WP key Pritam Singh, however, was officially appointed Leader of the Opposition after the 2020 election.
In his capacity, Mr. Singh is given secret state presentations on a number of issues relating to national security, international relations, and other pressing issues.
In addition to what MPs receive for one congressional assistant and one administrative assistant, he also receives an additional allowance to employ up to three further legislative assistants.
Additionally, Mr. Singh enjoys the same level of access to MPs ‘ statements as they do political office holders.
STILL RELEVANT Now?
None of this means that GPCs have lost all validity, political spectators said.
According to Dr. Teo Kay Key, a study fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, there is still merit in having such devoted groups examine each department and look for gaps in coverage.
These GPCs examine particular places, while opposition MPs ‘ broad-based checks and balances might be more prevalent, she told CNA.
In 2020, Mr Singh had said that due to their limited figures, the WP’s MPs may organise themselves into five oral areas , – , health, age and retirement suitability, jobs, businesses and the economy, education, injustice and the cost of living, cover, transport and equipment, and national conservation.
Kasthuri Prameswaren, an associate professor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, noted that the ruling PAP has a greater capacity to outsource a larger number of MPs to discuss subjects in greater depth and breadth than the antagonism station.
The PAP has the “luxury of having a decision” in how best to employ its MPs to address the different themes, according to Chua Chu Kang senator Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, who was recently appointed chairman of the GPC for home politics and rules on July 1.
The problem lies in balancing the committee subject matter of their choice with concerns raised by their own constituents, according to GPC chairpersons. They also need to make sure that their attention does n’t just veer away from the day’s most popular topics.
” There will be some issues and topics that people do n’t really want to pay attention to, maybe because it’s a little more technical,” said MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling, who leads the GPC for communications and information. ” But however, these are all important things that we must contemplate”.
Louis Ng, a Nee Immediately GRC MP, who leads the GPC for sustainability and the environment, claimed that the boards give MPs the “mobilizing energy” to unite and support specific causes.
Experts also cited good examples of pushing for shift in the GPC’s January work for communications and data and various motions by committees for conservation and environment.