“Singapore’s Contested Presidential Election Amid Rare Political Scandals”
Singaporeans have cast their votes in the city-state’s first contested presidential election in over a decade. The president’s role in Singapore is primarily ceremonial, with limited powers and influence over public affairs. However, the election’s outcome may serve as an indicator of public sentiment towards the long-ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) following recent political scandals involving Members of Parliament (MPs).
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a leading candidate, was a veteran minister of the PAP, having served as deputy prime minister and finance minister. The 66-year-old economist resigned from the PAP in June to run in the presidential election.
The PAP, led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, experienced a decline in electoral performance in 2020 but still maintained a two-thirds majority in parliament. This year, the party’s reputation was tarnished by a series of unusual political scandals, including the arrest of a senior minister in a corruption probe and the resignation of two lawmakers over an extramarital affair.
Voters at polling stations expressed that these scandals could influence their decisions. Some saw the election as a way to express their feelings about the PAP, while others voted for their preferred candidate. The sentiment among voters appeared to be split, with some stating that awareness about the president’s role had increased.
The president’s role includes safeguarding Singapore’s substantial financial reserves, requiring candidates to have civil service or corporate experience. Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the frontrunner in the election, which marks the first contested presidential race in over a decade, as the outgoing President Halimah Yacob chose not to seek a second six-year term.
“Singapore’s Contested Presidential Election Amid Rare Political Scandals”
Other candidates in the race include Tan Kin Lian, a 75-year-old former insurance executive criticized for past social media posts about women and Indians, and Ng Kok Song, a former wealth fund investment officer.
The candidates’ ethnic backgrounds have also been a topic of discussion, as Singapore is a multicultural but predominantly Chinese city-state. Some have noted that Tharman Shanmugaratnam could become the first non-Chinese president elected by voters.
However, some voters emphasized that race was not a decisive factor. They believed that the focus should be on selecting the best candidate, as Singapore had made significant progress in moving past racial considerations over time.
Additionally, concerns have arisen among voters about the stringent eligibility criteria for presidential candidates. Candidates must have served as senior civil servants or as the chief executive of a public company with a value of at least SGD 500 million.
Voting is mandatory for Singapore’s 2.7 million eligible citizens.