Singapore Government Press Release

Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts,

36th Storey, PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road, Singapore 119963.

Tel: 3757794/5

___________________________________________________________

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ON APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF ELIGIBILITY

FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

1. Article 18 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore has conferred on the Committee the function to ensure that candidates for the office of President shall have the qualifications referred to in Article 19(2)(e) or (g)(iv) or both. The Constitution requires the prospective candidate :

a. to satisfy the Committee that he is a person of integrity, good character and reputation. (This applies to all candidates); and

b. when he applies for qualification under Article 19(2)(g)(iv) of the Constitution, to satisfy the Committee that he, having held office for a period of not less than 3 years in such position of seniority and responsibility in such organisation or department in the public or private sector as described in Article 19(2)(g)(iv) of the Constitution, has such experience and ability in administering and managing financial affairs as to enable him to carry out effectively the functions and duties of the office of the President.

2. The Presidential Elections Act requires a candidate to apply to the Committee for a Certificate of Eligibility.

3. Extracts of Article 19 of the Constitution and section 8 of the Presidential Elections Act are attached.

NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED

4. The Presidential Elections Committee received 3 applications before applications closed on 7 Aug 99. The applicants were :

a. Mr S R Nathan

b. Mr Ooi Boon Ewe

c. Mr Tan Soo Phuan

GRANT OF CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY TO MR S R NATHAN

5. A Certificate of Eligibility was issued by the Presidential Elections Committee to Mr S R Nathan.

UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

6. Mr Ooi Boon Ewe and Mr Tan Soo Phuan did not satisfy the Presidential Elections Committee that they had met all the requirements for the issue of the Certificate of Eligibility under section 8(2) of the Presidential Elections Act.

7. The Committee did not issue Certificates of Eligibility to Mr Ooi and Mr Tan.

8. The unsuccessful applicants have been notified of the Presidential Elections Committee’s decisions.

 

  

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

17 AUGUST 1999

 

--------------

ARTICLE 19 OF THE CONSTITUTION


19. --(1) No person shall be elected as President unless he is qualified for election in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

 

(2) A person shall be qualified to be elected as President if he —

 

(a) is a citizen of Singapore;

(b) is not less than 45 years of age;

(c) possesses the qualifications specified in Article 44 (2) (c) and (d);

(d) is not subject to any of the disqualifications specified in Article 45;

(e) satisfies the Presidential Elections Committee that he is a person of integrity, good character and reputation;

(f) is not a member of any political party on the date of his nomination for election; and

(g) has for a period of not less than 3 years held office —

(i) as Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker, Attorney-General, Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Auditor-General, Accountant-General or Permanent Secretary;

(ii) as chairman or chief executive officer of a statutory board to which Article 22A applies;

(iii) as chairman of the board of directors or chief executive officer of a company incorporated or registered under the Companies Act (Cap. 50) with a paid-up capital of at least $100 million or its equivalent in foreign currency; or

(iv) in any other similar or comparable position of seniority and responsibility in any other organisation or department of equivalent size or complexity in the public or private sector which, in the opinion of the Presidential Elections Committee, has given him such experience and ability in administering and managing financial affairs as to enable him to carry out effectively the functions and duties of the office of President.

 

(3) The President shall —

 

(a) not hold any other office created or recognised by this Constitution;

(b) not actively engage in any commercial enterprise;

(c) not be a member of any political party; and

(d) if he is a Member of Parliament, vacate his seat in Parliament.

 

(4) Nothing in clause (3) shall be construed as requiring any person exercising the functions of the office of President under Article 22N or 22O to —

 

(a) if he is a member of any political party, resign as a member of that party; or

(b) vacate his seat in Parliament or any other office created or recognised by this Constitution.

 

---------------------

SECTION 8 OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ACT

 

(1) At any time after the date referred to in section 6 (1) (a) or such date which is 3 months before the date referred to in section 6 (1) (b), whichever is the earlier, but in any case not later than 3 days after the date of the writ for an election, every person who desires to be elected to the office of President shall apply in the prescribed manner to the Presidential Elections Committee for a certificate in the prescribed form which shall certify, for the purposes of that election —

(a) that the Committee is satisfied that the person is a person of integrity, good character and reputation; and

(b) where the person states that he desires to contest in an election by virtue of being qualified under Article 19 (2) (g) (iv) of the Constitution, that the Committee is of the opinion that the person, having held office for a period of not less than 3 years in such position of seniority and responsibility in such organisation or department in the public or private sector as described in Article 19 (2) (g) (iv) of the Constitution, has such experience and ability in administering and managing financial affairs as to enable him to carry out effectively the functions and duties of the office of President.

 

(2) If the Presidential Elections Committee, upon receipt of an application under subsection (1), is satisfied that the applicant is a person of integrity, good character and reputation or is of the opinion that the applicant has such experience and ability in administering and managing financial affairs as to enable him to carry out effectively the functions and duties of the office of President, the Committee shall not later than the day before nomination day issue to the applicant the certificate referred to in subsection (1) containing the relevant certification, and any such certificate shall be final and shall not be subject to appeal or review in any court.

 

******************