SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE (AMENDMENT NO. 2) BILL (Increase in Membership)

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (Mr Goh Chok Tong): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That Prof. S. Jayakumar, Mr Wong Kan Seng, BG Lee Hsien Loong and Dr Lee Boon Yang be added to the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill (Bill No. 23/87), and the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill (Bill No. 24/87).

Sir, on 12th January 1988, I referred the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill and the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill to a Select Committee. This House approved the nine Members I named for the Select Committee. Of these 9 Members, only three are Cabinet Ministers.

The Select Committee invited the public to submit their views by 15th February, 1988. The Committee has received a total of 99 representations from the members of the public. This is a record number, I believe, of submissions made before any Select Committee of our Parliament. In view of the large number of submissions, and the possibility that a few of the Select Committee Members may be away from Singapore, I propose to add a few of my younger Cabinet colleagues to the Select Committee. They will help the Select Committee weigh all submissions carefully and thoroughly.

I propose, first, that the Leader of the House, Mr Wong Kan Seng, be included. Next, I propose that the Second Minister for Law, Prof. S. Jayakumar, the Minister for Trade and Industry, BG Lee Hsien Loong, the Minister of State for National Development, Dr Lee Boon Yang, be also included in the Select Committee to assist the Committee in its deliberations.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That Prof. S. Jayakumar, Mr Wong Kan Seng, BG Lee Hsien Loong and Dr Lee Boon Yang be added to the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill (Bill No. 23/87), and the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill (Bill No. 24/87).