Suspension of Standing Orders

Mdm Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the Petition that has been presented by the hon Nominated Member be referred to Parliament for consideration during the debate on the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill.

Mdm Speaker, I am moving this Motion at the request of the Nominated Member who has presented the Petition. As some Members may be aware from recent newspaper reports as well as from the Member's speech earlier, the Petition relates to the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill, which I shall refer to as "the Bill", the Second Reading of which has been set down on the Order Paper for today.

The Petition can either be considered and debated today as part of the Readings of the Bill or be referred to the Public Petitions Committee. If it is sent to the Committee, the contents of the Petition cannot be disclosed to Members or discussed during the Readings of the Bill. So, if the Bill is passed, there will not be an opportunity to discuss and to debate the Petition in a meaningful way. The Nominated Member has indicated his preference for the Petition to be considered and debated fully today. We are prepared to go along with that.

Therefore, I intend to move a Motion to seek the general assent of this House to suspend the operation of Standing Order No 18(3).

I give my consent. Does the Deputy Leader of the House have the general assent of hon Members present to so move?

Hon Members indicated assent.

Deputy Leader, please proceed.

Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No 18(3) which require a Petition to be referred to the Public Petitions Committee, the Petition presented by the hon Nominated Member be referred to Parliament for consideration at the Second Reading of the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill."

I have stated the reasons for the Motion in my earlier speech. If agreed to, this Motion will allow the contents of the presented Petition to be fully discussed and debated by the House during the Second Reading debate on the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill.

Question put, and agreed to.

*Resolved, "That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No 18(3) which require a Petition to be referred to the Public Petitions Committee, the Petition presented by the hon Nominated Member be referred to Parliament for consideration at the Second Reading of the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill." – [Mr Desmond Lee]  (proc text)]

I will ask the Clerk to make copies of the Petition available to Members. Questions for Oral Answer. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef.