Constitution of Singapoor

 

Article 44 Qualifications for Membership of Parliament

(1) Members of Parliament shall be persons qualified for election or for appointment in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and elected in the manner provided by or under any law for the time being in force in Singapore or appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Fourth Schedule.
(2) A person shall be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Member of Parliament if
(a) he is a citizen of Singapore;
(b) he is of the age of 21 years or above on the day of nomination;
(c) his name appears in a current register of electors;
(d) he is resident in Singapore at the date of his nomination for election and has been so resident for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 10 years prior to that date;
(e) he is able, with a degree of proficiency sufficient to enable
him to take an active part in the proceedings of Parliament, to speak and, unless incapacitated by blindness or other physical cause, to read and write at least one of the following languages, that is to say, English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil; and
(f) he is not disqualified from being a Member of Parliament under Article 45.
(3) Any question whether any person possesses the qualifications mentioned in clause (2) (e) shall be determined in such manner as may be prescribed by or under any law for the time being in force in Singapore or, in so far as not so prescribed, as may be provided by order made by the President and published in the Gazette.

Article 53 Use of Languages in Parliament
Until the Legislature otherwise provides, all debates and discussions in Parliament shall be conducted in Malay, English, Mandarin, or Tamil.

Article 123 Citizenship by Registration

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, any person resident in Singapore of or over the age of 21 years may, on application being made therefor in the prescribed form, be registered as a citizen of Singapore if he satisfies the Government that he
(a) is of good character;
(b) has resided in Singapore throughout the 12 months immediately preceding the date of his application;
(c) has during the 12 years immediately preceding the date of his application resided in Singapore for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 10 years: Provided that the Government may exempt any applicant from compliance with this paragraph
(i) where such applicant has during the 6 years immediately preceding the date of his application resided in Singapore for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 5 years; or
(ii) where in any special case the Government considers fit to confer citizenship upon such applicant;
(d) intends to reside permanently in Singapore; and
(e) has an elementary knowledge of one of the following languages, namely, Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil: Provided that the Government may exempt an applicant who has attained the age of 45 years or who is deaf or dumb from compliance with this paragraph.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, any woman who is married to a citizen of Singapore may, on making application therefor in the prescribed manner, be registered as a citizen of Singapore if she satisfies the Government
(a) that she has resided continuously in Singapore for a period of not less than two years immediately preceding the date of the application;
(b) that she intends to reside permanently in Singapore; and
(c) that she is of good character.

Article 152 Minorities and Special Position of Malays

(1) It shall be the responsibility of the Government constantly to care for the interests of the racial and religious minorities in Singapore.
(2) The Government shall exercise its functions in such manner as to recognize the special position of the Malays, who are the indigenous people of Singapore, and accordingly it shall be the responsibility of the Government to protect, safeguard, support, foster and promote their political, educational, religious, economic, social and cultural interests and the Malay language.