SINGAPORE: President Tony Tan Keng Yam on Tuesday (Nov 8) announced that he will not seek a second term in office, as the upcoming election will be reserved for eligible Malay candidates.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said earlier said in Parliament that under the hiatus-triggered model proposed, the next election, due to be held by 2017, will be reserved for Malay candidates.
“I look forward to seeing a Malay President after 46 years,” Dr Tan wrote on Facebook. Singapore has not had a Malay head of state since the first President Yusof Ishak.
Dr Tan added that his priority as President remains unchanged. “I will continue to focus on performing my current role as President as well as I can for the remainder of my term, strengthening community ties and forging better international relations for Singapore,” he said.
In his post, Dr Tan also reiterated his message delivered by Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob on Monday. “The proposed amendments will ensure that our Constitution as a living document is aptly refreshed. As I said in my Presidential message to Parliament yesterday, the institution of Elected Presidency has to stay relevant with time and our local context,” Dr Tan said.
