Parliamentary business

1,193 debates and bills about parliamentary business

3 Sep 2020

COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment No 2) Bill

The Second Minister for Law introduced the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment No. 2) Bill, supported by a Certificate of Urgency signed by the President.
The Bill aims to amend the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, with copies distributed to Members for review.
The Speaker confirmed the Certificate's validity and scheduled the second reading for the following day.

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2 Sep 2020

Adjournment

The Parliament resolved to adjourn its session until 1:00 pm the following day, as proposed by Ms Indranee Rajah.
The adjournment was formally executed at 7:23 pm, marking the end of the day's sitting.
The debate was concise, focusing solely on the procedural motion to adjourn without substantive policy discussion.

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2 Sep 2020

Adjournment of Debate

The Leader of the House, Ms Indranee Rajah, requested to adjourn the debate, which the Deputy Speaker consented to.
A resolution was passed to adjourn the debate, and Mr Patrick Tay confirmed it would resume tomorrow.
The Deputy Speaker concluded the session by acknowledging the adjournment and the resumption date.

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2 Sep 2020

Exempted Business

The Leader of the House sought consent to continue parliamentary proceedings beyond the scheduled interruption time, which was granted by the Deputy Speaker and agreed to by all Members present.
A motion was successfully moved and resolved to allow the day's business on the Order Paper to proceed past the normal time limit.
The debate centered on exempted business procedures, with procedural consensus reached without substantive opposition.

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2 Sep 2020

Time Limit for Prime Minister's Speech

The Leader of the House proposed exempting the Prime Minister's speech from the time limit under Standing Order 48(8) to allow sufficient time for the address.
The Speaker consented to the motion and sought general assent from Members present.
Hon Members indicated their assent, and the motion was agreed to.
The House resolved that the proceedings be exempted from the time limit for the Prime Minister's speech.

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1 Sep 2020

Adjournment

The adjournment motion was proposed by Ms Indranee Rajah, calling for Parliament to adjourn until 1.00 pm the next day.
The motion was passed without debate, as there were no objections or further speakers listed.
Parliament was adjourned at 7.18 pm following the passage of the motion.

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1 Sep 2020

Adjournment of Debate

The Leader of the House moved to adjourn the debate, which the Speaker approved and recorded as a resolution.
The Speaker asked Mr Patrick Tay for the resumption date of the debate.
Mr Patrick Tay requested the debate to resume tomorrow, which the Speaker confirmed.

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1 Sep 2020

Exempted Business

The Leader of the House sought consent to extend parliamentary proceedings beyond the scheduled interruption time.
The Speaker confirmed the consent and sought the assent of Members, who indicated their agreement.
A motion was put and agreed to, resolving that the day's business would continue beyond the interruption moment.

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1 Sep 2020

Time Limit for Minister's Speech

The Leader of the House, Ms Indranee Rajah, sought and received consent to exempt the ongoing proceedings from Standing Order 48(8), removing the time limit for Minister Teo’s speech.
The Speaker confirmed the general assent of Members present, put the question to a vote, and it was agreed to.
A resolution was passed to exempt Minister Teo’s speech from the time limit provisions of Standing Order 48(8).

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31 Aug 2020

Adjournment

The House debated a motion to adjourn Parliament until 1:00 pm the following day.
Ms Indranee Rajah proposed the adjournment motion, which was formally put to the House.
The motion was passed without further discussion or objection.
Parliament was subsequently adjourned at 6:23 pm.
This adjournment followed standard parliamentary procedure for ending a sitting.

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31 Aug 2020

Adjournment of Debate

The Leader of the House, Ms Indranee Rajah, sought and received the Speaker's consent to adjourn the debate.
The motion to adjourn the debate was formally resolved and passed.
The Speaker then asked Mr Patrick Tay for the resumption time of the debate.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan proposed to resume the debate the next day at 1.00 pm.
The Speaker accepted the proposal, confirming the adjournment and resumption schedule.

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31 Aug 2020

Speech Time for Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of the House proposed granting the Leader of the Opposition 40 minutes per question, overriding the standard Standing Order 48(8) for the duration of the 14th Parliament.
This change was intended to formalize a longer speaking privilege for the Leader of the Opposition, as mentioned in an earlier Ministerial Statement.
The motion was put to the question and agreed to, with a formal resolution passed to implement the change immediately.

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31 Aug 2020

Duties and Privileges of the Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of the House announced that Mr Pritam Singh has been formally designated as the Leader of the Opposition and will receive staff support, an office, additional allowance, and longer speaking durations in Parliament.
The Leader of the Opposition will be accorded privileges such as the right of first response to ask lead questions to Ministers and will lead the Opposition in presenting alternative views, scrutinising the Government, and nominating members for Select Committees.
The position is not provided for in the Constitution or Standing Orders but is now formally recognised to reflect Singapore’s evolving political landscape, drawing on Westminster conventions while being adapted to the local context.
The Government and Speaker emphasised the goal of harnessing diversity of views constructively to serve Singaporeans, with the Leader of the Opposition expected to participate in official functions and receive confidential briefings on key national matters.
The arrangements aim to ensure robust parliamentary debate while maintaining unity and decorum, with both the Leader of the House and the Speaker welcoming the new role and pledging cooperation across the aisle.

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31 Aug 2020

Proceedings on Ministerial Statement

The Leader of the House moved to prioritize a ministerial statement on the duties and privileges of the Leader of the Opposition over scheduled business.
The motion was put to a question and agreed upon by the House.
A resolution was passed to allow the ministerial statement to be taken immediately before other scheduled motions.

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31 Aug 2020

Election of Deputy Speakers

The Deputy Leader of the House proposed the election of Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Jessica Tan as Deputy Speakers, citing their extensive parliamentary experience and professional qualifications.
Mr de Souza was highlighted for his legal background, his successful introduction of a Private Member’s Bill, and his chairmanship of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law.
Ms Jessica Tan was noted for her corporate leadership experience and her service as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and the Government Parliamentary Committee for Finance, Trade and Industry.
A Member of Parliament from West Coast supported the proposal.
The Speaker declared the two nominees duly elected as Deputy Speakers, with applause following the announcement.

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31 Aug 2020

Administration of Oaths

The Speaker announced that two Members of Parliament were to take the Oath of Allegiance or Affirmation.
The Members were to proceed to the Table when their names were called.
The procedural text listed Mr K Shanmugam and Ms Joan Pereira as the Members who took and subscribed the Oath or made the Affirmation.

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24 Aug 2020

Election of Speaker

The Leader of the House congratulated the Speaker on his re-election, praising his fairness and impartiality, and outlined Parliament's role in addressing COVID-19 and long-term national goals.
The Leader of the Opposition and other MPs extended congratulations, highlighting the Speaker's efforts to increase public engagement with Parliament and his respected role in regional diplomatic visits.
The Speaker thanked all members, affirmed his commitment to fairness and firmness, and urged Parliament to avoid polarization and focus on solution-oriented debate to serve Singapore's interests.

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24 Aug 2020

Administration of Oaths

The Speaker directed Members of Parliament to take the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance at designated locations, beginning with the Prime Minister and following a specific order.
The oath-taking process was organized into 20 groups, with some members taking the oath at Parliament House and others at The Arts House.
The procedure included members taking the oath in different languages, including Malay, Chinese, and Tamil, based on their group assignments.

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24 Aug 2020

Election of Speaker

The Leader of the House proposed Mr Tan Chuan-Jin as Speaker of Parliament.
Sitoh Yih Pin supported the proposal, and the Clerk declared Mr Tan Chuan-Jin duly elected.
Mr Tan took the Oath of Allegiance, assumed the Chair, and the Mace was placed on the Table.

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24 Aug 2020

Opening of Parliament at Two Locations

The President appointed Parliament House as the venue for the Opening of the First Session of the Fourteenth Parliament, scheduled for 24 August 2020 at 5.30 pm, with additional venues authorized for parliamentary sessions.
As a COVID-19 precaution, the Speaker invoked constitutional provisions to hold the opening proceedings concurrently at Parliament House and The Arts House, ensuring continuity through simultaneous communication.
The Speaker’s decision on the dual-location arrangement was communicated to Members of Parliament on 21 August 2020, adhering to legal continuity protocols.

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