PE 2023: 'Non-partisan' Ng Kok Song says leaving political office before presidential race not ‘in spirit’ of Constitution

SINGAPORE — Resigning from political appointments shortly before being nominated as a presidential candidate technically complies with the Constitution’s requirement for candidates to not belong to any political party, but “misses the spirit of it”, presidential candidate Ng Kok Song said. 

“Technically, as long as you resign from your political office appointment just two or three months before nomination, you are deemed not to have belonged to any political party,” the 75-year-old told reporters on Thursday (Aug 24).

“That is a technical way of complying but I think it misses the spirit of it.” 

The Constitution requires that a candidate for presidency not be a member of a political party, but does not stipulate that the person has never done so.

Mr Ng appeared to be making a jab at fellow candidate Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who had last month retired from politics, stepping down from all his positions in Government, including his appointments as Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, and as a Member of Parliament for Jurong Group Representation Constituency.

Mr Ng said that the “spirit” of the Constitution is for the elected President to be non-partisan.

“What is the meaning of the word ‘non-partisan’? Non-partisan means not associated with any political group. That is the meaning of non-partisan.

“In simple language, non-partisan is no party,” he continued.

“So I stand before you, I will submit as the only non-partisan candidate among the three.”

He was also implying that the third candidate, Mr Tan Kin Lian, had a political past. 

Mr Tan was a former member of the ruling People's Action Party for 30 years until 2008, and in that time served as the party's branch secretary at Marine Parade for three years.

More recently, he has also been associated with opposition parties. During nomination day on Tuesday, his proposer was Mr Tan Jee Say, who had contested under the Singapore Democratic Party at the 2020 General Election, and his seconder was Mr Lim Tean, founder of the People's Voice Party. 

Mr Ng was answering questions from the media during a visit to the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital at Boon Keng, where it was not him but his fiancee Sybil Lau who was invited. 

Mr Ng said that it was Ms Lau’s interest in philanthropic work with seniors that led to her, rather than him, being invited to the hospital, which was founded in 1910 to care for the needy. 

“I was very happy to come with Sybil as a partner, because I, too, would like to know more about what is being done so that we together can do more, regardless of whether I become President or not,” he said. 

Mr Ng, Ms Lau and Ms Lau’s father visited the hospital’s senior care centre, nursing home wards and traditional Chinese medicine centre.

Mr Ng also touched on how he planned to keep his budget for his campaign tight, given that he will not be accepting donations or gifts. 

At an earlier morning visit to Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, Mr Ng also told reporters there that he is financing his campaign using his personal savings because he did not want to be "beholden" to anyone while he stands for presidency.

“There were some good wishes offered to help finance my campaign, but I have respectfully declined their offers and suggested that if you wish to do so, you could make a donation to some charitable causes.”