Non-Constituency MP Andre Low drew a parallel with a 2023 debate on a Bill that backdated provisions related to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s international appointments, noting the argument then was that backdating was acceptable because no one was prejudiced.
“That is one possible test for when retrospective legislation may be appropriate and a reasonable one, and it is precisely a test that parliament cannot apply today because the government has not told us who was affected by these collections, by how much, or for how long,” said Mr Low.
“I am not asserting that large numbers of people suffered serious harm. I do not know. Neither does this House because the government has not said.”
WP chief Pritam Singh later asked whether the government had data on the number of people affected and the total sums involved, and whether it was prepared to disclose this before the vote.
