All members of Parliament will now wear a mask when in Parliament.

Must wear mask in Parliament

Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin announced this in Parliament on Monday (May 4), saying that all members will wear masks within Parliament House from May 4 onwards.

They will only remove the masks temporarily while delivering speeches in the Chamber so that they can be heard clearly.

Tan also shared a photo of himself in Parliament earlier today at the Form Up Place, which is by the main door to the chambers.

During the previous Parliament sitting, which was in early April, it was not yet mandatory to wear masks within the chamber.

On Apr. 14, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong announced that it is now compulsory for everyone in Singapore to wear masks the moment they leave their houses.

Safe distancing measures have been in place in Parliament since March, with members being seated at spaced intervals spread out over two floors.

Allowing for Parliament to meet from more than one location

Proposed changes to the Constitution will also allow for arrangements to be made for Parliament and its committees to sit at two or more appointed places during the pandemic, if necessary.

Leader of the House and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu will introduce an amendment Bill on this in Parliament.

Parliament had last met from more than one location in 2003, during the SARS outbreak, Straits Times reported.

In Apr. 2003, Parliament met to discuss the Government's response to SARS.

Ng Eng Hen, Balaji Sadasivan and Vivian Balakrishnan addressed Parliament from a separate room as they had each had visited various SARS-hit hospitals.

Then-MP for Ayer Rajah and doctor Tan Cheng Bock spoke from his home via video conferencing as he had put himself under voluntary quarantine after treating a patient who had been infected.

Top photo via Tan Chuan-Jin/FB, CNA video screenshot