Time for SG's parliament to be more like the UK's

[steffychun]

SG parliament is a mockery of the Westminster model, no matter if there are 9 opposition MPs there.

I propose:

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_minister's_questions Prime Minister's Questions. Every week or two weeks, LHL gets to be grilled for half an hour by all MPs, Opposition included. He must answer questions as the UK PMQs are like. That would give him a run for his 2.2 million dollar salary.

2) Oral answers to Questions to be more regular. In the UK system, the parliamentary calendar is fixed with the Speaker and Leader of the House setting time for each Minister to answer questions every two weeks or month. In SG, if there are no questions for a Minister (esp Ng Eng Hen and his fat MINDEF budget), he has no obligation to answer anything. All SG Ministers must be made to answer questions every two weeks.

3) Written answers. Every day from Monday to Friday, UK MPs from all parties get to write in questions for Ministers to answer in written form the next day. In Singapore, a Minister only answers a question in written form when and where it suits him. No more. All MPs including NCMPs should be allowed to write questions to Ministers, MOS, Parl Secs and they must be replied within the next day.

See www.parliament.uk

 

[steffychun]

4) Restructure parliamentary committees. There should be select committees http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Select_committee to monitor the performance of each Ministry. Each Select committee must have at least one opposition MP in it.

 

[cunnilaubu]

5) Govt should provide funding to the alternative parties, especially the biggest opposition, to assist them in formulating alternative policies.
6) Remove the NCMP and NMP schemes.

 

[steffychun]

5) Govt should provide funding to the alternative parties, especially the biggest opposition, to assist them in formulating alternative policies.
6) Remove the NCMP and NMP schemes.

Agree. Oppo MPs in the UK get support, especially the Leader of the Opposition.

 

[steffychun]

Improve the SG parliament website. Right now, i can't view any reports properly