Meet-the-People Sessions
Encyclopedia
Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) is the name of a feedback/redress system developed in Singapore
for citizens to meet their member of parliament
. The MPS are usually held once a week. Many citizens see the MPS as an opportunity to resolve problems that they are having with the bureaucracy.The MP will write a petition letter to the relevant ministry
, statutory board or any concerned parties to appeal on behalf of the resident. The letters are accorded a higher priority by the Civil Service as they come from elected representatives.
Cases deal with a wide range of problems. These include, but are not limited to, family financial problems (eg. health-cost issues, jobs, financial assistance), CPF
matters, various licenses, HDB related problems (eg. subsidized rental housing, obtaining a subsidized HDB flat), immigration issues, and appeals for school admissions
and school fee
subsidy.
Most sessions last past midnight, and are staffed by volunteers.
of the Labour Front
in the 1950s.
The 1966 Wee Chong Jin Constitutional Commission had recommended an Ombudsman to deal with complaints against the bureaucracy, but Parliament rejected that idea and preferred if such cases were handled by the Members of Parliament or the Feedback Unit. This need to perform an Ombudsman function is probably another rationale for having the MPS.
1) Registration and take queue number
2) Constituent meets the petition writer who pens the letter (either hand-written or via PC) on behalf of the MP
3) Wait and queue to meet the MP
4) Meet the MP in a separate room, constituent informs the MP of his/her problems one-to-one.
5) MP assures the constituent that they will look into the case and send the letter. For urgent cases, the letter will be typed out, sign by the MP and hands it to the constituent immediately. For normal cases, the letter will be vetted through by the MP’s or Minister’s Personal Secretary and sent out within three working days. http://pap.chongpang.org/content/day-mps
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
for citizens to meet their member of parliament
Members of the Singapore Parliament
The following is a historical list of members for the current and past ten Parliaments of Singapore:-See also:*1st Parliament of Singapore*2nd Parliament of Singapore*3rd Parliament of Singapore*4th Parliament of Singapore*5th Parliament of Singapore...
. The MPS are usually held once a week. Many citizens see the MPS as an opportunity to resolve problems that they are having with the bureaucracy.The MP will write a petition letter to the relevant ministry
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
, statutory board or any concerned parties to appeal on behalf of the resident. The letters are accorded a higher priority by the Civil Service as they come from elected representatives.
Cases deal with a wide range of problems. These include, but are not limited to, family financial problems (eg. health-cost issues, jobs, financial assistance), CPF
Central Provident Fund
In Singapore, the Central Provident Fund is a compulsory comprehensive savings plan for working Singaporeans and permanent residents primarily to fund their retirement, healthcare and housing needs. It is administered by the Central Provident Fund Board, a statutory board under the Ministry of...
matters, various licenses, HDB related problems (eg. subsidized rental housing, obtaining a subsidized HDB flat), immigration issues, and appeals for school admissions
Education in Singapore
Education in Singapore is managed by the Ministry of Education , which controls the development and administration of state schools receiving government funding, but also has an advisory and supervisory role in respect of private schools...
and school fee
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
subsidy.
Most sessions last past midnight, and are staffed by volunteers.
History
The establishment of these sessions can be traced back to David MarshallDavid Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall was the leader of the Singapore Labour Front and became the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955....
of the Labour Front
Labour Front
The Labour Front was a political party in Singapore. It was founded before the 1955 legislative council elections by David Saul Marshall, Singapore's first chief minister in 1955 and Lim Yew Hock, Singapore's second chief minister...
in the 1950s.
Rationale
The rationale for the MPS is so that Members of Parliament can get a feel of the ground.Even cabinet Ministers are required to go to their weekly MPS, although sometimes they may seek help from another MP when they have ministerial duties to attend to.The 1966 Wee Chong Jin Constitutional Commission had recommended an Ombudsman to deal with complaints against the bureaucracy, but Parliament rejected that idea and preferred if such cases were handled by the Members of Parliament or the Feedback Unit. This need to perform an Ombudsman function is probably another rationale for having the MPS.
Process
The process of meeting the MP or Ministers varies from constituency to constituency, but they follow a general pattern:1) Registration and take queue number
2) Constituent meets the petition writer who pens the letter (either hand-written or via PC) on behalf of the MP
3) Wait and queue to meet the MP
4) Meet the MP in a separate room, constituent informs the MP of his/her problems one-to-one.
5) MP assures the constituent that they will look into the case and send the letter. For urgent cases, the letter will be typed out, sign by the MP and hands it to the constituent immediately. For normal cases, the letter will be vetted through by the MP’s or Minister’s Personal Secretary and sent out within three working days. http://pap.chongpang.org/content/day-mps