REVIEW COMMITTEE ON CENSORSHIP (Particulars)

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Culture if he will inform the House (i) when the Censorship Review Committee was constituted; (ii) who are the members of the Committee: (iii) what are their terms of reference; and (iv) what progress has been made and when the Committee is expected to conclude its work.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Culture (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, members were appointed to the Review Committee on Censorship on 16th March 1981. Members of the Committee are:

Professor S. Jayakumar (Chairman)

Dr Ang Kok Peng

Madam Li Lien Fung

Mr Goh Soo Tian

Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed

Mrs Marie Bong

The terms of reference of the Committee are as follows:

(a) To consider the likely effects of advances in electronic communication and audio-visual technology, and mass travel on the sexual morality of Singaporeans.

(b) To review the laws on censorship of publications and films, and to recommend changes, where necessary.

(c) To review censorship policies on publications and films and to recommend changes that will minimize the adverse effects on traditional morality without holding up such policies to ridicule because they are out of touch with reality.

(d) To review present administrative procedures and enforcement facilities in the Ministry of Culture and recommend improvements to carry out the policy effectively.

The scope of the Committee's work, as can be seen from its terms of reference, is wide. The Committee has been making satisfactory progress. It has been meeting regularly at least once a week.

The Committee does not have any preconception as to whether there should be more or less censorship. It decided that before considering what changes, if any, are to be made to the censorship policy, it must have a thorough understanding of existing censorship policy and implementation procedures. Consequently, the Committee's initial stage of work has involved meetings with officials concerned With censorship of films and publications.

The Committee has also been viewing films, excerpts of films and publications, which illustrate application of the existing policy. When necessary, it will hear the views of people knowledgeable in areas relevant to the censorship question.

The Committee expects to complete its work and present its report before the end of this year.