Netizens upset over Tan Chuan-Jin’s nomination as new Speaker of Parliament

By Phyllis Lee

On Tuesday, it was announced that Mr Tan Chuan-Jin will be nominated as the new Speaker of Parliament, following Mdm Halimah Yacob’s resignation to contest in this year’s Presidential Elections.

As the Speaker cannot be elected from members who are office holders, Mr Tan will resign as the Minister for Social and Family Development, said the Prime Minister’s Office.

After Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the nomination on Facebook, Mr Tan responded with another post and publicly accepted the nomination.

Netizens have expressed their support for him, saying that he’ll do well in his new post.

However, many are saying that this nomination is akin to a demotion from his previous position as a Minister. Becoming the Speaker also means that Mr Tan will be taking a pay cut.

Nevertheless, it seems that Mr Tan still stands by the nomination and promised that he will do his best as the Speaker of Parliament.