In his second presidential broadcast on Aug. 30, 2023, Ng Kok Song reiterated that he is the only "non-partisan candidate" in the election who does not and never belonged to any political party.

Ng also mentioned his fellow candidates Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Tan Kin Lian, saying: "One resigned a month ago from the government and from the ruling party to run for presidency. The other has opposition figures in his campaigning."

Time has come for non-partisan president

Ng explained that anyone nominated for president must not belong to any political party, as stated in the Constitution of Singapore.

"The intent of our Constitution is very clear – to have a non-partisan elected president so that the president is above the partisan politics of parliament," said Ng.

Yet, he added, all of Singapore's elected presidents since 1993 were "affiliated to or endorsed" by the People's Action Party (PAP).

"Our system has been compromising the spirit of the Constitution. Our system has complied with the letter but not the spirit. Our system allowed past political leaders to stand for election merely months after resigning from their political party.

We are now in 2023. This is not 1993. I strongly believe that the time has come in this presidential elections to uphold the spirit of the Constitution."

Uncertainties and risks with government leadership transition

It is an "urgent matter" to have a non-partisan president because the "risks have increased", Ng said.

He highlighted that Singapore's government leadership will undergo a "generational change in the next few years".

"There are uncertainties and risks with all transitions. The recent controversies discussed in parliament imply that we cannot take for granted the exceptionally high standards of incorruptibility and integrity of good government.

In the face of such increasing risks, we cannot afford to have a president who may be beholden to political parties who endorse their nominations and help get them elected."

Ng added that Singapore cannot afford to have a president who is "manipulated by political parties to serve their political agenda".

Cannot 'ownself check ownself' when safeguarding the reserves

Ng also said that there "will be more reasons and more crises" to draw heavily on the nation's reserves.

"Can we take the risk of having another government-endorsed president checking government requests to draw down our reserves?

Is it appropriate for an ex-minister who set fiscal policies to then move across the table and become the president and check on the policies that he had put in place?"

"I do not believe any person should be put in such a position of conflict, and we don’t need to," said Ng, adding that Singapore cannot rely on an "ownself check ownself" mechanism to safeguard our reserves or the integrity of the public service.

Ng also mentioned then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's 1984 National Day Rally speech, where the idea of the elected presidency was raised.

"Mr Lee warned of silver-tongued politicians who make empty promises and squander our hard-earned reserves," said Ng.

He subsequently cited what current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said earlier in the month, about how a freak election would affect the nation's reserves.

"Politics in Singapore today has become highly contestable. Having the wrong team in charge in the near future is no longer a remote possibility," Ng said.

Setting an example for more independent Singaporeans to come forward

With three walkovers in the last five presidential elections, Ng said: "While the bar to qualify for presidency is high, I believe the real reason is the perception that, unless you are endorsed by the government or strongly supported by opposition parties, you have no chance to get elected."

Ng was referring to the 1999, 2005, and 2017 presidential elections, all of which resulted in a walkover. S R Nathan was elected president in 1999 and 2005, while Halimah Yacob was elected in 2017.

Ng said:

"I strongly believe that there are independent, capable Singaporeans who are non-partisan and loyal to Singapore, qualified to serve as the president, to make the right decisions and act in the interests of all, unencumbered by personal ties and loyalty to any party agenda, policy or ideology, past or present.

I am standing in this election, to set an example for more Singaporeans to do the same in the coming years."

At the end of his speech, Ng again emphasised that he is the only non-partisan candidate in the election, and that he has the "domain knowledge and experience" to protect the reserves.

"My fellow Singaporeans, when you vote on Friday, let us break from the past and take party politics out of the elected presidency. Choose a president who is competent and experienced, who is trustworthy and who has not belonged to any political party. It is time we break from the past of having a president endorsed by the PAP.

The elected presidency is an office that must belong to all Singaporeans, not to any privileged group, organisation or party."

Singaporeans will head to the polls on Sep. 1 to vote for the country's ninth president.

Top image screenshot from MediaCorp.