Committee of Supply 2023 debate, Day 1: Leon Perera on exercise of the President's power to approve legislation

It would seem that the exercise of the President’s power to approve legislation that has fiscal implications has to be according to the Cabinet’s advice; and the Government can, and does, deem the President’s approval to have been given, or not given, without necessarily referring the matter to the President. MP Leon Perera said this in Parliament on Friday (Feb 24), in reference to an exchange he had with Leader of the House Indranee Rajah during the debate on the Carbon Pricing (Amendment) Bill when he was told that the President’s approval had not been obtained for his proposed amendments. “What is the rationale for having such provisions in the Constitution whereby the Cabinet can deem the President to have said 'yes' or 'no' on certain matters and hence decide by itself?” Mr Perera asked. He said the role of the President in this regard does not seem to serve any check or balance function; indeed, this practice of “deemed approval” risks being seen by the public as “involving the Office of the President in a rubber-stamping or box-ticking exercise that serves no constructive purpose and undermines the standing of the President”.