Legislative Assistant to Member of Parliament

Catalysed sustainable policy actions by forging a coalition of policymakers, technical experts, grassroots activists, and engaged citizens

My engagement with Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng began informally in 2016 as part of his Advisory Panel, where I suggested environmental and social justice issues for him to raise in Parliament. A year later, MP Ng recruited me for his Legislative Assistant (LA) team.

Our team went above and beyond the traditional scope of LA duties to research and co-create legislative material for inclusive policies, collaborating with stakeholders and driving public campaigns. We tackled critical issues like climate change and wildlife crime, and worked closely with vulnerable groups—including refugees, abused children, and migrant workers—to represent their interests in Parliament. During my tenure, we shaped 70+ pieces of legislation, delivered 250+ parliamentary questions and submitted 50+ budget cuts. Our work was recognised as the "unseen backbone of Parliament" in The Straits Times.

My Role and Key Contributions

In addition to our team’s core responsibilities of drafting parliamentary questions and budget cuts, I also individually managed the completion of a pivotal Adjournment Motion: “Towards A Plastic-Lite Singapore”. This project, advocating for a plastic bag charge and a comprehensive waste reduction strategy, involved many aspects:

• Research & Development: I conducted in-depth policy analysis, examining international case studies and Singapore's waste data as well as interviewing business owners, green consultants, and activists. I then formulated a multi-pronged strategy including a carrier bag charge, public sector waste minimisation, and support for zero-waste start-ups.


• Strategic Advocacy: I crafted a compelling narrative using strategic communication tailored to resonate most with the Singapore public and provide sound bites for news outlets. To demonstrate grassroots support, I mobilised environmental groups to attend the Parliamentary Sitting, resulting in the second most well-attended Sitting in recent decades.


• Public Campaign: I amplified the motion’s impact post-delivery by organising a public sustainability forum (50+ attendees) and an eco-fair booth (100+ attendees). I also collaborated with a designer to create infographics for social media circulation.

Our proposal was delivered in Parliament on 1 Oct 2018, only to be swiftly rejected by the Senior Minister of State. However, it ignited a national conversation that culminated in the implementation of a supermarket plastic bag charge in 2023, leading to a 50-80% reduction in bag usage as reported by Channel News Asia. Read the Adjournment Motion on Parliament's website or watch MP Ng's delivery here.

I also conducted a number of broader legislative and advocacy initiatives, including:

• Singapore's First Climate Change Motion: As part of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Sustainability and the Environment, MP Ng filed Singapore’s first-ever parliamentary motion on climate change. I conducted research and organised an online Climate Action Dialogue with environmental groups to gather input, helping place climate action at the forefront of the national agenda. Read the Private Member’s Motion to “Accelerate and Deepen Efforts Against Climate Change” on Parliament's website.


• Parliament 101 & Budget 101: In my dual role as a co-founder of the Community for Advocacy and Political Education (CAPE), I worked with MP Ng, the LA team, and CAPE members to deliver two popular seminars (avg. 80+ attendees) that deconstructed government processes in layperson's terms. We also used the sessions to solicit public feedback that directly informed our team’s submissions for the upcoming budget debates.


• CAPE's Consultation on "Fake News" Bill: Leveraging MP Ng’s connections in Parliament, I organised a high-level stakeholder consultation with Minister for Law and Home Affairs, K. Shanmugam, to enable CAPE to present our recommendations on the newly introduced “Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill”.


• Climate Media Hub: I founded an online network to amplify support for proposed environmental policies on politicians’ social media, sending clear signals on public opinion for government analytics.


• Your Voices in Parliament: I archived records of MP Ng’s early parliamentary contributions on a blog, enhancing transparency for constituents and researchers.

Expertise

• Leadership: Strategic Planning | Stakeholder Relations | Cross-Functional Teamwork
• Research & Analysis: Policy Development | Systems Thinking | Qualitative Data Collection
• Strategic Communication: Grassroots Engagement | Public Advocacy | Civic Education
• Project Management: Event Production & Logistics | Volunteer Mobilisation | Dialogue Facilitation