Newly elected Speaker Seah Kian Peng: Be vigilant in personal conduct, serve people of S’pore
Recent events are a reminder to members of the House of their own mortality and fragility. They have shown that members are “all too human”, with not only physical but also spiritual and moral weaknesses, said newly elected Speaker Seah Kian Peng on Wednesday.
“I say this not to join with the chorus of sanctimony, but to reflect first on the need for us all to be vigilant in our personal conduct,” he added in Parliament. He said members should be vigilant with themselves first, but also with colleagues, to hold one another to account without fear and to tell truth to power. “I say this to point to the rules and codes of conduct which govern us all, as members of the highest rulemaking body in the land, and equally, as members of political parties,” the 61-year-old added.
Mr Seah was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as his nominee for the post on July 21. Mr Seah is the 11th Speaker to preside over the sittings of the House. His proposer was Leader of the House Ms Indranee Rajah, and his seconder Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC).
‘I prefer to let my actions speak for me’: Seah Kian Peng on impartiality of Speaker of Parliament
Mr Seah Kian Peng (left) with PM Lee Hsien Loong at the FairPrice Group's 50th anniversary gala dinner on July 22, 2023. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Mr Seah Kian Peng, who will be nominated as the next Speaker of Parliament, said he wants to let his actions speak for his ability to discharge his upcoming duties amid increased scrutiny of the Speaker’s impartiality. “I prefer to let my actions speak for me (and) to be judged for that,” he said when asked how he plans to be impartial as Speaker. He was speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines of FairPrice Group’s 50th anniversary gala dinner at Marina Bay Sands on Saturday.
The decision to nominate him follows Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s resignation on July 17 as Speaker of Parliament. Former Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui, with whom Mr Tan had an affair, resigned on the same day. Mr Tan had also been criticised in early July for using “unparliamentary language“ during an April sitting in reaction to a speech made by Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim. In a video that went viral on social media, Mr Tan could be heard muttering the words “f****** populist”.
The incident fuelled discussions about the neutrality and impartiality of the role of Speaker in Parliament. The Parliament website states that in carrying out the duties in the House, the Speaker “must remain impartial and fair to all MPs”. “The job as a Speaker hasn’t changed. You need to carry out your roles, and you need to be fair to all parties on both sides of the House,” said Mr Seah.
File photo of Marine Parade MP Seah Kian Peng speaking in parliament
Marine Parade MP Seah Kian Peng will be nominated as Singapore's new Speaker of Parliament at the next sitting in August, announced the Prime Minister's Office on Friday (Jul 21).
The Speaker's post became vacant after Tan Chuan-Jin resigned from parliament and the People's Action Party (PAP) this week over an affair with fellow MP Cheng Li Hui. Mr Tan, 54, also made headlines earlier this month for his use of "unparliamentary language" in the House. He was heard muttering an expletive following a speech by Workers' Party MP Jamus Lim.
Mr Seah, 61, is currently the Group CEO of NTUC Enterprise. He stepped down last year from his role as Group CEO of NTUC FairPrice, which operates Singapore's largest supermarket chain. Mr Seah has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade GRC since 2006, when he was first elected. He was Deputy Speaker from October 2011 to January 2016. He is also a board member of the Singapore Olympic Foundation, and previously served on the boards of the Centre for Fathering, the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprises, the National Parks Board and Singtel, among others. The next parliament sitting will be on Aug 2. Mr Seah will be the 11th Speaker if elected.
PM Lee to nominate Seah Kian Peng as next Speaker of Parliament
Mr Seah Kian Peng is an MP for Marine Parade GRC. PHOTO: GOV.SG
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong intends to nominate Mr Seah Kian Peng as the next Speaker of Parliament, said the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement on Friday.
Mr Seah, 61, is an MP for Marine Parade GRC. He was Deputy Speaker between 2011 and 2016. The role of Speaker is currently vacant, following Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s resignation on Monday over an affair with former Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui, who also resigned.
Deputy Speaker Ms Jessica Tan is currently the acting Speaker. PM Lee will nominate the new Speaker at the next Parliament sitting starting on Aug 2. At the same sitting, he will be delivering a ministerial statement.
PM Lee Hsien Loong to nominate new Speaker at next Parliament sitting
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will nominate a new Speaker for Parliament in the next sitting on 2 August, following his announcement of the resignations of Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and Member of Parliament Cheng Li Hui on Monday (17 July). He will also make a ministerial statement at the Parliament sitting. In the interim, Deputy Speaker Jessica Tan will serve as the acting Speaker.
Meanwhile, the duo's MP duties will be taken care of by their fellow MPs in their respective group representation constituencies. For Tan, who was MP for the Kembangan-Chai Chee division of Marine Parade GRC, it will be taken care of by Edwin Tong. For Cheng, who was MP for the Tampines East division of Tampines GRC, it will be under Masagos Zulkifli.
The resignations came after Tan and Cheng had engaged in an "inappropriate relationship", which persisted despite being told to end it, according to PM Lee.
Sia Suay Shenanigans Involving Incoming Speaker Of Parliament Seah Kian Peng
Marine Parade MP Seah Kian Peng has been nominated as the next Speaker of Parliament after the shameful exit of former Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin – who happened to be Seah’s fellow Marine Parade colleague until his resignation.
Commenting on his upcoming appointment and whether he can be an impartial Speaker, Seah said that he prefers to let his “actions speak for him” and to be “judged for that”.
Here’s some recent sia suay shenanigans that Seah pulled that got him much flak from the Singaporean public:
- Seah Criticised for Tactless Comments about US Vice-President Kamala Harris
- Seah Condemned for Allegedly Breaking Covid-19 Safe Distancing Rules, Posing as a Safe Distancing Ambassador
- Seah Insinuates that Local Political Activists are Foreign Agents
- Seah Supports POFMA
File photo of Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and MP Cheng Li Hui, posted on Mr Tan's Facebook page in February 2016. Mr Tan was elected Speaker in September 2017. (Photo: Facebook/Tan Chuan-Jin)
Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and Member of Parliament Cheng Li Hui have resigned from parliament and the People's Action Party (PAP). Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has accepted the resignations, said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Monday (Jul 17), although it did not specify or elaborate on the reasons behind the resignations.
In his letter of resignation, Mr Tan said the recent incident involving his use of unparliamentary language in the House has added to the hurt he has caused his family. "I have let them down. We have spoken about my personal conduct before," he wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister, dated Jul 17.
Ms Cheng, MP for Tampines GRC, said in her letter to the Prime Minister that she is "very sorry to be resigning in these circumstances". "(I) would like to apologise to the party, as well as to my residents and volunteers." Ms Cheng, 47, has been MP for Tampines GRC since 2015 when she made her political debut. She is not married.
PM Lee addresses CPIB investigation and Speaker/MP resignations: 5 key takeaways
He reveals key points on Iswaran's pay, anti-graft agency's approach and handling Tan Chuan Jin/Cheng Li Hui affair
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered a ministerial statement to the Parliament on Wednesday (2 August), shedding light on the ongoing investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on Transport Minister S Iswaran.
He also addressed the resignations of former Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and Member of Parliament (MP) Cheng Li Hui, who stepped down due to their involvement in an affair.
Here are the five key points to take away from the session:
- Iswaran's pay cut and MP allowance - PM Lee revealing that Iswaran had been interdicted from his ministerial duty with a reduced pay of S$8,500 a month until further notice.
- Minister clarifies anti-graft agency's approach - Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, Chan Chun Sing, clarified that the reason that the anti-graft agency did not immediately announce Iswaran's arrest was to gather more facts and to hear his side of the story.
- PM Lee affirms zero tolerance for wrongdoing - PM Lee emphasised the PAP government's stance on zero tolerance for suspicions or allegations of wrongdoing in the discharge of official duties, especially possible corruption. While many rise to the occasion, some may fall short or even breach established norms of conduct. He cited past corruption cases involving political officeholders. Such as Tan Kia Gan in 1966, then former Minister for National Development; Wee Toon Boon in 1975, then a Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment; Phey Yew Kok in 1979, then president of NTUC and also an MP; and Teh Cheang Wan in 1986, who was Minister for National Development.
- Opposition leader calls for ethics adviser - Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh called for the consideration of appointing an ethics adviser and questioned the arrangement of Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui being on the same House committee.
- PM Lee outlines the approach to handling affair - PM Lee explained his approach after learning about the affair between former Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and MP Cheng Li Hui, over two years ago.
Duties of the Speaker of 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. Elected at the commencement of a new Parliament by MPs, the Speaker may or may not be an MP, but must possess the qualifications to stand for election as an MP as provided for in the Constitution.
In carrying out the duties in the House, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs. The Speaker regulates and enforces the rules of debate. He decides who has the right to speak and puts the question for the House to debate on and vote. The Speaker does not take part in the debates of the House but can abstain or vote for or against a motion if he has an original vote as an elected Member. The Speaker has no casting vote. As the guardian of parliamentary privileges, MPs look to the Speaker for guidance on procedures and he gives his rulings on any point of order, if necessary.
The Speaker acts as the representative of the House in its relations with other Parliaments and outside bodies. The Speaker also welcomes visiting dignitaries and represents Parliament at national events and during official visits abroad. The Speaker is overall in charge of the administration of Parliament and its Secretariat. The Speaker is assisted by two Deputy Speakers.
First prize for President hopeful Ng Kok Song
Mr Ng Kok Song aged 75 accompanied by his fiancee Sybil Lau aged 45 at the Elections Department on July 19, 2023. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
The combined ages of Mr Ng Kok Song aged 75 and his fiancee Sybil Lau aged 45, won the First Price drawn by Singapore Pools on 2 Aug 2023.
