ELECTION OF SPEAKER

ELECTION OF SPEAKER:

(Tribute): 4.25 pm

The Leader of the House (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of all Members of this House, I extend to you our warmest congratulations on your re-election as Speaker of the Eleventh Parliament.

Sir, you bring to the office of Speaker a distinguished parliamentary record of some 22 years, with your experience on both the front and backbenches. Members have often benefited from your gentle persuasion and enjoyed the good humour, qualities which you have brought to the Chair since 2002.

Sir, since your election as Speaker in 2002, your quiet patience and determination in discharging your duties fairly and impartially at all times has gained the respect of Members of both sides of the House. In presiding over the proceedings, you have upheld the prestige and decorum of this House in your rulings. With your firm hand in applying the rules and Standing Orders, you have also ensured that proceedings of the House are carried out expeditiously and orderly. Your unanimous re-election today reflects the confidence that the House has in you. We have no doubt, Sir, that under your guidance, the good standing of this House will continue to be maintained.

On this note, I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the 24 new PAP MPs and one Non-Constituency MP to the House. With this new term of MPs, and another 17 and 21 PAP MPs elected in 1997 and 2001 respectively, this House has undergone a transformation. This group of MPs makes up 73% of the Members in this Chamber. As a result, Parliament is able to remain relevant to the people.

Just one word of advice to our new Members. It is a privilege and an honour to be a Member of the Parliament. This role comes with a great responsibility. We are elected by the people to represent their interest and we must perform our duties with a high standard of honesty and integrity. We must never abuse the privileges accorded to us as Members and must be worthy of the House which we are elected to. Indeed, I urge Members to maintain a measure of discipline and decorum at all times in this august Chamber, especially on occasions of robust or provocative debate, so as to uphold the dignity of the House.

We eagerly look forward to the maiden speeches of the new Members next week and their contribution to the debates in this Chamber in the coming years.

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang): Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to congratulate you on your re-election as Speaker of Parliament.

Sir, you have been re-elected again and I believe that in your past years as Speaker of the House, your eyesight has been trained to be as sharp as a razor and to be swift as lightning, and I think we can all expect that whoever wishes to speak will catch your eye.

Mr Speaker: Honourable Members, let me first thank the Leader of the House for proposing me as Speaker of this House and for his kind words. I also thank my other colleagues for their support since 2002. I am truly grateful for, and honoured by, all these gestures. At the same time, I am very mindful of the responsibilities that lay before me and the expectations that you rightly have for this office. Be assured that I shall commit myself to carrying out my duties diligently, impartially and firmly.

To the new Members of Parliament, I bid you a very warm welcome and I look forward to your contributions to the work of this House. Your constituents and other Singaporeans will be anxiously waiting for your maiden speeches and engagements in the debates to come. Be fearless in your engagements, but avoid playing to the gallery or being petty or contentious. Be honest and sincere when putting forth your arguments and views. Above all, be clear in what you say, preferably with some economy in words. Long and ponderous speeches tend to lose their direction and, along the way, their audience. As a rough guide, hasten to end your speeches when the Speaker begins to appear restive or look towards the ceiling for alternative amusement!

Hon. Members, we live in very exciting times. We will have to steer this little red dot to meander and meet the challenges that come our way and to ride on the abundant opportunities that an increasingly globalised environment offers to us. This Chamber will be the crucible where all our ideas, dreams and concerns are crystallised into action and reality. Indeed, we have much to do.

All these years, we have managed to keep a House that is orderly, dignified and efficient. I have every intention to keep it that way and I seek Members' cooperation in ensuring that we continue in this direction. Parliament then becomes an institution that is not only respected but also plays a crucial role in managing the present and shaping the future for our citizens. Let me conclude by wishing Hon. Members all the best in their journey through this Eleventh Parliament. [ Applause. ]

I wish to inform Hon. Members that the President of the Republic of Singapore will be present in this Chamber at 8.30 pm to deliver his speech at the Opening of Parliament. I therefore suspend the sitting until 8.30 pm this evening.

Sitting accordingly suspended at

4.33 pm until 8.30 pm.