PRESERVATION OF MONUMENTS BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

5.45 p.m.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Singapore now stands in the 151st year of its foundation. We have achieved much since the days when the island was largely jungle and swamp land. Both low-cost and luxury buildings rise skywards and hundreds of acres are being reclaimed from the sea. The vitality of our citizens, our desire to demonstrate that the world does not owe us a living, our rapid industrial and economic advancement and other factors have contributed towards a surge of progress in the last decade, the like of which Singapore has not seen in its previous history. In this forward-looking state of mind and in our enthusiasm for urban renewal, we may wake up one day to find our historic monuments either bulldozed or crumbling to dust through neglect. As new Singapore is being built, we must not let the worthwhile part of older Singapore disappear, and the time has therefore come for us to take stock of what we have of the past and seek to preserve objects and buildings that will remind us of our heritage, even though it be short in span of time. It is to this end that the Preservation of Monuments Bill is now before this House. This piece of legislation will, we hope, assist in preserving for the benefit of our future the buildings, monuments and sites that have been associated with people, events and periods in our history.

There are a number of monuments already in full use, and the Preservation of Monuments Bill will not in any way detract from such use. The multi-racial composition of Singapore has given us a rich and varied number of monuments which will come within the purview of this Bill. These monuments will be specified in preservation orders to be made by the Minister on the advice of the Preservation of Monuments Board which is to be set up in order to carry out the task of marking out, preserving and maintaining monuments. The members of the Board will be drawn from many walks of life and from all spheres of activity, but will all be united in the purpose of conserving our "monuments" an expression which is defined in the Bill as those which are of "historic, traditional, archaeological, architectural or artistic interest". The Board is charged with the task of augmenting the amenities o, these monuments, stimulating public interest and preserving all records, documents and data relating to such monuments.

Among the powers which are to be conferred on the Board are the powers to advise on and supervise alterations and renovations to the monuments: to contribute by means of a grant or loan towards the expenses incurred in the upkeep and preservation of monuments; to acquire any land, site or monument appearing to tile Board to be of outstanding historic, traditional or artistic interest; and to regulate and control public access to monuments and to charge fees for such access.

The Bill contains an interesting provision for the saving of monuments which are occupied as dwelling houses. If within the period of one year from the date of the preservation order the monument is not acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1966, the preservation order is to cease to have effect.

A word on these preservation orders will not be amiss. The Minister will notify in the Gazette preservation orders which he will make on the advice of the Board placing the specified monuments under the Board's protection. A copy of the preservation order will be served upon the owner or occupier of the "monument" as defined in the Bill. A preservation order will bind all subsequent owners and occupiers of the land on which the monument is sited and will operate as if it were a charge on the land. Where a preservation order is in force, the monument to which the order relates may not, without the consent of the Board, be demolished, removed or altered in any way except in the case of urgent necessity.

To assist the Board in carrying out its objects, a fund to he known as the Preservation of Monuments Fund is to be established and it is hoped that the public will respond generously by making donations, grants and gifts to this Fund.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

5.52 p.m.

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill deserves our support, because it seeks to preserve all the historical monuments for the benefit of our future generations. The history of our nation is very short. If we count from 1819, we have a short history of 150 years. Last year, we celebrated our 150th anniversary. The main objective of this Bill is to preserve all the worthwhile relics and monuments for the benefit of Singapore.

Recently, our Prime Minister went on a tour of various countries. We read from the newspapers that when he visited Russia, he went to pay his respects to a heroic and grand monument at Leningrad.

In Singapore, we have many memorable monuments and relics. At Lavender Street, there is a building called Chau Chia Kuan. It is dated 1819. In other words, it has a history of more than 150 years. This building -should be preserved by us. We know that there is a temple named Siang Lim Sze at Toa Payoh. Siang Lim Temple is also a very grand monument. All these monuments should be preserved for the benefit of our future generation. They are attractions to tourists.

There are certain provisions in the Bill which lay down that any land, site or monument which has a historical interest will be preserved and the Government will assist in its preservation. This is a very enlightened move. I hope that the public will be given the opportunity to participate in the work of preserving our historical monuments. Civic-minded people should be involved in this work. In other words, they should be invited to sit on the Board. After another 150 years, our people will be able to know that these historical monuments have been preserved through the efforts of our Minister. They will praise him for his foresight in preserving our historical relics.

Mr Barker: All I need say, Sir, is thanks to the Member for his support.

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 Barker].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

5.59 p.m.

Clauses 1 to 7 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 8 -

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker. Sir, I beg to move.

In page 5, line 30, after "Board", to insert "and that preservation order shall take effect and come into operation on the date of that notification and shall remain in force until revoked by the Minister or until it otherwise ceases to have effect".

Sir, this amendment seeks to state with precision the date of the coming into operation of each preservation order and its duration.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 8, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 9 -

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 6, line 4, to leave out from "withheld)" to the end of line 10 and insert "be demolished, removed, altered or renovated or have any addition made except in case of urgent and immediate necessity for the safety of persons or property.".

Sir, this is an amendment consequential to the other amendment in clause 9 which renders paragraph (a) of sub-clause (1) of clause 9 unnecessary. Paragraph (b) onwards is retained.

Amendment agreed to.

6.00 p.m.

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 6, line 12, to leave out from "the" to the end of line 13 and insert the words set out in the Order Paper Supplement*.

*The words appearing in the Order Paper Supplement read as follows:

"land which is the site of the monument and shall operate as if it were a charge on land, whether that land is registered or unregistered land. The preservation order shall, -- Ord. 21 (a) if it affects registered land, be regarded as of 1956. a statutory obligation under paragraph (c) of Cap. 225 subsection (1) of section 28 of the Land Titles Ordinance, 1956; and (b) if it affects unregistered land, be regarded as if it were a charge under. the Registration of Deeds Ordinance and, upon registration of a memorandum of the charge, created by the preservation order, the charge shall, notwithstanding the provisions of that Ordinance, have priority over all other instruments (including charges and other encumbrances) affecting that land.".

Sir, this is to remove doubts as to the precise effect of the land charge which is created by a preservation order, particularly as it affects unregistered land. The most effective means of achieving this is to treat the preservation order as if it were a charge under the Registration of Deeds Ordinance and to provide that, upon registration of a memorandum of the charge, such charge shall have priority over all other instruments.

As regards registered land, the charge will have effect as a statutory obligation under section 28 (1) (c) of the Land Titles Ordinance, 1956. This means that the charge will be an over-riding interest on land. With the introduction of these amendments, the charge becomes permanently attached to land whether registered or unregistered, and it will not, therefore, be necessary to provide for any restriction on dealings in land which are subject to the preservation order.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 9, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 10 to 17 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments; react a Third time and passed.