Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore

The Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore is the presiding officer of the Parliament of Singapore. The speaker is nominated by the prime minister before being appointed by the Parliament. The Speaker is also second in the presidential line of succession. The current Speaker is the People's Action Party MP for Marine Parade GRC, Seah Kian Peng.

Speaker of the
Parliament of Singapore
Incumbent
Seah Kian Peng
since 2 August 2023
Parliament of Singapore
Style
TypePresiding officer
NominatorPrime Minister of Singapore
AppointerParliament of Singapore
Term lengthNo term limit
Inaugural holderGeorge Oehlers
Formation5 June 1965 (1965-06-05)
SalaryS$550,000 annually
(including S$192,500 MP salary)
Websitewww.parliament.gov.sg

The Speaker is assisted by two Deputy Speakers, Christopher de Souza and Jessica Tan, who both took office on 31 August 2020. In the event when the speaker is unavailable, the deputy speakers will preside over the parliamentary session.

Although Singapore is modelled after the Westminster system, unlike their counterpart in the United Kingdom—where the speaker must remain strictly non-partisan and renounce all affiliation with their former political parties when taking office and afterwards, the speaker of the Parliament of Singapore can choose to remain partisan.

Election

Parliament must elect a Speaker at the beginning of each new parliamentary term after a general election.[1] Parliament has the freedom to choose how to elect the Speaker. By recent tradition, the Prime Minister nominates a person for the role. The person's name is then proposed and seconded by the Members of Parliament (MPs), before being elected as Speaker.[2] The Constitution states that Parliament has the freedom to decide how to elect its Speaker.[3]

The Speaker may or may not be an elected MP, but must possess the qualifications to stand for election as an MP as provided for in the Constitution.[4] The Speaker cannot be a Cabinet Minister or Parliamentary Secretary,[3] and must resign from those positions prior to being elected as Speaker.

Once elected, a Speaker continues in office until the dissolution of Parliament, unless the speaker resigns, is appointed as a Cabinet minister, Minister of State or Parliamentary Secretary, or is disqualified from holding their seat as an MP.[5]

Role

The wig and ceremonial gown of the Speaker of Parliament on display in Parliament House. The speaker will only wear the gown during the Opening of Parliament ceremony however, the wearing of wig was discontinued in 1993.

The role of the Speaker in Singapore is similar to that in most Commonwealth legislatures. The Speaker presides over the sittings of Parliament, and enforces the rules prescribed in its Standing Orders for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business. In carrying out their duties, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs.[4]

The Speaker regulates and enforces the rules of debate. They decide who has the right to speak, and put the question for Parliament to debate on and vote. The Speaker does not take part in the debates, but can abstain or vote for or against a motion if they have a vote, as an elected MP.[4]

As the guardian of parliamentary privileges, MPs look to the Speaker for guidance on procedures, and for rulings on any points of order.[4]

The Speaker is second in the line of succession for the office of President of Singapore. Should the President's office be vacant, and the chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers is unable to take up the role, the Speaker will assume the duties of the President until a new President is elected.[6] In terms of state protocol, the Speaker sits at the same level as the Chief Justice of Singapore.[2]

The Speaker acts as Parliament's representative in its relations with other legislatures 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.[4]

The Speaker is one of the few public sector roles which allow its officeholder to automatically qualify as a candidate in the Singapore presidential elections.[7]

List of speakers

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Party Parliament
Sir George Oehlers
(1908–1968)
22 April
1955
3 September
1963
Independent 1st Legislative Assembly
2nd Legislative Assembly
Edmund W. Barker
MP for Tanglin
(1920–2001)
22 October
1963
30 October
1964
People's Action Party 3rd Legislative Assembly
Arumugam Ponnu Rajah
(1911–1999)
2 November
1964
5 August
1966
Independent
1st Parliament
Punch Coomaraswamy
(1925–1999)
17 August
1966
18 January
1970
Independent
2nd Parliament
Yeoh Ghim Seng
MP for Joo Chiat
(1918–1993)
27 January
1970
17 August
1988
People's Action Party
3rd Parliament
4th Parliament
5th Parliament
6th Parliament
Tan Soo Khoon
MP for Brickworks GRC (until 1991)
MP for Bedok GRC (1991–1996)
MP for East Coast GRC (from 1996)
(born 1949)
9 January
1989
17 October
2001
People's Action Party 7th Parliament
8th Parliament
9th Parliament
Abdullah Tarmugi
MP for East Coast GRC
(born 1944)
22 March
2002
18 April
2011
People's Action Party 10th Parliament
11th Parliament
Michael Palmer
MP for Punggol East SMC
(born 1968)
10 October
2011
12 December
2012
People's Action Party 12th Parliament
Charles Chong
MP for Joo Chiat SMC
(born 1953)
Acting
12 December
2012
14 January
2013
People's Action Party
Halimah Yacob
MP for Jurong GRC (until 2015)
MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC (from 2015)
(born 1954)
14 January
2013
7 August
2017
People's Action Party
13th Parliament
Charles Chong
MP for Punggol East SMC
(born 1953)
Acting
7 August
2017
11 September
2017
People's Action Party
Tan Chuan-Jin
MP for Marine Parade GRC
(born 1969)
11 September
2017
17 July
2023
People's Action Party
14th Parliament
Jessica Tan
MP for East Coast GRC
(born 1966)
Acting
17 July
2023
2 August
2023
People's Action Party
Seah Kian Peng
MP for Marine Parade GRC
(born 1961)
2 August
2023
Incumbent People's Action Party

List of deputy speakers

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Party Parliament
Richard Lim Chuan Hoe
Nominated MP
(1904–1968)
26 April
1955
31 March
1959
Labour Front
(until 1959)
1st Legislative Assembly
Malayan Chinese Association
(from 1959)
G. Kandasamy
MP for Kampong Kapor
(1921–1999)
15 July
1959
24 September
1961
People's Action Party 2nd Legislative Assembly
John Mammen
MP for Telok Blangah
16 November
1961
3 September
1963
People's Action Party 2nd Legislative Assembly
Fong Kim Heng
MP for Joo Chiat
(1923–1975)
9 December
1963
9 December
1965
People's Action Party 3rd Legislative Assembly
1st Parliament
Punch Coomaraswamy
(1925–1999)
23 February
1966
16 August
1966
Independent 1st Parliament
Yeoh Ghim Seng
MP for Joo Chiat
(1918–1993)
11 July
1968
17 August
1970
People's Action Party 2nd Parliament
Tang See Chim
MP for Chua Chu Kang
(born 1930)
22 November
1972
4 December
1980
People's Action Party 3rd Parliament
4th Parliament
Hwang Soo Jin
MP for Jalan Kayu
(born 1937)
6 March
1981
3 December
1984
People's Action Party 5th Parliament
Tan Soo Khoon
MP for Alexandra
(born 1949)
1 March
1985
17 August
1988
People's Action Party 6th Parliament
Lim Boon Heng
MP for Kebun Baru SMC
(born 1947)
16 January
1989
13 August
1991
People's Action Party 7th Parliament
Abdullah Tarmugi
MP for Siglap SMC (until 1991)
MP for Bedok GRC (from 1991)
(born 1944)
16 January
1989
30 June
1993
People's Action Party 7th Parliament
8th Parliament
Eugene Yap Giau Cheng
MP for Mountbatten SMC (until 1996)
MP for Marine Parade GRC (from 1997)
26 February
1993
17 October
2001
People's Action Party 8th Parliament
9th Parliament
Lim Hwee Hua
MP for Marine Parade GRC
(born 1959)
1 April
2002
11 August
2004
People's Action Party 10th Parliament
Chew Heng Ching
MP for East Coast GRC
(born 1953)
1 April
2002
19 April
2006
People's Action Party 10th Parliament
S. Iswaran
MP for West Coast GRC
(born 1962)
1 September
2004
19 April
2006
People's Action Party 10th Parliament
Indranee Rajah
MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC
(born 1963)
8 November
2006
18 April
2011
People's Action Party 11th Parliament
Matthias Yao
MP for Marine Parade GRC
(born 1956)
8 November
2006
18 April
2011
People's Action Party 11th Parliament
Seah Kian Peng
MP for Marine Parade GRC
(born 1961)
17 October
2011
14 January
2016
People's Action Party 12th Parliament
Charles Chong
MP for Joo Chiat SMC (until 2015)
MP for Punggol East SMC (from 2015)
(born 1953)
17 October
2011
22 June
2020
People's Action Party 12th Parliament
13th Parliament
Lim Biow Chuan
MP for Mountbatten SMC
(born 1963)
25 January
2016
22 June
2020
People's Action Party 13th Parliament
Jessica Tan
MP for East Coast GRC
(born 1966)
31 August
2020
Incumbent People's Action Party 14th Parliament
Christopher de Souza
MP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC
(born 1976)
31 August
2020
Incumbent People's Action Party 14th Parliament

See also

Notes

  1. Constitution, Art. 40(1).
  2. Lee, Min Kok (8 January 2016). "Halimah Yacob to be renominated as Speaker of Parliament: 7 things you may not know about the post". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  3. Constitution, Art. 40(2).
  4. "Speaker of Parliament". Parliament of Singapore. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  5. Constitution, Art. 40(4).
  6. Constitution, Art. 22N.
  7. Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, Art. 19(3)(a).
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