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09 March
There were 24 new MPs, one NCMP and nine NMPs taking part in the Budget debate for the first time. According to the Speaker of the House, Abdullah Tarmugi they performed well. He also said he was encouraged and refreshed by their enthusiasm.

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09 March
Rounding up the 10 day sitting, Leader of the House Wong Kan Seng said the time had come for change and renewal. He announced that from April, Mr Mah Bow Tan will be Leader of the House and the Government Whip will be Mr Lim Swee Say. Assisting them will be Dr Ng Eng Hen and Dr Amy Khor. On the debates, Mr Wong noted that the MPs had spoken passionately on the issues of concern to them and their constituents. A number also chose to speak in more than one language and none missed out on the seriousness of the message being put across. In all, MPs filed 372 amendments to the Committee of Supplies.

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09 March
Responding to MPs' suggestions on improving Singapore as an air travel hub, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said that after Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 opens next year, airport planners will embark on a detailed masterplan for the next phase of Changi's expansion. With strong traffic expected in budget travel, expansion of the Budget Terminal will begin later this year. As for air arrangements with Malaysia and within Asean, Mr Lim said talks are underway and a review with Malaysia is on the cards. Only after agreement's been made can the Singapore-KL trunk route be freed-up for more players. In the area of air cargo, Mr Lim said perishables handling has been identified as a potential growth segment and efforts will be made to build up on specialised infrastructure and handling.

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09 March
Updating the House on what the Transport Ministry was doing to ensure Singapore's continued competitiveness as a global port hub and maritime centre, Minister of State for Transport Lim Hwee Hua highlighted four strategies. This includes providing sufficient capacity to cater to rising demand, improving efficiency and quality, looking out for new growth opportunities and ensuring safe, unimpeded passage for ships passing through the sea lanes to Singapore. Mrs Lim said Singapore is becoming a choice location for major shipping groups wanting to base their operations in Asia. However despite the buoyancy, Singaporeans' awareness of opportunities in the maritime services remains low, and the Ministry is now making it a key priority to raise awareness of career opportunities in maritime services.

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09 March
Raising questions about the Singapore Malaysia Open Skies talks, MPs asked about the liberalisation of the air route, calling for budget airlines to be able to serve the route. On the topic of Singapore as an air and port hub , MPs called for more focus in maintaining a competitive edge, and asked the Ministry what other measures were being implemented to keep Singapore at the forefront of the competition.
In this clip: MPs Cedric Foo, Wee Siew Kim and Dr Lam Pin Min

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09 March
Outlining Singapore's transport plans, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said there are plans to expand the current network of trains and after the Circle Line opens in 2010, other lines will be developed and extensions will be made in areas currently without train services. To get more people to use public transport, its reliability will be raised with full day bus lanes being extended to more roads in the CBD along with plans to display real-time bus information at selected bus stops. As for transport fares, Mr Lim said that suppressing fare increases won’t help the lower income, so funds are being set aside to help defray their travel costs when fares rise in October 2007.

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09 March
MPs raised questions about the state of public transport in Singapore, asking how public transport can become an attractive alternative to driving. They called for more priority to be given to buses on roads and for a review in the way taxi companies operate given that taxis are still hard to find during certain periods. On the recent spate of suicides on MRT tracks, MPs suggested putting up barriers on MRT platforms to prevent access to the tracks. Touching on the topic of ERP, MPs criticised the system as ineffective as it did not relieve traffic congestion in the long run. Malaysia's decision to close the Causeway to heavy vehicles and divert this traffic to the Second Link also raised concerns amongst MPs.
In this clip: MPs Cedric Foo, Ong Kian Min, Lim Biow Chuan, Seah Kian Peng, Cynthia Phua, Liang Eng Hwa, Wee Siew Kim, Dr Lam Pin Min, Lee Bee Wah, Seng Han Thong, Ang Mong Seng (Mandarin), Teo Ser Luck, NCMP Sylvia Lim and NMP Siew Kum Hong

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09 March
The Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs has told Parliament that the minimum age for Muslim marriages,currently set at 16, may be raised since marriages involving minors are twice as likely to end up in divorce. Addressing social issues facing the Muslim community raised by MPs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim also said centres dedicated to support young married couples throughout their marriage will be set up and these will complement the premarital counseling programmes already in place. On helping the community level up, he said the Muslim religious council(MUIS) will invest more than a million dollars on selected community self-help programmes and is drawing up plans on how ‘zakat’ or tithes,can be used to complement the national help schemes. Dr Yaacob also said a full-time, structured leadership development programme will be put in place to develop religious teachers, while at the religious schools or madrasahs, resources and efforts are being channelled to help the students do well in the 2008 PSLE.

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09 March
With the focus on Muslim affairs, MPs called for more focus in improving the lives of the lower income in the community. On rising divorce rates, MPs questioned the strategies in place to stem the trend while offering suggestions like marriage preparation courses and raising the legal age for Muslim marriages. Religious education was also a concern among MPs who called for a recognition scheme for religious teachers and ways to improve the standard of such teachers. Speaking in Malay, MPs also asked for an update on how madrasahs are preparing to meet the demands of compulsory education and the Primary School Leaving Exams which madrasah students must sit for by 2008.
In this clip: MPs Halimah Yacob, Dr Fatimah Lateef, Hawazi Daipi, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman and Zainudin Nordin

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09 March
Addressing the potential problems of gambling, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sport said the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has embarked on aggressive public education campaigns to raise awareness of problem gambling. MCYS has also developed a 3-tier model in the social services sector to help problem gamblers and their families. Touching on the Community Engagement Programme (CEP), Dr Balakrishnan said it provides a new platform for engagement across various segments of society, and goes a step further from previous efforts as it puts in place a crisis response framework where community leaders play an active role in the aftermath of a crisis by helping to calm the people and maintain unity.

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09 March
Raising concerns that problem gambling may arise with the completion of the IRs, MPs asked the government what strategies are being implemented to deal with this, in particular the most vulnerable groups, and also called for more training for counsellors. Others questioned the effectiveness of the Community Engagement Programme and how it differs from previous such inter-racial programmes. Finally there were calls for a platform for address and clarifications regrading religious issues.
In this clip: MPs Chan Soo Sen, Zainudin Nordin and Zaqy Mohamad

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09 March
Continuing debate on Friday, MCYS said it hopes to nurture inspired and committed youth by giving them a say in issues that matter to them, a stake in the long-term well-being of the community and support to achieve their hopes and dreams. As for at-risk and out-of-school youth, the Parliamentary Secretary for Community, Development, Youth and Sports said the National Committee on Youth Guidance and Rehabilitation coordinates MCYS' multi-agency efforts in reaching out to this segment.On sport, Mr Teo Ser Luck said MCYS will continue to build on the foundations of Singapore's success and extend their efforts to the disabled.