The Constitution of Singapore A Contextual Analysis

INTRODUCTION

I. General

II. Towards Independence and Three Imperatives

A. Economic Growth

B. Managing Ethnicity

C. Political Dominance

III. Organisation of this Book

1. A BRIEF CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY

I. Introduction

II. The Straits Settlements Period (1819-1942)

A. The Founding of Modern Singapore

B. Early Administration of the Straits Settlements

C. Becoming a Colony Proper

III. The Japanese Occupation (1942-45)

IV. The Colony of Singapore (1946-58)

V. The Rendel Constitution

VI. Constitutional Talks and Self-government (1956-58)

VII. Merger and Separation (1963-65)

A. The 'Battle for Merger'

B. The Rift between Singapore and the Federation

C. The 1964 Racial Riots

VIII. Post-1965 Developments

A. The Aftermath of Independence

B. The Wee Cong Jin Commission

C. Changes to the Judiciary

D. Entrenching Singapore's Sovereignty

E. Changes to the Parliamentary System

F. The Elected President

G. Amendment to Citizenship Laws

IX. Conclusion

2. CONSTITUTIONALISM IN SINGAPORE

I. Introduction

II. The Constitution as Supreme Law

A. The Amendment Regime

B. Can the Constitution be Impliedly Amended?

C. The Basic Features Doctrine

III. Separation of Powers

IV. Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law

V. Constitutional Culture

3. PARLIAMENT AND REPRESENTATION

I. A Brief Historical Outline

II. Parliament and the Problem of Representation

A. Ethnic Representation

B. The Group Representation Constituency and Town Councils

III. The Revival of Local Government?

A. Town Councils as Local Government

B. The Community Development Councils (CDCs)

C. GRCs as 'Fixed Deposit' Seats

IV. Qualifications of Members

V. Duties of Members

VI. Parliamentary Privilege

A. Life of Parliament and Vacancies

VII. Principal Officers of Parliament

A. The Speaker

B. The Clerk of Parliament

C. The Whip

D. Leader of the House

VIII. Parliament's Committees

A. Committee of the Whole House

B. Select Committees

C. Sessional Committees

D. Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs)

IX. The Conduct of Elections

A. Nomination Day

B. Campaigning

C. Polling Day

D. Political Donations

X. Concluding Thoughts

4. LAW-MAKING

I. Introduction

II. Rule Formulation

III. Introduction of Bills in Parliament

A. Government Bills

B. Private Members' Bills

IV. The Legislative Process

A. The First Reading

B. The Second Reading

C. The Committee Stage

D. The Third Reading

V. The Presidential Council for Minority Rights and Presidential Assent

A. Role of the Elected President

VI. Executive Law-making

A. Subsidiary Legislation

B. Other Forms of Executive Rule-making

VII. Legislative Powers in an Emergency

5. THE EXECUTIVE

I. Introduction

II. Singapore's Prime Minister

III. The Cabinet and its Ministers

IV. Unique Features of Singapore's Cabinet

V. Ministerial Salaries

VI. Code of Conduct for Ministers

VII. Policy Formulation, Decision-making and Collective Responsibility

VIII. The Attorney-General

IX. The Executive: An Elected Dictatorship?

6. THE ELECTED PRESIDENT

I. Introduction

II. Singapore's Presidential Executive: A Short History

III. The President's Traditional Discretionary Powers

A. Appointment and Dismissal of the Prime Minister

B. Proroguing and Dissolving Parliament

C. Discretion during an Emergency

D. Justiciability of the President's Discretion

IV. The Elected President

A. The Rationale and the Initial Proposals

B. The Second White Paper

V. The Elected President Scheme in 1991

A. Presidential Elections

B. Term of Office, Powers and Immunities

C. Removal of the President

D. Entrenchment of Office

E. Constitutional Reference No 1 of 1995

VI. Post-1991 Changes

A. President to State Reasons for Spending Reserves

B. Transfer of Surpluses

C. Advisory Capacity of the Supreme Court

D. Reduction of Veto Powers

VII. 'Loans' under Article 144(1)

VIII. The President Exercises his Discretion

IX. Some Unique Aspects of the Presidency

7. THE JUDICIARY

I. Introduction

II. Judicial Power: Meaning, Nature, Content and Scope

III. Constitution of Singapore's Judiciary

A. The Court of Appeal

B. The High Court

C. Special Constitutional

Tribunal

D. The State Courts

E. The Syariah Court

IV. Judicial Independence

A. Appointment and Tenure of Judges

B. Security of Remuneration

C. Shortage of Judges: Judicial Commissioners and Supernumerary Judges

D. Judicial Independence and the Power to Punish for Contempt

V. Jurisdiction of the Courts

A. Original and Appellate Jurisdiction

B. Inherent Jurisdiction

C. Supervisory Jurisdiction

D. Revision Jurisdiction

VI. Establishing Jurisdiction and Locus Standi

VII. Judicial Control of Administrative Action

A. Precedent or Jurisdictional Facts

B. Errors of Law

C. The Control of Substantive Direction

D. The Grounds of Judicial Review

VIII. Limits on Judicial Review

A. Political Questions

B. Legislative Prohibition: Outer Clauses

C. Laches

D. Judgments of Superior Courts

E. Res Judicata

IX. Public Law Remedies

X. Doctrine of Prospective Overruling

XI. Conclusion

8. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

I. Introduction

II. The Rendel Constitution

III. The Reid Commission in Malaya

IV. Entrenching Rights in Post-Independence Singapore

A. A Patchwork Constitution

V. The Right to Property in Singapore

A. The Land Acquisition Problem

B. Constitutional Difficulties

C. The Land Acquisition Act 1966

VI. Preventive Detention

A. Background to Executive Detention in Singapore

B. The Wee Chong Jin Commission

VII. Fundamental Liberties under Singapore's Constitution

VIII. Interpreting Fundamental Liberties

A. Westminster Constitutions

B. The Interpretation of Rights in Light of International Legal Instruments

C. The 'Four Walls' Doctrine and Beyond

D. Balancing of Rights: Between State and Individual

9. CONCLUSION

I. Three Leitmotifs

II. Regime Dominance

A. Power and Governance

B. Consolidating Party and State

C. Regime Hegemony

III. Economic Growth and Development

A. Striving for Economic Legitimacy

B. The Prevailing Economic Milieu

C. The Power to Succeed

D. Constitutional and Legal Regime of Public Enterprises

E. Economic Development and State Power

F. Disciplining Labour

IV. Management of Ethnicity and Religious Diversity

A. Strategies

B. The Wee Chong Jin Commission's Recommendations

C. Malay Interests

D. Group Representation Constituencies

V. Conclusion

Kevin YL Tan is a leading scholar of Singapore's constitution and has written and edited 28 books on law, politics and history. He is currently Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore and also at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.