Andrew Kuan collects forms for presidential candidacy

Former JTC Corporation group chief financial officer Andrew Kuan collected on Wednesday application forms for the certificate of eligibility to run for President of Singapore.

His decision to apply for eligibility for the second time comes after his failed attempt to stand as a candidate in the 2005 presidential election.

Kuan — who arrived at the Elections Department at 10.50am — told reporters that he plants to highlight two points to the Presidential Elections Committee in the hope that they would grant him the eligibility certificate this time around.

Now running his own business consultancy, he pointed to a clause in the JTC Act outlining the duties of a CFO — a position he held from June 2001 to July 2004 — which would qualify him under one of the eligibility criteria.

The Act stated that the CFO will "prepare the financial statements in respect of each preceding financial year and submit them to the Corporation's auditor who shall audit and report on them to the Minister and the President".

The presidential hopeful added that he will also submit a copy of JTC's appraisal of his work from April 2003 to March 2004, which he claimed "exceeded expectations" in his work performance.

In addition, Kuan will also be applying under a clause which states that applicants must hold a "comparable position of seniority and responsibility in any other organisation or department of equivalent size or complexity in the public or private sector".

This however, is subject to the approval of the presidential committee.

Back in 2005, he was unsuccessful in his bid after the committee did not issue him an eligibility certificate because the seniority and responsibility of his JTC position did not match the eligibility criteria in the Constitution.

At that time, JTC also held a press conference to say that Kuan — a former People's Action Party (PAP) member — was asked to leave the statutory board because his performance was not satisfactory.

In the recent May 7 general election (GE), Kuan had announced his intention to contest in the single-member ward of Joo Chiat, but he pulled out to avoid a three-cornered fight between the Workers' Party (WP) and the PAP.

His announcement to run as a possible candidate comes after four other hopefuls voiced similar intentions.

They are former deputy prime minister Dr Tony Tan; former NTUC Income chief Tan Kin Lian; Dr Tan Cheng Bock and former civil service high-flier Tan Jee Say.

While the first three have already submitted their application forms, Tan Jee Say has yet to do so.

The presidential election must be held by 31 August. Application for the certificate of eligibility will be closed on the third day after the Writ of Election is issued.