PUBLISHED ONMarch 31, 2025 6:32 AMByLim KeweiUnder the Constitution, former Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) can join political parties and contest in the General Election, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam on Monday (March 31).
His comments today come after former NMP Syed Harun Alhabsyi was seen with other Nee Soon GRC MPs at an event on March 27, fuelling speculation that Dr Syed might contest in GE2025.
Dr Syed and former NMP Raj Joshua Thomas had both resigned from their posts on Feb 14. Thomas had said in a Facebook post on March 26 that he had stepped down to contribute to the People's Action Party (PAP).
Speaking to the media during a visit to Ahmad Ibrahim Mosque on Monday, Shanmugam said he had debated the NMP scheme in Parliament and saw the bill pass into law in 1990.
"If you look at the Constitution, it expressly provides for an NMP to step down and join a political party and take part in elections," he stated.
Pointing out that then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had "talked about NMPs potentially becoming ministers", Shanmugam said the constitutional documents "clearly envisaged" that NMPs can join a political party and run in elections.
"I think the final word really is the Constitution itself, the way it's been drafted, that was the intention. But I can understand that was more than 30 years ago, and not a lot of people would know the background or the provisions of the Constitution."
Notwithstanding, Shanmugam stressed that it is important to ensure that NMPs are independent, and that the Parliament chooses "men and women of character and who carry themselves properly".
"But the fact that they can contribute subsequently or prior is something that was always understood and provided for," he concluded.
Also present at the Monday event with Shanmugam were fellow Nee Soon GRC MPs Carrie Tan, Derrick Goh and Louis Ng, along with Jackson Lam, the former branch chairman of PAP Hougang division.
Nee Soon GRC MP Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim was not seen at this event. He had been spotted at a walkabout in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC on March 30.
When asked if Faishal — who is also Minister of State for Home Affairs — will continue to serve in Nee Soon GRC, Shanmugam told the media that the former is "unlikely to be here (Nee Soon)".
He said: "It's difficult for me to give you a complete and final answer, that's decided by the CEC. But as people can see, he is spending a lot of time in Marine Parade, and I think that is one indication of what might happen."
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