Legislative size (voting members)

Singapore Parliamentary Chamber: Elections Held in 1984

Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment Bill), Bill No. 8/1984

Amendment of Article 39

39.3 Article 39(1) of the Constitution is deleted and the following clauses substituted therefor: “(1) The Parliament shall consist of — (a) such number of elected Members as is equal to the number of constituencies prescribed by or under any law made by the Legislature; and (b) such other additional Members, not exceeding 6 in number, who shall be known as non-constituency Members, as the Legislature may provide in any law relating to Parliamentary elections to ensure the representation in Parliament of a minimum number of Members from a political party or parties not forming the Government.

This was the first election in Singapore to introduce the ‘Non Constituency Member of Parliament’ (NCMP) scheme, where the ‘best losers’ of each election receive a stipulated number of seats in parliament. Before 2017, they were allowed to vote on all issues, with the exception of:

• Amendments to the Constitution
• Any motion pertaining to a bill to amend a supply bill, supplementary supply bill or final supply bill
• Any motion pertaining to a Bill to amend a money bill.
• A motion of no confidence in the Government removal of the President from office

However, both opposition members who were eligible for NCMP declined for the 1984-1988 term.