Let’s take a step back before jumping to conclusions
This year’s Presidential Election was supposedly planned for August when President Tony Tan ends his term on 31 August 2017. However, after a close to 3 hours debate involving the Workers’ Party, a bill regarding the 2017 Presidential Elections was passed. It was announced that the dates of the elections would be changed to September instead, to avoid the National Day Celebrations in August.
With that, we would expect a round of campaigning and this year, the role would be reserved for the Malay community according to the previous Elected Presidency report in 2016.
The New Changes
Besides the avoidance of the National Day Celebrations, Presidential Elections was delayed to ensure that the 16-member committee set up would have more time to carefully deliberate and assess the profiles of potential candidates.
Many feared the divisive nature of rallies. As such, rallies would not be compulsory. Nonetheless, candidates will be allowed to hold rallies but would require a permit from the Police.
This time, candidates will get more airtime on television as well as the usage of their social media to appeal to an increasingly internet-driven age.
What Do Singaporeans Have To Say
There is much buzz online about the minority elected presidency as well as the “symbolic” nature of the president that makes this election more redundant than it is.
But perhaps, we should take a step back and realise that these changes, redundant or not, are necessary. And if you’ve been observant enough, Singapore has been relatively safeguarded in this VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world.
“Important Stabiliser”
While there are many conversations about the Elected Presidency and the role of the President in Singapore, it should still be treated with much importance as it is an “important stabilser” as reflected by PM Lee. This “Elected Presidency” stemmed from former Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew’s fear of an inevitable “freak election”.
The elected President hence is mandated by the so-called “popular” vote with no mandate to “govern”. One still has the ability to veto certain situation, but does not possess the power to initiate or push policies.
A True Test Of Our Racial Diversity And Harmony
Having a minority race as President would truly be a presentation of Singapore’s unique history and diverse culture. With that said, the elected President would also have to balance out the concerns of one race and the others in Singapore.
Dr Gillan Koh, Deputy Director of IPS stated that the elected President will have to “tread a very fine line” between the statistically majority and minority. Thus, choosing a candidate to represent Singapore, whether symbolically or not, is important as it would represent the respect for our racial and cultural diversity.
This further reinstates the importance of this election that every vote counts and it is important for it to be put forth across the board that the voices of every Singaporean will be heard and represented.
Finally, this rounds up as to why this presidential election is more important than you think and the changes are definitely more necessary than ever to prevent the breakdown of our social fabric that has been painstakingly mended together. At least if we take a step-back to realise that even if these changes are symbolic and a mere “smokescreen”, the past 51 years have indeed been relatively safeguarded.