Watch live: PM Wong delivers ministerial statement on US tariffs
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SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will speak on US tariffs and their implications for Singapore when Parliament meets on April 8.
The Republic was among the countries hit by a “baseline tariff” of 10 per cent
Government leaders have in recent days laid out the tariffs’ likely impact on Singapore, and the city state’s position on them. Tariffs are taxes imposed on imported goods and used to regulate trade, protect domestic industries and generate revenue.
PM Wong said on April 4 that Singapore has decided not to impose retaliatory tariffs,
Higher tariffs and uncertainty over countries’ responses will weigh heavily on the global economy, and Singapore will take a bigger hit than others due to its heavy reliance on trade, he added.
While Singapore is more ready than many other countries with its reserves and its cohesion, he asked Singaporeans to brace themselves for more shocks and to stay united.
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said Singapore was disappointed with the US’ move,
He said on April 3 that Singapore will continue to uphold open, fair and free trade among like-minded countries, including the 27 that it has free trade agreements with. Meanwhile, the Government has provided significant help for households and businesses here, and will increase the support if necessary.
On April 6, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the world has changed completely as a result of the sweeping tariffs
He also called on Singaporeans to be resolute, and not to fall for “strange ideas or soft solutions” – that the problem can be postponed or dealt with by someone else.
In a Facebook post on April 5, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh agreed with PM Wong’s call for a united population.
The Straits Times will give live updates at www.straitstimes.com
Separately, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam will give a ministerial statement laying out the Government’s position on certain provisions under the Misuse of Drugs Act that shift the burden of proof for specific elements of drug offences to the accused.
Under the law, two provisions are statutory presumptions that impose a legal burden of proof on an accused person to rebut them, once the facts triggering the presumptions have been proven by the prosecution.
In November 2024, the High Court dismissed an application by four convicted drug traffickers for permission to seek a prohibiting order against the carrying out of their death sentences.
The four had attempted to stop their executions by filing a constitutional challenge against the two provisions, contending that they violated the constitutionally protected presumption of innocence.
In January, the Court of Appeal invited further submissions from the parties involved.
In February, a Malaysian national convicted in 2017 of importing 51.84g of heroin into Singapore was granted a stay of execution
MPs have also filed 75 parliamentary questions to be answered during the sitting, including on water seepage incidents in Housing Board flats and safeguards to protect consumers against high-yield investment products.
April’s parliamentary session is widely expected to be the last one in this term of government, before Parliament is dissolved and a general election is called.
