PARTY POLITICAL BROADCAST COMMITTEE (Setting up)

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Prime Minister whether he will set up a Party Political Broadcast Committee, which shall include the opposition, to review the rules concerning party political broadcasts at election time.

The Minister for Information and the Arts (BG George Yong-Boon Yeo) (for the Prime Minister): Mr Speaker, Sir, party political broadcasts at election time are provided by SBC as a public service so that political parties need not incur large expenses to get TV airtime. The rules governing these broadcasts have been established by SBC over many years. They are simple, practical and fair. There is no need to set up a Committee with representatives from political parties to review the rules.

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): I would like to ask the Minister about rules regarding some unforeseen change of rules by the PAP, for example, the introduction of the Elected President. We had a broadcast on that. Is that included in the rules?

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Are we talking about General Elections or Presidential Elections?

Mr Chiam See Tong: Such things do happen at General Elections and the Opposition is often caught unaware on how the broadcast will be made.

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: I am surprised. The current system has been used in the General Elections of 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991. It is based on a formula which allows free airtime to major political parties to state their platforms in the four official languages on television and radio. Under the system, a political party fielding a minimum of six candidates qualifies for the minimum airtime of one period of 2 1/2 minutes in each official language broadcast. Beyond that, airtime is increased by half a minute for every four additional candidates fielded. There has been no change since 1980. So the rules are very clear and I do not anticipate that there will be change the next time round.

Mr Chiam See Tong: These rules concern only the normal elections. But what happens at a General Election when something new suddenly comes up? Who makes the rules?

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: If there are special conditions, like the new Presidential Election, then we will have to frame the rules as we go along. In the case of the Presidential Election which took place for the first time in our history we had to create new procedures for election campaigning to be done on television. We may have to make further adjustments next time round, but we will adjust as we go along. But the general principle is you get airtime in proportion to the number of candidates you field. As for the General Elections, there has been no change since 1980. So I am not quite clear what Mr Chiam is referring to.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, there are two sets of rules. One set is for the general course of events, if nothing happens at a General Election. The other set is, if something crops up, there are no rules. I have given the example of the Elected President that was broadcast during election time. If you include the Opposition, then at least the Opposition would know what is happening rather than be caught by surprise.

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: I am not sure how you can stop the Opposition from being surprised. For a General Election, the rules are clear. So there should be no surprise for the next election. For the Presidential Election, since we had rules for the first time, there should be no surprise for the next election.

Mr Chiam See Tong: I am not referring to the Presidential Election. I am saying that when a topic like the Presidential Election crops up during a General Election the matter is debated and broadcast. What are the rules in regard to that?

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not appropriate for me to give answers to hypothetical questions.

Mr Chiam See Tong: It has happened.

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: What has happened?

Mr Chiam See Tong: Perhaps I am a more senior Member than the Minister. There was a party political broadcast or debate on the issue of the Elected President.

An hon. Member: In 1988.

Mr Chiam See Tong: 1988, yes.

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: In addition to party political broadcasts, if the parties involved agree, and SBC agrees, that there should be debate on specific issues, then such additional accommodation will be made on the basis of consensus.

Mr Chiam See Tong: I do not know how you can say it is consensus when the party involved is not asked on the matter. How can there be consensus when the Opposition has been completely left out on the matter?

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Mr Speaker, Sir, unless Mr Chiam can be more specific, I am not quite sure what question I am answering to.

Mr Speaker: Neither do I.

Mr Chiam See Tong: I think the issue is very clear. The Minister has given an answer and he says there are rules for the general course of events, in other words, nothing crops up during a General Election. What happens when something crops up? What sort of rules do we adhere to?

Mr Speaker: I think that is a hypothetical question and I would have to disallow that. Mr Chiam, would you like to proceed to your next question?

Mr Chiam See Tong: Question No. 6, Sir.