HIDDEN_MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTION (REPEAL) BILL

Any registered group thereafter which comes to adverse notice or commit any offence will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Like I have said, we have sufficient legislation to do that, whether it is under the Societies Act, Penal Code or the CLTPA.

On the flip side, and this is also a concern that Dr Teo has raised, anyone who purports to, on his own, without registering with the ROS or the Registry of Companies and Businesses, conduct martial arts training may run foul of the law. Even though he will not need to register with the Martial Arts Control Unit (MACU), he is likely to be in breach of the Societies Act, eg, if his group has nine or more trainees, or the Business Registration Act or Companies Act for running a business. But the real point is that, in any case, with today's discerning consumers, for any martial arts instructor to attract students to his class, I am sure his trainees, and if they are young trainees, their parents, will want to know his background and standing with the parent association. So, I do not see unregistered martial arts instructors or groups proliferating after the repeal of the MAIA, let alone unregistered groups committing unlawful acts.

Dr Teo asked for the number of prosecutions under the Act over the last 29 years. Madam, in fact, there were no prosecutions.

Dr Teo and Mr Ang are concerned about the maintenance of standards of training of martial arts instruction after the Act has been repealed. Let me say quite clearly at the outset that Police has never professed to have the competence nor is it within its functions to assess the standard and quality of instruction of martial arts. This is the case even now with MACU in existence. I believe that, currently, it is the various parent associations which certify the standard of instructors and who set the grading systems. In addition, I understand that national sports associations (NSAs), such as the National Wushu Federation, which incidentally has 160 affiliated groups under it, and other martial arts NSAs, such as the Singapore Karatedo Federation or Singapore Taekwondo Federation, maintain a register of certified instructors compiled from the lists kept by their affiliate members.

Let me say that the NSAs, in fact, can play an important role in promoting sporting excellence in the martial arts, and this should continue. Because besides the associations that I have mentioned, we have got the Singapore Judo Federation, Singapore Silat Federation and Singapore Kendo Club. So there are really six NSAs in the martial arts. And I would suggest that they should see the repeal of the Martial Arts Instruction Act as an opportunity to raise their own profile amongst their affiliate organisations, instructors, trainees and parents. Part of this goal, I would suggest, would be, as Dr Teo points out, to ensure that unhealthy rivalry does not surface. As the Government, in a sense, leaves this area, it creates space for VWOs and NSAs to play an enhanced role. So, I would encourage NSAs to take up this challenge.

Of course, on its part, Police will continue to monitor the secret societies situation - I think Dr Teo mentioned gang clashes - that is squarely within the remit and purview of the Police. Definitely all these years, as Mr Chiam himself has said, we have worked on it very hard through a combination of various measures, such as deterrence, enforcement, rehabilitation, prevention and education, in particular, targetting youths in gang who fight. There is a whole range of measures in place. The Police will certainly focus its attention where it should in these areas.

Dr Teo and Mr Ang are keen to promote martial arts in Singapore, especially wushu . They ask what MHA can do. Let me just say that the repeal of the MAIA is in itself an assurance to parents that the learning of martial arts in today's Singapore, unlike in the days of old, can take place in a setting where sports considerations are paramount. They no longer need to fear that their children will be influenced by secret society elements through these martial arts classes. That in itself is something which MHA has done. Like I have said, we will continue to keep a tight lid on secret society activities in Singapore.

It is really up to the NSAs to think what else they can do, whether it is upgrading training, or in starting a website to showcase its achievements to parents and trainees. I am sure the ingenuity of the likes of Mr Ang and Dr Teo will surface many more suggestions. And I know that this is happening because my check with the ground shows, for example, that the Singapore Karate Association has worked very closely with the Singapore Sports Council to produce a programme called the National Coaching Accreditation Programme (NCAP), which sets out what instructors ought to know when teaching young students including first aid and other things, besides just the core skills. I think this is wonderful. So I do not think, as Mr Ang suggests, that MHA should be the authorising body to delegate the responsibility of registering instructors to any NSA.

Let me wrap up. A minor point that Dr Teo raises is that the repeal of the Martial Arts Instruction Act may lead to loss of jobs. In fact, it would not, not in MACU, in any case, because police officers have been doubling up all these years. There is no dedicated MACU unit. So the Police works very hard. And I am sure even in the individual associations, in fact, they would probably welcome this freeing up and whatever staff, energy and time that may be released, I am sure can be very fruitfully used.

Mr Ang Mong Seng: I want to check whether the lion dance troupe will be affected by the Bill.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I think lion dance troupes are affiliate members of his NSA. In that sense, they are covered by the Act.

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. - [Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee].

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