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SINGAPORE: Former Nominated Member of Parliament Siew Kum Hong, 34, has no regrets "as to what (he) did over the last two-and-a-half years". But he was "disappointed" his bid for a second stint as NMP was unsuccessful.
"I've always maintained that my track record in Parliament has to speak for itself ... I do think I could still contribute, which was why I applied for a second term," he said.
He has received plaudits for his maiden term, but his re-application also drew fire from some Netizens who accused him of being a "homosexuality activist" after he attended the recent Aware EGM.
On Monday, Mr Siew said: "Let's be clear: Most of the things I did outside Parliament were not in any official capacity. Having said that, I think most people may not be able to make that distinction."
But he declined to speculate on why he was not selected and wished the new batch of NMPs well.
Mr Siew, a corporate counsel, said he will continue his involvement in civil society, including with the human rights organisation Maruah.
Meanwhile, Mr Gautam Banerjee, the other NMP who was unsuccessful in re-application, told TODAY he could "understand why (the Select Committee) has chosen a fresh slate of NMPs from the many new applicants".
He said: "After all, one of the objectives of the NMP scheme is to provide diversity and new perspectives."
The PricewaterhouseCoopers executive chairman described his term as a "privilege" and will "continue to serve from outside Parliament" on various national boards and committees.
- TODAY/so
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