A Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) is a non-partisan member of the Parliament of Singapore who is appointed by the president to contribute independent and diverse perspectives to parliamentary debates. They are de jure not affiliated to any political party and do not represent any constituency. The scheme was introduced in 1990 as part of constitutional amendments aimed at broadening the representation in Parliament beyond that provided by elected Members of Parliament (MP) and Non-constituency Members of Parliament (NCMP). NMPs are appointed by on the recommendation of a Special Select Committee of Parliament, which evaluates candidates nominated by the public and various functional groups.
While NMPs possess similar parliamentary rights as elected MPs, they are restricted from voting on certain key matters, including constitutional amendments, supply bills, money bills and motions of no confidence in the government. The NMP scheme, in the government's view, is intended to provide a platform for voices from sectors such as the arts, academia, civil society and business, thereby enriching parliamentary discourse with expertise and viewpoints that may not otherwise be represented. NMPs serve a fixed term of two and a half years, shorter than the maximum five-year term of MPs and NCMPs. In addition, the position is considered part-time in nature, and as such, NMPs receive a substantially lower allowance compared to MPs, as they are expected to retain their primary professional occupations. Since 1997, the maximum number of NMPs in Parliament was nine.
Since its inception, the NMP scheme has undergone periodic reviews and adjustments, including changes to the number of NMPs allowed and the nomination process. The scheme has attracted both support and criticism. Proponents argue that NMPs strengthen deliberative democracy by contributing specialist knowledge and independent thought, while detractors question the accountability of unelected legislators within a parliamentary system, viewing it as elitist and undemocratic. The NMP system is a distinctive feature of Singapore's political framework not seen in traditional Westminster system styles of government. Although it bears small similarities to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom, where members are selected rather than elected, NMPs do not form a separate chamber. Instead, they sit together with elected MPs and NCMPs.
Background
The introduction of NMPs in September 1990, effected to bring more independent voices into Parliament, was an important modification of the traditional Westminster parliamentary system that Singapore had.
NMPs are appointed for a term of two and a half years on the recommendation of a Special Select Committee chaired by the speaker of Parliament. The Committee may nominate persons who have rendered distinguished public service or who have brought honour to Singapore, and also invites proposals of candidates from community groups in the fields of arts and letters, culture, the sciences, business, industry, the professions, social or community service, and the labour movement.
In 2009, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong proposed in Parliament that the Committee should also invite nominations from the civil society such as candidates from the environmental movement, young activists, new citizens, and community and grassroots leaders. In addition, the Committee must have regard to the need for NMPs to reflect as wide a range of independent and nonpartisan views as possible. In Parliament, NMPs can participate in debates and vote on all issues except amendments to the Constitution, motions relating to public funds, votes of no confidence in the Government, and removing the president from office.
NMPs have made contributions to Singapore's political landscape. In 1996, the Maintenance of Parents Act () became the first public Act originating from a private member's bill initiated by an NMP, Walter Woon. During parliamentary debates, NMPs have also offered critical views on Government policies. The scheme was declared a success by the prime minister in 2009, and NMPs were made a permanent feature of Parliament – before this change, Parliament had to resolve within six months of every election whether NMPs should be appointed.
As with regular elected Members of Parliament of Singapore, NMPs are also entitled to an annual salaries, albeit lower, as they are paid 15% of that amount. As of the 8 September 2026's amendment, the annual salary was $38,900, a $10,000 increase from the previous.
Nominated Member of Parliament scheme Implementation A Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) is a Member of Parliament (MP) who is not elected, but chosen by a committee of MPs. Introducing the NMP scheme was a progression of the plan by the Government, the first step of which was the introduction of the Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) scheme, to increase the number of non-government MPs to enable "alternative views to be expressed and dissenting voices to be heard"..
During a debate in Parliament on 29 and 30 November 1989,. the First Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong set out the Government's reasons for implementing the scheme. The NMP scheme was a move to provide more opportunities for Singaporeans to participate in politics. It was a "privilege" extended to Singaporeans who could make valuable contributions to public policy but for good reasons did not desire to enter politics and look after constituencies. Women were mentioned as an example of people who might be more willing to become NMPs, as many have to handle their families and careers and therefore do not have much spare time.Goh Chok Tong, Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill, cols. 696–697.
The aim of the scheme was to create a more "consensual style of government where alternative views are heard and constructive dissent accommodated".Goh Chok Tong, Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill, col. 695. NMPs could play a constructive role in contributing to good governance that the Opposition and MPs of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) could not provide. While PAP MPs had been encouraged to air opposing views, they were after all Government MPs and were not allowed to vote against the Government unless the Whip was lifted. Moreover, there were very few Opposition MPs. According to Goh, the Opposition had not been constructive as their objective was to discredit the Government so that they could win office. In contrast, NMPs would not belong to any political party, and could therefore represent the views of people who did not identify themselves with the PAP or the Opposition. Thus, NMPs would be able to concentrate on the "substance of the debate rather than form and rhetoric", and provide dissenting and constructive views that would contribute to good government.Goh Chok Tong, Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill, col. 700.
Furthermore, with NMPs Parliament would be able to better represent the views of the people. While the ruling party attempted to represent the mainstream political opinion in Singapore and fielded as representative a range of candidates as possible during general elections, it would inevitably not be able to succeed in completely representing every viewpoint. On the other hand, the Opposition MPs and NCMPs represented anti-establishment voters. Goh expressed the view that people who stood as Opposition candidates usually believed that having the PAP government was bad for Singapore and wished to oust the PAP. Therefore, the range of people likely to be elected to Parliament as Opposition MPs was limited. NMPs could represent the people who disagreed with the PAP but did not wish to oust them from government.Goh Chok Tong, Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill, col. 701.
Goh also pointed out that at least 20 other countries had nominated Members in their Houses of Representatives,Goh Chok Tong, Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill, col. 702. The list of countries was published at cols. 773–780 . while noting that each variant of the NMP system had to be tailored to the country in which it was implemented..
The billConstitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill 1989 (No. B41 of 1989). for amending the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore. to implement the NMP scheme was introduced in Parliament and underwent its First Reading on 6 October 1989.. On 30 November 1989, the bill was read a second time, and referred to a select committee.Goh Chok Tong, Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 2) Bill, cols. 852–854. The report of the select committee. was presented to Parliament on 15 March 1990, and the bill read a third time and enacted as the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 1990. on 29 March 1990.. It came into force on 10 September 1990.
Modifications
From 1 September 1997, the maximum number of NMPs in Parliament was increased from six to nine., in force on 1 September 1997. Introducing a motion in Parliament for the second reading of the constitutional amendment bill that was eventually passed to effect the change, the Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng said that the NMP scheme was now well accepted by practically all MPs as it had proven its usefulness and worth. The Government intended to expand the scheme "so that more NMPs can be in Parliament to air views which may not be canvassed by the PAP or by the Opposition. ... We are now proposing to increase the number of NMPs so that a wider cross-section of such views can be canvassed and expressed.".
In 2002, an NMP's term of office was extended from two to two and a half years.. This was done to avoid the need to select NMPs three times if a particular Parliament lasted its full five-year term.Constitution, Art. 65(4): "Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for 5 years from the date of its first sitting and shall then stand dissolved". In fact, during the Ninth Parliament, the NMPs had only served 17 days from 1 to 17 October 2001 and attended three sittings before Parliament was dissolved for the 2001 general election..
NMPs were made a permanent feature of Parliament with effect from 1 July 2010.. Prior to this change, Parliament had to decide within six months after every election whether to appoint NMPs.Constitution, 4th Sch., para. 1(1), repealed by , in force on 1 July 2010. The rationale for the changes was given by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament on 27 May 2009. According to him, the main motivation behind having NMPs as a permanent part of the system of government in Singapore was that the scheme had been a great success and had improved the quality of debate in the House: "The scheme has worked well. The NMPs represent non-partisan alternative views in Parliament, and the NMPs have made effective contributions and raised the quality of debate in Parliament. Sometimes, if I may say so, they may have outshone even the Opposition MPs. This NMP scheme should be a permanent part of our political system."
Appointment, term of office, and powers