MPs to offer ways to honour Lee Kuan Yew in Monday's sitting

Singapore

THREE members of parliament have offered suggestions on how the government can honour the country's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who died last month at the age of 91.

When the House convenes on Monday, the session will begin with Foo Mee Har (West Coast GRC) asking Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong whether Singapore could have a designated Founder's Day.

Having one such day would give Singaporeans "the opportunity to remember the struggles of the country in the early years and remind us of the nation's founding values and principles".

Along with Lily Neo (Tanjong Pagar GRC), she also plans to ask the prime minister whether he would consider incorporating the elder Mr Lee's image on Singapore's currency.

Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC) and Dr Neo both intend to ask if the government would consider renaming Changi Airport after Mr Lee; Mr Ang also thinks that it would be appropriate to rename other significant buildings and institutions here in honour of Mr Lee.

In all, MPs have submitted 31 questions for oral answer and 13 for written responses.

Nominated MP Thomas Chua, also the president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, intends to ask Trade and Industry Minister for an update on the outcomes of the three productivity centres that have received government funding. This is in view of the 0.8 per cent decline in Singapore's labour productivity in 2014, he said.

Another hot issue to be raised is that of public housing; five lawmakers have questions for National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan.

Lim Biow Chuan (Marine Parade GRC) wants to know the criteria for selecting HDB blocks of flats for the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme, while Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC) will ask about flat owners who opt out of the Home Protection Scheme, and whether there are plans to make the scheme compulsory.

Meanwhile, non-constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong of the opposition Workers' Party will ask Transport Ministry Lui Tuck Yew whether Singapore Airlines, the country's flagship carrier, has a two-person cockpit rule or other systems to protect the cockpit, and whether pilots are required to undergo periodic psychological tests.

His question comes as investigators continue to probe last month's Germanwings disaster, which found that the co-pilot of Flight 9525 had deliberated locked the pilot out of the cockpit and crashed the plane, killing everyone on board. The tragedy prompted many airlines and policy-makers to mandate that two crew members be in the cockpit at all times.

Separately, four Bills will be introduced in the House on Monday. One is an amendment to the Monetary Authority of Singapore Act, and another, an amendment to the Government Securities Act.

The Transport Ministry will introduce two new Bills - one on unmanned aircraft, and the other on third-party taxi booking service providers.