Do you consider NCMP an useless member in the Parliament ?

[Robert Half]

I believe in Mr Png explanation :p

 

[denzuko1]

NCMP is not useless, it is a very useful tool for the ruling party to give an illusion of alternate voice in the parliament. Tis position is totally useless in decision making process except making noises.

 

[insignia]

The pay of the NCMP is also damn bloody low considering the work they have to do to prepare their Parliamentary speeches.

The only difference is that they do not have a constituency to run and hence no Town Council duties, no need to conduct MPS.

But to prepare a Parliamentary speeches requires a lot of homework and research that can take weeks, because if you make any mistake, the PAP will certainly pick up on it and make you miserable.

The pay of an MP is $13,500 (used to be $15,000). The pay of an NCMP is a measly $1,800. A proper amount to pay them should be at least $4,000.

 

[insignia]

Oh and by the way, on the pay issue:

The pay of NCMPs used to be exactly the same as MPs until J B Jeyaretnam became NCMP in 1997.

Then, the PAP reduced the pay to $1,800, claiming that NCMPs need not represent any constituency and hence deserves to get paid much less.

It was a tactic to make JBJ as 'poor' as possible, so that he would not be able to withstand their heavy lawsuits against him.

Their plan was simply to keep JBJ out of Parliament at all costs, whether as MP (removed in 1986) or as NCMP (removed in 1998).

By the way, Steve Chia is the only NCMP to have never served as MP. The others were Dr Lee Siew Choh, J B Jeyaretnam and Sylvia Lim.

 

[Robert Half]

Poor JBJ, he sacrifice so much for Singaporeans :(

 

[insignia]

From 1981 to 1984, he was a lone voice against a whole house of PAP MPs. Anything he said would be jeered. Whenever he stood up he would be heckled. They gave him no respect whatsoever. To a large extent they did the same to Chiam, but JBJ was treated worse because he was more vocal and also because he was the first to break their monopoly.

Without JBJ there would be no Workers' Party of today.

That said, today's Workers' Party is a pale shadow of what it was under JBJ. They have, in some ways, sold out - they are too timid and many of them are fence sitters, afraid to take strong stands on issues. I'm not talking about 'opposing', they are simply not even taking a principled stand on many issues that are wrong.

 

[insignia]

Poor JBJ, he sacrifice so much for Singaporeans :(

Before he entered politics, JBJ was a very wealthy man. He could afford to send both his sons to Cambridge, that was a big deal in those days.

He was also a respected Judge and a very celebrated lawyer. But he gave it all away to oppose Harry Lee and he spent his latter years hawking his self-published books on the streets for $10 in order to try and clear his debts (which were unjustly imposed).

 

[steffychun]

NCMPs can vote on all issues except amendment of the constitution, public funds, vote of no confidence in the government, and removing the president from office

Even Sylvia Lim said that government departments ignore her requests because she is a NCMP before she got elected into Parliament winning Aljunied GRC.

But there are 3 NCMPs this term... SPP Lina Chiam also took up this position :p

Lina Chiam is there to remind the PAP there will always be a Chiam. Just like in Star Wars, always another skywalker.

 

[sense]

Do you consider NCMP an useless member in the Parliament ?

From the horses' mouth:

1. "SINGAPORE: The Singapore People's Party's central executive committee has given approval to Mrs Lina Chiam to take up the Non-Constituency MP seat in Parliament.
:
:
The SPP said it hopes to bring the voice and concerns of all Singaporeans to Parliament through Mrs Chiam, in addition to that of voters in Potong Pasir, Hong Kah North and Bishan-Toa Payoh.
Mrs Chiam said she is accepting the offer to comply with the wishes of the residents of Potong Pasir and also due to the narrow margin win by the PAP.
She said she promises to represent and speak up for the common Singaporean, and hold the PAP government publicly accountable to the people.
And she will be actively collaborating with SPP's Policy Working Group, to continue "the fight for democracy, justice and equality for all Singaporeans."
The party said it believes that this NCMP post is critical for it to ensure one other additional alternative party voice in Parliament, to stay engaged with national issues through Parliamentary debates, and to remain publicly visible in the eyes of all Singaporeans for the next five years."
12 May 2011: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1128639/1/.html

2. "Workers' Party names Yee Jenn Jong, Gerald Giam for NCMP seats
:
Mr Yee said: "Many residents have asked me to continue to champion certain national issues for them in the parliament. So I hope to be able to use the NCMP position to raise some of these issues. My area of expertise will be in entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprise and education.
:
:
Party Chairman Sylvia Lim said after much deliberation, the Central Executive Committee has decided to accept the two NCMP seats available to it."
13 May 2011: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1128423/1/.html
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3. "Not given NCMP seat, so Eric Tan quits Workers' Party
:
"I wanted the NCMP post so that I would be able to be the voice of the people." said Mr Tan"
13 May 2011: http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/...en-NCMP-seat,-so-Eric-Tan-quits-Workers-Party

 

[Cruxx]

From 1981 to 1984, he was a lone voice against a whole house of PAP MPs. Anything he said would be jeered. Whenever he stood up he would be heckled. They gave him no respect whatsoever. To a large extent they did the same to Chiam, but JBJ was treated worse because he was more vocal and also because he was the first to break their monopoly.

Without JBJ there would be no Workers' Party of today.

That said, today's Workers' Party is a pale shadow of what it was under JBJ. They have, in some ways, sold out - they are too timid and many of them are fence sitters, afraid to take strong stands on issues. I'm not talking about 'opposing', they are simply not even taking a principled stand on many issues that are wrong.

Politicians are only what the voters want them to be. The reality is that most Sinkies are brainwashed. No one wants a radical like CSJ in parliament because Sinkies on both sides of the political spectrum seem to believe that the PAPzis and the institutions they've put in place, warts and all, deserve the credit for the relative prosperity of Singapore today. "Well, at least we're not as bad as those African countries" is the common refrain of these brainwashed sheep every time someone suggests to them to take radical action against the hegemony of the PAPpies.