Nine nominated MPs appointed amid scrutiny over neutrality of scheme

Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will appoint nine Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) on 8 January 2026. Among them is one returning member, Mark Lee Kean Phi, CEO of Sing Lun Holdings, alongside eight first-time appointees.

Their appointment follows a competitive nomination process and comes at a time of growing public scepticism about the NMP scheme’s neutrality, particularly after two former NMPs resigned in 2025 to join the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), with one subsequently elected to Parliament.

The new cohort will take their oaths at the next sitting of Parliament later this month.

Announced by the Office of the Clerk of Parliament on 2 January, the appointees are:

• Azhar Othman, Executive Chairman, Enercon Asia

• Assoc Prof Goh Toh Chuan Kenneth, President, Singapore Aquatics

• Dr Haresh Singaraju, Family Physician, National University Polyclinics

• Assoc Prof Terence Ho Wai Luen, National University of Singapore

• Kuah Boon Theng SC, Managing Director, Legal Clinic LLC

• Mark Lee Kean Phi, CEO, Sing Lun Holdings

• Dr Neo Kok Beng, Founder and CEO, NEO Aeronautics Pte Ltd

• Prof Kenneth Poon Kin Loong, National Institute of Education

• Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, General Secretary, Amalgamated Union of Public Employees

Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, chair of the Special Select Committee that assessed the 57 nominations, said the selected individuals were chosen for their “distinguished contributions” and ability to add value to parliamentary debate through diverse experiences.

Leader of the House Indranee Rajah added that the committee had a difficult task selecting from a strong field of applicants. She expressed confidence that the new NMPs would enhance parliamentary discussions in an “uncertain and disrupted world”.

However, the appointments come amid heightened scrutiny of the NMP scheme’s credibility, following the resignations of former NMPs Raj Joshua Thomas and Syed Harun Alhabsyi ahead of the May 2025 General Election. Syed Harun contested under the PAP banner and was elected as a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC.

These resignations marked the first time in the scheme’s 35-year history that NMPs had stepped down mid-term to enter party politics, sparking public concern over whether the role is being used as a political springboard. Critics argued that the moves undermined the constitutional intent of NMPs serving as non-partisan contributors to parliamentary debate.

A national survey of 500 Singaporeans, conducted by OPPi from 14 to 20 August 2025, found that while 71.2% of respondents believed NMPs provide valuable alternative voices in Parliament, only 32.4% viewed the scheme as currently relevant.

The survey, launched by former NMP Anthea Ong and Rice Media, also revealed significant appetite for reform. More than half of respondents (53%) supported increasing public involvement in the selection of NMPs. Many expressed discomfort with the perception that current appointments are dominated by elite or institutionally endorsed candidates.

A particularly strong concern was the erosion of trust in the non-partisan nature of the scheme. Nearly 75% of respondents supported NMPs moving into electoral politics if they did so as independents. However, close to half said there should be a mandatory “cooling-off period” before such transitions, to prevent the appearance of political opportunism.

At the time, Laurence Lien, a former NMP, warned that partisan moves could “destroy the credibility of institutions”, advocating for safeguards to protect the scheme’s independence.

Anthea Ong, who served as an NMP from 2018 to 2020, described the survey results as “sobering but energising”, urging a wider reimagining of how Parliament can represent Singaporeans beyond party politics.

The selection process for the current cohort began with a public call for nominations in October 2025. Under the Constitution, NMPs must be Singapore citizens aged at least 21, registered voters, and residents for at least 10 years. They must also be able to take an active role in Parliament and be proficient in at least one official language.

Candidates may be nominated by functional groups or members of the public, and require endorsement by at least six registered voters.

While the current appointees have been welcomed by Parliament's leadership for their achievements in business, academia, public service, and healthcare, questions remain over whether structural reforms to the NMP scheme will follow.

Former independent general election candidates Jeremy Tan and Darryl Lo, who had both expressed interest in NMP roles during the recent nomination cycle, did not make the final list.

Tan, who achieved the highest vote share for an independent since 1972, and Lo, who outperformed a party-backed opposition candidate in his constituency, both argued for greater inclusion of independent voices in parliamentary processes.

Lo warned that recent resignations and partisan alignments had weakened public trust in the NMP system. “Hopefully the Special Select Committee will bring back trust to the NMP scheme,” he told CNA in October 2025.

As the new appointees prepare to begin their terms, observers will be watching closely to see whether their contributions reflect the independent, citizen-centric spirit envisioned for the NMP scheme — or whether further reforms will be necessary to restore public confidence.