Please resist playing to the gallery in Parliament: Speaker Seah Kian Peng

He also reminds MPs that laws passed in the House touch the lives of Singaporeans

- Anjali Raguraman

Members of Parliament should scrutinise and criticise policies vigorously, but they should also set out trade-offs clearly and offer alternatives for discussion, said re-elected Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng.

In a speech at the reopening of Parliament on Sept 5, Mr Seah also urged MPs and office-holders to keep their speeches, clarifications, questions and replies clear and concise.

"Minimum words, maximum impact," he said. "Avoid needless repetition—once is enough for Hansard."

Hansard is the official record of debates in Parliament.

Mr Seah, who has served in the role of Speaker since 2023, also said he hoped to have to issue fewer advisories to MPs even as debates in the House will be spirited, and sometimes even heated, in the months and years ahead.

"In the course of debate we can change our positions and agree; likewise, we can agree to disagree," he said. "And yes, please resist playing to the gallery—this is the House of Parliament, not a live stream on TikTok."

Long speeches test not only the patience of fellow MPs, but also the attention spans of the public, he added.