We refer to the Clerk of Parliament’s reply “Lack of quorum: Clerk of Parliament replies” (Straits Times Forum, Jul 17) to Mr Leong Kok Seng’s letter (“Questions over lack of quorum” (Jul 14).
91 MPs attendances?
It states that “The sitting on July 7 was attended by 91 MPs and attendances are recorded in the Official Reports and Votes and Proceedings available on the Parliament website.”
91 MPs dropped to less than 22?
– Since “a quorum of one-quarter of the total number of 87 MPs, excluding the Speaker, is needed for a Bill to be passed, as specified under the Constitution” (“Eugene Tan keeps an eagle eye on quorum numbers”, Straits Times, Jul 8) – does it mean that the number of MPs dwindled down from the “91 MPs and attendances recorded in the Official Reports” on that day, to less than 22 MPs, such that 2 of the Bills almost or could not be passed due to a lack of quorum?
Evasion to answer the questions?
The Clerk of Parliament’s subject reply in our view, may simply have evaded the questions asked by Mr Leong Kok Seng, and more importantly, anyone reading the reply, without the benefit of reading the letter of 14 July or the news report of 8 July, may be non the wiser as to the fact that 2 bills could or almost could not be passed due to a lack of quorum.
Misleading the public?
By saying just that “When the votes on the Bills that were passed on July 7 were taken at the sitting, the quorum was met” – it may at best be not just not answering the questions, but arguably, misleading to the public as well.
Breakdown of the different MPs?
It may also be misleading too from the perspective that as we understand it, the 91 recorded attendances may include the NMPs and NCMPs as well. So, how many elected MPs were actually in attendance or absent? How many from the various political parties? Any breakdown?
How many sought permission?
As to “MPs have to seek the Speaker’s permission in writing to be absent from a sitting.
They also have to inform the party Whip if they are unable to attend Parliament on time or have to leave early”
– Can we have the statistics as to how many MPs have sought “the Speaker’s permission in writing to be absent from a sitting” for how many times, and how many have informed “the party Whip if they are unable to attend Parliament on time or have to leave early”?
How many of the at least 69 who left sought permission?
Did any of the at least 69 MPs (91 attendances recorded – 22 required for quorum) who apparently left early, inform “the party Whip (that) they have to leave early”?
How often MPs don’t speak at all?
By the way, since we are on the subject of Parliamentary attendances, how about giving the statistics as to how often MPs spoke in Parliament?
Former Minister never speak?
For example, I searched the Parliamentary records
http://www.parliament.gov.sg/publications-singapore-parliament-reports
for “Mah Bow Tan” for the Parliamentary sittings of the current 12th Parliament, since the last general elections in 2011 until 5 February, 2013, and could not find anything that was said by him.
So, does this mean that he did not say anything in Parliament over the one and a half years or so, till 5 February, 2013?
NCMP spoke 82 times?
For the purpose of comparision, I searched “Lina Chiam” which returned 82 results, for the same period.
Former Minister spoke once only?
I searched “Wong Kan Seng” and found only one result, for the same period.
Are there any other MPs who didn’t say, or hardly said anything too? (“MPs who didn’t utter a word in Parliament?“, Feb 5, 2013)
S Y Lee and Leong Sze Hian
P.S. Come with your family and friends to the 3rd Return Our CPF – HDB protest on 23 August 4 pm to 6.30 pm at Speakers’ Corner https://www.facebook.com/events/648543138548193/
