SINGAPORE: Earlier this week, Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing answered a question from Nominated Member of Parliament Neo Kok Beng regarding whether the position of Leader of the Opposition (LO) would be institutionalized.
In a written reply on behalf of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Chan said that the government supports taking further steps to institutionalize the office.
However, he added that because it’s fairly new, “its roles, responsibilities and operating arrangements continue to be shaped by parliamentary practice, experience, and the conduct of those who occupy the office.”
Therefore, allowing these conventions to “further develop and mature so that any eventual codification in statute is informed by established and sound practice,” would be appropriate.
The question of institutionalizing the office of Leader of the Opposition came about last month, after Workers’ Party secretary-general Pritam Singh, who is Singapore’s first officially appointed LO, was removed from the position by the Prime Minister one day after a motion was passed in Parliament deeming him unfit. However, when PM Wong invited the WP to nominate another elected WP MP for the post, it declined to do so.
Mr Chan underlined the importance of the character of anyone in the LO position, saying they must “uphold high standards of honesty and integrity, and command the trust and respect of parliament necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the office.”
He added that if the leader of the main opposition party fails to meet this criteria, another opposition MP may be considered for the post.
In other countries with a similar system of government to Singapore’s, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, the LO is not an appointed position, but automatically goes to the head of the largest opposition party.
In declining PM Wong’s invitation to nominate another LO, the Worker’s Party wrote, “It is important to reiterate that the LO appointment in Parliament arose out of the political success of the opposition at the ballot box. It is the people’s vote that explains the presence of opposition MPs in Parliament. In other Westminster systems, the title of the Leader of the Opposition is established by law and is not the prerogative or choice of the Government of the day or the Prime Minister. This approach expresses the authority and sanctity of the people’s vote.”
Many netizens commenting on Mr Chan’s reply echoed this sentiment.
One wrote, “Imagine playing a football game and the stronger team has the right to nominate and name the weaker team’s player as captain to play the game! What logic?”
“The Leader of the Opposition is not a role to be ‘granted’ or shaped by the government — it is earned through the votes of the people. The mandate comes from the electorate, not from eligibility criteria set by those in power,” another pointed out.
A Facebook user agreed, writing that the role “should not be at the whim and fancy of some governing party.” /TISG
