Ex-MP suggests imposing “cooling-off period” for resigning NMPs

SINGAPORE: Amid the debate over the resignations of two Nominated Members of Parliament (NMP) this week, former elected politician Leon Perera has suggested that imposing a “cooling-off period” for resigning NMPs could help to bolster the integrity of the NMP scheme.

Dr Syed Harun, a psychiatrist, and Mr Thomas, a lawyer, tendered their resignations as NMPs mid-term. The unanticipated resignations have raised eyebrows and sparked speculation that the two individuals could be fielded as ruling party candidates in the impending general election.

In a Facebook post published on Friday (14 Feb), academic Walid Jumblatt Abdullah said that although both men are his friends, an NMP resigning his post to become an MP would be “violating the spirit of having NMPs.” He expressed concerns that such a move could erode public trust in the NMP scheme and said that the credibility of this non-partisan institution must be protected.

Sharing Assoc Prof Walid’s post on his own Facebook page, Mr Perera proposed a solution to this issue, drawing from his experience as the sole opposition MP on the parliamentary committee that reviewed NMP applications from 2020 to 2023.

Mr Perera recommended introducing a time gap both before and after an individual’s NMP term. Specifically, he suggested that an individual should observe a mandatory cooling-off period between leaving a political party and applying for an NMP position, as well as a similar period before joining a political party after stepping down as an NMP.

The former politician stressed that implementing such measures would help protect the NMP scheme from becoming a pathway for partisan ambitions. He added, “More thought should also be given as to how to ensure that the selection process is seen to be directed by non-partisan actors.”

This is not the first time Mr Perera has advocated for such safeguards. In 2018, he proposed a similar cooling-off period for civil servants entering politics. At the time, he argued that requiring a gap—such as three years—between leaving public service and running for office would prevent public institutions from being compromised by partisan influences. He warned that without such measures, civil servants might engage in partisan behaviour to secure a future political career.