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3 ministerial statements on impact of Middle East conflict set for Parliament sitting on April 7; MPs file 62 related questions

These questions include the war's impact on homes and businesses, and food and energy security
3 ministerial statements on impact of Middle East conflict set for Parliament sitting on April 7; MPs file 62 related questions
Parliament will discuss the Middle East war's impact on Singapore and ways to help homes and businesses cope with rising prices.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Danial Zahrin

Three ministers — Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam, and Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow — are scheduled to deliver separate statements on the impact of the Middle East situation on Singapore when Parliament sits on Tuesday (April 7). 

According to the order paper published on Parliament's website on Monday, 62 questions have also been filed by 32 members on the war's impact on businesses, consumers and households, including how the Government intends to secure the country's food and energy security.

Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang and Sengkang GRC MP Louis Chua asked the Government if the Middle East situation has been used as "a convenient excuse" by petrol companies here, given the recent "magnitude and speed of adjustments" in pump prices. 

With the excise duty for petrol at 79 cents per litre, Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Hui Ying asked if the Government will consider lowering the duty rate to help households and businesses cope with the impact of rising fuel costs. 

Meanwhile, Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh asked the Government for its estimated impact on household expenditure over the next three years, in light of the damage to key liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Qatar. 

He also asked for the measures to be introduced by the Government to help businesses and households manage price shocks.

On April 2, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that the Government has convened the Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee (HCMC), led by Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam.

Acknowledging the impact on households and businesses amid rising energy costs and uncertainties, PM Wong said the Government will "cushion the immediate impact" by enhancing existing measures, bringing some of them forward to provide earlier relief.

He added that the Government will also provide targeted support for sectors that are more severely affected. 

@asiaone Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (April 2) announced that the Government "will do more", including enhance existing measures to support businesses and households amidst the uncertain outlook and rising oil prices. #sgnews #Singapore #Energy #Security #MiddleEast #War ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

Speaking to reporters on April 4, Shanmugam explained the need for the inter-ministerial nature of the committee

He also cautioned that supply disruptions will not go away even if the war stops very soon. 

Iran on March 19 struck the Ras Laffan liquified natural gas facility, the world's largest LNG complex, with analysts estimating that the damage could cause a reduction of about 17 per cent of Qatar's gas exports for between three and five years.

@asiaone Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam, who chairs the Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee (HCMC), said on Saturday (April 4) that the Government will address issues relating to the impact of rising energy costs. #sgnews #Singapore #Energy #Crisis #Prices #MiddleEast #War ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

Parliament will sit at 12pm on Tuesday. 

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editor@asiaone.com

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