Considerable value in having the president safeguard race-based restraining orders: Shanmugam

It is appropriate because the president is directly elected by Singaporeans, says minister

- Wong Pei Ting

There is considerable value in having the president serve as a check on the Government's powers to issue restraining orders to maintain racial harmony, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam.

And it is appropriate because the president is directly elected by Singaporeans, he added, pointing out that the Internal Security Act and the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act adopt a similar model.

The minister was responding to concerns raised by Workers' Party (WP) chair Sylvia Lim over new presidential powers proposed in amendments to the Constitution. Parliament passed these changes, along with a Bill to maintain racial harmony, on Feb 4 after a five-hour debate.

The constitutional amendments which the WP voted against were made to introduce safeguards on the restraining order regime under the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Bill, which allows the Government to act quickly and pre-emptively against content that threatens racial harmony.

They grant a new council – the Presidential Council for Racial and Religious Harmony – the ability to review restraining orders and advise if they are appropriate, with the president deciding whether to act on the council's advice.

Ms Lim said her party supports the racial harmony Bill but not the accompanying Bill to amend the Constitution, as it is not the president's responsibility to maintain public peace and order as he is not answerable to Parliament.