DEGREE OF SEPARATION
Political parties can stay out of trouble with prospects ‘ prior conflicts if they come up against them in the future, according to the companies.
According to RM I’s Mr. Ho,” It protects the group, as the group is showing the people what they have done and the ways they have already taken to ensure due diligence.”
The goal, he said, is to show that while , poor judgment or changes in personality may become difficult to foresee, intensive investigations had been conducted at the time the candidates joined the company.
According to Mr. Tan of Kroll, “what’s important is that we are experts in this field of work and a non-biased separate third party.”
” There is an accountability account. If the vetting process become subject to scrutiny, it can be said honestly that a third party came in and discovered no conflicts or contradictions.
Business players said that while the WP good conducted inside checks, interesting a , backdrop screen company adds a layer of professionalism, given their more advanced methods of obtaining information.
HOW SCREENING WORKS
The procedure usually begins with the president’s acceptance and takes about two months,  , depending on the complexity of the screen, the firms said.
Background checks typically include investigating certificates with companies and educational institutions, assessing financial , validity through credit or debt checks, and checking for ongoing dispute or prior convictions. For insulting data, traditional media and social media are also subject to scrutiny.
The individual being screened is aware of the investigations being done, and has to provide consent before the procedure may begin, said Avvanz’s Mr Chettiar.
” Some higher-risk individuals require more thorough vetting. For instance, criminality checks in these cases will cover the past decade as opposed to fewer years for typical cases, he said.
” For every 10 profiles we screen, at least three will have some form of discrepancies, in the form of fake credentials, inflated backgrounds, derogatory social media footprint or undeclared offences” . ,
Any potential red flags that may have been discovered are then gathered into a formal report for the client and put into action.
However, ultimately, the clients who hired their services make the final choice about how to proceed.
” Sometimes they think that just because a conviction is for a smaller, less serious crime, like maybe for drunk and disorderly behaviour, and not something bigger, then it’s scant”.
HOW DO OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES DO IT?
The People’s Action Party, the ruling party, told CNA that it evaluates potential candidates through a variety of methods and sources of feedback.
” No screening process can be 100 per cent effective. However, a PAP representative said that they make an effort to pick candidates who are committed to serving our country, of good character, and who have a desire to improve the lives of their fellow citizens.
Potential PAP candidate Ivan Lim withdrew from the race just two days before Nomination Day because of online criticism of his conduct during the 2020 general election, along with other allegations.
The Singapore Democratic Party claims to have never used background checkers to screen candidates. ” Partly because the majority of them would have been active with the party for a number of years at the point of selection and their backgrounds are known to us,” a spokesperson told CNA.
The Progress Singapore Party made no comment.