STATUTES (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Prime Minister's Office (BG Lee Hsien Loong): Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill contains amendments to various Acts which are consequential to the Constitutional Amendment Bill. Amendments to the Audit Act (Cap. 17)

As I explained in moving the Constitutional Amendment, if a defence and security measure causes any drawdown of reserves, the President will be kept informed, but may not veto the transaction or publish his opinion on the matter. Publicity would not only compromise security, but in a crisis would also worsen tension. For these reasons, section 9 of the Act is amended so that financial statements presented to Parliament by the President exclude commitments which have been undertaken for the defence and security of Singapore. As in the Constitution, such a matter must be certified by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence, on the recommendation of the Permanent Secretary (Defence) and the Chief of Defence Force, to be necessary for the defence and security of Singapore.

Amendments to the Economic Development Board Act and the Jurong Town Corporation Act

Section 16 of the EDB Act and section 13 of the JTC Act are amended as a result of amendments to Article 144(3) of the Constitution to require the President's concurrence to future Government guarantees under these Acts. The President's concurrence will be needed for Government guarantees of future issues of bonds and debentures by EDB and JTC. Bonds and debentures issued before these Constitutional Amendments will be unaffected and continue to enjoy a Government guarantee.

Amendments to the Parliamentary Elections Act and Presidential Elections Act

The amendments to Article 45 of the Constitution will disqualify a person who is guilty of any illegal or corrupt practice committed in connection with a presidential election from being a Member of Parliament. Consequential changes are to sections 37, 42 and 61 of the Presidential Elections Act.

Currently, any person found guilty of any corrupt or illegal practice committed in connection with a parliamentary election is disqualified from voting at any parliamentary or presidential election for a period of years. A person found guilty of similar offences in a presidential election should be similarly disqualified from voting in a parliamentary or presidential election, but this is not presently the case. The amendments to the Presidential Elections Act and section 6 of the Parliamentary Elections Act will remove this inconsistency.

Amendments to the Financial Procedure Act

The writing-off of loans may adversely impact on past reserves. Section 19 of the Financial Procedure Act is amended to require the Minister for Finance to obtain the President's concurrence in order to write-off loans or to abandon claims.

Amendments to the Public Service Commission Act

The Public Service Commission (PSC) presently enjoys certain immunities and privileges in connection with the exercise of its functions, for example, persons who supply false information to the PSC or who attempt to influence PSC members in the performance of their functions will be guilty of an offence. PSC members also enjoy the immunity of a Magistrate and communications of the PSC are privileged and cannot be disclosed except with the consent of the President.

Personnel Boards will be established under the new Article 110D of the Constitution to exercise the powers and functions of the PSC. The PSC Act is amended to accord Personnel Boards the same privileges and protection currently accorded to the PSC.

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. - [BG Lee Hsien Loong].

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