THERE are still about 19 months until Singaporeans go to the polls to vote for their president - the next election isn't due until August 2017 - but already the wheels are in motion to ensure that only candidates who meet a stricter set of standards are eligible.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong outlined some of the ideas in Parliament on Wednesday, and a new Constitutional Commission chaired by the Chief Justice will study these proposals and make recommendations to the government later in the year.

As things stand, the main criteria to be a presidential candidate is quite clear-cut: Those from the public sector must have served in key appointments such as ministers, attorney-generals or permanent secretaries.