In Singapore, calls for more background checks on political parties to ensure transparency
Kannan Chettiar, chief executive and co-founder of Avvanz, noted that screening could also help parties anticipate and mitigate potential risks associated with a candidate’s past actions or behaviour and prevent unwanted surprises during campaigns or after elections.
Kannan Chettiar added, "Overall, background checks on political parties can contribute to a more transparent, accountable and trustworthy political process."
Chettiar noted that for every 10 profiles Avvanz screened, at least three posed some form of discrepancy, in the form of fake credentials, inflated backgrounds, derogatory social media footprint or undeclared offences.
The PAP’s Ivan Lim Shaw Chuan dropped out of the race before Nomination Day after a wave of criticism over his behaviour at work and during military service for his purported “elitism”, condescending mannerisms and arrogance. Lim, who was the general manager with the government-linked company Keppel Offshore and Marine, said “further allegations” had emerged despite his clarifications and called them “baseless”.
Political analyst Eugene Tan said it would be unsurprising if more parties in the city state claimed they were instituting background screening by using commercial entities, but cost would be an issue.
In Thailand last August, the Bangkok Post reported Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stressing the need to run thorough background inspections on candidates for ministerial posts to avoid any mistakes.
She referred to an incident involving her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, who was dismissed from office by the constitutional court for an ethics violation for appointing ex-convict Pichit Chuenban as a minister of the prime minister’s office.