SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read. 4.00 p.m.

The Minister for Home Affairs and Education (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Hijacking and Protection of Aircraft Bill, 1978, now before Parliament, when enacted will make it an offence for an person to commit or abet hijacking or the associated violent acts against the crew or passengers, damage or destruction of a plane in flight or air navigation installations in any part of the world. A person guilty of an offence by virtue of the Bill shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for life or in accordance with the relevant provisions of our law.

This Bill seeks to extend the jurisdiction of the High Court to empower it to try any person charged with hijacking, destroying or damaging any aircraft or air navigation installations or other offences under the Bill committed in Singapore or elsewhere.

Sir, I beg to move.

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 Chua Sian Chin].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.