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Inquiry Commissions Ordinance

Chapter 52, 1955 Revised Edition

Commission

N 26

G.N. No. S 1607/1963

REVISED EDITION 1990

( )

[17 July 1963]

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her Other Realms and Territories, QUEEN, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

By His Excellency Enche YUSOF BIN ISHAK, Yang di-Pertuan Negara of the State of Singapore.

Whereas it is provided by the Inquiry Commissions Ordinance that it shall be lawful for the Yang di-Pertuan Negara, whenever he shall deem it advisable, to issue a Commission appointing one or more Commissioners to enquire, inter alia, into any matter in which an inquiry would, in the opinion of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara, be for the public welfare:

And whereas I am of the opinion that an inquiry should forthwith be made by a Commission so appointed in accordance with the following terms of reference:

(a)	to review the events which occurred on the 12th July 1963 at Pulau Senang and to inquire into the circumstances leading to the disorder on that island; and
(b)	to review the future use of Pulau Senang as a rehabilitation settlement and to make recommendations thereon:

Now, therefore, I, YUSOF BIN ISHAK, hereby appoint the following persons, namely:

the Honourable Mr. Justice James Walter Davy Ambrose;

Mr. C. V. Devan Nair; and

Mr. Poh Guan Hock,

to be Commissioners and hereby authorise the said Commissioners to conduct such inquiry in the manner hereinafter directed:

1. I direct that the Honourable Mr. Justice James Walter Davy Ambrose shall be Chairman of this Commission of Inquiry;

2. I direct that the first sitting of the Commission shall take place in the Supreme Court, Singapore, on such date and at such hour as the Commissioners may designate;

3. I direct that the Commission shall normally hold its sittings in the Supreme Court, Singapore, but shall have power in the discretion of the Commissioners to adjourn to any suitable place to hear evidence or for any other purpose connected with its duties;

4. I direct that the Inquiry shall be held in public: Provided that the Commissioners may in their discretion direct that any evidence shall be heard in camera or otherwise recorded without being made available to the public;

5. I appoint Mr. L. N. van der Beek to be Secretary to the Commission and to attend the sittings thereof and generally to exercise the powers conferred and to carry out the duties imposed upon such Secretary as are referred to in section 6 of the said Inquiry Commissions Ordinance, and I authorise the said Secretary to employ such clerical or other assistance for the purposes of the Inquiry as the Commissioners may require. In case of necessity I also authorise the Commissioners to appoint any suitable person temporarily to act as Secretary to the Commission;

6. I direct the Commissioner of Police to detail police constables to attend upon the Commission for the purpose of preserving order during the proceedings, to serve summonses on witnesses or to perform such ministerial duties as the Commission shall direct; and

7. Finally, I direct that the Commissioners after completing the Inquiry render to me their report and findings thereon.

Given at Singapore this 17th day of July 1963.

By His Excellency’s Command,