Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698847485105.pdf (Singapore)
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ______________ First Session ______________ TUESDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2012 No.

13 1.30 pm 81 PRESENT: Mr SPEAKER (Mr MICHAEL PALMER (Punggol East)).

Mr ANG HIN KEE (Ang Mo Kio).

Mr ANG WEI NENG (Jurong).

Mr CHAN CHUN SING (Tanjong Pagar), Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.

Mr CHEN SHOW MAO (Aljunied).

Dr CHIA SHI-LU (Tanjong Pagar).


Mrs LINA CHIAM (Non-Constituency Member).

Mr CHARLES CHONG (Joo Chiat), Deputy Speaker.

Mr CHRISTOPHER DE SOUZA (Holland-Bukit Timah).

Ms FAIZAH JAMAL (Nominated Member).

Mr NICHOLAS FANG (Nominated Member).

Assoc.

Prof. FATIMAH LATEEF (Marine Parade).

Mr ARTHUR FONG (West Coast).

Mr CEDRIC FOO CHEE KENG (Pioneer).

Mdm FOO MEE HAR (West Coast).


Ms GRACE FU HAI YIEN (Yuhua), Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts and Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

Mr GAN KIM YONG (Chua Chu Kang), Minister for Health and Government Whip.

Mr GAN THIAM POH (Pasir Ris-Punggol).

Mr GERALD GIAM YEAN SONG (Non-Constituency Member).

Mr GOH CHOK TONG (Marine Parade).

Mdm HALIMAH YACOB (Jurong), Minister of State, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

No.
No.

13 14 FEBRUARY 2012 82 Mr HAWAZI DAIPI (Sembawang), Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education and Minister for Manpower.

Mr HENG CHEE HOW (Whampoa), Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Leader of the House.

Mr HENG SWEE KEAT (Tampines), Minister for Education.

Mr HRI KUMAR NAIR (Bishan-Toa Payoh).

Mr INDERJIT SINGH (Ang Mo Kio).

Ms INDRANEE RAJAH (Tanjong Pagar).

Dr INTAN AZURA MOKHTAR (Ang Mo Kio).


Mr S ISWARAN (West Coast), Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Trade and Industry.

Dr JANIL PUTHUCHEARY (Pasir Ris-Punggol).

Mr KHAW BOON WAN (Sembawang), Minister for National Development.

Dr AMY KHOR LEAN SUAN (Hong Kah North), Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Deputy Government Whip.

Ms JANICE KOH (Nominated Member).

Dr LAM PIN MIN (Sengkang West).

Er Dr LEE BEE WAH (Nee Soon).


Ms ELLEN LEE (Sembawang).

Mr LEE HSIEN LOONG (Ang Mo Kio), Prime Minister.

Mr DESMOND LEE TI-SENG (Jurong).

Mr LEE YI SHYAN (East Coast), Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of National Development.

Mr LIANG ENG HWA (Holland-Bukit Timah).

Mr LAURENCE LIEN (Nominated Member).

Ms MARY LIEW (Nominated Member).

Mr LIM BIOW CHUAN (Mountbatten).

Mr LIM HNG KIANG (West Coast), Minister for Trade and Industry.

Mr RAYMOND LIM SIANG KEAT (East Coast).


Mr LIM SWEE SAY (East Coast), Minister, Prime Minister's Office.

Ms SYLVIA LIM (Aljunied).

Dr LIM WEE KIAK (Nee Soon).

Ms PENNY LOW (Pasir Ris-Punggol).

Mr LOW THIA KHIANG (Aljunied).

Ms LOW YEN LING (Chua Chu Kang).

Mr LUI TUCK YEW (Moulmein-Kallang), Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs.

No.
No.

13 14 FEBRUARY 2012 83 Dr MOHAMAD MALIKI BIN OSMAN (East Coast), Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence and Minister for National Development.

Mr MUHAMAD FAISAL ABDUL MANAP (Aljunied).

Assoc.

Prof. Dr MUHAMMAD FAISHAL IBRAHIM (Nee Soon).

Dr LILY NEO (Tanjong Pagar).

Dr NG ENG HEN (Bishan-Toa Payoh), Minister for Defence and Leader of the House.

Ms IRENE NG PHEK HOONG (Tampines).

Mr DAVID ONG KIM HUAT (Jurong).

Mr ONG TENG KOON (Sembawang).


Ms DENISE PHUA LAY PENG (Moulmein-Kallang).

Mr PRITAM SINGH (Aljunied).

Mr R DHINAKARAN (Nominated Member).

Mr SEAH KIAN PENG (Marine Parade), Deputy Speaker.

Mr SENG HAN THONG (Ang Mo Kio).

Mr K SHANMUGAM (Nee Soon), Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law.

Ms SIM ANN (Holland-Bukit Timah), Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education and Minister for Law.

Mr SITOH YIH PIN (Potong Pasir).


Mr SAM TAN CHIN SIONG (Radin Mas), Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.

BG (NS) TAN CHUAN-JIN (Marine Parade), Minister of State, Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Manpower.

Asst.

Prof. TAN KHENG BOON EUGENE (Nominated Member).

Ms JESSICA TAN SOON NEO (East Coast).

Ms TAN SU SHAN (Nominated Member).

Mr PATRICK TAY TECK GUAN (Nee Soon).


Mr TEO CHEE HEAN (Pasir Ris-Punggol), Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs.

Dr TEO HO PIN (Bukit Panjang), Deputy Government Whip.

Mrs JOSEPHINE TEO (Bishan-Toa Payoh), Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Transport.

Mr TEO SER LUCK (Pasir Ris-Punggol), Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Mr TEO SIONG SENG (Nominated Member).


Mr THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM (Jurong), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance and Minister for Manpower.

Ms TIN PEI LING (Marine Parade).

Mr EDWIN TONG CHUN FAI (Moulmein-Kallang).

Mr VIKRAM NAIR (Sembawang).

No.

13 14 FEBRUARY 2012 84 Mr WONG KAN SENG (Bishan-Toa Payoh).

Mr LAWRENCE WONG (West Coast), Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Education.

Assoc.
Assoc.

Prof. Dr YAACOB IBRAHIM (Moulmein-Kallang), Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.

Mr ALEX YAM ZIMING (Chua Chu Kang).

Mr YAW SHIN LEONG (Hougang).

Mr YEE JENN JONG (Non-Constituency Member).

Mr ALVIN YEO (Chua Chu Kang).

Mr YEO GUAT KWANG (Ang Mo Kio).

Mr ZAINAL SAPARI (Pasir Ris-Punggol).

Mr ZAINUDIN NORDIN (Bishan-Toa Payoh).

Mr ZAQY MOHAMAD (Chua Chu Kang).

ABSENT: Mr BAEY YAM KENG (Tampines).

Mr LEE KUAN YEW (Tanjong Pagar).


Mr MAH BOW TAN (Tampines).

Mr MASAGOS ZULKIFLI B M M (Tampines), Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dr VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN (Holland-Bukit Timah), Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

_________________ No.

13 14 FEBRUARY 2012 85 1 Papers presented to Parliament and received by the Clerk of Parliament pursuant to Standing Order No.
31 (Presentation of Papers) and ordered to lie upon the Table: 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) (Amendment) Rules 2012 − Presented on 19 January 2012 (S.L.

25 of 2012).

Customs (Amendment) Regulations 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

26 of 2012).

Customs (Authorised Piers and Places) Regulations 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

27 of 2012).

Customs (Duties) (Exemption) (Amendment No.


2) Order 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

28 of 2012).

Customs (Fuel Tank − Minimum Amount) Order 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

29 of 2012).

Goods and Services Tax (Imports Relief) (Amendment) Order 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

30 of 2012).

Goods and Services Tax (General) (Amendment No.

2) Order 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

31 of 2012).
31 of 2012).

Goods and Services Tax (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) Order 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

32 of 2012).

Goods and Services Tax (International Services) (Amendment) Order 2011 − Presented on 30 January 2012 (S.L.

33 of 2012).

1.10 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill [Bill No 22/2011 (Amended)] − Presented on 1 February 2012 (Pres.

Co. 1 of 2012).
Co. 1 of 2012).

1.11 Report of the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament − Presented on 2 February 2012 (Parl.

1 of 2012).

1.12 Road Traffic (Expressway Traffic) (Amendment) Rules 2012 − Presented on 2 February 2012 (S.L.

34 of 2012).

1.13 Customs (Amendment) Regulations 2012 − Presented on 2 February 2012 (S.L.

35 of 2012).
35 of 2012).

1.14 1.15 1.16 Securities and Futures Act (Amendment of Second Schedule and Other Provisions for Provision of Credit Rating Services) Order 2012 − Presented on 3 February 2012 (S.L.

36 of 2012).

Land Titles (Amendment) Rules 2012 − Presented on 8 February 2012 (S.L.

37 of 2012).

Land Titles (Electronic Lodgment) (Amendment) Rules 2012 − Presented on 8 February 2012 (S.L.

38 of 2012).
38 of 2012).

1.17 Road Traffic (Electronic Road Pricing System) (Amendment) Rules 2012 − Presented on 8 February 2012 (S.L.

39 of 2012).

1.18 Customs (Amendment No.

2) Regulations 2012 − Presented on 9 February 2012 (S.L.

40 of 2012).

No.
No.

13 14 FEBRUARY 2012 86 2 Announcement by Speaker on Nominated Members of Parliament − Mr Speaker made the following communication to the House:- "Pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the Special Select Committee nominated the following nine persons to the President for appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament: Ms Faizah bte Haji Ahmad Jamal; Mr Nicholas Fang Kuo Wei; Ms Janice Koh Yu-Mei; Mr Laurence Lien Tsung Chern; Ms Mary Liew Kiah Eng; Mr Ramasamy Dhinakaran; Asst.
Prof. Eugene Tan Kheng Boon; Ms Tan Su Shan; and Mr Teo Siong Seng.

On 9 February 2012, President Tony Tan, by Instruments of Appointment dated the same day, appointed the nine Members as NMPs for a term of two and a half years with effect from 9 February 2012.

The Nominated Members are present today to take their seats.

They will now take their oath or affirmation of allegiance."
3 Oaths or Affirmations of Allegiance − The following Members took and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance or made and subscribed the Affirmation: - Ms Faizah bte Haji Ahmad Jamal (Nominated Member of Parliament); Mr Nicholas Fang Kuo Wei (Nominated Member of Parliament); Ms Janice Koh Yu-Mei (Nominated Member of Parliament); Mr Laurence Lien Tsung Chern (Nominated Member of Parliament); Ms Mary Liew Kiah Eng (Nominated Member of Parliament); Mr Ramasamy Dhinakaran (Nominated Member of Parliament); Asst.
Prof. Eugene Tan Kheng Boon (Nominated Member of Parliament); Ms Tan Su Shan (Nominated Member of Parliament); and Mr Teo Siong Seng (Nominated Member of Parliament).

4 Tribute to the late Dr Toh Chin Chye − Mr Speaker made the following communication to the House:- "On behalf of the House, I would like to place on record the demise of Dr Toh Chin Chye, former Deputy Prime Minister, on the 3rd of February, 2012.
Dr Toh was first elected as a Member of the 1st Legislative Assembly for Rochore constituency on the 30th of May, 1959.

He retained his seat over 6 successive General Elections and eventually retired from this House on the 16th of August, 1988.

In a parliamentary career that spanned some 29 years, Dr Toh had served with distinction as a Cabinet Minister from 1959 to 1981, as Leader of the House from 1959 to 1968, and finally, as a backbench Member from 1981 to 1988.
Shortly after winning the 1959 General Election, Dr Toh was appointed Singapore’s first Deputy Prime Minister and continued in that office until 1968.

No.

13 14 FEBRUARY 2012 87 By the time Dr Toh stepped down from office in 1981, he had helmed a number of Ministries, serving as Minister for National Development, Minister for Science and Technology, Minister for Health, Minister for Education and Minister for Social Affairs.
Dr Toh was a founding father of modern Singapore and had made significant contributions to Singapore’s development during our crucial nation-building years.

Dr Toh will be remembered for his great integrity, his tenacity and his unwavering determination to serve the cause of Singapore, his beloved country, to the best of his ability.
Succeeding generations owe much to the dedication and toil of visionary leaders like Dr Toh, whose distinguished contributions to Singapore and to this House will always be remembered.

On behalf of this House, I would like to express our deep sense of loss at the passing of Dr Toh Chin Chye.

I join all Members in expressing our deep sympathy and condolences to the family of the late Dr Toh Chin Chye.
As a mark of respect to the late Dr Toh Chin Chye, I propose that the House observe one minute of silence."

5 6 7 8 15 Questions for Oral Answer were answered during Question Time.
Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) (Amendment) Bill − "to amend the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (Chapter 52A of the 2009 Revised Edition) and to make related amendments to the Hire-Purchase Act (Chapter 125 of the 1999 Revised Edition) and the Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276 of the 2004 Revised Edition)" − presented by the Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry; read the first time; to be read a second time after the conclusion of proceedings on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY 2012/13 and to be printed.
[Bill No.

3/2012].

Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill − "to amend the Moneylenders Act (Chapter 188 of the 2010 Revised Edition)" − presented by the Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law; read the first time; to be read a second time after the conclusion of proceedings on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY 2012/13 and to be printed.

[Bill No.

4/2012].

Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill − read a second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.
The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill − (Minister for Law).

(In the Committee) Clauses 1 to 15 inclusive agreed to.

Bill to be reported.

Bill reported, without amendment; read a third time.

No.

13 14 FEBRUARY 2012 88 9 Evidence (Amendment) Bill − read a second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill − (Minister for Law).

(In the Committee) Clauses 1 to 23 inclusive agreed to.
Bill to be reported.

Bill reported, without amendment; read a third time.
10 11 Remuneration of Speaker – (Leader of the House) – Motion made, and Question put – Resolved, "That, pursuant to Article 41 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the Speaker shall be paid with effect from 21st May 2011: (1) a monthly salary equal to half of 1/14 (or 7.14%) of the Ministerial Range 4 (MR4) benchmark; (2) a 13th Month Bonus pegged at one month of the monthly salary; and (3) an Annual Variable Component pegged at the rates received by the general Civil Service.".
Remuneration of Deputy Speakers – (Leader of the House) – Motion made, and Question put – Resolved, "That, pursuant to Article 42(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, each Deputy Speaker shall be paid with effect from 21st May 2011: (1) a monthly allowance equal to 15% of the Speaker's monthly salary; (2) a 13th Month Bonus pegged at one month of the monthly allowance; and (3) an Annual Variable Component pegged at the rates received by the general Civil Service.".
12 Adjournment − (Leader of the House) − Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to Friday, 17 February 2012.".

Adjourned at 6.33 pm MICHAEL PALMER Speaker _______________________________________________________________________________ Mr Speaker will take the Chair again at 1.30 pm on Friday, 17 February 2012.

_______________________________________________________________________________ MEMORANDUM