This article sums up what each candidate is hoping to do as our president. 
Candidates clarify their vision of the role of the President
by CHANNEL NEWSASIA
07:55 PM Aug 21, 2011
SINGAPORE - The four presidential candidates have clarified what they believe to be the powers of the President.
They were speaking to reporters as campaigning hit the halfway point today.
Since the start of the hustings, a number of policy suggestions to improve Singapore society have been floated by the candidates.
For instance, after making stops at nursing homes for the elderly yesterday, Mr Tan Kin Lian suggested the state should pay out a pension for the needy elderly, while Mr Tan Jee Say called for the income ceiling for nursing home subsidies to be raised.
This led to presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock commenting that candidates should not promise things that cannot be delivered under the constitutional powers of the President, or get involved in day-to-day politics.
Responding today, Mr Tan Kin Lian said he was taking an optimistic view of things.
"I would like to ask my good friend Dr Tan Cheng Bock to be more positive. Things will be good for the future of the people and a better life for the people - it can be done. It's not easy, but it can be done. So, be more positive," he said.
Mr Tan Jee Say believes that Singapore's head of state has "moral" influence beyond what is stated in the Constitution.
He said: "The Office of the President is what the President makes it out to be. I see the Office of the President not as a centre of executive power, but as a centre of moral power, to persuade people, to persuade the Government. And I think (the President) can also lend the prestige of the Office to some charity drive."
Dr Tony Tan, the fourth presidential candidate, maintained his view that the President's role is as prescribed in the Constitution.
He said: "The President must work within the perimeters of the Constitution, as I've said. People must run for the post that exists today, not the post they might like to have. And you have to respect that. Whatever comments you make have to be within that constraint."
Dr Tan Cheng Bock said that policy suggestions beyond the prescribed roles of the President should be made behind closed doors, "or else the role of the President is going to clash with the executive - and that's exactly what we don't want", he said, referring to the Government, which is the executive branch of Singapore.
The four candidates have another four days of campaigning to win the hearts and minds of the Singaporeans before the mandatory Cooling-off Day when no canvassing for votes is allowed.
Candidates clarify their vision of the role of the President
by CHANNEL NEWSASIA
07:55 PM Aug 21, 2011
SINGAPORE - The four presidential candidates have clarified what they believe to be the powers of the President.
They were speaking to reporters as campaigning hit the halfway point today.
Since the start of the hustings, a number of policy suggestions to improve Singapore society have been floated by the candidates.
For instance, after making stops at nursing homes for the elderly yesterday, Mr Tan Kin Lian suggested the state should pay out a pension for the needy elderly, while Mr Tan Jee Say called for the income ceiling for nursing home subsidies to be raised.
This led to presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock commenting that candidates should not promise things that cannot be delivered under the constitutional powers of the President, or get involved in day-to-day politics.
Responding today, Mr Tan Kin Lian said he was taking an optimistic view of things.
"I would like to ask my good friend Dr Tan Cheng Bock to be more positive. Things will be good for the future of the people and a better life for the people - it can be done. It's not easy, but it can be done. So, be more positive," he said.
Mr Tan Jee Say believes that Singapore's head of state has "moral" influence beyond what is stated in the Constitution.
He said: "The Office of the President is what the President makes it out to be. I see the Office of the President not as a centre of executive power, but as a centre of moral power, to persuade people, to persuade the Government. And I think (the President) can also lend the prestige of the Office to some charity drive."
Dr Tony Tan, the fourth presidential candidate, maintained his view that the President's role is as prescribed in the Constitution.
He said: "The President must work within the perimeters of the Constitution, as I've said. People must run for the post that exists today, not the post they might like to have. And you have to respect that. Whatever comments you make have to be within that constraint."
Dr Tan Cheng Bock said that policy suggestions beyond the prescribed roles of the President should be made behind closed doors, "or else the role of the President is going to clash with the executive - and that's exactly what we don't want", he said, referring to the Government, which is the executive branch of Singapore.
The four candidates have another four days of campaigning to win the hearts and minds of the Singaporeans before the mandatory Cooling-off Day when no canvassing for votes is allowed.
