You wouldn’t want something that Hong Kong is protesting against in your Parliament, would you? I wouldn’t, Not in My Parliament (NMP).
What the people of Hong Kong are demonstrating against, is what we have in Singapore, in the form of the Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme.
The new framework, which the movement is against, will allow Hong Kong’s 5 million registered voters to select their leader, although candidates must be approved by a committee similar to the one that selected the city’s top official in 2012. The committee which selected the city’s top official was a 1,200 strong committee stacked with Beijing loyalists.
The demonstrators have stated that their ultimate goal is to pressure China into giving the former British colony full universal suffrage and not a ‘fake democracy.’
In Singapore, our NMP scheme allows for unelected persons into Parliament. NMPs are appointed for a term of two and a half years on the recommendation of a Special Select Committee (SSC) chaired by the Speaker of Parliament. Out of the 8 members of the SSC, 7 were from the Ruling Party.
These 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 despite them having no mandate from the electorate.
As Kenneth Jeyaretnam said in this article, the phrase ‘NMP’ itself is an oxymoron. As we stand in solidarity with the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong, let us not forget that we have our own version of undemocratic practices.
And if you’re free this Wednesday evening, join us at Hong Lim Park as we show our support and solidarity to Hong Kong, from Singapore. We will be singing songs too, don’t forget your umbrella and a black tee! Here’s the official link to the event page and the Facebook Page.
Whether the NMPs are truly non-partisan and representative of the electorate is a contentious issue. But fundamentally, it is undemocratic.