THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT
Ong Teng Cheong criticizes his government
By Andrea Hamilton / Singapore
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IN A POLITICAL CULTURE where officials hew to vetted scripts in
public, and the authorities maintain a tightly controlled façade of
unity and cohesion, open airing of differences of opinion is
virtually unheard of. So it was a big surprise when no less than
Singapore's president gathered local journalists on July 16 and
proceeded to, well, take on the government.
Ong Teng Cheong called the press conference ostensibly to announce
his decision not to seek a second six-year term, though only
recently he had indirectly indicated his interest in staying
president. Ong, 63, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1992, told
reporters that his health was not an issue in deciding to step
down. His doctors earlier this year declared him in complete
remission. Nonetheless, he said, "I find no compelling reason to
[stand again]."
So far no one has stepped forward as a candidate in an election
that must be held by the end of August, when Ong's term expires.
The stringent eligibility criteria limit potential candidates to
senior members of the political or corporate establishment;
speculation centers on a few top civil servants and cabinet
members.
They may not be eager to run. Ong spoke frankly about the obstacles
he faced as Singapore's first directly elected president, as he
sought to define this new role. In 1991 the Constitution was
amended to elevate the presidency, previously an appointment, from
a strictly ceremonial post to one supposedly with some teeth. The
key changes were to grant the president veto power over the use of
the country's reserves as well as over key government positions.
But by Ong's own account, his job was not an easy one. Of his
encounters with the bureaucracy, Ong said: "I suspect [some
ministers and officials] consider the elected president a nuisance
- checking on them, looking over their shoulder."
While Ong mentioned a "long list" of problems, he elaborated mainly
on his attempts to test his authority as guardian of the reserves,
estimated at nearly $75 billion. Upon taking office in 1993, he
requested an accounting of Singapore's vast assets, financial as
well as physical. The accountant-general initially responded that
it would take "52 man-years" to produce a complete list. Ong didn't
back down; the list was finally submitted nearly three years later.
The government said it would address Ong's remarks at the next
sitting of Parliament on Aug. 3.
Ong emphasized that things improved over time, citing in particular
the mutually agreed White Paper submitted to Parliament in early
July which spelled out the ground rules for overseeing the
reserves. Observers also point out that tensions would be expected
with a new institution like the elected presidency. But, says
nominated MP Simon Tay, "There are two implications here - bad and
good - that shock people. The bad one is that even though Ong was
an insider, it was still hard [for him] to get straight answers.
The good one is that Ong did not see himself as a rubber stamp."
Then again, perhaps the outgoing president never really understood
his job description.
-by Andrea Hamilton / Singapore