Sylvia Lim supports the repeal of s377a but abstains from Constitutional Amendment Bill скачать в хорошем качестве

Sylvia Lim supports the repeal of s377a but abstains from Constitutional Amendment Bill

Ms Sylvia Lim, Workers' Party while supporting the repeal of Section 377a of the Penal Code, abstains from the Constitutional Amendment Bill over concerns over the removal of judicial oversight on marriages. Speaking in the debate on the repeal of s377a and the Constitutional amendment on Monday (28 Nov), Ms Lim disagreed with having the definition of marriage as something that the Courts cannot assess for Constitutionality, stating that it does not seem to be justified. "To clarify, I am not advocating for gay marriages here. My concern is purely about whether it is justified to exclude judicial scrutiny on this topic. From a governance standpoint, I find this position very difficult to accept." "Under Article 93 of the Constitution, judicial power has been vested in our Courts. Article 4 provides that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land." "Article 4 provides that laws passed by Parliament that are inconsistent with the Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void." "The Constitution is the fundamental legal safeguard of citizens, to protect them against illegal laws and policies that violate the Constitution. And it is the job of the Courts to assess whether any law is Constitutional or not." "As for Articles 156(3) and (4), I am concerned about the Courts being further curtailed in their Constitutional duty to check Parliament and the Government." "I am also concerned about whether the carve-out of judicial oversight on the institution of marriage will set a precedent for future carve-outs, even if this is not the intention today. This is potentially detrimental to Singaporeans."