Chen Show Mao nominated to join selection panel

[MarrickG]

SINGAPORE - Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Chen Show Mao has been named to the Committee of Selection, reported The Straits Times.

The former corporate lawyer is the first non-PAP MP to be named to this committee since Singapore became independent from Malaysia.

The committee has the power to nominate and pick MPs to sit on the House of Parliament's sessional and select committees such as the Public Petitions and Public Accounts Committees.

The House is expected to select seven MPs and approve the list next week.

When Parliament opens on Monday, 30 first-time MPs will make their maiden appearance, debating the President's Address delivered last week.

They are expected to debate hot-button issues like health-care costs, the availability of HDB flats and the plight of low-wage workers.

Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Low Yen Ling will address the plight of white-collar workers in their 40s to 60s, who find it difficult to get new jobs after getting retrenched.

Moulmein-Kallang GRC MP Edwin Tong will speak on concerns of the new values-based focus announced by the Education ministry last month.

Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Zainal Sapari's speech will touch on low-wage workers and how they have been affected by government agencies sub-contracting jobs out.

The week-long debate will also involve nine opposition MPs, including three non-constituency MPs. Eight of them are representatives of Workers' Party; and one, Mrs Lina Chiam, is from Singapore's People's Party.