Singapore's 15th parliament opens today, starting with the nomination of Mr Seah Kian Peng as Speaker of Parliament.

Today's sitting will see the election of the Speaker of Parliament, the swearing-in of 99 MPs and an opening address by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Later this month, MPs will get down to business with a full debate on the President’s Address, unpacking the details and weighing in on the direction Singapore is headed.

So, what exactly should we be looking out for? And how might this new Parliament shape policies that affect everyday Singaporeans?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr Gillian Koh, Senior Research Fellow from the Institute of Policy Studies, to find out more.