Despite their differences, new MPs-elect from both the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and the opposition Workers’ Party (WP) happily mingled together at a lunch gathering held at Parliament House.

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin invited newly-elected parliamentarians from both sides of the aisle to lunch and a tour of Parliament House, yesterday (7 Aug). The gathering seems to have been an orientation event of sorts, before the new 14th term of Parliament commences on 24 August.

New Sengkang GRC MP-elect He Ting Ru later wrote on Facebook: “Lunch with new MP elects today at Parliament House, and a tour of the building. Looking forward to good speeches and debates when Parliament opens”

Ms He shared photos from the gathering, that showed that she was seated with some of the PAP’s fresh faces, Jurong GRC’s Xie Yao Quan, Tanjong Pagar GRC’s Alvin Tan and Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC’s Yeo Wan Ling.

Not only did the four MPs elect seem to enjoy having lunch together, all four also posed for photos at Parliament House. A photo Ms He posted showed the four politicians standing at the entrance of the House, while maintaining social distance:

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https://www.facebook.com/hetingru/posts/2876892985749185?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCQ8gtXaeT9tnAENaR52MF41mXe8bvPfKJlVdCBEy0tKGRkKlMNjk9gj9_8kOyLSp-iT5s-D2G7xuHtaUs4LITG0JRagqOibv2OKTww40DN3L-EV8XtDqJyrbxbxFwOyVCNWdRggs_87YtY95Gdz0ESVCGpGEctIGCSrDgjFP1klQuFXbec3NaYNkq4jQ-chRrXgOJfArDfOvTZ_GX7C6TtGPFAnKMXH2U1pSTMrMLmapSYfE7A36f9iajj6n6QcjBBBcaH7OxDYkI7gJFl7vEdYfurJWj55abP5C1UeP8epfOwUbtmAsO4szV_9TLgyW4OR_tG4KfNGjPC8L5KHcsL7g&__tn__=-R

Alvin Tan also shared a selfie he took with his PAP colleagues and Ms He. He wrote on Facebook: “A light moment at our parliament orientation this afternoon. Majulah Singapura!”

https://www.facebook.com/alvinshtan/posts/1150569321984152

Ms He’s Sengkang GRC teammate Jamus Lim was also at the gathering but appears to have been seated elsewhere during the lunch. Sharing about his experience at Parliament House on his own Facebook page, Mr Lim wrote:

“The new MPs-elect were invited by House Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin to lunch at Parliament House, after which we went on a tour of the place. I learned that the Speaker actually has a mini soundspeaker embedded in the seat (behind the bulbous metal grate with a rook logo; the Speaker’s speaker?)—all the better to hear our passionate arguments when parliament is in session, I guess!”

https://www.facebook.com/jamusjlim/photos/a.114054826894198/163229441976736/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCLofwfRyje2ybHcT3HtFpZoAR-DlPPLVGxHps8g4r5925XBBb-dOgzQ6Vdm9WSRH1v7k1jGTZ2m9DOWkJGaxMolDt3YyFC3WggDeIEpmkEVptzCCqL_BwjoHjFwsiCEMuhIo847LLp7a4PzWHVi7hh-3C_qB2daoNE1fHtVOrpthjxhpUGdzknBr_yrZrbYiGWirrowzL6GHhJjgUCvR7VKSoj-QGPtnPfTvZyvCryfI80yl4EsjnPLWuZlEDC6murfc5NgxdOL_B3gJrGq7lfLctUCZMiHpRdTlyxwIqvxT7NS-FwRWzsNdDLyz2kSonYhDpnhN6qejPjTo5UFLY&__tn__=-R