Singapore

Flag Description

Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle.

Election type: Presidential

Election date: 27 August 2005 (last held 28 August 1999)

Number of registered voters: 2 113 540 (as at October 2004)

Compulsory voting: Yes

Government

Type: Parliamentary republic

Chief of State: Sellapan Rama NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)

Party in Government: People’s Action Party (PAP)

Head of Government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004)

Branches: Executive-President (chief of state for a six-year term) and Prime Minister (head of government).

Legislative—a unicameral 84 member parliament (maximum five-year term)

Judicial-High Court, Court of Appeal and subordinate courts

Political parties: People's Action Party (PAP), Workers' Party (WP), Singapore's Peoples Party (SPP), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)

Suffrage: universal and compulsory at 21

According to the Presidential Elections 2005 web site, President S.R. Nathan who had initially indicated that he would retire (he is 81 years old), decided a month before the scheduled election date to stand for the office of President again. Polling day was scheduled for 27 August, 2005. As S.R. Nathan was the only eligible candidate, the Returning Officer declared him elected President, so no actual vote was required. The three other candidates including Andrew Kuan, Ooi Boon Ewe and Ramachandran Naidu were ruled ineligible to stand. Eligibility is determined by the Presidential Elections Committee. Further details may be seen in this Channel News Asia article of 13 August 2005.

For copyright reasons some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.

Comments to: web.library@aph.gov.auweb.library@aph.gov.au
Last reviewed 22 September, 2005 by the Parliamentary Library Web Manager
© Commonwealth of Australia

Except to the extent of the uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means including information storage and retrieval systems, without the prior written consent of the Department of Parliamentary Services, other than by senators and members of the Australian Parliament in the course of their official duties.

This brief has been prepared to support the work of the Australian Parliament using information available at the time of production. The views expressed do not reflect an official position of the Information and Research Service, nor do they constitute professional legal opinion.

Parliament of Australia Web Site Privacy Statement
Images courtesy of AUSPIC