The elections department of Singapore has announced that three candidates have been approved to run for the upcoming presidential election on September 1. This marks the city-state's first contested election in over a decade. Ng Kok Song, Tan Kin Lian, and former deputy premier Tharman Shanmugaratnam have all filed their nomination papers.
Ng Kok Song, the chairman of Avanda Investment Management, has pledged to protect the national reserves if elected. The 75-year-old candidate believes that he possesses the necessary qualities to uphold the integrity of public service appointments.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, aged 66, stated that Singapore will face a more challenging and difficult future. With his extensive experience in government, he promises to utilize his expertise to guide the country through these challenges.
Tan Kin Lian, a former CEO of insurer NTUC Income, emphasizes that his candidacy is truly independent of the ruling government. He too has promised to safeguard the reserves and uphold the integrity of the public service. Tan, who is 75 years old, has previously addressed concerns raised about his social media posts that were seen as objectifying women.
In the previous presidential election, incumbent Halimah Yacob assumed the role without any competition. However, she has declared that she will not be seeking the office for a second term. The position of the president is largely ceremonial and symbolic, serving as the head of state and promoting national unity.
The Elections Department has called on all candidates to campaign in a manner befitting the president's position, with dignity and decorum. This highly anticipated election will mark only the third time, since a constitutional amendment in 1991, that the president of Singapore is publicly elected.