Ng Kok Song warns against President-PM relationship that is 'too close'; difficult to carry out duties objectively

SINGAPORE: It would be very difficult for the President to discharge his responsibilities in an objective way if his relationship with the Prime Minister is “too close”, said presidential candidate Ng Kok Song on Thursday (Aug 24) morning. 

Speaking to journalists before his first walkabout of the day at Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, Mr Ng was responding to comments by fellow candidate Tharman Shanmugaratnam the day before. 

On Wednesday evening, Mr Tharman had said that the President would have a greater ability to provide independent advice and know that it is taken seriously if the President and Prime Minister have respect for each other. 

Mr Tharman was, in turn, commenting on rival candidate Tan Kin Lian’s plan to use the President’s “soft power” to influence policymaking through private conversations with government leaders. 

“Well, it depends entirely on the relationship between the President and the Prime Minister,” Mr Tharman said. 

Responding to the exchange, Mr Ng said on Thursday: “There is a danger in that because the President’s responsibility is to safeguard the reserves, safeguard the integrity of appointments to certain public service positions. 

“And the President must act in the best interests of the people of Singapore. So I think it will be very difficult for the President to discharge his responsibilities in an objective way, if he has too close a relationship to the Prime Minister.”

At a doorstop later on Thursday afternoon, Mr Ng raised examples of hypothetical situations where the Prime Minister may be corrupt, or the President wants to overspend Singapore’s reserves, or if the Prime Minister wants to appoint untrustworthy people to key positions.

“If the President is too close to the Prime Minister, if the President is someone who has worked previously with the Prime Minister, then I don’t think it would be that easy for the President to act objectively without bias,” he added, speaking to journalists at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital. 

Singapore’s Constitution states that candidates standing for President should not belong to any political party, and this is a requirement, said Mr Ng.

“What has happened is that in the past, because of the difficulty in getting enough people without any political party connection to come forward, then technically, as long as you resign from your political office appointment, two or three months before nomination, you are deemed not to have belonged to any political party,” he added.

“I think that is the technical way of complying, but I think it misses the spirit of it.” 

Mr Ng shared his opinion that the intent of those who drafted that portion of the Constitution was to have a “non-partisan” President.

“Non-partisan means not associated with any political group … In simple language, non-partisan is no party. I stand before you, I would submit, as the only non-partisan candidate among the three.” 

Mr Ng also responded to Mr Tan’s statement that he wants the President’s role to include the power to set the investment policy for Singapore’s reserves. 

The former NTUC Income CEO also acknowledged that this was not under the purview of the President, a point Mr Ng - GIC’s former chief investment officer - raised on Thursday.

"That is not the responsibility of the President," Mr Ng said. "The President’s responsibility in regard to safeguarding the reserves is to act as a check on the spending of past reserves. How that money is invested is not the area of responsibility of the President."

He also shared that he has decided to finance his campaign with his personal savings. 

“I’ve decided not to accept any donations, either financial donations or donations in time because I do not want to be beholden to anyone in standing for the presidency,” he added. 

Mr Ng said he has had offers from people to help finance his campaign.

“I have respectfully declined their offers and suggested that if you wish to do so, you could make a donation to some charitable causes,” he said. The 75-year-old had said on Wednesday that his campaign team will not put up physical banners and posters because he lacks the resources to do so and wants to be environmentally friendly.

"I don’t have the manpower resources or the party machinery to hang up posters on lampposts all over the island," Mr Ng had said. "I have very limited resources."

Mr Ng and his team gave out pamphlets to those at Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre on Thursday. Many came forward for photos with Mr Ng and his fiancee Sybil Lau, with several people identifying themselves as former employees. 

At the second doorstop interview later on Thursday, he acknowledged that he was concerned that by not using posters, he might miss out on older voters. 

“Even the older generation, we must not underestimate them, they also have social media,” he said, adding that people in their 70s and 80s have reached out with positive comments about his social media campaign. 

“We must realise that social media is penetrating not only the younger generation, but the older generation. Also, I hope that the younger generation will help their parents and their grandparents with social media.”

Reporters also asked about his plans to hold an online rally, which he had referred to as an "online seminar" the day before. Mr Ng said details would be forthcoming in the coming day or two.