Reform Party leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam issued a sharp rebuke of Singapore’s Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme on 2 April, calling it a “scam” designed to give the appearance of independent voices in Parliament while serving the interests of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
His comments were made in a Facebook post published a day after Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam stated that the Constitution permits NMPs to resign and join political parties to contest elections.
Shanmugam had made the remarks during a community visit on 31 March, following questions over the early resignations of former NMPs Raj Joshua Thomas and Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who stepped down from their roles on 14 February, months before the end of their term.
In his post, Jeyaretnam said: “Singaporeans should recognise that yet again they have been scammed by the PAP. No matter Shanmugam’s weasel words that there is nothing to stop NMPs joining political parties, the NMP scheme (which is antidemocratic) was always justified by the PAP on the grounds that it would lead to independent voices in Parliament who, unencumbered by party loyalty or the need to seek re-election, would not be afraid to speak up and hold the PAP to account.”
He argued that in practice, the scheme has enabled “opportunists looking to curry favour with the government” rather than truly nonpartisan voices.
Citing Shanmugam’s reference to founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s position that NMPs could even become ministers, Jeyaretnam questioned how such ambitions could be reconciled with independence.
He wrote: “How can they possibly be independent when, as has just been revealed, NMP are always hoping to prove that they can be loyal PAP MPs and, as Shanmugam has said was LKY’s intentions, Ministers.”
The NMP scheme, introduced in 1990, allows the appointment of up to nine non-elected individuals to Parliament.
They are meant to provide alternative perspectives and do not represent any political party or constituency. NMPs are selected through public nominations and appointed by the President on the recommendation of a Special Select Committee of Parliament.
Jeyaretnam, who said he has long been critical of the scheme, reaffirmed the Reform Party’s stance that it should be abolished entirely, noting that this has always been part of the party’s manifesto.
He added that early warning signs of partisanship were evident even in the scheme’s early years.
“When the first batch of NMPs said that their number one hero since childhood was LKY, it should have been clear to Singaporeans that there was no independence and no check on the PAP from NMPs.”
Pointing to former NMP Calvin Cheng as an example, he said the scheme had repeatedly elevated individuals with views aligned to the ruling party, rather than dissenting or alternative voices.
“They are just additional PAP voices except that they are unelected,” he asserted.
Jeyaretnam questioned the necessity of the scheme given PAP’s overwhelming presence in Parliament.
“Why the PAP needs to appoint additional members, albeit disguised as so-called independent voices, when they already have 90% of the elected members in Parliament, is a mystery.”
He concluded the post with a call to voters: “This should be a wake up call for Singaporeans not to trust anything the PAP Government says. The NMP scheme was just another con like ‘Ownself check ownself.’”
“The only hope of getting accountability and answers to some of the burning questions I have highlighted is to elect more genuine Opposition MPs to Parliament. As JBJ [Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam] said, take back your rights as citizens of a free country. Take back what belongs to you.”
The post adds to growing public scrutiny of the NMP scheme following the resignations of two NMPs ahead of an anticipated General Election.
Syed Harun has since been introduced as a new face in the PAP and is expected to stand for election. Raj Joshua Thomas has confirmed he has applied to join the PAP and said he is “prepared” to serve if called upon.
Shanmugam, addressing concerns over the resignations, said the Constitution has always allowed NMPs to join political parties and that this possibility was recognised even during parliamentary debates on the scheme’s introduction in 1990.
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