#SINGAPORE: Constitutional Amendment Would Let Pres. Join Int'l Orgs [world politics news]

[world politics news]

Members of Parliament debated on Wednesday (Nov 22) amendments to Singapore's Constitution that will allow the President to accept appointments in foreign and international organisations.

In tabling the amendments earlier this month, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that accepting such positions can enhance Singapore's international standing and help advance national interests. 

The Constitution currently does not empower the President to take up public roles where he acts in his private capacity. 

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was sworn in on Sep 14, resigned from all positions in the government and the People’s Action Party to stand in the presidential election.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SINGAPORE: Laws Against Gay Sex Repealed

[world politics news]

Singapore’s Parliament has voted to repeal its colonial-era laws criminalizing sex between men while also endorsing a constitutional amendment that prevents court challenges to the heterosexual definition of marriage on Tuesday, November 28. The vote drops the number of countries that criminalize gay sex to 68.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SINGAPORE: Gay Sex Ban To Be Lifted, But No Gay Marriage Yet

[world politics news]

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced this past week that the country will repeal a colonial-era law criminalizing gay sex, though he maintained that the government will continue to “uphold” marriage as being between a man and a woman. 

Inherited from the British colonial era, section 377A of Singapore’s penal code penalizes sex between men with up to two years in jail.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SINGAPORE: Robots To Police Anti-Social Behavior Tested

[world politics news]

There are new sheriffs in town in Singapore, and they are unnerving many who live there.

Called "Xavier," the robots are equipped with seven cameras that enable them to detect "undesirable social behavior," for instance if you incorrectly park your bike, if you smoke in an unauthorized area or if social distancing is not being respected.

According to project manager Michael Lim, these machines are a new weapon against insecurity.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Britain To Apply For Membership In Trans-Pacific Partnership Trading Bloc

[world politics news]

The UK will shortly submit its formal request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trading bloc, said UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss.

The CPTPP is a trading bloc established in 2018 between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

The United States withdrew from the TPP in 2017, leading to the failure of the original trade deal, which required all signatories to agree. It was reconstituted in December, 2018 with the current members.

[FULL STORY HERE] 

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world. 

 

#UK: Free Trade Deal With Singapore Signed

[world politics news] 

Singapore and the UK has signed a free trade deal in the Southeast Asian city-state.

The deal will cover a trade relationship worth more than $22bn (£17bn).

The agreement largely mirrors an existing deal between Singapore and the European Union (EU).

It is part of a broader set of trade negotiations for the UK, as it seeks to replicate trade pacts which will cease when the EU transition period ends.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UN: US Backs Singaporean, Defeats Chinese Candidate For UN Intellectual Property Head

[world politics news]

A US campaign helped prevent China’s contender from taking the helm of the World Intellectual Property Organisation — and its trove of 250,000 patents — as part of wider efforts to curb Beijing’s influence at the UN.

Daren Tang, head of Singapore’s intellectual property office, was nominated Wipo’s incoming director-general subject to confirmation from the body’s general assembly in May. Tang defeated Wang Binying, currently a WIPO's deputy director and a former Beijing trade official, in a second round of voting with 55 votes to 28.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SINGAPORE: Retirement Age Set To Rise To 65 By 2030

[world politics news]

The statutory retirement age will go up to 63 in 2022, and eventually to 65 by 2030.

The re-employment age will also go up from 67 now to 68 in 2022, and eventually to 70 by 2030.

Workers in Singapore cannot be dismissed on the grounds of age before they reach the retirement age. Employers must also offer eligible staff work up to the re-employment age but with the flexibility to adjust contract terms.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SINGAPORE: Law Gives Gov't Sole Discretion To Define, Ban, "Fake News"

[world politics news]

Singapore's Parliament has voted 72 to 9, with three abstentions, to pass the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill.

Heated debate focused primarily on the definition of what constituted as false or true, with critics such as the Asia Internet Coalition saying the legislation gave the government "full discretion" and this level of "overreach" poses as a significant risk to freedom of expression in Singapore.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#MALAYSIA: High Speed Rail Project With Singapore Delayed "Until Economy Improves," Says Economic Affairs Minister

[world politics news]

Malaysia’s Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali says the country has reached an agreement with Singapore to postpone a High-Speed Rail project until 2020 without any compensation or fines. Speaking to reporters Azmin said the Malaysian government would defer the project, "for a period where we are confident that the Malaysian economy would improve by then." The project had ballooned in costs from US$17.7 billion to over $27 billion. Azmin signaled in July that the project had become too costly as the country faced a national debt of US$246 billion.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#MALAYSIA: Economics Minister Reveals US$27 Billion In "Hidden Costs" In Malay-Singapore High Speed Rail Project

[world politics news]

Malaysian Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali says his government's estimated US$27.1 billion (RM110 billion/S$37 billion) price tag for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail project includes hidden costs not revealed by the previous administration. Ali said the project was too costly as the country faced a national debt of US$246 billion. The previous administration under Barisan Nasional, which was defeated in the May 9 general election, had said the project would cost about $US17.7 billion.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SINGAPORE: Brother, Sister Of Prime Minister Fleeing City-State In Public Feud

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's younger brother Lee Hsien Yang says he feels compelled to leave Singapore amid a family dispute since their father's death two years ago. Lee Hsien Yang wrote in a six-page joint statement with his sister Lee Wei Ling that they had "lost confidence" in their brother's leadership. "I have no desire to leave. Hsien Loong is the only reason for my departure," they said. The prime minister issued a statement denying allegations made by his siblings and said he regretted their public comments

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SINGAPORE: Legislators To Be Given More Time To Study Proposed Legislation

[world politics news]

Singaporean legislators will have 10 instead of seven days between readings of bills under a new parliamentary rule. Parliamentary Standing Orders - rules governing Parliament’s proceedings and conduct - were amended earlier this month for the first time since 2010. The minimum interval between proposed legislation or introduction of a Bill (First Reading) and the resulting debate (Second Reading) was increased from seven to 10 working days.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SINGAPORE: Pres. Election Pushed Back A Month, New Rules Announced In Legislation

[world politics news]

This year's presidential election will be pushed back to September, to avoid the campaigning period coinciding with National Day celebrations in August, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, who announced a new bill in parliament featuring several new election rules. In the past, Polling Day typically fell in the last week of August. Presidential hopefuls will get more time to submit their papers, and the committee which assesses whether they are eligible to run for election will also have more time to go through applications. President Tony Tan Keng Yam's term expires on Aug 31.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Chan Chun Sing

#SINGAPORE: Law Requires Racial Diversity For Nation's Future Presidents

[world politics news]

Parliament has passed changes to the Constitution to raise the bar for presidential candidates and ensure all races are represented from time to time in the office. It means Singapore's next president is likely to be Malay, as next year's election will be reserved for Malay candidates. The amendments also raise the maximum number of Non-Constituency MPs from nine to 12, and give them the same voting rights as elected MPs. The changes were in line with the recommendations of an independent Constitutional Commission, and added that the entire review process lasted more than 10 months.

Pictured: Dep. PM Teo Chee Hean

#SINGAPORE: Taiwan, Communist China Leaders Will Hold Historic Meeting Sunday

[world politics news]

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Singapore on Saturday, Ma's office said, in what will be the first meeting between leaders from the two rivals since the end of a civil war in 1949.

Pictured: Mainland China's president, Xi Jinping (left) and Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou

#SINGAPORE: Announcement Of Electoral Boundaries Review Committee Formation Signals Early Election

[world politics news]

Election observers say the announcement that the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee signals a likely general election in 2015, a year ahead of schedule. The committee is likely to recommend more Group Representation Constituencies for minorities and more Single-Member Districts.

#SINGAPORE: Veteran Opposition Politician Forming New Political Party

[world politics news]

Veteran politician Goh Meng Seng, a former member of the National Solidarity Party (NSP) and the Workers' Party (WP), has applied to set up a political party. Goh, 45, has applied to register the People's Power Party (PPP.) His new party hopes to win back middle-ground voters and will champion greater separation of powers, with a more active role for the President.

#SINGAPORE: Bill Proposed to Ban Public Consumption of Liquor And Sales Between 10:30 pm and 7 am

[world politics news]

The drinking of alcohol between 10:30 pm to 7 am in public places, including parks, could soon be banned if the new Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Bill tabled in Parliament on Monday is eventually passed. Retail shops would not be allowed to sell bottled liquor after 10:30 pm.

#CANADA: Federal Liberal Party Floats Idea of Mandatory Voting

[world politics news]

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau voting in 2011.