Singapore — At least two groups have submitted the names of their candidates for appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs), only days before the submission deadline of 4.30 pm on Monday (Nov 23).
They are the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and a group of environmental activists.
The NTUC announced on Friday (Nov 20) that it had chosen vice-president Abdul Samad Abdul Wahab, a union leader since 2006, as a candidate for NMP. Mr Samad, 48, is the general secretary of the Union of Power and Gas Employees.
“Brother Samad is humble and down-to-earth. He always does his utmost to do what is best for his fellow workers regardless of the challenges. He will be able to draw on more than a decade of experience as a unionist to shape policies that will benefit workers and Singaporeans at large,” NTUC head Ng Chee Meng said in a Facebook post.
In a statement issued by NTUC, Mr Samad said: “With the pandemic affecting lives and livelihoods, I would also focus on providing much-needed help for our workers especially the middle-income sandwiched group, be it in areas of employment, training or coping with the cost of living.”
Mr Samad is in various NTUC committees, including the Membership Committee, which he heads, as well as the Membership Council, Training Council, Industrial Relations Council, Endowment Fund Management Committee and NTUC50 Development Fund Committee.
On Thursday, SG Green Groups Town Hall, a group of environmental activists who say they “hope to see more representation of environmental advocates in the Singapore Parliament” announced their nominee, Dr Andie Ang, a primate researcher who wants to “participate in the decision-making process so as to push for positive changes”.
She won over two other potential picks in an online vote after the group held a meeting, winning 49.7 per cent of the group’s votes.
Dr Ang wrote that among the focus areas she would look into as an NMP are nature and science-based solutions in tackling climate change, “greater and earlier incorporation of nature education in the mainstream curriculum” and “transparency and stakeholder engagement in the decision-making process relating to Singapore’s land use”.
NMPs are selected by an eight-member Special Select Committee chaired by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin. — TISG
Read also: If you think someone deserves to be an NMP, submit his or her name by Nov 23
Ex-NMP Calvin Cheng makes fun of Jamus Lim for insulting union workers