Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore

The speaker of the Parliament of Singapore is the presiding officer of the Parliament of Singapore. They are nominated by the prime minister before being appointed by Parliament, and are second in the presidential line of succession. The speaker is assisted by two deputy speakers, who preside over parliamentary sessions in the event that they are unavailable.

The current speaker is Seah Kian Peng, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade–Braddell Heights Group Representation Constituency (GRC), who took office on 2 August 2023. The current deputy speakers are Christopher de Souza, an MP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC, who took office on 31 August 2020, and Xie Yao Quan, the MP for Jurong Central Single Member Constituency (SMC), who took office on 22 September 2025. All individuals are members of the governing People's Action Party (PAP).

Election Parliament must elect a speaker at the beginning of each new parliamentary term after a general election.Constitution, Art. 40(1). The Constitution states that Parliament has the freedom to decide how to elect its speaker.Constitution, Art. 40(2). By tradition, the prime minister nominates a person for the role. The person's name is then proposed and seconded by MPs, before they can be elected as speaker.

The speaker is not required to be an elected MP, but must possess the qualifications to stand for Parliament as listed in the Constitution. They cannot be an incumbent cabinet minister or parliamentary secretary.

Once elected, a speaker continues in office until the dissolution of Parliament, unless they resign, are appointed as a cabinet minister, minister of state or parliamentary secretary, or are disqualified from being an MP.Constitution, Art. 40(4).

Role

The role of the speaker in Singapore is similar to that in most Commonwealth legislatures. They preside over the sittings of Parliament, and enforce the rules prescribed in 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 debates, but, being an elected MP, can abstain from or vote on a motion if they have a vote.

As the speaker is considered the guardian of parliamentary privileges, MPs look to them 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. In situations where the president's office is vacant, and the chairperson of the Council of Presidential Advisers is unable to take up the role, the speaker will assume presidential duties until a new president is elected.Constitution, Art. 22N. In terms of state protocol, they sit at the same level as the chief justice of Singapore. The speaker is paid a salary a half of the amount of an entry-level cabinet minister (MR4), and deputy speakers with 15% of an actual speaker. The current amounts were $555,000 and $82,500 respectively, but it will be raised on 15 October 2026 to $900,000 and $135,000 respectively.

The speaker acts as Parliament's representative in its relations with other legislatures and outside bodies. They also welcome visiting dignitaries, and represent Parliament at national events and during official visits abroad. Overall, they are in charge of the administration of Parliament and its Secretariat.

The speakership is one of the few public sector roles in Singapore which allow officeholders to automatically qualify as candidates in presidential elections.Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, Art. 19(3)(a).

List of speakers No.Portrait Name Took office Left office Party Parliament1Sir George Oehlers(1908–1968)22 April19553 September1963Independent1st Legislative Assembly2nd Legislative Assembly2E. W. BarkerMP for Tanglin(1920–2001)22 October196330 October1964PAP3rd Legislative Assembly3A. P. Rajah(1911–1999)2 November19645 August1966Independent1st4Punch Coomaraswamy(1925–1999)17 August196618 January1970Independent2nd5Yeoh Ghim SengMP for Joo Chiat(1918–1993)27 January197017 August1988PAP3rd4th5th6th6Tan Soo KhoonMP for East Coast GRC (born 1949)9 January198917 October2001PAP7th8th9th7Abdullah TarmugiMP for East Coast GRC(born 1944)22 March200218 April2011PAP10th11th8Michael PalmerMP for Punggol East SMC(born 1968)10 October201112 December2012PAP12th—Charles ChongMP for Joo Chiat SMC(born 1953)Acting12 December201214 January2013PAP9Halimah YacobMP for Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC(born 1954)14 January20137 August2017PAP13th—Charles ChongMP for Punggol East SMC(born 1953)Acting7 August201711 September2017PAP10Tan Chuan-JinMP for Marine Parade GRC(born 1969)11 September201717 July2023PAP14th—Jessica TanMP for East Coast GRC(born 1966)Acting17 July20232 August2023PAP11Seah Kian PengMP for Marine Parade GRC (until 2025) and Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC (from 2025)(born 1961)2 August2023IncumbentPAP15th

List of deputy speakers No.Portrait Name Took office Left office PartySpeaker Parliament1Richard LimNominated MP(1904–1968)26 April195531 March1959LF(until 1959)Sir George Oehlers1st Legislative AssemblyMCA(from 1959)2G. KandasamyMP for Kampong Kapor(1921–1999)15 July195924 September1961PAPSir George Oehlers2nd Legislative Assembly3John MammenMP for Telok Blangah16 November19613 September1963PAP4Fong Kim HengMP for Joo Chiat(1923–1975)9 December19639 December1965PAPE. W. Barker(until 1964)A. P. Rajah(from 1964)3rd Legislative Assembly5Punch Coomaraswamy(1925–1999)23 February196616 August1966IndependentA. P. Rajah(until 1966)Punch Coomaraswamy(from 1966)1st6Yeoh Ghim SengMP for Joo Chiat(1918–1993)11 July196826 January1970PAPPunch Coomaraswamy(until 1970)Yeoh Ghim Seng(from 1970)2nd7Tang See ChimMP for Chua Chu Kang(1932–2026)22 November19725 December1976PAPYeoh Ghim Seng3rd22 February19774 December1980PAPYeoh Ghim Seng4th8Hwang Soo JinMP for Jalan Kayu(born 1937)6 March19813 December1984PAPYeoh Ghim Seng5th9Tan Soo KhoonMP for Alexandra(born 1949)6 March198517 August1988PAPYeoh Ghim Seng6th10Lim Boon HengMP for Kebun Baru SMC(born 1947)16 January198913 August1991PAPTan Soo Khoon7th11Abdullah TarmugiMP for Siglap SMC(born 1944)16 January198913 August1991PAP(11)Abdullah TarmugiMP for Bedok GRC(born 1944)13 January199230 June1993PAPTan Soo Khoon8th12Eugene YapMP for Mountbatten SMC26 February199315 December1996PAP(12)Eugene YapMP for Marine Parade GRC2 June199717 October2001PAPTan Soo Khoon9th(13)Lim Hwee HuaMP for Marine Parade GRC(born 1959)1 April200211 August2004PAPAbdullah Tarmugi10th14Chew Heng ChingMP for East Coast GRC(born 1953)1 April200219 April2006PAP15S. IswaranMP for West Coast GRC(born 1962)1 September200419 April2006PAP16Indranee RajahMP for Tanjong Pagar GRC(born 1963)8 November200618 April2011PAPAbdullah Tarmugi11th17Matthias YaoMP for Marine Parade GRC(born 1956)8 November200618 April2011PAP18Seah Kian PengMP for Marine Parade GRC(born 1961)17 October201124 August2015PAPMichael Palmer(until 2012)Charles Chong(2012–2013)ActingHalimah Yacob(from 2013)12th19Charles ChongMP for Punggol East SMC (born 1953)17 October201124 August2015PAP(19)Charles ChongMP for Punggol East SMC (born 1953)25 January201622 June2020PAPHalimah Yacob(until 2017)Charles Chong(2017)ActingTan Chuan-Jin(from 2017)13th20Lim Biow ChuanMP for Mountbatten SMC(born 1963)25 January201622 June2020PAP21Jessica TanMP for East Coast GRC(born 1966)31 August202014 April 2025PAPTan Chuan-Jin(until 2023)Jessica Tan(2023)ActingSeah Kian Peng(from 2023)14th22Christopher de SouzaMP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC(born 1976)31 August202014 April 2025PAP(22)Christopher de SouzaMP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC(born 1976)22 September2025IncumbentPAPSeah Kian Peng15th23 Xie Yao QuanMP for Jurong Central SMC(born 1984)22 September2025IncumbentPAP

See also Lists of members of parliament in Singapore

Notes

References