Parliament in brief: Speaker’s pay and other highlights from Oct 6

Parliament also passed new tax and financial sector measures, and debated data centre regulations.

View of the parliament sitting on Oct 6, 2026. (Image: CNA)

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SINGAPORE: From plans for a new law to reinforce deterrent sentences for scam offenders to measures to regulate data centres, parliament tackled a wide range of issues on Tuesday (Oct 6).

The House also heard that eight public service officers have been referred to the police as part of a review of property purchases near unannounced MRT stations.

Salary adjustments for the president and parliament’s presiding officers were approved, while MPs passed legislation covering tax measures and financial safeguards.

Here are five issues discussed in parliament on Tuesday.

INCREASES TO SALARIES OF PRESIDENT, SPEAKER, DEPUTY SPEAKER

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Parliament unanimously approved three motions relating to salary and allowance adjustments for the president, speaker of parliament and deputy speakers of parliament. The three motions tabled by Leader of the House Indranee Rajah came after the House debated and approved the increase to political salaries last month. From Oct 15, political office holders will receive up to 9 per cent increase in their salaries , while allowances for Members of Parliament were also raised. There was no debate on Tuesday as no MP rose to speak on the motions, which sought parliament’s resolution to implement the recommendations from the independent review committee to adjust the salary packages of the three roles. With parliament approving the motions, the privy purse, which is used to meet the president’s salary, will be raised from S$1,568,900 (US$1,230,000) to S$2,568,200. This gives effect to the salary adjustment for the president, which is pegged to the reference monthly salary of the prime minister and also consists of a 13th month bonus and an annual variable component pegged to rates received by the civil service, Ms Indranee said in her speech. Meanwhile, the annual salary of the Speaker, if it were a full-time post, is pegged to the MR4 minister reference annual salary, comprising a monthly base salary, 13th month bonus and an annual variable component. As it is a part-time post, the Speaker will receive half of the MR4 reference annual salary, bringing the sum from S$550,000 to S$900,000 a year. Similarly, as the Deputy Speaker position is also a part-time post, the annual allowance is pegged at 15 per cent of the Speaker's part-time annual salary, bringing the amount from S$82,500 to S$135,000 a year.

Parliament unanimously approved three motions relating to salary and allowance adjustments for the president, speaker of parliament and deputy speakers of parliament.

The three motions tabled by Leader of the House Indranee Rajah came after the House debated and approved the increase to political salaries last month. From Oct 15, political office holders will receive up to 9 per cent increase in their salaries , while allowances for Members of Parliament were also raised.

There was no debate on Tuesday as no MP rose to speak on the motions, which sought parliament’s resolution to implement the recommendations from the independent review committee to adjust the salary packages of the three roles.

With parliament approving the motions, the privy purse, which is used to meet the president’s salary, will be raised from S$1,568,900 (US$1,230,000) to S$2,568,200.

This gives effect to the salary adjustment for the president, which is pegged to the reference monthly salary of the prime minister and also consists of a 13th month bonus and an annual variable component pegged to rates received by the civil service, Ms Indranee said in her speech.

Meanwhile, the annual salary of the Speaker, if it were a full-time post, is pegged to the MR4 minister reference annual salary, comprising a monthly base salary, 13th month bonus and an annual variable component.

As it is a part-time post, the Speaker will receive half of the MR4 reference annual salary, bringing the sum from S$550,000 to S$900,000 a year.

Similarly, as the Deputy Speaker position is also a part-time post, the annual allowance is pegged at 15 per cent of the Speaker's part-time annual salary, bringing the amount from S$82,500 to S$135,000 a year.

FINANCE (INCOME TAXES) BILL

Parliament also passed a Bill that, among other things, brought tax measures announced earlier this year into legal effect. The tax measures are meant to help businesses cope with cost pressures from the Middle East conflict and invest in AI.

These amendments allow the previously announced 50 per cent corporate income tax rebate and S$2,000 (US$1,560) cash grant for active companies that employ at least one local employee to take effect.

The Finance (Income Taxes) Bill also introduced amendments to comply with the latest global minimum tax rules and introduced changes to simplify tax filing for taxpayers.

Second Minister for Finance Jeffrey Siow estimated that the amendments will cost the government around S$1.5 billion.

FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS (AMENDMENTS) BILL

Changes to the Financial Services and Markets (Amendments) Bill were passed in parliament on Tuesday. The move will ensure that distressed financial institutions can be resolved in a way that preserves financial stability and maintains confidence in Singapore’s financial system, Minister of State for Energy, Trade and Industry Alvin Tan said.

The new laws will allow the Monetary Authority of Singapore to impose total loss-absorbing capacity on domestic systemically important banks in Singapore. These comprise three local and four foreign banks – DBS, OCBC, UOB, Citibank, Maybank, Standard Chartered and HSBC.

Total loss-absorbing capacity is a type of international standard for such banks. It ensures that the banks have enough equity and bail-in debt, or debt that can be written off, so they can pass losses to investors and minimise the risk of a government bailout if they are in distress.

The changes also include some “technical amendments” to align Singapore’s framework to counter proliferation financing, or the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, with the updated international standards by the Financial Action Task Force, Mr Tan said.

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL

Parliament debated the Digital Infrastructure Bill, with the 12 MPs who spoke so far supporting regulation of the data centre sector.

Under the Bill, all operators of data centres in Singapore with a critical IT load of at least 3 megawatts will need to be licensed.

Data centres will be required to meet facility-level energy-efficiency requirements, including power usage effectiveness requirements, as a first step.

MPs raised concerns over the climate impact of expanding data centre capacity in Singapore, with some noting how the facilities consume a large amount of water and power.

They questioned whether Singapore has enough low-carbon electricity to support the further growth of data centres, given the country's limited energy resources, and whether expansion could put additional pressure on the national grid.

Some also questioned the bearing of the costs associated with this growth.

The sitting was adjourned, and the debate will resume on Wednesday.

ADJOURNMENT MOTION ON F&B BUSINESSES

Parliament also heard an adjournment motion filed by Workers’ Party’s Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim on saving local food and beverage businesses. He called for the easing of rental and manpower constraints for the sector.

On rental concerns, he proposed that public agencies and government affiliates can take the first step in bringing about alternative tenancy arrangements, such as adopting tender criteria that place a greater weight on food offerings, business quality, and innovation and productivity plans, rather than bid prices alone.

To meet labour needs, he suggested, among other recommendations, that it would be helpful for F&B operators to be allowed to hire Malaysians as stall assistants, saying they "clearly share a similar hawker culture".

In response, Senior Minister of State for Energy, Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling noted that imposing rental controls was "not straightforward" and "could have far-reaching consequences".

She said that commercial properties operate under different market conditions and businesses too vary widely in operating models, locations and customer profiles.

Imposing rental caps would require the government to intervene directly in private commercial lease negotiations, Ms Low said, adding that this could distort market pricing and prevent rents from reflecting actual demand and supply conditions.

She added that the government provides targeted manpower flexibility “where there is a clear need”, such as allowing businesses to hire work permit holders from non-traditional sources for selected roles on the non-traditional sources occupation list, such as cooks. The list has been expanded to include more F&B roles from September.

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议会还通过了新的税收和金融部门措施，并讨论了数据中心监管条例。

2026年10月6日国会开会现场。（图片来源：CNA）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：从制定新法律以加强对诈骗罪犯的威慑性判决，到采取措施监管数据中心，国会周二（10 月 6 日）处理了一系列广泛的问题。

众议院还获悉，作为对未公布的地铁站附近房产购买情况审查的一部分，有八名公务员被移交警方调查。

总统和议会主席的薪资调整获得批准，议员们还通过了涵盖税收措施和财政保障的立法。

以下是周二议会讨论的五个议题。

提高总统、议长、副议长的薪资

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小谜题，脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 国会一致通过了三项关于总统、议长和副议长薪酬及津贴调整的动议。这三项动议由国会领袖英兰妮·拉贾提出，此前国会已于上月辩论并通过了提高政治人物薪酬的决议。自10月15日起，政治人物的薪酬将增加至多9%，国会议员的津贴也有所提高。周二没有进行辩论，因为没有议员就这些动议发言。这些动议旨在寻求国会决议，以落实独立审查委员会关于调整这三个职位薪酬方案的建议。随着国会批准这些动议，用于支付总统薪金的私人津贴将从1,568,900新元（1,230,000美元）增加到2,568,200新元。英兰妮在演讲中表示，这将对总统的薪金进行调整，总统的薪金与总理的参考月薪挂钩，并包括第13个月奖金和与公务员薪级挂钩的年度浮动部分。同时，如果议长是全职职位，其年薪将与MR4部长参考年薪挂钩，包括月基本工资、第13个月奖金和年度浮动部分。由于议长是兼职职位，其年薪将为MR4部长参考年薪的一半，即从每年550,000新元增加到900,000新元。同样，由于副议长职位也是兼职职位，其年度津贴按议长兼职年薪的 15% 计算，使年度津贴金额从 82,500 新元增至 135,000 新元。

议会一致通过了三项与总统、议长和副议长薪金及津贴调整有关的动议。

上个月，议会辩论并通过了提高政治人物薪酬的决议。此后，议会领袖英兰妮·拉贾提出了三项动议。自10月15日起，政治官员的薪酬将增加至多9%，国会议员的津贴也有所提高。

周二没有进行辩论，因为没有议员就这些动议发言。这些动议旨在寻求议会决议，以落实独立审查委员会关于调整这三个职位薪酬方案的建议。

国会批准这些动议后，用于支付总统薪水的私人津贴将从 1,568,900 新元（1,230,000 美元）增加到 2,568,200 新元。

英德拉妮女士在讲话中表示，这将对总统的薪酬进行调整，总统的薪酬与总理的参考月薪挂钩，还包括第 13 个月的奖金和与公务员薪酬标准挂钩的年度浮动部分。

同时，如果议长是全职职位，其年薪将与 MR4 部长参考年薪挂钩，包括每月基本工资、第 13 个月奖金和年度浮动部分。

由于这是一个兼职职位，议长将获得 MR4 参考年薪的一半，使年薪从 55 万新元增加到 90 万新元。

同样，由于副议长职位也是兼职职位，其年度津贴按议长兼职年薪的 15% 计算，使年度津贴金额从 82,500 新元增至 135,000 新元。

财政（所得税）法案

议会还通过了一项法案，该法案除其他内容外，将今年早些时候宣布的税收措施正式生效。这些税收措施旨在帮助企业应对中东冲突带来的成本压力，并投资于人工智能领域。

这些修正案使得之前宣布的对至少雇用一名本地员工的活跃公司给予 50% 的企业所得税回扣和 2,000 新元（1,560 美元）现金补助的政策得以生效。

《财政（所得税）法案》还引入了修正案，以符合最新的全球最低税收规则，并引入了简化纳税人报税流程的变更。

财政部第二部长萧敬腾估计，这些修正案将使政府损失约15亿新元。

金融服务和市场（修订）法案

周二，国会通过了《金融服务与市场（修正）法案》的修订案。能源、贸易及工业部政务部长陈庆炎表示，此举将确保陷入困境的金融机构能够得到妥善处置，从而维护金融稳定，并保持公众对新加坡金融体系的信心。

新法将允许新加坡金融管理局对新加坡境内具有系统重要性的银行实施全面损失吸收能力。这些银行包括三家本地银行和四家外资银行——星展银行、华侨银行、大华银行、花旗银行、马来亚银行、渣打银行和汇丰银行。

总损失吸收能力是此类银行的一种国际标准。它确保银行拥有足够的权益和自救债务（即可以注销的债务），以便在陷入困境时能够将损失转嫁给投资者，并最大限度地降低政府救助的风险。

陈先生表示，这些变化还包括一些“技术性修改”，以使新加坡打击扩散融资（即大规模杀伤性武器扩散融资）的框架与金融行动特别工作组更新的国际标准保持一致。

数字基础设施法案

议会就《数字基础设施法案》进行了辩论，目前发言的 12 位议员均支持对数据中心行业进行监管。

根据该法案，新加坡所有关键 IT 负载至少为 3 兆瓦的数据中心运营商都需要获得许可。

数据中心首先需要满足设施级别的能效要求，包括电力使用效率要求。

新加坡议员对数据中心扩容对气候的影响表示担忧，一些议员指出，这些设施消耗大量的水和电。

他们质疑，鉴于新加坡能源资源有限，该国是否有足够的低碳电力来支持数据中心的进一步发展，以及扩张是否会给国家电网带来额外的压力。

一些人也质疑这种增长所带来的成本是否应该由企业承担。

会议休会，辩论将于周三继续进行。

关于餐饮业务的休会动议

国会还听取了工人党盛港集选区议员林志蔚提出的休会动议，该动议旨在拯救本地餐饮企业。他呼吁放宽该行业的租金和人力限制。

关于租金问题，他建议公共机构和政府附属机构可以率先采取替代租赁安排，例如采用更注重食品供应、业务质量、创新和生产力计划的招标标准，而不是仅仅关注投标价格。

为了满足劳动力需求，他建议，除其他建议外，允许餐饮经营者雇用马来西亚人担任摊位助理会很有帮助，并表示他们“显然有着相似的小贩文化”。

对此，能源、贸易及工业部高级政务部长刘燕玲指出，实施租金管制“并非易事”，而且“可能会产生深远的影响”。

她表示，商业地产的运营市场环境各不相同，企业的运营模式、地理位置和客户群体也存在很大差异。

刘女士表示，设定租金上限将需要政府直接干预私人商业租赁谈判，这可能会扭曲市场定价，并阻止租金反映实际的供求状况。

她补充说，政府会在“有明确需求”的情况下提供有针对性的人力资源灵活性，例如允许企业从非传统渠道招聘工作准证持有者担任非传统渠道职业清单上的特定职位，例如厨师。该清单已于9月扩大，涵盖了更多餐饮业职位。

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