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 are nominated by the prime minister, but the Speaker is elected by MPs at the start of a new parliament.
The Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and enforces the rules for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business, deciding who has the right to speak and putting the questions for the House to debate and vote on.
In carrying out his or her duties, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs.
Although the Speaker need not be an MP, he or she must possess the qualifications to stand for election as an MP.
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 also welcomes visiting dignitaries and represents parliament at national events and during official visits abroad.
Mr Seah has brought “a steady hand and thoughtful leadership” to the House, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a Facebook post on Friday.
“He has presided over our debates with fairness and ensured that proceedings are conducted with dignity and decorum,” he added. “I am confident he will continue to discharge his responsibilities with distinction.”
