Chee's party says presidential polls must be held

A SINGAPORE opposition leader on Friday said presidential polls must be held even if there is only one qualified candidate.

"The government should go ahead and hold the presidential election even though there is only one candidate," Chee Soon Juan, secretary-general of the tiny Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) said in a statement.

"It is of paramount important that the nominee tell Singaporeans to what degree of independence he is going to maintain from this government," he said.

Chee was referring to remarks this week by Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew that the president cannot act independently of the government and that the presidency was not meant to contest government's power.

The presidency, previously a ceremonial office, was revamped by parliament in 1991 to allow Singaporeans to directly elect their head of state, whose executive powers include safeguarding the use of Singapore's national reserves.

Singapore has designated August 28 as the day for presidential polls. But according to law, if there is only one qualified candidate on Nomination Day, August 18, that candidate will be declared elected president.

S.R. Nathan, a veteran diplomat who has the backing of government and the labor union, appears to be the only qualified candidate among three who meets stringent criteria to run for the presidency.

"If this presidency is going to be one elected by the people then he must be accountable to the people and not the government of the day," said Chee.