Meet-the-People Session (MPS)
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 (e.g. health-cost issues,
jobs, financial assistance), CPF
matters, various licenses, HDB
related problems (e.g. 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.
The establishment of these sessions can be traced back to
David Marshall of the Labour Front
in the 1950s.
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.
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://www.parliament.gov.sg/whos-my-mp
http://www.parliament.gov.sg/list-constituencies
http://www.parliament.gov.sg/list-of-current-mps