Syed Harun Alhabsyi

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The Honourable
Syed Harun Alhabsyi
سَعِيد هارون الحبسي
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Nee Soon GRC
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 May 2025

Syed Harun bin Taha Alhabsyi [a] (born 1985) is a Singaporean politician and psychiatrist. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nee Soon Link division of Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) since 2025. He had previously been a Nominated MP (NMP) between 2023 and 2025. He was the first former NMP to enter partisan politics.

Contents

First appointed as an NMP in 2023, Syed Harun resigned before completing his term to pursue a career in electoral politics, a move that drew criticism from former NMPs and observers who argued that it undermined the non-partisan intent of the scheme. While he defended his transition as a continuation of public service, it renewed debate about the purpose and neutrality of the NMP system.

Education and career

Syed Harun studied at Raffles Institution and Victoria Junior College before graduating from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore with a medical degree. He is a psychiatrist by profession. [1]

Political career

Syed Harun first entered Parliament in August 2023 after being nominated in July as an NMP for the 14th Parliament. [2]

In February 2025, ahead of the general election in the same year, Syed Harun resigned before the end of his two-and-a-half-year term as an NMP, stating that he intended to "serve more directly through grassroots involvement". [3] He subsequently joined the PAP and was fielded as a candidate for the five-member Nee Soon GRC. [4]

In the second Lawrence Wong cabinet after the 2025 elecction, Syed Harun was appointed as Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of National Development.

Controversies

Resignation as NMP, and move to candidacy as a PAP MP

Prior to the general election, Syed Harun's move move drew significant public and political scrutiny. Several former NMPs and commentators expressed concern about the erosion of the credibility of the NMP scheme when the position was used as a springboard into party politics. [5] [6] Critics argued that the NMP role was intended to provide independent, non-partisan perspectives, and that early resignations for electoral ambitions could undermine its perceived neutrality. [3] Former NMPs also highlighted that while such transitions were legal, they were able to affect public trust in the scheme's original intent. [3]

In response to the criticism, Syed Harun stated that he had acted independently during his NMP tenure and had not "initially intended to enter party politics", and that he eventually joined the PAP with a desire to "serve the public more effectively". [1] K. Shanmugam, Minister for Law and Home Affairs, also defended the move, emphasising that the Constitution did not prohibit NMPs from joining political parties after resigning, while urging the public to assess candidates based on "integrity and contributions". [7] Nevertheless, the event prompted renewed debate on whether clearer guidelines were necessary to regulate transitions from non-partisan to partisan political roles. Syed Harun was later elected after the PAP team he belonged to defeated Red Dot United (RDU) with 73.81% of the vote. [4]

Integrity and parliamentary debate

In January 2026, during a parliamentary debate on a motion regarding the role of the Leader of the Opposition, Syed Harun spoke about the importance of integrity and accountability in public office. The motion was part of discussions about Pritam Singh’s suitability to continue as Leader of the Opposition following a conviction upheld by the courts. [8] [9]

During his speech, Syed Harun emphasised that leaders should uphold the highest ethical standards. Workers’ Party chair Sylvia Lim responded by questioning whether Syed Harun’s own actions — specifically his resignation from his position as a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) ahead of the 2025 general election, followed by his subsequent candidacy and election under a political party banner—raised questions about his adherence to integrity and the non-partisan expectations of the NMP scheme. Syed Harun denied that his integrity was in question, and stated that his decision to resign and later contest an election was already a matter of public record.

Commentary on the broader role of Nominated Members of Parliament noted that Syed Harun’s transition from NMP to a party-affiliated MP was cited as part of a broader discussion on the evolving nature of the NMP scheme and perceptions of non-partisanship in Singapore’s Parliament. Critics argued that the involvement of former NMPs in partisan debates could blur the distinction between the scheme’s original intent and current practice, while others maintained that such transitions were legally permissible. [10]

Notes

  1. ↑ Jawi: سَعِيد هارون بن طه الحبسي

References

  1. 1 2 "GE2025: I was 'absolutely' independent as an NMP, joining politics was last thing on my mind, says Syed Harun". CNA. 14 April 2025. Archived from the original on 7 July 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  2. ↑ "8 new Nominated MPs to be appointed, 1 serving a 2nd term". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Kurohi, Rei (17 February 2025). "Former NMPs raise concerns over how members' resignations ahead of GE2025 could impact scheme". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  4. 1 2 "GE2025: Shanmugam's refreshed PAP team retains Nee Soon GRC with 73.81% of vote". The Straits Times. 4 May 2025. ISSN   0585-3923. Archived from the original on 5 July 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  5. ↑ Ong, Anthea (19 April 2025). "Two Resignations, One NMP Scheme, and the Questions Sorely Unanswered". RICE. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  6. ↑ Citizen, The Online (1 April 2025). "RP chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam criticises NMP scheme after Shanmugam's defence of constitutional provision". The Online Citizen. Archived from the original on 3 April 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  7. ↑ "Constitution allows NMPs to join political parties after resigning: Shanmugam". AsiaOne. 22 April 2025. Archived from the original on 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  8. ↑ "WP's Sylvia Lim crosses swords with Syed Harun on integrity". CNA. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "WP chair challenges Dr Syed Harun on integrity during debate on Pritam Singh's role". heidoh.com. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "NMPs are no longer neutral: The Pritam Singh debate confirms the partisan drift". The Online Citizen. 15 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
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