Seah Kian Peng nominated for re-election as Speaker of Parliament

SINGAPORE: Mr Seah Kian Peng will be nominated for re-election as Speaker of Parliament when the House reconvenes on Sep 5, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced on Jun 20.

Mr Seah, 62, has held the position since Aug 2, 2023, becoming the 11th Speaker of Parliament since the formation of Singapore’s First Legislative Assembly in 1955. He will continue to be supported by the two Deputy Speakers, Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo, both of whom assist in presiding over parliamentary proceedings when the Speaker is unavailable.

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong described Mr Seah as having brought “a steady hand and thoughtful leadership to the House” over the past year, presiding over debates “with fairness” and maintaining “dignity and decorum” during proceedings.

Mr Seah has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Braddell Heights in Marine Parade GRC since 2006, having been successfully re-elected in 2011, 2015, and 2020. Between 2011 and 2015, he served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament and chaired the Estimates Committee.

Outside of Parliament, Mr Seah has held various board positions in both the public and private sectors, including SingTel, National Parks Board, Health Promotion Board, ST Logistics, Income Insurance, and Trust Bank, among others. He also served as the founding chairman of the Harvard Business School Club of Singapore.

Mr Seah was awarded the Outstanding CEO of the Year at the Singapore Business Awards 2019/2020, recognising his leadership in the cooperative and social sectors.

Educated at Raffles Institution, Mr Seah was a Colombo Plan Scholar and graduated with First-Class Honours from the University of New South Wales in Australia.

Role of the Speaker of Parliament

The Speaker presides over House sittings and ensures order during debates in accordance with the Standing Orders of Parliament. Although the Speaker may be elected from outside Parliament, the individual must meet the qualifications required to stand for a parliamentary election.

The Speaker manages debates by deciding which Members of Parliament (MPs) may speak, oversees voting on motions, and provides rulings on procedural issues. The Speaker does not participate in debates and may vote only if they are an elected MP with an original vote. There is no casting vote in the event of a tie.

In addition to parliamentary duties, the Speaker represents the House in engagements with other legislatures and during official events. The Speaker also oversees the administration of Parliament and its secretariat.