As Singaporean citizens, we cast our votes based on who we think can best represent us. Elected by the people, Members of Parliament (MPs) help relay and illuminate our everyday concerns to those in power. One way to gauge MPs’ performance is through their level of participation in Parliament. Before the 2015 General Election, the now defunct socio-political site The Middle Ground published a useful article looking at the parliamentary attendance and participation of each MP.
Five years and one election later, we thought it would be useful to revisit the topic to see if things had changed.
MPs’ Parliamentary Attendance
For starters, to discharge your duties as a Member of Parliament, you first need to be physically present. The job requires the MP to take on the role of a middleman: they must pay attention to the needs of their grassroot constituents and relay their woes and concerns to government leaders, all the while ensuring that important information from the top is efficiently passed downstream. Absenteeism in Parliament makes it hard for MPs to do either of these functions well. The Constitution of Singapore acknowledges the importance of parliamentary attendance. It says that if an MP is absent for 2 consecutive months from Parliament sittings or any committee of Parliament without getting permission from the Speaker, the MP’s seat will become vacant.
While most MPs have a full-time job outside of their political duties, this cannot be a reason for them to neglect the responsibilities that come along with their role. In a letter titled “Rules of Prudence” in 2015, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasised to his party’s MPs that they are “all expected to attend all sittings of Parliament. If (they) have to be absent from any sitting, (they should) seek permission from the Government Whip.”
The present 13th Parliament (2016-2020) has a total of 100 MPs. As of now, there are only 132 Voters and Proceedings documents filed by the 13th Parliament. We combed through all of them to find out the attendance record of each MP.
Party | Constituency | Name | Number of Sittings Attended (Out of 132) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr LOW THIA KHIANG | 127 | |||
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr PRITAM SINGH | 129 | |||
People's Action Party | Holland-Bukit Timah GRC | Mr CHRISTOPHER DE SOUZA | 132 | |||
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Ms DENISE PHUA LAY PENG | 132 | |||
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Mr LOUIS NG KOK KWANG | 132 | |||
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Mr DESMOND CHOO | 132 | |||
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Mr MELVIN YONG YIK CHYE | 132 | |||
People's Action Party | West Coast GRC | Mr PATRICK TAY TECK GUAN | 132 | |||
Workers' Party | Non-Constituency MPs | Mr DENNIS TAN LIP FONG | 132 | |||
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Mr LEE HSIEN LOONG | 131 | |||
People's Action Party | Chua Chu Kang GRC | Ms LOW YEN LING | 131 | |||
People's Action Party | Chua Chu Kang GRC | Mr YEE CHIA HSING | 131 | |||
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Ms JOAN PEREIRA | 131 | |||
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Mr ANG HIN KEE | 130 | |||
Workers' Party | Hougang SMC | Mr PNG ENG HUAT | 130 | |||
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Mr GOH CHOK TONG | 130 | |||
People's Action Party | Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC | Mr ONG TENG KOON | 130 | |||
People's Action Party | Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC | Mr LAWRENCE WONG | 130 | |||
People's Action Party | Mountbatten SMC | Mr LIM BIOW CHUAN | 130 | |||
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Ms INDRANEE RAJAH | 129 | |||
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Mr CHONG KEE HIONG | 129 | |||
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Ms RAHAYU MAHZAM | 129 | |||
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Mr CHAN CHUN SING | 129 | |||
Workers' Party | Non-Constituency MPs | Mr LEON PERERA | 129 | |||
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Ms SYLVIA LIM | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Mr SAKTIANDI SUPAAT | 127 | |||
People's Action Party | Holland-Bukit Timah GRC | Mr LIANG ENG HWA | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Mr ANG WEI NENG | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Mr DESMOND LEE | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Dr TAN WU MENG | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC | Mr ALEX YAM ZIMING | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Assoc Prof Dr MUHAMMAD FAISHAL IBRAHIM | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | ER Dr LEE BEE WAH | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Potong Pasir SMC | Mr SITOH YIH PIN | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Mr VIKRAM NAIR | 128 | |||
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Mr DARRYL DAVID | 127 | |||
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Dr INTAN AZURA MOKHTRAR | 127 | |||
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Mr GAN THIAM POH | 127 | |||
People's Action Party | Chua Chu Kang GRC | Mr GAN KIM YONG | 127 | |||
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Prof YAACOB IBRAHIM | 127 | |||
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Mr BAEY YAM KENG | 127 | |||
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Miss CHENG LI HUI | 127 | |||
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr MUHAMAD FAISAL BIN ABDUL MANAP | 126 | |||
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Mr CHEE HONG TAT | 126 | |||
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Mr HENG CHEE HOW | 126 | |||
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Dr LILY NEO | 126 | |||
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Mr SEAH KIAN PENG | 126 | |||
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Dr JANIL PUTHUCHEARY | 125 | |||
People's Action Party | Punggol East SMC | Mr CHARLES CHONG | 126 | |||
People's Action Party | West Coast GRC | Ms FOO MEE HAR | 126 | |||
People's Action Party | MacPherson SMC | Ms TIN PEI LING | 125 | |||
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Mr AMRIN AMIN | 125 | |||
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Dr LIM WEE KIAK | 125 | |||
People's Action Party | West Coast GRC | Mr LIM HNG KIANG | 125 | |||
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Mr EDWIN TONG CHUN FAI | 124 | |||
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Mr ONG YE KUNG | 124 | |||
People's Action Party | Bukit Panjang SMC | Dr TEO HO PIN | 123 | |||
People's Action Party | Chua Chu Kang GRC | Mr ZAQY MOHAMAD | 123 | |||
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Mr TAN CHUAN-JIN | 123 | |||
People's Action Party | Sengkang West SMC | Dr LAM PIN MIN | 122 | |||
People's Action Party | Holland-Bukit Timah GRC | Ms SIM ANN | 122 | |||
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Mr KWEK HIAN CHUAN HENRY | 122 | |||
Workers' Party | Non-Constituency MPs | Assoc Prof DANIEL GOH PEI SIONG | 121 | |||
People's Action Party | Fengshan SMC | Miss CHERYL CHAN WEI LING | 121 | |||
People's Action Party | Pioneer SMC | Mr CEDRIC FOO CHEE KENG | 121 | |||
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Dr CHIA SHI-LU | 121 | |||
People's Action Party | Yuhua SMC | Ms GRACE FU HAI YIEN | 121 | |||
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr CHEN SHOW MAO | 120 | |||
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Dr KOH POH KOON | 119 | |||
People's Action Party | Hong Kah North SMC | Dr AMY KHOR LEAN SUAN | 120 | |||
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Ms SUN XUELING | 120 | |||
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Mr ZAINAL SAPARI | 120 | |||
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Mr THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM | 119 | |||
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Mr KHAW BOON WAN | 119 | |||
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Mr NG CHEE MENG | 118 | |||
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Mr TEO CHEE HEAN | 118 | |||
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Ms JESSICA TAN SOON NEO | 116 | |||
People's Action Party | Holland-Bukit Timah GRC | Dr VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN | 117 | |||
People's Action Party | Radin Mas SMC | Mr SAM TAN CHIN SIONG | 115 | |||
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Mr LEE YI SHYAN | 114 | |||
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Mr TEO SER LUCK | 113 | |||
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Mrs JOSEPHINE TEO | 111 | |||
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Dr NG ENG HEN | 111 | |||
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Dr MOHAMAD MALIKI BIN OSMAN | 111 | |||
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Mr HENG SWEE KEAT | 111 | |||
People's Action Party | Bukit Batok SMC | Mr MURALI PILLAI | 110 | |||
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Mr K SHANMUGAM | 110 | |||
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Mr MASAGOS ZULKIFLI BIN MASAGOS MOHAMAD | 107 | |||
People's Action Party | West Coast GRC | Mr S ISWARAN | 106 | |||
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Mr LIM SWEE SAY | 96 | |||
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Prof FATIMAH LATEEF | 98 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr ARASU DURAISAMY | 50 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr MOHAMED IRSHAD | 50 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Ms ANTHEA ONG | 50 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr TERENCE HO WEE SAN | 49 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Assoc Prof Dr WALTER THESEIRA | 49 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Prof LIM SUN SUN | 46 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Ms IRENE QUAY SIEW CHING | 43 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr DOUGLAS FOO | 39 | |||
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Ms YIP PIN XIU | 33 |
*9 of the NMPs (Mr Arasu Duraisamy, Mr Mohamed Irshad, Ms Anthea Ong, Mr Terence Ho Wee San, Dr Walter Theseira, Prof Lim Sun Sun, Ms Irene Quay Siew Ching, Mr Douglas Foo, Ms Yip Pin Xiu) were elected to Parliament from the 83rd sitting onwards. Hence, their total attendance should be taken as 50.
**Murali Pillai was elected to Parliament on 9 May 2016 and attended Parliament from the 20th sitting onwards. Hence, his total attendance should be taken as 113.
***Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong took up the NCMP role from 4 Feb 2016. As such his total attendance should be taken as 126
1 Workers’ Party and 6 PAP MPs have attended all 132 sittings of parliament. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and cabinet members like Lawrence Wong and Chan Chun Sing have also been present for most sittings, with an attendance of 131, 130 and 129 sittings respectively. Meanwhile, Workers’ Party leader Low Thia Khiang and his successor Pritam Singh both attended 127 and 129 sittings respectively.
Amongst elected MPs, S Iswaran, Lim Swee Say and Fatimah Lateef attended the least number of sittings, with 106, 96 and 98 respectively.
MPs’ Parliamentary Speaking Count
Next, we turn our attention to the MPs’ individual speaking count. More specifically, we looked through thousands of Parliament Reports (or Hansard Records) to find out which backbenchers were most active and vocal. The number of sittings spoken at is a good indicator of how active they are in contributing to meaningful debate, which is critical to representing the many interests of different groups in the country.
In “Rules of Prudence,” Prime Minister Lee expressed that he had “asked the Speaker to give all MPs, particularly new MPs, ample opportunity and latitude to speak in Parliament”. He went on to encourage MPs to “speak freely and with conviction,” and to “not shy away from robust debate”.
Clearly, speaking up to illuminate pressing issues for their constituents are vital for MPs.
Here’s how our MPs performed in Parliamentary debates:
Party | Constituency | Name | Number of Sittings Spoken (Out of 131) |
---|---|---|---|
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Mr LOUIS NG KOK KWANG | 114 |
Workers' Party | Non-Constituency MPs | Mr LEON PERERA | 99 |
Workers' Party | Non-Constituency MPs | Mr DENNIS TAN LIP FONG | 96 |
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr PRITAM SINGH | 94 |
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Er Dr LEE BEE WAH | 92 |
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Ms JOAN PEREIRA | 87 |
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Mr GAN THIAM POH | 86 |
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Ms SYLVIA LIM | 82 |
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Mr DESMOND CHOO | 79 |
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Mr SAKTIANDI SUPAAT | 77 |
People's Action Party | Holland-Bukit Timah GRC | Mr CHRISTOPHER DE SOUZA | 76 |
People's Action Party | West Coast GRC | Mr PATRICK TAY TECK GUAN | 76 |
Workers' Party | Non-Constituency MPs | Assoc Prof DANIEL GOH PEI SIONG | 76 |
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Ms RAHAYU MAHZAM | 73 |
People's Action Party | Bukit Batok SMC | Mr MURALI PILLAI | 71 |
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Ms SUN XUELING | 71 |
People's Action Party | Mountbatten SMC | Mr LIM BIOW CHUAN | 67 |
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Mr ANG WEI NENG | 66 |
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Mr ZAINAL SAPARI | 66 |
People's Action Party | Chua Chu Kang GRC | Mr ZAQY MOHAMAD | 65 |
People's Action Party | Holland-Bukit Timah GRC | Mr LIANG ENG HWA | 65 |
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Mr MELVIN YONG YIK CHYE | 65 |
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Dr INTAN AZURA MOKHTRAR | 63 |
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Miss CHENG LI HUI | 63 |
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Mr DARRYL DAVID | 60 |
Workers' Party | Hougang SMC | Mr PNG ENG HUAT | 60 |
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Mr SEAH KIAN PENG | 59 |
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Mr AMRIN AMIN | 59 |
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr LOW THIA KHIANG | 58 |
People's Action Party | Chua Chu Kang GRC | Mr YEE CHIA HSING | 58 |
People's Action Party | Jurong GRC | Dr TAN WU MENG | 58 |
People's Action Party | Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC | Mr ALEX YAM ZIMING | 58 |
People's Action Party | Hong Kah North SMC | Dr AMY KHOR LEAN SUAN | 57 |
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Mr KWEK HIAN CHUAN HENRY | 57 |
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr MUHAMAD FAISAL BIN ABDUL MANAP | 56 |
People's Action Party | Fengshan SMC | Miss CHERYL CHAN WEI LING | 56 |
People's Action Party | Sengkang West SMC | Dr LAM PIN MIN | 55 |
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Ms DENISE PHUA LAY PENG | 54 |
People's Action Party | Nee Soon GRC | Assoc Prof Dr MUHAMMAD FAISHAL IBRAHIM | 54 |
People's Action Party | MacPherson SMC | Ms TIN PEI LING | 53 |
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Dr JANIL PUTHUCHEARY | 53 |
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Mr VIKRAM NAIR | 52 |
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Mr ANG HIN KEE | 49 |
People's Action Party | Sembawang GRC | Dr LIM WEE KIAK | 48 |
People's Action Party | Tanjong Pagar GRC | Dr CHIA SHI-LU | 46 |
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Prof FATIMAH LATEEF | 45 |
People's Action Party | Chua Chu Kang GRC | Ms LOW YEN LING | 44 |
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Ms JESSICA TAN SOON NEO | 44 |
People's Action Party | Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC | Mr ONG TENG KOON | 43 |
People's Action Party | West Coast GRC | Ms FOO MEE HAR | 43 |
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Prof YAACOB IBRAHIM | 42 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Ms ANTHEA ONG | 42 |
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Mr CHEE HONG TAT | 41 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Assoc Prof Dr WALTER THESEIRA | 41 |
People's Action Party | Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | Mr CHONG KEE HIONG | 40 |
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Mr EDWIN TONG CHUN FAI | 40 |
People's Action Party | Ang Mo Kio GRC | Dr KOH POH KOON | 34 |
People's Action Party | Potong Pasir SMC | Mr SITOH YIH PIN | 34 |
Workers' Party | Aljunied GRC | Mr CHEN SHOW MAO | 32 |
People's Action Party | Tampines GRC | Mr BAEY YAM KENG | 32 |
People's Action Party | Bukit Panjang SMC | Dr TEO HO PIN | 31 |
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Dr LILY NEO | 31 |
People's Action Party | Pioneer SMC | Mr CEDRIC FOO CHEE KENG | 30 |
People's Action Party | Holland-Bukit Timah GRC | Ms SIM ANN | 29 |
People's Action Party | Radin Mas SMC | Mr SAM TAN CHIN SIONG | 29 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr MOHAMED IRSHAD | 25 |
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Mr LIM SWEE SAY | 22 |
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Dr MOHAMAD MALIKI BIN OSMAN | 22 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Ms IRENE QUAY SIEW CHING | 22 |
People's Action Party | Marine Parade GRC | Mr TAN CHUAN-JIN | 21 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Prof LIM SUN SUN | 20 |
People's Action Party | Jalan Besar GRC | Mr HENG CHEE HOW | 14 |
People's Action Party | Punggol East SMC | Mr CHARLES CHONG | 14 |
People's Action Party | West Coast GRC | Mr LIM HNG KIANG | 14 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr TERENCE HO WEE SAN | 14 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr ARASU DURAISAMY | 12 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Mr DOUGLAS FOO | 12 |
People's Action Party | East Coast GRC | Mr LEE YI SHYAN | 8 |
Nominated MPs | Nominated MPs | Ms YIP PIN XIU | 8 |
People's Action Party | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | Mr TEO SER LUCK | 6 |
*The official sitting report was not available for the 83rd Parliamentary Sitting and thus has been excluded from the tabulation of the speaking count.
**Tan Chuan Jin has been the incumbent Speaker of Parliament since 11 September 2017; Charles Chong and Lim Biow Chuan have been the Deputy Speakers of Parliament since 2011 and 2016 respectively. It should be noted that their speeches on behalf of the House were not counted towards their individual speaking count.
Out of all MPs, activist-turned-politician Louis Ng turned out to be the most vocal, speaking at an astonishing 114 sittings of Parliament. The “maverick politician” has spoken about various things over the years, ranging from wildlife protection to busking and even the 2020 Budgets.
Following close behind are Workers’ Party MPs Leon Perera, Dennis Tan and Pritam Singh with a count of 99, 96 and 94 respectively, proving that opposition politicians are doing their part to make debates more robust and engaging.
Another honourable mention would be PAP MP Lee Bee Wah, who spoke at an impressive 92 sittings of Parliament. Sis Flower, as she’s now affectionately called, rose to prominence after her often unintentionally humorous speeches and stories went viral on social media. The numbers seem to indicate that she’s more than just that.
Putting things together. Scatter plot created by Jeremy Chia.
While parliamentary attendance and participation might be a measure of performance, it is also important to look out for what politicians say and do. In the time that MPs do in fact speak up, are they actually reflecting your sentiments? Are they doing regular walkabouts, turning up at Meet-The-People sessions, engaging with residents? These are important considerations for voters and the biggest gauge of them all is coming up.
The ballot box.
Authors
Nelle Ng and Sheryl Yang
.
Correction: June 24, 2020
An earlier version of this article contained slightly inaccurate data pertaining to parliamentary attendance. These issues have since been corrected. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.