SINGAPORE: The nominated member of parliament (NMP) seats left vacant by the resignations of Mr Raj Joshua Thomas and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi will not be filled in the current term of parliament.
In a report on Tuesday (Apr 8), the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament said that it had come to the decision after meeting to consider the matter a day earlier.
“Under Article 65(4) of the Constitution, the current parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from its first sitting on Aug 24, 2020, and shall then stand dissolved,” the committee said, highlighting that this meant the current parliament would be dissolved by Aug 23 this year.
“Considering the time required to invite the general public to submit names of persons who may be considered for nomination by the committee and the term of the current parliament, the committee decided not to nominate any persons for appointment as nominated members of parliament to fill the two vacancies.”
The committee members present at the meeting were Speaker of the House Seah Kian Peng, Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Education and Manpower, and Ms Sylvia Lim from the opposition’s Workers’ Party.
The committee’s two other members, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, were not present at the meeting.
The Constitution states that whenever an NMP seat becomes vacant for any reason other than a dissolution of parliament or the expiry of the member’s term of service, the committee may, if it thinks fit, nominate a person to fill the vacancy.
Mr Thomas and Dr Syed Harun resigned as NMPs on Feb 14, fuelling talk that they may contest in the upcoming General Election, which must be held by November.
