Tan Kin Lian - Perspectives Constitution change to allow president to join foreign or international organizations

From this news report, I understand the following:

a) Ministers are allowed to take up appointment in foreign or international organizations, if it is in the interest of Singapore
b) The constitution prohibits the president to take up these appointments.

The change to the constitution is made to allow the president to take up these appointments, if it is in the interest of Singapore. It seeks to put the president in the same position as the ministers.

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I give my view.

There is a good reason to prohibit the president from taking up these positions. An obvious reason is that president is required to act independently of the government and safeguard the interest of the people when he carries out his constitutional duties.

If the constitution is to be changed now to give the president a role to "act in the interest of Singapore", it may be contrary to his current constitutional duties. There is a conflict of interest.

The government should explain why this change to the constitution will help the president to carry out his current duties better.

Tan Kin Lian

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