NATIONAL SPORTS PROMOTION BOARD BILL

Order for Third Reading read.

4.35 p.m.

The Minister for Social Affairs (Inche Othman Bin Wok): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

Sir, as Minister responsible for the portfolio of sports, I feel that today is an auspicious one in that I have the pleasure and privilege to move the Third and final Reading of this Bill for the establishment of the National Sports Promotion Board for acceptance by the House.

The Bill was first introduced by me on 11th June, 1969, and was read a Second time on 15th October, 1969, and committed to a Select Committee.. An advertisement was inserted in the local press inviting representations from interested institutions and individuals and from the public on a subject of importance. But, unfortunately, only four written representations were received, and these, too, after the closing date on 15th November, 1969. I would have wished that the press had given more publicity and constructive criticism on the Bill itself, which would have evoked more public interest and representations to the Select Committee. However, it is also possibly a sign of the inherent virtues and merits in the Bill that it has had plain sailing in its passage through Parliament, the press and the public.

I was particularly impressed with the representation made by the Hon. Secretary of the Football Association of Singapore, which is published in full in the Report of the Select Committee before you. The Select Committee received oral evidence from witnesses from the Singapore Rugby Union, the Singapore Table Tennis Association, and the Singapore Olympic and Sports Council.

Now that the National Sports Promotion Board is being formed, I am confident that the correct foundation has been laid for active and substantial concern for, and involvement of the public sector in, the development of sports consciousness, activity and standards in Singapore.

The National Sports Promotion Board is comprehensively being provided with legislative powers to take on responsibility for the promotion and co-ordination of sports in the country. Sports is now being given proper national recognition and the Board should, with single-minded objective and devotion, promote and propagate sports.

In addition to the Bill, Government accepts the importance and role of sports and the need to provide the National Sports Promotion Board with sufficient financial capacity in this regard, besides providing for all sports facilities in Singapore by transferring them to the Board by this Bill. Government also undertakes to subsidise the Board with what it now costs the Government for the maintenance of existing public sports facilities annually. It has also been agreed in principle to assist the Board to meet its recurrent expenditure, including financial grants to sports organisations, to enable them to organise proper schemes for the popularisation and promotion of standards in the various national sports.

We accept the position of sports as integral to recreation and essential for leisure. We encourage sports in all their variety, as such pastime for our people helps them to occupy their time usefully as players or supporters of sports, and also accelerates our process of social integration and nation building.

The National Sports Promotion Board will have much to do and will need the active co-operation of all institutions and individuals with interest in or potential for contribution to the development of sports in Singapore. With proper schemes of research, training and programmes of regular and competitive activity organised for the various sports in Singapore and with our essentially youthful population, there is no reason why we should not see in the foreseeable future a renaissance in sports in Singapore, evidenced by increasing sports activity, matched by improving standards and performances by our sportsmen in the local and international sports scene. However, it will take some time for the Board to organise properly these requirements, and we should not expect too much too soon and be disappointed by a lack of outstanding results in the immediate future.

The National Sports Promotion Board will be functional in the very near future and will be housed in the Farrer Park Sports Centre, to be known as Sports House, which will become the focal point of sports personalities and activities. The offices of the newly-formed Singapore National Olympic Sports Council and of the 36 controlling bodies of national sports will also be situated in Sports House, and the various programmes of sports activity will be considered and carried out in that environment.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the acceptance of the National Sports Promotion Board Bill.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.

Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend this sitting now and will take the Chair again at ten minutes past Five.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.41 p.m, until 5.10 p.m. Sitting resumed at 5.10 p.m.