COMPLAINT BY THE MEMBER FOR ANSON

11.30 am

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam (Anson): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to lodge a complaint and my complaint is against the Prime Minister and the Member for Tanjong Pagar.

Speaking in this House yesterday, Mr Speaker, Sir, he said "we have no reason to flout the Constitution as the Government has 77 Members in this House." I am afraid the Prime Minister was grievously wrong. The Government does not have 77 Members in this House. The Government only has 75 Members. It cannot be over-emphasized that, in our parliamentary system of government, Parliament is not part of the Government. Parliament exists quite independently of the Government and as a check on the Executive and the Government.

In saying that he had 77 Members in this House, Mr Speaker, Sir, I am afraid he was casting aspersions on your office as Speaker of this House. You are not a member of the Government and you are not one of his Party men. The same thing applies to the office of Deputy Speaker. This tradition of the Speaker is very zealously upheld in the United Kingdom. You must be aware, Mr Speaker, Sir, -

The Leader of the House (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, on a point of order.

Mr Speaker: What is your point of order?

Mr Dhanabalan: The point of order is that I would like to know under which section of the Standing Orders is the Member raising his item.

Mr Jeyaretnam: It is where a Member insults the dignity of this House.

Mr Dhanabalan: Please quote.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is a breach of privilege -

The Second Minister for Law (Prof. Jayakumar): Mr Speaker, Sir, on a point of order.

Mr Speaker: Yes, let us have your point of order.

Prof. Jayakumar: The Member for Anson is, in fact, using this as a pretext for continuing a debate on a matter which was fully discussed yesterday. I think we should not prolong a debate which has been so exhaustively ventilated.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is fallacious to say that I am continuing the debate. This morning the debate is not on Ministers' pay and -

Mr Dhanabalan: Mr Speaker, Sir, point of order. Sir, can you please rule? I cannot find anywhere in the Standing Orders to allow a Member to just stand up and raise a complaint. It is a complaint all right, but it is not related to the Standing Orders. Is he leading to referring this to the Committee of Privileges? What is the point that he is making? Unless he is able to quote the specific Standing Order under which he is raising his item, Mr Speaker, Sir, may I very respectfully suggest that we carry on with the rest of the business.

Mr Speaker: May I have a few words to say. I thank the Member for Anson for his anxiety about my position as the Speaker of the House. I do not need anyone to defend my position as such either in this House or outside.

The hon. Member for Anson might have noticed that my shoulders are broad enough to weather any storm, whether here or outside. So I consider this matter closed.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Sir, am I to understand that you would not receive the complaint?

Mr Speaker: No, I would not. If it is a matter relating to me, I am not.

Mr Jeyaretnam: All right.