RUBBER ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE (INCORPORATION) (AMENDMENT NO. 2) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr Goh Chok Tong): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, the Bill before this House seeks to facilitate the operation of the rubber trade and to ensure that the activities of the Rubber Association of Singapore (RAS) are in line with accepted Government practices

To ensure there is no discrimination, my Ministry has introduced a provision in the new Bill to enable a person whose application for membership of the RAS has been rejected, to appeal to the Minister.

Section 10 of the Rubber Association of Singapore (Incorporation) Act, 1970, provides for an officer of the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research (SISIR) to be appointed as a member of the Management Committee of the Association. This provision was made in 1973 when discussions were underway to make SISIR the testing laboratory for Specified Singapore Rubber (SSR) samples. However, the SSR producers have established their own testing units. Therefore, SISIR's membership of the Management Committee is unnecessary. Clause 3 of the Bill seeks to delete this provision from the Act.

The "Singapore Rubber Fund" is a general fund of the Association established under the Act. Its proceeds pay for expenses connected with the administration of the Act. The Association has a fidelity fund to meet claims arising out of default by members of the Association in the course of their business. As the two funds are not related, the Bill seeks to clarify that provisions under section 13 of the Act relating to the "Singapore Rubber Fund" do not apply to any fidelity fund established by the Association.

As the activities of the RAS are to be in line with Government practices, clause 5 of the Bill requires the Association to submit its Annual Report at the close of each financial year to the Minister for presentation to Parliament.

Moreover, as the RAS is controlling and administering public funds, my Ministry has introduced under clause 6 of the Bill a Schedule containing provisions regarding the keeping of records and audit of accounts of the Association by the Auditor-General or an auditor appointed in consultation with the Auditor-General.

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 Goh Chok Tong].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair]

Clauses 1 to 5 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 6 -

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Sir, I beg to move,

In page 3, line 41, to leave out "Schedule" and insert "Act".

This is necessary as the provisions should refer to the Act and not to the Schedule.

Clause 6, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with an amendment; read a Third time and passed.