Women in Singapore politics

Women in Singapore traditionally played a small role in the politics of Singapore and Singapore's public life. Nonetheless in recent years, there is an increasing women representation in public life as more women have started running for political office. Notable female politicians include the highest ranked female politician in the history of Singapore; former Acting Minister Seet Ai Mee, Minister of State Yu-Fu Yee Shoon, and Amy Khor Lean Suan, a district mayor. Several women also became Nominated Members of Parliament, representing a range of societal interests such as women groups and conservation groups.

Early years

Unlike their Western counterparts, universal suffrage was granted and thus the women in Singapore did not have to fight for enfranchisement. The first women representatives in the Legislative Councils were those reflecting the English-educated and middle-class interests. Chinese-educated women leaders came into prominence as the proportion of women voters expanded from 8% to 50% in the 1955 Rendel Constitution elections. However, some of these Chinese-educated leaders like Linda Chen Mock Hock were linked with communism and thus were subsequently clamped down by the fiercely anti-communist Lim Yew Hock administration. As the People's Action Party rose to power in 1959, as many as four female PAP candidates were voted into the self-governing Assembly. They included Women League’s founders Chan Choy Siong and Ho Puay Choo. The PAP-Barisan Sosialis schism caused two women members to defect to the Barisan Sosialis. The two and from 1968, one remaining PAP woman members were considered moderate and relatively passive compared to the radicals, perhaps leaving a legacy of a weakened and subsequently, lack of female representation in politics for more than a decade.

Absence of female representation

With the retirement of Chan Choy Siong in 1970, there were no female representation in parliament from 1970 to 1984- a total of 14 years. Nonetheless, there were sporadic failed electoral bids by female opposition candidates.

Return of female representation

In 1984, the dominant PAP fielded 3 women candidates whom all entered parliament successfully. They were Dr. Dixie Tan, Dr. Aline Wong and current Minister of State, Mrs. Yu-Foo Yu Shoon. Another woman, Dr. Seet Ai Mee joined the trio in 1988 and she subsequently was promoted to Acting Minister for Community Development- the highest political post ever held by a woman. However, Seet lost her seat to Singapore Democratic Party’s Ling How Doong in the 1991 General Election by a razor-thin margin. The ruling PAP Women's Wing was formed in 1989. In 1992, Dr Kanwaljit Soin became the first female Nominated Member of Parliament and she played a major role in raising important social issues, such as violence against women, in the parliament. Other notable NMPs include Ms Claire Chiang and Ms. Braema Mathiaparanam.

Current women parliamentarians

Since the 1990s, the number of women participating in politics progressively increases, but women remain significantly underrepresented in government and parliament. There are currently 17 elected women parliamentarians out of a total of 84 elected members. All female members are from the ruling PAP. There are two ministers of states and one district mayor. There are 5 females of a total of 9 Nominated Members of Parliament, while there is only 1 first-ever female NCMP.

Elected MPs

The 17 PAP Elected Members are:

*Fatimah Binte Abdul Lateef
* Fu Hai Yien, Grace, People's Action Party Candidate as of 2006. Elected in Jurong GRC after a walkover.
*Halimah Yacob
*Ho Geok Choo
*Indranee Rajah
* Khor Lean Suan, Amy, Mayor of South West Community Development Council (CDC)
*Lee Bee Wah
* Lee Geck Hoon, Ellen
*Lim Hwee Hua, Minister of State for Finance and Transport
* Low, Penny
* Neo, Lily
*Ng Phek Hoong, Irene
* Phua, Cynthia
* Tan Soon Neo, Jessica
* Teo Li Min, Josephine
*Phua Lay Peng, Denise
*Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports.

NMPs

*Cham Hui Fong
*Eunice Elizabeth Olsen
* Assoc Prof Kalyani K. Mehta
*Phua Nee Wong Wai Chan, Jessie
* Prof. Thio Li-ann

NCMP

* Lim Swee Lian, Sylvia, Workers' Party

Information is correct as of March 19, 2008.

Women in opposition

In 2003, Sylvia Lim, a lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic, became the first woman Chairman of the Workers' Party.

References

*Wong Aline and Leong, W. K. (1993) Singapore Women: Three Decades of Change. Singapore: Times Academic Press. ISBN 981-210-031-8
* [http://www.parliament.gov.sg/AboutUs/Org-MP-currentMP.htm List of Current Singapore Members of Parliaments]