ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.16 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (Mr Tang See Chim) (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Bill seeks to make amendments to the Economic Development Board Ordinance, 1961, to provide for greater flexibility in the appointment of members to the Board and to expand the powers conferred on the Board under section 16 of the principal Ordinance.

The Economic Development Board Ordinance at present provides that the Board shall consist of the Chairman, the Director of the Board, the Chairman of the Housing and Development Board and five other members to represent banking, manufacturing, commercial, labour, professional and academic interests. It is proposed to amend this section of the Ordinance to provide that, in addition to the Chairman and Director of the Board, the Minister may appoint six other members in his discretion. This amendment would give the Minister greater freedom to appoint persons who, in his opinion, would contribute to the efficient functioning of the Board.

The Bill also seeks to amend section 16 of the principal Ordinance to confer on the Economic Development Board the power to establish, and promote the use of, industrial standards in Singapore and to operate a Standard Certification Marks scheme. The establishment and operation of a Certification Marks scheme is an essential concomitant to our industrialization programme. There is, at present, no recognized body charged with the responsibility to prepare, and promote the use of, industrial standards. The Economic Development Board has set up a Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research which will, among other things, prepare and popularise the use of industrial standards. The institute will also operate a Certification Marks scheme, which will serve to assure the purchasers of Singapore-made goods of the quality of their purchases.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

3.20 p.m.

Mr Teong Eng Siong (Sembawang): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I support this Bill. It seeks to widen the scope of the Economic Development Board and provide for a greater degree of efficiency in promoting industrialisation. Since the industrialisation programme was introduced by the Government, under the able leadership of the Economic Development Board, we have seen the results of this programme. At present, in Jurong and in other industrial estates, there is a boom in industrial activities. The total number of workers employed exceeds 70,000. I know that in some factories there is a shortage of workers, especially skilled workers. This is a very good sign.

On the question of appointing six additional members to the Board, I hope the Minister will appoint people who are economists with a great deal of experience so that they can look into the problem of promoting industrialisation more efficiently.

The Parliamentary Secretary has just now mentioned the quality and standards of local products. I am glad he has paid attention to this matter. This will remind our industrialists that they should ensure that the quality of their products is sufficiently competitive so that their products will be able to compete with foreign goods. In addition, this will give a greater degree of confidence to our local consumers. Although our industrialisation programme has been going on for about six or seven years, we already have had fairly good results and we are glad about this. I hope that the amendment to the Bill will further speed up our industrialisation programme.

3.23 p.m.

Mr Lee Teck Him (Ulu Pandan): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, since we want to develop our economy we must have more factories. We must not be choosy and should not impose restrictions. I am in full agreement with the Minister on this Bill, but I think that industries should be allowed to develop freely. For example, I mentioned the other day that the Government should set up more iron and steel mills. If there are more iron and steel mills, then their products can be sold overseas. We should therefore allow industries to develop freely. If we are choosy, then it is tantamount to having no development.

3.25 p.m.

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am happy to note that both the Members for Sembawang and Ulu Pandan support this Bill. I need not reply to the Member for Sembawang because he fully supports the Bill, except possibly on the question of appointment of experts to the Board. In my opinion, experts should serve only in a consultative capacity. They may not necessarily be the correct persons to be appointed to serve on the Board.

Coming to the point raised by the Member for Ulu Pandan who advocated unregulated free enterprise, I am afraid that this cannot be allowed in Singapore. The Minister for Finance had very adequately answered his question on the free establishment of iron and steel mills some time ago, and had pointed out why an unregulated free-for-all system cannot be allowed here.

At present, our economy is doing very well and our industrialisation programme is progressing very satisfactorily. In fact, we are now in a position to be choosy and to decide on what sort of industries that will best benefit our economy and to allow only such industries to be established here, rather than allow every Tom, Dick and Harry to come here and open a factory to manufacture anything they wish.

Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill seeks to give greater flexibility to the Minister to appoint members of the Board and also to give the Board the powers to set standards for our industrial goods to ensure that only quality goods are made so that we can gain a strong foothold in the export market.

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 Tang See Chim].

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