Pritam Singh on election of Seah Kian Peng as Speaker

This session of parliament opened amid significant external uncertainty and pressing domestic concerns, said Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh. With transition upon us, Parliament is likely to be a “very busy place”, with both the opposition and government backbenchers expected to play a greater role in scrutinising government policies and speaking up for Singaporeans, he told the House on Friday (Sep 5). Parliament will have to ensure that the voices of Singaporeans are heard, and more conversation, debate, openness and transparency will be the order of the day, he added. Mr Singh renewed his call to have more select committees so that the public could be better informed about the choices and tradeoffs that shape policies. He said if organised effectively with a non-partisan purpose, they represent a valuable means for parliament to address, communicate with and assuage Singaporeans over national priorities and concerns. They can play a vital role in forging unity in difficult and challenging times like the transition Singapore will traverse, he added.