[video=youtube;YSuOOS1Vs9g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSuOOS1Vs9g[/video]
Dr Tan Cheng Bock, former Member of Parliament and candidate in the Presidential Election 2011, raised the question to the Singapore Government in a press conference held on Friday (31 March), whether it is correct to set the Presidential Election 2017 as a reserved election under the newly introduced amendments to the Elected Presidency.
"I would urge the Government to explain, or refer AGC’s opinion to Court to confirm whether AGC’s advice is in sync with the Commission’s spirit and purpose for having reserved elections." said Dr Tan.
Under the amendments, a reserved election is set aside by the government for a minority race if no candidate from a particular minority group has been elected as the President after five open elections.
The Government has said that the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) advised Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that 2017 will be the first reserved election. This is based on AGC counting 5 consecutive presidential terms beginning with President Wee Kim Wee.
Questionable advice from AGC
Dr Tan in his speech, questioned whether AGC’s method of counting is actually in line with the spirit and purpose put forward by the Constitutional Commission for having a reserved election.
He pointed out that the report from the Constitutional Commission which the Government has accepted, originally said: “..if free and unregulated elections produce Presidents from a varied distribution of ethnicities, the requirement of a reserved election will never be triggered."
Noting that the “free and unregulated” elections mentioned by the Commission, are “open elections” that are not closed to a specific group of candidates. Elections where candidates of all races can stand, and voters can elect a President who is Chinese, Malay, Indian or any other race.
Dr Tan noted that the AGC included a nominated President in their count despite Commission’s emphasis was on open elections, where voters fail to vote in a minority president.
No debate in Parliament about AGC's advice
Dr Tan pointed out that there was no debate on whether AGC advised the Government correctly and that it also declined the opportunity to explain this in Parliament.
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/20...on-mr-wee-kim-wee-as-first-elected-president/
Dr Tan Cheng Bock, former Member of Parliament and candidate in the Presidential Election 2011, raised the question to the Singapore Government in a press conference held on Friday (31 March), whether it is correct to set the Presidential Election 2017 as a reserved election under the newly introduced amendments to the Elected Presidency.
"I would urge the Government to explain, or refer AGC’s opinion to Court to confirm whether AGC’s advice is in sync with the Commission’s spirit and purpose for having reserved elections." said Dr Tan.
Under the amendments, a reserved election is set aside by the government for a minority race if no candidate from a particular minority group has been elected as the President after five open elections.
The Government has said that the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) advised Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that 2017 will be the first reserved election. This is based on AGC counting 5 consecutive presidential terms beginning with President Wee Kim Wee.
Questionable advice from AGC
Dr Tan in his speech, questioned whether AGC’s method of counting is actually in line with the spirit and purpose put forward by the Constitutional Commission for having a reserved election.
He pointed out that the report from the Constitutional Commission which the Government has accepted, originally said: “..if free and unregulated elections produce Presidents from a varied distribution of ethnicities, the requirement of a reserved election will never be triggered."
Noting that the “free and unregulated” elections mentioned by the Commission, are “open elections” that are not closed to a specific group of candidates. Elections where candidates of all races can stand, and voters can elect a President who is Chinese, Malay, Indian or any other race.
Dr Tan noted that the AGC included a nominated President in their count despite Commission’s emphasis was on open elections, where voters fail to vote in a minority president.
No debate in Parliament about AGC's advice
Dr Tan pointed out that there was no debate on whether AGC advised the Government correctly and that it also declined the opportunity to explain this in Parliament.
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/20...on-mr-wee-kim-wee-as-first-elected-president/
