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Recap: MPs discuss motion on reinforcing S’pore’s position as global transport hub

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Earlier, the Leader of the House Indranee Rajah delivered a ministerial statement on the conduct of 2 WP leaders.

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Edited by Ng Wei Kai, Aqil Hamzah, Christine Tan, Ian Cheng

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Published: July 7, 2026

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\r\n","liveBlogId","2327","isLiveBlog",true,"isMultidayLiveblog",false,"multidayLiveBlogMapping",[],"uniqueName","live-singapore-parliament-july-2026","infiniteScroll",{"_46":47},"additionalStories",[],"advertisements",[],"metaData",{"_20":21,"_52":21,"_53":21,"_54":43,"_24":55,"_56":55,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62},"ogTitle","twitterTitle","slug","Earlier, the Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said no further action needs to be taken by Parliament against 2 WP leaders. Follow ST's live coverage.","ogDescription","keywords","Singapore Parliament, Live blog, Singapore politicians, Members of Parliament, Singapore Politics, Workers’ Party, Indranee Rajah, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, WP, Speak Mandarin campaign","robots","index, follow, max-image-preview:large, max-snippet:-1, max-video-preview:-1","image","https://static1.straitstimes.com.sg/s3fs-public/articles/2026/07/06/afparliament0706.jpg?VersionId=5NUgC6az1w6Awhb6ypK8ZNVAolqjszjg","gaData",{"_65":66,"_67":23,"_68":23,"_20":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":75},"level2","23","chapter1","chapter2","Live:_MPs_discuss_motion_on_reinforcing_Singapore’s_position_as_global_transport_hub","title_ga","Live: MPs discuss motion on reinforcing Singapore’s position as global transport hub","pagination","1","contenttype","live blog","liveBlogSchemaProps",{"_22":78,"_79":21,"_24":55,"_80":81,"_82":83,"_84":81,"_85":86,"_87":88,"_89":90,"_95":96,"_242":243},"https://www.straitstimes.com/live-singapore-parliament-july-2026","headline","datePublished","2026-07-07T09:19:00.000Z","dateModified","2026-07-07T20:44:44.000Z","coverageStartTime","coverageEndTime","2026-07-07T12:59:00+08:00","publisherName","The Straits Times","publisherLogo",{"_22":91,"_92":93,"_94":10},"https://www.straitstimes.com/publisher-logo.png","width",600,"height","updates",[97,102,106,110,114,118,122,126,130,134,138,142,146,150,154,158,162,166,170,174,178,182,186,190,194,198,202,206,210,214,218,222,226,230,234,238],{"_79":98,"_80":99,"_100":101},"Build Singapore up as trusted gateway and hub for wider region, says MPs","2026-07-07T18:40:28+08:00","articleBody","Earlier, Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) suggests that Singapore can become a trusted gateway for the wider Johor–Singapore Riau Region.For centuries, Johor, Singapore and the Riau Islands worked as one trading system along the Straits of Malacca, before colonial borders changed that, he says.The Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone will offer a chance for all three areas to rekindle that economic connection, he adds.He suggests establishing digital customs clearance and bonded cargo corridors from southern Johor into PSA and the Changi Airfreight Centre, which would create jobs on both sides.Edward Chia (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) also suggests strengthening connectivity between Changi, Tuas, free trade zones, logistics parks and regional distribution centres, to make Singapore the world's most efficient and trusted sea-air-digital logistics hub.This can be done by harnessing AI to solve specific operational problems - a shared operational view, supported by AI, can forecast cargo demand, optimise routing, recommend lower-congestion time windows, improve warehouse allocation and reduce avoidable delays.AI can also strengthen predictive maintenance across critical transport assets by detecting early signs of equipment failure to reduce downtime and improve safety, he says.Chia also references a point made by WP MP Kenneth Tiong earlier on the need for a national shipping line.“The strategic question is not whether Singapore owns a national shipping line, it is whether Singapore can continue to anchor the full maritime ecosystem,” he says.Singapore succeeds as a trusted channel through which global trade flows, not because it favours one shipping line over another, he adds.",{"_79":103,"_80":104,"_100":105},"Parliament has adjourned for the day","2026-07-07T20:27:08+08:00","Here are some highlights.$800 million for the future of transport: The Government has committed $800 in future funding for the transport sector in response to a motion raised by the PAP’s backbench government parliamentary committee on transport. The motion received support from both parties, and 24 MPs and three ministers spoke. While they supported the motion, MPs also raised the need to not leave workers behind as their sectors transform. Case closed on WP leaders: Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said there will be no further action against WP chair Sylvia Lim and former MP Faisal Manap as the time limit has lapsed. Indranee said the pair were implicated in the Committee of Privileges inquiry into former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan’s lies to Parliament in 2021, and under a different time frame, she would have proposed a “different course of action”. Lim (Aljunied GRC) did not object to Indranee’s statement today, adding that she had aired her objection to being implicated in the past. Dialect policy under review: The authorities are reviewing the guidelines for the use of dialects in films, said Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How. He was responding to several MPs who raised questions about the policy’s continued relevance in the wake of public discourse surrounding the Government’s initial decision to restrict the screening of a Teochew-language film Dear You.Thank you for reading. If you are still here, you must like politics. We’ll be Unpacking these events and their implications in our weekly newsletter. Sign up here.",{"_79":107,"_80":108,"_100":109},"Keeping Singapore as a key node while helping companies compete globally","2026-07-07T20:23:56+08:00","Responding to Tiong, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan says it is important to ensure that integration does not simply move activity away from Singapore to somewhere else, but also creates value in Singapore.On the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), he says that the move is about creating value together which neither side would have created or captured alone.He adds that both sides have been working together to facilitate investments coming through Johor and Singapore to the JS-SEZ, and have also introduced measures to reduce friction and improve connectivity, including immigration clearance, customs facilitation, and cargo processes.Singapore and Malaysia have jointly agreed to attract 50 projects in five years, and 100 projects in 10 years, he says.He adds that Johor recorded its highest ever approved investments last year, with over 70 per cent of those investments attributed to the JS-SEZ, and that Singapore and Singapore-based companies have also committed over $5.5 billion in investments since the agreement on the zone was signed in 2024.On the semiconductor industry, Tan says Singapore is a key node in the global value chain and will strengthen its position by attracting quality investments and anchoring higher value activities here while working with Malaysia on complementary activities.Meanwhile, Tan, who chairs the RTS Link task force to help Singapore businesses, says work is underway to rejuvenate the heartlands and help local businesses transform, pivot and become more competitive.He adds that the way to respond to greater connectivity is not to retreat from competition, but to help our businesses to compete more effectively.“So, the issue that we talked about this entire day, in fact, is not whether we should integrate with the region, but how we integrate with the region,” he says, describing it as “additive integration”.On this count, what matters is that Singapore remains where the highest value functions and important decisions are made, and where good jobs can be created for Singaporeans, he says. ",{"_79":111,"_80":112,"_100":113},"Deepen Singapore's integration within the region through Malaysia partnership","2026-07-07T19:58:05+08:00","Worker’s Party MP Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC) starts on his adjournment motion.He says Singapore has to build a deeper, more structural integration with South-east Asia to be essential to the region and to share in the region’s prosperity.He says Singapore has flourished as a hub in the region, because of the gap in competence, institutions and trust between the Republic and its neighbours. But this will not last indefinitely as Singapore’s regional neighbours continue to scale the economic ladder and close the gap, he adds.“A Singapore that is merely a well-run waypoint - hosting, brokering, never owning anything together with its neighbours - will find that the region learns, in time, to route around it,” he warns.To continue to prosper, Singapore needs to be an “owner” and not just a hub, he says.He suggests building a “joint industrial policy” with Malaysia, by leveraging the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), a proposed semiconductor ecosystem between both countries and the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS).This will require sorting out together with Malaysia the standard operating procedure and rulebook for companies to enter the JS-SEZ, he says.He also proposes working closer in the area of semiconductors as a way to broaden industrial cooperation. Singapore hosts wafer fabs to prototype on, advanced packaging, capital, and customers, while Malaysia has design talent by the hundreds, and neither side has a complete, owned upstream stack alone.To facilitate cooperation he suggests that both sides recognise in law a Malaysia-Singapore business entity, defined by a minimum stake on each side, and give it closer-to-local treatment in both countries' grants, financing and procurement.“When people from both countries own part of the same success, each has reason to grow its own capability rather than poach it,” he says.On the RTS, he says Singapore should negotiate with Malaysia for a stake in the transit-oriented developments along the autonomous rapid transit network that will be connected to the RTS. This can be done as part of the JS-SEZ negotiations, he adds.In the same deal Singapore can also negotiate for reserved positions for Singapore’s small retailers inside those developments, so that heartland shops worried about losing customers when the RTS is up can expand into Johor.In this way, Johor gains a committed capital partner for a network it is building anyway and Singapore gains a share of the developments where Singaporeans spending will land, he says. ",{"_79":115,"_80":116,"_100":117},"Parliament supports the motion","2026-07-07T19:09:18+08:00","After about six hours of debate, the House has unanimously agreed on the importance of strengthening Singapore’s long-term economic competitiveness by reinforcing its position as a globally connected transport hub.Before the vote, Tin Pei Ling, who had moved the motion, thanks the 26 other MPs who spoke, including three office-holders.She highlights that there was a common agreement across party lines that “the world has grown more uncertain, and that Singapore’s independence must be built, not assumed”.She adds: “When a House this diverse agrees completely… that is not a coincidence. It is Singapore’s direction, spoken with one voice.” ",{"_79":119,"_80":120,"_100":121},"$800 million to be invested in transport research and innovation over next five years","2026-07-07T17:05:14+08:00","The Ministry of Transport will pump $800 million in transport research and innovation over the course of the next five years, says Siow, who sits on the National AI Council and leads the AI Mission on Connectivity.This is more than double the funding over the last five years.Potential projects include a fully automated MRT depot or an AI-enabled air traffic management system.Another example he cites is a smart port network that makes use of digital twins, which Jackson Lam and Tin Pei Ling brought up earlier.A digital twin is a virtual representation of a place or system, integrating real-time data to test out scenarios ahead of any implementation. ",{"_79":123,"_80":124,"_100":125},"New training incentive scheme to roll out from January 2027","2026-07-07T18:36:25+08:00","Drivers will receive training incentives of $20 an hour if they attend any eligible course supported by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency, starting from January 2027.This will be capped at 80 hours in total. Sun notes that drivers forgo their income while incurring other costs such as car rental if they were to undergo training.She says: “This training incentive amount is significantly higher than other training allowances currently offered as we understand that drivers have additional expenditures like car rentals to manage.”The last part of the package is a one-stop webpage that curates information and resources for drivers, aimed at raising awareness of the new support measures. ",{"_79":127,"_80":128,"_100":129},"New career conversion programmes for drivers to explore careers in AVs, public transport","2026-07-07T18:35:18+08:00","Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling announces a manpower transition package to support taxi and private-hire drivers, which comes in three parts.The first is a career conversion programme for drivers looking to transition into new roles, slated to be launched in the third quarter of the year.These programmes come with up to 90 per cent of salary support, and will be geared toward those looking to switch to the AV or public transport sector.Drivers who are keen to move to other sectors can tap existing programmes under the Skills and Workforce Development Agency, says Sun. ",{"_79":131,"_80":132,"_100":133},"S’pore will invest in AI for air traffic flow management, says Baey Yam Keng","2026-07-07T18:18:42+08:00","The Republic will invest in AI-enabled air traffic flow management, which will enable smoother and more efficient flights, says Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng, the second office-holder to speak in the debate.He provides several examples of how the $800 million sum which Singapore plans to pump into research in transport and connectivity could deepen capabilities in the aviation and maritime sector.Opportunities to implement “next-generation air navigation services” come as air traffic grows, along with the need to manage more flights safely and efficiently, he adds.Similarly, as vessel traffic increases, Singapore will invest in AI-enabled port analytics and predictive traffic management to improve efficiency and reduce vessel turnaround times, he says.“We will make better use of our manpower in a tighter labour environment,” says Baey.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO ",{"_79":135,"_80":136,"_100":137},"MPs call for better support for transport sector workers","2026-07-07T17:15:51+08:00","Even as Singapore reinforces its position as a global transport hub, it is important to look at how these efforts will reshape jobs and impact workers, say Dr Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah (Jalan Besar GRC) and NMP Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, speaking before Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow.They call for better support as automation continues to transform the aviation and maritime sectors, leading to jobs being redesigned.A transport hub is only complete because of the people who keep it moving, as infrastructure alone does not make Singapore a global hub, says Sanjeev.He adds that the future of transport should not be something Singapore's workers merely adapt to, but must be a future they can look forward to.In the same vein, Wan Rizal says it should be future of career progression, where workers have opportunities to become more skilled, more productive, with better wages and work prospects than before.The labour MP suggests developing clearer “school-to-sector\" pathways for future transport careers so young Singaporeans can grow and flourish alongside the development of the sector.Meanwhile, for existing workers, Sanjeev calls for early training so as to ensure that transformation begins while they are still employed, not after jobs disappear.He adds that transformation should narrow opportunity gaps and not widen them. This means the good jobs created in the sector should be accessible to every Singaporean, from senior workers and mid-career PMEs to lower-wage workers and those with disabilities, adds the unionist.He also calls for unions to get involved from the very beginning. ",{"_79":139,"_80":140,"_100":141},"Autonomous vehicles will not displace drivers, says Siow","2026-07-07T17:11:58+08:00","Rather than replace workers, Siow says that technology should supplement them.For instance, he cites how AI can help air traffic controllers by pulling different information sources together so they can focus on decision-making.The technology can also automate physical and repetitive tasks for SATS workers, he adds.“Technology of this kind raises the value of the workers,” Siow says.He also reiterates that autonomous vehicles (AVs) will not supplant drivers.Singapore has more than 70,000 taxi and private-hire drivers, while there are only about 20 AVs here, predominantly plying routes in Punggol.The number of existing AVs globally totals around 7,000, and even if all of them were here, they would be less than 10 per cent of the taxi and private-hire population, he adds. ",{"_79":143,"_80":144,"_100":145},"Transport sector must be globally-oriented, future-focused, and people-centric: Jeffrey Siow","2026-07-07T16:54:38+08:00","Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow is the first office-holder to speak on this motion.He begins by saying that the transport sector makes up about a tenth of Singapore’s GDP, as well as contributing to about 7 per cent of jobs.“Transport is the foundation on which our economy is built.”He adds that he had set out three directions for the sector during the debate on his ministry’s budget earlier in the year: for it to be globally-oriented, future-focused and people-centric.These remain the north star, and he says he will address the motion with them in mind.",{"_79":147,"_80":148,"_100":149},"Sale of Neptune Orient Lines was a failure, Government should rebuild shipping capabilities: Kenneth Tiong","2026-07-07T14:41:39+08:00","Ships can be bought or chartered within a year, but a generation of sea-experienced Singaporeans takes a generation to grow, says WP’s Aljunied GRC MP Kenneth Tiong.When Temasek sold Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), Singapore’s national shipping carrier, it crystallized a financial gain and “sold the entire training ground”, says Tiong. “It was a big failure of strategic judgment, and the Government should not have allowed Temasek to sell off NOL,” he says.NOL was sold in 2016 to French shipping conglomerate CMA CGM. Temasek was a majority shareholder in the carrier.Tiong says in the long run, Singapore’s seafaring core cannot be kept Singaporean because there is no longer a national carrier where they can train. Tiong also raises concerns about the stability of Singapore’s shipping lines in a crisis if it does not have its own carrier.He proposes that the Government take action to rebuild this capability.Doing so would cost billions, but the cost of not doing so is having almost no Singaporean sailors manning Singapore's ports, he says. ",{"_79":151,"_80":152,"_100":153},"Find alternative pathways for taxi and private hire drivers affected by AVs, says Ang Wei Neng","2026-07-07T14:26:09+08:00","What will happen to taxi and private hire drivers in the age of autonomous vehicles (AVs)?MP Ang Wei Neng (West Coast - Jurong West GRC) notes that there are over 70,000 taxi drivers and private hire car drivers earning a living on Singapore roads.For many, a driving job is a last resort and a safety net which keeps their families afloat, said Ang, who is also chief executive of transport operator Strides Premier.“If AVs were to replace just 10% of this fleet, displacing 7,000 drivers, where will they go? It will be an uphill battle for Singapore to find equivalent jobs with similar pay for 7,000 of our fellow citizens,” says Ang.“Not all of them will be able to adapt to new jobs associated with our new AI-led economy. We cannot afford to let them become the collateral damage of progress.”The MP urges the Ministry of Transport and tripartite partners to tackle this with a human-centric approach - for example, to deploy AVs to areas that are currently underserved, rather than “pitting machines against our drivers.”The ministry could also convert displaced drivers into controllers at AV operational control centres to monitor fleets and take over the AVs during emergencies, Ang suggests.“While AVs may not pose too much of a disruption to them in the near term, we must plan ahead. We cannot wait until that day arrives before we start to think of a solution,” he adds.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI",{"_79":155,"_80":156,"_100":157},"Dennis Tan says Singapore needs to become global tech leader in transport, not just excel in operations","2026-07-07T13:38:44+08:00","WP’s Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC) is the first to speak after Tin Pei Ling.He notes that Singapore has capitalised on its geographical position and continuously invested and developed itself to the point that it is established as both a maritime and aviation hub.However, with geopolitical shocks and new technologies causing disruptions, he says it is crucial for the Republic to take on a more proactive role in developing and exporting its own technologies.“Singapore has never won by competing on physical size or sheer volume, we win by moving ahead of the curve,” he says.To reinforce its position in maritime logistics, Singapore must move from being “an efficient technological adopter to an aggressive platform creator”, he adds.",{"_79":159,"_80":160,"_100":161},"Government studying how to increase yield of clean, segregated recyclables","2026-07-07T11:56:24+08:00","Lacklustre recycling rates and a record high amount of trash produced in Singapore have spurred the Government to rethink its approach to recycling domestic and non-domestic waste.For one thing, it is studying how Singapore can increase the volume of clean recyclables recovered from households, which could include the use of source-segregated bins, and is exploring ways to better segregate waste upstream in the process, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary.For households, the blue bin network under the National Recycling Programme (NRP) has been enhanced with additional bins at around 700 locations and increased collection frequency at more than 1,100 locations.To improve the quality and yield of paper and cardboard, the National Environment Agency has worked with public waste collectors to offer dedicated collection of these materials since December 2025.Five PAP MPs filed questions on recycling rates and Singapore’s review of the Zero Waste Masterplan.Janil cites various challenges that affect Singapore’s recycling rates. These include rising logistics, freight, and energy costs, as well as contamination of recyclables and increasingly stringent requirements for export markets.Janil also highlights the other two Rs - Reducing waste at the outset and Reusing where possible.He points some progress on this front – domestic waste generated per capita has fallen by 21 per cent over the past decade, and non-domestic waste generated per unit GDP has dropped by more than 30 per cent over the same period. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI",{"_79":163,"_80":164,"_100":165},"Scope to consider expanding space for dialects while upholding importance of Mandarin; IMDA prepared to allow more screenings of dialect films in cinemas","2026-07-07T10:56:23+08:00","The Government is prepared to allow more screenings of films in Chinese dialects, says Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How.Circumstances have changed since the guidelines on the use of dialects were introduced, Tan says in response to questions from MPs on the relevance of these guidelines which were implemented in 1979.There is therefore scope to consider how the Government can expand the space for dialects, while continuing to uphold the importance of Mandarin, says Tan.In doing so, it will take into account different media platforms, he adds.For example, there are no dialect restrictions for arts performances or content available on the Internet and online streaming services.But for free-to-air television and radio, the Government believes that Mandarin should continue to be the mainstay, he says.The Infocomm and Media Development Authority, which regulates the media industry, has taken a “flexible, pragmatic approach” to regulating media in dialect, says Tan, citing local films which feature substantive use of dialect.Public debate on the guidelines, which restrict the use of dialect in broadcast media, has swirled since June when IMDA initially restricted the number of public screenings of Dear You, a Chinese film mostly shot in Teochew. PHOTO: GOLDEN VILLAGE",{"_79":167,"_80":168,"_100":169},"Discussion on motion of ‘Reinforcing Singapore’s position as a global transport hub’ begins","2026-07-07T12:35:12+08:00","Addressing the House first is Tin Pei Ling (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC), who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport.Although day-to-day land transport issues remain a priority for the GPC, today’s debate focuses on the future of Singapore’s role as a global transport hub, she says.The motion is both “future-facing and strategic”, she adds, as transport entails connectivity across land, sea and air, and this enables economic prosperity, which in turn improves lives. ",{"_79":171,"_80":172,"_100":173},"Global connectivity is existential for Singapore: Tin Pei Ling","2026-07-07T13:02:52+08:00","Citing how global geopolitical shocks – such as the Russia-Ukraine war, US tariffs, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz – are having an increasing impact on the Republic, Tin says Singapore needs options to remain connected regardless of any disruptions.Events surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have made the world more reliant on the Strait of Malacca, she said, which is both an opportunity and a risk.Singapore must have the capacity and capability to handle rising trade flows, and to do so requires working more closely with regional neighbours.She also outlined three factors – frontier technologies, international cooperation and infrastructure – that are crucial to ensure Singapore’s global connectivity.Seven members of the GPC for Transport will cover these topics, including sustainability and jobs. ",{"_79":175,"_80":176,"_100":177},"MHA proposes tighter road traffic laws","2026-07-07T12:25:32+08:00","With Singapore's roads now at their most dangerous in years, the Ministry of Home Affairs tables the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill to provide for heavier penalties for existing offences.The proposed changes also introduce new offences for purposeful endangerment and drug driving, and will make it illegal to hold a mobile device while driving.Traffic deaths hit a 10-year high of 149 in 2025 compared with 141 in 2016. The number of people injured on the roads also increased from 9,342 in 2024 to 9,955 in 2025.Just holding a phone while a vehicle is moving will be an offence under the Bill, and the Traffic Police will be able to catch such offenders by using cameras, or photos and videos sent in by the public.The Bill also introduces a new offence of purposeful endangerment using a vehicle causing death or grievous hurt. Currently, such offenders cannot be convicted for murder or culpable homicide, unless it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt that they intended to kill or knew that the act was likely to cause death.If the Bill is passed, offenders can be jailed up to 15 years, fined, caned and disqualified from driving for life, or for at least 10 years if there are special reasons.For dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, the Bill will see the maximum jail time raised from five to seven years for first-time offenders, and from 10 to 13 years for repeat offenders.In both offences, additional penalties due to aggravating factors will also be raised.The alcohol limit for drivers will be lowered by more than half to deter drink-driving, with the Ministry of Home Affairs planning to recommend jail time for even first-time drink-driving offenders, if they have very high blood alcohol levels.The Bill also provides for the Traffic Police to use a new breathalyser with readings that can immediately be used for prosecution.In addition, it introduces a new offence for drug driving, which allows for drivers to be prosecuted as long as controlled drugs, or intoxicating or psychoactive substances are found in their blood.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: ST FILE",{"_79":179,"_80":180,"_100":181},"What to look out for today","2026-07-07T09:09:49+08:00","We have a busy session today that will get through a backlog of questions filed by MPs over the last two months.Here are a few highlights:Who’s behind the blocked online posts? In early June, the authorities ordered social media platforms to block access to 14 online posts targeting the Indian community. Investigations showed the content most likely originated from a China-based platform before being carried elsewhere. Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio GRC) has asked if the posts were a coordinated and deliberate effort by any agency or organisation, and if so, what action has or will be taken against them. Nominated MP Neo Kok Beng asked about programmes to counter foreign influence.Dialect debate: PAP and WP MPs have filed 10 questions on the Speak Mandarin Campaign in the wake of controversy surrounding the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s initial decision to limit screenings of Dear You, a Chinese movie filmed mostly in the Teochew dialect. Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) asked if the Government will review the campaign’s continued application to locally screened dialect films while WP Non-Constituency MP Eileen Chong asked for more details on the Government’s assessment of the effectiveness of the campaign.Unpaid migrant workers: Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) and Choo Pei Ling (Chua Chu Kang GRC) asked about Government efforts to anticipate and mitigate cases where migrant workers are not paid by their employers. This follows a case which surfaced in late June where over 400 migrant workers were not paid for several months.Leader of the House Indranee Rajah will also deliver a ministerial statement around noon on the conduct of WP’s Sylvia Lim and Faisal Manap. We’ll explain more in a separate post.Most of today’s sitting will be a debate on a motion on Singapore’s position as a global transport hub. We expect a long session with many MPs slated to speak.The motion was filed by five PAP backbenchers who are led by Tin Pei Ling (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC), who chairs the government parliamentary committee on transport.It asks the House to affirm the importance of strengthening Singapore’s long-term economic competitiveness by “leveraging international cooperation, frontier technologies and world-class infrastructure”.It asks that Singapore do this to reinforce its position as a globally connected aviation, maritime and logistics hub, and to anchor good jobs here.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY",{"_79":183,"_80":184,"_100":185},"Issue stems from what was said during a meeting between Khan and three WP leaders","2026-07-07T12:12:37+08:00","The focus is on the COP’s finding that Lim and Faisal were untruthful to the committee about what was said during a meeting between Khan and the three WP leaders, she says.A key issue in the COP inquiry was what was said during that meeting, and in particular, whether Ms Khan was told to suppress the fact that she had told an untruth in Parliament, i.e. that she should “take it to the grave”.The three WP leaders all denied this but the COP found otherwise, she says.She recaps the COP’s findings that Lim and Faisal had lied about what was said during that meeting.The COP recommended that any action against the two be deferred until the conclusion of investigations and criminal proceedings against Singh, and Parliament accepted this.This was done to be fair to Lim and Faisal, she says. “If the investigations or court proceedings produced evidence inconsistent with the Committee's findings, Parliament could take that into account before deciding what, if any, action should be taken.”Pending that process, the pair were given the benefit of the doubt, she says. PHOTO: GOV.SG ",{"_79":187,"_80":188,"_100":189},"Court judgment against Singh confirms COP’s findings against Lim and Faisal: Indranee","2026-07-07T12:14:06+08:00","Indranee goes on to recap why the January motion dealt with Lim and Faisal’s conduct.During the COP hearings Lim denied that Singh had told Khan to take her untruth to the grave.She said there was no discussion on this point.Faisal’s evidence was that all three WP leaders did not remark on Khan’s confession that she had lied and did not discuss what to do about it.Thus at the COP hearings, both Lim and Faisal denied that Singh had advised Khan to take her lie to the grave, and said that the matter was not discussed.However, now, after a full investigation, trial and appeal dealing with this issue, the courts have expressly and conclusively found that untruth was discussed at the meeting, Indranee says.The court’s findings directly contradict Lim’s and Faisal’s evidence, she says.“It follows logically from the court findings that their evidence to the committee was not true.”The court’s judgment effectively confirmed the findings of the COP in relation to Lim and Faisal, she says. The question is now what is to be done in light of this, she says. PHOTO: GOV.SG",{"_79":191,"_80":192,"_100":193},"Current 15th term of Parliament cannot deal with Sylvia and Faisal’s offences under law","2026-07-07T12:17:12+08:00","Singh was convicted by the District Court in February 2025, which was during the second session of the 14th Parliament, Indranee notes.However, Parliament deferred consideration of Lim’s and Faisal’s cases until the court process had concluded, she says.Those proceedings concluded only in December 2025, when the High Court delivered its judgment.By then, the 14th Parliament had been dissolved, a General Election had taken place and the 15th Parliament had begun, she says.Under the PPIPA, this 15th Parliament can only deal with offences committed either in this session of the 15th Parliament, or during the second session of the 14th Parliament.As Lim and Faisal’s actions in question took place during the first session of the 14th Parliament, it is no longer open to this 15th Parliament to impose any penalties under the PPIPA, Indranee says.But this does not mean that Parliament is without recourse, she says.The House could, if it wished, pass a motion to express regret at such conduct, she adds.Such a motion would serve to signal Parliament’s disapproval, as it did in Singh’s case in January this year, she says.“However, it should be noted that in the January motion, this House had already signalled its clear disapproval of lying to Parliament or its committees.”",{"_79":195,"_80":196,"_100":197},"No further action against Lim and Faisal, unless MPs object: Indranee","2026-07-07T12:17:40+08:00","Given the very specific circumstances of this case, it is her view that no further action need be taken by Parliament, says Indranee.“Had the timelines been different, I would have proposed a different course of action.”She says this outcome has happened because even though the House was entitled to act on the COP’s findings in 2021, it decided to give Lim and Faisal the benefit of the doubt for the time being.“Even though the Committee’s findings have now been effectively confirmed by the High Court Judgement, the law, in this case the time bar provisions of PPIPA, must be observed,” she says.Unless any MP objects, Parliament can now bring this matter to a close, she adds.Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng says there should be no debate on Indranee’s statement but MPs can ask questions. ",{"_79":199,"_80":200,"_100":201},"Sylvia Lim says she does not object to Indranee’s statement","2026-07-07T12:19:11+08:00","WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim says she is not objecting to the Leader’s statement, and says she has made her statements during the January motion.Then, she objected to being implicated in Singh’s court case.In response, Indranee says when Lim made those statements in January, she had responded in turn, and those comments are on record.This marks the end of the ministerial statement. ",{"_79":203,"_80":204,"_100":205},"Indranee rises to deliver a ministerial statement on ‘unfinished business’ regarding Sylvia Lim and Faisal Manap’s conduct","2026-07-07T12:07:09+08:00","Leader of the House Indranee Rajah begins by recapping a motion she filed in January.There, Parliament voted to express its regret at the conduct of WP chief Pritam Singh, though the WP’s 11 MPs in the House dissented. The resolutions in that motion relating to Singh were dealt with and concluded on that day, she says, but one matter remained outstanding.Part of that motion asked the House to note that the High Court judgment on Singh and the Committee of Privileges’ (COP) findings have implications on WP chair Sylvia Lim, an MP for Aljunied GRC, and Faisal Manap.Faisal sits on the WP’s central executive committee, but is currently not an MP. He was MP for Aljunied GRC during the last term of Parliament.The COP was convened to investigate former WP Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan’s lies to Parliament in 2021.“That is unfinished business that has to be dealt with.” The question is what to do with the findings regarding Lim and Faisal in the COP report, says Indranee.PHOTO: MDDI",{"_79":207,"_80":208,"_100":209},"Disciplinary action must happen within the same or next session of Parliament, says Indranee","2026-07-07T12:15:29+08:00","In principle, someone knowingly or intentionally giving untrue evidence to a committee of Parliament would be dealt with under the the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act 1962 (PPIPA), she says.“Ordinarily, if there is evidence someone has lied to a select committee, I would initiate the PPIPA process for dealing with such conduct.”But there are certain timelines within which action must take place, Indranee says.Under the PPIPA, Parliament has the power to punish offences which have been committed in either the preceding session or the last session of the previous Parliament, she says.The previous Parliament (the 14th) was first constituted in August 2020, and was prorogued on in March 2023.It was dissolved on 15 April 2025. The 14th Parliament therefore had two sessions, she notes.In this case, the relevant conduct of Lim and Faisal took place in 2021, during the first session of the 14th Parliament.",{"_79":211,"_80":212,"_100":213},"S’pore will carefully study FATF report’s recommendations: Murali","2026-07-07T12:06:44+08:00","Singapore has performed “credibly” in the latest round of assessment by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the Government will carefully study its recommendations to develop action plans, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai.Murali was responding to questions from Workers’ Party MPs Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) and Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) about the latest FATF report on Singapore, released in May.The global financial crime watchdog rated Singapore only as “partially compliant” in two areas: implementing technical requirements on transparency and beneficial ownership of legal persons, as well as legal arrangements.Chua asked about the Government’s plans to address these gaps.On beneficial ownership - meaning the person who ultimately owns an entity - Murali said the FATF acknowledged that Singapore has taken significant steps to prevent the misuse of legal persons and legal arrangements.For example, Singapore has a central beneficial ownership registry for all companies and limited liability partnerships. Public agencies also record ownership information, such as the Singapore Land Authority conducting checks on the identity of those who want to purchase landed residential properties in Singapore.“Nevertheless, we will carefully study the FATF’s recommendations and consider... whether further enhancements will be needed to strengthen our framework, while remaining appropriate for Singapore's risk profile,” said Murali.Murali also explained Singapore’s efforts in three other areas mentioned by the MPs: international cooperation, financial penalties against financial institutions, and countering proliferation financing. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI",{"_79":215,"_80":216,"_100":217},"Question time ends","2026-07-07T12:06:54+08:00","We wrap up one and a half hours of question time with a question from WP chief Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) on the impact of a mandatory tuberculosis screening exercise on businesses in Bedok.",{"_79":219,"_80":220,"_100":221},"Koh Poh Koon has a new seat","2026-07-07T10:31:16+08:00","Koh Poh Koon has taken his seat in the backbenches after resigning as senior minister of state in May.Koh is now seated between WP chair Sylvia Lim and Melvin Yong. He had held political office in the ministries of manpower and health, and was previously seated next to his fellow senior ministers of state Zaqy Mohamad and Low Yen Ling. PHOTOS: MDDIREAD MORE HERE",{"_79":223,"_80":224,"_100":225},"Dennis Tan asks Government to review broadcast restrictions on dialects","2026-07-07T11:15:11+08:00","WP’s Dennis Tan, who is MP for Hougang, asks the Government whether it has agreed to review restrictions on broadcasts in dialects.Doing so would “allow meaningful dialect-rich content” that connects young Singaporeans to their grandparents, families and cultural heritage, he says.Tan’s constituency is a WP stronghold and his predecessor Low Thia Khiang was first elected on strong support from the area’s Teochew-speaking population.Singapore is reaching a “tipping point” with an ageing population and a younger generation with limited exposure to dialects, Tan adds.“Once this culture and heritage dies off, there's no way of rebuilding, and I would therefore like to ask the government to really consider putting more effort to work with the clans and other civic groups to promote our dialect heritage,” he says.He asks that the Government consider establishing a standing arrangement between the media regulation and heritage agencies for consultation on the heritage aspects of films in dialect. ",{"_79":227,"_80":228,"_100":229},"No evidence that online posts targeting Indian community were coordinated campaign","2026-07-07T10:56:04+08:00","MPs Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio GRC), Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) and NMP Neo Kok Beng filed questions about the 14 online posts that targeted the Indian community, such as by suggesting that Singapore was being overrun by Indians.Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming, answering their questions, says there is currently no evidence to suggest that the posts were a coordinated campaign by any particular Government or organisation.Earlier investigations by MHA showed that the content most likely originated from a platform based in China and was subsequently carried on other platforms and websites.Goh adds that the Government has noticed an increase in such content, and carefully tracks every single case, investigating whether there are possibly state actors behind them.He says the authorities will not hesitate to take action decisively if there is a need to protect Singapore's interests, such as through legislative levers such as the Foreign Interference Counter Measures Act, Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act, Protection from Online Falsehood and Manipulation Act and Online Criminal Harms Act.“Having these laws allows us to be very proactive going upstream to demonstrate that we not only have the laws and that we are also willing to exercise these laws to protect our citizens and our social fabric before our racial harmony is affected,” he says.He adds that ultimately a discerning population is the most important defence against attempts to influence or divide Singaporean society, urging Singaporeans to be discerning when consuming and disseminating information online, and to reject all attempts at division.",{"_79":231,"_80":232,"_100":233},"Parliament begins","2026-07-07T10:32:02+08:00","We start with questions on the social media posts blocked by the Government in June.",{"_79":235,"_80":236,"_100":237},"Good morning!","2026-07-07T09:08:48+08:00","Welcome to our Parliament live coverage. The House (and we) sit again today after taking a break in June.",{"_79":239,"_80":240,"_100":241},"What will Indranee’s ministerial statement cover?","2026-07-07T09:10:13+08:00","Indranee’s statement will cover the conduct of Workers’ Party leaders Sylvia Lim and Faisal Manap.The ministerial statement will be a “determination” on the findings from the Committee of Privileges (COP) relating to former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan’s lies to Parliament in 2021, according to the order paper published yesterday.This follows a January 2026 motion where Indranee asked the House to note that the High Court’s judgment and COP findings have implications for Lim and Faisal, which have to be considered separately from WP chief Pritam Singh’s.During that motion, in which the House found Singh unfit for the role of Leader of the Opposition, Lim disputed her and Faisal being implicated.She said the pair had not been given an opportunity to defend themselves in court and its findings cannot be held against them.Indranee said that while Lim was not a witness and was not a party to court proceedings, the court had found that Lim and Faisal were around when Singh asked Khan to take her lie “to the grave”.She said that this was consistent with the COP report, and that is why the court judgment has implications for Lim and Faisal.We will unpack the statement and any subsequent exchange involving the WP MPs in our weekly politics newsletter next Monday. Subscribe here.PHOTOS: MDDI ","speakable",{"_244":245},"cssSelector",[246,247],".live-blog-header",".live-blog-summary","dependentPaths",[],"actionData","errors"]