Sylvia Lim on Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill
Increasing the minimum fine for which a person will be disqualified from being an MP from S$2,000 to S$10,000 is “a step in the right direction”, but taking inflation into account, the move is simply an attempt to retain the same standards of eligibility that existed when the law was originally enacted in 1965, said MP Sylvia Lim in Parliament on Monday (May 9). She also suggested a possible review of the very premise of disqualification based on fines. Ms Lim said the method makes no distinction about the type of offence involved, as fines and jail terms are meted out for various offences with varied moral culpability. Fines may also be imposed for infractions under some laws which might not be considered criminal in nature.
Increasing the minimum fine for which a person will be disqualified from being an MP from S$2,000 to S$10,000 is “a step in the right direction”, but taking inflation into account, the move is simply an attempt to retain the same standards of eligibility that existed when the law was originally enacted in 1965, said MP Sylvia Lim in Parliament on Monday (May 9). She also suggested a possible review of the very premise of disqualification based on fines. Ms Lim said the method makes no distinction about the type of offence involved, as fines and jail terms are meted out for various offences with varied moral culpability. Fines may also be imposed for infractions under some laws which might not be considered criminal in nature.