EDUCATION FACTSHEET: WHO'S WHO IN PARLIAMENT?
Produced by Education & Publicity Department, Parliament of Singapore
At 1.30 pm sharp, the bells in Parliament House suddenly stop ringing. In the silence that
follows, there is an air of expectancy as a few MPs rush to their seats in the Chamber and all
conversations stop. Suddenly a gentleman in black coat tails carrying a rapier and bearing a
Mace appears at the Chamber doorway and announces "Mr Speaker!". Everyone quickly
stands up and there is a soft rustle as men dressed in flowing black robes lead a procession to
the head of the Chamber. A distinguished‐looking man moves to the highest seat, turns
around to face the MPs and bows at them. You can tell that he is a very important person. He
is the Speaker of Parliament.
The main role of the Speaker today is to watch over proceedings and enforce the rules of
Parliament to ensure the smooth and orderly conduct of business. If you watch a debate, you
will notice that the Speaker's role is very much like your teacher in the classroom. He decides
who should speak first and for how long, he puts the question to Parliament to vote on and
he announces the decision of Parliament. He is also the guardian of the privileges of
Parliament. MPs look to him for guidance on matters of procedure and he gives his rulings on
any point of order if necessary.
SPEAKER
The reason he is called the Speaker is as old as the tradition of the
black robes, the Mace and the sword. In medieval England when the
king was the absolute ruler of the country, not everyone could see or
speak to him. So, when Parliament needed to make any request to
the king, it chose one of its members to speak on behalf of
Parliament. This person became known as the Speaker. It was a
dangerous job then because the king could order the Speaker's head
to be chopped off if he was displeased with Parliament!
The Speaker is elected at the beginning of a new Parliament by the
MPs. The Speaker may belong to a political party but, upon his appointment, he puts aside
party loyalties and is impartial and fair to all MPs; that is why he does not take part in the
debates. Two Deputy Speakers may be elected to assist him. The present Speaker is Mr
Abdullah Tarmugi who has been an elected MP since 1984 and the Speaker since 2002. He is
assisted by two Deputy Speakers.
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LEADER OF THE HOUSE
The Leader of the House is appointed by the Prime Minister and is responsible for the
arrangement of government business and the legislative programme of Parliament. He also
proposes any steps which Parliament should take, for example, when any MP has refused to
follow the Speaker's order. In such an event, the Leader may move that the MP be suspended
or that the matter be referred to a Select Committee for consideration and to make
recommendations.
The Leader also moves procedural motions relating to the business of Parliament, such as
extending the times of sitting beyond the usual time as set out in the Standing Orders (the
rules of Parliament). Mr Mah Bow Tan is the current Leader of the House.
PARTY WHIP
The term "whip" owes its origins to the sport of fox hunting which was popular with the
noblemen in medieval England. During a hunt, hound dogs are used to find and chase the
foxes. Assistants known as whipper‐in people are employed to keep the hounds in order.
Party whips control and maintain discipline among party members. During a vote in
Parliament, the Whip will ensure that there are sufficient party members in the Chamber to
support the party's position. He also ensures that MPs, who belong to the party, vote
according to the party line. On some occasions, he may "lift the whip" and allow MPs to vote
according to their conscience.
The Whip also ensures the smooth running of the party's machinery in Parliament. He lists the
speakers for each item of business and estimates the time required so that Parliament's
business is completed within schedule. The Whip assists the Leader of the House to ensure
the smooth running of business in Parliament.
The present government whip is Mr Lim Swee Say. He is assisted by two Deputy Whips.
CLERK OF PARLIAMENT
The Clerk of Parliament and the Assistant Clerks form part of the Secretariat. The Clerk is the
most senior official in the Secretariat. During sittings, the Clerks wearing black robes are
seated at the table directly below the Speaker's Chair.
The function of the Clerks at sittings is to assist the Speaker and advise MPs on the rules and
procedures of Parliament. The Clerk of Parliament is responsible for the administration of the
Secretariat. The Secretariat staff comprises officers such as reporters, interpreters and
librarians who assist Parliament to carry out its work.
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SERJEANT‐AT‐ARMS
The Serjeant‐at‐Arms' duty is to maintain order within the grounds of Parliament House.
During sittings, the Serjeant is the gentleman who wears the sword and bears the Mace. His
office is an ancient tradition which dates back hundreds of years to medieval England.
The Serjeant regulates the admission of the public to Parliament House and has the power to
arrest, without warrant, upon the order of the Speaker, any person who creates a disturbance
in Parliament. He is also responsible for housekeeping duties and ensures that the grounds
and the buildings are well maintained.
THE MACE
The Mace is the symbol of the power and authority of Parliament and of the Speaker. You can
see the Mace being carried on the shoulder of the Serjeant‐at‐Arms during the procession at
the beginning and conclusion of each sitting. The Mace is always in the Chamber during
sittings. Without it, no proceedings can take place.
The Serjeant places the Mace on the upper brackets of the Table of the House when the
Speaker is in his Chair. When the Speaker leaves his Chair and takes the role of the Chairman
of the Committee, the Mace is placed on the lower brackets. The Mace is removed altogether
when the President is present during proceedings.
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