Seah Kian Peng to be nominated again as Speaker of Singapore Parliament; Indranee Rajah will remain Leader of the House
SINGAPORE: Seah Kian Peng will be nominated for re-election as Speaker of Parliament when the House reopens on Sept 5, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Friday (June 20).
He is the current Speaker and has served in the role since 2023.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah has been designated by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as Leader of the House, the PMO added in its statement.
Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad will remain Deputy Leader.
In a letter to the Clerk of Parliament – the most senior official in the secretariat supporting the House – PM Wong said the Government will propose Seah's election and that he has designated Indranee and Zaqy for their roles.
In a Facebook post on the same day, PM Wong added that Seah has since 2023 brought 'a steady hand and thoughtful leadership to the House'.
PM Wong said: 'He has presided over our debates with fairness and ensured that proceedings are conducted with dignity and decorum. I am confident he will continue to discharge his responsibilities with distinction.'
In a Facebook post after the announcement, Seah thanked the Prime Minister for his confidence, support and nomination.
He added that he is grateful for the support of MPs past and present, and thanked his two deputies and colleagues from the Parliament Secretariat.
Seah is assisted by two Deputy Speakers, Christopher de Souza and Jessica Tan. Deputy Speakers, who take over when the Speaker is absent, are also elected when a new Parliament sits.
He said: 'If elected, I will as always endeavour to do my best and discharge my duties and responsibilities to the best of my ability.'
Zaqy, who is also an MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, told The Straits Times that he is thankful for PM Wong's trust in him.
He added that with a renewed slate of MPs, including many first-time parliamentarians from both the PAP and the opposition, a broader range of perspectives and voices in the House can be expected.
He said: 'We probably have about 20-30 per cent new MPs in Parliament this round, and I hope that this diversity will bring fresh energy and ideas to our national conversations.'
Singapore elected 97 MPs at the polls, and two Non-Constituency MPs were later appointed from the Workers' Party. Of these, 29 are rookies.
Zaqy added that many MPs were elected campaigning on various concerns and issues such as cost of living, jobs and economic uncertainty amid global tensions.
'Alongside these bread-and-butter issues, we'll also need to tackle longer-term challenges such as climate change, social mobility and ageing. Looking forward to a robust and constructive parliamentary term ahead,' he said.
There are no term limits for both the Speaker and the Leader of the House.
The Speaker is in charge of the administration of Parliament and its secretariat, and presides over its conduct. He or she decides who has the right to speak and puts the question for the House to debate and vote on.
The Speaker also acts as the representative of the House in its relations with other Parliaments and welcomes visiting dignitaries. He or she represents Parliament at national events and during official visits abroad.
The Leader of the House is responsible for arranging government business and the legislative programme of Parliament, and proposes appropriate actions to be taken on procedural matters arising in Parliament.
He or she also moves procedural motions, such as to extend the times of sittings beyond the usual.
For example, during her term as Leader, Indranee has addressed and issued notes on MPs' behaviour, and wrapped up or extended debates on key issues like the Budget and the 14th Parliament's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Seah, who is an MP for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, has served as Speaker since 2023. He was nominated and elected following the resignation of the previous Speaker, Tan Chuan-Jin, after an affair he had with fellow MP Cheng Li Hui was made public.
Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development and an MP for Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, has been Leader of the House since 2020. She took over from Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.
The opening of a new Parliament following a general election traditionally begins with the election of the Speaker. In 2025, this will happen on Sept 5, following the polls held on May 3.
The MPs will then be sworn in, and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is scheduled to deliver an address to the 15th Parliament.
The President's Address will set out the agenda and plans of the Government for its five-year term. - The Straits Times/ANN
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