Veteran union leader Arasu Duraisamy put forward as NMP candidate

SINGAPORE – Amid the ongoing search for the next batch of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs), the labour movement has put up union leader Arasu Duraisamy’s name for the position.

The 50-year-old is a member of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Central Committee and the general secretary of the Singapore Port Workers’ Union. He has been with the latter for 25 years.

In a press release issued on Friday (June 29), a NTUC spokesperson said Mr Arasu has been advocating for the training, retraining and reskilling of workers so that they can adapt and remain relevant in the fast-changing economic landscape.

“He recognises the importance of leveraging his role as a union leader to speak up for workers’ interests and raise pertinent issues that he feels deeply for even if it might be unpopular to do so,” said the spokesperson.

Mr Arasu has contributed to the national tripartite committees through the National Wages Council, and represents the NTUC in the Public Transport Council. He is also a member of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, Dockers Section.

NTUC President Mary Liew said the union is confident Mr Arasu will be able to speak up for workers’ interests and welfare in Parliament and continue to help build on the strong tripartite relationship among the workers, employers and government.

Mr Arasu said a labour NMP must be able to engage the ground and be trusted by the workers to prioritise their interests.

“Should I be appointed... I will be focusing on the critical need for our workers to train, retrain and reskill and finding effective means to encourage them to embark on this journey,” he said.

Ms K Thanaletchimi is the current labour NMP and is also the president of the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union.

Discussions are ongoing in other quarters.

Earlier this month, two artists – curator and fine arts lecturer Woon Tien Wei, and founder of non-profit organisation Community Cultural Development (Singapore) and lecturer Felicia Low – said they intend to represent the arts sector as NMP at an open town hall last week. Their names will be submitted after gauging the community’s support for them through an online exercise.

Blogger Wendy Cheng, also known as Xiaxue, was also reported to have expressed interest in the role. She said she would be keen to raise issues related to the Internet, media, women and motherhood.

The NMP scheme was introduced in 1990 to provide alternative non-partisan views in Parliament. Up to nine NMPs serve for each term, which lasts for two-and-a-half years.

Submissions are made by the general public as well as the seven functional groups: Business and industry; labour; the professions; social service organisations; the civic and people sector, tertiary education institutions and the media, arts and sports organisations.

Members of the public and the functional groups have till 4.30pm on July 6 to submit names, which will be considered by an eight-member committee chaired by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin.

The nominees should be persons who have rendered distinguished public service, brought honour to the Republic or have distinguished themselves in the field of arts and letters, sports, culture, the sciences, business, industry, the professions, social or community service or the labour movement, said the Office of the Clerk of Parliament previously.

They should be a Singapore citizen aged 21 or above on the day of nomination, among other things.