Safeguards are in place to ensure the Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme remains non-partisan, and the Government does not intend to review the framework, said Education Minister and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing on 8 April 2025.
Chan was responding in Parliament to a question filed by Jamus Lim, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC.
Lim had asked the Prime Minister whether the Government would consider introducing further safeguards — specifically, a cooling-off period before NMPs can stand for elected office on a partisan platform.
In his written response, Chan reiterated that the NMP scheme, introduced in 1990, was meant to bring non-partisan, independent voices into Parliament, with the aim of enriching debate through the expertise and experience of members from various sectors.
He stressed that existing safeguards are in place to preserve the non-partisan character of the scheme.
These safeguards include the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as NMPs, which reviews public nominations and comprises MPs from both ruling and opposition parties.
He also pointed to the constitutional requirement for an NMP to vacate their seat if they choose to contest an election under a political party.
Chan stated that the Government has no intention to review or revise the NMP framework, adding, “I believe that many members of this House would agree that our NMPs have, over the years, enriched our debates in Parliament and that they have been non-partisan in their conduct.”
However, while Chan elaborated on the original intent and current safeguards of the scheme, he did not address Lim’s specific proposal for a cooling-off period between resignation and political affiliation — a gap that appears particularly relevant in light of recent developments.
Lim’s question came amid public scrutiny following the resignations of Raj Joshua Thomas and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi as NMPs on 14 February. Their departures have sparked speculation that they may contest the upcoming General Election, expected to be held in May.
In a report dated 8 April, the Special Select Committee announced it would not fill the two NMP vacancies in the current term of Parliament, citing Article 65(4) of the Constitution, which states that Parliament will be dissolved on 23 August 2025, five years after its first sitting.
The committee stated that given the limited time left and the process required for nominations, no new NMPs would be appointed.
The committee comprises Speaker Seah Kian Peng, Chan Chun Sing, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Indranee Rajah, Gan Siow Huang, and Sylvia Lim from the Workers’ Party. Maliki Osman and Vivian Balakrishnan were absent from the meeting.
Thomas, appointed in 2021 and reappointed in July 2023, has since joined the People’s Action Party. While he has not yet appeared on the campaign trail, Dr Syed has been spotted at community events alongside PAP leaders, including Minister K Shanmugam.
Their transitions have reignited debate about whether the NMP scheme is being used as a stepping stone into partisan politics. Red Dot United leader Ravi Philemon questioned the ethics of such moves, while former NMPs expressed concern about the perceived politicisation of the scheme.
Shanmugam, however, defended the resignations, stating that the Constitution allows former NMPs to join political parties after stepping down.
Some former NMPs expressed concerns over the perceived politicisation of the scheme, while others told CNA that such moves are constitutionally valid and should not necessarily be viewed as compromising the integrity of the NMP system.
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