Forum: Issues that Elections Department can review before next election

I congratulate Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam on his being elected with a thumping majority as Singapore’s ninth president.

I would also like to applaud Mr Ng Kok Song for his courageous and selfless decision, against all odds, to step up and offer himself as a presidential candidate to give Singaporeans a choice.

In the process, he demonstrated how candidates holding different perspectives on issues could mount their campaigns in a generally dignified manner. 

Now that the dust has settled, it may be worthwhile to look at the features of the elected presidency system.

The post-election commentary, “PE 2023 and brewing questions over the elected presidency system” (Sept 3) by Dr Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore, raised many issues, although I may not fully agree with everything.

As Singapore matures, I hope that the authorities and other relevant stakeholders will review the rules governing the presidential election, such as the strict criteria and the definition of independence, so that there is a more level playing field to facilitate more qualified Singaporeans to step forward.

In this regard, I agree with Dr Koh’s statement: “There seems like a lot that the PEC (Presidential Elections Committee) and the Elections Department would do well to address before the next election rolls around – to ensure the qualification process, the roles of the president, and the presidency as a system, work.”

Tan Lye Huat