Latest news with #SeahKianPeng
CNA
18 hours ago
- Politics
- CNA
Seah Kian Peng to be appointed Speaker of Parliament, Indranee Rajah will remain House Leader
SINGAPORE: Mr Seah Kian Peng will be nominated for re-election as Speaker of Parliament when the House convenes on Sep 5 in the first sitting since the May General Election. Mr Seah, who is Member of Parliament for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, has served as Speaker since 2023. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah will remain Leader of the House, while Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad will continue as Deputy Leader, the Prime Minister's Office announced on Friday (Jun 20). All three positions were nominated by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, but the Speaker will be elected by MPs at the start of a new parliament. The Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and enforces the rules prescribed in the Standing Orders of Parliament for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business. Although the Speaker need not be an MP, he or she must possess the qualifications to stand for election as an MP. In carrying out his or her duties, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs. The Speaker regulates and enforces the rules of debate, deciding who has the right to speak and putting the questions for the House to debate and vote on. The Speaker does not take part in the debates of the House, but can abstain or vote for or against a motion if he or she has an original vote as an elected member. He or she has no casting vote. The Speaker is overall in charge of the administration of parliament and acts as the representative of the House. In order duties, the Speaker also welcomes visiting dignitaries and represents parliament at national events and during official visits abroad. Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development, has been House Leader since 2020. Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad has also been Deputy Leader since 2020. The Leader of the House is responsible for the arrangement of government business and the legislative programme of parliament. He or she also proposes appropriate actions to be taken on any procedural matters arising in parliament. House Leaders also move procedural motions relating to the business of the House during sittings, such as to extend the times of sittings beyond the usual time as set out in the Standing Orders. The 15th parliament will have 97 elected MPs and two non-constituency MPs. The new session will kick off with the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of MPs at 5pm on Sep 5.
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Seah Kian Peng to be nominated Speaker of Parliament; Indranee Rajah will remain Leader of the House
Mr Seah Kian Peng has served in the role since 2023, and Ms Indranee Rajah has been Leader of the House since 2020. PHOTO: MDDI Seah Kian Peng to be nominated Speaker of Parliament; Indranee Rajah will remain Leader of the House SINGAPORE – Mr Seah Kian Peng will be nominated for reelection as Speaker of Parliament when the House reopens on Sept 5, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on June 20. Mr Seah is the current Speaker and has served in the role since 2023. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah has been nominated 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. Both the Speaker and the Leader of the House are nominated by the prime minister, but the Speaker is subsequently elected by the House when it meets. Both roles do not have term limits. The Speaker is in charge of the administration of Parliament and its secretariat, and presides over its conduct. He or she also 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 also 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 also proposes appropriate actions to be taken on any 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, Ms Indranee has addressed and issued notes on MPs' behaviour, and wrapped up or extended debates on key issues such as the Budget and the 14th Parliament's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Seah, who is 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 Mr Tan Chuan-Jin after an affair he had with fellow MP Cheng Li Hui was made public. Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development and 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. This will happen on Sept 5 this year, following the polls 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. Ng Wei Kai is a journalist at The Straits Times, where he covers politics. He writes Unpacked, a weekly newsletter on Singapore politics and policy. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Business Times
08-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Income Eco Run raises S$70,000 for WWF-Singapore
[SINGAPORE] The inclement weather in the wee hours of Sunday (Jun 8) morning did not deter close to 5,500 people from turning up for the annual Income Eco Run at Marina Barrage to run for a good cause. The carbon-neutral event featured five distances – 3 km, 5 km, 10 km, 15 km and the 21.1 km half-marathon – as well as a kids' run and a new pets category. A group of 20 athletes with special needs from Special Olympics Singapore also took part, running alongside volunteer pacers. Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng flagged off the 5 km and 10 km runs at 8 am, about an hour later than scheduled due to the rain. He also took part in the 5 km event. This year's Eco Run was held in conjunction with Income Insurance's 55th anniversary celebrations. On Saturday night, nine runners took part in an invitation-only 55 km ultra-marathon. Income Insurance once again matched S$1 for every kilometre clocked, bringing the total contribution to S$70,000 – the largest amount raised so far. The money will go towards supporting the World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore's (WWF-Singapore) pilot programme to reduce single-use food and beverage packaging. This programme, supported by WWF-Singapore's partnership with Income Insurance, aligns with the Singapore Green Plan's target to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill each day by 30 per cent by 2030. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up After a rain-induced delay, the runners were raring to go at the starting line at Marina Barrage. PHOTO: INCOME INSURANCE Income Insurance's chief executive officer Andrew Yeo said: 'We are proud to champion zero waste not just in principle but in practice – from how we manage logistics, materials and waste, to how we rally and engage the public on sustainable choices.' At the hydration points along the route, for instance, a total of 73,000 compostable, plastic-free cups were used. Instead of being sent to the landfill, these cups will be composted along with banana peels that were collected as part of broader waste-segregation efforts. The organisers also avoided further waste by encouraging participants to run in their own or past Eco Run shirts. Those who completed their runs received e-certificates instead of physical medals, and the run bibs they wore were about 65 per cent smaller than standard bibs. At last year's Eco Run, 60 per cent more recyclables were recycled including metal cans, paper cartons and plastic bottles, and general waste generated per person dropped by 25 per cent.
CNA
24-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: WP defends strategy; PAP team for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights revels in walkover
The Workers' Party (WP) chief has rebutted criticism from fellow opposition parties for his decision not to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. WP was expected to field a team, but eventually did not file their papers for the GRC on Nomination Day. Meanwhile, MP-elect Seah Kian Peng says his Marine Parade-Braddell Heights team has hit the ground running to engage residents, some of whom are already mulling travel plans for Polling Day long weekend now that they no longer have to vote. Clare Lee and Alif Amysar report. The Workers' Party (WP) chief has rebutted criticism from fellow opposition parties for his decision not to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. WP was expected to field a team, but eventually did not file their papers for the GRC on Nomination Day. Meanwhile, MP-elect Seah Kian Peng says his Marine Parade-Braddell Heights team has hit the ground running to engage residents, some of whom are already mulling travel plans for Polling Day long weekend now that they no longer have to vote. Clare Lee and Alif Amysar report.
The Star
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Singapore GE2025: A walkover and surprise moves - highlights from nomination day
SINGAPORE: Candidates from 11 political parties filed their papers at nine nomination centres across the island on Wednesday (April 23), kicking off the campaign for Singapore's 15th General Election. With the political chessboard in place, the nine-day campaign period kicked off once nomination papers were filed. Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3, after Cooling Off Day on May 2. Here are the key highlights from nomination day. 1. Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC walkover The PAP team comprising Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Tin Pei Ling, and political newcomers Diana Pang and Goh Pei Ming, were returned to power after the GRC was uncontested by the opposition. At the last polls, WP made a play for Marine Parade GRC but this year, in what was a last-minute Nomination Day surprise, the WP did not field a team to contest the newly formed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. This is the first walkover in a general election since 2011, when Tanjong Pagar GRC went uncontested and the PAP won in a walkover. 2. Surprise moves by heavyweights The ruling PAP made a surprise move by diverting Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong from Chua Chu Kang GRC to field him in Punggol GRC instead. Gan will lead the PAP team comprising Dr Janil Puthucheary, Sun Xueling and Yeo Wan Ling. Meanwhile, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng moved from Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC to replace Gan in Chua Chu Kang. The split-second switch-up came at the last minute, after Dr Tan was seen at 9.30am at PAP's Mountbatten branch, where the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights team met earlier in the morning. The WP also moved Faisal Manap, 49, one of its incumbent Aljunied GRC MPs, to lead its team in Tampines GRC. 3. Punggol - the electoral contest to watch Punggol GRC is shaping up to be the electoral contest to watch at this year's polls. The WP chose to field one of its 'star catches', senior counsel Harpreet Singh Nehal, as part of its Punggol slate, along with its other new faces, Jackson Au, Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar and Alexis Dang. The PAP, likely anticipating a tough fight, moved Mr Gan to Punggol GRC to bolster its chances. Before Nomination Day, pundits tipped East Coast GRC to emerge as of the hottest election battlegrounds, predicting that the WP would field one of its big names in the constituency. The WP team in East Coast will be led by former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, 60. The WP will face off against a PAP team led by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong, 55. 4. Political veterans retire Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will retire from politics. Both men were seen at nomination centres in the morning, but were not fielded as candidates. Teo first entered politics when he was part of a PAP team that contested and won a by-election in Marine Parade GRC in 1992. Meanwhile, Heng made his political debut in the 2011 general election as part of the five-member PAP team contesting Tampines GRC. 5. Multi-cornered fights Tampines GRC, Sembawang GRC and Ang Mo Kio GRC, as well as Radin Mas SMC and Potong Pasir SMC will have multi-cornered fights. In Tampines GRC, the PAP team is facing off against the WP, National Solidarity Party (NSP) and People's Power Party (PPP) in a four-cornered fight. Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, 62 will helm the Tampines GRC team that also comprises Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Sustainability and the Environment Koh Poh Koon, 53, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Baey Yam Keng, 54, and two new faces - former chief of army David Neo, 47, and Dr Charlene Chen, 43, an assistant professor of marketing at Nanyang Technological University. The WP is fielding Faisal Manap, Jimmy Tan, 53, co-founder of industrial equipment supply firm Immanuel Engineering, Institute of Mental Health senior principal clinical psychologist Ong Lue Ping, 48, former diplomat Eileen Chong, 33, and Michael Thng, 37, co-founder of technology start-up Showdrop. The NSP is fielding party president Reno Fong, 56, party vice-president Mohd Ridzwan Mohammad, 63, assistant secretary-general Eugene Yeo, 49, financial planner Zee Phay, 32, and Thamilselvan Karuppaya, 57, who is self-employed. The PPP is fielding a slate comprising secretary-general Goh Meng Seng, 55, party chairman Derrick Sim, 44, landscaping executive Vere Nathan, 26, green tech firm founder Peter Soh, 65, and entrepreneur Arbaah Haroun, 50. In Ang Mo Kio GRC, there will be a three-cornered fight between the PAP, Singapore United Party (SUP), and PPP. The PAP team will be led by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 73. It will also comprise incumbent Ang Mo Kio GRC MPs Darryl David, 54, and Nadia Ahmad Samdin, 35, as well as newcomer Jasmin Lau, 42, and Victor Lye, 63. As for the SUP, its Ang Mo Kio slate comprises the party's secretary-general Andy Zhu, 42, Noraini Yunus, 57, party chairman Ridhuan Chandran, 53, flight attendant Nigel Ng, 39, and Dr Vincent Ng, 52. The PPP team in Ang Mo Kio comprises party treasurer William Lim, 47, retired civil servant Martinn Ho, 64, safety coordinator Thaddeus Thomas, 43, IT engineer Samuel Lee, 33, and former horticulturalist Heng Zheng Dao, 24. Sembawang GRC will also see a three-way fight between the PAP, NSP and Singapore Democratic Party. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung will lead the PAP team, which will be made up of incumbent MPs Vikram Nair and Mariam Jaafar, and two new faces - Gabriel Lam, 42, who is chief operating officer of moving company Shalom International Movers, and Ng Shi Xuan, 35, director of battery company Powermark Battery and Hardware. The SDP team consists of hospital assistant director Bryan Lim, music publisher Surayah Akbar, research institute director James Gomez, entrepreneur Alfred Tan, and Damanhuri Abas, an educational consultant. The NSP team will be led by its secretary-general Spencer Ng and include Raiyian Chia, a private-hire driver and swim coach, Republic Polytechnic lecturer Verina Ong, Republic Polytechnic associate lecturer Lee Wei, and Yadzeth Hairis, who was in NSP's 2015 and 2020 Sembawang teams. In the Radin Mas single seat, incumbent PAP MP Melvin Yong will defend his seat against Kumar Appavoo from the People's Alliance for Reform (PAR) and independent candidate Darryl Lo. In the Potong Pasir single seat, the lawyer Alex Yeo takes over the baton from outgoing PAP MP Sitoh Yi Pin, and will face off against PAR secretary-general Lim Tean, and Singapore People's Party candidate Williamson Lee. In GE2020, there were two multi-cornered fights in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Pioneer SMC. - The Straits Times/ANN
