His Excellency the Governor: Honourable Members, the inauguration of Singapore's second elected Government marks a further stage in the vigorous development of democracy in Malaya. The former Government under the leadership of Mr Marshall forged a pattern of democratic progress and the new Government, with the advantage of continuity of personnel, will seek to ensure continuity of policy and its plans for the future are linked with the achievements of the past 17 months. 2. The Government stands for the early attainment of complete internal self-government and recognises that successful self-government must be based on national prosperity and national solidarity. 3. Friendly contacts and discussions with our trading neighbours have already brought Singapore benefits and the Government will take every opportunity of continuing to explore trade possibilities and promote sound trading relationships. 4. The Government will also promote the expansion of existing industries on the island and the establishment of new industries. For this purpose there must be adequate capital investment. It is hoped that the rate of capital formation within Singapore can be increased so that the people of Singapore can finance their own prosperity. It is recognised, however, that there is a need to import capital and, consequently, to attract foreign investment, if employment opportunities are to match the needs of our growing population. 5. As recommended by the International Bank Mission the Government is preparing legislation to set up an Industrial Promotion Board to assist the small-scale manufacturer and is examining the possible establishment of an Industrial Research Institute. 6. The Government attaches much importance to the encouragement and expansion of agricultural and fisheries production. The island-wide Agricultural Show to be opened on 1st September will bring together, for the first time in Singapore, the varied and valuable products of our farmers and fishermen and will encourage them to adopt new techniques and aim at higher standards of achievement. It is hoped to secure the services of an experienced veterinary geneticist who will improve the breeding of local pigs and poultry whilst the Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Station to be built shortly at Sembawang will decentralise the veterinary services and enable farmers to improve their livestock, to learn the use of chemical fertilisers and to secure better seeds. Experimental fish ponds to provide fry for commercial breeding purposes will be included. 7. The need to provide and to improve farming lands is accepted and the Government will give its consideration to measures aimed at giving farmers both security of tenure and freedom from exploitation. Road development will continue to open up farming and rural areas both for their economic advantage and for provision of social services. 8. A special campaign will be conducted to emphasise the aims and advantages of the co-operative movement, and all possible encouragement will be given to farmers and fishermen to establish and develop co-operative enterprises. 9. Development of the fishing industry will receive close attention, particularly the expansion of deep-sea fishing. The plan for local fishermen to operate in conjunction with skilled Japanese interests will develop more advanced methods and improve supplies. A pilot co-operative scheme is now being put into operation for fishermen at Ponggol and if this proves successful consideration will be given to further schemes of this nature in order to free fishermen from debt and at the same time to improve marketing methods. 10. It is the objective of the Government not only to increase the total wealth of Singapore but also to ensure that wealth is diffused throughout the population and that the gap between the largest incomes and the smallest is steadily reduced. Whilst this is partly a matter of the cash earnings of the worker, diffusion of wealth also occurs through improvement of the social services provided out of national revenue. In this connection Government policy is one of improving social services of all kinds especially in those areas, whether urban or rural, whose needs have not been fully met in the past. 11. Extended medical facilities will be continued through a system of clinics throughout the island. Increasing provision of trained personnel will enable nursing attention to be given in the homes of the people. The implementation of the education policy laid down in the White Paper will ensure that local schools will provide a steadily improving standard of education at points convenient and accessible to local residents. 12. The building of community centres will be accelerated in co-operation with the numerous groups who are already establishing or seeking to establish community centres on their own initiative. 13. Whilst Singapore's business community is served by a system of excellent communications, there is a growing need for expansion in the rural areas. The Five-Year Postal Services Development Plan will bring real benefits to neglected areas, priority being given to the islands. At the same time the Singapore Telephone Board is expanding telephone facilities through its own large-scale development plans. 14. Plans are also in hand for decentralisation of other social services, including public assistance and the Citizens Advice Bureau. 15. Hand in hand with decentralisation and diffusion of services will go decentralisation of the local government system on the lines set out in the White Paper, Cmd. No. 30 of 1956. District Councils will be established before the middle of 1957, and will enable rural dwellers to deal with their own problems through their own representatives and to make democracy a living reality in their daily lives. The Local Government Bill and the Local Elections Bill, to give effect to this policy, will be introduced at the next sitting of this Assembly. 16. Improvements in the standard of living of the people depend to a considerable extent on expansion of productive industry, for which an increase in the number of skilled workers is required. This has been, and will be, given the highest priority. Two secondary technical schools are now operating and more are planned. The building of the Polytechnic will commence shortly. A Joint Industrial Council has recently been set up to advise on an expanding system of apprenticeships which will enable young people to learn on the job with an appropriate amount of theoretical teaching in the classroom. 17. The Government intends to increase opportunities for careers in the merchant marine. Approval has been given to a scholarship scheme to assist likely students to acquire secondary school education in order to qualify for entry to careers as deck and engineer officers. Plans are being worked out to assist locally domiciled seamen to qualify for more responsible positions. Proposals for training Local Trade Masters as pilots have already been announced, and it is hoped progressively to absorb more local men in the pilotage service. 18. The teaching of certain technical skills cannot be provided economically in a territory as small as Singapore. For this a co-ordinated scheme for the use of overseas facilities through the Colombo Plan and similar aid programmes is being worked out. This will ensure that everything possible is done to produce the trained technologists and professional workers which the development of Singapore demands. 19. The Government is continuing to give careful study to the problems of road communications and transport. The establishment of a unified bus system will play an important part and the Government will publish a White Paper on this subject shortly. The problems of traffic congestion in Singapore's streets are becoming, as in other cities in the world, increasingly acute as more and more vehicles are registered. Measures to ensure that traffic can flow as freely as conditions permit and to reduce obstruction from kerbside parking will be introduced in a phased programme. 20. Increasing inter-continental and regional passenger traffic at Singapore Airport, which from January-June 1956 has exceeded figures for January-June 1955 by 38 per cent, and which is expected to total more than 300,000 passengers during 1956, shows that Singapore's Airport is flourishing and may in future be almost as important as its seaport. This should bring added business and prosperity to the community, and the Government is determined to encourage this development. For these reasons it has been decided to go forward at once with the permanent Terminal Building at Paya Lebar and construction will start early next year. Additional hangar accommodation is being provided immediately, and work on the apron and taxi-way system is continuing. 21. Good progress is being made between the Governments concerned and the Company about the future of Malayan Airways. The final agreement will be tabled. 22. The frequent and increasing floods which have caused serious damage and suffering in the past constitute a major problem for which the Government now has the technical solution, but which can only be dealt with as funds can be made available. Adequate land will be reserved for future flood drainage works. The anti-flood scheme at Bedok is now almost completed, and the first stage of a scheme for the Geylang/Paya Lebar area will start shortly. 23. The importance of telecommunications in Singapore's commercial and social life is shown by an increase in 1955 of more than 16 per cent in overseas radio telephone calls, and by a total of nearly 2,000,000 trunk calls between Singapore and the Federation, the latter figure illustrating the very close ties between the two territories. The Government will seek to maintain the efficiency of these essential services and to expand them as required. 24. The Government is considering whether the requirements of broadcasting in Singapore could best be served by setting up a public corporation and the prospects of introducing television are being examined by a committee in accordance with the resolution of this Assembly. 25. Means for prevention, control and treatment of disease and ill health will continue to be strengthened. In conjunction with the Royal Singapore AntiTuberculosis Association, whose work in this field has been outstanding, and with Colombo Plan aid from Australia, a large-scale campaign against tuberculosis is planned to begin in 1957. Simultaneously, an expanding programme of health education for the public, and of training for doctors, nurses, midwives and ancillary medical workers will limit and reduce human suffering and economic waste arising from preventable diseases. With an initial grant of $20,000 from Government, a Health Education Council has been created. This Council unites all willing persons and voluntary bodies in a cooperative health education project. It has already received most welcome support. 26. Departmental training awards have risen from 17 in 1955 to provision for 66 in 1957, whilst the output of fully trained nurses will increase from 25 in 1955 to more than 100 in 1957. In order to facilitate the specialist training of local medical officers, the Government has arranged with Australia for the holding of an annual "Primary" Examination in Singapore of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons, thus saving time and expense on sending officers overseas, and also for the training of young specialists by exchange of doctors with Australian teaching hospitals. These arrangements will facilitate the training of local medical officers and assist in the Malayanisation of the Medical Services. 27. In addition to the 1,200 beds provided by construction between April 1955 and December 1956 work will soon start on a 500-bed district hospital, on five more maternity and child welfare clinics and on two more out-patient dispensaries. Plans are being prepared for a 200-bed chronic hospital. 28. The principles governing the Master Plan have won general acceptance and the Government will seek to ensure that land is wisely used and carefully developed for the national advantage and that ownership of land is not used for unjust exploitation. Legislation is being prepared to provide adequate machinery and powers for town and country planning under the Ministry of Local Government, Lands and Housing. 29. Steps are in hand to provide the machinery required for the operation of the new Land Titles Ordinance, which will reduce the cost and simplify the procedure in land transactions. The Land Acquisition and the Land Purchases Control Bills will be brought to this Assembly after further study has been given to certain aspects of their operation. 30. Public housing development has hitherto been slowed down, and in some projects even stopped, because nearly all potential urban and suburban building sites are occupied by poor people who would suffer great hardship if evicted. The Land Clearance and Resettlement Plan, accepted by the previous Government, makes fair and adequate provision for compensating and rehousing in such cases, whether in appropriate permanent housing, or in semi-urban planned attap areas with municipal services, or in farming settlements. This should much facilitate the clearance of sites for housing and also for other development and the Government building programme aims at steady expansion of permanent dwellings. To carry out this building programme, the Singapore Improvement Trust will be replaced by a Housing Authority. 31. Since rents at present constitute a very heavy burden on the poor, the Government has been studying schemes for housing subsidies. Whilst these must be related on the one hand to the ability of the occupant to pay, they must also be reasonable in relation to the public funds available. It is therefore proposed that housing subsidy commitments should be subject to annual discussion by the Assembly, and it is hoped to present the first scheme for housing subsidies to the Assembly in the near future. 32. The Government wishes to encourage owner occupation of houses and will proceed with further schemes in this direction, on the lines of the recent offer for sale of 68 houses, which drew 1,312 applications, and will seek to apply the same general principles to ownership of flats. 33. Singapore's financial position continues to be sound, and the Government intends that it shall remain so and that nothing shall be done to shake confidence in the stability of our economy and our currency. 34. Essential development requirements have been re-examined and a revised plan will shortly be laid before the Assembly, setting out the priority of requirements for schools, hospitals, public utilities and other projects. Whilst this plan is flexible, it will state the broad outlines of development policy within the framework of available funds over the next few years. 35. The Government will continue to ensure economy in development spending by reference of all plans to the high-level Advisory Panel on Public Buildings or to the Public Works Standing Committee, by which large economies have already been achieved. 36. Development can be partly financed from existing reserves but prudence forbids draining these too low and very large sums will have to be raised by loans. 37. Simultaneously with large capital expenditure on development expanding social services will cause a rapid increase in recurrent expenditure, which must be met by increased revenue. Considerable taxation potential remains to be tapped, and measures to be introduced to increase revenue will seek to lay the burden on the shoulders of those members of the community best able to carry it. 38. Singapore's fiscal and economic policies are inter-dependent with those of the Federation of Malaya and consultation and co-ordination on these subjects with the Federation Government will continue. 39. With its population increasing very rapidly, Singapore has peculiarly urgent youth problems, which involve provision both for proper education and upbringing and for economic employment and satisfactory living conditions when education ends. 40. Development of the education system is proceeding rapidly and is not far from the point where free compulsory primary education can be enforced. It is not at present possible to envisage providing secondary education for all, but the co-ordinated development of education and training facilities outlined earlier in this Address should ensure that opportunities match individual abilities and national needs. 41. The Government appreciates the need of the pupils leaving the Chinese middle schools for an institution of higher education in which to continue their studies and the enterprise and enthusiasm which brought the Nanyang University into being. It is aware, however, of the need to maintain high academic standards without which the qualifications to be acquired will be of little value. The Government is therefore at all times ready to help the Nanyang University authorities to attain standards which will be internationally recognised, so that the graduates will be able to find worthwhile employment and contribute effectively to the welfare of this country. 42. Whilst providing for the needs of the outstanding, the able and the average, the Government will also care for those who are handicapped in mind, body or character. Plans are in hand for accommodation of mentally deficient children; the school for the blind is now operating; further provision is planned for the deaf and the dumb; an approved school for juvenile delinquents, and a new block for girls at Mount Emily are scheduled; Borstal training will be available very shortly and necessary legislation will be introduced in the Assembly; the most valuable probation system is ready for expansion as required; two Prison Welfare Officers will provide not only for the morale and rehabilitation of prisoners, but also for assistance to their innocent and distressed families; it is planned to build two hostels for unemployed boys and one for girls within the next 18 months; and close study is being given to the possibility of a rural settlement for old people. Healthy youth organisations will continue to receive the maximum encouragement and full training facilities, without being devitalised by excessive paternalism. 43. The Government is paying particular attention to the complex problems of social security. When the Minimum Living Standards Committee has completed its study and its recommendations have been correlated with those of the International Labour Office expert who has been making a separate study, Government intends to formulate and present to the Assembly schemes for ensuring that the first steps towards social security and relief for the hardships of the unemployed are taken. 44. The Government will also continue to ameliorate the working conditions and standards of living of the workers, and, in particular, will introduce legislation to ensure fair conditions of employment for shop assistants and clerks. 45. The Government is profoundly convinced that the expansion of national prosperity, with accompanying expansion of social services and of development, can only be achieved on the basis of national solidarity and national effort. 46. In the field of economic production the Government considers that employers and workers must recognise the need for co-operation in their joint task of service to the national prosperity. Every effort of energy and patience will be made by the Government to eliminate wasteful and damaging disputes by the timely removal of grievances and by the education of both management and labour in the processes of negotiation, in the means of joint consultation, and in understanding of the importance of good human relations within industry. It must be realised that plans for relief of unemployment and for creation of new industries can be frustrated by unnecessary stoppages, which reduce production or even halt it forever, thus throwing workers into the miseries of unemployment. 47. Detailed study of the report of the Malayanisation Commission is now far advanced and will soon be completed. The Government will then publish a programme for the phased replacement of expatriate officers by Malayans. This programme will provide for rapid Malayanisation to be carried out without unreasonable sacrifices of efficiency in the public administration at this vital time in Singapore's history. Simultaneously the Government will introduce a scheme for fair and reasonable compensation to expatriate officers. Negotiations with the Staff Associations are in progress. All expatriate officers will be informed of their prospects for future service here and of the terms on which their services will be terminated. 48. A Public Services Commission with executive powers will be established as soon as agreement has been reached on a compensation scheme. 49. It is clear that it will be some years before an adequate supply of suitably qualified Malayans is available to replace all expatriates and until then expatriates will be needed especially in professional and technical posts. Where appropriate those expatriate officers whose services are needed for a further period will be guaranteed consideration for promotion in accordance with normal service principles. 50. The Government has been gravely concerned by the danger to the public welfare from gangsters, from secret societies, from armed violence, and from corruption. It is determined to continue to take strong action to remove these threats and to protect all good citizens from anti-social forces. In that task the Government appeals confidently for the co-operation and support of the public, which are essential. It is intended to do everything possible to foster moral welfare by encouragement of healthy youth activities and by ensuring, as far as may be, that young people receive proper moral teaching and guidance. The Government is anxious that parents should give more care to watching over the characters and occupations of their children. A thoroughly revised Ordinance for the protection of women and girls will be introduced during 1957. 51. As Singapore moves towards complete self-government and national status, the need to maintain its own armed forces becomes more urgent. Recruitment for the new Regular Battalion will open shortly and it is hoped that all sections of the community will not only support the new Battalion in principle but will also come forward as Singapore citizens to enlist as regular soldiers of high civic quality. 52. Aspirations of political freedom must be accompanied by genuine national efforts for economic independence. Whilst Singapore, as an international centre of trade, must always retain close links with its trading neighbours, and must give scope for foreign capital, it is of the utmost importance that the citizens of Singapore should provide as much as they possibly can of the capital needed for national development. For the future every good citizen should recognise the need, for his own and for the nation's prosperity, to be economical in his spending and thrifty in his habits so that he can save in order to invest within Singapore. The Government is examining the feasibility of initiating a national savings movement. In this way every citizen could, in greater or lesser degree, contribute to the national prosperity. 53. Whilst the Government recognises that Singapore lives by the free movement of trade, steps must and will be taken, as indicated briefly earlier in this Address, to encourage and build up our local production for home consumption and for export. All citizens can, and should, play their part in the development of secondary industry by consuming goods produced on this island. 54. The Government does not intend that the development of national solidarity should in any way conflict with or damage the traditional cultures of the different communities living in Singapore. The education policy laid down in the White Paper Cmd. No. 15 of 1956 will ensure to every child the opportunity of education in the language of the parents' choice, together with a second language which will enable him to communicate with his fellows of different race. Whilst Singapore's trade demands an adequate knowledge of English as a world language by a proportion of its citizens, there is no doubt that under the new education policy the languages and cultures of the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians will flourish as they have never done in the past. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the Government is determined that all children should be given equal educational opportunity. To this end it is preparing a new Grant Code which will govern the payment of full aid to different kinds of schools. Whether a school is to receive a grant or not will certainly depend, not on the language of instruction of the school, but on two over-riding conditions: that its aim should be to turn out children whose loyalty will be to this country and that the grant should be wisely used and accounted for properly. 55. The Government is aware of the need to provide for older people some of the opportunities for education they were denied in their youth. Experience during the past years has shown the need for a number of reforms in the arrangements previously made for providing adult education. A new constitution is being drafted for the Singapore Council for Adult Education which it is hoped will make these reforms effective. 56. As a factor of encouragement for all cultures, the Government is considering a proposal to set up a Department of Fine Arts and Cultural Relations, which will without discrimination provide facilities and encouragement for the different cultures of Singapore and which will make it possible to fertilise them through visits and exchanges with the cultures of other countries. 57. The Government considers that an important contribution to national solidarity can be made through widening the understanding of the people with regard to the structure and work of the Government and its Public Services, and will seek to give this understanding of the democratic process by providing a scheme of civics courses for representative groups from all parts of Singapore. 58. The Government is aware that the hysterical, unreasonable and often criminal activities of undercover Communists are harmful to national unity and national prosperity. Whilst willing to facilitate in every way the retirement to Communist countries of those who favour a Communist way of life, the Government asks those who call this country their home to give sincere loyalty to the free democratic Malayan way of life. 59. Whilst the business of Government proceeds from day to day and from year to year, it ought also to be planned with proper thought for the long-term future and for this purpose planning must be based on sound economic surveys and economic advice. The Government will seek to expand and strengthen the office of the Economic Adviser in order that no factor should be overlooked which can contribute to the future welfare of Singapore. 60. The first elected Government recognised that the welfare of the people of Singapore could best be served by the early attainment of complete internal self-government and union with the Federation of Malaya and accordingly directed its efforts to achieving these ends. 61. The setback sustained by an All-Party mission, comprised of Members of this Assembly, which went to London earlier this year to seek constitutional advancement, while dealing a grievous blow to the aspirations of the people of Singapore, is regarded by this Government as being temporary. The resources and the energies of the Government will be applied to ensure that these legitimate aspirations are attained in the very near future. In this the Government is confident of the support of all Parties represented in this Assembly. 62. Although the goal of union with the Federation of Malaya is still not in sight, the links already forged are being strengthened to make both territories indivisible. The Government will continue to foster and strengthen these links so that ultimately the narrow gap will be bridged, bringing about the fusion of the two territories into a single, united nation. We look forward to this Greater Malaya taking its rightful place among the Comity of Nations. With God's help it shall grow in stature and prosperity and advance in full glory into that era of Universal Peace destined for Man-kind. At the conclusion of the Governor's Address, Mr Speaker, preceded by the Serjeant at Arms, the Clerk Assistant and the Clerk, escorted His Excellency out of the Chamber, and the sitting was suspended until twelve noon. Twelve noon The Assembly resumed its sitting with Mr Speaker in the chair.