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    ‘Allow sufficient opportunity for opposition’

    Workers’ Party (WP) secretary-general Low Thia Khiang said he expects the members of the opposition in Parliament to be given fair time to speak their views.

    At the first session of Singapore’s 12th Parliament on Monday, Low, one of the six elected WP Members of Parliament (MPs), highlighted the fact that the new Parliament contains the highest opposition representation – six MPs and three non-constituent MPs (NCMPs).

    “This is the mandate of our people expressed through the watershed election in May,” he said, in a speech congratulating Michael Palmer, MP for Punggol East single-member constituency (SMC), on his election to Speaker that day. “Singaporeans want members of the opposition to speak on their behalf without fear or favour.”

    “In this respect I trust that, Mr Speaker, sir, you will allow sufficient opportunity for members of the opposition to express our views and voice the concerns and needs of the people,” he said, adding a word of thanks to the voters in Aljunied and Hougang.

    Parliamentary rules state the time that MPs have to speak, which varies according to the purpose behind their speeches.

    An MP, for instance, has 40 minutes when advancing a motion, but has just a quarter of that when making an argument during the second reading of legislative bills.

    Furthermore, the amount of time allocated to each MP, regardless of which party they are from, is the same.

    Low had previously rejected the position of “unofficial leader of the opposition” in Parliament, a title referring to the MP who is the leader of the largest opposition party — in this case, the WP — who is able and prepared to assume office if the government resigns, saying that he found the term “unofficial” derogatory.

    The WP has eight representatives in Parliament—Low, Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh, Chen Show Mao and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap for Aljunied, Yaw Shin Leong, MP for Hougang, and NCMPs Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong. They are joined by a third NCMP, Lina Chiam, of the Singapore People's Party, who lost Potong Pasir SMC by a slim margin in the May polls.

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    229 comments

    • terry  •  7 months ago
      WP, we have faith in you. Shows us you can do it. Than, come next GE2016, more Singaporean will give you half the seats in Parliament to form a 2 system government. Singapore need a change in government or otherwise, Singapore will be ocuppied by PAP PR's and FT's. We, Pure Singaporean, will than become 2nd class citizen. Do we all want this to happen???????
      • Richard 7 months ago
        You're absolutely right, Terry. By next 2016 more than half the seats in Parliament will be occupied by WP. Only then we can breath and be proud as pure Singaporean.

        We respect and love you Mr Low Thia Khiang !!!
      • Ahmad 7 months ago
        Terry i m with you man.....agreed and cheers man!!b waiting the day when pappies lose their power altogether.....
    • sam  •  7 months ago
      with the opposition coming in play,we can see more challenge and dialoque with policies for singapore.Its not about the ruling party or the opposition but we should focus as a nation and for the good of the nation.Mind set of the leaders should be open.
      • Sue 7 months ago
        Well said!
    • Colin  •  7 months ago
      Mediacrop the people will be watching you closely. Be fair in your broadcast and reporting, be neutral and earn the respect of the people. The electorate needs to know how each MP performs, there is no GRC in parliament, to each his own.
      • minx 7 months ago
        should let it be live telecast
      • Ahmad 7 months ago
        yup it should be live telecast......no more censorship.....thats undemocratic...
    • GET REAL.  •  7 months ago
      This is a golden opportunity for WP to build on their base. By all means engage the ruling party, but remember to get all your facts right. If issues are for a better future, do not oppose for the sake of opposing. Address issues of the day and do not be diverted to long term views. The people are interested in the immediate problems not at this point 10 years down the road. For the NMP, take it as a learning journey, this is beneficial for you. Observe how debates are carried out rather that trying to score points that will backfire and put you in negative light. All the best to WP and the NMP. Remember the public do not want a loud mouth with no substance.
      • Ed 7 months ago
        Agree with you generally, but not the part on addressing just the immediate issues. Yes we need to solve immediate problems, but it should not be at the expense of the longer term good.
      • Sunset Singapore 7 months ago
        Dear Singaporean, please do not see our Opposition party to be same as the Taiwnese green party. Our background is different from Taiwan political history. I trust that our opposition party are more responsible and consist of better professional. If PAP play a fair game, I believe in the coming future there will be good MP fill in both two parties, and good debate will be happening to improve on our live in this small nation.
    • SoGoodMeh  •  7 months ago
      Don't worry, just do your job, the citizens of sg got eyes to see and judge.
    • SLYT  •  7 months ago
      WP, moving forward, push on..........we need you to be our voices!!! Best wishes.
    • ang  •  7 months ago
      media should be fair now there are many eyes watching.Need more ppl to respect all should be fair to singaporean.
    • Loh  •  7 months ago
      All the best. Singaporeans will support you ask the way. Do bring out those hot tropics that Singaporeans wish to address and those that PAP is trying so hard hiding.
    • 小 Lee 飛刀  •  7 months ago
      A rational and convincing leader give a raise of a party and hope for the country. Keep up on the good work MP Low.
    • tay  •  7 months ago
      Hopefully you could take over 60/40 next soon... ! heheheeee !
      • Ahmad 7 months ago
        hopefully that day will come......i m also wishing
      • tay 6 months ago
        LOL !!! five more years to go ...!!!
    • Maskot  •  7 months ago
      At the end of the day, we only wish to have leaders who are not only capable and can deliver, but most importantly is to know how to humble himself.

      Humility is the greatest thing a man can achieve in life, all else is meaningless.

      Stop the self-praising mentality, it's disgusting and shameful.
    • DBT  •  7 months ago
      Though there are only 9 (6+3) opposition MPs in the parliament, they represent a total of almost 40% of our citizens. How much time is given to the opposition MPs to speak their views will be a test of wisdom of this Singapore's 12th parliament!
    • anthony  •  7 months ago
      attention all opposition parties... now is the time to put aside all petty quarrels and egos.. you have from now till 2016 to get your act together.. all goals fielded under one party... this is the only I repeat ONLY way to achieve greatness in this coming GE election. Know this .. there is no way to beat the men in white if you are in seperate parties.. you all must consolidate and meld your objectives and flank the ruling party.. see how the last elections.. PAP win by a hair's breadth... imagine how great your victory will be if you are all under one party??? so for the sake of us singaporeans.. the real singaporeans.. please get your act together and act as a fighting force.. attack your opponents from all sides.. and we will see you taste victory.. and we will take up the charge with you... all the way oppositions!!!!!!!!!! merdeka!!!!
    • Singapore Handicap Man  •  7 months ago
      Please we need a party which really can speak up for all singaporean not just talk. i believe in you because you have given prove to your area by lower cost in the town council. I really hope got this group of team to help all singaporean because of the costs are so high and we really can't take it. we are not making millions of dollars and just thousand how to live in here.

      Help needed
    • Jonn  •  7 months ago
      OK... Good wishes to there "Few Good Men and Women" . Just be yourselves. You are there for the sake of the ignored citizens, the displaced citizens and to make a world class Parliament. Be gracious to the many " talk nonsense MPs" ....you are after all made of better calibre.
    • voice  •  7 months ago
      Overgrown kids are terribly afraid of adults! THat's why they won't let you speak!
    • mutucurry  •  7 months ago
      People's expectation of the Workers Party's performance in Parliament should be measured and realistic - considering the constraints the Oppositio members are up against.

      Yes please oppose and speak out on our behalf but there is no need for confrontation. Ms Sylvia Lim had proven in the last Parliament as NCMP - her capability and ability to put across her points ever so effectively and eloquently - notably her arugment against the high Ministerial salaries. Mr Low Thia Khiang also has had his high mopment and had not disappointed us too. These two WP vetrans are indeed worthy role-model for their fellow new MPs in Parliament. I wish them all the best.

      As for the PAP members, we are watching your behaviour; you will lose our respect if you will ever without good reasons be rude or abusive to the oppopsition members who are representing us in Parliament!!!
    • Jack  •  7 months ago
      help sg people on 衣食住行。。。
    • Si Beh Ho  •  7 months ago
      This bunch of WP MPs and NCMPs are indeed damn good or in Hokkien we say "Si Beh Ho" or what people in the racing circle will term them as "Boh Beh Chow", literally it means "No Horse Run" or we can say, these horses are too strong to reach the finishing line.
      Right now, can you guys go and source for more credible and qualified people to preapre them as candidates for the next GE. Today, Singaporeans are squeezed to the extent of being breathless or again in Hokkien, we say "Buay Chuan Kui".
      Don't disappoint not only the voters of Hougang SMC and Aljunied GRC but also your supporters in other parts of Singapore.
      Lastly, please help to raise issues in Parliament concerning the livelihood of our fellow Singaporeans, especially those who are struggling daily to make ends meet.
    • John  •  7 months ago
      Ya man,hope you are more luckier than some by not getting locked up under ISA bs laws!

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