Singapore: Indian-origin former minister Tharman among 3 people qualified to run in presidential election

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a former Indian-origin minister in Singapore, is among three people who have qualified to run for the city-state’s presidential election, reported news agency PTI, on Friday (August 18). This comes weeks after the 66-year-old formally launched his presidential campaign.

About Tharman and other candidate’s selection

Tharman (66) and two Chinese-origin former executives of government-linked companies have qualified to run for the upcoming presidential elections. The Elections Department (ELD) said that the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) received a total of six applications for the certificate of eligibility.

The two Chinese-origin candidateswho have also qualified as candidates for the presidential election are Chief Investment Officer Ng Kok Song and former NTUC Income Chief Executive Tan Kin Lian, reported PTI.

The news agency citing the department also said that Tharman submitted his bid under the public sector service track while Ng and Tan applied under the public sector deliberative track and private sector deliberative track, respectively.

Under requirements laid out in Singapore’s Constitution, public sector presidential candidates must have held office for at least three years as a minister, chief justice, attorney-general or other high-level posts.

In line with this, since Tharman held office as a minister for at least three years, he qualified for the public sector service track. The 66-year-old launched his bid for the presidency on July 26. Therefore, he has since resigned from public and political posts last month.

The six-member PEC, headed by Public Service Commission chairman Lee Tzu Yang and also includes two supreme court judges, were satisfied that Ng, Tan and Tharman were men of “integrity, good character and reputation,” said ELD.

Tharman’s campaign

“I stepped into this race because I feel very strongly in the need to evolve Singapore’s culture, some of our norms and the way we go about working with each other so that we remain a shining spot in the world,” said the 66-year-old, during a press conference.

Tharman was an economist and civil servant and worked predominantly at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, before joining politics in 2001. So far, he’s served as minister for education and finance and deputy prime minister from 2011 to 2019.

Upcoming elections

Singapore had previously said it would hold the presidential election on September 1 if more than one person qualifies for the presidential run. Incumbent President Halimah Yacob’s six-year tenure will end on September 13.

Singapore will hold its first presidential election since 2011, after President Halimah announced on May 29 that she will not seek a second term. She is the country’s eighth and first female president.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE