All-new slate of NMPs named

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A total of 36 individuals had put themselves up for consideration to chime in with alternative voices in the House, including law don Eugene Tan and businessman R Dhinakaran, who were seeking second terms.

However after about two months of deliberation, the Special Select Committee of Parliament went for a slate of nine fresh faces.

After informing elected parliamentarians of the list of candidates, the committee, which included Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang, went about its assessments, including meeting some candidates face-to-face and asking MPs for feedback.

After their 12th meeting on July 31, they agreed on the nine, whose term will commence after they are presented the Instruments of Appointment by the President on Aug 26.

One of the newly appointed NMPs, social entrepreneur and co-founder of The Thought Collective, Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, told TODAY that while plenty of attention had been given to social enterprises, it was important to “broaden the definitions of what social entrepreneurship is and look into the current subsidies available for small and medium enterprises, which social enterprises could also tap”.

Another newly appointed NMP was lawyer and Society for the Physically Disabled president Chia Yong Yong, who has been a wheelchair user for the past 20 years due to peroneal muscular atrophy.

Asked whether her nomination would pave the way for more people with disabilities to enter Parliament, Ms Chia said she hoped it would “encourage persons with different limitations to know they too can serve society and that they have the same opportunities to step up”.

Meanwhile, other NMPs appointed outlined issues they would raise. Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Thomas Chua, 60, said he would voice the concerns of businesses, in particular SMEs.

Veteran unionist and National Trades Union Congress vice-president K Karthikeyan said workers’ welfare and cost-of-living issues the “sandwich” class faced would be his areas of concern. These are also issues close to the heart of banker Mohd Ismail Hussein, who is director of the Association of Muslim Professionals.

SIM University associate professor Randolph Tan said education training and economic productivity would be on his agenda, while Changi Sports Medicine Centre senior consultant Benedict Tan said he would focus on sports “to ensure our society fully leverages on benefits of sports, exercise and physical activity as a whole”.

The other two appointed NMPs, architect Rita Soh and historian Tan Tai Yong, could not be reached for comment at press time.