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by Tan Weizhen and Sumita Sreedharan, TODAY
There were mixed reactions to the selection of DBS managing director Tan Su Shan as one of the nine new Nominated Members of Parliament. The reason: Ms Tan, who is also the bank's head of wealth management, has been a member of the People's Action Party (PAP) for the past two years.
Responding to Today's queries, she confirmed that she resigned from the ruling party before her nomination as an NMP was put up by the business and industry group.
She told Today: "It was a black-and-white situation to me." On whether her views would be independent, she reiterated that an NMP "has to be even more non-partisan now with more diversity in Parliament, as we do not want long-term policies to be made based on reactions to the past elections".
Ms Tan said: "Our role is to look beyond the short term and what is best for Singapore and, as we are not looking for re-election, we are the best people to do it."
She said she is interested in issues such as manpower. She added: "And because of my economic background, I can contribute on debates on economic policy. As a working woman, issues pertaining to working mothers, family and work life are also my concern. On a philanthropic front, I want to help children, especially sick ones."
However, former NMP Siew Kum Hong felt that "to get someone who has resigned from the party does not make sense". Said Mr Siew: "The selection committee should not take people who have resigned from a party just to be nominated to Parliament." Another former NMP, Mr Zulkifli Baharudin, felt that in general, "the institution of the NMP is to reflect non-partisan views in both letter and spirit of the institution so they should prove to be non-partisan".
The selection committee chaired by the Speaker of Parliament, includes ministers, PAP backbenchers and Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang. In 2009, public outcry led media entrepreneur Calvin Cheng to quit the Young PAP after he was appointed as an NMP. Sumita Sreedharan
There were mixed reactions to the selection of DBS managing director Tan Su Shan as one of the nine new Nominated Members of Parliament. The reason: Ms Tan, who is also the bank's head of wealth management, has been a member of the People's Action Party (PAP) for the past two years.
Responding to Today's queries, she confirmed that she resigned from the ruling party before her nomination as an NMP was put up by the business and industry group.
She told Today: "It was a black-and-white situation to me." On whether her views would be independent, she reiterated that an NMP "has to be even more non-partisan now with more diversity in Parliament, as we do not want long-term policies to be made based on reactions to the past elections".
Ms Tan said: "Our role is to look beyond the short term and what is best for Singapore and, as we are not looking for re-election, we are the best people to do it."
She said she is interested in issues such as manpower. She added: "And because of my economic background, I can contribute on debates on economic policy. As a working woman, issues pertaining to working mothers, family and work life are also my concern. On a philanthropic front, I want to help children, especially sick ones."
However, former NMP Siew Kum Hong felt that "to get someone who has resigned from the party does not make sense". Said Mr Siew: "The selection committee should not take people who have resigned from a party just to be nominated to Parliament." Another former NMP, Mr Zulkifli Baharudin, felt that in general, "the institution of the NMP is to reflect non-partisan views in both letter and spirit of the institution so they should prove to be non-partisan".
The selection committee chaired by the Speaker of Parliament, includes ministers, PAP backbenchers and Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang. In 2009, public outcry led media entrepreneur Calvin Cheng to quit the Young PAP after he was appointed as an NMP. Sumita Sreedharan
