Singapore ― Sharing the Facebook post of activist Kirsten Han, Lee Hsien Yang asked why there was a rush to pass a law regarding the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures).
In her post on Tuesday (Sept 21), Ms Han wrote that the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill was only introduced for its first reading in parliament last week. She added that the next parliamentary sitting has been scheduled for Oct 4.
“If the second reading of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill is scheduled for this upcoming sitting, it means that this massive 249-page bill could be pushed through and passed into law then, even though it was only introduced for first reading last week”, she wrote.
Sharing her post, the younger brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote: “Why the rush to enact this new law? How do we expect the MPs to be able to review, understand the implications and debate this properly?”
Echoing the same sentiment, Ms Han wrote: “A 249-page draft law, with serious implications and ramifications… is this enough time even for our MPs to have *read* the bill, much less digest it, analyse it, consult with stakeholders and constituents? Is this enough time for Singaporeans to be aware of the contents of this proposed law, and how it might affect them?”
“Speed is not always efficiency. Sometimes speed is dangerous haste”, she added.
Some netizens who commented also agreed that the time span for MPs to be able to read through and prepare before the next parliamentary sitting was too short.
/TISG