VOLUNTARY STERILIZATION BILL (As reported from Select Committee)

Order for Third Reading read.

5.53 p.m.

The Minister for Health (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

As expected, the Voluntary Sterilization Bill did not attract as many representations as the Abortion Bill. Neither did it arouse as much heated controversy. The representations received have been useful and the suggested amendments which have been proposed for adoption will serve to strengthen the Bill further. The amendments proposed in the Bill are, however, minor.

(1) Definition of "sexual sterilization"

This amendment relates to the definition of "sexual sterilization". As defined in the original text, the surgical removal of the female or male reproductive organs would all come under the purview of this Bill. It was pointed out that this was too broad a definition. The definition has, therefore, by the amendment, been restricted to exclude the removal of such organs which are essential for reasons of medical treatment. The suggestion was made by Professor L.C. Green, former Professor of Law in the University of Singapore, in a written representation to the Select Committee.

There are certain conditions where the removal of the reproductive organs is undertaken as a therapeutic measure, for example, the removal of the ovaries as part of the treatment in the case of cancer of the breast. Such therapeutic measure should not come within the ambit of the Bill.

5.55 p.m.

[Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair]

The Minister for Health (Mr Chua Sian Chin): (2) Membership on the Eugenics Board

A similar amendment as that made for the membership of the Termination of Pregnancy Authorisation Board is also proposed. The amendment provides that at least one of the two appointed members of the Eugenics Board should be "professionally qualified social workers" rather than one who "has had experience in social welfare work". The reasons for this change were already described by me previously.

(3) Treatment for sexual sterilization

This amendment to clause 5 is a significant amendment. Under this amendment, sterilization of a woman by the ligation of the tubes may be carried out immediately after birth or at the same time when an abortion is performed. This is the usual practice now. The operation of tubal ligation immediately after birth is a very simple one compared to the same operation if performed later. The provisions of the Bill as it stands, without this amendment, would prevent such an operation to be carried out immediately and could defeat the purpose of sterilizing persons when it is so simple and safe to do. If these persons have to wait for 30 days at least before the operation can be carried out, the operation is much more difficult.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I have said before, this Bill, together with its companion Abortion Bill when they become law, will liberate our women from the tyranny of unwanted pregnancies. They have, therefore, been rightly described as Bills relating to human rights. The adoption of this Bill today indeed marks a significant milestone in the social progress of our people.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the success of any family planning campaign depends largely on the acceptability of the contraceptive methods offered. However safe and effective these contraceptives may be, one often hears of reports of side effects with some of the oral pills. However founded or unfounded these reports may be, the use of contraceptives is, in the least, an inconvenience, and for those who already have the number of children they want, such inconvenience would be eliminated by sterilization. The introduction of the Voluntary Sterilization Bill is, therefore, a sensible approach to the problem of family planning and population control, and I will not only support the Bill, but hope that the Minister will give it the widest publicity so that the need to use contraceptives will be reduced to a shorter period.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wholeheartedly support the Bill.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

5.59 p.m.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank the Member for Anson for his full support of the Voluntary Sterilization Bill, although he did not support the Abortion Bill. From the way he spoke, he is now very much in support of the Voluntary Sterilization Bill. Perhaps it is because of his recent trip to India. I know that in India today, they are in fact making every effort to sterilize persons.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: Point of order, Mr Speaker, Sir. We are talking about Singapore and not about India.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, so far as sterilization is concerned, in India, they have in fact introduced what they call "instant sterilization" whereby a person can get himself sterilized instantly, even in railway stations.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: They are giving a bonus!

Mr Chua Sian Chin: As the Member has just said, they are giving a bonus. I believe they give 20 rupees to a person who gets himself sterilized and 10 rupees to the person who brings a person for sterilization.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: Two hundred rupees, Sir!

Mr Chua Sian Chin: I stand to be corrected, Sir. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like once again to thank the Member for Anson for his full support.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.