Various names have been hotly discussed, but no one has officially said yes. Read more at straitstimes.com.
SINGAPORE – At this time, the question of who will be Singapore’s next head of state is one with no clear answers.
Dr Felix Tan, political analyst and associate lecturer at Nanyang Technological University , said that very few people may eventually be willing to come forward and contest in the upcoming polls, given the stringent criteria set by the Presidential Elections Committee : The public-sector service requirement includes having held office as a minister, chief justice, Speaker of Parliament, attorney-general, chairman of the Public Service Commission, auditor-general, accountant-general or permanent secretary for at least three years.
For potential candidates relying on the private-sector service requirement, he added, there are currently more than 1,200 companies with average shareholders’ equity at or exceeding $500 million. This is reasonable because the country is taking the role very seriously, he said. “We will have to see if the candidates are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the top job in Singapore.”She is popular on the ground, havingSMU’s Prof Tan thinks she will be a “very competitive” candidate should she seek re-election.
They added that it is likely that she will have to make a decision based on who the other potential candidates are, as well as whether another “government-backed” candidate comes along. Mr Lee Hsien Yang is also unlikely to run, said observers. While a Bloomberg article in March reported him asThe finding by the disciplinary tribunal and Court of Three Judges thatMr Lee, who is the younger son of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, has also indicated that with the ongoing probe,Prof Koh, according to the eligibility criteria, does not meet the public-service requirements as his highest public-service post is ambassador-at-large.
“If they are chosen as a candidate that the Government wants to endorse, they could be persuaded. But they are not likely to go on their own to offer themselves and then face someone who is endorsed by the Government,” he said.“While he has not made a formal announcement, he has clearly been making preparations to that effect,” he said, referring to Mr Goh’s website set up earlier this year and his increased social media presence.
“So while competition is healthy, in such a situation, it might not always bode well for the incoming president.” SMU’s Prof Tan added that Mr Seah could be regarded as having a “hybrid” background of private- and public-sector experience.
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