Elected President– Another thought

I have been thinking a lot about this EP thing and looking at as many angles as I could to look at the issues and potential problems that may pop up later. This is national service in a way, or being kaypoh. I just though of another point that I think, just a thought, that this may have slipped the minds of the super talents in their haste to get this EP changes passed for the next election. I am not trying to be intellectually arrogant as comparing to the super talents, I am just a minnow. Maybe they have thought of it, thought about it but did not think it important enough at this point in time to raise it.

Let me just share this little nitty problem that could cause some head scratching later.  Singapore was lucky that all the past presidents survived their terms in office. With the stringent criteria to be eligible as an EP, the $500m company or as very senior politicians or civil servants, the potential candidates for EP are likely to be quite advance in age. And many would have lived the good life and full of good life sicknesses from too rich food and lack of physical activities. Now you get what I am driving at?

There is always a possibility that a sitting President could mati prematurely from sickness or whatever reasons. Assuming that the next EP passed away after 3 months, 6 months or one year or a couple of years, would that mean that the Malay minority President had used up its quota of one term and so the next EP would be open to all? Or would there be a make up reserved EP election for the remaining years or months? No one can rule out this possibility.

Here is the worm. If the tenure of a minority President is prematurely terminated, would the minority feel cheated and would demand for another by election to serve out the full term of 6 years? Where to draw the line, 3 years, 4 years, 5 years?  Or would it be the same practice as in the case of a mati MP, wait out the full term with the seat empty or someone else covering it? When the Constitution provides for such minority rights, you can expect the rights to be demanded to the fullest, no half past six or partial satisfaction would be enough.

What do you think? Would this be another problem for minority grievances and unhappiness? Would this be the seed for future racial tension?

PS. I am thinking of the implications of the Eurasians and Others being lumped together with the Indian category. This one is another can of worms and deserves another post on it.