Data can be key in easing cost of living concerns

A parliamentary question on whether the cost of living has become a cause for concern was allowed a longer than usual run during the 90-minute question time yesterday, as MPs tackled a hot political issue that has gained attention on the ground, especially after electricity and water prices rose significantly this month.

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin called, no fewer than eight times, on MPs who wanted to speak, giving them a chance to have a meaningful exchange with Mr Chan Chun Sing, the Minister for Trade and Industry. This is in contrast to most other questions, where the norm is to have two or three supplementary queries raised.