Questions for Parliament will include property prices, race & religion

SINGAPORE: Concerns over rising prices of HDB resale flats will be among the issues that will be raised in Parliament when the House sits on Monday.

Member of Parliament for Chua Chu Kang GRC, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, will ask the Ministry of National Development for its assessment of the record level of the HDB Resale Price Index in the third quarter of 2012, in spite of cooling measures and new releases of Build—to—Order flats.

He wants to know whether the ministry has a good handle on the property market, and whether the cooling measures are effective in managing prices and curbing speculation.

MP for West Coast GRC, Ms Foo Mee Har, has tabled a question on the recent record property transactions, including a flat in Queenstown, which was sold for S$1 million.

She wants to know whether the anticipated fresh flood of liquidity into the US financial system will have an impact on property prices and affordability.

MPs have tabled 79 questions for oral answer. These include the issue of race and religion.

Nominated MP Laurence Lien wants to know if the government can provide an update on its stance on what it means to keep religion and politics separate.

Another Nominated MP, Assistant Professor Eugene Tan, has a question on the reasons behind the government’s decision to ask Google to block online access in Singapore to the trailer for the "Innocence of Muslims" film.

MPs also have questions on the state of the economy and productivity growth, and want to know if any off—budget measures are needed to help small and medium enterprises tide over, in case Singapore is hit by recession.

They will also ask if Singapore’s international competitiveness is declining.

Mr Zaqy wants to know how the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, or MUIS, plans to address the shortage of places for the Haj pilgrimage, in view of a lower quota allocated to Singapore recently.

Several bills will be introduced for first reading.

These include amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act, the Casino Control Act, the Income Tax Act, and the Penal Code Act.

The Personal Data Protection Bill and the Voluntary Sterilization (Amendment) Bill will be among four bills that will be read for the second time and debated on in the House.

MP for Nee Soon GRC Lee Bee Wah will raise the subject of the standard of cleanliness in Singapore and she is slated to speak on it just before Parliament adjourns for the day on Monday.

— CNA/al