Leong Mun Wai questions public confidence in NMP scheme

SINGAPORE: The Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme is once again in the spotlight, with questions raised as to whether or not the people who become NMPs are indeed independent and non-partisan.

In the first week of January, a photo of Haresh Singaraju, who was appointed as an NMP this month, wearing a shirt with the People’s Action Party (PAP) logo surfaced. Dr Haresh removed the photo from his Instagram account, telling the South China Morning Post to protect the privacy of others who were in it.

Importantly, he told SCMP that he was “serving in parliament in an independent, non-partisan capacity to serve Singaporeans.”

Last February, Syed Harun Alhabsyi stepped down from his post as NMP, and the next month was spotted along with the PAP team at Nee Soon GRC. He was fielded there by the ruling party in the May 3 polls and is currently Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Development.

Last week, PSP chief and former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leong Mun Wai penned a Facebook post on the NMP scheme that received a lot of attention.

Writing that he had attended the Parliament sitting last week on the motion to deem Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh unfit for the role of Leader of the Opposition, he noted that there were NMPs who had also given speeches during the debate.

While Mr Leong qualified that the backgrounds of the NMPs are not in question and he said that they may be of value to Parliament, he opined that “their participation in the debate on the motion on Pritam Singh’s suitability to serve as Leader of the Opposition has further damaged the credibility of the NMP scheme.

He added that this is due to the nature of their appointments as NMPs, which is done via a Select Committee in Parliament largely made up of PAP MPs.

“Their presence in Parliament is arguably in the gift of the ruling party, similar to the office of the Leader of the Opposition,” added Mr Leong, who also noted that no NMP has voted differently from the PAP’s position since the vote on the repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code in 2022.

“These recent developments have diminished public confidence in the NMP scheme as a non-partisan institution,” wrote Mr Leong, adding, “if the NMP scheme is to continue, its independence and non-partisan nature must be further strengthened in law, starting with a reform of the selection process.”

The motion to deem Mr Singh as unfit for the Leader of the Opposition role passed, with only the WP MPs opposing the motion. Eight of the nine current NMPs were present during the voting, and all supported the motion.

Public sentiment since then may be perceived to be somewhat different, however. An online poll showed that 78 per cent of respondents said they did not agree with Mr Singh’s removal as Leader of the Opposition, and the WP’s choice to refuse to nominate another WP MP in his place has also been met with approval online. /TISG

Read also: Fresh batch of NMPs vows to challenge status quo on jobs, healthcare, and special needs support