'One vote, three presidents' sticker is unauthorised and has been removed: ELD

SINGAPORE —  It is an offence for unauthorised people to put up physical election advertising, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Wednesday (Aug 30), in response to a sticker that bore the faces of two opposition candidates and presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian above the statement "One vote, three presidents".

The sticker, which showed Progress Singapore Party chairman Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Jee Say, who founded now-defunct political party Singaporeans First, alongside Mr Tan Kin Lian, has since been removed, according to ELD.

It was first seen on the door to the Chin Swee Road premises of a press conference on Sunday, where Dr Tan announced his endorsement of Mr Tan Kin Lian's presidential bid. Mr Tan Jee Say, who is a member of the Singapore Democratic Party, is Mr Tan Kin Lian's proposer.

Dr Tan and Mr Tan Jee Say have said they are supporting Mr Tan Kin Lian in their personal capacities.

The trio were presidential candidates in the 2011 Presidential Election, which Dr Tony Tan won to become Singapore's seventh president.

ELD said it checked with Mr Tan Kin Lian's principal election agent, who said the sticker was not put up by his campaign team, nor did the team authorise anyone to do so.

Under the Presidential Elections Act 1991, any person who conducts activities to promote or procure the electoral success of a candidate, such as putting up physical election advertising in the form of a banner, flag or poster, including stickers, must be individually authorised in writing by the candidate or his election agent, on or after Nomination Day.

The banner, flag or poster must comply with the conditions stipulated in the Returning Officer's permit for its display.

ELD said that in Singapore, the position of the president is non-partisan. As the head of state, the president is the symbol of national unity, and exercises custodial powers as conferred by the Constitution.

"The president must be, and be seen to be, politically neutral," it said. "The president has no independent political role and must not get involved in political or controversial issues."

"Political parties should not be involved in campaigning using their party names and symbols in support of a candidate for president," it added.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.