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Parliament of Singapore: Difference between revisions
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SGPolitico (talk | contribs) (Created page with "The '''Parliament of Singapore''' is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the president of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected, as well as Non-constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) and Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) who are appointed. Following the 2020 general election, 93 (currently 87)Template:EfnTemplate:Efn M...") |
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The '''Parliament of Singapore''' is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the president of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected, as well as Non-constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) and Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) who are appointed | The '''Parliament of Singapore''' is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the president of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected, as well as Non-constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) and Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) who are appointed. | ||
Following the 2020 general election, 93 (currently 87) MPs and two NCMPs from three political parties were elected to the 14th Parliament. Throughout the sitting of Parliament, nine NMPs are usually appointed by the president on a biennial basis. | |||
The | The Speaker of Parliament has overall charge of the administration of Parliament and its secretariat, and presides over parliamentary sittings. | ||
The quorum for a parliamentary sitting is one quarter of the total number of MPs, not including the speaker. An MP begins a debate by moving a motion and delivering an opening speech explaining the reasons for the motion. The speaker (or chairman, if Parliament is in committee) then puts the motion in the form of a question, following which other MPs may debate the motion. After that, the mover may exercise a right of reply. When the debate is closed, the speaker puts the question on the motion to the House and calls for a vote. Voting is generally done verbally, and whether the motion is carried depends on the speaker's personal assessment of whether more MPs have voted for than against the motion. MPs' votes are only formally counted if an MP claims a division. | The Leader of the House is an MP appointed by the prime minister to arrange government business and the legislative programme of Parliament, while the Leader of the Opposition (LO) is the MP who leads the largest political party not in the government. | ||
Some of Parliament's work is carried out by select committees made up of small numbers of MPs. Standing select committees are permanently constituted to fulfil certain duties, and ''ad hoc'' select committees are established from time to time to deal with matters such studying the details of bills. | |||
In addition, selected backbenchers of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), the current largest political party in Parliament, sit on Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs) that examine the policies, programmes and proposed legislation of government ministries. | |||
The main functions of Parliament are lawmaking, controlling the nation's finances, and ensuring ministerial accountability. Parliament convenes when it is in session. | |||
The first session of a particular Parliament commences when Parliament meets after being formed following a general election. | |||
A session ends when Parliament is prorogued (temporarily suspended) or dissolved. The maximum term of each Parliament is five years, after which Parliament automatically dissolves. | |||
A general election must then be held within three months. | |||
The quorum for a parliamentary sitting is one quarter of the total number of MPs, not including the speaker. An MP begins a debate by moving a motion and delivering an opening speech explaining the reasons for the motion. | |||
The speaker (or chairman, if Parliament is in committee) then puts the motion in the form of a question, following which other MPs may debate the motion. After that, the mover may exercise a right of reply. When the debate is closed, the speaker puts the question on the motion to the House and calls for a vote. | |||
Voting is generally done verbally, and whether the motion is carried depends on the speaker's personal assessment of whether more MPs have voted for than against the motion. MPs' votes are only formally counted if an MP claims a division. | |||
Parliament first convened at the Old Parliament House between 1955 and 1999, before moving into the current Parliament House on 6 September 1999. | Parliament first convened at the Old Parliament House between 1955 and 1999, before moving into the current Parliament House on 6 September 1999. | ||
== Terminology == | == Terminology == | ||
The term ''Parliament'' is used in a number of different senses. First, it refers to the institution made up of a group of people (Members of Parliament or MPs) who are elected to discuss matters of state. Secondly, it can mean each group of MPs voted into office following a general election. In this sense, the First Parliament of the independent Republic of Singapore sat from 8 December 1965 to 8 February 1968. The current Parliament, which started on 24 August 2020, is the fourteenth. | The term ''Parliament'' is used in a number of different senses. | ||
First, it refers to the institution made up of a group of people (Members of Parliament or MPs) who are elected to discuss matters of state. | |||
Secondly, it can mean each group of MPs voted into office following a general election. In this sense, the First Parliament of the independent Republic of Singapore sat from 8 December 1965 to 8 February 1968. | |||
The current Parliament, which started on 24 August 2020, is the fourteenth. | |||
''Parliament'' is sometimes used loosely to refer to Parliament House, which is the seat of the Parliament of Singapore. | ''Parliament'' is sometimes used loosely to refer to Parliament House, which is the seat of the Parliament of Singapore. | ||
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==Functions== | ==Functions== | ||
===Lawmaking=== | ===Lawmaking=== | ||
The legislative power of Singapore is vested in the Legislature of Singapore, which consists of the president and Parliament.<ref>Constitution, Art. 38.</ref> One of the Legislature's major functions is lawmaking. As Singapore is an independent and sovereign republic, Parliament has plenary power to pass laws regulating the rights and liabilities of persons in the country and elsewhere.<ref>''[[Public Prosecutor v. Taw Cheng Kong]]'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20090413014255/http://www.singaporelaw.sg/rss/judg/8595.html &# | The legislative power of Singapore is vested in the Legislature of Singapore, which consists of the president and Parliament.<ref>Constitution, Art. 38.</ref> One of the Legislature's major functions is lawmaking. As Singapore is an independent and sovereign republic, Parliament has plenary power to pass laws regulating the rights and liabilities of persons in the country and elsewhere.<ref>''[[Public Prosecutor v. Taw Cheng Kong]]'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20090413014255/http://www.singaporelaw.sg/rss/judg/8595.html [1998] 2 S.L.R.(R.) 489] at pp. 499–500, para. 27, Court of Appeal, archived from [http://www.singaporelaw.sg/rss/judg/8595.html the original] on 13 April 2009.</ref> The power of the Legislature to make laws is exercised by Parliament passing [https://the-singapore-lgbt-encyclopaedia.fandom.com/wiki/Bill_(proposed_law) bills] and the president assenting to them.<ref>Constitution, Art. 58(1).</ref> The president's role in the exercise of legislative power is nominal. He may address Parliament and may send messages to it,<ref>Constitution, Art. 62.</ref> and must assent to most bills, which then become law.<ref name="Art. 58(2)">Constitution, Art. 58(2).</ref> | ||
A bill is a draft law. In Singapore, most bills are government bills; they are introduced in Parliament by ministers on behalf of the Cabinet. However, any MP can introduce a bill. A bill introduced by an MP who is not a minister is known as a private member's bill. Because the Government currently holds a majority of the seats in Parliament, a private member's bill will not be passed unless it gains the Government's support. Three private members' bills have been introduced since 1965. The first was the Roman Catholic Archbishop Bill, a private bill that was introduced by P. Selvadurai and Chiang Hai Ding in 1974 and passed the following year.<ref>{{Singapore legislation|title=Roman Catholic Archbishop Act|cap=375|ed=1985}}.</ref><ref name="ST 20100311">{{citation |author=Sue-Ann Chia |title=Know the past to tackle the future |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=11 March 2010 |page=B14}}.</ref> The first public law that originated from a private member's bill is the Maintenance of Parents Act,<ref>{{Singapore legislation|title=Maintenance of Parents Act|cap=167B|ed=1996}}.</ref> which entitles parents at least 60 years old and unable to maintain themselves adequately to apply to a tribunal for their children to be ordered to pay maintenance to them. The bill was introduced on 23 May 1994 by Walter Woon, who was then an NMP, and eventually passed on 2 November 1995.<ref>{{citation |title=Govt gives backing to Parents Bill |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=27 July 1994 |page=1}}; {{citation |title=Parents maintenance bill passed |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=3 November 1995 |page=1 |quote=Legislative history was made yesterday when the House approved the Maintenance of Parents Bill, the first piece of law to be made at the initiative of a backbencher since independence. The Bill initiated by Nominated MP Walter Woon was passed without debate at its third reading ...}}</ref> In that year, the first woman NMP, Dr. Kanwaljit Soin, also introduced a Family Violence Bill but it did not pass.<ref>{{citation |author=Kumaralingam Amirthalingam |title=A Feminist Critique of Domestic Violence Laws in Singapore and Malaysia [Asia Research Institute Working Paper Series No. 6] |url=http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps03_006.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522130950/http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps03_006.pdf |archive-date=22 May 2008 |publisher=Asia Research Institute, [[National University of Singapore]] |date=July 2003 |page=17}}.</ref> | A bill is a draft law. In Singapore, most bills are government bills; they are introduced in Parliament by ministers on behalf of the Cabinet. However, any MP can introduce a bill. A bill introduced by an MP who is not a minister is known as a private member's bill. Because the Government currently holds a majority of the seats in Parliament, a private member's bill will not be passed unless it gains the Government's support. Three private members' bills have been introduced since 1965. The first was the Roman Catholic Archbishop Bill, a private bill that was introduced by P. Selvadurai and Chiang Hai Ding in 1974 and passed the following year.<ref>{{Singapore legislation|title=Roman Catholic Archbishop Act|cap=375|ed=1985}}.</ref><ref name="ST 20100311">{{citation |author=Sue-Ann Chia |title=Know the past to tackle the future |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=11 March 2010 |page=B14}}.</ref> The first public law that originated from a private member's bill is the Maintenance of Parents Act,<ref>{{Singapore legislation|title=Maintenance of Parents Act|cap=167B|ed=1996}}.</ref> which entitles parents at least 60 years old and unable to maintain themselves adequately to apply to a tribunal for their children to be ordered to pay maintenance to them. The bill was introduced on 23 May 1994 by Walter Woon, who was then an NMP, and eventually passed on 2 November 1995.<ref>{{citation |title=Govt gives backing to Parents Bill |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=27 July 1994 |page=1}}; {{citation |title=Parents maintenance bill passed |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=3 November 1995 |page=1 |quote=Legislative history was made yesterday when the House approved the Maintenance of Parents Bill, the first piece of law to be made at the initiative of a backbencher since independence. The Bill initiated by Nominated MP Walter Woon was passed without debate at its third reading ...}}</ref> In that year, the first woman NMP, Dr. Kanwaljit Soin, also introduced a Family Violence Bill but it did not pass.<ref>{{citation |author=Kumaralingam Amirthalingam |title=A Feminist Critique of Domestic Violence Laws in Singapore and Malaysia [Asia Research Institute Working Paper Series No. 6] |url=http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps03_006.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522130950/http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps03_006.pdf |archive-date=22 May 2008 |publisher=Asia Research Institute, [[National University of Singapore]] |date=July 2003 |page=17}}.</ref> | ||