GuocoLand MD, Sistic chairman among 9 new NMPs
Singapore
SISTIC chairman Janet Ang and GuocoLand group managing director Cheng Hsing Yao are among the nine new Nominated MPs (NMPs) who will be appointed by President Halimah Yacob for a 21/2 year term starting Jan 21.
Ms Ang is currently chairman of Sistic.com and non-executive director at Singapore Press Holdings. She was appointed Singapore's non-resident ambassador-designate to the Holy See in 2020.
Ms Ang also chairs the boards of the NUS Institute of Systems Science and Singapore Polytechnic, and is deputy chair of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) Foundation. In SBF, she chairs the digitalisation committee that works closely with government agencies, trade associations and chambers of commerce to address the digital needs of Singapore businesses. She was conferred the Public Service Medal in 2019.
Mr Cheng is currently group managing director at GuocoLand Singapore. He is also first vice-president of the Real Estate Developers Association of Singapore and executive committee member of the Urban Land Institute Singapore.
Mr Cheng is a board member in the National Parks Board and serves as a member of URA's Design and Advisory Committee and the Heritage and Identity Partnership. He is also co-chairman of BCA's integrated digital delivery steering committee and the central procurers panel. Mr Cheng received the Public Administrative Medal (Bronze) in 2006 during his service with URA.
The others are union leader Abdul Samad Abdul Wahab, Singapore Management University professor; economist Hoon Hian Teck; dental surgeon and National Youth Council member Shahira Abdullah; Singapore Medical Association president Tan Yia Swam; Olympic swimmer Mark Chay; conservation scientist Koh Lian Pin; and security industry association head Joshua Thomas Raj.
All are first-time NMPs, and their names were announced by Parliament on Jan 14.
They were chosen by a Special Select Committee of Parliament, chaired by Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin, from a total of 61 nominated candidates.
Mr Tan said: "With many high-calibre candidates stepping forward for consideration, it was not an easy task for the select committee to nominate the maximum of nine NMPs."
"After careful deliberation, we have determined that the nine nominees have fulfilled all constitutional criteria and are eligible for appointment," he added.
"Collectively, they also have creditable accomplishments in their individual fields and a good grasp of issues they are passionate about. I thus look forward to the rich diversity of insights and experiences they can bring to the House when we debate matters concerning Singapore and Singaporeans."
Leader of the House Indranee Rajah, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and was also on the eight-member committee, said it had been a difficult task to shortlist these nine out of 61 applicants.
"We have a good slate of nine NMPs who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to society or in their respective fields, and whose specialised knowledge will add to the depth and breadth of the debates in Parliament," she said.
"I look forward to the fresh perspectives and ideas the new NMPs will bring to Parliament as we work to help Singapore navigate the Covid-19 pandemic and emerge stronger."
Also on the committee were ministers Chan Chun Sing, Gan Kim Yong, Maliki Osman and Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of State Gan Siow Huang, and Workers' Party MP for Aljunied GRC Leon Perera. THE STRAITS TIMES
