Christopher de Souza, Xie Yao Quan to be Nominated as Deputy Speakers of Parliament

The pair will bring to the role sound judgment and spirit of parliamentary democracy: Zaqy

- Samuel Devaraj

Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Xie Yao Quan will be nominated as Deputy Speakers of Parliament for the new term by Deputy Leader of the House Zaqy Mohamad.

Mr Zaqy will put the two PAP MPs up for nomination when Parliament resumes on Sept 22 to debate the President's Address.

This will be Mr de Souza's second term if he is elected, while Mr Xie is being nominated for the first time.

In a Facebook post on Sept 12, Mr Zaqy, who is Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment, said he is confident that the pair will bring to the role a strong sense of duty, sound judgment, and respect for the rules and spirit of parliamentary democracy.

"Both are deeply committed to good governance and to fostering meaningful dialogue that reflects the aspirations and concerns of Singaporeans," Mr Zaqy said.

If elected, both men will take over the responsibilities of Speaker Seah Kian Peng when he is not around. As Deputy Speakers, their duties include presiding over parliamentary proceedings and regulating the time allotted to various MPs during debates.