Current Nominated MPs have made valuable contributions, NMP scheme working well: PM Lee

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at an interview with CNN on June 11, 2018. PHOTO: MCI

SINGAPORE - The Nominated Member of Parliament scheme is working well, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, pointing to how the current NMPs have made valuable contributions to Parliament.

In a Facebook post on Friday (July 13), Mr Lee highlighted the motion on the future of Singapore's education system that was initiated by five NMPs on Wednesday.

"They wanted more to be done to ensure a love for learning, and to keep education accessible and inclusive," he wrote. "Because every child develops differently, the education system must help every child hone their strengths and talents to their fullest potential."

The motion sparked a good and lively debate, said Mr Lee, noting that quite a few MPs spoke passionately and put forth good ideas and suggestions.

"There is always room to improve our system, and MOE (the Ministry of Education) will consider these ideas seriously. This is something we will continue to work on together," he added.

The motion on education was moved by NMPs Mahdev Mohan, Kuik Shiao-Yin, Ganesh Rajaram, Kok Heng Leun and Azmoon Ahmad.

In his post, Mr Lee also shared a video of NMP Chia Yong Yong's speech on the motion.

"She drew on her own experience in a mainstream school, to explain why special needs students, who are able to, should learn and develop themselves together with, and not separate from, their mainstream peers," he said.

"It was a heartfelt speech, with a powerful and moving conclusion."

The NMP scheme, introduced in 1990, is meant to provide non-partisan views in Parliament. There can be up to nine NMPs in each term, which lasts 2½ years. The current term ends in September.

For the new term, the Office of the Clerk of Parliament had received 48 proposal forms of potential candidates.

Mr Lee noted: "Nearly 50 people have expressed interest in serving as NMPs for the next term. I look forward to their contributions."

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