Four Presidential hopefuls awarded Certificates of Eligibility

For the first time, Singapore could see four candidates vying for the highest office in the nation come the Presidential polls on 27 August

Four out of six Presidential hopefuls have been awarded the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to contest in the upcoming election.

They are former deputy prime minister Tony Tan, 71, former Member of Parliament Tan Cheng Bock, 71, former NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian, 63, and former senior civil servant Tan Jee Say, 57.

They may now turn up on Nomination Day on 17 August to contest the polls if they choose to.

The last contested Presidential Election was in 1993, between former DPM Ong Teng Cheong and former accountant general Chua Kim Yeow.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the three-member Presidential Election Committee (PEC) said it is satisfied the four are "men of integrity, good character and reputation", fulfilling Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution.

To contest the Presidential Election, the individual must also have served as a minister, chief justice, permanent secretary, or a chairman or chief executive of a Singapore-registered company with a paid-up capital of at least $100 million for at least three years.

Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock have met the criteria. "Based on the information available to the Committee, it is satisfied that Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam and Dr Tan Cheng Bock are men of integrity, good character and reputation," said the committee.

Tan Kian Lian and Tan Jee Say, who did not meet the above criteria, applied under another clause, Article 19(2)(g)(iv),.

It states that they must have held a "comparable position of seniority and responsibility in any other organisation or department of equivalent size or complexity in the public or private sector". The PEC decides whether their position is comparable.

On Tan Kin Lian, the committee noted that "NTUC Income is a co-operative and had a paid-up capital of more than $100 million in the years preceding his departure in 2007".

"The Committee is of the opinion that the organisation is comparable in size and complexity to a company with a paid-up capital of $100 million. Mr Tan has the experience and ability to satisfy the requirements in Article 19(2)(g)(iv)," it said in the statement.

The committee also found that as the regional managing director of AIB Govett (Asia) Limited, Tan Jee Say "had overall responsibility for the company's operations".

"The Committee is therefore of the view that Mr Tan held a position of comparable seniority and responsibility as a chief executive officer. The Committee is also of the
view that AIB Govett (Asia) Limited is an organisation of equivalent complexity when compared to companies in Singapore with a paid-up capital of $100 million," said the PEC.

The other two Presidential hopefuls former JTC Corporation group chief financial officer Andrew Kuan, 57, and private tutor Ooi Boon Ewe, 71, were not awarded the COE as they did not meet the requirements.

An unexpected four-corner fight?

Law lecturer at the Singapore Management University and political watcher Eugene Tan felt the decision to grant four COEs "caught many people by surprise".

It also showed that the PEC "looked purely at the merits of the applications," he noted.

"I don't think there were any surprises over Tony Tan and Tan Cheng Bock (getting the COEs). There was a big 'if' over Tan Kin Lian and an uncertainty over Tan Jee Say," he told Yahoo! Singapore.

A four-corner fight would benefit Dr Tony Tan, who is "identified with the establishment", the most, believes the assistant professor of law. "But it (the forerunner) will change as the campaign progresses because we are not clear how they are going to run the campaign. It's a dynamic process."

He added, the ability of a candidate to act independently will continue to be a important factor for voters.

Dr Tan Cheng Bock acknowledged there would be a "dilution of votes" but said, "Let Singaporeans choose. We present ourselves, we present our own merits, so at the end of the day let them make an informed choice."

He added, he is "happy" to have gotten his COE. His next step is to plan for the campaign.

In a statement, Dr Tony Tan said he expects a "vigorous exchange of views during the campaign, with all Singaporeans participating in the discussion".

"At the same time, I hope that the campaign will be carried out with decorum and in a manner befitting the Office of President," said the former DPM.

Tan Jee Say thanked the PEC for approving his eligibility and his supporters for their help.

"I also take this opportunity to congratulate Dr Tony Tan, Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Kin Lian ... I look forward to a dignified contest with them," he said.

Both Kuan and Ooi expressed disappointment with the PEC's decision. Kuan intends to appeal the decision as he believes he meets the requirements.

"I'm always hoping I might get the certificate. I'm the only one who has nothing to do with the Government. Nobody expected me to be in, nobody bothered about me," lamented Ooi.

Both hopefuls were rejected before. Ooi applied to contest in 1999 and 2005, while Kuan applied in 2005. Both were rejected for not meeting the eligibility criteria.

- additional reporting Faris Mokhtar