TL;DR Eight new NMPs to be appointed, one to serve second term. These distinguished individuals bring with them remarkable achievements in their respective domains
The Special Select Committee, responsible for the appointment of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs), has concluded its deliberations and selected nine individuals to fill the NMP vacancies. The Committee, which had invited public and functional group submissions, received 30 proposal forms during the nomination period from March 16 to April 19, 2023.
The NMP scheme was introduced in 1990 to ensure diverse perspectives and expertise in parliamentary debates. NMPs are appointed by the President for a term of two and a half years upon the recommendation of the Special Select Committee. They bring independent and non-partisan viewpoints on various issues, contributing valuable insights to the legislative process.
The Special Select Committee has nominated the following nine individuals to fill the NMP positions:
- Ms Chandradas Usha Ranee, co-founder of Plural Art magazine.
- Mr Chua Tiang Choon Keith, executive chairman of food-and-beverage firm ABR Holdings.
- Mr Mark Lee Kean Phi, CEO of apparel company Sing Lun Holdings.
- Mr Ong Hua Han, assistant vice president of Deutsche Bank AG.
- Mr Parekh Nimil Rajnikant, CEO of acquisition firm Pegasus Asia.
- Mr Joshua Thomas Raj, Partner of Wee Swee Teow LLC and president of the Security Association Singapore. Mr Thomas will be serving his second term as NMP.
- Associate Professor Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim, head of the public safety and security programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
- Dr Syed Harun Bin Taha Alhabsyi, consultant psychiatrist.
- Ms See Jinli, director of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Freelancers and Self-employed Unit at NTUC’s Administration Research Unit.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng took to Facebook to welcome Ms See’s appointment and was “confident she will be another strong voice in the Parliament for our workers.”
Labour NMP
Ms See will be the 14th NMP since 1992 to represent the unions in Singapore. She will succeed NTUC Vice-President Abdul Samad Abdul Wahab, who will relinquish his NMP seat on 20 July 2023.
Ms See will commence her term, along with the rest of the NMPs, on 24 July 2023.
Ms See joined NTUC Industrial Relations Department in October 2003 and worked in several unions in subsequent years – Metal Industries Workers’ Union (known as Advanced Manufacturing Employees’ Union now), Education Services Union, as well as Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU). She was the Executive Secretary of the National Private Hire Vehicles Association from April 2020 to July 2022, and the National Taxi Association from July 2022 to June 2023.
As a Labour NMP, Ms See would be an additional voice in Parliament to speak up for our workers, especially the growing group of freelancers and self-employed persons.
Ms Indranee Rajah, Leader of the House and member of the Committee, said they are pleased to welcome the new cohort of NMPs who have made significant contributions to society and excellence in their respective fields.
Ms Rajah added, “We look forward to their participation which will add to the spectrum of views and experiences shared in the House. I would also like to thank all applicants for their time and interest. The Committee is heartened by their passion and enthusiasm to contribute to the betterment of Singapore.”