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SINGAPORE : Members of Parliament can now deliver their speeches in more than one of the four official languages for the duration of the 11th session of Parliament.
In passing the bill on Monday, MPs say it is a move that will promote effective debate and help engage all generations in Singapore.
Previously, the rules allowed members to speak in one language at a time, but now they can use all four languages in the same speech.
It was during the opening of the 11th Parliament that restrictions were lifted for MPs to engage and debate the President's Address in their mother tongue.
The session last November saw 13 speeches made in multiple languages over the four-day sitting.
Mah Bow Tan, National Development Minister, said: "New members particularly made use of the opportunity to deliver their maiden speeches in their mother tongue and English, so as to reach out to their constituents and also a wider section of Singaporeans.
"Sir, this parliament has seen the entry of more members who are bilingual or proficient in more than one of our official languages. This is the result of our education system which has placed emphasis on bilingualism. There is a new generation of Singaporeans who are comfortable in English and their mother tongue."
The feedback was that when speeches were made in different languages it added colour to the debate.
This latest move also reflects Singapore's multi-racial, multi-lingual heritage.
But more importantly, it is to engage Singaporeans who do not speak or understand English.
It is also a way to ensure the message is not lost in translation.
Inderjit Singh, MP, Ang Mo Kio GRC, said: "I noticed in the past, that members in making their speeches, some of them felt quite constrained when they were forced to use just one language to deliver their speeches.
"Some members were effectively Mandarin-speaking and when they delivered their English speeches, they felt a bit uncomfortable. Similarly, those who were English-speaking and wanted to deliver Mandarin or Malay speeches, I could also sense a bit of unease when they delivered their speeches."
Fatimah Lateef, MP, Marine Parade GRC, said: "They will now be able to connect better with their Members of Parliament and follow and support their speeches closely with a language familiar to them. They will be more at home, and we certainly cannot deny that certain issues, when discussed and spoken of in a certain language, can create and generate more emotions, greater passion and also impact than when stated in English."
Teo Ho Pin, MP, Bukit Panjang, said: "I always make it a point to translate key points of my parliamentary speeches into the four official languages and publish them in my constituency newsletter, Bukit Panjang News Express. Feedback from my residents is that they find it useful to understand my parliamentary work and also the issues which I've championed for them in Parliament."
Additional changes will also be made to the official parliamentary report, which will incorporate written transcripts of speeches made in mother tongues.
To make the change permanent, Parliament's standing orders will have to be amended at a later date. - CNA/ch
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