Appointment of the first Nominated Members of Parliament

The first two Nominated Members of Parliament – businessman Leong Chee Whye and cardiologist Maurice Choo – were appointed on 22 November 1990^[1] and were sworn-in at Parliament in December 1990.^[2] The Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) is a non-elected member appointed by the president of Singapore to provide a wider representation of independent and non-partisan views in the House.^[3] Each NMP serves a term of two and a half years based on the recommendation of a Special Select Committee of Parliament chaired by the Speaker of Parliament.^[4] The scheme is seen as a “logical progression” of the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) scheme.^[5] The NMP scheme was introduced to fulfil the government’s 1984 election promise to “systematically create more opportunities for Singaporeans to participate actively in shaping their future”.^[6]

References
1. Top executive, heart specialist picked as NMPs. (1990, November 21). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Nominated MPs to be sworn-in today at Parliament sitting. (1990, December 3). The Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Parliament of Singapore. (2011). Members of Parliament. Retrieved July 25, 2013, from Parliament of Singapore website: http://www.parliament.gov.sg/members-parliament
4. Parliament of Singapore, 2011, Members of Parliament.
5. Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report. (1989, January 9). President’s Address (Vol. 52). Singapore: Govt. Printer. Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN.  Retrieved July 25, 2013, from Parliament of Singapore website: http://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/report.jsp?currentPubID=00069575-ZZ
6. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 9 Jan 1989, President's Address, Vol. 52.