Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin reminds MPs of Budget debate process

SINGAPORE - Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin reminded all MPs on Monday (March 7) about how the debate on the ministries' budgets work, after some MPs raised queries about the process and why they did not get to ask the ministries their questions.

Rising to speak before Parliament took a break at around 4.10pm, Mr Tan said he was sure MPs understand the process, but that it was "opportune for me to refresh everyone's memories".

His reminder came after Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai from the Progress Singapore Party had tried to ask questions at the close of the debate on the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) budget earlier in the afternoon.

"I said there are still questions. The debate is not over when there are still questions," said Mr Leong. Mr Tan replied that time was up, and Parliament would be moving on.

The NCMP had tried to do the same last Tuesday, at the close of the debate on the Finance Ministry's budget.

Mr Tan said that in calling upon MPs to speak, he gives opportunities to members from various parties, and that he keeps track of who has been called upon and who has not.

"Different members have opportunities to speak at other times, so we'd like to give that airtime to different members as well," he said, in reference to the full debate that covers every ministry's budget.

Mr Tan noted that for the debate on MOM's budget, he had called on some MPs from both the PAP and the Workers' Party (WP) to speak, and had to leave out other MPs from both parties as well as Mr Leong given the time limit.

Mr Tan also referred to the occasion last Friday (March 4) when Leader of the Opposition and WP chief Pritam Singh had sought a clarification on the cut-off time for the debate over the budget of the Ministry of Communications and Information.

Mr Singh had asked Deputy Speaker of Parliament Christopher de Souza why the clarifications had been stopped when the cut-off time for the debate had not been reached. Mr de Souza had replied that the stated cut-off time did not factor for a 20-minute tea break for MPs.

On Monday, Mr Tan also referenced a Facebook post by Mr Leong that he had been "allowed little opportunity" by Mr Tan to ask questions during this budget debate.

"I won't repeat everything, but he made a comment about 'I have a number of clarifications to make, but the Speaker didn't even give me the chance'. And also, he added, 'completely ridiculous'," noted Mr Tan.

MPs have all been sent reminders on the cut-off times for each ministry's debate, and can file parliamentary questions if they have further queries or were unable to raise their questions by the end of the debate, he added.

Acknowledging that MPs are all passionate about their respective topics, Mr Tan said: "Many of you text me grumbling about why, how come you got an important question to ask, but you can't ask. I hope that you bear with me for that."

He explained the structure of the debates on each ministry's budget, for which MPs submit "cuts" - short speeches, of which each MP has 18 minutes across all ministries - in advance.

Of the time allocated to each ministry's budget debate, 40 per cent comprises cuts, 50 per cent is for the response from ministries, and 10 per cent is allocated for clarifications.

The debate on each budget ends once the respective cut-off time is reached, according to Parliament's Standing Order 92(7A).

Mr Tan noted that when clarification time is reached but the cut-off time has yet to expire, it is at his discretion whether members continue with the debate.

"In the earlier debate, for example, with the Ministry of Manpower, we had finished the clarification time, and we continued all the way until (the cut-off) time," he said.

Mr Tan said he felt it was useful to remind all members of how the process works for Parliament's record, given recent social media posts by various MPs.

"I would not pretend nor do I wish to speculate as to why (these) comments are made," he added.