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Seah Kian Peng denies Murali Pillai made improper motives against Leong Mun Wai

Speaker of Parliament, Seah Kian Peng, dismissed a complaint by PSP’s Leong Mun Wai against Murali Pillai. Mr Leong’s grievance arose from a debate where Mr Murali suggested Mr Leong had proposed “some form of low rent control” during a parliamentary debate on 3 August.

The ruling provides a window into Seah’s perspective on impartiality as Parliament’s Speaker.

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SINGAPORE: The new Speaker of Parliament, Seah Kian Peng, has clearly shown his brand of independence and fairness with his decision and response to the complaint by Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai against People’s Action Party MP Murali Pillai on Monday (18 Sep).

Mr Leong’s complaint stemmed from a debate over Murali’s assertion during the Lease Agreements for Retail Premises Bill debate on 3 August.

Mr Murali claimed that Mr Leong had proposed “some form of low rent control” in his speech. The Bill, which was later passed, aims to facilitate fairer lease negotiations between landlords and tenants of retail premises.

After Mr Leong sought clarification from Mr Murali, the latter denied making such an accusation. Instead, he clarified that Mr Leong had “sought low rents on behalf of SMEs.”

After this discussion, Mr Leong filed a formal complaint with the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Seah Kian Peng, on 16 August.

In a Facebook post, Mr Leong referred to Hansard, the official verbatim report of the Parliament proceedings, regarding the debate that took place on 3 August 2023.

He wrote, “This statement imputed improper motives to me as he claimed I was advocating for rent control when I had not made such a statement during the debate.”

In his post, Mr Leong noted that Mr Murali contradicted his earlier statement three times and refused to retract it. He added that this exchange misled the public, giving the impression that false accusations were being made.

The NCMP requested a ruling from the Speaker on the matter, which is alleged to be in contravention of section 50(6) of the Standing Order of the Singapore Parliament.

Should Mr Murali be found to have uttered the words in question, and if these words were inconsistent with his speech and implied improper motives, Mr Leong would request that Mr Murali make a statement to the house to retract the statement and apologize for the misleading impression created by both the statement and the subsequent clarifications.

In his ruling today at the start of the parliament sitting, referencing the Standing Order, Mr Seah stated that Mr Murali implied no improper motives in his speech on 3 August and closed the matter.

What’s telling is that Mr Seah declined to respond to Mr Leong’s follow-up question about whether he agreed that no statement about introducing rent control was made.

This question is crucial as it sets the context for his complaint to Mr Seah about Mr Murali’s statement against him on 3 August.

By not answering Mr Leong’s direct question and stating that he did not wish to engage in a debate, Mr Seah is sidestepping the central issue that Mr Leong aims to clarify with his complaint.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, who was nominated as the next Speaker of Parliament, had previously expressed his desire to be judged by his actions, especially given increased scrutiny of the Speaker’s impartiality.

Speaking to The Straits Times at FairPrice Group’s 50th-anniversary gala dinner at Marina Bay Sands on 22 July, he mentioned his wish for his actions to speak for his ability to remain impartial.

This came after Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s resignation as Speaker of Parliament on 17 July, amid controversy. The role of the Speaker in Parliament and the need for impartiality were further emphasized by Mr Seah.

Mr Seah’s response to Mr Leong’s complaint offers insight into his understanding of impartiality as Speaker of Parliament.

Background of the Controversy in the Debate on 3 August:

In his speech, Mr Leong expressed concern about the emergence of a “rentier economy” in Singapore’s commercial property market.

While acknowledging the new law’s intent, he argued that it still favours landlords, allowing them to benefit from a rent structure advantageous to them.

Mr Murali responded by suggesting that Mr Leong’s comments reminded him of the Rent Control Act. This obsolete legislation deterred landlords from improving their premises, leading to the decline of buildings.

He said, “The honourable NCMP Mr Leong advocated some form of low rent control. I remember the impact of the Rent Control Act. Due to it, landlords were disincentivized to invest, leading to dilapidated buildings. Ultimately, Singapore suffered.”

Mr Leong refuted this claim, emphasizing that he did not advocate for rent control. The ensuing debate saw both MPs assert their stances firmly, with Mr Murali continuing to deny his statement and Mr Leong challenging the inference made. The exchange became intense, with Mr Leong even striking the rostrum for emphasis.

Mr Murali maintained his position, emphasizing that he had not insinuated rent control specifically. Seah Kian Peng, the Speaker, intervened, informing both MPs that their statements would be recorded in the Hansard.

Mr Leong challenged Mr Murali, asking him if he would apologize if records showed he had not advocated for a lower rent. Mr Murali declined the challenge, asserting the accuracy of the Hansard and standing by his statement.

 

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Parliament

Minister Shanmugam rejects request for detailed information on visa-free visitor offences: Cites bilateral considerations

Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam rejected Workers’ Party MP He Ting Ru’s request for detailed statistics on visa-free visitors involved in crimes, citing bilateral concerns. He affirmed current screening measures are sufficient, with no plans for an electronic travel authorisation system.

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1 week ago

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10 September 2024

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On 10 September 2024, Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam, refused to provide detailed information requested by Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Sengkang GRC, Ms He Ting Ru, regarding visa-free visitors involved in criminal offences in Singapore.

Ms He had asked for statistics on how many visa-free visitors had been arrested or identified as persons of interest for criminal activities from 2021 to June 2024, along with a breakdown of offences by type, number, and country of origin.

She also queried the consideration of enhanced screening measures and the possibility of introducing an electronic travel authorisation system similar to those in other jurisdictions.

In his written response, Mr Shanmugam stated that with over 150 countries on the visa-free entry list, it would not be practical or meaningful to publish crime statistics specific to visitors from these nations.

He added that doing so could carry bilateral implications and potentially send the wrong message to bona fide visitors from these countries.

Mr Shanmugam affirmed that Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) employs a risk-based, multi-layered approach to balance border security with traveller facilitation and assured that the current measures are sufficient. He reiterated that there were no immediate plans to implement an electronic travel authorisation regime, as it would increase inconvenience for visitors.

“We are satisfied with the current measures, and for now, do not see a need for an additional electronic travel authorisation regime. Also, such a regime will make visiting Singapore more inconvenient,” said Mr Shanmugam.

This response followed an oral reply delivered earlier that day by Minister of State (MOS) for Home Affairs, Ms Sun Xueling, who addressed a related question posed by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Mr Leong Mun Wai from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).

Mr Leong had expressed concerns about the potential rise in crime following the introduction of a 30-day visa exemption arrangement for Chinese nationals in February 2024. He specifically questioned whether the recent burglaries involving foreign syndicates had any link to this exemption and whether automated lanes at Changi Airport increased the risk of non-bona fide travellers entering the country.

Ms Sun refuted Mr Leong’s concerns, clarifying that there had been no increase in arrests among short-term visitors from China since the visa exemption came into effect.

She noted that the arrest rate of Chinese visitors had, in fact, decreased compared to the previous year. While acknowledging the involvement of some foreign nationals in criminal activity, she highlighted that the visa regime alone cannot eliminate all risks. Instead, ICA employs enhanced technology, such as biometrics and advanced data analytics, to screen travellers.

Ms Sun also emphasised the importance of the tourism sector to Singapore’s economy, generating S$27.2 billion in receipts in 2023 and employing over 71,000 workers. She argued that closing borders to prevent crimes would not be a viable solution, especially given Singapore’s competition with neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Thailand, which are also working to attract Chinese visitors.

Despite further calls from Mr Leong for additional security measures and tougher penalties for cross-border crimes, Ms Sun reassured that the government continually reviews its laws, including the Criminal Procedure Code and Penal Code, to address transnational crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and online scams.

She affirmed that Singapore remains vigilant in adapting its laws and measures to combat evolving criminal trends.

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Parliament

Leong Mun Wai questions why NTUC leaders often come from the ruling party

During the Platform Workers Bill debate on 10 Sept, Mr Leong Mun Wai, NCMP from the Progress Singapore Party, backed WP MP Gerald Giam’s call for an independent NTUC. He expressed concerns about NTUC’s ties to the ruling party, questioning its independence given that its leaders are often from the PAP.

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1 week ago

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10 September 2024

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SINGAPORE: Mr Leong Mun Wai, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) from the Progress Singapore Party, voiced support for the Workers’ Party and its MP Gerald Giam’s call for an independent and non-partisan NTUC, separate from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

During a parliamentary debate on the Platform Workers Bill on Tuesday (10 Sept), Mr Leong acknowledged that tripartism is a fundamental aspect of governance that all parties, including opposition ones, seek to foster.

He noted that unions naturally seek political power to effect change but expressed concerns about the extent of NTUC’s relationship with the ruling party.

However he questioned the level of NTUC’s independence from the government.

He pointed out that the NTUC’s secretary-general is often a minister or former minister and that many NTUC leaders come from the ruling party.

“Can you find another trade union in the world where the trade union chief is a minister? Are there any countries? Please let me know if there are,” Mr Leong asked, further noting that few opposition politicians are given appointments in NTUC.

“I think we are entitled to think that the independence of NTUC ought to be better than this.”

Earlier, PAP MP Christopher De Souza criticized MP Gerald Giam for using the term “tether” to describe the NTUC-PAP relationship, emphasizing that the NTUC operates through partnership, alliance, and solidarity rather than subordination.

In response, Mr Giam clarified that when he used the terms “tether” or “untether,” he meant that the NTUC and the PAP should be separate and independent organizations.

He sought to ensure that NTUC does not appear to be biased towards the ruling party.

Mr Giam also raised concerns about NTUC’s structure, particularly questioning why the Platform Associations need a Council of Advisors with the power to dismiss the Executive Council and why these advisors are predominantly PAP members or MPs.

He suggested that this structure indicates a lack of independence for NTUC.

The current NTUC secretary-general is Ng Chee Meng, a former PAP minister who assumed the position in 2018 and continues to hold it despite losing to WP’s new team in GE2020.

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