Presidential election: Ng Kok Song, Tharman and Tan Kin Lian get eligibility certificates to contest

 Former GIC investment chief Ng Kok Song, 75, former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, and former NTUC Income chief Tan Kin Lian, 75, have been issued their certificates of eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC), the Elections Department (ELD) said in a statement on Friday.

Mr Tharman’s team said he had received it at around 10.30am, while Mr Tan’s team confirmed it in a call with The Straits Times at around 11.17am. Mr Ng’s team confirmed at about 11.45am.

Entrepreneur George Goh, 63, did not qualify to contest the election.

ELD’s statement on Friday had named the three successful applicants and listed the reasons for their applications to be accepted.

It said that based on the information available to the PEC, it was satisfied that all three men were of integrity, good character and reputation.

It said that Mr Ng had applied under Article 19(3)(c) of the Constitution. The committee noted that Mr Ng was group chief investment officer of GIC for more than three years.

It was satisfied that having regard to the nature of Mr Ng’s office in GIC and Mr Ng’s performance in the office, that Mr Ng has experience and ability that is comparable to the experience and ability of a person who satisfies Article 19(3)(b) of the Constitution.

The six-member PEC, headed by Public Service Commission chairman Lee Tzu Yang and including two Supreme Court judges, was also satisfied that Mr Ng has the experience and ability to effectively carry out the functions and duties of the office of President.

For Mr Tharman, the PEC was satisfied that he had met the public sector service requirement under Article 19(3)(a), having held office for more than three years as a minister.

Mr Tan applied under Article 19(4)(b). The PEC noted that he was chief executive officer of NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative for more than three years.

The PEC said it is satisfied, having regard to the nature of Mr Tan’s office in NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative, the size and complexity of NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative and Mr Tan’s performance in the office, that Mr Tan has experience and ability that is comparable to the experience and ability of a person who has served as the chief executive of a typical company with at least S$500 million of shareholders’ equity, and who satisfies Article 19(4)(a) of the Constitution in relation to such service.

The PEC is also satisfied that Mr Tan has the experience and ability to effectively carry out the functions and duties of the office of President, the statement said.

The PEC announced its decision on Friday, four days before Nomination Day, which is on Aug 22.

Singapore looks set to head to the polls on Sept 1, provided the three candidates proceed with their nominations successfully on Nomination Day.

They will have to bring the necessary documents to the People’s Association headquarters on Nomination Day.

ELD said in its statement on Friday that it notified all individuals on the outcome of their applications, and also told the rejected applicants why they did not get certificates of eligibility.

ELD had said on Thursday that it received six applications for the certificate of eligibility, but did not provide the names of the applicants.

On Friday, it said it would not publish the names of the unsuccessful applicants or the reasons given to them, in light of the concern that potential applicants may be dissuaded from stepping forward to contest the elections for fear of embarrassment.

This concern was expressed in the Report of the Constitutional Commission released in 2016.

They are free to publish the reasons given to them if they do so, said ELD.

However, the PEC may publish its reasons for rejecting an application, if the application was rejected because it was not made according to the Act, or if the applicant published any part of the reasons given to the applicant by the PEC.

It may also do so if the committee’s opinion is that the publication of its reasons is necessary to respond to any public allegation made against the PEC.

This is in accordance to regulation 11(3) of the Presidential Elections (Certificate of Eligibility) Regulations 2017.

The regulations also state that if the PEC rejects an application, it must give its reasons in writing to the applicant. Barring the circumstances listed above, the committee must not publish its reasons for rejecting an application.

In a separate statement, ELD said that it had issued five Chinese community certificates and one Indian or other minority community certificate.

It had rejected 10 community declarations out of the 16 it received.

While the upcoming presidential election is not reserved for any particular race, candidates still have to obtain a community certificate to determine when the next reserved election will be.