ADJOURNMENT TO A LATER DAY (Motion)

The Leader of the House (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of the Members present, under Standing Order 33, to move that, at its rising today, Parliament do stand adjourned till Friday, 1st March, 1985, at 11.00 am and that at the sitting on 1st March, 1985, the moment of interruption shall be 4.30 pm.

Mr Speaker: I give my consent. Is it the pleasure of hon. Members that the Motion be moved?

Hon. Members indicated assent.

Mr S. Dhanabalan: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 1, at its rising today Parliament do stand adjourned till Friday, 1st March, 1985, at 11.00 a.m. and that at the sitting on 1st March, 1985, the moment of interruption shall be 4.30 p.m.

Mr Speaker, Sir, this motion is to change the present sitting times of Parliament in the first instance for the meeting on 1st March, 1985, but I shall be giving notice for a motion to change the sitting times for future sittings of Parliament. This change is necessary because we intend to give television coverage of Parliamentary sittings. Parliamentary proceedings will be recorded in full and every evening of the day when Parliament sits, a 30 to 45-minute programme of the day's business will be telecast by SBC. These telecasts will be in English and in Chinese,

The general public have been informed about Parliamentary proceedings through the press and through SBC newscast. Except for ceremonial occasions, like the President's Address this evening, the people do not have a direct visual and aural impression of Parliamentary debates. When it is possible for TV to bring events occurring in remote places under very difficult circumstances right into the living room, Parliament cannot continue to ignore taking advantage of TV to communicate with the people. Parliaments in other parts of the world have already started using television. Television coverage will inform Singaporeans not only of the content of Parliamentary proceedings but also the cut and thrust of debate or the lack of it. Reading speeches in cold print is not the same as actually seeing and listening to an argument or an idea being put across. The printed word cannot convey the sincerity, passion and quality of the argument. To produce the kind of programme that we envisage, SBC will need time to edit and summarize four to five hours of parliamentary business into a 30 to 45-minute programme.

Under the present Standing Orders, the House rises at 8.00 pm or 8.30 pm if there is an Adjournment Motion. This gives no time for SBC to edit and produce a programme to go on the air between 9,00 pm and 10.00 pm. It is therefore necessary for sittings of Parliament to be changed. It is proposed that Parliament sits from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm with a break from 1.00 to 2.30 pm for lunch; sittings will resume at 2.30 pm and finish at 4.30 pm. If there is an Adjournment Motion, sittings will carry on to 5.00 pm.

Sir, we may have to modify these times in the light of actual experience. When we are more certain about the most suitable time, we can change the Standing Orders.

Mr Speaker: Does any Member want to join in the debate?

Hon. Members: No.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 1, at its rising today Parliament do stand adjourned till Friday, the 1st of March,1985, at 11.00 am and that at the sitting on 1st March, 1985, the moment of interruption shall be 4.30 pm.