Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore
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| Speaker of the Parliament of Republic of Singapore | |
|---|---|
since 7 August 2017 | |
| Style | Mr Speaker (Male) Mdm Speaker (Female) |
| Nominator | Prime Minister of Singapore |
| Appointer | Parliament of Singapore With the recommendation of the Prime Minister |
| Term length | For the duration of each parliament; renewable |
| Inaugural holder | Sir George Oehlers |
| Formation | 5 June 1955 |
| Deputy | Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore |
| Salary | S$550,000 annually[1] |
| Website | www |
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The Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore is the head officer of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore.
Election
Parliament must elect a Speaker at the beginning of each new parliamentary term after a general election.[2] Parliament has the freedom to choose how to elect the Speaker. By recent tradition, the Prime Minister nominates a person for the role. The person's name is then proposed and seconded by the Members of Parliament (MPs), before being elected as Speaker.[3] The Constitution states that Parliament has the freedom to decide how to elect its Speaker.[4]
The Speaker may or may not be an elected MP, but must possess the qualifications to stand for election as an MP as provided for in the Constitution.[5] The Speaker cannot be a Cabinet Minister or Parliamentary Secretary[6], and must resign from those positions prior to being elected as Speaker.
Once elected, a Speaker continues in office until the dissolution of Parliament, unless he or she resigns, is appointed as a Cabinet minister of Parliamentary Secretary, or is disqualified from holding their seat as an MP.[7]
Role
The role of the Speaker in Singapore is similar to that in most Commonwealth legislatures. The Speaker presides over the sittings of Parliament, and enforces the rules prescribed in its Standing Orders for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business. In carrying out their duties, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs.[5]
The Speaker regulates and enforces the rules of debate. They decide who has the right to speak, and put the question for Parliament to debate on and vote. The Speaker does not take part in the debates, but can abstain or vote for or against a motion if they have a vote as an elected MP. [5]
As the guardian of parliamentary privileges, MPs look to the Speaker for guidance on procedures, and for rulings on any points of order.[5]
The Speaker is second in the order of succession for the office of the President of Singapore. Should the President's office be vacant, and the chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers is unable to take up the role, the Speaker will assume the duties of the President until a new President is elected.[8] In terms of state protocol, the Speaker sits at the same level as the Chief Justice of Singapore.[3]
The Speaker acts as Parliament's representative in its relations with other legislatures and outside bodies. The Speaker also welcomes visiting dignitaries, and represents Parliament at national events and during official visits abroad. The Speaker is overall in charge of the administration of Parliament and its Secretariat.[5]
The Speaker is one of the few public sector roles which allow its office-holder to automatically qualify as a candidate in the Singapore presidential elections.[9]
List of Speakers
A historical list of speakers is set out below:[10]
| # | Speaker | Years of service | Political party (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir George Oehlers | 1955–1963 | Non-MP; lawyer[11] |
| 2 | Edmund W. Barker | 1963–1964 | People's Action Party |
| 3 | A. P. Rajah | 1964–1966 | Former MP and lawyer[12] |
| 4 | Punch Coomaraswamy | 1966–1970 | Non-MP; lawyer[13] |
| 5 | Dr Yeoh Ghim Seng | 1970–1989 | People's Action Party |
| 6 | Tan Soo Khoon | 1989–2002 | People's Action Party |
| 7 | Abdullah Tarmugi | 2002–2011 | People's Action Party |
| 8 | Michael Palmer[14] | 2011–2012 | People's Action Party |
| 9 | Halimah Yacob[15] | 2013–2017 | People's Action Party |
List of Deputy Speakers
The following table contains a list of Deputy Speakers of Parliament:[10]
| Deputy Speaker | Years of service | Political party (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| R.C.H. Lim | 1955–1959 | |
| G. Kandasamy | 1959–1961 | |
| John Mammen | 1961–1963 | |
| Dr. Fong Kim Heng | 1963–1965 | |
| P Coomaraswamy | 1966 | Non-MP |
| Dr Yeoh Ghim Seng | 1968–1970 | People's Action Party |
| Tang See Chim | 1972–1981 | |
| Hwang Soo Jin | 1981–1985 | |
| Tan Soo Khoon | 1985–1989 | People's Action Party |
| Lim Boon Heng | 1989–1991 | People's Action Party |
| Abdullah Tarmugi | 1989–1993 | People's Action Party |
| Eugene Yap Giau Cheng | 1993–2002 | People's Action Party |
| Lim Hwee Hua | 2002–2004 | People's Action Party |
| Chew Heng Ching | 2002–2006 | People's Action Party |
| S. Iswaran | 2004–2006 | People's Action Party |
| Indranee Rajah Matthias Yao Chih |
2006–2011 | People's Action Party |
| Seah Kian Peng | 2011–2016 | People's Action Party |
| Charles Chong[16] | 2011–present | People's Action Party |
| Lim Biow Chuan | 2016–present | People's Action Party |
Notes
- ^ "Speaker of Parliament accepts salary recommendations". Asiaone. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ^ Constitution, Art. 40(1).
- ^ a b Lee, Min Kok (8 January 2016). "Halimah Yacob to be renominated as Speaker of Parliament: 7 things you may not know about the post". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Constitution, Art. 40(2).
- ^ a b c d e "Speaker of Parliament". Parliament of Singapore. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Constitution, Art. 40(2).
- ^ Constitution, Art. 40(4).
- ^ Constitution, Art. 22N.
- ^ Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, Art. 19(3)(a).
- ^ a b Speaker of Parliament, Parliament of Singapore, 18 October 2011
- ^ Joshua Yeong Jia Chia (26 June 2006), Sir George Edward Noel Oehlers, Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board
- ^ Joshua Yeong Jia Chia (28 June 2006), Arumugam Ponnu Rajah, Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board
- ^ Bonny Tan (17 April 1999), Punch Coomaraswamy, Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board
- ^ Elgin Toh (11 October 2011), "Debate in right spirit: Different views should not stop MPs from closing ranks, says newly elected Michael Palmer", The Straits Times, p. A6; "Michael Palmer sworn in as House Speaker", Today, p. 2, 11 October 2011, archived from the original on 11 October 2011
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Halimah Yacob is Singapore's first woman Speaker of Parliament". Channel Newsasia. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- ^ Rachel Chang (18 October 2011), "MPs push for change in Govt–citizen ties: It must boost emotional connection in new landscape, they urge", The Straits Times, pp. A1 & A4 at A4,
Before the debate began, two deputy speakers to assist Speaker Michael Palmer were approved by the House. They are Joo Chiat SMC MP Charles Chong and Marine Parade GRC MP Seah Kian Peng.
; Esther Ng (18 October 2011), "President's speech sees robust debate: Opposition asks if Government will 'conspicuously focus' on happiness", Today, p. 1, archived from the original on 18 October 2011{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)
