SINGAPORE EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENT BOARD BILL

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SINGAPORE EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENT BOARD BILL: "to establish and incorporate the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, to provide for its functions, duties and powers, and for matters connected therewith",

presented by the Acting Minister for Education (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.

Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take the break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair again at 5.05 pm.

Sitting accordingly suspended

at 4.42 pm until 5.05 pm.

Sitting resumed at 5.05 pm

[Mdm Deputy Speaker (Mrs Lim Hwee Hua) in the Chair]

Column No : 3204

MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTION (REPEAL) BILL: Order for Second Reading read.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Madam, this Bill repeals the Martial Arts Instruction Act.

Ministries carry out regular reviews of legislation under their purview to assess their continued relevance and need for amendment. The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that the Martial Arts Instruction Act has outlived its usefulness. Its core objectives can be met through other pieces of legislation.

Before the Martial Arts Instruction Act was enacted, martial arts associations proliferated in Singapore. At the end of 1973, there were 128 martial arts organisations registered in Singapore, compared to only 32 in 1963. There were an estimated 13,000 to 18,000 martial arts trainees in the early 70s. This rapid growth can be traced to the popularisation of martial arts by Chinese films which glorified martial arts.

At that time, there was little control over martial arts associations. Any instructor who professed knowledge of any martial art could organise a class and apply to the Registrar of Societies or the Registrar of Companies and Businesses to be registered. Both these registries had no means then of checking whether an instructor was qualified to teach a skill or to whom he should impart his skill. Similarly, instructors would readily accept anyone as a student, with little concern about his background and his purpose in acquiring the art, so long as he was prepared to pay the fee required for receiving such training. As a result, many martial arts organisations were formed or were taken over by secret societies and other criminal elements to further their own ends. Martial arts skills were used in gang clashes and to intimidate innocent victims to submit to their demands. These problems led to the enactment of the Martial Arts Instruction Act in 1974 to regulate the setting up of martial arts associations, and register martial arts instructors and trainees.

Madam, the situation today has improved tremendously. Over the years, through tough enforcement, intelligence and strict laws, Police has effectively brought the secret society situation in Singapore under control. Activities involving territorial disputes and running of protection rackets by gangs which were predominant in the 60s and 70s, are very minimal now. The number of secret society members has dwindled from a high of some 10,000 during the 60s to only about 2,000 today. In fact, many of these 2,000 are actually members of loose affiliations and street gangs rather than hardcore secret society members. Because of vigilant action by Police to control and suppress secret societies, most ex-secret society members now keep a low profile and have stayed away from crime.

More importantly, since 1987, no trainee has been found to have links with secret societies. That is why since 1999, Police has stopped requiring martial arts trainees to be registered. In addition, very few martial arts instructors have been found to have links with secret societies. For example, between 1998 and 2002, only three out of 327 registered martial arts instructors were found to have secret society links. Concerns over secret society members and criminal elements using martial arts training for illegal activities or to pursue undesirable ends is therefore now very much reduced. The Martial Arts Instruction Act has outlived its usefulness and we are therefore repealing it.

But let me assure the House that important checks against secret society activities are in place. These include legislation such as the Penal Code and the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act which provide adequate enforcement powers against secret societies. In particular, the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act has been a very effective tool against secret society elements, especially when witnesses are not willing to testify in court against secret society members for fear of reprisal. Moreover, martial arts instructors generally operate out of premises belonging to associations, tertiary institutions, community centres and clubs and residents' committees which require their martial arts instructors to be registered with their respective martial arts associations. Hence, martial arts associations can also play a role.

On its part, Police will continue to keep a tight lid on secret societies, in particular youth involvement in secret societies and gangs. Public education programmes in the form of school talks to high-risk groups, prison visits for wayward youths and their parents, and the Streetwise Programme to engage youths who have steered towards crime, will continue.

Madam, the Martial Arts Instruction Act also regulates the setting up of martial arts associations. The Act requires the Controller of Martial Arts to register martial arts associations. In practice, martial arts associations are registered as societies under the Societies Act, businesses under the Business Registration Act, or companies under the Companies Act. Currently, the Registrar of Societies consults the Police before registering any martial arts association. This screening process will continue when the Martial Arts Instruction Act is repealed. Similarly, the Registrar of Companies and Businesses will consult Police on applications to register any company or business which lists martial arts as its main activities.

Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Act has served out its purpose. There is now no longer a need for an Act to regulate martial arts associations, nor to register martial arts instructors and trainees. The Act should be repealed.

Madam, I beg to move.

Question proposed.