SUSS @ Singapore Model Parliament 2021

^{Four students from SUSS represented the university at the mock parliamentary debate session at the Singapore Model Parliament 2021.}

The Singapore Model Parliament 2021 is an annual flagship programme that aims to provide youths with an opportunity to discover the inner workings of the Singapore Parliament, and debate about relevant, timely and current issues in Singapore. The event, which was held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions, occurred over three days on 19^th June, 24^th and 26^th June 2021.

Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister of Finance, who participated in the dialogue session, also encouraged the students participants to step forward and shape the Singapore they want to see."

"When you see issues in the media, I hope you will use your experience in this programme and put yourself in the shoes of the policymaker. Reflect on the many different perspectives that Singaporeans may hold and what considerations will need to be weighed in reaching a decision", he added. 

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament who also attended the event, spoke about the importance of a fair and robust parliamentary system, building trust and confidence, and the role of feedback from multiple stakeholders in the policy-making process. 

The week-long programme, organised by the Government's feedback and engagement unit, Reach, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), consisted of simulated parliamentary debates on the topics of strengthening Singapore's social compact and promoting mental health and well-being. During the debates, groups of participants worked together to propose different policies.

“From being shown how to pass a motion to hearing different perspectives on a myriad of issues, we learned so much about the basics of parliamentary processes in Singapore”, enthused Zen Chye, a student participant of SUSS. Another SUSS student participant, Nurul Atiqah, also shared that "it was a very refreshing experience to be able to craft and carry out our very own parliamentary motion speech!”.