MR LIM GUAN HOO, MEMBER FOR BUKIT MERAH (Vacancy of Seat)

3.50 p.m.

Mr Speaker: When we met last month, I made a statement about the illness and hospitalisation of the Honourable Member for Bukit Merah, Mr Lim Guan Hoo.

I have received a copy of his latest medical report which indicates that Mr Lim's condition remains unchanged: he is still in a coma and unresponsive to his environment. He cannot move his limbs voluntarily and has to be tube-fed. The medical report goes on to say that Mr Lim is unlikely to recover at all and be able to perform his duties as a Member of Parliament.

Mr Lim was absent from our last sitting in May and is also absent today. Article 30(2)(d) of the Constitution provides that the seat of a Member of Parliament will become vacant if, during two consecutive months in each of which sittings of Parliament are held, he is absent from all such sittings without having obtained from the Speaker permission to be absent therefrom. As Parliament will not be in session tomorrow, which is the last day of this month, Mr Lim's seat will become automatically vacant thereafter.