APPLICATIONS FOR SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP (Particulars)

Mr Teong Eng Siong asked the Minister for Health and Home Affairs how many persons applied for Singapore citizenship during the year ended 28th February, 1973; how many of the applications were approved; and how many of them were rejected, and the reasons therefor.

The Minister for Health and Home Affairs (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the total number of applications received under all Articles of the Constitution during the year ending 28th February, 1973 was 9,068. The number of applications approved and rejected during the same period was 3,572 and 139 respectively.

The reasons for refusal include the following:-

(a) residentially not qualified;

(b) failed National Language test;

(c) character defects;

(d) of no economic benefit;

(e) no family roots in Singapore.

Mr Teong Eng Siong (in Mandarin): Sir, I would like to ask a supplementary question. What is the meaning of "no family roots in Singapore"?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, it means what it says. To explain further, if the Member for Sembawang has not understood it, it means that the applicant is the only person here, and, that he has not got a wife, children, brothers and sisters who are Singapore citizens.

Mr Ho See Beng (Bras Basah): Mr Speaker, may I know whether the Minister will allow an applicant's wife and children who are residing in other countries to come and join him so as to enable him to apply for citizenship?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Sir, the answer is no, because he must first have residential qualifications before he can apply for citizenship.

Mr Ho See Beng: Sir, assuming the applicant has got residential qualifications, hut because his family has been staying in other countries, then the Government could use the reason against the applicant, in which case he will never get citizenship. Is it not so?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a hypothetical question based on certain assumptions. I would rather prefer the Member for Bras Basah to quote a specific case, when I can deal with it on its own merits. But having got a general question, I will give a general answer. The point is this. If a person is residentially qualified, of course, he can apply. But whether he will be granted citizenship is another matter.

Mr N. Govindasamy (Telok Blangah): Sir, should one have a family to be a citizen? What about the case of a confirmed bachelor?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Sir, I do not know what is the motive behind that question; of course, we encourage only two children per family. However, when I say "family roots", I do not only mean wife and children, but also brothers and sisters, mother, father, uncles, and so on.

Mr N. Govindasamy: Sir, are we going to deprive a single person of citizenship if he has got no parents, or no children?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not a question of deprivation of citizenship. It is a question of a person applying for citizenship. If he has not got any citizenship, how can we deprive him of citizenship?

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): Sir, assuming a person has got all the qualifications for citizenship, can the Minister tell us whether or not he will be granted citizenship?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Sir, if he has all the qualifications which I have outlined, of course, he will be granted citizenship.

Mr P. Govindaswamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, since so many applications have been rejected, would the Minister like to enlighten the House on the reasons?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have already said that if a Member has any specific case in view, he can bring it to my attention and I will consider it on its merits. I do not think it is helpful to make a general statement that certain applications have been rejected.

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Sir, I am not satisfied with one of the reasons given by the Minister. I hope the Minister will reconsider the reason. At the moment we are encouraging small families. We do not encourage more than two children in the family.

Mr Speaker: Mr Teong, are you asking a supplementary question, or are you entering into a debate on this subject?

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Therefore, we should consider giving citizenship to bachelors. Otherwise, it seems that we are encouraging them to marry and to have many children.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Sir, I am here to answer questions, and not statements. So I cannot answer the Member for Sembawang.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin (Jalan Kayu): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to ask the Minister whether there has been any change in the criteria adopted in deciding on the economic benefit of an applicant.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, there has been a change. If the Member could recall, recently there was a statement by the Ministry of Labour to the effect that applicants who are skilled workmen and can add to our industrialisation effort, and if they could pass a trade test and possess the 10-year residential qualification, they would be granted citizenship straightaway.