SINGAPORE - The People's Action Party on Wednesday (Aug 19) announced that it has reappointed Dr Janil Puthucheary as Party Whip and Ms Sim Ann as Deputy Party Whip.
Dr Janil has served as Party Whip since June 6 last year, having taken over the role from Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, who was the previous Whip since September 2015.
He is currently Senior Minister of State for Health and Communications and Information, and an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
Ms Sim is currently Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and National Development, and an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.
The role of a Party Whip is to ensure good communication in the party ranks, contribute to the smooth running of its parliamentary machinery and serve as disciplinarian.
The Whip also ensures the party's MPs vote according to the party's position. But at times, the Whip can "lift the Whip", allowing party members to vote according to their conscience.
Separately, the Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs) have also been formed, the PAP said in a press release.
Almost all 12 of the committees have new chairmen, with the exception of three: defence and foreign affairs, finance and trade and industry, and social and family development.
These three GPCs will continue to be chaired by Mr Vikram Nair, a Sembawang GRC MP; Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Bukit Panjang MP; and Mr Seah Kian Peng, a Marine Parade GRC MP, respectively.
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The changes include:
MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling, who was deputy chairman for the communications and information GPC, will now chair the committee in place of Mr Cedric Foo, who has retired from politics.
Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin will head the GPC for culture, community and youth, in place of Dr Lim Wee Kiak.
Pioneer MP and labour leader Patrick Tay will head the education GPC, with Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo replacing him as chair of the GPC for manpower.
Jurong GRC MP Tan Wu Meng will chair the health GPC, while Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Saktiandi Supaat takes over as the transport GPC chairman.
Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng, formerly a member of the GPC for the environment and water resources, now heads up the sustainability and the environment GPC, in line with the renaming of the ministry last month.
The GPC appointments will be effective with the commencement of the 14th Parliament of Singapore, which opens with an address by President Halimah Yacob next Monday.
Set up by the PAP in 1987, GPCs serve as an additional feedback channel on government policies, and give their members the opportunity to scrutinise the legislation and programmes of the various ministries.
Here's the full list of GPC members.
Communications and Information
- Tin Pei Ling – Chairman
- Alex Yam – Deputy Chairman
- Christopher de Souza
- Seah Kian Peng
- Jessica Tan
- Hany Soh
- Sharael bin Mohd Taha
Culture, Community and Youth
- Sitoh Yih Pin – Chairman
- Darryl David – Deputy Chairman
- Tin Pei Ling
- Cheng Li Hui
- Joan Pereira
- Fahmi bin Aliman
- Hany Soh
- Xie Yao Quan
Defence and Foreign Affairs
- Vikram Nair – Chairman
- Alex Yam – Deputy Chairman
- Chong Kee Hiong
- Henry Kwek
- Don Wee
- Rachel Ong
- Zhulkarnain bin Abdul Rahim
Education
- Patrick Tay – Chairman
- Darryl David – Deputy Chairman
- Denise Phua
- Foo Mee Har
- Mariam Jaafar
- Shawn Huang
- Wan Rizal
Finance and Trade & Industry
- Liang Eng Hwa – Chairman
- Foo Mee Har – Deputy Chairman
- Jessica Tan
- Saktiandi bin Supaat
- Desmond Choo
- Derrick Goh
- Edward Chia
- Shawn Huang
- Mariam Jaafar
Health
- Tan Wu Meng – Chairman
- Ng Ling Ling – Deputy Chairman
- Lim Wee Kiak
- Ang Wei Neng
- Wan Rizal
- Yip Hon Weng
- Mariam Jaafar
Home Affairs and Law
- Murali Pillai – Chairman
- Zhulkarnain bin Abdul Rahim – Deputy Chairman
- Christopher de Souza
- Sitoh Yih Pin
- Tan Wu Meng
- Vikram Nair
- Patrick Tay
- Derrick Goh
Manpower
- Desmond Choo – Chairman
- Edward Chia – Deputy Chairman
- Liang Eng Hwa
- Cheng Li Hui
- Sharael bin Mohd Taha
- Rachel Ong
- Yeo Wan Ling
- Yip Hon Weng
National Development
- Cheryl Chan – Chairman
- Chong Kee Hiong – Deputy Chairman
- Henry Kwek
- Lim Biow Chuan
- Louis Ng
- Carrie Tan
- Nadia Ahmad Samdin
- Xie Yao Quan
Social and Family Development
- Seah Kian Peng – Chairman
- Joan Pereira – Deputy Chairman
- Denise Phua
- Murali Pillai
- Melvin Yong
- Carrie Tan
- Fahmi bin Aliman
- Ng Ling Ling
Sustainability and the Environment
- Louis Ng – Chairman
- Poh Li San – Deputy Chairman
- Cheryl Chan
- Gan Thiam Poh
- Lim Wee Kiak
- Nadia Ahmad Samdin
- Don Wee
Transport
- Saktiandi bin Supaat – Chairman
- Melvin Yong – Deputy Chairman
- Lim Biow Chuan
- Ang Wei Neng
- Gan Thiam Poh
- Poh Li San
- Yeo Wan Ling
This article was first published in The Straits Times.