SINGAPORE: Presidential hopeful Ng Kok Song questioned on Monday (Aug 28) if appointing leaders of opposition political parties to the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) in return for their support could be a “form of corruption”.
He was responding to rival candidate Tan Kin Lian’s comments that he would ask Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bok and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) member Tan Jee Say to be part of the CPA if he is elected President.
In response to questions on Sunday about whether the PSP is endorsing Mr Tan, Dr Tan said several times that his endorsement was in his “personal capacity” and he was “not here as a politician for this election”.
Describing them as “excellent candidates”, Mr Tan, the former NTUC Income chief, had said he had yet to ask both men when journalists questioned if they would be nominated by him to be part of the council.
Former GIC chief investment officer Ng, and fellow candidate and former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam both have not named anyone they may appoint to the CPA if they are elected as President.
The President can appoint up to three members of the CPA, which comprises eight people.
Speaking to journalists before a walkabout at Ayer Rajah Food Centre, Mr Ng noted on Monday morning that opposition party leaders said they were supporting Mr Tan because he is an independent candidate.
“How can Tan Kin Lian say he’s an independent candidate when he’s dependent on those opposition party leaders? What sort of independence is that?” he added.
“There’s a danger that he’s going to be manipulated by those leaders of the opposition parties.”
Mr Tan “even went so far as to say” that those who support him may be appointed to the CPA, said Mr Ng.
“Isn’t that a form of corruption? What sort of independence is that?”
In a statement to the media later on Monday, Mr Ng clarified that he “was not ascribing any criminal intent to the act”.
The CPA advises the President on major constitutional duties and its members have to abide by high standards, he noted.
Mr Ng said he was instead suggesting that it could be seen as a “moral perversion” of the CPA.
Dr Tan’s show of support for Mr Tan on Sunday has turned this presidential election into a General Election, Mr Ng said.
“This is very very wrong. Why can’t the political parties concerned wait … for the next General Election? Why confuse the people of Singapore?
“If opposition party leaders want to make their political point, wait until the General Election. This is not the time to do it,” said Mr Ng, adding that this is an “act of disservice” to Singaporeans.
When asked about whether he thought his campaign would be impacted by Dr Tan’s show of support for a rival presidential candidate, Mr Ng stressed that this was why he was speaking out against it.
“Because that was the devious motive, to confuse the people of Singapore. To tell the people of Singapore this is a General Election,” he added.
“I’m hoping that enough Singaporeans will not stand for this nonsense … the people of Singapore are fair-minded people, they want to see fair play.”
Mr Ng emphasised his political neutrality again on Monday. “All this confusion, all this politicisation of the Presidential Election will not happen if the Presidential Election is non-partisan. If it’s non-partisan, there are no candidates that are supported by any political party,” he added.
“But in this Presidential Election, we have one candidate who has been supported by some opposition parties. We have another candidate who is endorsed by the government. I am the only candidate who is not supported, not endorsed by any political party.”