Minister for Communications and Information missed the most number of Parliamentary sessions among all MPs

A look through the Parliamentary Votes and Proceedings – which captures the official minutes of Parliamentary proceedings and contains an attendance record among other items, reveals that Minister for Communications and Information, S Iswaran, was the top absentee in Parliament, last year.

There were a total of 32 Parliamentary sittings in 2018. There were 17 sessions in the first quarter, 6 sessions in the second quarter, 5 sessions in the third quarter and 4 sessions in the last quarter of 2018.

Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) were among those who missed the most number of sittings. All six MPs who missed more than 20 per cent of all Parliamentary sittings in 2018 are from the PAP, as well.

Mr Iswaran missed the most number of sessions – he only attended 23 out of 31 sittings, missing 28.1 per cent of all sessions last year. Fellow PAP MPs Fatimah Lateef and Ng Eng Hen missed 8 sessions each.

MPs in Singapore earn a monthly allowance of S$16,000 that amounts to S$192,000 per year – this comes to about S$6,000 per Parliamentary sitting in 2018. MPs who are Ministers receive a heftier pay package.

With their monthly salary, performance bonus of between 3.4 to 4.9 months’ salary (averaging 4.1 months), national bonus of 3-6 months’ salary (averaging 4.3 months given all political office holders over a period of five years) and an annual variable component of 0.95 to 1.5 months’ salary (averaging 1.3 months), Ministers like Mr Iswaran could earn about S$1.9 million.

Take a look at the number of Parliamentary sittings each MP missed in the year of 2018, here:

1. Mr S Iswaran (West Coast GRC) – 9 (28.1%)
2. Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade GRC) – 8 (25.0%)
3. Dr Ng Eng Hen (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) – 8 (25.0%)
4. Mr Teo Ser Luck (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) – 7 (21.9%)
5. Mr Lee Yi Shyan (East Coast GRC) – 7 (21.9%)
6. Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Tampines GRC) – 7 (21.9%)
7. Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson) – 6 (18.8%)
8. Mr K Shanmugam (Nee Soon GRC) – 6 (18.8%)
9. Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien (Yuhua) – 5 (15.6%)
10. Dr Lam Pin Min (Sengkang West) – 5 (15.6%)
11. Mr Lim Swee Say (East Coast GRC) – 5 (15.6%)
12. Mr Tan Chuan-Jin (Marine Parade GRC) – 5 (15.6%)
13. Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Nee Soon GRC) – 4 (12.5%)
14. Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang) – 4 (12.5%)
15. Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (Fengshan) – 3 (9.4%)
16. Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng (Pioneer) – 3 (9.4%)
17. Mr Heng Swee Keat (Tampines GRC) – 3 (9.4%)
18. Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio GRC) – 3 (9.4%)
19. Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan (Hong Kah North) – 3 (9.4%)
20. Mr Lim Hng Kiang (West Coast GRC) – 3 (9.4%)
21. Mr Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied GRC) – 3 (9.4%)
22. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (Jurong GRC) – 3 (9.4%)
23. Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai (Marine Parade GRC) – 3 (9.4%)
24. Mr Amrin Amin (Sembawang GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
25. Mr Chen Show Mao (Aljunied GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
26. Dr Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
27. Mr Gan Kim Yong (Chua Chu Kang GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
28. Dr Koh Poh Koon (Ang Mo Kio GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
29. Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
30. Dr Mohamad Maliki (East Coast GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
31. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
32. Mr Ng Chee Meng (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
33. Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang) – 2 (6.3%)
34. Ms Sim Ann (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
35. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir) – 2 (6.3%)
36. Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
37. Mr Teo Chee Hean (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
38. Mrs Josephine Teo (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
39. Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) – 2 (6.3%)
40. Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
41. Mr Chan Chun Sing (Tanjong Pagar GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
42. Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
43. Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
44. Mr Khaw Boon Wan (Sembawang GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
45. Mr Desmond Lee (Jurong GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
46. Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
47. Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok) – 1 (3.1%)
48. Mr Ong Ye Kung (Sembawang GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
49. Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
50. Ms Sun Xueling (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
51. Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong (Radin Mas) – 1 (3.1%)
52. Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC) – 1 (3.1%)
53. Mr Alex Yam Ziming (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) – 1 (3.1%)