‘As your President, I will play by the rules’: Tan Cheng Bock
Presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock said on Monday that he knows "all the grey areas" of the Constitution and is firm he will not overstep the Presidency role, if elected.
While Dr Tony Tan said on Sunday his comments about a resilience package did not interfere with day-to-day politics, Dr Tan Cheng Bock reiterated his stand that talking about such a package is out of bounds.
"If you ask me, that Tony is going to have a resilience package, he's in the wrong place. He should go back to GIC or somewhere," said Dr Tan, speaking to reporters at Kovan before his walkabout in Heartland Mall.
"Suggestions we can give, I can give suggestions (too). But if you openly state you want to be a party to the resilience package, you are actually saying that you want to have a resilience package. Then where do you stand? ... I think it's out of bounds."
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I will tell Singaporeans that as your President I will play by the rules," said Dr Tan.
On Sunday, Dr Tony Tan said his earlier comments about a resilience package was made in conjunction with his suggestion that because of the "grave" economic situation, it might not be too early for the government to draw up contingency plans to assist Singaporeans.
On former senior parliamentary secretary for Home Affairs Mohamad Maidin Packer Mohd's show of support for Dr Tan Cheng Bock on Facebook on Sunday night, Dr Tan said Maidin was his "good friend".
"I think he believed in my cause. He knows that I'm very determined to get this multi-racial theme out one more time, stronger than before," said Dr Tan.
Maidin wrote on his Facebook page that he strongly supported Dr Tan's stand of wanting to champion and strengthen multi-racialism in Singapore.
Dr Tan, who wants to promote unity, said the dispute between Workers' Party Member of Parliament Chen Show Mao and the People's Association is "very sad".
On Saturday, Chen claimed the Citizens' Consultative Committee in his Paya Lebar ward did not allow residents to invite him if they wanted to hold their event at the CCC's premises. While the CCC said residents are free to invite politicians, the People's Association said activities held on its premises have to be non-political.
"We shouldn't place restrictions that way," said Dr Tan. If he is elected as President, he may be able to break the ice, he added.
Another Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian said on his blog the civil service should be non-partisan. He said it is usual for MPs to be invited as guest of honour to events.
"If this report is true, I wish to ask if there has been a recent change of policy in disallowing all elected Members of Parliament to be invited as guest of honors in similar functions that require the use of public spaces, and if this new policy is being applied to all Members of Parliament, regardless of the political party that they are affiliated to?"
