| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of Parliament |
| Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, ceases to be a Member of the Assembly, is appointed Minister or Parliamentary Secretary, ceases to be citizen of Singapore, becomes unsound of mind, becomes an undischarged bankrupt, hold an office of profit, fails to lodge return of election expenses as required by law, is convicted of an offence by a court of law in Singapore or Malaysia, has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign country or declared allegiance thereof (except countries of the Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland), is disqualified under any law relating to offences connected with elections to Parliament or is expelled from Parliament for dishonourable conduct, abuse of privilege or contempt. |
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the Parliament
- election held when the Parliament first meets after general elections, or when the office of the Speaker is vacant
- after validation of election results |
| Eligibility |
- all of the Members who are neither Ministers nor Parliamentary Secretaries and persons who are not Members of the Parliament can be candidate
- candidatures are proposed orally in the House |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot
- if there is a succession of votes, Members with the smallest number of votes must withdraw their candidature, until one person obtains more votes than the remaining person or the aggregate votes of the remaining persons, as the case may be |
| Procedures / results |
- the Clerk supervises the voting
- the Clerk announces the results without any delay
- the results can be challenged for one calendar month after the voting |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks sixth in the hierarchy of State after the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Senior Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chief Justice
- may be called upon (after the Chairman of the Presidential Council of advisors) to replace the Head of State in the event of the latter's absence
- represents the Parliament with the public authorities
- represents the Parliament in international bodies
- is ex officio Chairman of the Committee of the Whole Parliament, of the Committee of Selection, of the Standing Orders Committee, of the House Committee, of the Public Petitions Committee, of the Committee of Privileges
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
|
| Material facilities |
- allowance
- official car
- secretariat
- additional staff
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- maintains order during sittings
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments |
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open and adjourn sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Parliament
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- checks the quorum on objection of any Member present
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Parliament according to precedents |
| Special powers |
- gives his consent for the recruitment, assignment and promotion of staff
- appoints the Clerk (in coordination with the President of the Republic and the Public Service Commission)
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments |
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes part in voting (if he has been elected from among Members)
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- supervises the stages of bill in the House, transmits a copy of the bill to the Presidential Council for Minority Rights and later transmits the report of the latter to the President of the Republic for his assent |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
