CO537-1651 — Page 197

Malay Union.

No. 103 Java Road,

Singapore, 20th June, 1946.

that

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8.

THE MUNICIPAL CONSTITUTION.

The Executive Committee of the Malay Union, Singapore proposes

There should be twenty-four Commissioners including ex-officio members. In this connection, the Executive Committee strongly feels that four Commissioners should be retuned by the Malay Community of Singapore because the Malays form the second largest community in the island.

The Commissioners should be elected.

The qualification for the office of Commissioner should be :-

A

A British subject or a British protected person; Knowledge of fluent English, spoken as well as written; Thirty years of age and ob.ve;

Not being a Government servent nor e Municipal employee

serving in H.. Forces;

nor

The method of election at least for the present should be left to selected bodies or organisations. As for as the Malays are concerned, the body to be recognised is the Malay Union, Singapore. The reason for recommending this method of election is because the Executive Committee is of the opinion that at the present moment the majority of the inhabitants of Singapore has not yet come to that stage of political consciousness es to appreciate the value of franchise.

The electors should be the members of the select bodies to be represented on the Municipal Council.

Singapore being a small island, the Municipality of Singapore should include all areas within the island including those under the jurisdiction of the former Rural Board and Improvement Trust, to ensure administrative efficiency and economy.

In respect of the foregoing, the areas which were under the juris liction of the Rural Board and the Improvement Trust should remain as they were before in matters financial particularly in regard to rates and taxes. The reason for this proposal is that arcas under the Rural Board and the Improvement Trust have not been developed to the same extent as those under the jurisdiction of the Municipality.

Arising from the number of Malay Commissioners as recommended in para. 1 above, the Executive Committee of the Malay Union urges that if necessary the total number of commissioners be correspondingly increased.