EP changes needed as race still matters in politics: PM
The last Presidential Election was held in 2011. TODAY file photo.
SINGAPORE — The Republic’s Head of State should reflect the colour and shape of society and an election to choose a candidate should be designed such that minorities are not ruled out because of Singaporeans’ inherent preference for a leader of their own race.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made this point in an interview with Mediacorp which was aired on Sunday (Sept 4), as he revealed that one of the recommendations of the Constitutional Commission — tasked to review specific aspects of the Elected Presidency (EP) — was for the presidential election to be contested only among candidates of a particular minority race which has not been represented in the highest office in the land for a protracted period.
The commission held four public hearings between April and May and its report — which was submitted to the Government last month — will be made public in the coming week. Mr Lee had said that the Government has accepted the main recommendations in principle. A White Paper will be published, outlining how these changes will be effected. Following that, a Constitutional Amendment Bill will be tabled in Parliament.
In expressing his own preference for what form such a system would take, Mr Lee said those who testified before the Constitution gave several suggestions, but added: “I think probably the least intrusive and most light-touch way of doing it is to say if everything works well, we don’t have to do anything but if after a long time we have not had a President of a particular race, say after four, five or six terms ... then in the next election, if a qualified candidate of that race presents himself or herself, then that election will be reserved for that race and so you will be able to get a Malay or an Indian President.”
If there is no qualified minority candidate, then the contest will be opened to all races and the same rules will apply in the following election “because a longer time would have elapsed and again let’s see whether a qualified candidate turns up”, Mr Lee said.
Mr Lee noted that other proposals include rotating the Presidency between the various races or having presidential candidates contest in mixed-race tag teams — mirroring the concept of Group Representation Constitutencies (GRC) for parliamentary elections. Members of the elected alliance will take turns to be sworn in as President during their term, and be given all the constitutional powers, while the other person can be Vice-President with no separate powers.
Referring to the findings of a recent survey commissioned by Channel NewsAsia and the Institute of Policy Studies, Mr Lee reiterated that it is not that Singaporeans would not accept a President of another race but they would prefer one of their own race. “The natural result of people preferring one of their own race is that a minority race President will find it hard to get elected,” Mr Lee said. “So it’s something which we should do something about and which we can do something about.”
He added: “(The younger population is) less race conscious but the distinction is still there, it hasn’t disappeared and I don’t think it’ll disappear for a long time.”
Mr Lee also signaled that a system to ensure minority candidates are elected could be in place for the next presidential election, which must be held by August next year. “We’ve spent a long time thinking about it and I floated this subject in January in Parliament ... We’ve had the Constitutional Commission. They’ve been working very hard at it for the last several months ... we have done not just the homework but also the public consultation and we are about ready to legislate.”
Mr Lee had wanted to speak at length on the subject at the National Day Rally last month before he took ill. During the interview, Mr Lee also reiterated that the changes to the EP have to be made now because the amendments are overdue and he sees it as his responsibility to carry them out before he steps down.
The commission, which was appointed on Feb 10, studied three areas: The eligibility criteria for presidential candidacy, provisions to safeguard minority representation in the presidency and the framework governing the exercise of the President’s custodial powers, particularly the role and composition of the Council of Presidential Advisers.
Among other things, a candidate is required to have had experience in running large and complex companies with more than S$100 million in paid-up capital. Mr Lee was tightlipped on the figure recommended by the commission but he stressed that it has to be “revised up substantially”. In fact, the qualifying criteria should be revised every two terms, instead of waiting “another 25 years”, said Mr Lee, in reference to when the criteria was first drawn up.
Noting that there are about 2,000 companies with more than S$100 million in paid-up capital, he said: “At face value, I should have 5,000 or 6,000 (people) who are qualified and capable of being President… But I don’t believe all of them actually have the experience and the relevant competence in their work in order to do the President’s job.”
Mr Lee acknowledged that the changes to the EP are “legally difficult to craft” into constitutional provisions. They are also “politically delicate”, he said. The changes must be put across in a way where people do not feel “patronised” or suspect any “ulterior motive”, he said.
It would take time for Singaporeans to accept that the changes are necessary, said Mr Lee. “It is not yet obvious, but by the time it is obvious, it’s too late,” he said.
Mr Lee stressed that having a President from a minority race is a “necessary symbol” of unity in all multi-racial societies. It represents “what Singapore means, stands for and what we aspire to be”. “It is the right thing to do,” he said.
On his ideal candidate for the next elected president, Mr Lee said: “Somebody who can identify with all Singaporeans, whom all Singaporeans will look up to, respect, and at the same time, have the experience and the weight and the judgment to look at what the Government is putting up to them, and to say yes, or no, depending on whether or not it is the wise thing to do.”
