Singapore

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Singapore Image File history File links Flag_of_Singapore. ...

Constitution Legislative A legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... President: Sellapan Ramanathan Parliament Constituencies Members of Parliament (MPs) Non-Constituency MPs Nominated MPs Political parties Executive Flag of the President of Singapore - banner of arms The President of Singapore is the head of state. ... Sellapan Ramanathan (born July 3, 1924) is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Singapore. ... The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the legislature of Singapore with the President as its head [1]. It currently consists of 94 Members of Parliament. ... The constituencies of Singapore are electoral divisions in the politics of Singapore which may be represented single or multiple seats in the Parliament of Singapore. ... The following is a historical list of members for the current and past nine Parliaments of Singapore External references Members of Parliament Categories: Singaporean Members of Parliament | Government of Singapore | Politics of Singapore | Singaporean politicians | Singapore-related lists ... Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) are members of the opposition parties who were appointed as members of the Parliament of Singapore even though they had lost in the parliamentary election. ... A Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) is an unelected MP that does not represent any electoral district in the Parliament of Singapore. ... Political parties in Singapore lists political parties in Singapore. ... Government Government organisations Cabinet Prime Minister: Lee Hsien Loong Judiciary The government of Singapore consists of several departments, known as ministries and statutory boards in Singapore. ... The cabinet of Singapore forms the executive and it is headed by the prime minister, who is the head of government. ... The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore (and prior to 9 August 1965, the State of Singapore). ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is 李 (Li) Lee Hsien Loong (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; born February 10, 1952) is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      In law, the judiciary or judicial is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ... Judicial system Elections Judicial power in Singapore is vested in the Supreme Court as well as surbodinate courts by the constitution. ... There are currently two types of Elections in Singapore in Singapore: parliamentary; and (since 1993) presidential. ... National Referendum 1962 Presidential Elections Parliamentary Elections General Election 2006 Women in Singapore politics Foreign relations

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The politics of Singapore takes place in a framework of a parliamentary republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Singapore is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Singapore. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The legislature is the parliament, which consists of the president as its head and a single chamber whose members are elected by popular vote. The role of the president as the head of state has been, historically, largely ceremonial, although the constitution was amended in 1991 to give the president some veto powers in a few key decisions such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of key judiciary positions. He also exercises powers over civil service appointments and internal security matters. The Singapore national referendum of 1962, or also commonly referred to as the Merger Referendum of Singapore was the first and only referendum to date held in Singapore on September 1, 1962. ... Presidential elections in Singapore were first held in 1991 when constitutional admendments allowed Singaporeans to elect the President of Singapore by popular vote. ... The Parliamentary elections in Singapore began with the independence of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia on 9 August 1965, thus renaming the Singapore State Governments Legislative Assembly as the Parliament of Singapore. ... The 2006 Singapore parliamentary general election was an election in Singapore held on May 6, 2006. ... Women in Singapore traditionally played a small role in the politics of Singapore and Singapores public life. ... Singapore is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the United Nations and the Commonwealth. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in U.S. English), is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A republic is a form of government maintained by a state or country whose sovereignty is based on popular consent and whose governance is based on popular representation and control. ... The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore (and prior to 9 August 1965, the State of Singapore). ... The Head of Government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the legislature of Singapore with the President as its head [1]. It currently consists of 94 Members of Parliament. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      In law, the judiciary or judicial is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ... A legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... Flag of the President of Singapore - banner of arms The President of Singapore is the head of state. ... Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      In law, the judiciary or judicial is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ... Security measures taken to protect the Houses of Parliament in London, England. ...

As Singapore is a small and relatively modern amalgam of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European immigrants, the culture of Singapore expresses the diversity of the population as the various ethnic groups continue to celebrate their own cultures while they intermingle with one another. ... Dance in Singapore comprises traditional and contemporary forms. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Despite having a flourishing Chinese and Malay film industry in the 1950s and 1960s, Singapores film industry declined after independence in 1965[1], with the government being more concerned with the bread-and-butter issues of economic nation-building. ... The major public holidays in Singapore reflect the cultural and religious diversity of the country, including the Chinese New Year, Buddhist Vesak Day, Muslim Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha (known locally by its Malay names Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji respectively), Hindu Diwali (known locally by... The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by Singaporeans in the countrys four main languagues: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. ... Singapore has long had a burgeoning urban musical scene, and is a center for rock, punk and other popular genres in the region. ... Singlish is an English-based creole language native to Singapore. ... // There are no statistics on how many homosexuals there are in Singapore or what percentage of the population they constitute. ...

Political background

Singaporean politics have been dominated by the People's Action Party (PAP) since the 1959 general election when Lee Kuan Yew became Singapore's first prime minister (Singapore was then a self-governing state within the British Empire.) The PAP has been in government ever since. Singapore declared independence from Britain in 1963 to join the Federation of Malaysia, but was expelled in 1965 after Lee Kuan Yew disagreed with the federal government in Kuala Lumpur.^[1] Foreign political analysts and several opposition parties including the Workers' Party of Singapore and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) have argued that Singapore is a de facto one-party state. Many consider the form of government in Singapore to be closer to authoritarianism such as illiberal democracy or procedural democracy rather than true democracy. Party logo with a symbol of red lightning that signifies action. ... Workers Party logo The Workers Party of Singapore (abbrev: WP; Chinese: 新加坡工人党) is one of the largest opposition parties in Singapore, with 1 of the 84 elected seats in the current session of Parliament of Singapore. ... Party logo The Singapore Democratic Party (abbrev: SDP; Chinese: 新加坡民主党) is a liberal party in Singapore. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... States in which the constitution mandates power to a sole party are colored brown. ... Bold text:This article applies to political ideologies. ... Technically speaking, an illiberal democracy could be any democracy that is not a liberal democracy. ... Procedural theory sets forth principles that describe how government should make decisions. ...

The Economist Intelligence Unit classes Singapore as a "hybrid" country, with authoritarian and democratic elements. Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partly free". Reporters Without Borders ranked Singapore 140th out of 167 countries in its 2005 Worldwide Press Freedom Index.^[2] Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ...

It has also been alleged that the PAP employs censorship, gerrymandering and the filing of civil suits against the opposition for libel or slander to impede their success. Several former and present members of the opposition, including Francis Seow, J.B. Jeyaretnam and Chee Soon Juan perceive the Singaporean courts as favourable towards the government and the PAP due to a lack of separation of powers. There are however three cases in which opposition leader Chiam See Tong sued PAP ministers for defamation and successfully obtained damages before trial.^[3] jen is wroong about censorship For other uses, see Censor. ... Gerrymandering is a controversial form of redistricting in which electoral district or constituency boundaries are manipulated for an electoral advantage. ... “Libel” redirects here. ... Francis Seow is a Singapore born, Oxbridge and Harvard-educated political dissident who is in self-imposed exile from Singapore. ... Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam (born 1926), usually J.B. Jeyaretnam and often abbreviated JBJ, is a Singaporean politician. ... Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Dr. Chee Soon Juan (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: , born 1962) is the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). ... It has been suggested that Balance of powers be merged into this article or section. ... Chiam See Tong Chiam See Tong (Chinese: 詹时中; Pinyin: Zhān Shízhōng; born March 12, 1935) represents the Potong Pasir Single-Member Constituency in the Parliament of Singapore. ...

In a case involving J. B. Jeyaretnam, he lost a series of suits to members of the PAP and was declared bankrupt in 2001, effectively disqualifying him from participating in future elections. Similar civil suits have been filed against Chee Soon Juan, leader of the Singapore Democratic Party. In 2005, filmmaker Martyn See shot a documentary on Chee called "Singapore Rebel" and was threatened with a lawsuit for making a "politically partisan" film, which is illegal in Singapore. Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration - see text) in the UK. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organizations to pay their... Ballot access rules regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is entitled to appear on voters ballots. ... Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Dr. Chee Soon Juan (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: , born 1962) is the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). ... Party logo The Singapore Democratic Party (abbrev: SDP; Chinese: 新加坡民主党) is a liberal party in Singapore. ...

Political climate

Politics in Singapore have been dominated by the PAP since its independence in 1965. Foreign analysts and several opposition parties including the Workers Party and the Singapore Democratic Party argues Singapore is a de facto one party state and have accused the PAP of taking harsh action against opposition parties to discourage and impede their success, including accusations of gerrymandering and the filing of civil suits against the opposition for libel or slander. In a case involving the J. B. Jeyaretnam, he lost a series of suits to members of the PAP and was declared bankrupt in 2001, effectively disqualifying him from participating in future elections. Similar civil suits have been filed against Chee Soon Juan, leader of the Singapore Democratic Party. In 2005, filmmaker Martyn See shot a documentary on Chee called "Singapore Rebel" and was threatened with a lawsuit for making a "politically partisan" film, which is illegal in Singapore. A single-party state or one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system and form of government where only a single political party dominates the government and no opposition parties are allowed. ... Redrawing electoral districts in this example creates a guaranteed 3-to-1 advantage for Party 1. ... In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ... In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ... Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration - see text) in the UK. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organizations to pay their... Ballot access rules regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is entitled to appear on voters ballots. ... Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Dr. Chee Soon Juan (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: , born 1962) is the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). ... Party logo The Singapore Democratic Party (abbrev: SDP; Chinese: 新加坡民主党) is a liberal party in Singapore. ...

Western democracies consider the form of government in Singapore to be closer to authoritarianism rather than true democracy and could be considered an illiberal democracy or procedural democracy. Bold text:This article applies to political ideologies. ... Technically speaking, an illiberal democracy could be any democracy that is not a liberal democracy. ... Procedural theory sets forth principles that describe how government should make decisions. ...

Singapore has what its government considers to be a highly successful and transparent market economy. Some people have labelled Singapore a social democracy, although the PAP has consistently rejected the notion of being socialist. One of the differences from a social democracy is that the government uses public opinion and feedback when deciding policies, instead of rigorous lawmaking procedures. However, some of PAP's policies do contain certain aspects of socialism, which includes government-owned public housing constituting the majority of real estate and the dominance of government controlled companies in the local economy. The Housing Development Board oversees a large-scale public housing programme and education in Singapore is a rigorous compulsory public education system, and the dominance of government-controlled companies in the local economy. Although dominant in its activities, the government has a clean, corruption-free image. Singapore has consistently been rated as the least-corrupt country in Asia and amongst the top ten cleanest in the world by Transparency International.^[4] A market economy (also called free market economy or a free enterprise economy) is an economic system in which the production and distribution of goods and services takes place through the mechanism of free markets guided by a free price system. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community. ... HDB Logo The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is the government agency responsible for Singapores public housing programme. ... Educational oversight Minister Ministry of Education Tharman Shanmugaratnam National education budget S$6. ... Compulsory education is education which children are required by law to receive and governments to provide. ... // Public education is education mandated for the children of the general public by the government, whether national, regional, or local, provided by an institution of civil government, and paid for, in whole or in part, by taxes. ... World map of the Corruption Perceptions Index, which measures the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. Blue colors indicate little corruption, red colors indicate much corruption In broad terms, political corruption is the misuse by government officials of their governmental powers for illegitimate... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Transparency International (TI) is an international organisation addressing corruption, including, but not limited to, political corruption. ...

Although Singapore's laws are inherited from British and British Indian laws, including many elements of English common law, the PAP has also consistently rejected liberal democratic values, which it typifies as Western and states that there should not be a 'one-size-fits-all' solution to a democracy. Laws restricting the freedom of speech are justified by claims that they are intended to prohibit speech that may breed ill will or cause disharmony within Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious society. For example, in September 2005, three bloggers were convicted of sedition for posting racist remarks targeting minorities.^[5] Some offences can lead to heavy fines or caning and there are laws which allow capital punishment in Singapore for first-degree murder and drug trafficking. Amnesty International has criticised Singapore for having "possibly the highest execution rate in the world" per capita.^[6] The Singapore Government responded by asserting it had the right as a sovereign state to impose the death penalty for serious offences.^[7] Most recently, the PAP has relaxed some of its socially conservative policies and encouraged entrepreneurship. British India (otherwise known as The British Raj) was a historical period during which most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, were under the colonial authority of the British Empire (Undivided India). ... This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ... Liberal democracy is a form of government. ... The term Western world or the West (also on rare occasions called the Occident) can have multiple meanings depending on its context (i. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sedition is a term of law to refer to covert conduct such as speech and organization that is deemed by the legal authority as tending toward insurrection against the established order. ... Manifestations Slavery · Racial profiling · Lynching Hate speech · Hate crime · Hate groups Genocide · The Holocaust · Pogrom Ethnocide · Ethnic cleansing · Race war Religious persecution · Gay bashing Blood libel · Black Legend Pedophobia · Ephebiphobia Movements Discriminatory Aryanism · Neo-Nazism · Ku Klux Klan National Party (South Africa) American Nazi Party Kahanism · Supremacism Anti-discriminatory Abolitionism... Caning in British slang refers to consuming large amounts of intoxicants. ... Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment in Singapore. ... For other uses, see Murder (disambiguation). ... These lollipops were found to contain heroin when inspected by the US DEA The illegal drug trade is a worldwide black market consisting of production, distribution, packaging and sale of illegal psychoactive substances. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) comprising a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights.[1] Founded in the UK in 1961, AI compares actual practices of human rights with internationally accepted standards and demands compliance where these... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new organizations, particularly new businesses generally in response to identified opportunities. ...

Constitution

The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore^[8] and it is a codified constitution. The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore and it is a codified constitution. ... For the entry on the naval ship U.S.S. Constitution, see: USS Constitution. ...

The constitution cannot be amended without the support of more than two-thirds of the members of parliament on the second and third readings.^[8] The president may seek opinion on constitutional issues from a tribunal consisting of not less than three judges of the Supreme Court. Singaporean courts, like the courts in Australia, cannot offer advisory opinion on the constitutionality of laws.^[9] The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the legislature of Singapore with the President as its head [1]. It currently consists of 94 Members of Parliament. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... An advisory opinion, in civil procedure, is an opinion issued by a court that does not have the effect of resolving a specific legal case, but merely advises on the constitutionality or interpretation of a law. ...

Part IV of the constitution guarantees the following:^[10]

1. liberty of a person (limited).
2. prohibition of slavery and forced labour
3. protection against retrospective criminal laws and repeated trials
4. equal protection
5. prohibition of banishment and freedom of movement
6. freedom of speech, assembly and association (limited)
7. freedom of religion (limited)
8. right to education

Part XII of the constitution allows the Parliament of Singapore to enact legislation designed to stop or prevent subversion. Such legislation is valid even if it is inconsistent with Part IV of the constitution. The Internal Security Act (ISA) is a legislation under such provision. In 1966, Chia Thye Poh was detained under the ISA and was imprisoned for 23 years without trial. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Slave redirects here. ... Unfree labour is a generic or collective term for forms of work, especially in modern or early modern history, in which adults and/or children are employed without wages, or for a minimal wage. ... For other uses, see Double jeopardy (disambiguation). ... The Equal Protection Clause is a part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, providing that no state shall make or enforce any law which shall. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Group of women holding placards with political activist slogans: know your courts - study your politicians, Liberty in law, Law makers must not be law breakers, and character in candidates photo 1920 Freedom of assembly is the freedom to associate with, or organize any groups, gatherings, clubs, or organizations that one... Freedom of association is a Constitutional (legal) concept based on the premise that it is the right of free adults to mutually choose their associates for whatever purpose they see fit. ... The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen guarantees freedom of religion, as long as religious activities do not infringe on public order in ways detrimental to society. ... Compulsory education is education which is required by the government, usually at the national level. ... The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the legislature of Singapore with the President as its head [1]. It currently consists of 94 Members of Parliament. ... Subversion is an overturning or uprooting. ... The Internal Security Act (ISA) of Singapore[1] confers on the government the right to arrest and detain individuals without trial in certain defined circumstances. ... Chia Thye Poh (b. ...

President

Prior to 1991, the president was the head of state appointed by parliament and was largely a ceremonial role with some reserve powers. As a result of constitutional changes in 1991, the president is now directly elected to office for a six-year term by popular vote. However, an election has never taken place. The government-appointed Presidential Elections Committee has so far always disqualified all but one candidate. This handpicked candidate was then declared President and is referred to as the elected president. The president now exercises powers over the following:^[11] Flag of the President of Singapore - banner of arms The President of Singapore is the head of state. ...

• appointment of public officers
• government budgets
• examine government's exercise of its powers under the Internal Security Act
• examine government's exercise of its powers under religious harmony laws
• investigations into cases of corruption

However, the president must consult the Council of Presidential Advisers before he takes a decision on some of these matters. The council comprises of:

• two members appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
• one member appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice
• one member appointed by the president on the advice of the chairman of the Public Service Commission

A member of the council serves a six-year term and are eligible for re-appointment for further terms of four years each.^[12]

Similar to the Speech from the Throne given by the heads of state in other parliamentary systems, the president delivers an address written by the government at the opening of parliament about what kind of policies to expect in the coming year. The current president is Sellapan Ramanathan. Queen Elizabeth II reads Canadas Speech from the Throne in 1977 The Speech from the Throne (or Throne Speech) is an event in certain monarchies in which the monarch (or a representative) reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the governments agenda for the... Sellapan Ramanathan (born July 3, 1924) is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Singapore. ...

Cabinet

The cabinet forms the executive or the government and it is answerable to parliament. It consists of sitting members of parliament and is headed by a prime minister, the head of government. The current prime minister is Lee Hsien Loong. The cabinet of Singapore forms the executive and it is headed by the prime minister, who is the head of government. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is 李 (Li) Lee Hsien Loong (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; born February 10, 1952) is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. ...

Neither the prime minister nor members of the cabinet are elected by parliament. Instead, the prime minister is appointed by the president, who in his/her view is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the parliament. Cabinet members, also known as ministers, are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister.^[13]

Unlike the cabinet in the United States where it functions largely as an advisory council to the head of government, the cabinet in Singapore collectively decides the government's policies and has influence over lawmaking by introducing bills.

Parliament

Main article: Parliament of Singapore

Parliament House

The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the legislature of Singapore with the President as its head [1]. It currently consists of 94 Members of Parliament. ... Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Parliament House The Parliament House of Singapore is a public building and cultural landmark and houses the Parliament of Singapore. ...

Composition

The unicameral parliament is the legislature in Singapore with the president as its head.^[14] Before independence in 1965, it was known as the Legislative Assembly. It currently consists of 84 members of parliament. Based on the concept of parliamentary sovereignty in the United Kingdom, it is supreme to all other government institutions and may change or repeal any legislation passed by previous parliaments with a majority. The maximum term of any one parliament is five years, after which a general election must be held within three months of the dissolution of parliament. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... A Legislative Assembly in some parts of the Commonwealth refers to a legislature, or a chamber of the legislature. ... Parliamentary sovereignty, parliamentary supremacy, or legislative supremacy is a concept in constitutional law that applies to some parliamentary democracies. ... A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. ... In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election. ...

The 84 elected members of parliament (MPs) are elected on a plurality voting basis and represent either single-member constituencies (SMCs) or group Representation Constituencies (GRCs). In GRCs, political parties field a team of between three to six candidates. At least one candidate in the team must belong to a minority race.^[15] The following is a historical list of members for the current and past nine Parliaments of Singapore External references Members of Parliament Categories: Singaporean Members of Parliament | Government of Singapore | Politics of Singapore | Singaporean politicians | Singapore-related lists ... An example of a plurality ballot. ... The constituencies of Singapore are electoral divisions in the politics of Singapore which may be represented single or multiple seats in the Parliament of Singapore. ...

Formerly, there were no GRCs, and all constituencies of Singapore were represented by one member, but amendments to the Parliamentary Elections Act in 1991 led to the creation of GRCs, thus creating a plurality voting system in the process.^[16][17] The Parliamentary Elections Act is an act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of Singapore regulating the procedures, requirements and laws for parliamentary elections in Singapore. ...

This development has led to complaints from opposition parties that they are often unable to field one, let alone three or more candidates. Out of the 84 members of parliament, 10 are female.^[18] In the last general election in 2006, the incumbent People's Action Party (PAP) won 82 of the 84 seats, with the same configuration as the previous election in 2001, but with a loss of 9% of the popular vote.^[19] . The 2006 Singapore parliamentary general election was held on May 6, 2006. ... Party logo with a symbol of red lightning that signifies action. ... Singapore general election, 2001, was held on 3 November 2001. ...

The constitution also provides for the appointment of other members of parliament not voted in at an election. Up to six Non-Constituency Members of Parliament from the opposition political parties can be appointed.^[15] Currently, there is one Non-Constituency Member of Parliament. Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) are members of the opposition parties who were appointed as members of the Parliament of Singapore even though they had lost in the parliamentary election. ...

A constitutional provision for the appointment of up to nine Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) was made in 1990.^[15] NMPs are appointed by the president for a term of two and a half years on the recommendation of a Select Committee chaired by the Speaker of Parliament and are not connected to any political parties. In 2005, nine NMPs were sworn in, out of which five were female. A Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) is an unelected MP that does not represent any electoral district in the Parliament of Singapore. ... A Select Committee is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues originating in the Westminster System of parliamentary democracy. ... The term Speaker is usually the title given to the presiding officer of a countrys lower house of parliament or congress (ie: the House of Commons or House of Representatives). ...

Both non-constituency and nominated members of parliament cannot vote on the following issues:

• amendment of the constitution
• public funds
• vote of no confidence in the government
• removing the president from office

An amendment is a change to the constitution of a nation or a state. ... Budget generally refers to a list of all planned expenses and revenues. ... A Motion of No Confidence, also called Motion of Non Confidence is a parliamentary motion traditionally put before a parliament by the opposition in the hope of defeating or embarrassing a government. ...

Law making

Before any law is passed, it is first introduced in parliament as a draft known as a bill. Bills are usually introduced by a minister on behalf of the cabinet, known as Government Bill. However, any member of parliament can introduce a bill, known as a Private Member's Bill. All bills must go through three readings in parliament and receive the president's assent to become an Act of Parliament. An Act of Parliament or Act is law enacted by the parliament (see legislation). ...

Each bill goes through several stages before it becomes a law. The first stage is a mere formality known as the first reading, where it is introduced without a debate. This is followed by the second reading, where members of parliament debate on the general principles of the bill. If parliament opposes the bill, it may vote to reject the bill. A first reading is when a bill is introduced to a legislature. ... A second reading is the state of the legislative process where a draft of a bill is read a second time. ...

If the bill goes through the second reading, the bill is sent to a Select Committee where every clause in the bill is examined. Members of parliament who support the bill in principle but do not agree with certain clauses can propose amendments to those clauses at this stage. Following its report back to parliament, the bill will go through its third reading where only minor amendments will be allowed before it is passed. A third reading is the stage of a legislative process in which a bill is read with all amendments and given final approval by a legislative body. ...

Most bills passed by parliament are scrutinised by the Presidential Council for Minority Rights which makes a report to the Speaker of Parliament stating whether there are clauses in a bill which affects any racial or religious community.^[20] If approved by the council, the bill will be presented for the president's assent. The Presidential Council for Minority Rights is a govenment body in Singapore. ...

The last stage involves the granting of assent by the president, before the bill officially becomes to become a law.

Elections and political parties

For other political parties see List of political parties in Singapore. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Singapore.

Voting has been compulsory in Singapore since 1959^[21] and there is universal suffrage. The legal voting age is 21. The Elections Department of Singapore is responsible for the planning, preparation and conduct of presidential and parliamentary elections and of any national referendum in Singapore. It is a department under the Prime Minister's Office. A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues. ... Political parties in Singapore lists political parties in Singapore. ... An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... There are currently two types of Elections in Singapore in Singapore: parliamentary; and (since 1993) presidential. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief, intelligence, or economic or social status. ...

Unlike the United States presidential elections of 2004 where electronic voting was used in several states, paper ballots are still used in Singapore. However, there is a concern that voting secrecy might be compromised as ballot papers have serial numbers on them. As stated in the Elections Department website:^[22] Presidential election results map. ... Electronic voting machine by Diebold Election Systems used in all Brazilian elections and plebiscites. ...

"...ballot papers can be examined only under strict conditions, and there are safeguards that make it extremely difficult to find out how any particular voter voted. After the count, all ballot papers and their counterfoils have to be sealed in the Supreme Court vault for six months, after which all the ballot papers and other election documents are destroyed. During those six months, these documents can only be retrieved by court order. The court will issue such an order only if it is satisfied that a vote has been fraudulently cast and the result of the election may be affected as a result. Our courts have issued no such order since elections have been held here since 1948."

2006 Parliamentary election

Main article: Singapore general election, 2006

The 2006 Singapore parliamentary general election was held on May 6, 2006. ... The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the legislature of Singapore with the President as its head [1]. It currently consists of 94 Members of Parliament. ... Party logo with a symbol of red lightning that signifies action. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is 李 (Li) Lee Hsien Loong (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; born February 10, 1952) is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. ... Workers Party logo The Workers Party of Singapore (abbrev: WP; Chinese: 新加坡工人党) is one of the largest opposition parties in Singapore, with 1 of the 84 elected seats in the current session of Parliament of Singapore. ... Low Thia Khiang Low Thia Khiang (Chinese: 刘程强, Pinyin: Liú Chéngqiáng) is the Member of Parliament for Hougang, Singapore since 1991. ... Alliance logo The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) is an alliance of political parties in Singapore. ... The National Solidarity Party is a centrist party in Singapore. ... The Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS, short for Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura in Malay) is a political party in Singapore. ... The Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS, short for Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura in Malay) is a political party in Singapore. ... The Singapore Justice Party is a party which is based mostly in Marine Parade district of Singapore since the party had taken part in general elections after 1988 by fielding its candidates only at Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC). ... Party logo The Singapore Peoples Party is a left of centre party in Singapore. ... Chiam See Tong Chiam See Tong (Chinese: 詹时中; Pinyin: Zhān Shízhōng; born March 12, 1935) represents the Potong Pasir Single-Member Constituency in the Parliament of Singapore. ... Party logo The Singapore Democratic Party (abbrev: SDP; Chinese: 新加坡民主党) is a liberal party in Singapore. ... Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Dr. Chee Soon Juan (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: , born 1962) is the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). ...

2005 Presidential election

The Singapore presidential election of 2005 was to be held on 27 August 2005 to elect the President of Singapore. Since on August 13, 2005, the Presidential Elections Committee announced that Sellapan Ramanathan was the only candidate that had received the Certificate of Eligibility, he was named the next President without election. August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Flag of the President of Singapore - banner of arms The President of Singapore is the head of state. ... August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Presidential Elections Committee is set up by the Government of Singapore to ensure that each candidate for the office of President of Singapore has the qualifications referred to in Article 19 of the Constitution of Singapore. ... Sellapan Ramanathan (born July 3, 1924) is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Singapore. ...

More info: Singapore presidential election, 2005

Sellapan Ramanathan (born July 3, 1924) is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Singapore. ... The Singapore presidential election of 2005 was to be held on 27 August 2005 to elect the President of Singapore. ...

2001 Parliamentary election

More info: *Singapore general election, 2001 The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the legislature of Singapore with the President as its head [1]. It currently consists of 94 Members of Parliament. ... Party logo with a symbol of red lightning that signifies action. ... Goh Chok Tong (Chinese: 吴作栋; (Simp. ... Alliance logo The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) is an alliance of political parties in Singapore. ... The National Solidarity Party is a centrist party in Singapore. ... The Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS, short for Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura in Malay) is a political party in Singapore. ... The Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS, short for Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura in Malay) is a political party in Singapore. ... The Singapore Justice Party is a party which is based mostly in Marine Parade district of Singapore since the party had taken part in general elections after 1988 by fielding its candidates only at Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC). ... Party logo The Singapore Peoples Party is a left of centre party in Singapore. ... Chiam See Tong Chiam See Tong (Chinese: 詹时中; Pinyin: Zhān Shízhōng; born March 12, 1935) represents the Potong Pasir Single-Member Constituency in the Parliament of Singapore. ... Party logo The Singapore Democratic Party (abbrev: SDP; Chinese: 新加坡民主党) is a liberal party in Singapore. ... Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Dr. Chee Soon Juan (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: , born 1962) is the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). ... Workers Party logo The Workers Party of Singapore (abbrev: WP; Chinese: 新加坡工人党) is one of the largest opposition parties in Singapore, with 1 of the 84 elected seats in the current session of Parliament of Singapore. ... Low Thia Khiang Low Thia Khiang (Chinese: 刘程强, Pinyin: Liú Chéngqiáng) is the Member of Parliament for Hougang, Singapore since 1991. ... gdhcfvwebvjew ... Party logo The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Singapore. ... Singapore general election, 2001, was held on 3 November 2001. ...

People's Action Party

The PAP has been the dominant political party in Singapore, re-elected continuously since 1959. It is headed by Lee Hsien Loong, who succeeded Goh Chok Tong. Goh's predeceesor Lee Kuan Yew served as Singapore's prime minister from independence through 1990. Since stepping down as prime minister, Lee has remained influential first as Senior Minister, and now as Minister Mentor. This is a Chinese name; the family name is 李 (Li) Lee Hsien Loong (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; born February 10, 1952) is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. ... Goh Chok Tong (Chinese: 吴作栋; (Simp. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is 李 (Li). ... The political office of Senior Minister in the political system of Singapore is taken by a Prime Minister when he retires from that office, but still has something to offer the government based on his long experience. ... Minister Mentor is a cabinet position created by the Singapore government in 2004 as part of a major leadership reshuffle. ...

PAP has held the overwhelming majority of seats in parliament since 1966, when the opposition Barisan Sosialis Party resigned from parliament and left the PAP as the sole representative party. PAP won all of the seats in an expanding parliament in the general elections of 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980. PAP's share of the popular vote in contested seats declined from 78% in 1980 to 65% in 1997. However, the elections of 2001 saw the party's share of the popular vote climb to 75%, winning 82 of the 84 seats. Singapore general election, 2006 marked the first time since 1988 the PAP did not return to power on nomination day, with the opposition parties fielding candidates in over half of the constituencies. Overall PAP saw its share of the vote fall to 66.6%. This article needs cleanup. ... The 2006 Singapore parliamentary general election was held on May 6, 2006. ...

The Alternative Parties

Since most Singaporeans are politically apathetic, the alternative parties are stereotypically associated with the truly passionate. They need to capitalise and build on the good results and stay focused on helping the people of Singapore.

J.B. Jeyaretnam of the Workers' Party became the first alternative party member of parliament in 15 years when he won a 1981 by-election. Despite acquiring an increasing percentage of the popular vote-- 34% overall in 2006-- alternative parties gained small numbers of seats in the general elections of 1984 (2 seats of 79), 1988 (1 seat of 81), 1991 (4 seats of 81), 1997 (2 seats of 83) and 2001 (2 seats of 84). The opposition parties attribute the disproportionate results to the nature of the GRC electoral system.^[23]. Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam (born 1926), usually J.B. Jeyaretnam and often abbreviated JBJ, is a Singaporean politician. ... Workers Party logo The Workers Party of Singapore (abbrev: WP; Chinese: 新加坡工人党) is one of the largest opposition parties in Singapore, with 1 of the 84 elected seats in the current session of Parliament of Singapore. ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ...

Women's participation in politics

Women traditionally played a significantly smaller role than their male counterparts in patriarchal Singapore. Nonetheless, in recent years, there is an increasing level of female participation in the Singapore political arena. Women in Singapore traditionally played a small role in the politics of Singapore and Singapores public life. ...

Judiciary

Judicial power in Singapore is vested in the Supreme Court as well as surbodinate courts by the constitution. ...

Governance

Singapore has consistently been rated as one of the least corrupt countries in the world.^[24] The World Bank's governance indicators have also rated Singapore highly on rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness. However, it is widely perceived that some aspects of the political process, civil liberties, and political and human rights are lacking.^[25]

It is a member of Asian Network of Major Cities 21. Asian Network of Major Cities 21 is a body representing the interests of several of Asias largest capital cities around common themes of importance, including urban planning, sustainability and crisis management. ...

See also

Singapore Portal

• Constitutional government
• Laws of Singapore

Image File history File links Singapore_coa. ... Constitutional government is a political science term which refers to a government acting within constitutional law and the constitution. ...