CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE (AMENDMENT NO. 2) BILL

Order for Second Reading read. 3.50 pm

The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Constitutional Amendment Bill proposes to amend Article 114 of the Constitution, to enable the Ministry of Home Affairs to implement a new superannuation scheme, known as the INVEST Plan, for the Home Affairs Uniformed Services (HUS). The INVEST Plan will be established under the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation Bill 2001 which I will move afterwards. The INVEST Plan will replace the current contract and full CPF schemes of the HUS officers. It will also replace the Pension scheme of the Police Senior Officers. The INVEST Plan is similar to the SAVER and Premium Plans introduced for uniformed officers in the Singapore Armed Forces in 1998 and 2000 respectively.

The amendment will allow Parliament to establish separate Government funds to pay pensions, gratuities and other allowances in respect of any public service instead of meeting the payments from the Pension Fund or the Consolidated Fund. The amendment is necessary as the retirement benefits of Home Affairs Uniformed Services officers who join the INVEST Plan will no longer be charged on the Pension Fund or the Consolidated Fund, but on a new fund known as the INVEST Fund.

As a result of the setting up of the INVEST Fund to pay for the retirement benefits of the Home Affairs Uniformed Services officers, there will be a consequential amendment to the Pension Fund Act (Chapter 224A). This amendment is contained in the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation Bill 2001.

I will explain the INVEST Plan in greater detail when I move the Second Reading of the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation Bill 2001.

Sir, I beg to move.

Mr Speaker: The Question is, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

A Division will be taken to ascertain that the Second Reading of the Bill is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of elected Members of Parliament, which is 55 Members, pursuant to Article 5(2) of the Constitution. Ring the Division Bells.

Question put, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Division taken: Ayes, 75; No, Nil; Abstention, Nil. Ayes Ayes (cont.) Abdullah Tarmugi Low Thia Khiang Ahmad Mohd Magad Mah Bow Tan Ang Mong Seng Mohamad Maidin B P M Chan Soo Sen Neo, Lily Chay Wai Chuen Ong Chit Chung Chen, Bernard Ong Kian Min Chen Koon Lap, Kenneth Othman bin Haron Eusofe Chen, Peter Ow Chin Hock Chen Seow Phun, John Peh Chin Hua Chew Heng Ching Ravindran, R. Chiam See Tong Seng Han Thong Chin Tet Yung Shanmugam, K. Chng Hee Kok Sidek bin Saniff Chong, Charles Sin Boon Ann Davinder Singh Sinnakaruppan, R. Goh Chok Tong Tan Boon Wan Goh Choon Kang Tan Cheng Bock Harun bin A. Ghani Tan Keng Yam, Tony Hawazi Daipi Tan Soo Khoon Heng Chiang Meng Tang Guan Seng Ho Peng Kee Teo Chee Hean Ho Tat Kin Teo Ho Pin Hu Tsu Tau, Richard Toh See Kiat Ibrahim bin Othman Vasoo, S. Inderjit Singh Wang Kai Yuen Iswaran, S. Wong, Aline K. Jayakumar, S. Yaacob Ibrahim Koo Tsai Kee Yap Giau Cheng, Eugene Lee Boon Yang Yatiman Yusof Lee Hsien Loong Yeo Cheow Tong Lee Kuan Yew Yeo Guat Kwang Lee Yock Suan Yeo, George Yong-Boon Leong Horn Kee Yu-Foo Yee Shoon Lew Syn Pau Zainul Abidin Rasheed Lim Boon Heng Lim Hng Kiang No Lim Hwee Hua Nil Lim Swee Say Abstention Lim T. E., David Nil Loh Meng See Low Seow Chay

Mr Speaker: The Second Reading of the Bill has been carried by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of elected Members of Parliament.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment.

Third Reading

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

Mr Speaker: The Question is, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

A Division will be taken to ascertain that the Third Reading of the Bill is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of elected Members of Parliament, which is 55 Members, pursuant to Article 5(2) of the Constitution. Ring the Division Bells.

After three minutes -

We will now take a Division. May I remind hon. Members to press the button marked "Present" on the electronic voting unit before indicating their vote, but please do so after the "Voting in Progress" sign has come on. You may now proceed to vote.

Question put, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

Division taken: Ayes, 77; No, Nil; Abstention, Nil. Ayes Ayes (cont.) Abdullah Tarmugi Loh Meng See Ahmad Mohd Magad Low Seow Chay Ang Mong Seng Low Thia Khiang Chan Soo Sen Mah Bow Tan Chay Wai Chuen Mohamad Maidin B P M Chen, Bernard Neo, Lily Chen Koon Lap, Kenneth Ong Chit Chung Chen, Peter Ong Kian Min Chen Seow Phun, John Othman bin Haron Eusofe Chew Heng Ching Ow Chin Hock Chiam See Tong Peh Chin Hua Chin Tet Yung Ravindran, R. Chng Hee Kok Seng Han Thong Chong, Charles Shanmugam, K. Davinder Singh Sidek bin Saniff Goh Chok Tong Sin Boon Ann Goh Choon Kang Sinnakaruppan, R. Harun bin A. Ghani Tan Boon Wan Hawazi Daipi Tan Cheng Bock Heng Chiang Meng Tan Keng Yam, Tony Ho Peng Kee Tan Soo Khoon Ho Tat Kin Tang Guan Seng Hu Tsu Tau, Richard Teo Chee Hean Ibrahim bin Othman Teo Ho Pin Inderjit Singh Toh See Kiat Iswaran, S. Vasoo, S. Jayakumar, S. Wan Soon Bee Koo Tsai Kee Wang Kai Yuen Lee Boon Yang Wong, Aline K. Lee Hsien Loong Wong Kan Seng Lee Kuan Yew Yaacob Ibrahim Lee Yock Suan Yap Giau Cheng, Eugene Leong Horn Kee Yatiman Yusof Lew Syn Pau Yeo Cheow Tong Lim Boon Heng Yeo Guat Kwang Lim Hng Kiang Yeo, George Yong-Boon Lim Hwee Hua Yu-Foo Yee Shoon Lim Swee Say Zainul Abidin Rasheed Lim T. E., David No Nil Abstention Nil

Mr Speaker: The Third Reading of the Bill has been carried by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of elected Members of Parliament.

Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Mr Speaker, Sir, perhaps I should let you know that my name was not on the screen for the first vote on the Second Reading. My apologies.