# Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore

The speaker of the Parliament of Singapore is the presiding officer of the Parliament of Singapore. The speaker is nominated by the prime minister before being appointed by the Parliament. The speaker is also second in the presidential line of succession. The current speaker is the People's Action Party MP for Marine Parade GRC, Seah Kian Peng.
The speaker is assisted by two deputy speakers, Christopher de Souza and Jessica Tan, who both took office on 31 August 2020. In the event when the speaker is unavailable, the deputy speakers will preside over the parliamentary session.
Although Singapore is modelled after the Westminster system, unlike their counterpart in the United Kingdom—where the speaker must remain strictly non-partisan and renounce all affiliation with their former political parties when taking office and afterwards, the speaker of the Parliament of Singapore can choose to remain partisan.

## Election

Parliament must elect a speaker at the beginning of each new parliamentary term after a general election. Parliament has the freedom to choose how to elect the speaker. By recent tradition, the prime minister nominates a person for the role. The person's name is then proposed and seconded by the members of Parliament (MPs), before being elected as speaker. The Constitution states that Parliament has the freedom to decide how to elect its speaker.
The speaker may or may not be an elected MP, but must possess the qualifications to stand for election as an MP as provided for in the Constitution. The speaker cannot be a cabinet minister or parliamentary secretary, and must resign from those positions prior to being elected as speaker.
Once elected, a speaker continues in office until the dissolution of Parliament, unless the speaker resigns, is appointed as a cabinet minister, minister of state or parliamentary secretary, or is disqualified from holding their seat as an MP.

## Role

The role of the speaker in Singapore is similar to that in most Commonwealth legislatures. The speaker presides over the sittings of Parliament, and enforces the rules prescribed in its Standing Orders for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business. In carrying out their duties, the speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs.
The speaker regulates and enforces the rules of debate. They decide who has the right to speak, and put the question for Parliament to debate on and vote. The speaker does not take part in the debates, but can abstain or vote for or against a motion if they have a vote, as an elected MP.
As the guardian of parliamentary privileges, MPs look to the speaker for guidance on procedures, and for rulings on any points of order.
The speaker is second in the line of succession for the office of President of Singapore. Should the president's office be vacant, and the chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers is unable to take up the role, the speaker will assume the duties of the president until a new president is elected. In terms of state protocol, the speaker sits at the same level as the chief justice of Singapore.
The speaker acts as Parliament's representative in its relations with other legislatures and outside bodies. The speaker also welcomes visiting dignitaries, and represents Parliament at national events and during official visits abroad. The speaker is overall in charge of the administration of Parliament and its Secretariat.
The speaker is one of the few public sector roles which allow its officeholder to automatically qualify as a candidate in the Singapore presidential elections.

## List of speakers

| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Parliament |
| 1 | Sir George Oehlers (1908–1968) | 22 April 1955 | 3 September 1963 | Independent | 1st Legislative Assembly |
| 1 | Sir George Oehlers (1908–1968) | 22 April 1955 | 3 September 1963 | Independent | 2nd Legislative Assembly |
| 2 | E. W. Barker MP for Tanglin (1920–2001) | 22 October 1963 | 30 October 1964 | People's Action Party | 3rd Legislative Assembly |
| 3 | A. P. Rajah (1911–1999) | 2 November 1964 | 5 August 1966 | Independent | 3rd Legislative Assembly |
| 3 | A. P. Rajah (1911–1999) | 2 November 1964 | 5 August 1966 | Independent | 1st Parliament |
| 4 | Punch Coomaraswamy (1925–1999) | 17 August 1966 | 18 January 1970 | Independent | 1st Parliament |
| 4 | Punch Coomaraswamy (1925–1999) | 17 August 1966 | 18 January 1970 | Independent | 2nd Parliament |
| 5 | Yeoh Ghim Seng MP for Joo Chiat (1918–1993) | 27 January 1970 | 17 August 1988 | People's Action Party | 2nd Parliament |
| 5 | Yeoh Ghim Seng MP for Joo Chiat (1918–1993) | 27 January 1970 | 17 August 1988 | People's Action Party | 3rd Parliament |
| 5 | Yeoh Ghim Seng MP for Joo Chiat (1918–1993) | 27 January 1970 | 17 August 1988 | People's Action Party | 4th Parliament |
| 5 | Yeoh Ghim Seng MP for Joo Chiat (1918–1993) | 27 January 1970 | 17 August 1988 | People's Action Party | 5th Parliament |
| 5 | Yeoh Ghim Seng MP for Joo Chiat (1918–1993) | 27 January 1970 | 17 August 1988 | People's Action Party | 6th Parliament |
| 6 | Tan Soo Khoon MP for Brickworks GRC (until 1991) MP for Bedok GRC (1991–1996) MP for East Coast GRC (from 1996) (born 1949) | 9 January 1989 | 17 October 2001 | People's Action Party | 7th Parliament |
| 6 | Tan Soo Khoon MP for Brickworks GRC (until 1991) MP for Bedok GRC (1991–1996) MP for East Coast GRC (from 1996) (born 1949) | 9 January 1989 | 17 October 2001 | People's Action Party | 8th Parliament |
| 6 | Tan Soo Khoon MP for Brickworks GRC (until 1991) MP for Bedok GRC (1991–1996) MP for East Coast GRC (from 1996) (born 1949) | 9 January 1989 | 17 October 2001 | People's Action Party | 9th Parliament |
| 7 | Abdullah Tarmugi MP for East Coast GRC (born 1944) | 22 March 2002 | 18 April 2011 | People's Action Party | 10th Parliament |
| 7 | Abdullah Tarmugi MP for East Coast GRC (born 1944) | 22 March 2002 | 18 April 2011 | People's Action Party | 11th Parliament |
| 8 | Michael Palmer MP for Punggol East SMC (born 1968) | 10 October 2011 | 12 December 2012 | People's Action Party | 12th Parliament |
| – | Charles Chong MP for Joo Chiat SMC (born 1953) Acting | 12 December 2012 | 14 January 2013 | People's Action Party | 12th Parliament |
| 9 | Halimah Yacob MP for Jurong GRC (until 2015) MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC (from 2015) (born 1954) | 14 January 2013 | 7 August 2017 | People's Action Party | 12th Parliament |
| 9 | Halimah Yacob MP for Jurong GRC (until 2015) MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC (from 2015) (born 1954) | 14 January 2013 | 7 August 2017 | People's Action Party | 13th Parliament |
| – | Charles Chong MP for Punggol East SMC (born 1953) Acting | 7 August 2017 | 11 September 2017 | People's Action Party | 13th Parliament |
| 10 | Tan Chuan-Jin MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1969) | 11 September 2017 | 17 July 2023 | People's Action Party | 13th Parliament |
| 10 | Tan Chuan-Jin MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1969) | 11 September 2017 | 17 July 2023 | People's Action Party | 14th Parliament |
| – | Jessica Tan MP for East Coast GRC (born 1966) Acting | 17 July 2023 | 2 August 2023 | People's Action Party | 14th Parliament |
| 11 | Seah Kian Peng MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1961) | 2 August 2023 | Incumbent | People's Action Party | 14th Parliament |

## List of deputy speakers

| Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Parliament |
| R. C. H. Lim Nominated MP (1904–1968) | 26 April 1955 | 31 March 1959 | Labour Front | 1st Legislative Assembly |
| R. C. H. Lim Nominated MP (1904–1968) | 26 April 1955 | 31 March 1959 | Malayan Chinese Association | 1st Legislative Assembly |
| G. Kandasamy MP for Kampong Kapor (1921–1999) | 15 July 1959 | 24 September 1961 | People's Action Party | 2nd Legislative Assembly |
| John Mammen MP for Telok Blangah | 16 November 1961 | 3 September 1963 | People's Action Party | 2nd Legislative Assembly |
| Fong Kim Heng MP for Joo Chiat (1923–1975) | 9 December 1963 | 9 December 1965 | People's Action Party | 3rd Legislative Assembly 1st Parliament |
| Punch Coomaraswamy (1925–1999) | 23 February 1966 | 16 August 1966 | Independent | 1st Parliament |
| Yeoh Ghim Seng MP for Joo Chiat (1918–1993) | 11 July 1968 | 17 August 1970 | People's Action Party | 2nd Parliament |
| Tang See Chim MP for Chua Chu Kang (born 1930) | 22 November 1972 | 4 December 1980 | People's Action Party | 3rd Parliament 4th Parliament |
| Hwang Soo Jin MP for Jalan Kayu (born 1937) | 6 March 1981 | 3 December 1984 | People's Action Party | 5th Parliament |
| Tan Soo Khoon MP for Alexandra (born 1949) | 1 March 1985 | 17 August 1988 | People's Action Party | 6th Parliament |
| Lim Boon Heng MP for Kebun Baru SMC (born 1947) | 16 January 1989 | 13 August 1991 | People's Action Party | 7th Parliament |
| Abdullah Tarmugi MP for Siglap SMC (until 1991) MP for Bedok GRC (from 1991) (born 1944) | 16 January 1989 | 30 June 1993 | People's Action Party | 7th Parliament 8th Parliament |
| Eugene Yap Giau Cheng MP for Mountbatten SMC (until 1996) MP for Marine Parade GRC (from 1997) | 26 February 1993 | 17 October 2001 | People's Action Party | 8th Parliament 9th Parliament |
| Lim Hwee Hua MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1959) | 1 April 2002 | 11 August 2004 | People's Action Party | 10th Parliament |
| Chew Heng Ching MP for East Coast GRC (born 1953) | 1 April 2002 | 19 April 2006 | People's Action Party | 10th Parliament |
| S. Iswaran MP for West Coast GRC (born 1962) | 1 September 2004 | 19 April 2006 | People's Action Party | 10th Parliament |
| Indranee Rajah MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC (born 1963) | 8 November 2006 | 18 April 2011 | People's Action Party | 11th Parliament |
| Matthias Yao MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1956) | 8 November 2006 | 18 April 2011 | People's Action Party | 11th Parliament |
| Seah Kian Peng MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1961) | 17 October 2011 | 14 January 2016 | People's Action Party | 12th Parliament |
| Charles Chong MP for Joo Chiat SMC (until 2015) MP for Punggol East SMC (from 2015) (born 1953) | 17 October 2011 | 22 June 2020 | People's Action Party | 12th Parliament 13th Parliament |
| Lim Biow Chuan MP for Mountbatten SMC (born 1963) | 25 January 2016 | 22 June 2020 | People's Action Party | 13th Parliament |
| Jessica Tan MP for East Coast GRC (born 1966) | 31 August 2020 | Incumbent | People's Action Party | 14th Parliament |
| Christopher de Souza MP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC (born 1976) | 31 August 2020 | Incumbent | People's Action Party | 14th Parliament |