'Minimum words, maximum impact': Speaker Seah Kian Peng says Parliament not a live stream on TikTok

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. "Members will be pleased to know that my speech today is significantly shorter than the one two years ago."

Addressing the House following the swearing-in of the members of Singapore's 15th Parliament, Mr Seah urged MPs to remember that the laws passed in Parliament touch the lives of fellow Singaporeans for generations to come.

He noted that this Parliament, with 99 MPs, is the largest ever, and also has the highest number of women members in Singapore's history.

"We have indeed come far from our first Parliament," he said.

In a speech congratulating Mr Seah on his re-election, Leader of the House Indranee Rajah noted that he would be presiding over Parliament at a time of pivotal change in the Republic's history.

This is as the world order is changing, and the geopolitical architecture that brought the world on a path of peace and stability is breaking down, she said.

"The global economy is fraught with uncertainty, there is a departure from established norms and tariffs, that are now no longer deployed only in the realm of economic policy," she noted. "We see the erosion of the rule of law, and the rise of might-is-right approach."

"It is against this backdrop that the 15th Parliament will have to make laws, debate policy and make decisions that will chart the future of Singapore."

Ms Indranee noted that in the previous term, Mr Seah oversaw Singapore's busiest Parliament to date. In 2024, there were a record number of 17 adjournment motions, over 2,400 parliamentary questions answered, and 50 Bills debated - the highest number in six years.

"Through it all, you kept a steady hand on the proceedings, always reminding us that debates should be vigorous but should never descend into personal animus, and that good speeches and interventions are not necessarily the longest ones," she said.

Besides Ms Indranee, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh and MPs Nadia Samdin, Liang Eng Hwa and Hamid Razak also congratulated Mr Seah on his re-election as Speaker.

Ms Nadia spoke mainly in Malay, Mr Liang in Mandarin and Dr Hamid in Tamil.

Mr Seah said in his speech that he had strived to be fair, firm and impartial since he became the city-state's 11th Speaker in August 2023.

In accepting the Speaker's chair again, he pledged to be "an impartial and effective Speaker, and to represent this Parliament with dignity".

He then reiterated the need for MPs to always uphold the decorum of Parliament.

"Treat each other with respect and never forget our paramount duty - to serve the people of Singapore with integrity and conviction," he said.

"It is through the workings of this chamber that we can ensure a cohesive and fulfilling future for our country, and build a more caring, giving, compassionate and inclusive community for our children and grandchildren."