George Goh voices discontent over PEC’s rejection for presidential candidacy

SINGAPORE: The Elections Department (ELD) unveiled its list of eligible candidates for the forthcoming Presidential Election on Friday (18 Aug).

Former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, ex-GIC Chief Investment Officer Ng Kok Song, and former presidential aspirant Tan Kin Lian have secured their places. However, businessman George Goh’s application was notably absent.

George Goh, who had previously declared his intention to run for the presidency on 12 June, did not secure the anticipated Certificate of Eligibility due to setbacks in the application process.

In a statement, Goh expressed his disappointment, saying, “I am deeply disheartened by the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC)’s decision to reject my application for a certificate of eligibility.”

“My team and I put forth a compelling case detailing my expertise and achievements in managing five firms that met the equity and profitability benchmarks. Yet, the PEC dismissed our argument, suggesting that my experience did not equate to that of a CEO of a single enterprise.”

Addressing the press regarding the PEC’s decision, Goh commented that it was “a very sad day,” but he harbored no regrets about entering the fray. He mentioned that he had a cadre of advisors, comprising some of “Singapore’s top professionals”, bolstering his confidence in his qualifications.

“Are you implying they were mistaken? That seems improbable. They all come from within the system,” he argued during a press conference at his residence on Friday afternoon. “I cannot reconcile with their decision. I genuinely believe it lacks fairness.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wake Up Singapore 🇸🇬 (@wakeupsingapore)

According to Singapore’s Constitution, presidential candidates from the private sector must have a minimum of three years of experience as the CEO of a company. This company must have maintained an average shareholders’ equity of at least S$500 million and consistently turned a profit.

Goh’s alignment with these stipulations was under scrutiny. He underscored that the combined shareholders’ equity of the five companies under his leadership amounted to S$1.521 billion over three years, surpassing the requisite sum.

Nonetheless, certain legal experts voiced concerns, pointing out that the clause specifically highlights a single organization and does not consider the combined metrics of multiple companies for qualification purposes.

The ELD clarified that reasons for rejections would not be made public, adhering to the 2016 Constitutional Commission’s guidelines. However, unsuccessful applicants, like Goh, have access to the Committee’s reasoning and may choose to disclose it.

Goh expressed to the media that he doesn’t believe he disappointed his supporters. “It’s the decision-makers who let the supporters down. They weren’t ready for change, even once,” he remarked.

With the list of approved candidates now available, attention turns to Tharman, Ng, and Tan. They have until 22 August, Nomination Day, to provide the required nomination documents.

The Presidential Election is poised to be a pivotal occasion. The nomination proceedings are set for 22 August, from 11 am to 12 pm at the People’s Association auditorium. Should the nominations be authenticated and an election be called, the public will cast their ballots on 1 September, a day that will be observed as a public holiday.