It’s half-time in Parliament, but not much rest for these first-term MPs

SINGAPORE — Being put through a different sort of test, some first-term Members of Parliament (MPs) are having to find time to be present for their children, as they grow accustomed to having puffy eyes while juggling the demands of work.

Mr Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC, and Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Daniel Goh are just a few of the backbenchers who are serving in Parliament for the first time.

Speaking to TODAY, Mr Ng, 39, who was elected as an MP in the 2015 General Election (GE) with the ruling People’s Action Party, said that the greatest challenge he faces is trying to balance his time for his family and for his work as an MP, town council chairman and chief executive of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).

“I think these eye bags are permanent now,” he said with a laugh. “But again, I think I’ve enjoyed the experience. I enjoy being an MP. I make sure I find this balance so I don’t miss out on the childhood of my three daughters.” One of his three girls is aged four, while two are non-identical twins born last year.

Associate Professor Goh, 44, an NCMP with the Workers’ Party (WP), also gets by with less sleep these days.

Determined to be an involved father, the sociology lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS) does not wish to sacrifice quality time with his young sons, who are both below the age of six. He has cut back instead on his academic publishing ambitions.

Being a public servant has been significant to him. “I feel a great sense of gratitude when (citizens and residents) thank me for raising specific issues and when they suggest angles for me to consider… These are what make my work meaningful,” he said.

He receives comments from citizens and residents — whether verbally, online or through email — and these are important to him, he added.

Fellow WP NCMP Leon Perera has also just completed the first half of his term, as Parliament takes a mid-term break.

On the need to juggle time, Mr Perera, 47, said that it is all about tailoring his routine and “disciplining your mind”. “I’m sure that is not just a problem faced by me, but by many people.”

Mr Perera, part of the WP team that contested East Coast GRC during the 2015 GE, makes it a point to walk the ground and conduct house visits at least three times a week.

When TODAY spoke to him on Thursday (April 19) evening, he was getting ready to visit residents in Simei with another regular volunteer.

Although he does not hold Meet-the-People sessions as NCMP, Mr Perera does his own outreach work in East Coast. This allows him to take residents’ concerns to Parliament and speak on a spectrum of issues.

“Aside from supporting the elected MPs of WP in Aljunied and Hougang, we do outreach (at wet markets), house visits and participate in various community programmes,” he said.

GOING BEYOND THEIR OWN PASSION

The day before on Wednesday, Mr Ng visited four pre-schools in his constituency, where he celebrated the birthdays of children who were born in April.

After cutting cakes, speaking to parents and exchanging high-fives with the pre-schoolers, he sat down with TODAY at a nearby coffee shop, where he was greeted by stallholders and residents.

Residents approach him when he is out and about, asking him questions and telling him some of the problems they face.

“As an MP, I shouldn’t just talk about what I’m passionate about. It’s ultimately what people are passionate about,” he noted.

Mr Ng, Assoc Prof Goh, Mr Perera, as well as Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Joan Pereira — also a first-time backbencher — were among the names that political analysts mentioned to TODAY as having stood out in the 13th Parliament so far.

Ms Pereira, 50, said that though there may be “quantitative and qualitative ways of measuring “performance” in Parliament, what matters is that the MP has spoken up about issues on behalf of their constituents and “continue to push for changes that can improve their lives”.

On how she decides on what to raise in Parliament, Ms Pereira said that it could be topics close to her heart, especially those involving elders and the less privileged. Residents also give her feedback during her walkabouts, house visits and Meet-the-People sessions.

Mr Ng, a well-known animal welfare activist, remembered an example of how something outside his usual interests landed on his plate. At one of his monthly dialogue sessions, an auto-immune disease support group told him about their experiences and that moved him to file a recommendation on their behalf in this year’s Budget, even though he did not know much about the medical condition.

GETTING INTO THE GRIND

So does it require nerves of steel to be a representative of citizens and their constituents in the House, after they have offered friendly smiles, warm handshakes and a listening ear?

For Assoc Prof Goh, part of his armour is to get familiar with the content of his speech, and his work habits as an academic help him to get ready for a Parliament sitting. “I research and read a lot when preparing the speeches, including parliamentary and public speeches on the topic — going back decades if need be — academic studies and commentaries on the topic, and case studies in other countries.”

In terms of being challenged in the House, Mr Perera has learnt that “one has to be very careful about choice of words… lest there be any misconstruing of your words for whatever reason”.

In January, he apologised to Parliament for making inaccurate statements alleging that national broadcaster Mediacorp had deliberately edited and removed certain parts of parliamentary footage.

As for Mr Ng, whose comments on public servants’ fear of speaking up were rebutted by Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ke Yung last month, he said he took the criticism in his stride.

After Parliament reconvenes next month, Mr Ng said that he will file a Private Members’ Bill to propose amendments to the Wild Animals and Birds Act.

Assoc Prof Goh said he will speak on policies concerning seniors and retirement adequacy, while Ms Pereira will likely address the possible threats to racial and religious harmony in Singapore.

With valuable experience under their belt, these first-term MPs are raring to go again. Mr Ng summed it up, saying: “When we delivered our maiden speech in front of all the ministers, obviously I had butterflies in my stomach, but I think we have gotten used to it over the last two years.”