Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian said he would convey the people's feelings and aspirations to the prime minister like a "monarch", if he gets elected.

Speaking to the media at ABC Brickworks hawker centre, Tan elaborated on his views of the scope of the president's powers to enact change in society, likening it to countries with a monarch with a sitting king, queen or sultan.

Tan said monarchs meet regularly with the prime minister and convey "the feelings" and "the aspirations of the people", and if he were to be elected, he would play a similar role.

He said:

"I may not be the monarch, but if I'm elected by 1 million people, [the] majority in this election, I will play that role. And that is the role of the monarch to convey to the government the feeling and the aspirations of the people."

When probed if he was equating the presidency to a monarchy, Tan clarified that he does not consider himself a monarch.

Instead, he thinks the duties of the president are similar to that of a monarch, which is a practice in many countries.

Candidates made declaration that they understood president's role

On Aug. 22, Tan officially became a candidate for the 2023 Presidential Elections alongside Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Ng Kok Song.

On their nomination paper, candidates must make a statutory declaration that they had read the explanatory material and understood the president's role under the constitution.

"Candidates have signed an undertaking to campaign for election as president in a manner that is dignified, decorous and consistent with the President's position as the head of state and the symbol of national unity," said an Elections Department spokesperson.

"In addition, they have made a statutory declaration on their nomination paper that they have read the explanatory material and understand the president's role under the constitution.”

The president's role

The Constitution gives the president several custodial powers, but the president also has constraints.

However, the president is "empowered to vet and if he so decides to veto measures taken by Parliament or the government that he considers would draw on past reserves".

The president can also disapprove the budgets and transactions of key statutory boards like the CPF Board, HDB, and key government companies if he considers that they draw on past reserves.

In addition, the president can veto key appointments to and removal of key public offices, including the chief justice, judges of the Supreme Court, Chief of Defence Force, and director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

The explanatory material outlines the president's custodial functions and examples of what the president can and cannot do.

Top photos via Mothership