Quora Answer: Will Singapore Eventually Have a Prime Minister Not Born in Singapore?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Will Singapore eventually have a Prime Minister who was not born in Singapore?”

I take it that you are referring to a person who was not born as a citizen of Singapore, and migrated here, and took up citizenship.  This would preclude a person born of Singaporean parents overseas, and subsequently registered at the High Commission as a Singapore citizen.  This would make him a Singapore citizen from birth, but born in a foreign country.

The Prime Minister is the head of government, chosen from among the Members of Parliament of the ruling party, or majority party.  One of the qualifications to be a Member of Parliament, is to be a citizen of Singapore.  This is further qualified that he not have dual citizenship, or even be a permanent resident of a foreign nation.

However, the Constitution does not state that the Prime Minister must have been born in Singapore.  It states only that he must have resided in Singapore for at least a decade prior to nomination to run for the seat.  He need not have been a citizen for the entirety of those ten years, but should at least have been a permanent resident.  In theory, a permanent resident could successfully acquire citizenship just prior to election, successfully run for the seat, and be chosen by his peers to be the Prime Minister.  Politically, that is extremely unlikely.

This is what the relevant Article of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore states:

Appointment of Prime Minister and Ministers

25.—(1)  The President shall appoint as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament, and shall, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint other Ministers from among the Members of Parliament:

Provided that, if an appointment is made while Parliament is dissolved, a person who was a Member of the last Parliament may be appointed but shall not continue to hold office after the first sitting of the next Parliament unless he is a Member thereof.

Essentially, if he qualifies for Parliament, and is deemed by the President to command the majority of Parliament, meaning he is probably the leader of the majority party or coalition, then he can be appointed Prime Minister.

For a person to be a citizen of less than a decade to run for Parliament, there has to be a change of the Constitution on this matter.  There will likely be a referendum involving the electorate, although there is no requirement to do so.  It is a sensitive matter.  As it is, we have Members of Parliament who were permanent residents, and never served National Service.  I do not see the electorate, including myself, countenancing such a thing as having a foreign-born head of government.