The People's President

As the Parliament sought candidates for Singapore’s fourth president, they prioritized searching for “a man of integrity and dignity.”  S. Rajaratnam, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, submitted Dr. Wee’s name. Dr. Wee and Mr. Rajaratnam, both journalists and diplomats, had been friends for 30 years. There was no better judge of Dr. Wee’s character than Mr. Rajaratnam, who ultimately persuaded Dr. Wee to be considered for the presidency. The vote went through smoothly, and Dr. Wee Kim Wee was sworn in as president on 2 September 1985.  Though his new presidential title carried much weight, Dr. Wee never relinquished his characteristic humility. He and his family remained in their Siglap Plain bungalow throughout his eight years as President. When he was first appointed, he made sure that their small driveway could accommodate the state Mercedes and Rolls Royce cars.

Dr. Wee’s eight-year presidency was characterized by community outreach and cultural ambassadorship, as he presided over a relatively smooth and prosperous period of Singapore’s history. One of the major landmarks of his presidency regarded the position itself: in 1991, Parliament legislated that the Singaporean presidency was to become an elected, rather than appointed, role. At that point, the incumbent President Wee was deemed an elected president. The Parliamentary Act also expanded the President’s powers, granting greater decision-making over the national reserves and public service appointments. This was one of the most significant constitutional and political changes in modern Singapore.