Today, we have a broad conversation on PE2023 with veteran journalist Bertha Henson. She reflects on Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s landslide win, shares how she got involved in Mr. George Goh’s campaign, and discusses and evaluates the office of the elected presidency in Singapore. In particular, we highlight two bodies: the Presidential Elections Committee, or the PEC, as well as the Council of Presidential Advisors, or the CPA.

This episode was recorded on September 11, 2023. She was previously on the podcast before and after GE2020. You can also read the publication, “Lights on the Istana: Training the Spotlight on the Presidency”.

Listen to the full mini-series:

1. ⁠Much ado about “independence”, PE2023’s young voters⁠ (with Rosamund Lim)
2. ⁠Constitution? Ceremonial? Community?, PE2023’s young voters⁠ (with Liang Weiting)
3. ⁠A “GE2020 Jamus Lim debate moment”?, PE2023’s young voters⁠ (with Aamir Bana)
4. ⁠Singapore’s presidential… Group job interview? (PE2023)⁠
5. ⁠Veteran journalist Bertha Henson on PE2023, the PEC and CPA, and the office of the elected presidency⁠

Resources for information about presidency:

• The president's constitutional, ceremonial, and community duties, ⁠as described on its website⁠.
• A primer by “The Straits Times” on ⁠the president’s role and powers⁠.
• An explainer on Singapore’s elected presidency by ⁠CAPE⁠.
• Resources and readings compiled by ⁠academia.sg⁠, including “⁠Why Singapore’s next elected President should be one of its last⁠”.
• ⁠The Menon Commission Report⁠.

This episode is part of the "Civic Engagement and Action" series of the podcast's sixth season (⁠https://socialservice.sg/podcast/⁠). The feature photo is by Max Oh on Unsplash.