Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Ng Kok Song, Tan Kin Lian are the 3 candidates eligible for Singapore presidential race so far.
2 candidates have strong ties with the PAP, Former GIC chief investment officer has been endorsed by PM Lee Hsien Loong, and Tharman Shanmugaratnam was a PAP minister.
I have no doubt that these men are capable, but I don’t think they will be a good “second key” for the government and I have doubts of their independence from the PAP party.
The role of the Elected President is not only just ceremonial. It is to be second key to the reserves which will be basically a rubber stamp on government spending. I don’t see the 2 party approved candidates veto any of the PM’s decisions, and what we will get is another 5 years of the same — we might just as well have a potted plant as the president .
The third candidate — Mr Tan Kin Lian was also seen in the past as not-as-independent there to dilute votes. Tan Kin Lian served as the chief executive officer of NTUC Income between 1997 and 2007, as many Singaporeans would think how independent he would be, however, his efforts to participate in democratic events in Singapore and voice out his thoughts which may be unpopular with respect to the government may have bought him some trust.
