Simultaneous Debate on Motions

1.08 pm

Mr Speaker: Leader.

The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the Motions on Securing Singaporeans' Jobs and Livelihoods and Foreign Talent Policy be taken together, and the debate on these Motions and on any amendment proposed thereto be proceeded with simultaneously as though the debate were on a single Motion".

Mr Speaker, as Members are aware, the Minister for Finance, Mr Lawrence Wong, and the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, Mr Leong Mun Wai, have each filed separate Motions, the titles of which I have just read out. Both Members have given notice of their intention to move their Motions tomorrow, that is to say, on 14 September 2021.

For benefit of the Members, let me read out the terms of the Motions as they are not on today's Order Paper, since they will be on tomorrow's Order Paper.

The Motion standing in the name of Mr Leong Mun Wai: "Foreign Talent Policy: That this Parliament calls upon the Government to take urgent and concrete action to address the widespread anxiety among Singaporeans on jobs and livelihood caused by the Foreign Talent Policy and the 'movement of natural persons' provisions in some free trade agreements like CECA."

The Motion standing in the name of the Minister for Finance: "Securing Singaporeans' Jobs and Livelihoods: That this House:

(a) Acknowledges Singaporeans' anxieties about jobs and competition in a globalised and fast-changing economy;

(b) Affirms Singapore's need to stay open and connected to the world in order to grow and prosper;

(c) Supports Government actions to manage the population of foreign manpower, ensure fair treatment by employers, and invest in education and upskilling, to create more good jobs for Singaporeans;

(d) Calls on the Government to continue to update and improve its policies to secure the well-being and livelihoods of Singaporeans in an uncertain post-pandemic world; and

(e) Deplores attempts to spread misinformation about free trade agreements like the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), stir up racism and xenophobia, and cause fear and anxiety amongst Singaporeans."

Given the subject matter of the two Motions, I am, in today’s business Motion, moving that the two Motions be considered together and debated concurrently. This is because the two Motions cover common topics and related issues, albeit from different perspectives.

A concurrent or simultaneous debate will allow Members to address both Motions in a single speech and enable the issues raised in the two Motions to be considered holistically. It will also allow for more efficient conduct of parliamentary business.

Minister Lawrence Wong and Mr Leong Mun Wai as the movers of their respective Motions will each, as is usual, have the right to speak to move their Motions and to reply at the end of the debate to close their Motions.

To be clear and for avoidance of doubt, it is only the debate that is to be concurrent. The Motions remain as two separate Motions and at the end of the debate, the votes on the two Motions will be taken separately. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

Mr Speaker: The Question is as moved by Leader of the House. Any comments or queries, anyone?

Question, as put, agreed to.

Resolved, "That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the Motions on Securing Singaporeans' Jobs and Livelihoods and Foreign Talent Policy be taken together, and the debate on these Motions and on any amendment proposed thereto be proceeded with simultaneously as though the debate were on a single Motion".

Mr Speaker: The Clerk will now proceed to read the Orders of the day.