POLITICAL SYSTEM

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced changes to the political system yesterday.

1. Increase number of Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs)

- Minimum number of opposition MPs, including NCMPs: Nine, up from three.

- Maximum number of NCMPs: Nine, up from six. "It will generate more robust debate, improve policy formulation, expose PAP MPs to the cut-and-thrust of the debate and it will demonstrate what the opposition can and cannot do." - PM Lee

2. Nominated MPs to be permanent fixture in Parliament

- An automatic feature in Parliament.

- Include members of civil society, such as activists and grassroots leaders.

"This will give civil society a voice in Parliament and encourage civil society to grow and to mature further." - PM Lee

3. More single-member constituencies (SMCs) and smaller GRCs

- Number of SMCs: At least 12, up from nine.

- Average number of candidates in GRCs: Should not exceed five.

"(With larger GRCs), it becomes harder for voters to identify with the whole GRC or with the whole GRC team." - PM Lee.

ECONOMY

An Economic Strategies Committee, chaired by Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, will be formed to look into five key strategies:

1. Growth opportunities, like pursuing niche opportunities such as aerospace manufacturing.

2. Strengthening corporate capabilities, like nurturing Singapore companies to be globally competitive.

3. Growing human and knowledge capital.

4. Creating high-value jobs for Singaporeans.

5. Deploying Singapore's finite resources to maximum effect.

KEY POLICY ISSUES

1. Reducing dependence on foreign workers

"We cannot do without them...but we have to study how we can grow our economy without indefinitely growing our foreign-worker numbers." - PM Lee

2. Maximising land use

"We have to recover land from less productive, declining industries, (and) make space for land for new industries which are bringing in better jobs." - PM Lee

3. Alternative energy sources

"We have to diversify our sources of energy for security." - PM Lee

dawnt@sph.com.sg

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