ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES REVIEW COMMITTEE

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ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES REVIEW COMMITTEE: 12.

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Prime Minister whether he has appointed the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee and, if not, whether he intends to do so within the next three months.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Wong Kan Seng) (for the Prime Minister): Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has not yet appointed the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee, nor has he decided when to do so.

Ms Sylvia Lim (Non-Constituency Member):

Mr Speaker, Sir, some clarifications for the Deputy Prime Minister. One, will the Prime Minister make a public announcement when he does appoint the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee, because this is a matter of public interest and I do not think we should have to keep filing questions to ask this fact? Secondly, how long after the appointment is the Committee expected to take to complete its work? Third, could the Deputy Prime Minister also clarify what the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee will take into account in drawing up the boundaries, besides population changes? And four, can the Deputy Prime Minister, on the Prime Minister's behalf, give an assurance that after the boundaries are announced, there will be a reasonable time lapse between that date and Polling Day?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Mr Speaker, Sir, under the law there is no legal requirement for the Prime Minister to appoint Electoral Boundaries Review

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Committee or Commission, but the Prime Minister has done so by convention and so, one would be appointed. Public announcement of the appointment of such a committee does not serve any meaningful purpose. I think the main interest in people wanting to know of the boundaries report is that when the Committee's report is announced, how much time there would be between the announcement of the report and the time when the Parliament is dissolved. I think that relates to her other question. Much depends on the circumstances at the time and whether the Prime Minister decides to call for Elections soon after the publication of the report. But as I have said in the House previously, there will be as much time given as possible. It is too early to make any decision now because no Committee has yet been appointed. What will the Committee take into account? It will take into account population shifts, the increase in population and some other matters which the Committee will have to decide.