Duties taken seriously
I REFER to Miss Rhea Tan’s letter on Wednesday, ‘Why so many empty seats at Budget Debate?’
I would like to assure Miss Tan that PAP MPs take Parliament sittings seriously. They have to seek the Speaker’s permission in writing to be absent from a sitting. They also have to inform the Government Whip if they are unable to attend Parliament on time or have to leave early.For the Budget Debate, Parliament sits from noon to 7pm. This year’s Budget Debate was attended by 90 elected and Nominated MPs on Feb 3; 86 MPs on Feb4; and there was full attendance of 93 MPs on Feb 5.
While PAP MPs are expected to be in Parliament, they are not able to stay in the Chamber for the whole seven hours. They need to leave the Chamber from time to time for lunch and breaks, to do research and revise their speeches in the library as the debate progresses, and to attend urgent calls and meetings which they are unable to reschedule. The Government Whip ensures there is sufficient quorum in the House at all times.
So even if MPs are not in the Chamber, it does not mean they are not in Parliament or not carrying out their duties as MPs. The effectiveness of PAP MPs should not be judged by the hours they remain seated in the Chamber but by their participation in debates, the contents of their speeches and how well they serve their constituents.
Lim Swee Say
Government Whip
How could it be possible that there is full attendance of 93 MPs on Feb 5? Mr Seng Han Thong back to work already meh? Cannot be right?
Sigh. Take attendance also can take wrongly. Got attendance sheet publish big big also can see wrongly.
ABSENT:
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar).
Mr Seng Han Thong (Yio Chu Kang).
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast).
Prof. Thio Li-ann (Nominated Member).
Even if we minus away Mr Seng Han Thong, still got another 3 absent. Don’t tell me they not present physically but their heart is in the parliament. Or they using Skype?
OK, to be fair, I believe this letter wasn’t written by Lim Swee Say himself. Most likely the personal assistant wrote this and he just sign over it. Oh well.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 PM
maybe someone needs to feedback that the participation and speeches by the MPs aren’t fantastic which is why the least they can do is at least show up.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 8:18 PM
weekee: Actually, I don’t really care if they attend or don’t attend Parliament. Those are prepared speech. Copies of the speech are placed online for everyone to read. So if you don’t attend, I assume they would read it later. (Or at least the summary)
UNLESS they need to be there to debate certain points.
on Mar 3rd, 2009 at 11:21 AM
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on Mar 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 PM
In their haste to response to the Forum writer, they fired back at the writer by claiming that there was full attendance. The idea is to one-up the writer and painted a whiter picture. They must win win all the time, at all cost. The minister or the PA did not check properly.
Alas, the image was slightly grayish …
on Mar 3rd, 2009 at 1:09 PM
Interesting that you mention “here in heart” though not physically. What about those who are there physically but are actually dozing off?!
Alfred’s last blog post..Pretty Plex
on Mar 3rd, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Joe: I can understand such mistake during a face to face interview. But they got all the time they need to do research leh.
Alfred: My lecturer call this “Body is here, but heart isn’t”.
on Mar 7th, 2009 at 11:17 AM
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