Parliamentary business

Eric Chua requested consent to report progress on the Committee of Supply and to resume discussions on Monday, 2 March 2026. The Chairman granted consent for this request. Eric Chua informed the Deputy Speaker that the Committee has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 2026/2027 and reiterated the request to reconvene on the specified date. The Deputy Speaker confirmed the arrangement.

The Chairman extended the time of the Committee Sitting by up to 30 minutes to accommodate ongoing discussions.

He Ting Ru moved to reduce the budget allocation for Head F to emphasize the need for political diversity and stronger parliamentary oversight, indicating that political stability should not rely solely on single-party dominance. She advocated for cooling-off periods for those transitioning between partisan and non-partisan roles to prevent conflicts of interest, drawing on examples from other countries. Indranee Rajah responded that there are no obstacles to an individual switching roles as long as they declare their change, highlighting the importance of integrity and appropriate conduct in parliamentary duties. The debate touched on the roles of grassroots advisers and the necessity for clarity in delineating partisan and non-partisan functions, with Rajah asserting that the issues raised were outside the scope of the budget discussion. He Ting Ru ultimately withdrew her amendment after acknowledging the work of parliamentary staff.

Parliament was resolved to adjourn following a motion by Mr. Zaqy Mohamad. The session ended at 7:48 pm.

Indranee Rajah requested permission to report progress and seek leave to reconvene the Committee of Supply. The Chairman approved the request, and the motion was resolved. Indranee Rajah reported that progress had been made on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY2026/2027 and requested to sit again the following day. The Speaker confirmed the request.

The Committee of Supply is considering the Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure for Singapore for the fiscal year 2026-2027, detailed in Paper Cmd 4 of 2026. A total of 425 amendments have been submitted, and the scheduled discussions will be structured around guillotine times to manage the proceedings effectively. Members are reminded that the discussion time includes replies from the government, and adherence to time limits will be enforced strictly by the Chair. The first topic to be addressed will be the Head of Expenditure related to the Prime Minister's Office.

The speaker announced the completion of the debate on the Budget Statement. A break was initially planned but was canceled due to time constraints. The next agenda item is the Community of Supply.

Parliament has adjourned following a motion proposed by Ms. Indranee Rajah. The Speaker announced that the next sitting will commence at 10:00 am the following day. The session was officially adjourned at 6:33 pm.

Indranee Rajah requested consent to adjourn the debate, which was granted by the Speaker. The resolution to adjourn Parliament was confirmed. The debate is scheduled to resume tomorrow as indicated by Indranee Rajah.

The speaker announced the fixed times for concluding the consideration of expenditure in the FY2026/2027 Estimates during the Committee of Supply. Reductions in Question Time to 30 minutes on those days and extended sitting times for the Committee of Supply have been factored into scheduling. Sittings from February 27 to March 6 will begin at 10:00 am. The speaker reminded Members about the "guillotine" times previously communicated and encouraged limited use of slides and videos to enhance the quality of debates. Order was called to proceed with Questions for Oral Answer.

The parliamentary session was adjourned following a resolution by Ms. Indranee Rajah. The Speaker announced that the next sitting would begin at 10:30 am the following day. The session ended at 7:11 pm.

Indranee Rajah requested consent to adjourn the debate, which was granted by the Speaker. The resolution to adjourn Parliament was approved. The Speaker confirmed that the debate would resume the following day.

The speaker proposed to extend the parliamentary sitting time by up to 30 minutes beyond the designated interruption period.

Parliament resolved to adjourn its session today and will reconvene on 24 February 2026, as stated by Ms. Indranee Rajah.

Parliament has resolved to stand adjourned at its rising today. The next sitting is scheduled for 12 February 2026. This motion was put forth by Mr. Zaqy Mohamad.

Dr. Neo Kok Beng questioned the institutionalization of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition (LO) in Singapore's Constitution and inquired about the criteria for an elected MP to assume the role and what would happen if no eligible MP exists. Chan Chun Sing, representing the Prime Minister, stated that the Government supports formalizing the Office but emphasizes the need for its roles and responsibilities to mature through parliamentary practice before any codification. The criteria for the LO include being the leader of the main opposition party with a significant number of MPs and having high standards of integrity. In the unlikely event that no elected Opposition MP meets the criteria, the Prime Minister noted that there will likely always be qualified Opposition voices in Parliament.

The Acting Minister for Transport, Jeffrey Siow, called for the debate to be adjourned. The motion was resolved, and the Speaker confirmed that the debate would resume the following day. The session transitioned to the Deputy Leader for further discussion.

The Leader of the House sought consent to exempt Senior Minister of State Sim Ann and Minister of State Baey Yam Keng from rules limiting their speaking time for the Second Reading of the Land Transport and Related Matters Bill. The Acting Minister Jeffrey Siow will discuss amendments related to the Electronic Road Pricing 2.0 system and serious vehicular offences. The exemptions were requested to allow them to adequately respond to member queries during the debate. Consent and general assent were given by the members present to remove the time limits for their speeches.

The Prime Minister informed Parliament that Mr. Pritam Singh's designation as the Leader of the Opposition has ceased as of January 15, 2026. The position of Leader of the Opposition will remain vacant until the Workers' Party nominates a new candidate. This announcement follows a Parliament resolution from January 14, 2026, and prior communications with the Workers' Party. The Speaker acknowledged this update before proceeding to questions for oral answer.

Parliament has agreed to adjourn its session today. The date for the next meeting will be determined later. Mr. Zaqy Mohamad proposed the motion for adjournment.