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SINGAPORE: With Singapore slipping into its worst recession, the escape of Mas Selamat Kastari, the death of a Member of Parliament and the controversies surfaced by an overhaul of the Penal Code, among other events, it is little wonder that even a seasoned veteran like Madam Halimah Yacob describes it as a "particularly tough two-and-a-half years as an MP".
As the 11th Parliament convenes for its second session on Monday, MPs and observers gave the first session - which ran from Nov 2, 2006, to April 13, 2009 - a mixed report card.
"The first half would obviously be remembered for the fact that it started off very well, then suddenly, the economy went into a tailspin," said Mdm Halimah, an MP for Jurong GRC. "The speed at which (parliamentary proceedings) were moving was tremendous. There were so many major issues."
According to the Hansard, a total of 123 Bills were introduced, an average of four Bills per month - one more than the average recorded in the corresponding session of the previous Parliament.
It was not just sheer numbers: MPs had to tackle weighty issues such as the unprecedented dip into the national reserves.
But what of the quality of the debates?
While comparable to its predecessors, the 11th Parliament so far "has not made inroads in trying to do away with the impression that Parliament is like a party meeting", said law academic Eugene Tan.
In particular, some observers felt, the class of 2006 - the first-term MPs who entered Parliament after the last General Election - still have much to learn. And the absence of retired firebrands was felt.
Said Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Inderjit Singh: "I think what was missing were people like the Tan Cheng Bocks and the Tan Soo Khoons. We have yet to discover anyone like that in the current batch."
While he felt it was for them to pick up the mantle ("I'm considered to be in the old batch. I've done what I can for my generation"), Mr Singh stressed that the first-term MPs were still "feeling their way on the ground" and the public should "give them time".
Concurring, Assistant Professor Tan felt the P65 MPs - the tag given to the crop born after Singapore's independence - have "a lot more to do" to differentiate themselves by articulating the younger generation's take on national matters.
"You wonder whether for the first-term MPs, sometimes, their concern is they don't want to rock the boat too much," he said.
But Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Michael Palmer, of the P65 group, disagreed with the emphasis on having to distinguish themselves from the older MPs. "It is what we do during our tenure that will decide our fate at the polls, whether or not that 'differentiates' us," he argued.
NMPs: Alternative view or 'hobby horse'?
One group that was deliberately brought in to provide different perspectives was the Nominated MPs.
Mr Singh felt that most of those among the current batch "sound no different from the PAP MPs", and political scientist Ho Khai Leong thought the majority were "forgettable", with the exception of law academic Thio Li-ann and corporate counsel Siew Kum Hong.
Dr Ho was particularly impressed with Mr Siew for being "someone who gives an alternative view".
Retired MP Tan Cheng Bock - a vocal critic of the NMP scheme since its inception - felt "some of them had made quite nice speeches".
Alluding to the issue of homosexuality, Dr Tan said he was concerned that NMPs have "got no constituents to answer to", thus allowing them to speak on "hobby horse subjects" and ultimately champion minority causes.
Said Dr Tan: "Who champions these issues? Not the elected Parliamentarians. You champion these, the electorate will kick you out at the elections."
Still, Dr Ho felt that NMPs should offer non-mainstream views, since "Parliament should rule by majority, but it should protect the interest of the minority".
Asst Prof Tan, for one, felt that the PAP backbenchers were not engaging the Ministers "as actively as they should".
But Jalan Besar GRC MP Denise Phua - a first-term MP who has crossed swords with ministers on the provision of healthcare and special education services - pointed out that an MP's work goes beyond verbal sparring, to the groundwork outside the House.
Still, she has one wish when Parliament reconvenes: That the Whip will be lifted more often, "so that all MPs are allowed to vote freely on Bills introduced".
- TODAY/so
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