About the Secretariat

The Arts NMP Secretariat comprises volunteers who are arts workers, practitioners, and advocates. 

Started informally in 2014, the organisation of the Secretariat vary each cycle, with the key functions during each NMP nomination period being:

• To facilitate the public open call process to search for eligible candidates interested in becoming an Arts NMP;

• To organise and facilitate a Town Hall as a public platform for the arts community to meet and engage with prospective Arts NMP candidates;

• To offer the following support for all candidates who have opted to go through the town hall process: 

  • To organise a public signatory campaign to gather expressions of support from members of the arts community and wider publics 

  • To provide basic administrative support and guidance to candidates to ensure that their required list of submission documents are in order.

The Secretariat maintains a neutral, non-partisan position, and extends the same support to all candidates who have opted to go through the Town Hall process.

The Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme was first introduced in 1990 to bring more independent and diverse views in Parliament. 

In 2009, members of the arts community came together at a Town Hall to endorse one representative. Ms Audrey Wong became the first arts NMP selected by the arts community, serving from 2009 - 2011.

In 2011, Ms Janice Koh became the second Arts NMP selected and endorsed by the community through a Town Hall process. This was after two contending candidates withdrew their bids after the Town Hall, and Koh garnered around 200 expressions of support in an online signature drive. Koh served from 2012 - 2014. 

In 2014, Mr Kok Heng Leun became the third candidate selected and endorsed by the arts community, through a similar Town Hall process. However, he was not chosen by the Special Select Committee of Parliament. A subsequent attempt in 2016 was successful and he served from 2016 - 2018. 

In 2018, two candidates, Dr Felicia Low and Dr Woon Tien Wei participated in a Town Hall and the post-Town Hall online signatory campaign. Both candidates made submissions to the Special Select Committee; neither were successful. Mr Terence Ho – who had not participated in the Town Hall – was nominated by the Special Select Committee, and served as Arts NMP from 2018 - 2020.

In 2020, five candidates, George Leong, Audrey Lim, Benjamin Matchap, Nabilah Said and Terrance Tan responded to the Arts NMP Secretariat's call for eligible candidates, and participated in the online Townhall held on 18 Nov 2020. Three candidates made submissions to the Special Select Committee, with support gathered from the arts community in the form of online signatories. None were successful, and there was no selected Arts NMP for the term 2021 - 2023.

In 2023, one candidate, Noorlinah Mohamed participated in the online Townhall held on 10 April 2023.

Volunteer members of Arts NMP Secretariat 2023

• Chong Gua Khee

• Daniel Goh

• Hoe Su Fern

• Kok Heng Leun

• Ma Yanling

• Mok Cui Yin

Volunteer members of the Arts NMP Secretariat 2020

• Chong Gua Khee

• Daniel Goh

• Hoe Su Fern

• Kok Heng Leun

• Ma Yanling

• Mok Cui Yin

• Mohamed Shahril Bin Mohamed Salleh

• Alvin Tan

• Eleanor Tan

• Ellison Tan

• Woon Tien Wei