SINGAPORE : Nineteen proposals have been received by the government for an integrated resort, and the Cabinet will decide on the issue in four to six weeks.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made clear to Parliament on Wednesday that the issue will not be put to a referendum or a free vote in Parliament as suggested by some MPs.
He said while the robust public debate so far has been emotional at times, the issue is a policy one and not about national survival or an issue of conscience.
Mr Lee said the robust public debate was an example of active citizenry, but this does not mean that the Government can abdicate its responsibility in decision-making.
Mr Lee said: "The Government cannot govern by referendum. The casino is not an issue of national survival or sovereignty that deserves to be settled by a referendum.
"Nor is it an issue of conscience or fundamental principle like abortion or organ transplantation, because we already have many forms of legal gambling in Singapore. So there is no need for a free vote in Parliament, which Mr Tan Soo Khoon had suggested.
"It is a policy matter - whether to allow an additional outlet for gambling, and weighing the pros and cons to decide whether the economic benefit to Singapore of doing so outweighs the social costs.
"Let me put the issue in perspective. The casino will neither be the panacea to the challenges facing us, boosting growth, creating jobs or raising revenues.
"Nor will we allow it to undermine the foundations on which Singapore has been built and what we have come to stand for - hard work, strong families, a safe and secure and wholesome environment. No one can know exactly how things will turn out, but this should not paralyse us from making a decision one way or the other."
Mr Lee added: "Besides ensuring a conducive overall environment for businesses, we will continue to promote in a more focused way certain key and promising sectors of the economy. Tourism is one such sector, and the proposed Integrated Resort including possibly a casino is part of our overall set of initiatives to promote tourism." - CNA