Lee Hsien Yang, in a Facebook post on Thursday (Nov 5), drew attention to the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) proposed changes to a motion submitted by the Workers’ Party (WP).
Mr Lee shared a Facebook post by Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (MP) and wrote: “Parliament chose to debate the Parti Liyani issues on the day of the US elections”.
He added: “The motion that was tabled calling for a review if the justice system by Sylvia Lim and He Ting Ru was amended. See the changes that were made”.
In the original FB post that shared the motion along with the amendments by Mr Murali Pillai, Mr Perera wrote: “Which motion better captures the spirit of improving Singapore’s justice system where improvement is needed?”
“Here’s the draft of the amended motion submitted by PAP MP Mr Murali Pillai during last night’s highly unusual marathon Parliament sitting that ended just before midnight”, he added.
Mr Perera added: “The Workers’ Party’s original motion called for an external review to consider changes to address gaps and shortcomings in the current justice system, particularly as relates to access to justice for all”.
He noted that the amendment changed the meaning and sense of that motion.
“The overwhelming majority of PAP MPs in the House passed the amended version of the motion, not the original one”, he wrote.
The Workers’ Party MPs looked to pass the following motion on Singapore’s Justice System: “That this house affirms that fairness, access and independence are cornerstones of Singapore’s justice system and calls on the Government’s continuous efforts since independence to build a fair and just society to recognize and remedy its shortcomings in order to enhance justice for all, regardless of race, language, religion, economic means or social status, including facilitating a review of the justice system”.
Instead, the PAP amended and passed the following motion: “That this house recognises that fairness, access and independence are cornerstones of Singapore’s justice system and affirms the Government’s continuous efforts since independence to build a fair and just society and remedy any shortcomings in order to enhance justice for all, regardless of race, language, religion, economic means or social status”. /TISG