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SINGAPORE – The debate on the President’s Speech, the first debate of the XIV Parliament, will begin on Monday (August 31), one week after President Halimah Yacob delivered the speech at the opening of Parliament.
Here are four things you need to know about the debate and how it will differ from previous years.
WHAT IS THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS ABOUT?
The president’s speech is an important speech that marks a new session of Parliament, which in this case also heralds the beginning of another five years of government of the Popular Action Party (PAP).
Although dictated by the president, it is usually prepared by the government in office to establish its general plans for priorities, policies and programs for the new term.
This speech has marked every new parliamentary session since independence. This means that the president can be expected to deliver a speech every two to three years when Parliament reopens after a general election and after its usual midterm recess.
This tradition is a legacy of the Westminster system of government, Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin said in a blog post on August 22.
It is the equivalent of the Queen’s or King’s speech that marks the opening of the British Parliament.
Yang di-Pertuan Negara (head of state) and the governor of Singapore delivered similar speeches before Singapore’s 1st Parliament and its predecessor, the Legislative Assembly, before the office of the president was established.
Following the president’s speech, the different ministries release more details of their respective plans in public statements known as Addenda to the president’s speech.
The week-long debate on the speech begins in earnest about a week later.
WHY IS THE DEBATE IMPORTANT?
Officially, the debate revolves around a motion to thank the president for her speech. In practice, it is an opportunity for parliamentarians to review and discuss the government’s plans.
After a general election, it is also the first opportunity for newly elected MPs to make an impression in their inaugural speeches, which can become defining moments in their political careers.
This year there are 30 MPs for the first time, including 24 MPs from the PAP, four MPs from the Workers’ Party (WP) and two non-constituent MPs from the Progress Singapore Party (NCMP).
WP’s Mr. Gerald Giam, who was an NCMP from 2011 to 2015, returns to the House as an elected MP for Aljunied GRC.
The debate is also likely to set the tone for future sessions, depending on which topics attract the most attention from MPs.
In the last debate of this kind at the end of 2018, after the opening of the second session of the XIII Parliament, inequality was a key issue.
Social cohesion and social mobility were highlighted as key tasks to be addressed by PAP fourth generation (4G) leaders, through policies ranging from education to housing and hiring practices.
That discussion is likely to continue into the new term of Parliament, and President Halimah noted in her latest speech that Singapore’s model of meritocracy must evolve along with the nation’s development.
WHAT WILL THE DEBATE FOCUS ON?
To be sure, the debate over the president’s speech will focus primarily on employment and the economic impact of the current Covid-19 pandemic.
President Halimah began her speech by noting that the new government mandate begins under the shadow of Covid-19.
Singapore needs to adjust its Covid-19 strategies and plans along the way, while Singaporeans must remain vigilant to prevent a new wave of infections, he said.
The president also said that jobs will remain the top priority for years to come and that the government will continue to look out for the interests of lower-paid and mature workers.
MPs on both sides of the aisle have also indicated that they intend to speak about employment and social safety nets during the debate.
Other important issues to be discussed include efforts to reactivate Singapore’s beleaguered global air traffic hub and bolster sustainability measures in the face of climate change, even as the nation recovers from the pandemic.
WHAT’S NEW THIS TIME?
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he will deliver an important speech during this year’s debate, after deciding not to give his traditional National Rally Day (NDR) speech.
Last month he announced that there will be no NDR this year due to Covid-19.
The annual NDR is generally considered the most important political speech of the year, as the Prime Minister usually makes important announcements and describes the key issues facing the Government. Delivered every year since 1966.
For the first time, Singapore will also have an officially appointed opposition leader and it is the head of WP, Pritam Singh.
House Leader Indranee Rajah will make a ministerial statement on the duties and privileges of the opposition leader before the debate on the president’s speech begins.
In a joint statement last month, the Speaker and House Leader said Singh will lead the opposition by presenting alternative views in parliamentary debates on policies, bills and motions. It will also direct and organize the scrutiny of government positions and actions in Parliament.
The opposition is also expected to come up with its own political alternatives to be scrutinized and debated, beyond raising questions and criticizing the government’s policies, Ms. Halimah said in her speech.
It remains to be seen whether the opposition’s 12 MPs and NCMP will offer alternative proposals in the first debate of the new term and what form they will take.
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