A national survey conducted to mark the 35th anniversary of Singapore’s Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme has shown that while Singaporeans broadly support its purpose, many are calling for reforms to improve transparency, relevance, and independence.
The survey of 500 Singapore citizens, conducted online by research firm OPPi from 14 to 20 August 2025, was the first ground-up public consultation on the scheme since its inception in 1990.
Findings were released on 18 September 2025 at a commemorative event co-organised by former NMP Anthea Ong and Rice Media.
Results show that 71.2% of respondents agree that NMPs offer valuable alternative voices in Parliament. However, only 32.4% view the scheme as currently relevant or highly relevant, while 52.4% consider it only “somewhat relevant” — suggesting a pressing need to modernise and renew public engagement with the scheme.
Ong, who served as an NMP from 2018 to 2020 and moderated the panel at the event, said the findings were “sobering but energising”, highlighting a desire to preserve the scheme while improving its impact.
Awareness linked to trust; younger Singaporeans less engaged
The survey found that awareness of the NMP scheme strongly correlates with trust. Respondents who were more familiar with the scheme were significantly more likely to trust it as a platform for public representation.
Yet, overall engagement remains limited. Over half of respondents (52.4%) rely on mainstream media for information about the scheme. Engagement is especially weak among younger Singaporeans, who expressed both low awareness and ambivalence about the scheme’s relevance.
Former NMP Kuik Shiao-Yin, who served from 2014 to 2018, noted that this gap presents an opportunity.
“Younger Singaporeans may not be very engaged with the NMP scheme today, but the survey shows they care about having more of a say in Parliament,” she said. “This is a chance to make the scheme more participatory, more open, and more clearly about representing people.”
Public support for reforms: transparency, participation, and independence
Beyond issues of relevance, the survey revealed strong public appetite for reform.
53% of respondents support greater public involvement in the selection of NMPs, a process currently carried out by a Special Select Committee of Parliament. The Constitution permits up to nine NMPs to be appointed per term, based on nominations from various functional groups or public applications.
Respondents showed a preference for NMPs with advocacy experience and subject-matter expertise, rather than those chosen solely for institutional standing or professional achievements. The current system of functional group representation — covering sectors like arts, academia, labour and business — received comparatively less support.
A common sentiment from open-ended responses was that the scheme should become a platform for Singaporeans with demonstrated passion and expertise to speak up on national issues — not just an elite circle of appointees.
As one survey participant noted, “It’s to present more opportunities for Singaporeans to participate in politics.”
Political participation: pragmatic acceptance, but cautious timing
The consultation also examined how Singaporeans view the political trajectories of former NMPs.
While 63.8% believe it is appropriate for NMPs to join electoral politics after their term, support rises to 74.6% if they contest as independents, indicating a clear public preference for non-partisanship.
However, timing appears to matter. The idea of a “cooling-off period” before NMPs enter party politics received support from nearly half of all respondents.
The issue came into public focus earlier in 2025 when two NMPs — psychiatrist Syed Harun Alhabsyi and lawyer Raj Joshua Thomas — resigned from their roles and joined the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) ahead of the 2025 General Election.
Syed Harun was elected MP for Nee Soon GRC and will assume office as Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and for National Development from 1 October. Thomas did not contest.
While the Constitution does not prevent NMPs from joining political parties, the swift transition into partisan roles prompted criticism, including concerns about whether their appointments were politically motivated.
Former NMP Laurence Lien, speaking at the panel, said the public expects NMPs to be independent.
“If you are partisan, then it destroys the credibility of institutions,” he said. He proposed a mandatory cooling-off period before any NMP could stand for election, whether under a party banner or as an independent.
Former NMP Chandra Mohan K. Nair, who served from 2001 to 2004, added that while pragmatism is evident, perception matters.
“When this happens immediately after an NMP term, it raises doubts about whether the role was used as a stepping stone for partisan advancement,” he said.
Desire for a “third way” in politics
A key theme emerging from the consultation was the public desire for a “third way” of representation — one that is non-partisan, participatory, and advocacy-driven.
Many respondents said they valued NMPs as voices outside the two-party framework of the ruling PAP and opposition parties.
This sentiment was echoed by Ong, who noted that the scheme has the potential to “institutionalise independence” at a time when polarised politics elsewhere have led to dysfunction.
She also pointed to the strong performances of independent candidates in the 2025 General Election as evidence of growing public interest in credible, non-party-affiliated representation.
Continuing consultation and next steps
To build on the initial findings, a second round of the consultation — designed as an open, participatory survey — has been launched and will run until 18 October 2025. Unlike the first nationally representative phase, this second round is intentionally inclusive, inviting all Singaporeans to add their voices.
As Ong noted, if Parliament is truly to belong to the people, the conversation cannot end with just 500 respondents. A follow-up report, potentially involving academic researchers, will be developed based on the expanded dataset.
The 35th anniversary event also traced the journey of the NMP scheme, including its origins in a 1989 Bill tabled by then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Ong’s 2022 book The Nominated Member of Parliament Scheme: Are Unelected Voices Still Necessary in Parliament? — the first dedicated publication on the scheme — served as the foundation for the consultation, with contributions from 20 former NMPs.
In concluding the event, Ong stated, “The NMP scheme belongs to all Singaporeans. This first consultation is only the beginning. We hope to spark a wider reflection on how to remake not just the NMP scheme, but also reimagine our Parliament for a more thriving and inclusive Singapore.”
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