SINGAPORE - Businessman George Goh has launched his campaign platform with a pledge to make the president’s office an “open book” to the people by publishing annual reports on what the president has done.

He also vowed that, should he be elected, the presidency would have an “open heart” to promote a more inclusive society, and that he would create an “open platform” to promote the arts, music and sports, and by creating a network of mentors from different disciplines for young people.

Besides these three pledges, Mr Goh, 63, announced on Monday his slogan for the 2023 Presidential Election: “One chance for change”.

Mr Goh also told reporters he has no intention to bow out of the race, should he be granted a certificate of eligibility, in contrast to what fellow presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian said on Saturday.

Speaking at a dialogue with young people at Bisoux, a cafe-restaurant in Selegie Road, Mr Goh said the three pledges spell out what he intends to do if he becomes president.

On making the presidency more transparent, he said he would put out regular information on his activities and decisions, such as the Bills he has assented to, speeches made, fund-raising events and the key public appointments he has scrutinised.

To help the underprivileged, Mr Goh said he would use his philanthropic experience, business network and the status of the office to raise a targeted $1 billion for welfare organisations and small charities during his term.

He also reiterated that he wanted to enlarge the scope and deepen the impact of the President’s Challenge.

“We will find a way to overcome the difficulty. We will find the solution to work with people,” he said. “We will find a way... to get funding.”

He said he also hopes to create initiatives to help youth through the arts, music and sports, and also those who want to be entrepreneurs like him.

On Monday, Mr Goh responded to comments from other presidential candidates at the weekend.

He told reporters that he has no arrangement with Mr Tan for either of them to step aside, should both qualify to run.

Mr Tan, 75, had said during a walkabout on Saturday that in such a scenario, he would speak to Mr Goh and decide who can step down to support the other non-establishment candidate.

In this way, there would be no splitting of the non-establishment vote, Mr Tan, a former NTUC Income chief executive, had said.

Referring to Mr Tan’s suggestion, Mr Goh said: “I don’t think this should be the way. If you decide to come forward, you put your plan, you put your campaign, you put all effort into it, then people will know you genuinely want to serve the nation.

“I think all the candidates should have the same attitude.”

Former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, and former GIC investment chief Ng Kok Song, 75, are the two others who have announced their intention to run for president.

On Sunday, Mr Tan said in a blog post that the scheduling of the presidential election was unfair and very rushed. He added that he had given the order to print posters and banners, but this means a “risk that I may have to waste $50,000”.

Mr Goh reiterated his confidence in being found eligible to contest the election, and said that he has already prepared his campaign collaterals.

Noting that the certificate of eligibility could be issued as late as Aug 21 – the day before Nomination Day – he said a presidential candidate has to be confident in himself. “This should be the way as the president. You cannot say, ‘Let’s buy insurance, let me think about it’,” he said.

“No, Mr Goh (does) not belong to this (category of) candidate. Everything is in a warehouse.”