On Saturday (2 Sep), Workers’ Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh wished Tharman Shanmugaratnam success as the newly elected president.
He also reiterated the party’s views on the elected presidency, shared last week, and how the current qualifying criteria were skewed towards candidates approved by the People’s Action Party (PAP).
Mr Singh, who is also Leader of the Opposition, stated that changes were necessary, which his party would continue to push for during their political work.
Mr Singh took to Facebook to wish Mr Tharman success as the ninth president of Singapore on 2 Sep.
He began the post by reiterating the WP’s views on the elected presidency, which he described as “well-known.”
They had made it so after the scheme was introduced and, most recently, in their GE2020 manifesto.
In a media statement on 30 Aug, the party had again shared these views, emphasising their belief in current qualifying criteria for presidential candidates being skewed towards PAP-approved candidates.
They stated that the elected presidency in its current form also undermined parliamentary democracy and was an unnecessary source of gridlock.
It also serves as an unnecessary source of gridlock — one that could potentially cripple a non-PAP government within its first term — and is an alternative power centre that could lead to political impasses.
However, Mr Singh stated that this should not detract from Mr Tharman’s victory and campaign, adding:
The Workers’ Party wishes the President-elect and his family well, and great success as the next President of Singapore.
Mr Singh also brought up The Menon Constitutional Commission’s 2016 review of the elected presidency.
It included a section that commission members shared as citizens on the shortcomings and problems of the presidency.
Mr Singh said it also suggested how a reversion to an appointed presidency could be considered in the future.
“There are other institutions and national policies that the Workers’ Party believes should be overhauled or changed. We will continue to advance these alternatives in the course of our political work,” he said.
Mr Singh added that they would additionally keep carrying out the check and balance role in Parliament, a “key responsibility” of an elected parliamentary opposition.
Also read: Tharman’s Margin Of Victory For PE2023 Is Largest Ever In A S’pore Presidential Election
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Featured image adapted from Pritam Singh on Facebook and MS News.
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