It's a bit early to get stuck into this topic, except to observe...x9200 wrote:An MP is a law maker. He should not only guard the law to be obeyed and executed but also do her/his best taking care of the reputation of Singapore legal and legal enforcement system. Hard to imagine passively protecting an alleged criminal is in the best interests of any MP. He should at least be willing to get familiar with the case.
I wouldn't consider MPs as 'law-makers', more 'citizens' representatives', which in a small part feeds up into law-making. But maybe that is more the case where parliament has two chambers, lower and upper?
I tried to determine the scope for a SGn MP, and found this:
'MPs act as a bridge between the community and the Government by ensuring that the concerns of their constituents are heard in Parliament.'
http://www.parliament.gov.sg/members-parliament
Of course this can get muddied where MPs are 'whipped' to vote the party line, and so on. Top-down, versus bottom-up politics etc.
I cannot see MPs as being some form of legal enforcers, or para-police force, my impression is that that is for the police and judiciary. IME usually they, MPs, will point you towards an authority who are best suited to field any grievance you have, and perhaps an MP might write on your behalf (initially) to open a door to your further debate with that authority.
I cannot see an MP as taking up a subjective complaint themselves, especially if it comes down to 'He said, she said'. IME MPs have no interest (or perhaps even jurisdiction?) where you are not a constituent. For example, I might dislike my elected MP, they might be from the wrong party, but if I need to raise an issue, I have to do it via him. I.e. I couldn't do it via a neighbouring MP even if he is the country's specialist and advocate on precisely my issue. It's jurisdiction, and I have to go via my MP. If you haven't an MP, you're probably out of luck. You're very unlikely to get intervention on your behalf ('Follow the MPs personal interests'), in fact an MP in such circumstances taking any interest at all, and simply pointing you in the right direction would be (IMHO/E) considered a very positive result.
Just my 2C!
