The Leader of the Opposition is an official parliamentary appointment in the Parliament of Singapore, conferred onto the elected politician who leads the opposition party with the greatest number of elected opposition Members of Parliament in Singapore. The elected politician, by convention, leads the largest party not within the ruling government - if one party wins outright, the role is offered to the elected party leader of the second-largest political party in the Parliament of Singapore. The first inaugural Leader of the Opposition in Singapore is Mr Lee Kuan Yew in the Legislative Assembly in 1955, when Singapore was still a Crown Colony of the British Empire. The current Leader of the Opposition is Pritam Singh, Leader of the Workers' Party, who was elected to the leadership of the Workers' Party on 8 April 2018. Prior to the 2020 Singaporean general election, the position was considered as an unofficial role. However, in a press conference by Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong after the electoral results, Lee announced that WP secretary-general Pritam Singh would be formally appointed as the first official Leader of the Opposition in Singapore. As a consequence, Singh would be provided with the appropriate manpower support and resources to perform the parliamentary role. In other Commonwealth countries with a Westminster parliamentary system of government, the parliamentary appointment is supported with a secretariat and is additionally given office space in the Parliament buildings. Due to its former status as an unofficial role prior to the 2020 general election, the Leader of the Opposition then did not draw any additional allowance by virtue of holding the position. They were entitled to the usual ordinary remuneration allowance granted to other regular Members of Parliament. However, following the first formal appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in 2020, Parliament announced that the Leader of the Opposition will draw an annual salary of S$385,000, double the salary of a regular MP.
The Leader of the Opposition is expected to lead the opposition in presenting alternative views in parliamentary debates on policies, bills and motions, and organise the scrutiny of the Government’s positions and actions in Parliament and be consulted on the appointment of opposition members to Select Committees, including Standing Select Committees such as the Public Accounts Committee. In addition to his parliamentary duties, the Leader of the Opposition may be called upon to take on other duties such as attending official state functions and taking part in visits and meetings alongside members of the Government and the Public Service.
Power & Resources
In Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition will generally be given the right of first response among Members of Parliament and to ask the lead question to the Ministers on policies, bills and motions, subject to existing speaking conventions. The LO will also be given a longer speaking duration for speeches, equivalent to that given to political officeholders. In addition to the government data or information available to other MPs, the LO will receive confidential briefings by the Government on select matters of national security and external relations, and in the event of a national crisis or emergency. The LO will be provided an office and the use of a meeting room in Parliament House. He will also receive allowances to hire up to three additional Legislative Assistants. This is in addition to the allowances all MPs receive for one Legislative Assistant and one Secretarial Assistant. The LO will also be provided with a secretary to support him administratively with Parliamentary business.
