Analysts TODAY interviewed expect the changes to the Elected Presidency (EP) to be in place for the next election, following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s comments in an interview televised last night.

However, they cautioned that a mechanism of reserving polls for a particular race could unwittingly promote voting along racial lines, and end up hindering the chances for a minority candidate in the event of an open contest.

… Associate Professor Alan Chong of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore felt it was “anyone’s guess” whether the next election would be reserved for a particular race and what race it could be, noting the possibility that it could be reserved for either Malay or Eurasian candidates. The last Eurasian President was Benjamin Sheares who succeeded Yusof in 1971 after his death.