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Speaker Halimah Yacob wraps up 9-day Budget debate
Singapolitics
Friday, Mar 15, 2013
SINGAPORE - Madam Halimah Yacob's speech at the close of the Budget debate:
Let me first thank the Leader of the House for his kind words of support and encouragement.
I would also like to thank all the Honourable Members for your cooperation, which has enabled us to bring this Budget debate to a fruitful conclusion. This House agrees that a conclusion of the debate is but only a starting point. Much work has to be done to carry through the many policies and programmes that you have so robustly debated over the span of two weeks.
The focus of this Budget is on the elderly, the low-income and the young. The need to remain globally competitive is clear, yet this House also reaffirms the need for crafting of policies and their implementation to be done in a manner that benefits, involves and engages Singaporeans. So there were palatable policy shifts announced this year in many areas. The debate this year also marks quite a shift in one other respect.
I have yet to sit through a debate where the word 'consultation' had popped up so frequently - 33 times to be exact. This shows the strong desire on the part of policymakers to involve Singaporeans more in shaping their own destiny. On the whole, I find your speeches to be of high quality and thoughtful, passionate and colourful even - with many real life examples.
This is a serious debate and you have taken great pains to address the people's concerns. The exchange with the front bench was robust and engaging. And you made good use of the clarification time. Although some succumbed to the lure of using this space to make more speeches. Most members kept to the allotted time although some really stretched the limit. Some have also refined their speed reading techniques. My advice for next year is to plan your speech better. Brevity is not a sin. After all, the two most powerful words in the human vocabulary are very short: 'yes' and 'no'. I would also like to remind members to use audio-visual aids only as illustrations of some points in your speech, not to replace it as the public wants to hear you and not watch a video.
Some have also commiserated with me because I could not speak. Yes, indeed it was rather strange to be listening to you rather than to be with you, to argue my points or to explain policies, but I have enjoyed presiding over this debate. Let me conclude by thanking the Leader of the House and the Whip for their guidance and support, and ensuring a smooth debate.
I also thank my helpful and reliable Deputy Speakers, Mr Charles Chong and Mr Seah Kian Peng for their assistance. I'm also grateful to the staff of this House who worked tirelessly but quietly behind the scene to make everything run so smoothly that not many know the amount of work that they do. Once again, I thank Hon. Members for your active participation and for your cooperation in this debate. It is a pleasure to preside over a parliament where Hon Members take their work seriously and with great pride for the people that they represent. The people expect no less from us.
Thank you.
Singapolitics
Friday, Mar 15, 2013
SINGAPORE - Madam Halimah Yacob's speech at the close of the Budget debate:
Let me first thank the Leader of the House for his kind words of support and encouragement.
I would also like to thank all the Honourable Members for your cooperation, which has enabled us to bring this Budget debate to a fruitful conclusion. This House agrees that a conclusion of the debate is but only a starting point. Much work has to be done to carry through the many policies and programmes that you have so robustly debated over the span of two weeks.
The focus of this Budget is on the elderly, the low-income and the young. The need to remain globally competitive is clear, yet this House also reaffirms the need for crafting of policies and their implementation to be done in a manner that benefits, involves and engages Singaporeans. So there were palatable policy shifts announced this year in many areas. The debate this year also marks quite a shift in one other respect.
I have yet to sit through a debate where the word 'consultation' had popped up so frequently - 33 times to be exact. This shows the strong desire on the part of policymakers to involve Singaporeans more in shaping their own destiny. On the whole, I find your speeches to be of high quality and thoughtful, passionate and colourful even - with many real life examples.
This is a serious debate and you have taken great pains to address the people's concerns. The exchange with the front bench was robust and engaging. And you made good use of the clarification time. Although some succumbed to the lure of using this space to make more speeches. Most members kept to the allotted time although some really stretched the limit. Some have also refined their speed reading techniques. My advice for next year is to plan your speech better. Brevity is not a sin. After all, the two most powerful words in the human vocabulary are very short: 'yes' and 'no'. I would also like to remind members to use audio-visual aids only as illustrations of some points in your speech, not to replace it as the public wants to hear you and not watch a video.
Some have also commiserated with me because I could not speak. Yes, indeed it was rather strange to be listening to you rather than to be with you, to argue my points or to explain policies, but I have enjoyed presiding over this debate. Let me conclude by thanking the Leader of the House and the Whip for their guidance and support, and ensuring a smooth debate.
I also thank my helpful and reliable Deputy Speakers, Mr Charles Chong and Mr Seah Kian Peng for their assistance. I'm also grateful to the staff of this House who worked tirelessly but quietly behind the scene to make everything run so smoothly that not many know the amount of work that they do. Once again, I thank Hon. Members for your active participation and for your cooperation in this debate. It is a pleasure to preside over a parliament where Hon Members take their work seriously and with great pride for the people that they represent. The people expect no less from us.
Thank you.
