JULY 30, 1999 VOL. 25 NO. 30

THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT
Ong Teng Cheong criticizes his government

By ANDREA HAMILTON Singapore


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.