Tan Kin Lian believes president has 'tremendous soft power', similar to that of monarch

Is it time for the Singapore President to meet the Prime Minister regularly? 

Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian seems to think so, saying how he intends to make use of the president's "soft power" to enact change in Singapore in his walkabout this morning (Aug 23). 

Tan, 75, kicked off his campaign trail visiting ABC Brickworks Food Centre in Bukit Merah earlier today. 

Dressed simply in a grey polo tee and black trousers, the 75-year-old greeted hawkers and residents with a smile as he handed them some postcards bearing his name. 

In a doorstop interview with the media, he spoke about the three goals he intends to achieve should he become head of state. 

They are: to bring down the cost of living, ensure affordable housing and to help citizens secure jobs. 

On how he intends to achieve these goals, Tan said he intends to make use of the president's "soft power" to do so. 

"I believe the president has tremendous soft power due to the prestige of his office and from the strong mandate he has received through the presidential election," he explained.

'The monarch will tell the PM the people are suffering': Tan

The former NTUC Income chief executive officer also drew an analogy to the monarch in other countries who "meet with the Prime Minister regularly". 

"The role of the monarch is to convey to the government, the feelings and the aspirations of the people," he added. "If the people are suffering, the monarch will tell the prime minister that the people are suffering." 

In the United Kingdom, for example, the monarch holds a weekly audience with the Prime Minister to discuss government matters. 

Giving reporters a glimpse of how he envisions this to work, Tan said he intends to gather the aspirations and feelings of the people through his own channels, and "compare notes" with what the ministers and Prime Minister have gathered from their own channels. 

That being said, Tan added that he does not intend to be an adversary to the elected government, but hopes to work in collaboration with them to achieve his said goals. 

He also clarified that he does not think of himself as a monarch. 

"My father is not a king; I am not a king and my children will not be kings. We will fulfill the role [of president] on the mandate of the people." 

He declined to answer any further questions regarding his 'pretty girl' controversy. 

'Tan Kin Lian looks better'

At the walkabout, he was also asked by the media if he was going to put up more posters and where as several of his competitor's posters have already been put up overnight. 

"My team have put up a lot of posters," said Tan. "Maybe it will be half of Mr Tharman's, but for every two of Tharman you will see one of Tan Kin Lian's.

"And many people will come and say Tan Kin Lian looks better," he remarked with a grin. 

Besides his campaign material and visits to hawker centres, Tan shared that he's trying to reach younger voters by attending podcasts to share his message. 

"I believe that many young people, when they watch the podcast, they will get my message. [Despite the age difference] they will find that I am quite closely [aligned] with their aspirations." 

ALSO READ: Tan Kin Lian says Tharman was 'quite gracious', assured him 'malicious' people are not from his team