MR PHEY YEW KOK MEMBER FOR BOON TECK (Tenure of Office)

Mr Speaker: Before I call on the Minister to move the adjournment, I wish to make an announcement.

When Parliament met on 26th February, 1980, I announced the revocation of the leave of absence from Parliament which I had granted to the Member for Boon Teck, Mr Phey Yew Kok.

The Member, therefore, was absent without leave from the sitting on 26th February, 1980, the only sitting held in that month, and has been absent without leave from all the sittings held in March, 1980, up to and including today's sitting. Mr Phey is a member of the Committee of Selection which, however, has not met since 6th October, 1979.

Article 30 (2) (d) of the Constitution provides that the seat of a Member shall become vacant if, during two consecutive months, in each of which sittings of Parliament (or any committee of Parliament to which he has been appointed) are held, he is absent from all such sittings, without having obtained from the Speaker permission to be absent therefrom.

If the Member for Boon Teck continues to be absent from any meeting of Parliament or of the Committee of Selection that may be held during the rest of this month, or if no such meeting is held, his seat in Parliament will, by virtue of Article 30 (2) (d), become vacant thereafter.