FACTORIES ORDINANCE (Inclusion of I.L.O safety regulations)

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour if he will consider widening the scope of the provisions in the Factories Ordinance by including the safety regulations recommended by the International Labour Organisation.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Labour (Mr Sia Kah Hui) (for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour): Mr Speaker, Sir, the scope of the existing Factories Ordinance is sufficiently comprehensive for safeguarding the health and safety of persons employed in factories. Relevant International Labour Organisation safety regulations have already been used by the Factory Inspectorate to guide the factory occupiers in safety and health practices in such industries as the iron and steel industry, the chemical industry, textile mills and industrial gases manufacturing plants. Further, there is provision in the Ordinance for the Minister to make special regulations to uphold higher standards of safety and health of workers in industry where the risk of bodily injury is abnormal.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin (Jalan Kayu): It appears to me that there are no adequate safety regulations in respect of building sites. With the tendency now for buildings to go higher up, I think it is high time to look into this particular aspect of safety regulations. Will the Parliamentary Secretary please tell the House whether he will look into this matter?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: Mr Speaker, Sir, in the construction of factories, all aspects of safety are being looked into by the various Ministries concerned.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: Mr Speaker, Sir, does the Parliamentary Secretary not recognise that rapid industrialisation has given rise to a lot of harm and safety problems, making it imperative to strengthen the provisions of the Factories Ordinance?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: Sir, as I have indicated just now, the present Ordinance is adequate to meet the present requirements. I think the House was told yesterday by the Minister for Health that the Industrial Health Unit was going to play a major part on the whole question of industrial safety.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that the appropriate authorities in his Ministry - the Factory Inspectorate - refer to the I.L.O. recommendations for guidance?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: It is difficult to hear the Member.

Mr Speaker: The Member's question was whether the Parliamentary Secretary appreciated that the factory inspectors, in fact, refer to the I.L.O. recommendations for guidance.

Mr Sia Kah Hui: The I.L.O. recommendations are being implemented.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: If the I.L.O. recommendations are referred to for guidance, does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that suitable I.L.O. recommendations be made part of the Factories Ordinance?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: It is not just a simple matter of putting the recommendations into our present legislation. This sort of thing will take time. As far as the present Ordinance is concerned, we feel that it is quite adequate to meet our present needs. However, I am sure that when the time comes, steps will be taken to deal with such matters. I think the next question of the Member on the Order Paper will deal with that.

Mr Ho See Beng (Bras Basah): Mr Speaker, Sir, arising out of this question, may we know how old is the Factories Ordinance?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: I am afraid I have no idea of how old it is,

Mr Ho See Beng: If that is the case, the word "adequate" is not very appropriate.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: Sir, does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that the Factory Inspectorate believe that the Factories Ordinance is inadequate?. He can refer to the 1968 Annual Report of the Ministry of Labour under the appropriate section.

Mr Sia Kah Hui: Mr Speaker, Sir,I think the Member is anticipating the answers to his next question, because he is now dealing with the next question.