SINGAPORE — The Workers’ Party (WP) has expressed disappointment regarding the unparliamentary language used by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin towards their member of parliament, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, during a parliamentary sitting on Apr 17. The party believes that addressing public concerns over this issue in Parliament would be the appropriate course of action.
During the session, Speaker Tan can be heard uttering ‘f****ng populist’ after the Sengkang GRC MP had delivered a speech titled ‘Hard Living in Singapore’ during the first day of debate on the President’s Address.
“Like many Singaporeans, the Workers’ Party was disappointed when viewing the recent video highlighting an audible outburst by the Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin towards WP MP Associate Professor Jamus Lim,” said WP who are issuing their first statement since the matter was brought to light on Jul 11.
The party emphasised the importance of having confidence in the Speaker to preside over parliamentary debates in an ‘impartial manner’.
“The Speaker is a referee for political debate at the highest level, maintaining order and providing guidance on Parliamentary procedures,” added the WP in a media statement posted on their Facebook page on Jul 14.
Earlier in the week, Speaker Tan issued an apology to MP Lim, which was ‘kindly accepted’ by the latter. Speaker Tan explained that when he listens to speeches made by members of parliament, like everyone else, he forms his own views on them. What he had expressed were his private thoughts, muttered to himself and not intended for anyone else.
“However I should not have expressed them aloud or in unparliamentary language, and I apologise for that. I have also spoken to the Member, A/P Jamus Lim, to make that apology as well; which he has kindly accepted,” posted Speaker Tan on his social media, on the same day that media reported on the hot-mic incident.
Leader of the House Indranee Rajah has confirmed with the media that she will address Speaker’s Tan incident at the next parliamentary sitting.
In their statement of the incident, WP also shared a link to the duties of the Parliament Speaker and full speech of MP Lim’s ‘Hard Living in Singapore.’
On the parliament website, it states that the ‘Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and enforces the rules prescribed in the Standing Orders of Parliament for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business.’ Additionally, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs. /TISG