\n<\/p>\n
This is the last of three articles from CNA\u2019s interview with former Senior Minister S Jayakumar, who recently launched his book Creating Three Unique Singapore Laws: An Inside Story. The book chronicles how the elected presidency, Group Representation Constituencies and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament were established through constitutional amendment.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n SINGAPORE: Newly appointed as a political office holder in 1981, Professor S Jayakumar was \u201carrowed\u201d by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to field questions in parliament from lone opposition lawmaker JB Jeyaretnam.<\/p>\n The Workers\u2019 Party leader had won the Anson by-election earlier that year to become the first opposition Member of Parliament.<\/p>\n Prof Jayakumar, then minister of state for home affairs and law, said handling Mr Jeyaretnam\u2019s questions improved his parliamentary skills and convinced him that no government should fear having an opposition in the House.<\/p>\n Mr Jeyaretnam spoke up more than 40 times, tabling questions on topics such as human rights, law and order, security and punishments.<\/p>\n \u201cIt had a big effect on me in the sense that I had to be on my toes. You never knew what supplementary questions he was going to ask, where he would be coming from, and I had to do that much greater preparation,\u201d Prof Jayakumar told CNA in an exclusive interview held at the Old Parliament House, now The Arts House, where laws were debated and passed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole experience, I guess, enabled me to hone my skills as a debater and explainer of policies and issues.\u201d<\/p>\n It also taught him within a very short span of time how to respond effectively to questions in parliament.<\/p>\n \u201cBut more importantly, it also made me convinced that the opposition had an effective role in parliament,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cNo government should really be scared or afraid of having opposition presence in parliament, and I think it convinced me that it was necessary for the democratic process in Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
Read Full Article At Source <\/a>
\n