Newly-appointed Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai is meeting us at the ground floor of his Tanjong Pagar office building.
He's come down from his office on his own, in a dark grey blazer worn over a white shirt, with khakis and navy sneakers, and of course, a mask.
It's quite a look, and quite a stark contrast to his typical public appearances in West Coast GRC during the general election earlier this year, where, on walkabouts, Leong and his team would be swarmed by crowds of Progress Singapore Party (PSP) volunteers, supporters, and members of the media in already-crowded markets and hawker centres.
Preparations for his maiden speech
If Leong, a former government scholar, is at all nervous about making his maiden speech in Parliament in just a few days' time, it doesn't show.
Photo by Rachel Ng.
In fact, he is positively buoyant, offering us Coke Zero which comes out of a mini-fridge tucked beneath a pantry counter.
Leong reveals that he's requested for a chance to speak, in line with parliamentary procedure and will probably be given the opportunity.
Having started with a clear idea of his topic, he is already onto his third draft.
"My criteria would be, 'what is the topic that is most important for Singapore and Singaporeans today?' So I decided that today, it must be jobs, and then, related to it, immigration."
The next question, Leong says, is how to write his speech. "Writing it in line with what PSP's values are, we don't want [it] to be an 'echo-chamber criticism' kind of speech."
Instead, Leong says, there is a need to offer "constructive suggestions" and concrete policy recommendations on one hand, while being able to "argue about the situation in a very reasonable and balanced manner" on the other.
This is where the PSP's newly-formed "Parliamentary support team" comes in.
"Very lucky" to have Parliament support team
Leong says that he (and fellow NCMP Hazel Poa) are ably supported by a team of five from diverse backgrounds.
The team includes an educator, an academic, a lawyer, among others, and Leong says that they have all been "very active members" of PSP for some time.
And while Leong did not work with them during the GE2020 campaign, he says that the experience thus far has been good.
"We are really lucky that we can draw on their experiences," he says, adding that they helped to refine the general approach for the speech and fine-tuned it for maximum impact.
They also advised Leong on "dos and don'ts", including recommendations to omit certain controversial points, which Leong explains, was really about ensuring that the speech caters to the widest possible audience.
It is "not so much of being fearful of what the government would do to us", Leong says, but is rather to ensure that he delivers "a balanced speech, so that it appeals to all the Singaporeans".
Who does an NCMP represent?
When asked who exactly he wants to speak for in Parliament, Leong offers a nuanced answer.
Leong first recognised the strong support from residents in West Coast GRC that gave him and Poa the chance to be in Parliament in the first place.
"I would first of all, be very mindful that I have to represent West Coast residents because they are the ones who gave us the vote."
PSP's West Coast GRC team garnered 48.31 per cent of the votes, outperforming all of the other unelected opposition teams.
Representing all Singaporeans
At the same time, while the PSP remains active in West Coast GRC, NCMPs do not officially have a community role "as they do not have constituents".
In this regard, Leong adds, "we are also mindful that we will be representing the whole of Singapore."
Leong, who said that he would reject a NCMP seat during the hustings, explained later that the support in West Coast GRC, as well as “all the Singaporeans who have cheered [for] us in this campaign” convinced him that he should take up the seat.
Representing PSP, but avoiding "a partisan Parliament"
"We will treat the Parliament as a Singaporean Parliament and not a partisan Parliament," Leong says.
He concedes, however, that "inter-party considerations" will have to be kept in mind as well, conscious of the fact that "inside parliament, I'm actually representing PSP."
"But I think first and foremost really, the job that I and PSP wants me to do in Parliament is really to further the interest of the Singaporeans and Singapore."
Working with the Workers' Party
Inter-party considerations would conceivably include the PSP's relationship with the only other opposition party with seats in Parliament, the Workers' Party (WP).
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh has also said that he will confer with Leong and Poa and extend his support to them, and Leong says that they have met to work out the details.
"For example, if in the future, we want to put up a bill, then of course we have to get Workers' Party to cooperate with us. And especially, if we want to put up a motion, then all the more we need Workers Party to to propose and second us for that."
"Other than that, we have agreed that we will do our own things," Leong says.
According to Leong, Pritam's point of view was that "if both of us come up with the same thing, then that shows that that thing, or that topic, is really the most important topic of the day."
"I like his style, you know, to allow this sort of free play," Leong says.
Pritam, in the same vein, had noted in Parliament on Aug. 31 that the two parties had "principles and ideology that are distinct", and pointed out that in other Westminster parliaments, the Leader of the Opposition is not the leader of all opposition parties.
He nonetheless added that he "look[ed] forward to collaborating" where appropriate.
On the ground
Leong offers chirpy replies to all of our questions but one.
When asked if the mood on the ground is different after GE, he says that residents are "not as enthusiastic" towards the PSP team on the ground to thank residents for their support.
He puts this down to the fact that the objective is different this time. They are not soliciting votes, so there is perhaps less at stake — at least not immediately.
Leong is undaunted however, and intends to push forward to see what else can be done for them.
Plans for West Coast
And there is in fact much that can be done, as Leong outlines some of the plans that are underway, such as conducting lessons in English or Math, for children in the constituency.
"We also trying to figure out whether we have enough resources to commit ourselves to computer repairs for the older folks," he says, and adds that monthly gatherings for seniors are also in the works.
Leong is keen to mobilise the community to support seniors as well.
"When we walked the ground, we noticed that there are many old folks in the West Coast GRC. But at the same time, there are also many younger housewives, you know.
So we are thinking whether, you know, the younger residents could form a volunteer network to actually look out for the older folks, from time to time."
"That will be, i think, a good way to promote neighbourliness," he says.
Other issues to raise
Leong then launches into an eloquent spiel on the other issues he feels are worth raising in his term in Parliament.
One can almost visualise a mind map, as Leong explains how the issue of jobs has to be looked at in connection to immigration policy, which in turn comes from "the economic growth model that the government is promoting".
On that note, the government's expenditure to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 will also need to be scrutinised, he says, adding that there may be a need for even more stimulus so as to sustain the economic recovery.
Leong is also keen to advocate for a living wage for the lower-income segment, which will form part of a "social safety net" outlined in his party's manifesto, as well as "more family-friendly policies" and looking at ways to lower the cost of living in terms of public transport, utilities, and healthcare.
All of this, Leong explains, will be the foundation to galvanise Singaporeans into transforming the economy and embracing digitalisation.
"And that requires more creativity, more innovation, and entrepreneurship," he says, while stressing that Singapore must also keep sustainability in mind.
"This time, it's for the long haul"
It seems that the prosaic notion of making a first impression count may not hold much sway over Leong's priorities.
"I didn't lose sleep on it, I didn't think much," he says, on the experience of stepping into Parliament for the first time.
After all, contrasting his experience during the GE2020 campaign and his upcoming NCMP term, Leong points out that the timelines are very different.
"This time, it's for the long haul," he says.
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Top image by Rachel Ng