The Singapore government has accepted a proposal by the Constitutional Commission today to reserve the presidential election for a racial group if it is not represented for five terms.

In a White Paper issued in response to the Constitutional Commission’s Report, the Singapore government said it agreed with the approach proposed by the commission.

“It strikes an appropriate balance between maintaining the ultimate long-term goal of multi-racialism, and ensuring the representation of minority races in the presidential office as we progress towards that ideal.

“The framework also carefully balances the need for multiracialism with our meritocratic ideals,” it said.

The Singapore government said presidents will be elected by a mechanism which gives weight to their proven experience and competence, as well as their ability (collectively) to represent all the different races.

“A president who assumes office after a reserved election would, like all other elected presidents, have met the constitutionally prescribed eligibility criteria and been chosen through a national electoral process.

“This should negate any perceptions of him being a ‘token’ president,” it said.

On Sept 7, the Singapore government had released the report of the Constitutional Commission to review specific aspects of the republic’s elected presidency.

A nine-member Constitutional Commission, led by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, was appointed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in February 2016 to review specific aspects of the elected presidency.

The commission was tasked to review three aspects of the elected presidency scheme and one of the aspects was to ensure that minorities have the chance to be periodically elected to presidential office.

The Straits Times had reported that the country has not had a Malay president since Yusof Ishak held the post from 1965 to 1970.

Before independence, he was appointed Yang di-Pertuan Negara of the State of Singapore, the precursor to the presidency, from 1958 until 1965.

The white paper is a formal policy document issued by the government to explain or discuss certain matters.

At a future sitting of Parliament, the Singapore government will table a bill containing the necessary constitutional amendments as proposed in the white paper.

The changes to the elected presidency scheme will be debated in parliament during the second reading of the bill, it said.

- Bernama