The Nominated MP (NMP) Scheme is the PAP-led government’s way of telling you that you can have your cake and eat it too.

That Singaporeans can have their voices heard without needing to elect an MP from the opposition or otherwise.

Singaporeans shouldn’t buy that nonsense.

After all this is the same government that been known, many a time, to give a chicken wing and take back one whole chicken.

The NMP scheme is a perversion of democracy in Singapore.

For one, NMPs are supposed to be independent voices.

Yet PAP members have previously been appointed as NMPs.

Also, Singaporeans do not get to choose their NMPs.

The selection process is heavily skewed in favour of the PAP – the selection panel is headed by the Speaker of Parliament, who is a PAP member, and over 80 percent of the panel are PAP members.

And the wings of NMPs are clipped – they cannot vote on bills and motions concerning amendments to the Constitution and public funds as well as motions of no confidence in the government, and removing the president from office.

Only MPs elected by the people can vote on those.

It’s no wonder that opposition stalwarts such as Ms Sylvia Lim, and even former PAP CEC member Dr Tan Cheng Bock, have rubbished the NMP scheme.

The SDA believes that the NMP scheme is a scheme designed to trick Singaporeans into believing their voices are represented. 

The only true representatives of Singaporeans are those who have been elected by Singaporeans, and not those simply hand-picked by a sterile group of men in white.

SDA Chairman’s Office