Rhea Tan, at your young age and to have worries that our MPs are absent during a very important debate is very encouraging for me. I hope most of the young are as concern as you.

Someone said that the Singapore government is so transparent that they are invisible. Maybe you just didn’t see them in their seats.

Those seats are for those who are afraid to face the music, so to avoid any embarrassment, they prefer not to be there but let those kah kia to take their rap instead.

Those part-time MPs are busy with their own businesses, where got time to attend, it is better to manage their own co businesses to make profit. The MP’s allowance of 18k to them is peanut.

Most absent are part-time MPs who must be disgruntled that they are not appointed at least for the post of Minister of State for any of the Ministrys, therefore their monthly income is not on par with their own business or current employment. So its better to preserve their own business or jobs that bring in the big S$ rather than sits dumb-dumb in parliament for half a day, after all PAP even got overwhelming numbers compared to the two opposition MP to pass any bills in their absent. Their thinkings are ‘Let the highest paid ministers do the jobs that they are supposed to do’ and not them who are paid peanuts. May we should introduce MP’s Parliament Attendance’s Allowance to the tune of S$4,500 per attendance to encourange participation. This amount is calculated based on half a day’s pay for the Prime Minister. This money spent is worth it, as input from all these talented high flyers are important to carry Singapore forward.

There should be a quorum for any parliamentary sittings. The minimum attendance should be at least 50% of the elected MPs for any parliamentary sittings to proceeds otherwise the sittings would have to be adjourned to a later date to be fixed. This is required for board meetings, EGM and AGM as stipulated in the companies act.

Funny thing here, it is compulsory to vote during an election and not compulsory to attend parliamentary sittings.

There is a quorum. No MP is allowed to be absent from parliament for up to 2 consecutive months.

Can these PAP stooges drop by parliament just to tick the attendance register
and then go for their R n R ? Any parliament house or party ruling ?

The poor attendance is a clear indication we do not need 82 PAP MPs, and
a full attendance is also meaningless when many are incapable of speaking up.

No brainer who and what kind of system put those stooges in parliament !

It is not necessary that the PAP MPs be present to hear boring speeches. There is little if any debate. Issues are already well thought through. If voting is required, they will be informed to be present. It does not matter that they do not know the details of what they are voting for. Once the party whip cracks, fall in line and vote accordingly.

I have often seen our elite MPs entering Parliament after the session has started. Some also even leave early halfway through the debates. Reminds me of those teenagers who like to go clubbing…..arriving late for the party and leaving when they are bored. Maybe that’s why our elites also like hip hopping so much.

Perhaps they should give our Parliament a more hip name like the Elites’ Club or the Immortals’ Lounge. Sounds more cool right, HipHopping 65s?

The absenteeism in parliament speaks volume about the GRC system. MPs that enter parliament by the GRC route, especially those from the PAP, do not value their seats because they did not earn it by working the ground as in other Westminster-type parliament.

Bring back the single-constituency seats so that MPs are deserving of their place in parliament through working the ground and are able to relate to the people.

One can only admire lawmakers of other countries where they debate issues passionately that sometimes end in fists fights!

Since MPs are paid a handsome allowance, parliamentary session should be broadcast life so that voters can see the worth of our MPs in terms of the questions asked, debating skills, etc.

Maybe they should put up banner with MPs’ faces like those in housing estates….when their “presence” are felt by residents

Oops…should be “where their…residents”

Since many MPs cannot make it to parliament sessions either due to lack of time or got to drive a long distance with traffic jams to parliament house, maybe they should have online parliament sittings like the msm chat with video streamings for MPs and Ministers of State level while the Ministers level shall sit in a reduced size parliament room with opposition MPs and NMPs who are required to provide the alternative debates. Ministers give the government policy speech, opposition MPs and NMPs give their views and ask for clarifications on the ministers’ speech. All PAP MPs just sit in front of their computer screens listening and if they need to air their views, they can type into their keyboard for the speakers to relay them to the ministers concerned. If they need to vote on issues , they can vote online. Its high-time parliament go cyber-tech to score another first for Singapore

They didn’t need so many actors and extras on that day.Does this explain why so few MPs(members of the Play or Multi purpose). What was the big fuss? Money already taken out, why debate to waste time?

to Please Makes Sense.

don’t know what you want to say with your comment.

Please Makes Sense.

when my child grows up, i will force him to be work in civil service.
the best job as in serving the people with loyalty to the people 1st. many great examples children can follow. sacrifice for your country and be rewarded highest.

#15) neversaydie
to Please Makes Sense.
‘don’t know what you want to say with your comment’
=======================

That was a good joke by Please Makes Sense.

Anyway, LKY & PAP are not interested in Parliament or even GE. After the 2006 GE parliament did not sit for the next 6 months. It is another joke. A TOC reader had explained that the next GE is due not in 2011 but 2012, that is, 5 years from the date of the first opening of parliament!

LKY & PAP think parliament and GE are a waste of time but they have to have it once in 5 years for show. I believe Singapore holds the world record for the least numbers of days of parliament sittings. Sessions are held quickily to pass urgent laws and the budget. Discussion and debates are a waste of their precious time. The PM is paid $10,000 a day.

At an annual salary of S$190,000, I expect MP to be a full-time role.

True…if not it will be highly paid PT job..

It is the sadness of a nation that it is has come to this state.

It used to be Duty, Honour …. but the Country is no more there – it is how many thousands of dollars I make a day – shame on all of you in Government from president to mps – shame on you.

Johore and Batam now awaits ordinary seniors and retirees – shame on all of you in Government again – you can take care only of all your attention seeking ex-diplomats – clowns still gainfully employed after their retirements clinging on to the state coffer for their salaries, and worst of all from president down, no one ever thought of letting go and giving others a chance, but to tell them to go to Johore or Batam.
Shame on all of you again for not daring to engage the people but get new kid ministers to be your spokemen.

To rectify such situation every MP must attend at 75% of the number of hours Parliament sits during its term. Example Parliament sits a total of 1,000 hours during one term. Every MP must attend at least 750 hours, failing which a deduction would be made from the MP allowance for not meeting this stipulated requirements and the MP would not be allowed to contest the next election. The minimum hours is suggested to prevent abuses by MP by just popping in and left Parliament 10 minutes later and count as one attendance.
Surprising, the speaker did not comment on the low attendance during Parliament sittings all this while. The Speaker ownes the people of Singapore an explanation for this.

To: 21) Quorum

To accept your suggestions, first you must work hard and do more to topple the PAP government through the ballot.

LKY & PAP think parliament and GE are a waste of time but they have to have it once in 5 years for show. Sessions are held quickily to pass urgent laws and the budget. Discussion and debates are a waste of their precious time. If they accept your idea, the PAP will find it harder to recruit more scholars and highly paid professionals to stand for election. Sadly, the Speaker answers to LKY and not to the people of SIN.

appear for what..the budget meeting is not about rising of MP pay..so show up for f?

dexter has a point. Wonder can anyone compare the MP’s attendance during the debate to raise their pay and this one to save the economy…

Perhaps we should have door gifts to boost up attendence :)

Lame excuses:

Duties taken seriously

I REFER to Miss Rhea Tan’s letter on Wednesday, ‘Why so many empty seats at Budget Debate?’
I would like to assure Miss Tan that PAP MPs take Parliament sittings seriously. They have to seek the Speaker’s permission in writing to be absent from a sitting. They also have to inform the Government Whip if they are unable to attend Parliament on time or have to leave early.

For the Budget Debate, Parliament sits from noon to 7pm. This year’s Budget Debate was attended by 90 elected and Nominated MPs on Feb 3; 86 MPs on Feb4; and there was full attendance of 93 MPs on Feb 5.

While PAP MPs are expected to be in Parliament, they are not able to stay in the Chamber for the whole seven hours. They need to leave the Chamber from time to time for lunch and breaks, to do research and revise their speeches in the library as the debate progresses, and to attend urgent calls and meetings which they are unable to reschedule. The Government Whip ensures there is sufficient quorum in the House at all times.

So even if MPs are not in the Chamber, it does not mean they are not in Parliament or not carrying out their duties as MPs. The effectiveness of PAP MPs should not be judged by the hours they remain seated in the Chamber but by their participation in debates, the contents of their speeches and how well they serve their constituents.

Lim Swee Say
Government Whip

Oops seems like my comments in parenthese are left out in my earlier post!

Full attendance of 93 MPs on Feb 5 including Seng Han Thong!?
Is Lim Swee Say telling us that Parliament do not schedule lunch and breaks for Parliament!?
Typical of MIW who only wishes to put their points across rather than listen to others’ views. If you are present, how do you get to listen to your fellow parliamentarians’ points and engage in DEBATE?
So many MPs have “to attend urgent calls and meetings” – business collapsing vs “debating NATIONAL issues”? LOL
So even if MPs are in the toilet or cafeteria, they are in Parliament!?
To judge the effectiveness of PAP MPs by their participation in debates and the contents of their speeches, many are clear failures for not speaking up in the first place, much less “debating”. Also their speeches do not resonate with the masses.
Lastly, is Lim Swee Say writing in his capacity as government whip or as party whip, as he seeks to clarify only the actions of PAP MPs?