Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No 2) Bill

Order for Second Reading read.

6.10 pm

The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Madam, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time".

Mdm Deputy Speaker, the proposed amendments to Article 22(k) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore will allow the President to exercise her discretionary powers in the appointment of the new Chief of Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), in the same way that the President does in the appointment of the Chiefs of the Air Force, Army and Navy. This Bill is related to the Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill, which this House has debated and passed for the establishment of the DIS. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.

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

Pursuant to Article 5(2) of the Constitution, a vote is 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 and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, which is 63 Members. Clerk, ring the division bells.

After two minutes –

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Serjeant‐at‐Arms, lock the doors.

Before I proceed to start the electronic voting, may I remind Members that they are to be seated at their designated seats and should only start to vote when the voting buttons on the arm rest start to blink.

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

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Take a vote. You may now begin to vote. And may I remind Members to depress their vote buttons firmly, in order to register their vote in the system.

Members are advised to check that their names are registered according to their vote indication when the voting results are shown on the display screens.

Before I proceed to declare the results of the vote, are there any Members who wish to claim that his or her vote has not been displayed or displayed incorrectly on the screens? No.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: I will proceed to declare the voting results now. There are 75 "Ayes"; eight "Noes"; zero "Abstentions". The Second Reading of the Bill has been carried by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Elected and Non-Constituency 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. – [Dr Ng Eng Hen].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment.

Third Reading

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Third Reading, what day?

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Now, Madam, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

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

Pursuant to Article 5(2) of the Constitution, a vote is 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 and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, which is 63 Members. Clerk, ring the division bells.

After one minute –

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Serjeant-at-Arms, lock the doors.

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

Mdm Deputy Speaker: You may now begin to vote. May I remind Members to depress their vote button firmly, in order to register their vote in the system.

Members are advised to check that their names are registered according to their vote indication when the voting results are shown on the display screens.

Before I proceed to declare the results of the vote, are there any Members who wish to claim that his or her vote has not been displayed or is displayed incorrectly on the screens? Minister of State Gan Siow Huang.

The Minister of State for Education and Manpower (Ms Gan Siow Huang): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to press "yes."

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Okay. Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

The Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam): Also "yes".

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Okay. Any other Members?

Mdm Deputy Speaker: I will proceed to declare the voting results now. There are now 75 "Ayes"; eight "Noes"; zero "Abstentions". The Third Reading of the Bill has been carried by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Elected and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament.

Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Deputy Leader.