments with missions in those countries where we are unrepresented for the performance of the functions envisaged in the Bill as and when the need arises.

As of today, Members will be interested to know, and note with appreciation the fact, that we have hitherto been assisted in this respect by the Governments of Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Thailand in different parts of the world where we have no missions of our own. Provision is, therefore, made in the Bill for such situations where these friendly governments can perform the functions envisaged in the Bill on our behalf and for these to be valid in law.

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 Rajaratnam].

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