- Joined
- Aug 19, 2008
- Messages
- 38,563
- Points
- 113
I CONGRATULATE Dr Tony Tan on winning the second contested presidential election, and being the nation's seventh president ('Tony Tan is president'; yesterday).
However, it is disturbing that an elected president did not receive more than a 50 per cent majority of votes.
One could even argue that 65 per cent of the electorate voted against the president-elect with Dr Tony Tan squeezing by with a razor-thin 0.34 per cent margin ahead of Dr Tan Cheng Bock.
Perhaps the first-past-the-post voting format should not be used in a
multi-contested presidential election.
A fairer option is to give each voter two votes so he can either vote for two candidates, or just one.
I am certain the results will be different if such a voting system is used.
A run-off by the top two candidates after the first round of voting is another option, but it is time-consuming and disruptive.
In any case, the Elections Department should consider an alternative format if a multi-cornered fight arises in the next presidential election.
Foo Chee Choong
However, it is disturbing that an elected president did not receive more than a 50 per cent majority of votes.
One could even argue that 65 per cent of the electorate voted against the president-elect with Dr Tony Tan squeezing by with a razor-thin 0.34 per cent margin ahead of Dr Tan Cheng Bock.
Perhaps the first-past-the-post voting format should not be used in a
multi-contested presidential election.
A fairer option is to give each voter two votes so he can either vote for two candidates, or just one.
I am certain the results will be different if such a voting system is used.
A run-off by the top two candidates after the first round of voting is another option, but it is time-consuming and disruptive.
In any case, the Elections Department should consider an alternative format if a multi-cornered fight arises in the next presidential election.
Foo Chee Choong
