By You can read the full transcript of PM Lee’s speech here.
Watch the videos of PM Lee’s speech here.
From the Straits Times:
NEW changes to Singapore’s political system will lead to non-People’s Action Party members taking up at least 18 seats in Parliament, or roughly one-fifth of the House.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in Parliament on Wednesday that the Constitution will be amended to allow for up to nine 9 Non-Constituency MPs, who are opposition candidates who lose but are nevertheless given seats in Parliament.
Workers’ Party chairman Sylvia is currently one such MP.
At the same time, the Parliamentary Elections Act will be amended to increase the stipulated minimum number of opposition MPs, including NCMPs, to nine.
The current minimum is three. This means there will be a guaranteed nine MPs from opposition parties in Parliament, whether or not they win an election.
These nine opposition MPs will join nine Nominated MPs – unelected representatives of sectors such as business and the creative industries – to bring about more diverse views in Parliament, the PM said.
The NMP scheme, started in 1990, will now be made a permanent feature of the system. One new sector – the people sector – will be invited to nominate candidates for the scheme.
Mr Lee said this candidate could include environmentalists, young activists, new citizens and community and grassroots leaders.
Another change will see on average smaller Group Representation Constituencies, which can be as big as six members.
At the same time, the number of single-member constituencies will be increased from nine to at least 12.
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