Landmark Laws, Fiery Exchanges Mark Second Session of 12th Parliament

TODAY

22 August 2015

It has only been 15 months, but should the Parliamentary sitting earlier this week turn out to be the last before the polls are called, the second half of the 12th Parliament would not have been short on style or substance.

A total of 58 Bills were passed, including several landmark legislations and there were plenty of fireworks between the People’s Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament (MPs) and their opposition counterparts — particularly over the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) saga, which saw PAP and Workers’ Party (WP) MPs cross swords several times.

Among the Bills passed, several centred on public order, such as laws to combat human trafficking and organised crime. The Liquor Control Act, aimed to regulate alcohol supply and consumption in public places and minimise disamenities arising from drinking in public, was also passed in January, more than two years after the review of liquor-control measures first started.

… Political scientist Alan Chong of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies noted that several MPs who had made strong interventions came from the Opposition, including the WP’s Mr Low, Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Gerald Giam. “Perhaps, if the number of opposition MPs is doubled, the quality of debate will also be enhanced,” he said.

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