Election Law Commons^™

One Year On Since Ge2020: Thinking Afresh For The Post-Covid Era, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined that even as political competition in Singapore sharpens, a deeper understanding and broader consensus must develop on critical issues. He believes that remaking Singapore to be a fairer, more just, and compassionate society in a post-Covid world is a key responsibility for Parliament.

Ge2020: No Wipeout But Another Breakthrough For The Workers’ Party, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan examined how the 2020 general election results show both the putative importance and the relative impotence of opposition politics in Singapore.

What The New Cabinet Line-Up Says About Leadership Continuity And Renewal, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan discussed three features that stood out in the new Cabinet line-up after the July 10 General Election, and explained what this says about leadership continuity and renewal.

With The Release Of Electoral Boundaries Report, All Eyes Now On Political Parties’ Next Moves, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan discussed the implications of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report and what it means for the political parties and Singapore politics in general. He expects the election to be held sooner rather than later with the ERBC report's release, and there will be little time for parties, especially the opposition, to prepare.

Early Polls Make Sense In A Worsening Pandemic, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined there is no good time for a general election amid the global pandemic, and it is a judgment call on when to hold Singapore's 13th general election, which must take place by April next year at the latest. He believes early polls make sense in a worsening pandemic if the Government ensures that even as candidates campaign, there is no let-up in the fight against the outbreak.

Singapore’S First Reserved Presidential Election: More Haste, Less Speed, And A Missed Opportunity?, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

After much hype and anticipation that preceded it, Singapore’s sixth presidential election in September 2017 quickly reached an anti-climatic end when the Presidential Elections Committee in pre-qualifying three presidential hopefuls determined that only one person, Madam Halimah Yacob, was eligible to contest.

Navigating The New Terrain Of A Reserved Election, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan discussed the workings of the upcoming Singapore presidential election. He noted that as the next election is a reserved one, all the more voters should specially consider a candidate’s commitment and contributions to multiracialism. On the reserved election mechanism, Associate Prof Tan noted that it helps ensure that the presidency is not only accessible, but is seen to be accessible to all the major racial communities in Singapore.“It functions as an inter-generational safeguard for minority representation, while not going as far as mechanically rotating the presidency among the major races, …

More Public Education Needed On Changes To Ep System, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The office of Singapore’s Elected President is often misunderstood. Although it has been part of our system of institutional checks and balances since 1991, a popular misconception is that the President is a centre of political power unto itself.

Reserved Election: Boost For Multiracialism?, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Singapore is on the threshold of the most significant re-engineering to its constitutional architecture since the introduction of the Elected Presidency (EP) in 1991.

Closed Vote Not The Only Way To Ensure Minority Ep, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

How to ensure that minorities can be periodically elected, if we have not had a minority President for some time, is probably the most controversial term of reference for the high-powered Constitutional Commission chaired by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon.

Voters’ Choice Showed Their Pragmatic Side, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The electoral victory by the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Murali Pillai in Saturday’s by-election in Bukit Batok did not come as a surprise. Mr Murali won 61.2 per cent of the votes, defeating Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP) Chee Soon Juan in a straight fight.

Will Tan Cheng Bock’S “Political Gambit” For Presidency Pay Off?, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong described Dr Tan’s move as a “calculated political gambit”, which came as a nine-member Constitutional Commission is reviewing the Elected Presidency framework, including the eligibility criteria for candidates. Mr Goh added that Dr Tan risked being misunderstood that he was trying to influence the Commission’s work.

Upholding The Integrity Of The Ncmp Scheme, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Last Friday’s combative parliamentary debate on filling Ms Lee Li Lian’s vacated Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seat offered a foretaste of the dynamics between the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and the Workers’ Party’s (WP) in the 13th Parliament.

A Closer Look At Ncmp, Elected President Reforms, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The proposed changes to the political system continue the Government’s narrative that political reforms ought to enhance Parliament’s representativeness and increase Singaporeans’ civic participation. They reinforce the Government’s abiding belief that the political system must produce a Government with a clear mandate, demonstrated through a strong parliamentary majority, for it to govern resolutely and decisively in the long-term interests of Singapore.

No U-Turn Needed On The Elected Presidency, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan cited the commentary "Let's talk about policy failures and the elected presidency" by Professor Kishore Mahbubani, where the latter argued that Singapore’s policy of an elected presidency should be revisited, and perhaps "the time has come to do a U-turn", stop having direct elections and go back to the previous practice of having Parliament elect the president. While Associate Prof Tan noted that Prof Mahbubani's concern is legitimate, he emphasised that the way forward is not a U-turn, but rather, a collective effort to determine how we can reduce the likelihood of electing …

Why Ahpetc Is A National Issue In 2015, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

With tomorrow being the last day of the hustings, the battle for the hearts and minds of 2.46 million Singaporean voters takes on greater urgency and poignancy. Any misstep by the nine political parties and their candidates at this late stage might well be game changing.

Lucky To Be Singaporean, Ee-Ing Ong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Op-ed about being Singaporean, in our historic 2015 elections.

"In the midst of our historic elections, I would like to remind Singaporeans that there remains a wider world out there. That our concerns about CPF money, high housing prices, rising income inequality, foreign workers, transportation woes, and the AHPETC saga, while important, are nonetheless First World problems. We have the luxury of arguing about them because we don’t have to worry about the fundamental problems of survival. Literally.

Thus, as we consider what we would like our country to look like in the coming years, I suggest that we first …

On The Road To Watershed Hustings, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law and former Nominated Member of Parliament Eugene Tan noted that with just 23 months left in the 12th Parliament's five-year term, the next polls, which will have to be held by Jan 9, 2017, promise to be the watershed general election. He also commented that it will almost certainly be a straight fight between the ruling People's Action Party and the Workers' Party, providing some indication of whether Singapore is evolving from a one-party dominant to a two-party political system.

Living With Voters’ Existential Angst, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

SMU Assistant Professor of Law and NMP Eugene Tan analysed the results of the Punggol East by-election and discussed what it signals next for the People’s Action Party (PAP), the Workers’ Party, the opposition in general and Singaporeans. He said that while we should be careful not to extrapolate the results of the Punggol East by-election as being a barometer of national sentiment, the results are nonetheless a useful snapshot of the dynamic political situation. He added that PAP urgently needs to connect more with this existential angst, anxiety and aspirations of voters who feel a growing sense of alienation. …

Four Candidates, Two-Horse Race?, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

SMU Assistant Professor of Law and NMP Eugene Tan said that much is at stake for the four political parties contesting the Punggol East by-election. Regardless of how the parties seek to characterise the by-election, it will be fought on both local and national issues. Although it is a four-cornered contest, the race will effectively be a two-horse race between the Workers' Party (WP) and the incumbent People's Action Party (PAP). The by-election is also a way station for PAP and WP as they move towards the next General Election, which promises to be the real watershed election. Assistant Prof …

Changes Reflect A Maturing S’Pore’S Priorities, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

SMU Assistant Professor of Law and Nominated MP Eugene Tan wrote about the recent restructuring of socially oriented government ministries and the Cabinet reshuffle. “The changes demonstrate how the Government and governance in Singapore have to evolve since the... General Election. The Government is called upon to be more responsive and sensitive to the intangibles like society and community issues as they impact profoundly upon the well-being of Singaporeans”, he said.

Both Sides Will Need To Raise Their Game, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Now that the Hougang by-election is over, the Workers' Party (WP) and the People's Action Party (PAP) will conduct their post-mortems. SMU Assistant Professor Eugene Tan wrote that ?Among the key questions would be how they campaigned and how they can deal with the issues that the hustings threw up. For the WP, how can it keep Hougang in its fold and grow the famed "Hougang Spirit"? How can it be less reliant on its charismatic leader Low Thia Khiang? For the PAP, how can it make significant gains and be more competitive in Hougang?? He concludes that what the …

Battle For Undecided Voters In Hougang, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

SMU Assistant Professor and NMP Eugene Tan commented on the battle for undecided voters in Hougang prior to the by-election this Saturday. He wrote that the political stakes are not so high in this by-election. Although the WP has more to lose this round, the stakes are calibrated differently in their first head-to-head contest since GE2011, and the parties must remember that this by-election is but a "battle" only. Instead, the PAP and WP would do well to stay focused on acquitting themselves well in the long haul before the next General Election. The priority for both parties is to …

The Value Of A By-Election, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Assistant Professor of Law Eugene K B Tan argues that if Parliament eventually determines that the Hougang seat has been vacated with the expulsion of Mr Yaw Shin Leong from the Workers' Party (WP), the spotlight will shift to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who will advise the President whether to issue an election writ stipulating when a by-election is to be held.

A Tilt In Favour Of The Older Generation, Less Fortunate, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Assistant Professor of Law Eugene Tan writes that although there are generally no significant handouts, offsets or goodies, Budget 2012 addresses some of the key genuine concerns of Singaporeans during the May 2011 General Election. It is also expected to generate a surplus of S$1.3 billion at a time when many advanced economies are in recession and with significant deficits.

The Elected Presidency In A New Normal, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Asst Prof Eugene Tan shared his views on the outcome of the recently concluded Presidential Election and commented on the need for both the incoming President and the Government to evolve the office of the President in a manner that is in sync with Singaporeans' expectations.

Television May Be Game-Changer, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

To wid presidential candidates will have to secure strong support across the political divide

Is There A Truly Independent Candidate?, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Assistant Professor of Law Eugene Tan provides an analysis of the three possible presidential election candidates, the Government's role in endorsing its preferred candidate and how the presidential election campaign is likely to pan out.

Post Election, Let The Healing Begin, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Assistant professor of law Eugene Tan notes in his commentary that a more complex global environment, a rapidly changing Singapore and the challenges it faces will require political parties and Singaporeans alike to mature politically so that Singapore's politics will not limit its potential as a nation.

Key Issues That Have Not Been Addressed, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The last nine days of hustings period have provided for a most engaging electoral campaign in recent memory. There seems to be a nascent but growing political consciousness and Singaporeans are not shy to express their political inclinations and loyalties.