The full transcript of Mr Ng Kok Song speech for the PE2023 Broadcast on 24 August 2023 is appended below.
My fellow Singaporeans,
I am Ng Kok Song. I am standing for the office of the Elected Presidency as a non-partisan candidate.
I was born in Kangkar in 1948. The people in those days had little. It was all about survival. The PAP led Singapore to independence. With sound policies and fiscal prudence, they lifted us from third world poverty to a first world country. I studied hard and worked my way up in life. This is the story of Singapore, the story of the sons and daughters of Singapore.
Singapore’s Three Treasures
Singapore today has a lot more at stake. We have built up three treasures that are cornerstones of our nation building.
First, is our financial treasure – our reserves and national savings.
Second is our social treasure – the harmony between the different races, religions and communities.
Third is our public administration treasure – effective national institutions that are mission driven and corruption free.
We cannot take these for granted. Every generation must protect and invest in these treasures for the next generation. The Government has been keeping these three treasures safe since our independence. They have done well thus far.
The question that confronts Singaporeans now is – what if something goes wrong with our governance? We have so much at stake. That is why the Elected Presidency is so important.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew and past national leaders created the Elected Presidency as a second key to the treasures. They had the foresight that we needed more long-term stabilisers. The Constitution states that the President cannot be a member of any political party. The Elected Presidency must be above the partisan politics of Parliament, so that independent, abled men and women may too rise up to the occasion.
I strongly believe that the time has come for the Elected President to be non-partisan. In other words, a President who has not belonged to any political party, and a President who is not endorsed by any political party.
The President should be independent of any political party so that the President can exercise his important responsibilities without fear or favour.
A Constitutional Check on a Bad Government
The President is our constitutional check on a bad government raiding our hard-earned reserves or appointing incompetent or corrupt persons to key public service positions.
Singapore can no longer take for granted that we will always have good and honest government. An “ownself check ownself” system is not reliable. We need an external check functioning like an independent external auditor in good corporate governance.
Thus far, past elected Presidents have been affiliated to or been endorsed by the ruling political party. The time has come in this presidential election for a welcome change.
I stand as a non-partisan candidate for the elected Presidency. I am not endorsed by Government or any political parties.
I have spent 45 years in public service, investing our reserves at GIC and MAS. I have spent my life building GIC as a world class institution and steered it through many crises and complex economic realities. I have led the development of Singapore’s financial services industry through the creation of Singapore International Monetary Exchange (SIMEX) and Wealth Management Institute (WMI). I will bring to bear the experience needed to safeguard our treasures, and the commitment to build up Singapore’s institutional independence.
I pledge to work constructively and impartially with Government of the day to further the interests of Singaporeans. I will not engage in megaphone diplomacy but neither will I shy away from asking important questions, however difficult those may be. I understand how the government machinery works and I know how to be involved effectively without being disruptive.
Do Well, Do Right and Do Good
The President is the symbol of unity for Singaporeans. I advocate for Do Well, Do Right and Do Good for Singaporeans.
To Do Well is to have the resilience of mind and body. I have been a long-standing advocate for good mental health and even Mr Lee Kuan Yew knew the power of meditation to calm the mind and stay centred.
To Do Right is to live by a code of integrity, to do the best we can for our families, our friends, and our communities, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, through thick and thin.
To Do Good is to build a more caring and kinder society. Over the years, I’ve advocated for and contributed to palliative care, disability sector, children’s charities, and animal welfare groups. I pledge to give voice to the youth, to the elderly and to the vulnerable communities so that no one may be left behind in Singapore’s progress.
Globally, I will work hard to expand Singapore’s space in the world. Over the course of my career, I have engaged many government leaders, corporate executives and investors around the world. These are valuable global networks that I can leverage on in Singapore’s interests.
My fellow Singaporeans,
We have had five Presidential elections. It is time we take a decisive step to strengthen the constitutional governance of Singapore. I stand as a non-partisan candidate for the elected Presidency.
We may have our differences of views and political affiliations, but differences must not become divisions in our society. There are many things we can do together as a society to help those in need and the underprivileged. We must stay united for the future.
I humbly ask you, the people of Singapore, for your vote.
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